Newly Revised

Daryl and Michonne had been gone for two weeks even though they had guaranteed that they would be back within one. Neither of them talked much other than to make comment on the trail they were following, although it was more like they'd gone to the Woodbury massacre and tried to follow the Governor from there. They had no real heading, only a best guess scenario that they both agreed could lead them straight to the man. They'd also both agreed that the next, and every, time they came out, they'd be bringing Ani. Even though they got on fine, it only took one day for Michonne to know he needed the girl's presence to be at ease. He didn't eat except once a day and the only time he slept was when he conked out from exhaustion no matter what Michonne told him. While Daryl had been able to concentrate for the most part, it was clear that he'd been distracted. Michonne had had to save his ass more than once, though he'd done the same for her in return. However, hers weren't due to distraction, but honest surprises, like when she'd been taking on two walkers and a third came out of a closet behind her in one of the homes they'd stayed in overnight. He'd picked up a few things along the way for Ania, too; a hawk feather, a new pair of cargo pants, a couple CDs of bands he remembered she liked, and a few other odds and ends. Michonne had found some comic books for the kids and they'd both grabbed as many supplies as they could while they were out.

Daryl called it when they'd been out for a week, having spent most of the time in the woods looking for a trail or something they could use to hunt the Governor down. They'd searched through two different towns, marking spots they could hit up for supplies on the map Ani had given them for just such purposes. On their way back, they'd gotten stuck for three days in a house as a horde passed by slowly, which had only served to make him angrier than he already was. He'd been so pissed that he'd punched a hole in the wall and cussed out Michonne after taking a few draws off a bottle of bourbon they'd found in the house. She'd knocked him out after a bit, for which he told her thank you the next morning; he wasn't the happiest man alive when he was drinking, especially without his girl. The entire time they made their way back to the prison, every time Daryl opened his mouth, though few and far between, he'd made mention of Ani for one thing or another. It got so bad that Michonne finally started teasing him the closer they got to the prison. She thought it was cute how the normally gruff and quiet man with the surly disposition could act like a lovesick puppy when it came to his girl.

They'd had no luck in finding the Governor, but they had been able to find a set of tire tracks not too far away from the massacre sight. They had been in a field where there had obviously been a small camp, only two or three people as far as Daryl could tell. It was as good of a lead as any once they got Ani and resupplied for at least two weeks since that was how long they'd been gone this time. Pulling up to the prison, they could see movement in the field and were surprised to see some people running. There were others in a little group that seemed to be practicing some of the self-defense tactics Ania had taught the survivors over the winter. Pulling in, it was Merle, Tim, and Glenn that were running, Merle and Tim with angry faces while Glenn just looked like he'd ate something bad.

There were four people he didn't recognize at the prison, three adults and a teen named Patrick; five total had come in, but one had been sent on a run with Maggie. He would later learn that the adults consisted of three strong fighters and an older woman, Patrick's grandmother and last living relative. The other three consisted of a pair of brothers and one of their wives who Ani and Rick had pulled in the day they'd gone hunting and had been pretty decent company. The unmarried brother tried to hit on Ani only once before they'd gotten back to the prison to which she'd just held up her hand to show him her rings. He'd gotten the hint pretty well and had been respectful since, basically just sticking to a sense of humor that she seemed to like, much to Merle's irritation. Of course, Daryl didn't know that, so when he saw the man walking next to Ani, who smirked at something he said, he saw red. Barely waiting for the truck to come to a full stop, he opened the door and jumped out, making a b-line straight towards her.

~x~

Ani had just gotten out of the commons and into the courtyard followed by Mark, hearing a truck had pulled in. She'd sent Maggie, Sasha, and Bill, Mark's brother, on a scouting mission to a strip mall and assumed they had returned with their haul. Daryl was a week late getting back and aside from Mark's innuendos and morbid jokes, Ani was emotionless and cold. She'd taken charge of the camp in the first week, just helping set up the defenses and pulling away from everyone to an extent. Rather than being her usual self and sticking around chatting when she checked in, she immediately moved on to the next task. She would only respond to questions asked and had made no small talk with anyone anymore, least of all with the men. Her checks on the kids became more instructions on what they were to do that day and when, as well as corrections in their stances and holds when working with weapons and on self defense. Merle had talked to Rick and Glenn and found out that she was behaving how she had over the winter and she was fine. He didn't like it, but he backed off after getting his black eye and tried to keep an eye on the girl from a distance.

The second week, however, after the incident with the children, she'd become a drill sergeant, only speaking to bark out orders. All able-bodied people were now forced to do physical fitness training as well as practice knife throwing and self-defense. She had promised some of the MMA training she'd underwent after they got a routine set up for those more advanced. Laps around the field became mandatory for anyone who could run, too, even Carol and Beth. The number of laps around the yard depended on how old the person along with whether or not they had any underlying health problems like asthma. Merle and Mark both knew self-defense already, Mark having been an instructor at a police academy in Tennessee before the world went to hell and Merle learning in the Army. It meant that Ani didn't have to completely over see the training by herself and wouldn't have to spar with the men. She felt it was necessary for everyone to be trained, though, to ensure that everyone be ready and prepared to fight if they had to, especially the children. So any kind of disruptive behavior became an excuse to send people running, even though she also sent anyone who annoyed her out as well. It didn't help when people kept telling her Daryl would be fine; she only became angrier and colder. She was sure he'd be fine and be back, but he'd promised her a week, and that had come and gone with no sign of him. Eventually, any time someone said something about Daryl, whether it be about whether or not he was coming back, she made them run at least one lap around the field.

In fact, that was Tim's reason for being in the field; he'd made comment about how since Daryl wasn't back, if she needed a release he was close by. Merle had reacted accordingly and promptly gotten tossed on his back when he tried to move through her to take a swing at the man. That was the entire reason he had bent sent jogging in the field with Tim instead of simply being dragged back to his cell and locked in. When they had both balked at her demand for them to run ten laps of the yard, Glenn had made a joke about it not being so hard. She told him he could do it, too, if he thought it was a light punishment, and then made sure he did. Ani had walked back into the prison afterwards to finish looking over Mark's noise-maker design until it was done and they walked out to the courtyard.

"Who do dyslexic Satanists pray to?" he asked her all of a sudden.

"Who?"

"Santa," he told her straight faced.

"Guess we know how 'e gets 'is elves, then," she shot back, making the man laugh as they looked out at the field.

"Well, if anything, at least you're teaching them how to run away rather than get eaten," he mused.

She smirked at the comment, thinking to herself that it was definitely a good way to make sure the fighters built stamina. There was nothing more satisfying than knowing everyone would have a fighting chance if they had to abandon the prison, well, except for being with Daryl. Ani was looking out at the field when she felt strong arms wrap around her from the side. Not thinking, she grabbed one of the hands, brought it up and ducked under it, bringing it around the back of whoever it was that had tried to grab her in the same wrist hold she'd taught Glenn. Looking at the wings on the back of the vest while his familiar voice filled her ears, telling her to let go, she took a second to register who it was that she was holding. Dropping his wrist and spinning him around, Ani launched herself into Daryl and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I'm sorry!" she cried as his arms came up around her middle. "I'm so sorry!"

"Don't be, girl," Daryl told her as he held her close, faces buried in each other's necks as he held her off the ground. "Least I know you can defend yourself. Fuck that hurt."

She brought her hands to his face and crashed her lips to his, earning a hoot from Mark and a few chuckles from the others around them. Daryl put her down before he removed an arm, both of them flipped the man off, not bothering to stop their reunion. Ani could hear a few other people make smart ass comments about how maybe they wouldn't have a drill sergeant for a leader. They wish, she thought to herself as Daryl deepened the kiss and picked her back up, wrapping her legs around him. Ani couldn't and wouldn't let go of him when he quit kissing her, moving her head back to his neck. He felt the hot tears on his shoulder and couldn't blame her for being emotional at the moment since he was trying not to cry himself. When she finally did pull away, she watched as Merle, Glenn, and Tim walked up long before they had finished their ten rounds.

"I know damn well ya ain' done all ya rounds," she told growled at them, Daryl noticing her thick accent. "Ain' been 'nough time passed."

"Oh, come on now, girly, you ain't the only one wantin' to say hi to the man, or do you plan on hoggin' 'im to yourself?" Merle asked, barely catching his breath.

"Ya got least ttree more rounds, Merle, tten ya can say hi. Same goes for ya Glenn. Tim, why the fuck do ya think ya can stop?"

"What's goin' on?" Daryl asked.

"They fucked up and now they need ta get ta steppin'," she responded, pointing back to the field; the three of them started moving reluctantly, deciding it better not to press their luck, as she turned back to Daryl. "Ya a week late."

"Shit happens," he said as he brought his nose to her hair.

"Shite happens. Shite happens?!" she yelled at him while she hopped down and pushed him away. "Shite happens my ass! Ya promised me a week, Daryl! What the 'ell is this shite we talkin' happened, exactly?"

"We got stuck in a damn house while a herd passed. Large one, too. Couldn't move for three days," he admitted, putting his hand on her hip and pulling her back to him. "Wanted to kill 'em all to get back here. Not doin' that again. Not leavin' you here again."

He pulled her back in for a quick kiss before picking her up and carrying her over to the truck where Michonne was debriefing Rick and Hershel. Daryl put her down and let her turn around as Michonne showed the others on a map where they'd been and what they'd found. Ani didn't care that Daryl squished her against the hood of the truck when he'd bend to point at the map and all but ignored the stares they were getting. All she could think about was the fact that he was there, alive, and she wasn't planning on letting him leave the prison without her again. Relishing in the feel of him, she couldn't keep the smile off her face as Merle and Glenn walked up having finished their laps, an annoyed looking Tim slinking back into A block.

"How'd it go out there?" Merle asked as he slapped Daryl on the shoulder.

"About as good as it was going to go without Ani with us," Michonne said, having finally gotten out of her habit of calling her by her last name, mostly because there were three Dixons and they all answered when she said Dixon.

"What ya mean by that?"

"He just wasn't as sharp as he could be. Wouldn't shut up about you, either," the woman replied. "It was cute at first, but became annoying after the second day."

"Really, missed me that much, ey?" she asked him, looking up at him behind her.

"'Course," was his reply.

"Told ya she was a distraction," Merle said, shaking his head at the fact that they still hadn't let go of each other since she'd wrapped her arms around him.

"Shut up, Merle. Or do ya wanna take a few more laps in the field?"

"Fuck that," the man said. "Just stating the obvious."

"And Daryl ain' a distraction for ya? Don' tell me ya ain' been as ornery as eva without 'im 'round," she shot back to him.

"I've still been talkin' to people and not actin' like a damn military commander!"

"That's what I got ta be! Ya see the damn scar on Phia? That's what happened by me wastin' time takin' watch and thinkin' 'bout perimeta defenses! It ain' jus' the house that needs preppin'! It's the people that need ta change! They need ta toughen up! Learn ta take care a themselves no matta what! Those kids could a fought their way ta the cells ratha than Phia bein' the one ta take the risk!" she rounded on him, partially breaking out of Daryl's hold, though he kept an arm loosely around her front. "Ya really wan' ta go ova that again?! Ya the one that gave 'er blood! Cussin' at everyone 'cause she got hurt! So don' ya try ta tell me shite 'bout how I'm runnin' things 'ere nah more! 'Sides, the council was the one who voted on it, ya included!"

"What happened here?" Michonne asked.

"The kids went down into the tombs playing hide and seek and Sophia got hurt. She didn't get bit, but she's gonna have a pretty gnarly scar on her shoulder," Glenn told her. "After that, Ani brought up the fact that everyone who could fight should be trained, including the kids. We voted on it and ever since she's been drill sergeant and instructor. Every day we've been getting trained in take downs and holds. My body's so stiff. God, I never knew those laps took so long. Been out here running for the last hour at least."

"Keep talkin' and I'll make it two!"

~x~

A couple hours later found Daryl and Ani sitting in the guard tower she'd had the brothers, Tyreese, and Rick fix up for an extra guard. It had a better view of the road and was closest to the gate and while it couldn't be just theirs, it was private at least. The last couple of hours they had gone about their own chores; getting things in from the truck and cataloging it for Ani and getting a debriefing on defense protocols for Daryl. Merle was actually quite surprised that, once the group had been told what happened on the road and then got to work, the two actually separated. He, along with everyone else, would have thought that they would have stayed together, but Ani had told Daryl to go with Merle while she did what she had to. There was no point in them sticking together when they could get more done faster if they were apart according to her. It made sense but was still shocking to the brothers that she had been the one to say it and then walk away, leaving them to their business.

When they were done doing what they had to, Ani dragged Daryl to the guard tower to take watch with her so they could just spend time together. They sat with their feet dangling over the edge looking out at the fence as Ani talked to him about what she envisioned. She told him how they needed to build pits like what Merle told them about Woodbury, except that she wanted to dig them around the entire perimeter of the prison. If they could dig them close enough to where they could set them on fire every so often, they'd be able to keep the gates clear of too many walkers and make keeping the fence line's integrity. It also had the added benefit of not allowing ordinary vehicles to drive anywhere but the main gates and she'd pointed all of it out at a council meeting they'd had. Ani had been disappointed when Merle and the others on the council had agreed to start digging a few pits, but no where near the endeavor she envisioned.

Ani had managed to calm her nerves enough to steady the way she talked, tucking the brogue back into the crevices of her mind where it belonged. It was always the last sign to show up when her anxiety and fear became bad, and normally the last to go away when things got better. Daryl's absence had forced her to take a leading role in her own life rather than following him and she had felt every second of it. Her mind was taxed from being unable to relax, especially after what had happened with Sophia. Her body was in pain from all the training and heavy lifting she'd been doing during that time on top of the shakes she was wracked with. The shakes, unfortunately, weren't just from straining herself physically but the lack of nutrition she'd gotten herself into. Ani was just thankful she'd been able to steer the conversation away from how she'd been while he was gone. She knew how he'd done on the road and knew that everything had gone well, but she also knew he was going to be angrier than a honey badger when he found out about how well she had fared. She could only hope that he'd deal with it better than he'd dealt with it over the winter.

"We only really went twenty-five miles out like I promised you," Daryl told her, having told her about what he and Michonne found before handing her the things he'd gotten for her specifically. "Got you these."

"This a hawk featha?" she asked.

"Mm-hmm, Cooper's hawk. Tail feather."

"How can ya tell?"

"The length and color," he told her, leaning back and watching her hair in the breeze.

"We could make this place permanent," she told him. "We could stay here and build a life. A real life."

"You call this a life?" Daryl asked. "Hell, only difference between now and then is I've got you and I didn't have to run for my life."

"This is a betta life than I lived 'fore," she answered honestly.

"How so?"

"Sure, food can be hard ta find and we have ta run for our lives sometimes, but I feel like I'm actually livin', ya know? Like, I ain' jus' goin' through the motions nah more," she told him before ripping the band-aid off and telling him the truth about how she'd been when he was gone. "Though, ta be honest, kind a went back ta jus' doin' what I had ta when ya were gone. Didn' like it one bit. Couldn' sleep, barely ate. Jus' worryin' and tryin' ta get my mind off a it when ya bein' gone was the only thing I could think 'bout. And then when I thought Phia had gotten bitten, gods, I might a gotten a little hard on all a 'em."

"'Mighta?' Way Merle and Glenn tell it, the kids haven't been acting like kids since you got a hold of 'em."

"What do ya expect me ta do? Let 'em run 'round jackin' off and gettin' hurt again? Not like I'm goin' ta go this hard on 'em foreva. Jus' tryin' ta teach 'em a lesson on listenin'. Told the liddle bastards not ta play in the tombs. And look what happened 'cause they didn' listen! Worse, Carl and Phia got roped inta it, even though they know betta! Didn' think havin' so many kids would be a problem, but we got three orphans, four with single parents, a toddla and a baby, plus four young teens! That's why I put 'em all up in A block 'stead a ours. There's too much fuckin' noise with 'em all around. Nah one could control the liddle fuckas eitha! Not the parents, not the eldas. Well, now they're unda control," she argued.

"I'm not sayin' you did the wrong thing, but maybe tone it down a bit," Daryl murmured into her hair before he kissed the top of her head. "Maybe stop the daily trainin' for everyone? I get the need to do it, but you only made us practice a couple times a week. Why you makin' everyone train daily here?"

"Got nothin' betta ta do," she offered with a shrug.

"You do now," he said, moving her face so he could kiss her.

"Ain't you done enough a that yet?" Merle said as he walked out of the tower and found them sitting there.

"Fuck you, Merle," Daryl told him, taking the man's hand as he stood up.

They both offered Ani a hand, hauling her to her feet when she took both and making her laugh and tell them, "Damn, feels like I'm a liddle kid gettin' pulled up like that!"

"Hell, you are a little kid," Merle told her only for her to cuff him upside the ear.

"I wouldn' be fuckin' ya brotha if I was a little kid," she told him smartly before pulling Daryl into a kiss.

"Yeah, get back to your cell 'fore you start that shit. Cleared your schedules for the rest of the day today and tomorrow," Merle told them as they broke apart, Ani chuckling at Daryl's red ears.

Daryl grabbed Ani's hand and pulled her out of the guard tower, "You been eatin'?"

"Much as I could, which wasn' as much as ya'd like."

"When's the last time you slept?"

"Got a couple hours last night."

"How much you got since I left?" Ani didn't say anything, causing him to stop and make her look at him, "How much, Ania?"

"Not 'nough," she relented with a sigh. "Too many nightmares, then what happened with Phia. I haven' been able ta sleep. Me mind won' shut up."

"Let's get you to bed, then," Daryl said.

He didn't wait for arguments, opting instead to bend down and tell her to hop on and making her laugh before she climbed on. No wonder she's shakin' like a leaf, he thought to himself as he piggy-backed her up to the prison and into the cell block. Barely eating and sleeping for two weeks; it wasn't her mind causing her body's tremors but exhaustion and malnutrition. He was pissed, but he knew that it would be counter-productive to blow up at her like he wanted to. There was nothing he could do but put her down on the bed and leaving the room as she began untying her laces. Ani would much rather do other things than sleep, but Daryl would have none of that until she got some rest. Even he wanted to do more with her but her lack of sleep was more worrisome than their desire. He went to grab some of the things they'd brought into the prison and went back to the cell with a couple bottles of water and a bag with food in it.

Daryl put the bag on the bed and looked at her, "Pick somethin'."

"I'm not hungry," she said, truly not feeling hungry.

"Ania, you need to eat. Ain't gonna stop shakin' if ya don't eat. Pick somethin', or I'm gonna pick it for you, and I grabbed a jar of pickled pigs feet," he warned, smirking at the disgusted look on her face.

"Gods, how can ya eat those things! I really would starve ratha than eat 'em!" she exclaimed while picking through the bag.

Ani looked in the bag and was surprised by the amount of stuff he had put in the bag and the variety, too. She grabbed out a bag of sweet and spicy jerky, scrunching her nose in disgust at the jar of pigs feet in the bag. There were a couple other easy to eat items in the bag, too, but the jerky was the only thing that really called to her and made her mouth water. He watched over his shoulder as she pulled the jerky out, smiling small to himself at the fact that he'd known she'd pick it. It was her favorite kind of jerky, and there were still five bags of it hidden in the truck. He'd given Michonne all the bags of M&Ms he'd found to save those six bags of jerky for Ani, the woman smiling happily when she took the deal. Daryl thought that trade was completely worth it just to see his woman smiling like a little kid while she opened it.

"Knew you'd like that. Just hide it from Merle. He likes 'em too," Daryl told her.

"He does? Maybe I should share it with 'im, then," she said thoughtfully, eyeing the bag she'd just opened.

"Don't even think about it," he chastised her, removing his jacket and vest. "Damn near got bit by a walker gettin' that jerky for you. Ya ain't sharin' it."

"Ya serious?" she asked him, her eyes going wide.

"Nah, just bein', what was it you called me? Dramatic?" he told her as he laid back, resting his head on her stomach. "Damn, can fuckin' hear it rumblin'. When's the last time you ate?"

"Just now," she said after finishing a bite of the jerky.

"Ania," he warned.

"Night 'fore last," she sighed.

"Dammit, Ania!" he said sitting up. "Didn't no one check in on you? You promised you'd take care of yourself. What the hell happened to that?"

"I did take care a myself. Maybe not the way ya wanted, but I did my fuckin' best. And everyone tried checkin' in on me. They brought me food and told me ta rest. But I couldn' eat it half the time, so I jus' gave it ta the kids. And I'd be in 'ere restin', but couldn' fuckin' sleep. Don' blame them for my shortcomin's. I know I didn' do my best at keepin' that promise and I'm sorry for that. I tried. I really did," she said, her voice small as she looked away from him.

Daryl sighed angrily because he knew that she really didn't have a choice when it came to being able to eat let alone sleep. If she tried eating when she said she couldn't, she would throw up whatever she'd eaten or simply be unable to swallow it. He'd learned that after the farm, before the winter and food got even more scarce while they were on the run. The first few weeks after the farm fell, she'd barely managed to take more than a couple bites every time they ate. When he'd finally forced her to eat more after they got a good haul at a convenience store, she'd promptly puked after the fifth extra bite. On another occasion, he'd forced her to take a bite when she'd said she wasn't hungry and she hadn't been able to swallow it; she'd spat it out after several minutes. They'd all learned after that not to pester her about eating because she'd eat when she could and do everything she could to keep herself healthy in between.

"Can't blame you for it, can't blame them. Don't mean I ain't angry."

"Ya have every right ta be, D. I'd be too if the roles were reversed," she told him, closing the half eaten bag of jerky. "I hate bein' like this. Ain' fair ta ya."

"You're fine just the way you are. Don't need perfect, just need you," he told her, taking the bag from her and putting it on the chair next to their bed that acted as a nightstand. "Now come 'ere. Need to feel you."

Ani wasted no time in rolling over onto her side and moved closer to Daryl as he laid down beside her. She laid her head on his bicep, tucked up under his chin, bringing one hand under her own while throwing the other over his side. She rested her cheek against his chest, listening to his heartbeat and sighing in content as she relaxed next to him. He wrapped both arms around her, throwing his leg between hers and pulling her as close to him as he could. Holding her close, he kissed the top of her head and told her to get some sleep when she yawned again. He hadn't been getting the best sleep either on the road and now that he had her in his arms, all the fatigue he'd been feeling hit him like a ton of bricks. When Rick and Merle both went to check on them a while later, they found the pair squished right up against the wall, most of the bed completely unused, Daryl half laying on top of Ani, both dead to the world.

"How do you think she can sleep like that? Hell, can she even breath?" Rick chuckled at the older redneck who'd become a valuable part of their group, even if he did threaten to kick ass left and right every five minutes.

"Hell if I know," Merle answered. "Never seen somethin' like that. Never was the kind to stick with a woman for the night. How'd they get that way, anyway?"

"A lot of things. When we found the farm, Ani was missing in the woods with Sophia. Then Shane tried to rape her. After we got chased off the farm, she almost died on a run with me. Got shot twice and was bleedin' out. She pulled through, but the more time that passed, the worse things got. She started pulling away from everyone including Daryl. Thought they were going to split up for a little while, but it ended up making them closer."

"A little too close, if you ask me."

"Yeah, none of us can deny that. During the winter when she was pulling away, they got into a huge fight. After that, Daryl just refused to leave her alone. She became reliant on him and was the only one that could touch her, the only one she'd talk to unless she had to. He was the only one who could convince her to eat, to rest. They started doing pretty much everything together, spent all day together. Just grew into this," Rick told him with a gesture of his hand.

"It's ridiculous, that's what it is," Merle shot back. "This kind of shit's gonna end up hurting 'em in the end."

"Maybe, but I can't blame them for being scared of losin' one another."

"Bein' scared is one thing, but this? So damn scared of losin' the one good thing they ever had that they can't let go at all. Shouldn't be so damn codependent. It's gonna get 'em killed."

"Or maybe give them a reason to live," Rick offered. "You've seen her without him. She's not the same. Michonne says he ain't either. Only reason you were here was for them. We all have people we would die without."

"I suppose. Still, she's outright told 'im she'd off herself if he ever went. I think she'd do it, too."

"Oh, she would," Rick said as he turned to leave with a sigh, fixing Merle with a look of seriousness. "She would."