Savage World •••Daryl Dixon•••

Angel Wings and Dusty Wheels

It was almost an eternity before she saw any hint of anything- living or dead. Carol wanted to jolt forward immediately, but Asher held her hand and made her stop. They both gripped the other's hands as they waited to see the little blonde girl with the grimy doll tucked under her arm. But all they were met with was an exhausted Rick. He shambles up to Carol with a broken expression.

"I lost her trail, but I'll find her as soon as the day breaks. I won't stop until I do." Carol nodded and started to break down in tears, leaning against Asher who fought to keep her standing.

"Oh god my baby is left alone in those woods!" Asher followed the woman to the ground, cradling her head softly and letting her cry. She gently rocked the woman, just like Daryl does for her when she has her panic attacks.

"She'll be okay. She'll be okay. She'll be okay." Asher whispered over and over like a mantra as Carol sobbed into her shoulder. As she waited for Carol to cry herself out, her bright blue eyes stared out into the woods with small tears leaking down her cheeks.

"She'll be okay." Asher felt her voice break but she swallowed the shake and coaxed Carol to her feet before helping her to the RV to lay down before she collapsed. With the woman laying in the bed safely, she stepped back out to the cooling night. The others crowded around the vehicle, expressions concerned and fearful for the mother.

"She's laying down now. Excuse me." She slipped between T-Dog and Glenn, wanting to find a tall tree and just climb until the branches were too thin to support. Her venture to the trunks was stopped by the gentle hold of Daryl to her shoulder. He gently turned her to look at him, a pit of unease settling in his stomach when he saw just how broken and sad she looked. Her blue eyes seemed to look through him more than at him, and it broke his heart.

"Baby girl?" He saw the tears well up on her lower lashes and threaten to spill over. Daryl scooped her up and curled her around him before walking into the weave of cars and sitting leaned up against a dusty car.

"It's okay, baby girl, let it all out." He rocked side to side as she wept into his vest. It took her almost fifteen minutes to cry herself out, but they stayed wound together. It made them both feel secure. And together they stayed until the sun chased away the moon and its stars. Rick stepped around the cars as quietly as he could in case Asher was asleep.

"Hey, is she asleep?" Daryl checked on the girl and felt her deep breaths against his skin.

"Yeah, cried herself out last night blamin herself for Sophia. Need somethin'?" The cop nodded and held out his hand to help the archer to his feet.

"You're the best tracker we've got, I was thinking maybe you and me go out and follow her tracks as far as we can." Daryl nodded and lightly juggled the girl for a better position to carry her to the RV for safety. He laid her on the mattress in the back next to Carol, both sporting tear stains and the same curled position. Daryl started to leave, but stopped halfway through the vehicle and turned back while shrugging off his leather vest. He draped it over the small girl and leaned down to kiss her temple sweetly.

"Be good for me while I'm gone, sweetheart." He softly pressed his forehead to hers as he whispered his words and gently skimmed down her nose. She hummed and tugged the vest closer to herself. Daryl smirked softly and silently moved out of the RV to join Rick by the woods.

"Let's get moving." It wasn't long after they left that Asher woke up to the sun shining through the slats. The soft bedspread brushed across her cheek and she pushed up from the bed. Daryl's vest skimmed down her shoulders to lay across her lap. She rubbed at her eyes with a yawn and sleepily looked around the room in confusion. Last she remembered she fell asleep with Daryl beside a car.

"Dixie?" Not wanting to wake Carol, Asher scooted to the edge of the bed and slipped off. After getting back on her feet, she held the vest in her hands with the wings facing herself. She pressed the leather to her nose and took in a deep breath- sweat and blood and dirt filling her senses.

"They'll be okay." Asher slipped on the vest and lightly smirked at the hem almost touching her knees. "Damn, I gotta start drinking milk." Pulling the vest tighter around her skinny torso, she stepped out of the RV and into the morning air. Unsure of where to go or what to do, she strapped on her bow and arrows then looked for someone she loosely trusted to give her something to do. She spotted Glenn and jogged over to see if he needed any help. He glanced up as she moved towards him, a small smile lifting half of his mouth when he noticed the oversized biker vest she had draped around her like a security blanket.

"Nice vest, Asher." She smiled back and ran her fingers through her hair with a small laugh.

"Thanks, Daryl left it for me since he was gonna be gone most of the day. Do you guys need any help? I gotta have something to do or I'll just worry myself into mania." Glenn chuckled and nodded before scanning the area for anything she could do. He didn't want her to try being on watch with Dale because lord knows he'll get himself stabbed in the nuts by an angry girl for saying the wrong thing about Daryl. She didn't like Shane, that much was obvious. She didn't seem much too keen on Lori either. She was yet to talk to Andrea, so he wasn't sure how well they would get along. That just left him and those who aren't around.

"Well it looks like you and I will be having a little getting to know you day."