Firecracker

When Raine woke up the next morning, she found herself alone. Daryl must have gone back to his tent after she fell asleep. She sat up, holding the covers over her bare chest. After she gathered her clothes, she got dressed and left the tent, crossbow in hand. She looked around the camp for Daryl and saw him over by the yellow jeep with the others.

”Hey Raine, you sleep okay?” Lori asked, a small smirk on her lips. Raine looked at her sister-in-law with a raised eyebrow and nodded. Little did she know that Lori caught Daryl sneaking out of the tent and going back to his own. She honestly thought that it was great that she had found someone, but she wouldn't dare tell Rick. Raine would do that in her own time.

Raine walked over to the jeep and ran a hand over her face, trying to wake up a little more. She slept like a rock and it felt amazing, she wished that she could sleep like that every night. As she leaned on the vehicle, Rick opened up a map and weighed the corners down so it wouldn't roll up.

”Alright, everyone’s getting new search grids today. If she made it as far as the farmhouse Daryl and Raine found, she might have gone further east than we've been so far.” Rick said, dragging his finger across the map.

”I’d like to help. I know the area pretty well and stuff.” Jimmy added, his hands resting on his hips.

”Hershel’s okay with this?” Rick asked, not believing the seventeen year old at first. Jimmy nodded his head vigorously.

”Yeah yeah. He said I should ask you.”

”Alright then. Thanks.” Rick patted Jimmy on the shoulder and turned back to the group.

”Nothin’ about what they found screams Sophia to me. Anyone could have been holed up in that farmhouse.” Shane piped up, shaking his head as if all of this was a waist of time.

”Anybody includes her, right?” Andrea countered. Raine opted to keep her mouth, she knew that if she said anything at all it wouldn't be very good. She just listened to what everyone had to say.

”Whoever slept in that cupboard was no bigger than yay-high.” Daryl argued, holding his hand up to show how high he was talking about.

”It’s a good lead.”
Raine rolled her eyes at Andrea and tied her hair into a high ponytail, letting some pieces fall around her face. Daryl watched from the corner of his eye and he fought to keep a smile from forming. He wasn't sure what it was about her, but he just couldn't get enough of her. He didn't want to care about her in that way because they were in the middle of an apocalypse. It was no time or place for a relationship, especially one that would be so strained. They might have been a lot of like, but that’s exactly why they weren't good together.

”Maybe we’ll pick up her trail again.” Raine said, adjusting her crossbow strap.

”No maybe about it. I’m gonna borrow a horse, head up to this ridge right here, take a bird’s-eye view of the whole grid. If she’s up there, I’ll spot her.” Daryl pointed to the spot on the map and Raine chewed on her bottom lip. She wasn't comfortable with him going off by himself. He had been fine every other time, but something felt off about this time. It wasn't settling right in her stomach.

”Good idea. Maybe you’ll see your chupacabra up there too.” T-Dog teased, earning a slight glare from Daryl. Raine snorted and covered her mouth to keep from laughing louder when Daryl turned that glare on her. She held up her hands and stepped away from the group to go help the women. Carol and Lori were swamped with laundry, it wouldn't kill her if she helped fold some clothes. She gave Daryl a quick smile and then turned her back completely.



”Hey, Carol... Can I talk to you for a minute?” Raine asked, walking up to the older woman. Carol sighed and crossed her arms over her chest, looking as if she was ready to bolt.

”Look, I just wanna say that I’m really sorry. I know I made a mistake and I've been beating myself up over it every day. Just know that I’m trying to find her any chance I get.” Raine apologized, her eyes pleading and her hands coming together as she tried to show just how sorry she was. Carol smiled slightly and placed one of her hands on Raine’s shoulder.

”I’m not mad at you anymore. I don’t think I ever really was. It’s just too much for me to handle. I know that you’re trying and I can’t thank you enough. You and Daryl have been amazing through this whole thing, I just wish I could be more help.”

”No, you don’t need to worry about it. I understand that it’s too much for you. Um, have you seen Daryl?” Raine asked. She didn't mean to change the subject so quickly, she was just worried. Carol grinned, her eyes almost all-knowing.

”No, I haven’t seen him. I thought he was supposed to be back by now.”

Raine sighed and excused herself, walking quickly towards the R.V where Andrea was perched with a rifle in her lap. She wanted to ask her if she’d seen Daryl, but at the same time, she didn't want anyone to know she was worried. It would raise too many questions. Instead, she sat herself down in a camping chair and rested her head in her hands.

She wasn't completely sure why she was so worried, she had never worried about him before. There wasn't really a reason, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she should have gone with him. As she lifted her head to look around, a bottle of water slipped over her shoulder and into her lap. She looked up to see Rick with a small smile. He sat down in a chair across from her and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

”So, you wanna tell me what’s going on?” He asked. Raine took a swig of her water and furrowed her eyebrows.

”What are you talking about?”

”You and Daryl. What’s going on with that? Come on, I’ve seen the way you two look at each other. And you follow him around like a lost puppy.” He pointed out, his smile growing bigger by the second.

”There’s nothing going on. We’re just friends.”

”Go ahead and keep tellin-” In that moment, Rick was cut off by Andrea.

”Walker!” She yelled, jumping up from her seat and raising the rifle to look through the scope. Raine got up out of the chair and went to go after it, but Rick held up his hand, stopping her. He, Shane, Glenn, and T-Dog went instead.

”I think I can hit it from here.” Andrea said with a maniacal smile as she lied down on her stomach and set the rifle up. Dale begged her to stop but she didn't listen. Raine rubbed her hands together nervously, unsure of what to do. When the gunshot rang through the air, a horrible feeling settled into her stomach.

”NO! NO!” Rick screamed from off in the distance. Raine didn’t hesitate to take off running towards them with Andrea right behind her. Her brown eyes saw Daryl being lifted off the ground and dragged towards the campsite. Raine let out a sigh of relief when she saw that the bullet had just grazed the side of his head. This was the only time she had been glad that someone was a bad shot.

As they walked back to the house to get Daryl to Hershel, Raine shot Andrea the deadliest glare anyone had ever seen. As far as she was concerned, that dumb bitch was dead to her.