Nothing Like the Love of A Dixon

Chapter 1

It was hard to remember how long she'd been walking. It was hot and she ran out of water days ago. She was drenched in sweat, her brown hair, matted with blood, stuck to her head and her clothes and skin were stained with dirt and blood. She was starting to lose hope of finding any food or drink when just a few miles ahead she noticed a pile of cars.

She took her time, going through all the cars that looked untouched, gulping down the first bottle of water she found. After going through quite a few she managed to find a couple energy bars, two more bottles of water, a half bottle of ibuprofen and some clothes about her size—the would work. She stuffed them all into the empty bag she'd been carrying, jumping when she heard a scream come from the woods. She threw her backpack over her shoulder, and pulled her hunting knife from her belt and took off towards the scream.

What she came upon almost stopped her in her tracks, a young girl no older than about twelve sat on a branch just high enough to be out of reach from the dead one clawing at her. She surged forwards and slammed her knife into its softening skull, pulling it away and behind another tree. She heard the young girl whimpering as she walked back to her.

"Hi sweetheart, my name is Alex, are you okay? Were you bitten?" She asked, trying to speak to her in a way that would seem friendly, all she got was a shake of the head. Poor thing must have been terrified.

"Do you want me to help you get down? I'll help you find your family, are they alive?" This time the girl nodded and climbed down slowly, holding tightly to Alex's hand.

"What's your name, sweetie?"

"Sophia" she said just loud enough for the woman to hear, clutching a doll to her chest.

"Can you help me find my mom? I lost her by the road. A group of the walkers came and I came out too early and ran into the woods. Rick followed me, but I got lost and couldn't find my way back!" It all came out in a rush sounding like she was close to crying. Alex placed a hand on her shoulder and bent down slightly to look her in the eyes trying to calm her down.

"It's okay don't cry, I'll do my best to help you find her, okay? I'm looking for someone too. My husband." She said with a smile that the girl returned as they started walking.

They made their way to an open field that held a small cabin not too far from where she found the girl by the road.

"How about we crash here for tonight, and in the morning we'll head out and try to find them?" She nodded and sat on the small couch in the living room after Alex pushed it up against the door.

"Do you have anything to eat?" Came her hushed whisper and Alex remembered just how hungry she was herself. She nodded, taking a seat by the girl and opening her bag. She gave Sophia one of the energy bars and a bottle of water as well as one for herself.

"What's your husband's name?" Sophia asked as they were eating, Alex finished gulping down her water and looked at the girl.

"His name is Daryl," Alex answered, smiling looking at the small silver band on her finger. The girl let out a small gasp and looked at Alex with wide eyes.

"Daryl Dixon?" She asked and Alex's heart thudded her chest as she nodded.

"Yes that him, do you know him? Is he with your group?" Sophia nodded and that made Alex smile.

"Well, it looks like we're gonna find our family together." The two talked for a little while longer before she noticed the girls eyes starting to get heavy.

"Try to get some rest." Alex told her quietly as she laid down, covering the girl up with the blanket from the back of the couch. She fell asleep on the small couch a few minutes later, while Alex stayed awake to keep watch. She decided she would try to change out of the bloody clothes now that she actually had something to change into.

Luckily, the small bathroom still had water, so she scrubbed herself clean as well as found a hair brush and managed to get all of the knots out. Alex changed into the clothes she found which was just a white tank top and some dark colored jeans that were a little loose but fit nonetheless with her belt on. She slipped her shoes back on and threw her now slightly cleaner hair into a ponytail then went and sat on the floor with her back against the sofa just thinking about how Daryl was with the same group as this little girl. Or at least she hoped he still was. She couldn't wait to see him.

All she wanted was to be in his arms again, to look into those blue eyes and kiss him, she let herself doze off thinking of him. A few hours later she was woken by Sophia gently shaking her. Alex smiled up at her and after eating the last of the energy bars they headed out.

"Why's Daryl so angry all the time?" Sophia asked quietly as they were walking and Alex chuckled quietly at the question, remembering how when Daryl and her had first met she thought the same thing. Sophia looked up at Alex and gave her a confused look.

"Sorry, it's not funny. I just used to ask myself the same thing when we met as kids. You see Daryl had a bad childhood. His daddy was a bad person so that made Daryl sad and now sometimes he just has trouble showing how he feels. But he's actually very nice."

"My daddy was a bad person too..." Alex frowned as she placed a hand on her shoulder stopping the girl. She looked at her and took in her short blonde hair and big brown eyes, she looked so sweet and innocent, and pulled Alex couldn't help but pull her into a hug. She wrapped her arms tightly around Alex's waist and laid her head on her stomach.

As they were walking, Alex shushed the girl when she heard people talking up ahead it sounded like two men arguing. She pushed Sophia behind her as they walked forward, silently cursing herself as she stepped on a twig causing the two men to point their guns in her direction. One was a guy in a sheriff's uniform with dark curly hair and cleanly shaven, he was about Daryl's height but slightly less muscular. While the other man probably had at least a whole foot in height over her, his head looked as if it had just been shaved, but he had facial hair growing in with bruising around his face and was very bulky.

She held her hands up in front of her as Sophia whimpered behind her. The two men, hearing the sound, exchanged a look and then back at the girl.

"I think you may know the little girl I'm with..." Alex spoke cautiously as they lowered their weapons slightly as Sophia stepped from behind her both men signed in relief and Sophia ran forward to one of the men.

"Rick, this is Alex, she's married to Daryl!" She greeted happily, both men looking in her direction shocked and confused. The bald man's eyes lingering on her longer than she was comfortable with.

The two men introduced themselves as Rick and Shane. As they were walking they explained to her that they were all staying on the farm of a man named Hershel and his family as well as their group. They eventually came out into a big open field and in the distance was a house. She strained her eyes trying to find him.

Her eyes landed on him from across the field, he was sitting on a log fiddling with his crossbow and her heart started pounding as they got closer. Rick called out to a woman named Carol, who took off when she spotted Sophia, Daryl looked up, watching Sophia reunite with her mother, a small smile on his face. His eyes scan over everyone, landing on her last and when they did he dropped his crossbow and just looked at her before she took off running to him.