Kiddo- Daryl Dixon/OC

Chapter 11- what now?

I could feel the sun beaming down onto my legs that were in the line of light. His heavy vest still draped over me keeping me warm. The next thing was I heard his light snoring which usually meant he was lying on his side. As I lay there all memories of yesterday flooded my mind. Our camp, our people, gone; all gone as far as to my knowledge. I opened my eyes and looked over, sure enough there was Daryl sleeping on his side. In his fingers he had a partially lit cigarette probably from some time in the night. I sat up and took it from his fingers so he wouldn't burn himself. I smashed it on the floor boards and flicked it out of the deer stand. A smoke actually sounded pretty good at the moment, considering everything that's happened within the past twenty four hours. I shrugged Daryl's vest off and laid it beside him. My stomach growled loudly to which I crawled to my backpack and looked around for something to eat. Coming up with nothing I searched through Daryl's, he didn't have very much; a few cans of various veggies, some energy bars, little boxes of cereals and bottled waters. I pulled out canned corn with a can opener, sitting against the wall I opened it and started eating. Feeling content with eating half I sat it by his backpack and walked back to where Daryl was sleeping. I crouched down beside him and gently shook him.

"Daryl? Daryl, it's time to get up, the suns already up."

I shook him a little more before his eyes opened, grabbing my ankles and yanking them forward. I fell backwards landing on my back with an audible grunt as I hit the floor. It took him a few seconds to realize what was going on before he came to his senses.

"Oh my God, Alice! Did I hurt ya? Im so sorry!" he jumped to his feet and pulled me up.

I laughed to myself quietly before answering his questions. "Im fine, good Lord."

He pulled me into a hug as he rubbed my back. "Im so sorry kiddo."

I hugged him back pressing my ear against his chest listening to his heartbeat for a few seconds.

"I opened a can of corn, I only ate half so I left the rest for you" I motioned over to where I sat the food down, "thought you may be hungry."

He walked over and picked it up, tipping the can in his mouth he finished it, tossing it outside into the grass and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

I sighed and slumped back down to a sitting position.

"What are we going to do now?" I asked him. I honestly had no idea what to do at this moment.

He took a seat next to me and put his arm around my shoulders pulling me close. Tears of frustration and anger flooded my eyes and spilled over onto my cheeks. A few tears turned into full blown sobs. I felt pathetic crying like this but I was so lost for emotion. Daryl pulled me into a hug pressing my ear against his chest so I could hear his heartbeat again. Stroking my hair and whispering calming words to me I calmed down just enough to talk normally.

"Well, first things gotta go back to camp. We don't got nearly enough food for us and I can tell winter's rolling 'round soon. Maybe someone will be there so we aren't alone."

"What if there isn't anything left? What if walkers killed everybody?" I asked, I had to get used to the idea that things could end up like that and I could be alone.

"Wont know 'till we see." Was all Daryl said before he jumped up and out of the deer stand. I had no choice but to follow him, I knew he wasn't going to leave me here. I got up and climbed down where he was standing and off we trudged through the woods to our destroyed camp.

The walk was silent and I was still crying, Daryl tried to comfort me but his attempts were useless, I still had to give him credit for trying. It felt like an eternity before we finally reached camp again, it was in worse shape than we thought. Walkers roamed and blood was everywhere, tents were shredded and our little fire place was ruined. Bodies laid everywhere and a couple of them were our people; I just walked right by them trying not to look, I couldn't bear to see the only people that I considered my family like that.

"Seem like other people got the same idea as us." Daryl said looking at the almost bare food stock. All we ended up finding was more canned vegetables, crackers and water. Sighing in defeat I loaded them into my backpack and slung it back over my shoulder. My stomach growled loudly but I couldn't even think to eat at the moment.

"Gotta eat kiddo." Daryl said hearing my stomach.

"Not hungry." I muttered wiping away more tears the fell down my cheeks.

"we'll figure out what were gonna do when we get back, 'kay?"

"..yea." I said barely audible.

The walk back felt surreal, it wasn't supposed to happen like this, we were safe; or at least I thought we were. We crawled into the handmade deer stand again, instantly Daryl pulled out the map he had and studied it.

"I got a plan." He said not even five minutes later.

"What?"

"What we gotta do is head west, toward the coast." He said pointing where he was referring to.

"It's all gone, our system, our people, everybody." I was full blown sobbing now.

"Hey, shhh shhh, don't ya worry 'bout it now, we cant." Daryl said pulling me close and holding me there.

I just needed to go to sleep, forget this ever happened. Daryl pulled out his cigarettes and offered one to me which I gladly accepted. Lighting it and taking a deep inhale I just sat there.

"Do you really think heading to the coast will help?" I wondered outloud.

"I believe it." he reassured me.

Kissing my head and taking off his vest and draping it around me I curled up by his side as he played with my hair. I knew one thing at this point, I trusted him.