I know I'm skipping around a lot, but I think it makes sense, so.....if you have any questions PM me.

~Rebel's POV~

The gravel crunched under the tires and slowly the car came to a stop. The courtyard was as clear as ever and there was only three people on patrol. How careless.

I didn't want to admit it, but as soon as Daryl left, I became bitter. Not even Judith could bring a smile to my face. She reminded me too much of Daryl in the way everyone called her Little Ass-Kicker and I knew very well that Daryl called her that.

Rick pulled the car to a stop and I got out immediately, not wanting to be cooped up a second longer. Everyone on patrol gave me strange looks as I didn't stop on my way into the cell block.

I hardly noticed the new additions to the cell block as I passed them and Carl opened the gate for me. I didn't want to be involved with anything other than the wooden sticks I had collected and my sharp-tip dagger.

I was running dangerously low on arrows and I knew that if I didn't restock in the next few days, I would get caught in a situation where I needed them the most.

I stormed back outside the gate and sat on one of the empty tables near the new people. Hershel was tending to one of them while an older man and younger woman stared at me as if I was a threat to their group.

I started to shed the stumps off the sticks and smooth them out with the back side of the blade. The man eventually turned away, but the girl refused to drop her stare.

"What?" I spat at her.

"Are you okay?" Carol asked me quietly, moving to the table I was sitting on.

She had been making formula for Judith, but she had stopped when she saw my murderous looking state.

"I'm fine." I fibbed.

She grabbed my arm and I dropped my dagger. It clattered to the floor and the metallic sound echoed off the walls.

"What?" I spat again.

"You're not fine. What happened?" she asked me softly.

I grabbed my wooden sticks and the dagger that had fallen to the floor, stuffing it into it's sheath. I picked up my arrow carrier and moved back out towards the courtyard, needing fresh air.

Carol was insistent. It was like she knew what was wrong, she just wanted me to admit it out loud. But I wouldn't be admitting it out loud, I would be admitting it to myself as well.

Out in the courtyard, everything was quiet except the occasional pounding of a basketball coming from Axel who was catching up on his 'skills'. I began to shed the bark off the sticks and my thoughts overwhelmed me.

I didn't know why I was hanging on to Daryl for this long. Sure we were 'together', but it's not like we were 'together'. That didn't make sense, but it seemed right in my mind.

Why did I care if Daryl left? Saxon was here and I actually had the chance to be with the man I loved.

Daryl is the man you love, a small voice in the back of my head chided me.

I ignored it and continued to make the arrows I needed. Later on I would find small bits of rocks that I could weave on to the top of the stick to finalize the arrow as a weapon of war.

"Hey," Axel said, sitting beside me.

"Hi." I managed to grit out.

"It's beautiful." he said.

"Yeah, I guess it is a nice day." I said simply.

"I meant you." he said, touching my thigh.

I shuttered at the thought of Axel and I. He was no less than 20 years older than me. Daryl wasn't far behind him, but it was still worse with Axel.

"Leave." I muttered.

Axel held up his hands in mock surrender, moving away from me and my extremely sharp weapon.

"Just trying to repopulate the Ear-"

Axel was cut off as soon as he started his last word. I looked over to see the source and a large bullet wound was imprinted on his face.

I dropped the arrow I was in the process of making and ran towards the cell block door, gun shots being fired at me.

I was inches away from the door when a shot of excruciating pain hit the side of my leg. I cried out and hobbled the short distance to the door, encasing myself in the safety of inside.

I looked down at my leg and saw a fair amount of blood spewing through my jean. A small hole was made and I gingerly probed the edges.

I hissed at the amount of pain, but didn't do anything otherwise. It was just a small graze, nothing to cry over.

A hungry gasp came from in front of me and I stood up, not wanting to be completely defenseless. A walker stood in front of me and it was limping its way towards me.

It reached out for me and I grabbed it's left arm, twisting it around it's head and pushing it to the ground and tearing its arm out of its socket.

I slammed my boot on the skull and repeatedly used its arm to hit it, making sure its brain was completely nonfunctional.

I grabbed my dagger from its sheath and stabbed it one last time. I limped my way back towards the cell block, keeping an eye out for any rogue walkers lurking around.

Hershel took one look at me as I walked in and grabbed his doctor bag off the table, stumbling his way towards me.

I lifted my leg onto the bench, grimacing at the tormenting pain that hit my leg in tidal waves. The wound was lower than I originally thought, hitting just inches below the knee.

Hershel wiped it down with hydrogen peroxide and pressing a small pad of gauze on it to absorb the blood that was now freely flowing out of it because of my movements.

I could hear the approaching sound of footsteps and I saw Rick sit down on the bench diagonal from us. Several others walked in, but I couldn't see them because Hershel was blocking my limited vision.

"The fuck happened to her?" an angry voice asked.

Daryl.

Just the thought of him being concerned brought forwards so many feelings I had tried to push down. I tried to look behind Hershel to catch a glimpse of Daryl, but it only pained my leg even more.

An arm grabbed Hershel and I saw Daryl press a knife to his throat, causing an uproar with the rest of the group. Hershel remained calm, his eyes looking down at Daryl in disappointment.

"It's just a graze from a bullet. She'll be fine." Hershel explained softly.

Daryl plopped him on a bench and handed him his crutches, mumbling a half-hearted apology as he walked towards me.

He leaned down and picked up a small amount of tape and a pad of guaze. He began to gently wrap my wound, not looking at my face once. When he was done, he held out his hand for me and I ignored it, pushing myself up.

He couldn't just waltz back in here and pretend like nothing happened. He left and he knew he was going to have to kiss some major ass to gain back the trust I had in him.

I tuned everything else out as Rick started to lose it and yell at the other group. I began to limp past the gate and into the cell that I usually slept in with Daryl. We didn't share a bed, but we were still in the same room, making me feel safer.

I felt Daryl's presence behind me as I gathered the few posessions I had in here. The duffel bag full of weapons from the armory, my bow and arrows, the butterfly knife and the first edition copy of To Kill a Mockingbird.

Daryl didn't say anything as I walked past him and up the stairs onto the second floor and into the last empty cell that didn't hold supplies or another person.

Daryl didn't follow me. He didn't call after me. He didn't even move as I walked back to the other cell block. He just stood in the doorway of the cell we used to share.

~

Hours had passed since I had 'moved out' and I was glad that I did. His brother was back and Daryl refused to have him leave.

Knowing that they were brothers amused me. Sure they looked somewhat alike, but their actions and personalities were completely different.

Merle was rugged and dense, yelling out comments or insults every time he got the chance. He seemed like the kind of guy who would start a fight just for kicks.

Daryl was softer, in a way. He was still blocked from the world and from most of the people, but he gave them a chance. He understood things and he didn't tell anyone. Daryl was a wallflower.

That thought almost made me laugh.

Even though I was only thinking metaphorically, it was still funny to picture Daryl as a flower. The usual vulgar exterior was shattered and he had soft, delicate petals with a fragile stem holding him up.

Beth handed Judith over to Rick, but as soon as she was gone, Judith started to cry. This was a daily occurrence, Rick tries to hold his daughter, his daughter screams bloody murder.

"Could you take care of Judith tonight? I was kind of hoping for a break." Beth asked me quietly.

I nodded and stood, walking over to where Rick stood. Daryl was next to him per usual, but I didn't mind him any attention as he stared at me.

I took Judith from his arms and cradled her against my chest, murmuring sweet nothings about how everything was okay and you're gonna be okay.

Judith gripped my index finger in the small fist that could hardly pass as a hand. She let out a final cry and her eyes drooped. Her head lolled against my chest and her breathing slowed down to a sensual pace.

I placed a kiss on top of her forehead and sat back against the wall, enjoying the small fire that we had made in the center of the cell block.

Beth was singing an old wive's tale and for once, everything was quiet.

No one cried. No one smiled. No one talked. We just listened to the soft, melodic tone of Beth's songbird voice.

"Hey, pssst." Merle said, nudging me with his metal stump.

I ignored him and continued to cradle Judith. Her head was now tucked into the crook of my elbow and she let out a soft coo every once in awhile.

"Hey, Rebel. Pssssssssst." Merle bothered me.

"What?" I snapped.

"Yer the girl tha' my brudder is so caught up on, ain't ya'?" he asked me knowingly.

"I could hardly see why when he has such a fine brother to compare me too." I smiled at him fakley.

Merle chuckled, "I like you. You got...spunk."

I rolled my eyes and ignored him, moving back towards Carol. She was leaning against the wall next to Daryl who still stood in the doorway of our old cell.

I did my best not to notice his stare as I handed Carol the small child. Carol looked into my eyes and I could see all the things she was begging to ask me. I stared down at my shoes as Judith was lifted from my arms.

"Night." I muttered to Carol, brushing off Daryl's presence entirely.

I climbed the stairs as quickly as possible and shut the cell door, keeping it blocked with a stone so I wouldn't be locked in altogether. The only light came from the barred window that was on the opposite wall.

I turned so I faced the wall and I studied the pattern on the brick wall like it was the most interesting thing in the world. Slowly, but surely, I fell to the realm of unconsciousness.

~

"Rebel! Ye' gotta run faster, I ain't leavin' ye' behind!" Daryl yelled at me.

I was in a dark room and there were walkers all around me. Above my head stood the roof. It had a large hole right above me and Daryl was leaning down into it, trying to reach me. Only he was too far up.

I tried to reach him, but something else grabbed me. I felt pain shoot through my arm and I knew that I was bit.

Something was tearing my insides out and I wouldn't be alive very much longer. Just the thought of never seeing Daryl again tugged at my heart strings.

I no longer felt the pain, my brain was dulling and my vision was slowly fading to black. Some people said you would see the light when you die, but all I saw was darkness.

There was no flash of memories before my eyes, it was just the fact that I was going to die and there was no longer anything I could do about it.

Even if I had a chance, I had already been bitten and it was in a place that was not convenient for amputating.

I laughed inwardly at the thought I even had a chance of surviving. My bow and arrows were long gone and my knife couldn't be reached because of the hoard surrounding me.

They were coming in at all angles and I knew that the only way out was up, and up wasn't a place I could go.

"I'm sorry, Daryl." I told him.

"No! Rebel! Stay with me dammit!" Daryl yelled down at me.

The walkers were no eating my innards and I wondered how I survived this long. Maybe it was a favor. Maybe it was a punishment.

"Goodbye, Daryl." I whispered, knowing he couldn't hear me.

~

I woke up in a cold sweat and I was hyperventilating. Someone's arm was wrapped around my waist and I heard sweet nothings being cooed in my ear.

It took me a moment to realize that it was Daryl holding me. It was Daryl who was calming me down. It was Daryl that was making me feel safe.

Making me feel loved.

"Ye' wanna talk 'bout it?" he asked me softly.

I turned in his arms and buried my head in his neck, reveling in his warmth. I felt secure being in his arms and I didn't want him to leave.

"Not now," I whispered.

He nodded against my head and started to get up from the bed. My heart raced and fear set in. He was just up and leaving?

"No," I cried, "Please. Stay."

"Tell me." he demanded.

I nodded and he sat back down, pulling me in his arms and resting his chin on the top of my head. Who would of thought? Daryl Dixon the romantic.

"I had to- I was- I," I stuttered, "I d-died with you trying to save me and it was all my fault."

By the time I got the full sentence out, I was sobbing. I don't know why the dream made me so emotional, but it did and I didn't want to think of dying.

"You ain't gon' die." Daryl told me.

I looked up at him, his blue eyes even bluer with truth.

"Why?"

"'Cus I love ye'."

_________________________________________

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