Iridescence

Chances

 There was a lot of confusion when he had carried the girl into the house, but seeing her state there was no way that they were going to push her away again. Hershel and the others were quick to react by directing Daryl to the bed upstairs that he was all to familiar with. 

Now, he patiently he sat waiting for her to wake up. Mia's bow was clutched tightly in his hands alongside all her other gear. The morning after she showed up, He followed her tracks to find what had happened. And what he found, it made his blood run violently cold.

The bodies were still there, blood scattered across the ground. Whether it was from her or them he wasn't too sure of. All he did know though, was that there was more to this girl than he thought... Daryl knew she was a survivor, but a fighter? That took him off guard.

Suddenly, her right hand twitched. Immediately his eyes flew to her pale skin and he sat upwards. Next to move was her other hand, then her feet. Inch by inch she worked her way through her limbs and up to her torso. The kid was checking to see if she was hurt.

Daryl stayed quiet, his eyes constantly observing her as her face remained still. Then finally, after she went through her routine, the girls eyes opened and he caught sight of the soft baby blues. There was a slight panic that washed over her face after realizing where she was, but daryl cleared his throat and broke the silence. "Yer alright."

Looking to Daryl the Mia's hardened expression turned soft. 

"Just me and you for now kid."

Biting her lip Mia nodded and slightly sat up. Instantly as she did so her hand shot to her neck, fingers tangling themselves in the thin fabric of her bandana. She seemed to be relieved feeling it there. Gradually however, her eyes went back to him seeing him holding her supplies. "I followed yer tracks... You get em all?"

Mia was quiet at first. Then, after a glance to her bruised hands she nodded. They were all dead.

"Good."

A soft knock echoed through the room causing them both to look to the door. It creaked open, and on the other side appeared two figures. Hershel and Rick soon entered the room.

"Oh, you're awake. Aren't you full of surprises my dear." The elder doctor smiled as Rick closed the door behind them. "I didn't expect you to be so, " Hershel looked for the right word. "aware this early. How are you feeling?" 

refusing to lock eyes with anyone in the room, Mia held onto her bandana and stared straight at her own feet. There was a tension for the longest time, but it was a tension that Daryl had to break. Rick and Hershel were waiting for answers. These were answers that they weren't going to get though. "She don't talk." He grunted. "So don't waste your time." 

A slight shiver worked it's way down the thin bones of her spine. There were too many people in the room, too many people that she didn't know. "We aren't going to keep you here by any means. You want to leave the door is open whenever you want." The officer stepped forward slightly and crouched before the bed so he was in her line of sight. "But you have more than earned your spot here. if you want to stay, everyone would be thrilled for you too." 

"If anything I would like you to stay around for a few more days. That puncture wound didn't seem to tear anything important, but over do yourself and you might just break something that isn't supposed to be apart." Hershel gave his medical input. "After that, we can send you on your way. Supplies, weapons, anything we have that you need." 

At first  Mia was taken off guard. The first time she met these people, their first instinct was to shoot her. The second time was hold her captive. But now? Now they wanted to let her go... They were giving her something that she hadn't had in a while. It was an opportunity that the world has taken from her every day life. Rick was giving her a chance, he was giving Mia a chance to choose her own fate.