Broken Crown ~Daryl Dixon~

Bells

The group went through the woods, Florence kept her head down, not wanting to get into any fights with Andrea, not wanting to feel sadness for Carol and just not wanting to deal with Lori. The woman bugged her, she didn't know why but Rick Grimes' wife irritated her and she had no problem with Glenn. Florence ignored Lori, she started moving and glanced at Daryl who stuck close to her side. 

"You're nice, you know." She mumbled, staying quiet and making sure the others couldn't hear her. Daryl stared at her, not knowing what to say, however, she smiled at him and it made him smile. Daryl let the smile fade off his lips, and kept his eyes on their surroundings, looking at the girl's spear as she twirled it between her fingers. 

Florence jumped at the echo of a singular gunshot, Daryl lightly tapped her arm, nodding his head in the direction they were going. Telling her to keep moving, Lori was the most worried, they got her to keep going but the woman stopped causing the rest of the group to stop. 

"We all heard it," Andrea stated, trying to calm the woman down. 

"Why one shot?" 

"A walker? They might've put it down." Daryl tried reasoning, Lori shook her head, glaring at the man as she went on her little rant. 

"Don't patronise me! Rick wouldn't do that to put down one walker, or Shane. They'd do it quietly." Florence shook her head in disagreement about the bit about Shane but she kept her mouth shut. 

"Should they not be caught up with us now?" Carol asked everyone turned to Daryl, putting him in the spotlight to guide them all to calm down.

"There's nothing we can do about it, anyway. Can't run around these woods chasing echoes." 

"So, what do we do?" 

"Same as we've been. Beat the bush for Sofia, work our way back to the highway." Lori huffed, following Daryl as they started moving again. Florence moved to Carol, she took her hands and gave a reassuring smile. 

"I know how scared you must be, fearing what could happen to your little girl. I'm worried for the rest of my family and I hope they've found people as kind and brave as you, Carol." The woman hugged Florence, and then Andrea stepped over to say her piece. Florence got ahead of the group, and Daryl quickly got in front, his eyes telling her to stay close and not go too far. 

Florence stumbled over her feet, groaned and moved to the side to tie up her shoes. Daryl glanced at the girl, he shook his head, crouched down and batted her hands away. 

"Woman, you ain't doing it tight enough, I'm not dragging your ass up if you trip over." Daryl tied her shoelaces up for her, she glanced away embarrassed and yet she still thanked him for helping her out. Florence gave Daryl a look as he pulled her up, swiftly turning around as she jumped into the air, looking alarmed as Andrea screamed. 

They all rushed forward to attack the walker that was after her, however, a lady on a horse ran down and smashed the face of the walker as she asked Andrea if she were Lori. 

"I'm Lori Grimes," Lori stated, causing the young woman to turn to her in a hurry. 

"Rick sent me. You got to come now." 

"What?" Lori asked, her face dropping in confusion. 

"There's been an accident. Carl's been shot. He's still alive but you got to come now. Rick needs you! Just come" Lori instantly got onto the horse with the woman, Daryl tried stopping her but the lady continued to explain things to them. 

"Rick said you had others on the highway, that big traffic snarl? Backtrack to Fairburn Road. Two miles down is our farm. You'll see the mailbox. Name's Greene." Daryl angrily killed the walker as it sat up, muttering words and they started heading back to the highway. Florence ran to Mason, making sure he was okay, the boy looked worried hearing Carl had been shot. Mason hoped that the little boy would be okay, he couldn't stand the thought of two innocent children being gone in the world. The group stood in a circle, trying to convince Carol to understand they had to go. 

Florence bit her lip, took a step forward and looked at the others. 

"I'll stay here, I don't mind. I'll hide in the RV and wait for her. We can make a big sign, and leave supplies." 

"I'll stay too. If the herd comes back we can hold them off together and hope Sofia can get here." Daryl added, looking at Carol and giving a smile. 

"If the RV is staying, I will too." Dale gave a friendly smile in Carol's direction. 

"Thank you, all three of you," Carol whispered, earning a nod from each of them. Dale explained that Andrea, Mason and Glenn needed to get T-Dog to the farm to see if there were any antibiotics. Daryl grabbed a big bag of drugs, causing Florence to look at him surprised. 

"My brother's stash." Daryl began listing drugs, handing Dale a good vile of pills and placing the bag away. Florence shook her head, smiling at his actions. Mason sighed again, he hugged his sister and smiled softly. 

"Just be safe, please." 

"You too." Mason nodded, leaving with the rest of the group. Florence sat on the steps of the RV< glancing at Daryl as he handed her a cigarette. 

"I don't know how." She whispered embarrassed, Daryl shook his head lighting it for her and watched as she brought it to her lips. Coughing after her first inhalation.

"That's nasty." She shook her head, giving it to Daryl, he chuckled and started smoking it instead. Daryl looked at the girl, she had a faint smile on her lips, she fiddled with the spear and walked inside the RV. As the night came, Florence lay inside another car, it was too cramped inside the RV and she couldn't sleep anyways. The girl got out of the car, glancing to see Daryl walking out with his gear, Florence grabbed her spear and looked at him confused.

"I'm looking for the little girl."

"I'll come." Daryl nodded, Florence walked at his side as they started walking through the woods, the two walked in silence for a while before Daryl spoke up. 

"I can tell you're not thinking what the rest of them are."

"Yeah?" Florence whispered, looking at the man with a ghost of a smile. 

"You want that girl found just as bad as her mother." 

"I don't want to give up, they will soon and that little girl could still be out here. I want to believe that she's out there. Because if it were my kid, I'd want everyone looking and my pain isn't anything like what Carol is feeling but I'd stop at nothing to get the rest of my family back." 

"The girl's only twelve, she's got to be out there. Hell, I was younger than her and I got lost. Nine days in the woods eating berries, wiping my ass with poison oak." 

"Did anyone find you?" Florence questioned, looking at him concerned. 

"My old man was off on a bender with some waitress. Merle was doing another stint in juvie. Didn't even know I was gone. I made my way back though, straight into the kitchen and made myself a sandwich. No worse for wear... expect my ass itched something awful." Florence snickered, she covered her mouth and looked at him apologetically. 

"I'm sorry, that sounds real shitty. Awful it happened to you." 

"Only difference is Sofia's got people looking for her. She's got you fighting for her like she's your own kid. I call that an advantage." Florence smiled lightly and turned to him. 

"She's got you too." Daryl nodded, Florence took a breath, glancing around at the woods, trying to see if she can see anything in the darkness. 

"Do you think your family's looking for you and your brother?" 

"I would hope so, my father however would be trying to be realistic either saying we've got each other or that we're dead so there's no point." Daryl shook his head, glancing at the girl and sighed. 

"I hope your father's looking for you and your brother. I know my brother's a dick but family's family, you know? I'd want him looking." Florence nodded, understanding what he meant. 

Daryl heard a rustling in the woods, Florence carefully followed behind him, unsure of what she was looking at. Florence jumped seeing a walker hanging from the trees, the girl glanced at Daryl as he saw the sign in a tree. 

"Got bit. Fever hit. World gone to shit. Might as well quit. Dumbass didn't know enough to shoot himself in the head."