The Meaning of Love

Part 12

A half-hour after the meeting, the group, except T-Dog, Lori, Carl, and Dale, is walking through the woods. Daryl is at the front because he is the best tracker. The group had already checked at the hiding spot Rick had left Sophia at, and they are now following a small set of tracks Daryl had found.

"It looks like she was trying to find the road," Daryl says, stopping suddenly and looking at the ground closely.

"Told you he would lose the track," Shane says, giving Daryl a nasty look.

"I haven't lost them. I was trying to figure out why she had stopped here then ran in that direction," Daryl says, pointing to where the tracks go.

"Ran?" Carol asks, coming to stand by Daryl.

"There aren't any other tracks, so she wasn't chased. She must have heard something that drew her attention," Daryl says quickly, seeing the panic in Carol's eyes.

"What the hell could she have heard in the middle of the woods, miles from the road?" Shane says, giving Daryl another nasty look.

"Shane," Ricks warns, stepping between Daryl and Shane when Daryl's fist clinches. "It's getting late. Let's head back."

"But...," Carol says, fighting a sob.

"We'll start at daybreak tomorrow, Carol," Rick says.

"Come on, woman. Making yourself sick won't help Sophia," Daryl says, wrapping his left arm around Carol's shoulders.

"She's only ten. We can't leave her out here," Carol sobs.

"I'll stay out and search a little longer if you go back to the cars," Daryl says.

"Daryl...," Rick starts, but Daryl stops him.

"It'll give me a chance to hunt. We need more food," Daryl says, pushing Carol towards Andrea. "Andrea, do not let her out of your sight."

"Of course," Andrea says, wrapping her arms around Carol's shoulders.

"Daryl," Carol says, reaching towards Daryl.

"I'll just be a couple of hours," Daryl says, kissing Carol's hand.

"Be careful," Carol whispers as she hugs him. "I don't want to lose you too."

"You won't," Daryl whispers before turning and following the tracks deeper into the woods. After a half-hour and a half, Daryl slowly starts to walk back to the highway. Daryl doesn't want to go back empty-handed, but he knows Carol will need him tonight. Daryl picks up his pace when it starts getting dark because he rather not is stuck in the pitch-black woods, but he isn't fast enough.

"Shit," Daryl curses. A sudden sharp sound comes from the right of Daryl, which makes him freeze. Daryl can hear a sound, but it is too far away from him to tell what it is, so he slowly walks towards the sound.

"Mommy," came a soft sob, which makes Daryl's heart miss several beats.

"Sophia?" Daryl asks softly, afraid he'll scare the little girl.

"Mr. Daryl?" comes a shaky voice. Daryl lets out the breath he had been holding.

"Thank god, I found you," Daryl says, trying to see the girl in the dark. Daryl jumps a little when he feels little arms wrap around his waist.

"I want to go home," Sophia cries as Daryl kneels in front of her.

"We'll have to wait until the daybreak," Daryl says, picking Sophia up. "Are you hurt at all?"

"No, Mr. Daryl," Sophia sobs.

"Hey, stop crying. There is no reason to cry anymore. I'll get you back to your mom," Daryl says when he feels Sophia's tears on his shoulder. Daryl knows it is dangerous to keep moving when it is so dark, but he is dying to get Sophia back to Carol. Daryl doesn't see the cliff until it is too late. His foot slips off the edge, and he feels himself fall forward. Daryl doesn't have much time to react. He just barely got his arms wrapped around Sophia to protect her when he hits a ledge and starts rolling down the hill. Daryl can feel a sharp pain in his left side, but he is more worried about Sophia.

"Sophia?" Daryl gasps out.

"Mr. Daryl, you're hurt," Sophia's voice drifts to Daryl as if from a great distance away. "Mr. Daryl?"

"Sophia," Daryl gasps out before blacking out.

~TIME SKIP~

"Mr. Daryl, please wake up," Sophia's voice drifts to Daryl. Daryl slowly opens his eyes to see Sophia's face right above him. Daryl closes his eyes again when pain shoots through Daryl's left side. "Don't go back to sleep, Mr. Daryl. Please." Daryl slowly opens his eyes again.

"Are you hurt?" Daryl rasps out.

"No. You protected me. Please, don't move yet, Mr. Daryl," Sophia says as Daryl tries to sit up. Daryl slowly sits up and looks to see what happened to his side. Daryl is shocked to find one of his arrows stuck in his side.

"Shit," Daryl curses.

"Should you pull it out?" Sophia asks, moving to kneel on Daryl's left side.

"That is the worst thing to do. Where's my crossbow? We need to get back to the group," Daryl says as he slowly stands up. Daryl feels himself sway and quickly grabs onto a nearby tree.

"Here is your bow," Sophia says. Daryl can see that Sophia is scared.

"Thanks," Daryl says, grabbing his crossbow and slinging it over his back.

"You're bleeding a lot, Mr. Daryl."

"I know, but that is not important right now. Getting you to your mom is what's important," Daryl says, pushing off of the tree. "Fuck. I have no idea which way to go."

"I do," Sophia says. Daryl is surprised when Sophia grabs his hand.

"How do you know which way is right?"

"This is the place Mr. Rick told me to hide," Sophia says, pointing at the small cave under the cliff they had fallen off of. "A bunch of footprints is over there." Daryl looks to where Sophia is pointing. Daryl grabs Sophia's hand and starts following the tracks the group had made the day before. Daryl quickly stops and pulls Sophia behind him when he hears movement up ahead.

"Who...," Sophia starts, but Daryl quickly covers her mouth. Daryl silently curses himself because he starts to feel himself lose consciousness. The sounds are much closer, but Daryl cannot do anything because he falls to the ground unconscious.