The Sharpest Lives

"That was a gun shot."

Every other moment Lori would stop, hesitate, turn around, and let her edging thoughts be shared. "We all heard it," Daryl put out. Ace knew exactly why Lori was worrying, her son, husband, and boy toy are all out there at once, but the thing is, why would they shoot if only one shot was needed?
"Why one? Why just one gun shot?" Lori asked what was on every ones mind.

"Maybe they took down a walker?" Daryl shrugged. He could be right, maybe they got in a sticky situation, but Rick and Shane knew better than that.

"Please don't patronize me," Lori snapped. "Rick wouldn't risk a gunshot to put down one walker, or Shane, they'd do it quietly."

No one really knew what else to say to get Lori to stop worrying. What she said was true, but there isn't anything they can do about it. They're miles away from them and will just waste daylight trying to search for them. Ace and Daryl shared a look, thinking the same thing. "Nothin' we can do about it anyway, can't be runnin' around chasin' echoes," Daryl was the one to speak. "We do the same as we been; hit the bush for Sophia, work our way back to highway."

There was silent agreement from everybody and everyone shifted to start walking again, besides Andrea who went over to Carol, stopping everyone again.
Ace was itching to get moving, not liking all the standing around they've been doing. It's wasting time and she fells restless if not occupying herself with searching for Sophia.
"The thought of her... Out here.. By herself... It's the not knowing that's killing me. I'm just hoping and praying she doesn't end up like Amy," Carol cried, striking Ace with sadness, but also giving Andrea a low blow by bringing up Amy.

But it was also the praying idea that was on Ace's mind. The whole subject of belief and God has been playing a big part in today at the church and in her mind. She hasn't prayed in forever, barely ever did before that because if there was a God.. what were his plans? What were his plans for Ace, to give her reoccurring cancer? What were his plans for the godforsaken world that has gone to shit?
Praying never got her anywhere and she's sure now it's not going to do shit, either.

She doesn't think it's up to God to find Sophia. It's up to her and Daryl and the rest of the group that has been spending every waking moment so far to look for her. And Daryl felt that too. "Am I the only one zen around here? Good lord," Daryl sassed, making Ace smirk before she turned and followed him with the rest of the group again.

The walk back was a lot worse than the walk there. One, because it seemed to be up hill. Two, everyone was twice as tired. And three, hopes were diminishing.

But Ace never once let her posture or train of thought falter. The right frame of mind was all she needed, even if lots of the time she didn't have that.

"How much farther?" Lori asked in a exhaled breath after a while of walking. She was behind Daryl and Ace who were walking nearly side by side up front, truly taking the role of the 'leaders' of this search, but also accompanying each other.

Daryl could see the struggle Ace was having with her guilt and Ace could see the need Daryl had to find Sophia. It was just like the need Ace had, but it seemed a lot more deeper, like something from his past was driving him.
But because of this, they both felt that maybe their presence would help the other since neither of them knew what words to say. And they just felt like they'd rather be near each other than with the rest of the group that they simply cannot relate to.

"Maybe a hundred yards as the crow flies," Daryl responded, still having his crossbow in his ready position. Even he was a little heavy breathed, the sweat glimmering on his skin seconding the theory of him being hot and tired like the rest of the group. But the thing with Daryl is, he doesn't complain. He doesn't show it like the rest of the panting and whining members of the group.

Besides Ace, who was just as sturdy as him. She is used to long walks on rough terrain.

"Too bad we're not crows," Andrea huffed, starting to mindlessly wander to the side a bit.

Everyone silently agreed with what she said while continuing to push forward. Ace was able to hear Andrea mumble something again, sounding far off in the distance, but soon the air was filled with Andrea's piercing screams that made everyone frantically spin around.

But the only ones to do something besides stand there and yell 'Andrea?' back at her, like Lori, were Ace and Daryl. Neither even hesitated. They noticed that about each other.

They also noticed how far Andrea had drifted from the group as they ran, not being able to get there quick enough.
Because instead they were beat why a blur of a horse that passed fast by them, someone whacking off the biter's head that was on top of Andrea.
Daryl and Ace skidded to a stop, looking to each other with confusion before looking down to the woman on a horse. What the hell?

"Lori? Lori Grimes?" The woman with short brown hair on the horse asked, turning to face the rest of the group that had now ran over. "Rick sent me, you've got to come now."

"What?" Lori asked the question on every ones mind.

"There's been an accident. Carl's been shot," the girl said, causing horror to spread across every ones face. "He's still alive, but you've got to come now. Rick needs you."

It all happened so fast: Lori not hesitating to go over and climb up on the horse, Daryl arguing to stay because they didn't know the girl, and then the girl telling them she had a farm, right before the horse ran off, carrying her and Lori away.

Everyone stood there shocked, especially Ace who felt her heart frantically thumping in her chest.

First Sophia, now this?

*

Daryl was angry.

Angry that he couldn't find the little girl, angry that his group was slowly diminishing one by one, and angry that he couldn't even stop the last one from leaving, out of his control.
This group was just slowly falling... Slowly breaking..

Daryl stomped his way over the railing on the highway and passed straight by Dale who was questioning him for why he just let Lori go. "Climbed right out of my asshole, man," was all Daryl mumbled, angry that Dale was trying to blame him.. He was already blaming himself.

Once he passed by the RV, he went over to a car he had been going through earlier. It was far enough from the group that he could have some peace, but also had some good stuff in it. Like cigarettes and candy bars.

Daryl huffed as he sat down on the driver's seat sideways, legs hanging out the side of the open door. He pulled his rag out of his back pocket and set his crossbow down in front of him, pulling out the arrows one by one that were in his quiver, starting to clean them.
It was a little hard to do when his rag was dirty, too. He even noticed the blood on part of it from when he helped Ace wash off her hands.
And then he started to think about Ace.

Why was he feeling the urge to be so kind to her? Why did he feel so close to her, like this girl was a comfort zone for him? He doesn't even know her. Not a thing about her. She keeps it all tucked close to her chest and makes it even harder for him to pick up things about her.
So far all he's got is that she's different than the rest of the group, has feet quite like a mouse, some type of tracking skills, some type of knowledge about interesting things, is quiet as hell, has problems with guilt, and seems to be better friends with the kids and the old man than anyone else. He's also noticed how different she's been acting since the CDC. He wondered what was going on in her head..

Daryl shook his head at himself for even caring, this girl is just his partner for this search. As long as she's helpin him, he doesn't care who she is.

But he did care about the heavy footsteps that sounded like someone was stomping their way up to him. "Leave me be," he growled, not looking up from his arrows. He didn't hear anymore loud footsteps or even heavy breathing, which made him curious enough to turn around, seeing Ace standing there.

She had made her footsteps so heavy to not startle him.

Daryl eyed her for a minute, but didn't make any further comments for her to go away, just turned back around, which gave Ace the signal to come closer.

She now stood in front of him, holding a bottle of water out. Daryl stopped what he was doing and looked at it, unsure why she was offering, but eventually sat up, set his rag down, and took it from her. She stayed quiet as he took a drink, but Daryl noticed the map folded up in her hand.

Remembering what she was going to do, Ace crouched down, her back a little tense, but still feeling better from the pills she had took.
She was now at Daryl's level, maybe a bit lower, as she unfolded the map and set it on the ground so he could see it flat.

Daryl noticed the little markings and X's all over it, even some things were circled down in the city. He wondered if they were from when she was on her own and why she would circle them. He even wondered what her 'adventure' before they met was like. "This is the creek here," Ace broke the silence, pointing at a circled spot on her map. "And this is where we've been searchin'," she ran her finger up and down the area around the creek. "But we never even thought of checkin' over here," he finger was now moving in another direction, opposite of where they were looking. "If Sophia listened to Rick and did head back up to the highway, she could have gone up here."
This had Daryl sitting up, watching her intently as she pointed over the map. "She could have followed the highway down," Daryl basically said what she did, but nodded in agreement.

Ace returned his nod, now feeling a little shy in the silence. "Maybe this farm..." Ace spoke, trailing off as she looked at the map. Daryl noticed she had it circled on there.

"You think it'll be somethin' good?" Daryl asked, really wanting to know what Ace thought of it. She is his partner after all. And the only one he thinks has somethin good to say.

Ace had asked herself this a lot, really hoping they could find a place to settle at and get a better grip on the search for Sophia. And also for her to try and ease her way back into some type of health, along with Carl. "If they're helpin Carl... I think it is a chance."

Daryl nodded slowly while looking at Ace out of the corner of his eye. She looked remorseful and solemn at the mention of another one of her friends getting hurt. First she lost Sophia and now Carl. It was all a lot to happen, especially after losing Frankie as well.. Maybe it was a sign that kids just aren't supposed to be in this world.

"We should leave a sign," Ace said, snapping Daryl out of his thoughts. "For Sophia.. If we're gona leave to this farm."

Daryl nodded, giving her credit for the good idea. "Yeah, can leave her some supplies too."

It was quiet again, both of them agreeing and not knowing what else to say.
Daryl started to actually look over at Ace, seeing the bangs that were poking at the side of her bright eyes, her bandana that failed to keep them back, the excessive amount of dirt that tanned her skin even more, and the dog tags dangling around her neck that Daryl noticed multiple times.
Even though he told himself he didn't care who she was, he couldn't help but be suspicious. And Daryl wasn't stupid, he noticed things. But he just didn't know if his assumptions were right. "What did you do... before all this?" He grumbled, looking back down to his crossbow at his feet.

Ace was surprised he was holding conversation with her, expecting him to send her away now that they discussed their search. "Uh," she played with her hands again, barely looking up to meet Daryl's eyes that were looking down at her sharply. "I worked at a groomers... took care of animals and stuff," she said, shrugging as she skipped over a lot of important information.

Daryl had a suspicious look on his face as he ran her answer around in his head. To put it simply: he didn't believe her. But he let it go, certain he would get some more solid evidence later, as he reached back into the car to pull out a box of cigarettes he had found earlier, along with a lighter.

Ace saw this and immediately stood up, grabbing the map as Daryl was about to light his smoke. Ace already had cancer, she didn't need to risk making it worse by being around secondhand smoke. And she wasn't to place yet where she had the balls to tell Daryl to put it away; he could do whatever he wanted to. She wansn't gona poop his party.

Daryl didn't fail to notice her reaction, slowing his process to light the flame.

"I'll tell the rest of the group the plan," she spoke, turning on the heel of her foot, starting to walk away when Daryl's words stopped her. "I'll come with," he said, throwing the lighter and smoke back in the car, making Ace breathe out a breath of relief.

She waited for him to join her side, gave him a nod as she looked into his eyes, and then they headed towards the group with their plan. A plan that was hopefully going to give them a break.

They both needed to find this little girl.