The Dead and The Gone (TWD Daryl/Rick Love Triangle)

Nothing Good Lasts Forever

Her bright green eyes bore into the redneck from across the room. She was trying desperately to figure him out. He acted as if she weren't there and continued chipping away at his makeshift arrow.

"What ya doing there?" her light voice questioned.

"None ya damn business." he replied abruptly.

To him, the girl was nothing more than a nuisance.

"The whole tough guy card, huh? Don't you worry Daryl Dixon. I'll chip away at your exterior just like you're doing to that sad excuse of an arrow until I have you all figured out." she promised confidently.

"Good luck with that," he called out as she hobbled away.

Once she was in a different room she quickly collapsed against the wall. This had all been quite tiring and she hadn't eaten much since she'd gotten there nearly two days ago. She truly felt bad about taking their food and refused to eat until she could get something for herself.

Tina remembered something and brightened. She quickly fumbled around in her bag to find the squirrel. A sigh of relief escaped her as she tried to get up.

"Ya need some help there?" a blonde teenager with a southern accent questioned.

"That'd be nice," Tina laughed and the girl helped her up.

"I've heard about you. We haven't formally met though, I'm Beth. You're Tina?"

"Yep, damn. You guys are all so friendly, well besides Daryl, but I'll work my magic on him," Tina smiled.

The teenager laughed, "Good luck with that!"

Tina made her way down the hall to the kitchen area. She sat down near a garbage pail and began skinning the squirrel. Only 5 days until she'd be out of that stupid cast and could get something fresh to eat. So far, the curly haired girl had met Rick, Daryl, Carol, Michonne, Beth, little Carl, T-Dog, Glenn, Maggie, and Lori, Rick's pregnant wife.

"Hey there darling, how ya doing?" a very pregnant Lori asked as she walked into the room with a hand on her stomach.

"I'm fine, what about you? Shouldn't you be resting? You look like you're about to pop any day now!" Tina inquired.

"Yes, that's what Hershel says. I don't want to be completely helpless though."

Tina had finished skinning the squirrel and taking out the nasty parts. She put it in a pot of water and lit a flame beneath it. Believe it or not, she liked her squirrel boiled.

"What the hell are ya doing with my squirrel?" Daryl walked in and questioned.

"Relax tight ass, it's my damn squirrel. I caught it before I got here and didn't remember I had it 'til now,"

"Yeah. You best be leaving my food to the people I actually care about, and I like my tight ass, thank you very much."
Before Tina could reply with a snide comment, Lori jumped in.

"Play nice you two. Daryl, Tina is most likely going to be staying here a while. She's a good person and has been a big help here. Deal with it." Lori told him cooly.

"Can't she leave once her foot's better?" he whined.

"Ankle. It's my ankle that's messed up and Daryl you sound like a two year old. I'll probably be here a while. Suck it up." she stated and began eating her squirrel.

"Who boils their damn squirrel?" Daryl murmured to himself on the way out.

"What was that?" Tina yelled.

"Nothing to ya, Tinkerbell."

Tina was sure that was an insult. Shaking her head, she finished her squirrel and got up to find Rick.