Dead or alive, I love you

5.10 them

Genny sits with Rick by the van while the rest is looking for water. "You talked to Daryl yet?" Rick asks playing with Judith.

"He won't talk to me. Barely looks at me, even when I'm talking to him," Genny sighs massaging her upper leg.

"He's just hurting," he sighs as some others return.

Soon Daryl also returns and the group gets back in the car. A few hours later the van stops because it's empty. Glenn helps Genny out of the car and lets her support on him while they walk.

Daryl looks back at the siblings seeing Genny struggling a lot. "She needs painkillers," he sighs looking through his pockets.

"She also needs food. She ends up throwing them up with an empty stomach," Rick says also looking back.

"Can we take ten?" Glenn asks after some talking between him and Genny.

Rick looks at the walkers behind them. "We can't. But you can take her into the woods, circle back later," he suggests to them.

Daryl walks over to them and takes Genny from him as she grunts in pain. "I'll take her," he sighs taking her away into the woods.

After a while she shakes her head. "I can't keep going," she says with a breaking voice.

He sits her down by a tree and hands her his last water. "No, you'll need it," she says pushing it away.

"Gen, take it, please," he says sitting in front of her.

She looks at him before taking it and drinking little sips. She hands it back to him when it's empty. "Sorry for ignoring you," he says softly.

"It's okay," she says grabbing his hand.

He hugs her pulling her on his lap. "I know you're lost, Daryl," she whispers after a while, "but you gotta allow yourself to feel something." She kisses his head softly.

"Lets go back," he groans carefully getting up as he holds her until she's standing on her own.

They meet back up with the group and not long after Daryl parts ways again. When he returns Genny is leaning against the bumping rails on a bridge.

He walks over to her after helping taking care of the walkers. "I got you a stick. I think it'll help a little," he smiles.

"Sure," she sighs taking it.

After another few hours they come by a few cars and Daryl leaves again. Glenn settles Genny next Carl before walking over to a struggling Maggie.

They all sit down until Daryl comes back. He sits down next Genny and she lays down with her head in his lap. Suddenly four dogs appear and Genny sits up grabbing her knife as Daryl shields her.

Sasha shoots the dogs making Genny gasp shocked. Rick gets up and grabs a stick looking at the group. Genny eats in silence staring at the dog fur.

After eating Daryl hands her a painkiller and some of Glenn's water. She takes it without a fight before the entire group settles down for the night.

The next day goes a little better but they still miss water. After half a day Daryl leaves the group again after he talked to Glenn. When he comes back the group as standing an edge around water with a piece of paper.

There's a small discussion but Genny only focuses on the woods around them. Suddenly it starts poring rain and Genny looks up at the sky.

Everybody's happy except for Daryl, Gabriel, Maggie and Sasha. Soon it starts looking like a heavy storm is coming and Judith starts crying. Genny groans at the cries and walks away until Glenn takes her to a barn.

That night she sleeps next Glenn who plays with her curls. "When I was younger, and my parents would get angry. Genny would force herself between me and them. She shielded me from beatings, up until she had to leave," he says to anyone that'll listen.

"She's a good person," Rick says looking at Daryl that's struggling with the door. The whole group starts pushing the door closed except for Genny.

Carl lays a crying Judith down and starts helping. Genny looks at the baby and then the door. She can't help the group because of her leg so she does something she hasn't done before.

She limps over to Judith and picks her up. She starts soothing her and Judith quickly stops crying.

Daryl looks at Genny who is sleeping with Judith in her arms. Last night she picked up the baby for the first time in a year. She hugged Judith but eventually started crying.

He moves his hand through her hair and kisses her forehead softly. "I thought she hated children," Maggie says sitting next him.

He shakes his head and looks at her. "She just has trouble with her feelings sometimes," he sighs.