Unexpected Love | Daryl Dixon Fanfic

Chapter 14 - Search Party

I left Daryl at the treeline. I had felt the need to tell him one of the biggest secrets as he'd trusted me with one of his own. He told me about of part of his life, so it was only fair I did the same, but I knew that what I had divulged made him look at me differently.

How could it not? I had basically revealed that I was a mass murderer, and the worst part was I was paid to do it.

It didn't half piss me off that he didn't say anything though. The silence was deafening. If he didn't want to be around me anymore, that was fine and I completely understood it, but damn, at least let me down gently.

When I reached the others, they were gathered around Shane's Jeep with what looked to be a map of the area draped across it. Good, I needed something to take my mind off what had just happened.

"We will grid the whole area, searching in teams." Rick had taken point yet again. His eyes were scanning over the different terrain and elevations on the map.

"Not you, not today." Hershel chimed in. "You gave three units of blood. You wouldn't be hiking five minutes in this heat before passing out." He had a point there. The walk from the house to the camp made him look like he'd run a marathon.

As much as we needed the manpower, he would be nothing but a liability, and I didn't fancy being the one dragging his bony arse back here.

Hershel now set his sights on Shane. "And your ankle... Push it now, you'll be laid up for a month, no good to anybody." He scoffed and shot a withering look to the back of the old man's head once he turned around.

I was going to have to have a word with him in private at some point. He was losing it. As much as I hated him at the minute, with all the crap happening with Lori, he needed to pull himself together.

"Guess it's just me then. There's a creek back near the highway, could be her only landmark. I'll work my way from there." It seemed the redneck had now found his voice. Prick.

"It's not just you..." I snapped, and he at least had the awareness to look a little apologetic. "I'll go that way..." I stated and pointed in the complete opposite direction to which Daryl was heading.

I made off towards my car whilst the others were still talking. I overheard Shane talking about gun training, which was actually a good idea on his behalf, then Hershel explaining that he didn't want us carrying. That there was not a good idea.

And if he thought I was leaving my guns behind he had another thing coming. He would have to pry them off my cold, dead body.

After a couple of minutes, the one person I didn't expect hobbled his way over to me. "Hey Emma, can I ask you a question?" I'd rolled myself a cigarette and shut the door. "You can shoot, fancy helping your brother and I training the others when you get back?"

I turned to Shane and said "Sure, as long as you tell me what happened at that high school..." I definitely struck a nerve.

He tried to cover the fact he'd scrunched up his nose by turning away. "Nothin' much really. It was overrun, Otis saved me. That's it."

"That's bullshit and we both know it." Now he looked angry. He balled his hands into fists and started to shake uncontrollably. Go on, hit me, I'd like to see you try.

"I saw your face when you got back. I'm not an idiot like the rest of them. I won't say anything, yet, but you need to sort this... out." I motioned up and down his body. "As soon as you become a threat to us, to my family, don't think I won't remove you."

I practically growled the last part as I left him by my car. If I was going to find this little girl, I needed to get going. As much as I wanted to forget about him right now, Daryl had given me a new lease of hope, and there was no way I was standing around threatening Shane all day. I just had to pray my words held some weight against him.