Mac paced like a wild cat glaring daggers and snarling at anyone who dared get too close to him. Merle was shouldering his rifle and grabbing up their packs not bothering in speaking to him as they walked for the truck. It'd do no good either way and the man knew it. Mac was going with or without him. When Daryl didn't come back those days when he'd found Sophia it was a physical pain to him for his twin to not be there. He knew he wasn't dead but he knew something wasn't right either. That same sickening feeling was like a knife in his gut telling him to get to Daryl.

"Your boys headed over." Merle's voice was clipped and tense.

Mac's eyes went over and sure enough Brian was walking right for him. His face was set in a mask of neutrality but Mac knew his son. He was just like Daryl at times able to hide from the world but not Mac. Brian was more upset than he was letting on. He cleared his throat and Merle nodded as he slipped away heading Brian off.

"Just the two of you going?" Brian questioned. The worry in his voice was thick and choking.

Mac held back the flinch that wanted to rear it's ugly head and nodded, "We'll find him."

"Daryl is better in the woods then both of you all." Brian growled his voice changing to one of anger, "What makes you think whatever happened to him won't take you two from us to?"

Mac growled stepping closer to his son and grabbing him by the back of his neck and pulling him to him. Brian leaned his head against Mac's chest and Mac could feel the slight tremor go through his son. He felt sick. His words like a knife but Brian didn't mean them to hurt like they had.

"I can no sooner leave him out there without looking then I could not search for you." Mac's voice was low as his eyes went to Sophia.

Sophia was in the same place as before. She'd taken vigil looking out over the gates from the platform that Carter was taking guard duty on. She refused to speak to anyone her eyes faraway and pained. The few times he did hear her voice the despair in it ripped his heart straight from his chest unable to take his and her pain together. She already lost her mother and now Daryl, he wasn't sure he could take it let alone the girl.

Her eyes swung around to him as if sensing his eyes and she just stared at him for a minute tears flooding her eyes. She hardly looked at him since then and it worried him. Did she blame him? He should have fought Daryl more to go with him. He should have refused to let him out of those gates alone. Never again.

"She's not mad at you." Brian's voice was sad. "She can't look at you though."

Mac's eyes flashed down to his son and his grip tightened over the nape of his neck. Looking down at his son was looking at a mirror image of him and Daryl as they were younger. Brian sighed and ran a hand over his face reminding Mac that'd he'd been up there with Sophia the entire time never leaving her side. Even when Hannah had come for him he'd snarled at her refusing to be moved and leave Sophia alone.

"You look like him and see you and knowing he's out there…." Brian broke off and his eyes went downcast.

Mac swallowed and nodded in understanding, "Need you to do something for me...for Daryl."

Brian's eyes lifted instantly at the serious tone of his father's voice, "Anything."

"Stay with her, keep her safe no matter what." Mac's voice held a command that he knew his son wouldn't refuse.

Brian nodded at him and Mac pulled him back to him hugging him before stepping away. Merle was there and regarded Brian before his eyes went to Sophia as well. A look passed over his face but was gone before Mac could get a read on it. Merle was worried for her that much was clear.

"Make her eat something and get her to drink." Merle met Brian's eyes again, "You're the only one she isn't about to bite their throat out and maybe get her to listen until he's back." Merle chuckled suddenly, "And keep those fucking clucking women away from her or we'll have a bigger mess to clean up."

Brian flashed a bright smile, "I'm not sure Karen would chance talking to her after the shit Daryl said."

"And Sophia." Mac quipped.

"Acts just fuckin like him." Merle grinned, "Bet Daryl loves dealing with himself like that."

Sophia's eyes stayed on the forest. She was searching and hoping refusing to believe that things could go so bad so fast. She was raised through hell and finally seen a glimmer of something better. She had just got a taste and found that it was everything she dreamed of. Now though it was being ripped away from her violently. It was unfair. She wanted her mom. Her mom always made things better but the cruel reality was she had neither Daryl or her mother now. Both would be able to soothe the pain wracking her body for the other but now she was left with a hollow resonating feeling of loneliness. She was alone.

Sighing and feeling tears slip free again as Carter passed behind her again walking the length of the front fence. He was silent and she was happy for that. The last person up here had tried for hours to talk to her and she wanted to kick them over the wall. It wasn't their fault Daryl was missing and had been for longer than necessary. All the same though she couldn't take the pain that was cracking her chest in half.

The sound of the gates opening had her eyes going to the vehicle that was leaving. She knew neither brother would ever stop searching for Daryl and that brought her comfort. Daryl never gave up on her mother and it was only fair he was never gave up on. Sophia had no doubt he was alive. Merle had told her from the first time she had met him that nothing could kill a Dixon but a Dixon and she believed him. She was worried though cause the sun was setting out there and things were bad enough in the day time but at night it all felt worse.

"Bullshit." Brian snarled taking a seat next to her. "I should be out there."

"No." Sophia kept her voice low.

Brian side eyed her and the look was painful. Daryl always done her that way when he was getting ready to say something or trying to gauge her mood. Sophia sighed and looked over at him glaring. He shoved a water bottle into her hand and his face reddened when it knocked her off balance.

"Dad said you weren't eating or drinking…."

Sophia growled low in her throat but opened the bottle anyways taking a drink. Carter walked behind her again and hummed something. He nudged Brian getting his attention before he passed something down to him. Sophia looked over and seen a rifle across his lap now.

"I'm going to talk to a man about a dog hold the fort down Dixon." Carter jumped down the sounds of his boots sharp and full of energy.

Brian looked over the wall, "I could have helped."

"No." Sophia shook her head again swallowing the water, "You being out there would have been a distraction to your dad and uncle...both would have got hurt if a herd or something came trying to keep you safe."

Brian swallowed and scowled but both were quiet. Sophia let herself relax some something she refused since Daryl didn't return on time. He always kept his promises to her and when he said he'd be back in a certain amount of time she knew he meant it. Daryl was strong and smart and always had his eyes sharp and focused so it made her heart beat a painful tune to know he wasn't back. Something was keeping him from coming back. Daryl looked her in the eye and told he would come back, that he'd always come back for her, he was all that she had anymore.

"You're not alone." Brian's voice was low. "No matter what you've still got us."

Sophia didn't speak but felt tears welling up again. She gave a shaky nod as her hair spilled forward and felt her chest start to tighten with fresh pain. As the sun got closer to setting that ball of dread settled lower and the only thing keeping her from losing it was Brian's unmoving presence.

Carter's grunt just behind them as he made it back up the platform got their attention. Sophia turned looking up at the man and he gave her a smile. His eyes went around the perimeter before coming back down and two plates were thrust down at them.

"Eat." He demanded. "If you two set here and drop over cause you're like your dads then its my ass." He huffed and stood over them on guard.

His words struck something deep in Sophia and she took the plate. The smell of whatever was on the plate didn't register to her and she raised a brow.

Carter chuckled, "Didn't go get anything from someone else. You're eating rations. Welcome to the squad kid." his voice was amused.

She didn't look at what she was eating but did nonetheless. Carter wouldn't back off till she did she knew him good enough to know that. She felt sick again that this man was having to force smiles and keep his mood up for the two of them. He'd lost two of his close friends earlier in the day on an accident. She didn't know details and didn't want to really. Things were hard enough as it was without that image in her head. Something that she knew was hard for him but his face was unreadable and he still had that easy smile.

Clearing her throat again both men looked at her. Brian's Dixon blue eyes studying her and Carter's pain laced ones. Everyone was hurting.

"I'm sorry about your friends."

Carter gave her a smile and nodded, "Brothers Dixon...they were my brothers." He motioned to her plate as he pulled more water bottles from a pack that was on his back. "They'll be back. Too stubborn to die is what those bastards are."

Brian snorted but hissed looking at Sophia when her elbow hit his ribs knocking him sideways, "Son of a bitch."

"It's not funny jerk."

"Shit you two really are like your dads." Carter laughed walking away.