1. I Found

-pain in honesty-

Theo crouched in front of Daryl, sat on her knees as she looked over the cut he had received from Shane, and gently held his head in her hands.

She reached into her bag to get some rubbing alcohol and some cotton pads.

Theo poured the liquid onto the pads, leaning forward and turning his head slightly to the side so she could clean it more easily.

He observed her the entire time she did this; tears looked like they could fall any minute.

"What's on ya mind?" Daryl finally spoke up as she sat back, throwing the used cotton to the side.

She shook her head, sniffing slightly.

"I don't want you getting hurt for me" She looked up with a line on her mouth, trying her hardest to smile.

He leaned forward, taking her hands in his.

"Imma stands before that man whenever he tries to look at you. I promise it'll be me whenever you need someone by your side. I don't care about taking a hit. Tough luck." His piercing blue eyes stared into her green ones.

She gave him a small smile.

"Thank you," she whispered as he moved some of the hair from her face that was sticking to her tears.

He leaned in, gently placing his lips on hers. Connecting their lips for only a few seconds, it told her a million words; it said everything it needed with a straightforward act.

They pulled away from one another, smiling, but their smile faded as footsteps approached. A mad-looking Rick was practically sprinting over to them.

"What the hell was that?" An angry-looking Rick asked, storming over to their tents.

Theo had to come up with something; she couldn't tell her dad what that was about.

"I found out about Mom being pregnant, and I got angry because it could have been Shanes," Theo said; it was not a lie, but it was not the reason.

"Lori is pregnant?" Daryl asked. 

Theo looked at him awkwardly. 

She forgot he didn't know and looked at her father guiltily.

"You keep that to yourself", Rick warned, pointing at the young Dixon.

Daryl nodded.

"Why the hell would you pull a gun on him?" he asked his daughter.

"He was winding me up; I went too far, and I got angry," Theo said, not looking up at her dad.

"We don't kill the living", He reminded his daughter, pacing backwards and forwards.

"I know!" she snapped. "I know!" she repeated, standing up and walking over to him.

"You... you scared Carl, you scared everyone", Rick explained, pacing. 

"Look, I know!" She snapped. "Just leave me be; tell everyone to leave me be; I need to cool off", she warned as Rick took a deep breath.

He nodded in annoyance.

"I'll talk to you in the morning," he said as if ashamed of his daughter. He walked away without even turning back.

"When I was standing there, it was like I had switched something off inside of me," Theo explained to Daryl as he handed her some water.

"Maybe it was all that anger you had; it just overtook," He told her.

"Thank you for defending me," she told him shyly. It made her weak at the knees. Knowing Daryl was only like this for her, he protected her.