My Guardian Angel

Daryl held her until she fell asleep. He then kissed her hair and laid her down. Turning to his rescue group he sighed.

"So now you see, she ain't the most perfect girl, but she means a lot to me." Daryl said. "Thanks uh, for comin' with and helpin' me... "

Everyone nodded and continued talking with themselves as Daryl walked away to sit by Elodie.

Rick came up beside him.

"She looks peaceful..." he said.
Daryl nodded.

"Andrea said something about a cafeteria. Do you think there's anything we could scavenge from there?" Rick asked

"Yeah. I'll take ya to it." he replied, standing. "Merle, can ya watch Elodie till I get back?"

Merle came over.

"Of course baby brother, I'd be happy to watch over yer lady for ya." he said, taking his chair.

"Merle, if you so much as touch her-" Daryl growled.

"Relax, I wont do anythin'" Merle said.

Daryl sighed and took one more look at Elodie's sleeping form before following Rick and T-Dog out into the lobby.
------
Merle watched them go before turning and examining Elodie. She was pretty. He could understand why his baby brother took an interest in her. Her flawless pale skin, full lips, big doe eyes, man she was a catch. He sat back and admired the view while listening to two of the group of 'rescuers' behind him.

"Are we really bringing that girl back with us?" the blonde girl asked.

"i guess. I don't see any point. The girl is crazy. She can't even function right." the guy replied.

"This is idiotic. How can Rick let Daryl have his way? She could really endanger us all." she said.

"I'll tell you why we are going to bring little miss back to camp, sugartits. It's because Rick understands where my brother is coming from." Merle said, without turning around.

Andrea and Shane exchanged a glance.

"What do you mean?" andrea asked, puzzled.

"I ain't gotta explain it to you. Ask him yourself." Merle replied.
------

The cafeteria didn't disapoint them. It was stocked full.

"Looks like they went out in a hurry." Rick said.

Daryl nodded and hopped over the counter and looked around. There was blankets, pillows, sleepingbags, cots, suitcases and bags of clothes. There was dried blood all over.

T-Dog followed Daryl's gaze.

"Musta tried to save'em... but..." T-Dog trailed off, turning away.

Daryl grabbed the nearest dufflebag and dumped out the contents.

Boy's clothes and bottles of medication spilled out onto the grimy tile floor. He jumped back over the counter and started to fill the dufflebag with supplies.

Rick and T-Dog followed his example and grabbed backpacks and bags from the floor and filled them.

Once they got what they needed, they made their way back to the infirmary.

"Elodie?" Daryl said, the minute he got through the door. He dropped the bags next to the bed and stood next to her, taking her hand in his.

Merle watched his brother, smirking softly and shaking his head.
"here ya go, baby brother. All nice and warmed up for ya." he said,standing.

Daryl nodded his thanks and sat down.

"What'd you guys find?" Shane asked, grabbing the three bags Daryl dropped. Rick and T-dog set theirs by Daryl's and joined Shane in opening them.

"canned goods mostly, a few crates of water. Enough to get us back to camp and still have enough to feed our people." Rick replied.

"we'll each have to carry two. That leaves one person with one bag." Daryl said, brushing some hair from Elodie's eyes. "We can leave in the mornin'. Everyone get some sleep, I'll take watch."

Everyone settiled down turned off the lights and slowly went to sleep. Daryl kept his eyes on Elodie. He caressed her hand.

'I'll keep you safe El. I'll never, ever leave you again.' he thought.

The next morning everyone grabbed the bags and got ready to go. Daryl hiked one bag onto his back and was about to grab the other when T-Dog picked it up.

"wh-"

"I got it. You go the girl to worry about." T-Dog said, hiking it onto his shoulder.

"Thanks." Daryl replied.

When everyone was ready, Rick opened the door.

"wait" Daryl said suddenly, setting Elodie onto the bed again and going into the back room.

"Daryl, what are you doing?" Andrea asked. "we gotta get moving."

A few minutes later he came back out of the back with 8 boxes of pills.

"what's all that?" T-Dog asked.

"Medication. Fer El." Daryl said, stuffing all the bottles into another smaller messenger type bag.

"You've got to be kidding me..." Shane muttered.

Daryl's head snapped up.

"You got somethin' to say to me?" he growled

He walked four strides and was in Shane's face.

"no. He doesn't he didn't mean it." Rick said, getting in between.

Daryl glared at Shane. "You best be keepin' yer mouth shut then." He replied, finishing filling up his medicine bag.

"Wont that going to make a bunch of noise?" Rick asked.

Daryl shook it in reply. No sound was heard.

"Each one's filled as full as I could get'em." Daryl replied, pulling the bag over his head so it lay across his chest.

He picked up Elodie carefully and nodded to Rick.

"Let's go." he said.

He followed everyone out and Merle followed him. They walked out of the entrance and into the woods again, going back the way they came. Daryl looked down at Elodie periodically throughout the trek. She was still asleep and he was glad. He wasn't sure which Elodie he would be talking to.

END