I woke up in Daryl's tent, cuddled up to a blanket and pillows surrounding me. I looked at my wrist, seeing that it was carefully wrapped and it had stopped bleeding. There was a bottle of water next to me. I took a sip of it, then slowly sat up, but before I stood all the way, Daryl came in. "We're about to leave.. We're going for the CDC." I slowly nodded. "From our side of the group... Who all was lost?" He sighed. "Well.. Amy, Ed... And Jim was bit." I sighed a bit, then gulped, looking him in the eyes. He huffed, a look of pain spreading acrossed his face. "We didn't find Merle..." I slowly nodded, then gulped, not knowing how to comfort him. I moved a bit, then lightly hugged him. It was odd, and for a moment he stiffened, but slowly calmed himself, wrapping his arms back around me. "I'm sorry." I whispered in his ear, then released. He rubbed the back of his neck, nodding slightly. "I... I already packed your stuff.. It's in the back of my truck..." I nodded, then smiled lightly. "Who wrapped my wound?" He gave me a half smile. "I did." I smiled wider at him, nodding. "I know I'm a real bitch a lot of the time, Daryl... But thank you." He nodded. "I take care of my own..."
After Daryl and I packed his tent, we decided on who was riding with who. "Kat, wanna ride with me?" Shane asked. "I gu-" "No." Daryl's voice was cold as he took my wrist, leading me to his truck. "You can ride with me..." I gave him a look, but nodded. "Kay.." I hopped in, watching the cars slowly begin moving.
"So... We're not liking on Shane today, are we?" I asked Daryl, smirking at him. He sent me a glare, but slowly smiled a bit. I gasped. "Oh my god! Is that Daryl Dixon... Smiling?!" He laughed a bit. "Don't pretend it ain't nothing you've seen." I smirked. "Well it's definitely rare..." He looked at me. "You're so mean, yet you smile all the damn time... What's your problem?" He chuckled. I laughed a bit. "I'm not too mean to you, am I?" He shrugged. "Not usually... Depends on your mood." I stuck my tongue out at him, and he glanced over, smirking, then shook his head. "Childish brat." He said, his voice gruff, but playfull. I scoffed. "That's your best? Really? Carl could come up with worse!" He chuckled as I spoke. "God I hate you." "Really? Awe Dare! How sweet!" He rolled his eyes and I giggled, sitting back in the chair. "You know this CDC idea is nothing but bullshit, right?" I asked, looking at him. He glanced off the road at me. "What you got against it?" "The CDC is full of nothing but wannabe Einsteins... They won't have any cure..." He looked me in the eyes, but I wasn't gonna explain why I felt like that. "Okay."
The cars all slowed to a stop, and everyone began getting out. I huffed, hopping out along with Daryl. "What?" I asked, my regular nasty tone returning. "Jim... He's done... He wants to give up." I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "So what we gonna do to him?" I watched as Shane and Rick took Joe over to the tree, then said their goodbyes. Rick handed Joe a gun before he walked away, and I gulped. I walked over there, then got on my knees. "Listen, uh.. Jim.. I know I'm not the nicest person... But you were pretty damn close to it.. The group's gonna miss you.." He smiled at me a bit. "Thank you, Kat... You've probably protected the group the most since the highway... You're an amazing person... Just broken is all... You'll find someone to fix ya, mark my words... Now go on, Daryl's waiting on ya." I looked behind me, seeing Daryl waiting next to the truck. I smiled a bit at Jim. "I'll see you again..."
"What'd you say to him?" Daryl asked as we pulled away from Jim. I shrugged. "Didn't know what to say too much... He did more of the talkin." He nodded and I looked out the window. "You alright there?" I looked at Daryl. I nodded. "Course I am.." He sighed, looking at me. "C'mon... You may not have liked any of them but there was a reason you stayed..." I looked at him. "What?" "You said you weren't gonna leave... You felt responsible for them and whether you like it or not you cared what happened to them.. Like Merle... You cared that they chained him up on the roof." I gulped, my throat feeling sore. "And?" I asked quietly. "And you can be upset..." I shook my head. "I'm fine Daryl... Don't turn me into a soap opera now." He let out a breathed chuckle, and I smiled. "I was thinking you'd be a good The Young and the Restless." I looked at him, raising and eyebrow. "My question is how you know what that is..." I chuckled. He smiled a bit. "My uh... My mom liked them shows." I breathed a laugh. "Mine did too." He looked at me, smiling, then looked towards us in the distance. "Well... Here it is."
