into the wild.

He shook his head at her, "No, you didnt, Constance." He reaffirmed. "You did right by your brother and you did damn right by yourself. I don't know what I would have done if I lost you too..."

---

Dakota stopped right in her tracks, crossing her arms and smirking at him, "Or else what?"

*Shit didn't see page 2*

She looked at him, she was sure he'd be fine without her. Half the time all he did was boss her around, keep watch so she couldn't really find the time to scold him. "Do you think it'd be easier? Bein' dead"

He smiled a little,"might have t'teach you a lesson," he said to her.

@ Holden Caulfield.

Shane sighed. Of course that thought had crossed his mind before. He shook his head, "They only time I think it would be easier is if I didn't have you to look over. You are one of the biggest reasons I push on. I think about what Rick would want me to do, and no matter what, he would have wanted me to keep you safe."

---

She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his torso for a brief moment, "I'm sure you would like that."

She smiled a little,"what about Lori and carl?" She asked him as she licked her lips, and finished up the rest of her food. Constance was only still moving because of what family she had left.

He smirked,"Bet you would too," he smirked a little as he let his cross bow rest by his side.

@ Holden Caulfield.

He gave her a small smile and shook his head, "I mean, I'd think about it... But I've known you a lot longer and you mean more to me than a lot of other things. You know that."

---

She shrugged her shoulders and gave him a playful smile, "I mean, yeah. Why wouldn't I?"

She nodded a little, "I know, but it's just something I worry about. If anything happens to me make Carl your number one," she said to him,"No matter what," Constance sighed a little, and thanked Jaqui for taking her plate with a small smile. Everyone in the camp was pretty nice with the exception of the older Dixon brother - even Daryl didn't bother her as much as he did.

---

He smiled a little,"Maybe later then, wouldn' want ya to think I was ignorin' you," he said as he led her back to the camp, "you hungry?" he asked her curiously.

@ Holden Caulfield.

"Yeah, I know." He answered in agreement. "That's kinda what I figured to being with." He said a small thanks to Jaqui after Constance did. He let out a long sigh; he was tired and had been for many days. Hell, they all were, so there was no use in complaining. He turned to her again, "You should try and get some sleep, you look pretty exhausted."

---

She rolled her eyes at him and said with a small laugh, "What are you talking about, you always ignore me." She nodded as she walked over and grab a very small portion of the beans. She hadn't had much of an appetite the past few days; she had been on edge ever since they arrived at the new camp.

"I was supposed to keepin' watch tonight," she said as she looked at him with a sigh, "Should probably get to the RV," she said as she chewed on her bottom lip lightly - she didn't want to go on watch and she hadn't really slept in like four days.

---

He smiled a little, "Then you should be fine with it then," he teased her as he walked with her to get their portion of food.

He shook his head at her and reached out to touch her arm. "No," he stated firmly. "I'll do it, you go get some rest, okay? You need it, I know you haven't slept. You need the rest."

---

She smiled and shook her head a bit. She took her food over to a log and sat down and began to eat slowly. She watched Daryl as he grabbed his and then made his way over to her.

Constance sighed as she looked at him, "Are you sure?" she said as she looked at him, "I feel like I'm not doin' a whole lot around here, I gotta pull my own weight,"

Constance being the only one in camp with medical experience she was often doing small check ups on everyone when they came back from runs or if new people joined their groups. Her medic bag had taken a hit when someone needed stitches though so the group was looking for medical supplies and food in Atlanta.

---

He sat down next to her, "We should rest soon, gotta be up early to find the deer," he said to her, "Be good to have food for the next few days and the liver n'shit will be good proteins," he said as he thought outloud.

@ Holden Caulfield.

Shane had a feeling that she was beginning to become a little restless. He knew how she would become if she didn't start doing more things soon. He gave a lightly exasperated sigh. "How about you get some rest tonight and then you can keep watch with me tomorrow? Sound like a good compromise?" Since he knew that she hadn't slept, he didn't feel too comfortable with her keeping watch for five hours by herself. He didn't want to risk her falling asleep or getting hurt.

---

Dakota rested her head on his arm for a brief moment, she knew how he felt about public displays of affection--something she wished he would change his mind about. "Mhmm," she hummed. "I know you want to drag me out there with you and I might as well get some rest... I suppose."

She nodded a little,"Alright, I guess thats fine - just hope I can get a lil'bit of sleep tonight, every noise keeps me awake at night," she sighed as she pushed a hand through her blond hair. "I'll try," she said then got up, "Thanks I suppose I'll see you in the morning,"

He smiled a little as he looked at her, "You needa learn - don't want you starvin' to death or nuthin'," he said to her shaking his head a bit.

Shane caught her by her hand, pulling her to him to give her a hug. He sighed softly as he breathed in her scent, she still smelled the same to him. He rubbed her back slightly before he released her. "Please get some rest, darlin'."

---

"I ain't going to starve, Dixon." She murmured as she got up to dispose of her plate. She looked back at Daryl and smirked at the older man briefly, "I'm heading to your tent." She tuned away from him and started to walk to his tent.

@Holden Caulfield;
Constance nodded a little,"Alright, alright," she said to him and sighed a bit enjoying the hug - she hadn't had one in a long time, not one that could put to rest all her fears like this one. She'd been hugging and hold her nephew when his mother went silent for a while, she took care of him because she was mourning and she got it. She pulled away then went to walk to her tent that was next to Lori and Carl's. She turned off her lantern then zipped up her tent and laid down.

Constance camped a lot with friends, mounting climbing, and hiking for days at a time so she was far from being out of shape, her sleeping bag was plush and she had a pillow that kept her from getting a kink in her neck. Her baseball bat sat right next to her as she felt her eyes getting heavier by the second - maybe she'd actually sleep tonight.

---

He smiled a little, "A'right, be there in'a minute," he said as he continued to eat looking at everyone who was still awake - he knew this group was alright but he didn't much trust anyone these days. He'd been alone with his brother till he found Dakota.

Shane made his way back up to the RV, grabbing a folding chair to take up there with him. Damn he was tired. He almost wished that he had asked Daryl to take the nights watch so he could get a couple hours of sleep. He had been on edge for a while because everyone looked at him like he was the leader. Sometimes he enjoyed it--he helped keeping people safe. But sometimes he just wanted to blend into the background. He looked around at everything for a moment before unfolding the chair and setting it down and sitting in it. He rested his gun in his lap as he looked out into the woods around them.

---

Dakota slipped into his tent, zipping it closed behind her. She sighed as she stripped her pants off. Although it was chilly, she never was able to sleep with pants on. She slipped into his sleeping bag and smiled. She was finally breaking down Daryl Dixon and she was loving every minute of it. As the months had passed she had become attached to the older man and she as pretty sure he knew that he was stuck with her from here on out.

Daryl climbed into the tent and zipped it up before floppin' down on his sleeping bag, he was tired but he had been kind of restless it's why he wanted to go hunting so bad, not to mention having a good chunk of meat would do them good especially the kids. He;d never tell anyone that he cared, hell he didn't even really care so much as he didn't want to hear someone bitchin', least thats what he told himself. "Might get a deer tomorrow, that'd be like christmas came early," he said to her softly as he looked over at her.

@ Holden Caulfield.

Shane sat around for a little while, not really seeing any real threats. It wasn't long before Dale came up and said he would take over, sending Shane away to get some sleep. He made his way off the RV, heading towards his tent. He stopped, however, and walked over to Constance's tent. He had figured if she was awake they could talk a little more. He unzipped it slightly and whispered out to her, "Hey are you awake?"

---

Dakota reached out and stroked his face, she was glad to have a moment alone with Daryl. She enjoyed seeing his sensitive side, when he allowed his wall to come down. She smiled at him as she whispered, "I'm sure you'll get something at least. You always do."

Constance rolled over and looked at him, "Yeah, I am," she said to him as she patted the space next to her, "Plenty of room on this sleeping bag, " she told him as she yawned.

---

He nodded,"I gotta if we don't want you losin' more weight - you barely got anything on ya anymore," he told her as he ran a hand over her hips, "Don't like it,"

@ Holden Caulfield.

Shane crawled in the tent, laying down next to her. He sighed as his eyes began to adjust to the dim light, "Listen," he started. "I'm sorry about how everything happened."

---

Dakota exhaled, knowing he was right. She couldn't afford to lose anymore weight. "I know," she said softly. She ran her thumb along his jaw before removing her hand from his face.

She nodded,"I am too," she said to him, "Didn't make it much easier on ya' had to work with'em every day," she said to him softly as she sighed a little.

"If lori finds out she's gonna be pissed," she told him lightly, "I don't care but I don't need her yellin' at me all the time,"

Constance brushed some hair out of her eyes then sighed a little, "Things've changed and after everythin' we've been through I think we'll be okay, we can make it,"

---

He nodded a little then pulled her into his arms, "s'why I've been tryin' to catch more shit when I hunt, givin' you the fatty bits," he told her.

@ Holden Caulfield.