Theme Song: "Burn It To The Ground" - Nickelback

Daryl took a step back from me as the others came up to us and I noticed he looked down at the concrete and then back up at Rick, his cheeks a shade of pink. Maggie cocked her head to the side and gave me a peculiar look with a goofy grin on her lips.

She'd seen us hugging.

I looked away quickly and Rick gazed at the dead walkers and then at those that lingered, still alive on the ground clearly unable to get up. "What the hell happened here?" His voice was strained and he looked around wildly as if he were slightly paranoid.

I pulled my backpack up on my shoulder and I shrugged lightly trying not to make a big deal out of it, "We got pinned down and I just..ran with a plan." Rick looked in at me awe and Glenn laughed. Maggie looked from me to Daryl again and arched a brow as if she still was on the hugging subject.

I pursed my lips at Maggie and gave her a pointed look as if not to even ask and then I returned my green eyes to Rick. Daryl spoke up unexpectedly, "Gotta' hand it to 'er, she's quick to come up with a plan. Blew 'em all straight to hell."

Rick smiled widely, his eyebrows shooting to his hairline in surprise. "C'mon, let's get outta' here before we attract anything else." We rushed back over towards the vehicles and I noticed all the loot in the back of the van from the window. "Did you get formula? We got a few things ourselves, but no formula."

Glenn nodded, "Yeah, Rick got the formula." He paused for a moment and then hugged me tightly and I hugged him back, reveling in his warm embrace. It was so good to have a familiar face around. Someone I knew before the world went to shit.

"We heard the explosion and came running. Scared the hell out of me, Vicki." He paused and seemed slightly taken aback by the fact that we had survived being pinned down. "Guess you picked up a thing or two from me then, huh?" Glenn mused and I chuckled lightly.

Back in the day, Glenn was always the one to get the circus group out of a bind. He was quick to think of a plan and it had rubbed off on me overtime. I also had my brother to thank as well. If Henry had seen me now, man, he'd be so proud! This brought a familiar feeling in my gut that I knew all too well; sorrow mixed with joy.

Bittersweet memories.

Rick started the van and then came around to where I stood. He patted my shoulder proudly while Daryl started his motorcycle. "Ya' did good back there, Vicki." I beamed at Rick, feeling good that I got some recognition and I wasn't just some helpless girl. "We're lucky that store had all the things I needed..otherwise we might have been walker food."

I walked to Daryl as Maggie and Glenn hopped in the van. "Saved ya' again." I mused and he scoffed, "We keepin' score now?" I shrugged lazily and as I turned around to go back to the van he added roughly, "Hop on."

I turned back towards the bike and arched a brow, "You mean..ride back with you?" He threw his hands out, "Don't see no one else out here with a bike. Yeah, I mean me." I blinked, surprised by his invitation. I looked back to Rick and he started to walk towards us.

When Rick got to us I took my backpack off and handed it to him. He looked to me with confused eyes so I spoke up, "I'm gonna' ride back with Daryl."

There was a brief moment that Rick cut his eyes to Daryl and Daryl held his gaze back squarely. Then Daryl did that thing he does when he doesn't know what to say. He dipped his head down, averting his gaze from the both of us.

I could tell that Rick was noticing the little things. He looked to me, his brows slightly raised between the two of us. Hell, I'd been wrapped in Daryl's arms the moment they had come up on us after the explosion. And Maggie clearly wanted answers as she had gave me that grin girls got with each other.

"Alright then, we'll see ya' back at home." Rick gave us both one last look before jogging back to the van and hopping in. They took off first and then Daryl hopped on while I climbed on after. He turned to look at me over his shoulder for a brief moment and his eyes lingered on the elephant necklace before returning to the road and popping the kickstand back up.

When he revved the gas, I instinctively wrapped my arms around his waist and he tensed ever so slightly. I frowned a little bit, but I understood it was just the way he was. He was not comfortable with human contact. I hated that I had to make him uncomfortable, but he asked me to come along so...it's all his doing.

After we had been going for a little while, I leaned back to take in the sights around us, letting the wind blow around my face and hair. It felt wonderful. I had always loved being on two wheels and the memories of dirt bikes back in Texas brought a ghost of a smile to my lips.

I noticed Daryl slowing down and I watched as Rick pulled the van off on the side of the road rather quickly. He shut it off and I saw the steam billowing from the van's hood and I sighed heavily. The engine had overheated.

Everyone jumped out and Daryl pulled us off to the side and I hopped off while Rick was already grabbing a jug of water from the trunk of the van. "Over heated again?" Daryl called out and Rick frowned, "Yeah, damn thing keeps doin' that." I looked to the guys before popping a seat on the ground, raising my knees to my chest. Daryl walked over to the front of the van and their conversation was lost to my ears as I was too far away to hear.

I picked absentmindedly at a stray blade of grass before hearing boots scuffling towards me and I looked up to see Daryl coming back over, "Gonna' let it cool down for a bit before we fix it and head back." I nodded silently and he ended up sitting on the road beside me, his knees mirroring mine.

Glenn and Maggie looked around the perimeter, guns at the ready as Rick and them hung out while it cooled off. "Is it going to be okay to drive back?" Daryl shrugged in response, "Gonna have to be. Been actin' up anyhow long before you came around." I smiled at him and looked back down at the blade of grass in my hands.

"Sorry about back there. Jumping on you I mean." My apology came unannounced and he squinted his hues of blue at me due to the sun. He was silent for a long moment before finding his words, "Ain't got nuttin' to be sorry about. Ya' saved our asses." I noticed he completely side stepped actually talking about it and I smirked. Typical Daryl.

I snickered to myself now and he looked to me with furrowed brows, hiding a smile, "What's so damn funny?" I tried to compose myself as I responded, "You should've seen your face when I asked if you'd ever played with bombs."

I snickered again and he shoved his shoulder into mine in response, knocking me sideways. I righted myself and threw some grass at him and it was when he looked at me right then that I saw the depth of his blue eyes.

From my angle the sun hit them so perfectly and I felt my breath catch. So much was hidden beneath his eyes, but I'd never push him to talk about any of it unless he wanted to. I didn't like the way my stomach flipped around so I quickly made myself busy cracking my knuckles.

He smirked at me, completely oblivious as I admired him, "What?" He asked, looking down at one of the pieces of grass, picking at it and glancing back up at me. "Nothing." I said it too quickly and he chewed on the inside of his cheek as if he were debating my honesty. "I was just thinkin'...we make a pretty good team. You and I."

I wasn't necessarily lying. I had just omitted what I had actually been thinking of. Daryl let the smallest half of a smile escape, "Guess we do." He muttered roughly and I watched as his adams apple bobbed from swallowing. I was making him nervous, I could tell. So, I decided to stop talking and he did the same.

We sat comfortably silent for a little while as the van cooled down. Once it had, Rick was pouring the water in from the jug so we could at least make it back. "How far out are we?" I asked, standing up and wiping stray dirt off my butt. "Twenty minutes, maybe? Ain't far, that's for sure." I nodded to Daryl, "I can ride back with them if you wanna ride alone."

"Don't bother me none, Red." Daryl said, starting the bike and hopping on. He arched a brow as the others hopped in the van and waved to us to follow. "Time's up, yer' stuck with me." I chuckled lightly and hopped on behind him, wrapping my arms around him like before.

As we neared the prison, I looked over Daryl's shoulder and felt my heart leap into my throat. No, no, no. The gates to the prison were open and the entire quad was flooded with walkers. Daryl became tense and I felt his muscles tighten in dread.

The van was already coming to an abrupt halt outside of the gates. Daryl stopped so quickly, I lurched forward with him, my body colliding with the back of his jacket. The prison was under attack and the horde that invaded the quad was nothing like I'd ever seen before. Gunfire and shouts carried across to us.

My blood ran cold and the moment we stopped, I was already off the bike running with Daryl hot on my heels. All I could think of were the others..get to the others.

Protect. Fight to survive!

Author's Note: Ahhh another cliffhanger!! Hope you enjoyed! :-) I will update next Friday!!