Keep Holding On

The group saw Rick and Shane off, happy to be rid of the prisoner they saved and held in the barn for a week. Though some were happy to let the boy go, others would have had it differently and killed the kid, but Rick was the leader and everyone respected him for that and accepted his decisions none the less.

Angela and her sister payed a visit to the graves, Layla saying a silent prayer for Sophia and Samantha, and Angela just standing protectively by her sister.

Ever since the death of Samantha, their beloved Border Collie, the two sisters have been joined at the hip, hardly leaving each others side. This caused Angela to spend a lot more time in the main camp rather than wondering the fields and visiting a certain hick, but she accepted it knowing Layla needed her support for a while and was thankful she wasn't pushing her away again.

The two left the grave site and headed back to the tents where Carl and Lori sat at the picnic table together. Lori noticed the two coming.

"Ready to work on some math Layla?" She asked the young girl. Lori made an attempt to keep the kids educated, though neither of them liked it. Layla merely shook her head back and forth to answer the question. That was another thing that changed; Layla hardly spoke or smiled anymore. She'd speak to Angela, and occasionally to Carl, but she mainly kept quiet unless it was necessary to speak.

Angela frowned at her sister hating this change, but she also understood it. She remembered losing their grandmother, Layla was too young to remember, but Angela did. She had been close to her, and when the cancer she had been fighting finally took her, Angela pushed everyone but Jamie out, much like Layla was doing now.

"How 'bout we go for a walk in the fields? Enjoy the beautiful day while its still a bit warm out." Angela asked running her fingers through Layla's hair.

"Okay." She whispered, barely loud enough for Angela to hear.

"Alright let's go then. Good luck with math Carl." Angela said sending the two a small smile as she walked off with her sister.

The two walked in silence for a while; Layla looking down at the ground as she walked while Angela watched her sister carefully.

"You can't just shove people out like this Layla." Angela began, breaking the silence and causing her sister to stop in her tracks. "Trust me, nothing good will come of it. It only hurts those you care about." She continued kneeling down in front of her sister and taking her hands. "Please don't do this to the group, to Carl. I'd rather you ignore me than them. They don't deserve to be hurt anymore, none of us do."

"But we have been." Layla stated softly

"Sometimes it can't be helped. There's always things that are going to make us sad, angry. We can't always be happy, there's going to be pain in this world, always has been, but we can't let us get it down. It's just like I told you a few days ago about Jamie, and mom and dad; we've got to stay strong for them. Keep holding on to each day and survive."

"Your sister's right." A voice drawled. Angela turned to see Daryl standing a little ways from her, crossbow slung over his shoulder as usual. "Can't let loss get to ya, gotta think of yourself first now days. Keep yourself alive and away from the geeks." He continued walking closer to the sisters.

"I'm trying to be strong, but it's hard." Layla stated.

"Ya ain't alone. The group's got your back, your sister especially. She's gonna do everything she can to keep ya safe."

"What about you?" Layla asked looking up at Daryl.

"What about me?"

"Do you have my back?"

"'Course I do. Part of the group aren't I? Been watchin' out for ya since I found ya." Daryl said adjusting the strap of his crossbow. Layla smiled slightly at his answer, the first Angela had seen since the loss.

"Thanks Daryl and thanks Angie." She said to the two before focusing on Angela. "Is it okay that I go back to camp? I wanna go talk to Carl."

"Yeah Princess go ahead." Angela said kissing Layla's head before she ran off. She turned quickly when she heard retreating footsteps only to find Daryl walking back to his campsite. She hadn't realized just how far her and Layla had walked out until now as she followed him.

"Thank you." She said as he placed his crossbow down moving a bucket closer to it before throwing logs together for a fire later that night.

"You're always thankin' me, never know what for anymore." Daryl stated not looking up from his work. He sat down when he was satisfied with how things were grabbing the bucket, bringing it a bit closer and began cleaning his arrows. He looked up when she didn't move or speak. "Ya gonna just stand there and stare at me all day, or sit down?"

"Sorry." She mumbled taking a seat next to him. That sat there in silence for a moment, Daryl cleaning his arrows and Angela watching. "For making my sister smile and letting her know that she's being cared for. As well as just for backing me up." She said finally shattering the silence. He gave her a strange look.

"The hell are you babblin' on about?"

"You said you didn't know what I was thanking ya for, and that's why I said thanks. That's what I was babbling about." Angela said with a slight smile.

"Think I've said it a thousand fuckin' times, ya don' have ta thank me." He said going back to cleaning his arrows.

"I know I don't." Angela said leaning over and kissing his cheek causing him to flinch away. "But I want to and after what you just did it just adds to the list of things I gotta keep thanking ya for."

"Ain't no way of gettin' rid of ya huh?" Daryl asked glancing at her from his work a smirk pulling at his lips.

"Sorry hick, looks like your stuck with me." She said matching his smirk. "But seriously I mean every thanks I say to ya. I mean you've gotta find something to be thankful for in this world. It can't be all bad right?"

"Guess so, world's just more bad than good though. Think it always has been, but yeah, guess ya gotta be thankful for something. Gives ya something to hold onto in this hell hole." Daryl agreed before they fell into a comfortable silence again.