My Guardian Angel

They made their way through the woods into the clearing. They had been traveling for five days now and everyone was getting tired. No one had complained though. Which was good. Daryl didn't want to deal with that shit right now. He looked both ways when they reached the street, crossbow raised. Once he deemed it clear he walked ontot he road, looking at the signs while eveyone else took the time to rest. Merle came up to stand next to him.

"You're doin a pretty good job trackin' her baby brother." He said, slapping his back and chuckling. "Workin' these nice people to skin and bones."

Daryl glared at him.

"I ain't doin' nothin' Merle. They voulunteered. I coulda done this on my own." He replied, walking off to go talk to Rick.

"Hey Rick." He said, motioning for him to come over to him. "Sign says we ain't too far. Only about a mile or so. When can they get movin' again?"

Rick looked back at his group then to Daryl. He could see how desperate Daryl was to get to this girl. He understood his pain.

"Whenever you're ready, Daryl. We can go." he replied.

Daryl nodded.

"Then let's get movin'." he said, turning and walking in the direction of the hospital.

Rick got everyone up. Andrea protested.

"Rick. We have been going nonstop since we stepped away from the camp! You can't expect us to keep going on like this." she said.

"Look, this girl means everything to him. You can see it in his face. If it was me, I'd ask the same from anyone who volunteered to help. I know it's hard but we're almost there. Only a mile to go he said." Rick replied.

"Alright..." Andrea grumbled and went back over to everyone else and grabbed her pack and gun.

They all followed Daryl but kept their distance, talking amungst themselves.

"Has he told us exactly where we are going?" T-Dog asked.

Rick shook his head.

"Who are we rescuing anyway?" Shane asked.

"Doesn't matter." Rick replied. "Daryl cares about her enough to try and rescue them. That's all that matters."

About an hour or so later they reached the road that led up to the hospital. Daryl scanned the entrance. No walkers. He lowered his crossbow and motioned for them to follow.

The group stopped and read the name across the front of the building.

"Peachford Mental Health Clinic?!" Shane read, shocked. "The girl's fucking insane?!"

Rick shushed him as Daryl whipped around. He took several angery steps toward him.

"She AIN'T insane!" Daryl growled, shoving Shane. "C'mon. We ain't got all day."

He spun around and stalked towards the front. The doors slid open weakly as he approached them. He stepped in, crossbow ready. There was three walkers: a doctor and two nurses. He shot them and retreived the arrows, making his way toward the stairs. Her room was on the second level. He took out two patients that were on the stairs and proceeded. When he got to the landing, he opened the door slowly and was tackled by a walker. He grunted and shoved the small girl off him and shot her. Her head snapped back and she crumpled. He sat there, catching his breath.

'What if that's her now? What if she's just like them?' he thought as he got up shakily and removed the arrow from her head with a squishing noise.

Andrea gagged and put her hand over her mouth. He looked at the group, who all had mixed looks of disgust and sorrow.

"C'mon. We're close." he said quietly, opening the door and scanned the hallway. Dead bodies littered the floors, blood on the walls. His heart rate rose the closer they got to her room. He started to think back to his dream as he passed room after room. He looked in a few. Some were empty, some had walkers and some had corpses, they were skin and bone.

"Oh my gosh they starved to death..." Andrea whispered, covering her mouth.
Rick nudged her and pointed. She looked at Daryl, who was staring at the corpse of a boy. His cheeks hollow, skin a greying color. He turned away, took a deep breath and continued. They reached her room. He nudged a corpse away from the door. It rolled over onto its back and Daryl froze. It was Elodie's nurse. She had multiple bites and she stank of decay. Daryl crouched to get a closer look.

"She was bit?" Rick asked.

"More like feasted on." Merle replied, knealt down by his brother, picking up her hand by a finger. All of the flesh from her arm had been eaten, leaving bone and the reminants of muscle tissue.

T-Dog turned and puked. Andrea walked away a few steps and crouched on the ground.

"C'mon man. Put it down." T-Dog said, wiping his mouth, his face a little green.

Merle dropped the hand and stood.

"So how do you suppose we get in there?" he asked, looking at Daryl.

Daryl looked over the nurse's body and found the key clutched in her other hand. It was such a death grip that he had to break a couple fingers to get it loose. He looked over the corpse again.

"You weren't goin' to abandon her.... You were tryin' to save her..." he mumbled and stood.

"What'chu say little brother?" Merle asked.

Daryl shook his head.

"Nothin'"

He fit the key into the lock and unlocked it. Taking a deep breath he swung the door open.

"Elodie...?" he said quietly.

He spotted her under her bed, She was crouched, looking at them with huge eyes. He wanted to cry at the sight of her. Her hair was tangled and her skin was ghstly white, whiter then she usually was. What made him bite his knuckle though was her face; her cheek bones stuck out, her eyes sunken. He dropped to his knees.

"Oh Elodie....what have I done...?" He gasped.

Merle stepped in and walked closer to her. She shrunk down as he crouched, grabbing the edges of her bed and moved it. Daryl came closer, slowly.

"She looks human to me." Merle stated, looking at her eyes.

She just stared at him, not moving from her crouched position.

"Elodie...?" Daryl whispered.

Her eyes darted to him, he could see her searching her brain for information. Something clicked in her head because he slowly raised up so she was sitting on her legs. He came closer, crouching in front of her.

"Elodie, do you remember me?" Daryl asked quietly. "its Daryl. Remember?"

Her eyes widened more and she reached slowly to touch his face.

"I can touch you this time...." she whispered hoarsely.

He cupped his hand around hers, closing his eyes.

"I'm so sorry El." he whispered, tears brimming in his eyes.

"I knew you'd come visit again." She said, smiling bright.

He knew she wasn't fully there anymore. Unaware of her condition. He scooped her up.

"Of course, El. I'd never forget you." he stated, standing.

"What do you wanna do today? We could color or go eat breakfast. I haven't eaten yet. You must be early because Tori hasn't even come to get me this morning." she rambled.

It pained him to see her like this but he knew it was better then what was actually going on.

"Well, I'm going to take you to my place, okay El? You've always wanted to right?" he replied.

She nodded, eyes bright.

"Okay, but to get there you have to go to sleep. Okay? It's a secret" Daryl said, walking out of the room.

She nodded and snuggled up to him, closing her eyes instantly.

Merle shook his head.

"She that easy to manipulate?"

"She only listens to me." Daryl said simply, making his way down the hall. "There's an infirmary on the main floor. We can sleep there tonight."

The group followed him, Merle taking the lead.

They got to the infirmary with little trouble. It was clear and still stocked with supplies. He laid Elodie on a clean bed and got her some new clothes. He put them ontop of her and picked her up again, bringing her to the bathroom.

"Andrea, you mind helpin' me?" he asked.

She stood, a confused look on her face.

"Uh, yeah. sure. what's up?" she replied.

"I need help givin' her a bath." He said, his face turning a slight pink. "I uh, don't know how."

She nodded and followed him into the bathroom. There, they filled the tub and Andrea, undressed her, while Daryl held her up.

"How does this place still have running water?" Andrea asked, setting the frail girl into the tub and taking the soap from Daryl.

He was faced away, Andrea smiling lightly, she thought it was cute.

"The uh hospital has their own generator." Daryl stated.

Andrea nodded and washed her hair and combed out the tangles. After she rinsed her hair and washed her off she wrapped the towel Daryl handed over (still not looking of course) around her and got her dressed in a green tshirt and white pj pants.

"There you go." she said, handing her to Daryl who finally turned around

"Thanks..." he said awkwardly and walked out.

He set her on her bed and went to look for food and water.

He came back with some crackers and three bottles of water.

"This'll work for now but we're gonna have ta raid the cafeteria." he said, sitting her up.

"Elodie, wake up." he said softly, brushing her damp hair out of her face.

She slowly opened her eyes. the focused for a minute and then brightened.

"Daryl!" she said excitedly.

"Hey." he replied, pulling her into a hug. "I got some food and water for ya. Are ya hungry?"

She nodded and gladly took the crackers and water. She ate for a while, zoned out as usual when she suddenly faced Daryl with a serious face.

"We're going to die, arn't we Daryl?" she said.

Daryl was taken aback.

"What?"

"Those things. They aren't human. They attacked us. Julie. She was sick. We all thought it was just a cold but she started vomiting everywhere and her eyes glazed over. When her nurse came over to help her, she...." Elodie stopped, as if remembering.

"she...?" daryl prompted.

"She bit her.... took a huge chunk from her arm. Tori grabbed me up and told me to close my eyes but i couldn't. A couple more like Julie came around the corner and started chasing us. Tori shoved me in my room and told me to stay there. That she would be back. Then she locked the door." she stopped, gasping.

Daryl rubbed her back.

"then what?"

"she came back.... but she wouldn't let me out. She'd give me trays of food and eat day she looked worse and worse. She'd have bruises or cuts and she carried a table led around. It was always bloody...." she swallowed. "and one day she didn't come back...."

She looked up at Daryl with tearful eyes.

"Where is she Daryl? Have you seen her?" she cried. "Is she dead?"

Daryl held her close and rocked her.

"I'm sorry El. I'm so sorry." he replied.

END