Wake the Dead

*(Daryl's point of view during flashback)*

I riped the sweat off of my forehead and sighed in anger, "this piece of shit ain't gona be runnin anytime soon."

"Don't give up so soon, lil brother. I bet will have Jimmy's bike all nice and perdy by the end of the week." Merle said, smirking at my frustration.

"Ya, will see." I walked inside to get a beer, only to see Fi's sister run up to my door.

Sydney ran up and started frantically banging on the door. "Geeze, calm down." I said as i opened the door to see the frantic look on her face.

"Is my dad here?!"

I looked at her confused, "Uh, no. I think he took off with my dad yesterday to go into town."

She ran her hands through her hair. " I can't find Fi. I think he took her with her. Shit. Shit. SHIT." She hit the door frame.

"Whoa there sweet cheeks, calm down. Whats goin on?" Merle said, walking over to us.

"Whats goin?! Your and my crazy ass father TOOK MY SISTER, THAT'S WHATS GOING ON!"

Merle's face went from a smirk to a frown, knowing the things our dad would do to her. "Okay, wait. Are you sure they took her? She could have just went to the store or something, and wouldn't your mom say something?" I asked, trying to calm her down.

"Our car is still here! Plus, she wouldn't just leave. And my mom? She has been to high to care even sense my dad got her addicted to their crazy ass drugs again!" She was freaking out. "I have to go get her."

I ran my hand through my hair and looked back at Merle, he looked as worried as I was. "We'll come with."

---------(End of flashback, still Daryl's point of view)

That day came to mind when i looked over to see Fi and Sydney curled up together in the other seat of my truck. I remembered how we drove all the way into town that day to find Fi in hotel room beaten, almost passed out, and about to be raped by both of our dads and some of their drunk friends. We got there just in time. On the way back they curled up together almost exactly like they are now. I tried to keep my eyes on the road, but i ended up sneaking looks at Fi. I have always been attracted to her, and i know sometimes she was attracted to me, but all could think about while looking at her is how much i wanted to keep her alive and well.

The caravan stopped and Fi sat up, but Sydney was asleep. "Whats going on?"

"Looks like that piece of shit RV broke down again." The RV seemed to be more duct tape then anything, but no matter how many times i told these people that it wont make it long, they wouldn't listen.

We both hopped out of the car, leaving Syd to sleep and walked over to everybody. Shane and T-dog decided to drive up ahead and see if they could find anything.

"Y'all its Jim, he's real bad." Jackie came out yellin. I don't know why we are even still draggin him around, hes a time bomb and there is no surviving gettin bit. I knew Fi agreed by the agitated look on her face.

*Fiona's point of view*

"We just leave him here? Take off? Man, I don't think I could live with that." Shane argued about Jim's future. At least they were starting to realize he wouldn't make it, like I said.

"It's not your call, either one of you." Lori always seemed to butt in with a little comment all the time, I'm not saying she is always wrong, it's just a little annoying how she thinks so much of her self.

They helped prop Jim up on a tree. Everyone went up to say their goodbyes, but since i didn't even know him, i stayed back with Daryl.

"Did ya like him?" I asked Daryl, not looking away from Jim.

"He was alright. Pretty good mechanic."

I nodded and put my hand on his arm as a way to say sorry, and walked back to the truck to find an awake Syd. "We dropped Jim off, he was gettin pretty bad."

She nodded, "Daryl kept lookin at you a lot."

I snorted, "What? I thought you were asleep."

"Not in the beginning." She shrugged. "He kept on lookin over here at you, but then shook his head and looked away."

To be honest, I would sneak glances at Daryl too. I never let my self develop feelings about him before, so I sure as hell am not now. "Yeah, so what?"

She shrugged again as Daryl opened the door and got in on the drivers side. I sat up and moved to the middle seat of the truck, giving Syd some room now that she was awake. Daryl seemed to sense that I was closer, and shifted uncomfortably in his seat while bitting his nail.

"Man I would kill for some music right now." I said, but Syd and Daryl just stayed quiet, so i slouched back in my seat, giving up on starting conversation as we drove away.

*

"Would ya stop?" Daryl asked annoyed. I didn't even realize I was shaking my foot, it was an annoying habit i had when i let my mind wander. I sat up, maybe if someone would have a conversation with me i wouldn't be doing it in the first place.

"Ug. I'm just bored." I whined, we had been driving for a while. Daryl just snorted a laugh at me and Sydney looked like she had fallen back asleep.

"What do you miss the most?" I turned and asked Daryl, who just gave me a look. "What? It's a simple question. What is one thing you miss that you can't have now that the world is shit? For me it would be a big juicy hamburger. Oh, and some booze."

Daryl just laughed. "Booze does sound pretty good, and a good smoke."

I sighed, starting to get cravings. "Okay, now whats one thing you dont miss at all?"

He gave me a look again, "I'm not playin any games."

"It's not a game. I'm just asking you questions to keep my attention. Do you want me to start shakin my foot again?"

He still didn't respond. I sighed and slouched down in my seat again. "Where were you when all this went down?" Maybe if i take a more serious route he will respond.

He hesitated, but gave in knowing i wont give up asking him questions he responded. "I was out huntin with Jimmy and my dad." Jimmy was their family friend. "We saw a few people in the woods, at least we thought they were people until one of them started takin chunks out of my dad and scratched Jimmy." He sighed. "You?"

I swallowed, "I-I was just at home, saw it on the news and got the hell out." I thought of Trey, and I saw him get a chunk bit out of his neck flash in my mind. I squeezed my fist together and saw Daryl look at me like he knew i wasn't tellin him something. So, i changed the subject.

"Sorry bout Jimmy." I didn't say anything about his dad, because neither of us were sorry our dads were gone.

He gave me a suspicious look for changing the subject, but didn't say anything.

---------

"I don't like being in the middle of Atlanta, let alone when its about to get dark." I said to Daryl as we all hopped out of our cars.

He didn't respond because he was too distracted by the sight and smell in front of us. Dead bodies and rotting corpses were scattered everywhere, and the smell... Everyone started coughing and covering their noses as we walked on. Daryl looked unfazed by the smell for a while, but the smell of death caught up with him eventually.

We all stayed in tight formation surrounding the children and a few women in the middle, with our weapons raised, ready for anything.

"Stay together." "Keep moving." "Come on." Was all anybody said on our walk, even though people were thinking the worst.

The dead bodies and smell didn't lessen as we made our way up to the C.D.C. building. We walked up to the doors, that had shudders covering them and watched as Rick and Shane tried to open them. Everybody was so busy watching them, so i turned around to look behind us for anything and I saw a few walkers coming at us, shit.

I grabbed Daryl's arm and yelled quietly; "Walkers!" I normally called them freaks, but everyone else knows them as Walkers. Sophia and Carl started to cry into their moms and other people cried out or mumbled something. Daryl took the walkers out using his crossbow and I could hear everyone start to panic.

Daryl ran over to Rick, "That's one less bullet we got!" Daryl was obviously not happy about this situation.

"He made a call." Dale said.

"Well that was the wrong damn call!"

"Shut up. Shut up. You hear me? Shut up!" Shane came over and started to push Daryl back. I came over and tried to push Shane away, "Back off!"

Shane backed away and Daryl just stood there breathing heavily in anger. Everyone was on edge right now.

Shane walked over to Rick, "Rick, this is a dead end."

Everyone started panicking, but only a few vocalized it. "Where are we going to go?" "Oh god" "We can't be here in the dark." "Fort Benning is an option." "We have no food, no fuel!" Was all i heard, but it wasn't clear in my ears because i was too focused on my own thoughts. Everyone put all their hope in this place for a cure, to find a way to end this, but it's gone. All gone. I didn't even realize that i was still holding on to Daryl's arm, I was panicking.

I looked over at Rick and the look on his face was just guilt, and hopelessness. All i could hear was peoples panicking and cries. "Lets go!" Everyone started yelling, but Rick was just staring at the door. Shane started pulling at him, but then i saw the camera above the door move, and i guess Rick did too.

"The camera! It moved." He yelled and caused everyone to look at him. "I saw it, too." I added

"You imagined it." Dale said. I walked up to the camera by Rick. "It's an automatic device, man." Shane came up and said to him.

I've see plenty of automatic cameras in my life, but this was not one. "No. No, this isn't automatic. Someone is controlling it."

"It's dead! This place is dead!" Shane yelled as he pulled Rick back and started pushing me away.

"THAT CAMERA IS CONTROLLED BY SOMEONE!" I yelled in Shane's face as he pushed me back more. Daryl came up behind me and he grabbed my waist pulling me back so I would stay put. I looked up at him, searching his eyes for some help, but he just watched as Rick banged and yelled against the doors.

Everybody screamed at Rick and tried to pull him away.

"We have women and children! No where to go! No food, hardly any gas left. I know your in there. LET US IN. YOU'RE KILLING US." Rick's words made me want to shatter. "YOU'RE KILLING US!" I grabbed onto Daryl and he tightened his grip on my waist with one hand, I was thankful for his comfort. He held his crossbow up with his other hand and took out more freaks. More people were crying and screaming as we pulled at Rick and started to walk away. A loud screech caused us all to stop dead in our tracks and turn around.

The doors opened.