A/N: Don't own (although I'd love to have my very own Norman Reedus :D) don't sue!

Lyrics are from 'Rain' by Patty Griffin

There will be plenty of Andrea and Lori bashing in this. I really don't like the pair of them at all, they're the most selfish characters ever invented always getting people into danger because of their stupidity. Generally a Daryl/OC fic but there might be a little bit of Rick/OC too because he's too lovely not to.

Rain

Chapter One

It's hard to listen to a hard, hard heart
Beatin' close to mine
Poundin' up against the stone and steel
Walls that I won't climb
Sometimes a hurt is so deep, deep, deep
You think that you're gonna drown
Sometimes all I can do is weep, weep, weep
With all this rain fallin' down
Strange, how hard it rains now
Rows and rows of big dark clouds
When I'm holding on underneath this shroud
Rain
It's hard to know when to give up the fight
Some things you want will just never be right
It's never rained like it has tonight before
Now, I don't wanna beg you, baby
For something maybe you could never give
I'm not lookin' for the rest of your life
I just want another chance to live
Strange, how hard it rains now
Rows and rows of big dark clouds
When I'm holdin' on underneath this shroud
Rain

Here's the thing… I don't get on with people. I don't like people. In fact I used to make my living executing people. For a price. A very good price. Of course when all hell broke loose, my hard earned money did very little to keep me alive. Quite simply, the world wasn't prepared for the apocalypse. The innocent made sacrifices that amounted to nothing in the end, giving your life to save your child was pointless when that child wouldn't survive for more than a week without you. It was people like me who were left. Survivors. Ruthless and selfish… only out for number one. It was sad actually. In my opinion life was now quite brutally divided into Before and After, and my life Before had helped to prepare me for my life After. Most other people weren't that lucky.

Kind of like the walker who was between Cassidy and her car. She'd been blonde once, probably pretty in a wispy kind of way. She could tell by the ripped and stained pink blouse and white slacks that she was probably a soccer mom. She'd been bitten on the neck, the wound was grotesquely swollen and riveted with welts as if she'd scratched at it wildly.

"Sorry lady." Cassidy muttered, lining her up in the crosshairs.

It wasn't really moving, sort of swaying aimlessly as if it was assessing which direction to take. There was no wind, just the burning hot sun beating down mercilessly on Cassidy's head. Cassidy reached up and swung her ball-cap around so the peak shaded her neck instead of casting shadows on her line of sight. Compared to some of the hits she'd taken before, she could have done this in her sleep. She squeezed the trigger. The walker crumpled without a sound. Her rifle was almost silent, the best on the market before the market had vanished along with the rest of civilisation. Excellent for assassinations when you had to stay under the radar. It also broke down into several compact pieces in only a few well practised moves, perfect when you need a quick escape.

Cassidy slung the cloth bag containing the rifle over her shoulder, grabbed the duffel bag loaded with the supplies she'd just looted, and headed down the incline towards her car. Her car and her rifle were the only things that remained from Before. She'd never used her red '69 Mustang on jobs, it was too distinctive. As soon as all hell had broken loose she'd gone straight to her storage unit and retrieved it. She dropped her bags into the back seat and started up the engine.

She had only just pulled onto the highway when what sounded, and felt, like an explosion shook the eerily peaceful morning. Adrenaline surged through her system and her foot automatically stomped on the gas. She jerked the wheel, fighting to calm her pounding heart. She could see smoke billowing in the rearview mirror. She was so busy scanning the area for walkers attracted to the noise that she didn't even see the overturned truck until she slammed straight into it.

Cassidy groaned groggily. Her head felt like someone had played volleyball with an anvil inside it. She blinked and pushed away from the steering wheel where she'd been sprawled. Her ribs hurt like a bitch but the airbag had absorbed most of the shock. She put a hand to her head and it came back bloody. Great. It took her a moment to realise that the noisy wailing was the alarm on her Mustang. Instinct snapped into place and she yanked a flick-knife out of the strap attached to her ankle and severed the wires. The wailing cut off abruptly but she knew she had to get moving before the walkers arrived. She could only hope that the explosion had distracted any nearby.

It wasn't until she clambered out of the wrecked car that she realised how bad her head must be. She staggered and fell onto one knee, suddenly woozy. She shook her head a few times to clear it and managed to get back onto her feet. The car was totalled and she was mortified to find tears stinging her eyelids. The blow to her head must have been worse than she thought. She never cried. She scrubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, spreading blood on her forehead. She retrieved her bags from the backseat and popped the trunk. There was plenty of food and some water looted on her travels, a few changes of clothes and a couple of personal items she wasn't quite sure why she kept.

She lingered longer than she should have but saying goodbye to her car was more painful than parting with a child. She'd only gone a few steps when the sight of a group of people brought her up short. She crouched down low amongst the long grass. It took her a moment of careful consideration before she realised that they weren't walkers, they moved too precisely and she could hear the faint murmur of their voices. She stood up and would have headed in the opposite direction if a whistle hadn't halted her in her tracks. A man stood a few feet away, a crossbow levelled at her head. He was just as scruffy and stained as everyone she'd encountered but his piercing blue eyes bore straight into her. She lifted her hands slowly, indicating that she didn't have a weapon. After an interminably long time he lowered the crossbow. The group of people had reached them now and they fell silent at the sight of her.

They eyed her warily. She wasn't tall but she certainly wasn't short either. She had a thick head of hair the colour of treacle, streaked with dirt and grime and sweat, curling in waves like a mane under a black ball cap. Her face was finely boned with small neat features emphasised by huge green eyes fringed by long thick lashes, which were currently flickering over them all carefully. Her plump lips were pulled into a frown. She skipped right over most of them, her gaze fixing on Rick, Shane and back to Daryl one after the other. Daryl's tense posture did not ease. She was assessing which of them were most likely to pose a threat. Part of him relaxed a little, a hunter recognising a hunter. She was small and compact but he had the feeling she packed a hell of a punch, her bare arms were wound tightly with tensed muscles as though she expected them to spring at her. She was in a black vest top, skin tight and stained with blood and dust, and jeans that must once have been tight but were slightly loose now that she'd lost weight. There were rips at both knees and, when she turned at the sound of Glenn's voice behind her, a rip just under her left buttock that exposed her black lacy underwear. She might have lost weight but she'd lost none of her muscle tone, Daryl noted as she retrieved her bag from the dusty ground and slung it over her shoulder. Glenn skidded to a halt when he saw her, then his gaze touched her Mustang.

"Whoa."

She gave him an appraising look, apparently deciding that he posed no significant threat.

"It's totalled." She informed him flatly.

She hitched her bag further up her shoulder, tipped her cap in a thoroughly sarcastic salute and turned her back on them. They stared after her then Shane, who was closest, jogged a few steps to catch up to her. Andrea, ignoring the warning look Daryl sent her, followed. Glenn and Carol exchanged a look and then moved to join them. Daryl sighed irritably and followed.

"I don't need your help." She was insisting, glaring up at Shane as he blocked her path.

"If she don't want our help, leave her." Daryl snapped, shouldering his crossbow.

She slanted her green gaze around Shane to take him in. He met her gaze with one of his best sneers. She wasn't affected.

"We're in the middle of nowhere." Shane pointed out, indicating the rolling fields surrounding them. "It'll take you hours to find somewhere to hole up for the night. At least come with us until morning."

She stared at him silently. After a long pause she gave an abrupt nod. She lingered at the back of the group as they made their way back to the farm. Daryl kept one eye on her and another on their surroundings. He did not trust her one bit, unlike their little group he knew perfectly well that she was dangerous. He also knew that that rifle in her bag was not for hunting deer. Andrea had fallen back a little and she found herself besides the stranger.

"So you gave in pretty easily." She said bluntly, never one for small talk. "Is that all it took, a few words from a big strong Deputy?"

The stranger didn't look at her, just kept her gaze fixed firmly on her surroundings.

"Don't worry blondie, I'm not after your man. He's not my type."

Andrea stopped dead in the middle of the path, then took a few hurried steps to catch her up again. Daryl was only half listening but he found himself giving a grim smile. So she was as good as he suspected. It had only taken her a few moments to suss out the dynamics right in front of her.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Andrea hissed, her pale cheeks flaming.

Now the stranger did look at her and there was something akin to pity in her dark green eyes.

"Then you're an idiot." She gestured around them. "We're at the end of the world… there isn't time for pussyfooting around. You have to take what you want or get over it."

Andrea let out a strangled gasp and grabbed hold of the girl's arm in her anger. The girl stopped abruptly but Daryl had the sense that she'd stopped of her own accord, not because Andrea had forced her to. She looked at the blonde evenly.

"Honey, I don't know you… and I don't particularly care to, but if you ever put your hands on me again…" She gave Andrea such a sweet beatific smile, lit with malice, that the blonde drew back as if she'd slapped her. "I'll break your scrawny neck."

Andrea's red cheeks paled visibly and her brow darkened but before she could say anything, Daryl stepped between them. He gave her a look that clearly told her now was not the time for a cat fight and Andrea flounced off after the others. The girl looked at him coolly and then continued on the path.

"You're not a people person, are ya?"

She looked briefly amused and then she shook her head.

"Hell no." She said firmly, as if she was pleased at his assumption. "At least now the world's in the crapper I don't have to pretend anymore."

"You don't strike me as the kinda gal who pretends to make other folk happy."

She grinned at him and this smile was so completely different from the one she'd given Andrea that he was a little taken aback. It was soft and sensual, wickedness oozing from the slightest hint of one raised corner.

"Cassidy." She offered out of the blue.

"Daryl." He finally replied after staring at her in contemplative silence for a while. "You don't sound like you're from around here."

She shot him an amused sidelong glance.

"Personal questions? Not what I expected." He didn't reply, he was looking at the woods they were entering. "England."

He grunted, lowering his crossbow and gripping it firmly in both hands, his blue eyes darting into the foliage around them.

"Long way from home." He murmured absently, his gaze fixed intently on the trees around them.

"I was working."

They were talking absently now, both focused on the danger around them, conversing without thinking about it. It had been such a long time Cassidy was quite pleased to be talking at all. Humans were social creatures by nature. Even the walkers grouped together.

"Doing what?"

It was only a brief movement but Daryl saw her hand tightening a fraction on the bag carrying her rifle. It didn't seem like she realised her reaction and if Daryl hadn't been keeping such a close eye on her he would have missed it. People didn't realise how much Daryl actually noticed.

"I think I have a copy of my CV around. I'll fax it" She deadpanned without looking at him, peering intently into the trees to their right where she thought she'd seen a shadow move. "Does it really matter now?"

He flicked a glance at her. As they moved quickly and silently through the trees towards the farm, she offered him small details of her survival so far. He listened without comment, in fact she wasn't even sure that he was listening, but he took everything in.

"You're not just a redneck with a crossbow, are you?" She commented suddenly as they finally reached the boundary where the farm's land began.

He met her gaze with a shit-eating grin that made her lips twitch irresistibly upwards. She jerked her head towards the figures assembling on the farmhouse porch.

"They under the impression you're just some dumb hick with a penchant for high-powered weapons?"

She reached out and trailed one fingertip along the shaft of the arrow loaded into the crossbow. He snorted with something like laughter. The group were all looking their way expectantly.

"More fool them." She shot him a dazzling grin and followed the others towards the farmhouse.

It was alright here, she guessed. Little bit creepy though. She supposed normal people would find the farmhouse charming and pretty much heavenly compared to the world out there. She couldn't think of anything more depressing than living like this, except maybe small town suburbia, even Before. People found haunted out houses scary, she found this homey small farming town creepy as hell. Still, she was grateful for a shower and a bed for the first time in weeks.

After using said shower, she set about exploring. She had a routine and taking note of all the exits was part of it. She was sharing a room with Maggie for the time being. She placed her still packed bags besides the door and the bag with her rifle in besides the window. Maggie observed her curiously but didn't comment as she told her to help herself to anything she needed. She stared at herself in the mirror above her vanity table for a long time. She'd changed almost beyond recognition. Actually, she was almost back to her real self. She used all sorts of disguises for jobs she'd worked. This was what she really looked like. She saw a pale face with distinct cheekbones dusted with freckles framed by a mane of unruly golden-red hair that shone now it was finally clean again. The bruise on her forehead was a riot of yellow and purple surrounding the nasty gash Hershel had stitched up for her a few hours ago.

"You look like shit." She told her reflection sternly.

She sighed and moved away from the mirror to get dressed. It had been so long since she'd been clean and free of blood that she was a lot paler than she remembered, tanned from the bright hot sun but paler than she had thought. She pondered her miniscule wardrobe and then settled on the jeans she'd already been wearing. They were still her favourite pair from Before even if they were a bit ratty and falling to pieces, she'd worn them in to perfection. She pulled on a pale yellow halter-neck, which was the cleanest thing in her bag, and slipped on a black and white chequered shirt over the top. It was starting to get dark. She hesitated and then tucked her 9mm into the back of her jeans, tugging both the halter-neck and the shirt out to hide the bulge. The metal was reassuringly cold against her bare skin.

She peered out of the window. She could see the makeshift camp set up by the barn, the RV and the tents clustered close together. She could see the bitchy blonde talking to an older guy with a ridiculous hat on by the RV. Carol was talking to a woman with long dark hair. Shane was watching the woman closely. She sighed and turned away. Even after the whole country has gone to shit, there was still enough drama around to stuff a dozen romcoms with. She wandered around the house, padding on bare feet. She was enjoying the minor freedom. Even Before she'd rarely worn shoes inside unless she was on a job. It had been a long time since she'd felt safe enough to go back to old habits. She avoided the kitchen where the inhabitants of the house were discussing something in low serious voices. As she was passing by a closed door she paused at the sound of whimpering. Her hand went automatically to the gun at her back. She glanced around but the hallway was deserted.

She pushed the door open with her free hand. The room was dimly lit by a bedside lamp but she could see all the nooks and crannies. They were all empty. A figure lay in the bed, a boy. He was the one whimpering. She studied him for a long tense moment but she saw no sign that he'd been bitten. He wasn't feverish just very pale and as far as she could tell, the whimpering was due to nothing more than a nightmare.

She was not a maternal woman. She didn't like kids. She'd planned on having some eventually, way into the future when she'd hit thirty, given up the life and settled down. She looked out into the hallway again for some help. Still deserted. She took a deep breath then crossed the room and patted the boy's hand. He wriggled in his sleep. There was a chair besides the bed and she sank into it uncertainly. What did one do in situations like this? She brushed the boy's dark hair from his forehead, wrinkled from the nightmare.

She couldn't sing. At all. She didn't have any soothing words to say to this complete stranger. There wasn't a cold compress around to apply lovingly to his forehead. She was at a loss. Just as she had determined to leave and find someone, the boy stirred and his blue eyes took her in. She was a little concerned that he might scream or something but he merely looked at her as she withdrew her hand.

"You were having a nightmare." She told him pointlessly.

He nodded and appraised her again with calm bright blue eyes.

"I'm Carl." He said, lifting one small pale hand towards her.

"Cassidy." She found herself grinning as she shook his hand. "Pulling a sickie?"

He lowered the blankets enough to expose the swathes of bandages thick around his stomach.

"I got shot." He shrugged when she frowned in surprise. "It was an accident. I heard you when you got here. You were up near the highway." She nodded. "Did you see a girl anywhere?"

Cassidy stared at him. Weird question much? She shook her head slowly, feeling an unexpected flicker of pity in her stomach when something darkened in his bright eyes. He looked down at his hands and then back up at her.

"You're hurt."

Cassidy touched her bruised forehead automatically.

"I totalled my car. I think I crushed my lungs too." She gave him a rueful wink. "I'd show you those bruises but I think you're too young for that."

He blushed as red as he could when he'd obviously lost a lot of blood.

"How about my next birthday. Will you show me then?"

Cassidy had the feeling the kid was teasing her and she laughed. Surprisingly, she liked this kid.

"I think the bruises will have healed by then. I'll make you a deal, Carl." She leaned towards him until her hair brushed his bare arm. "I have a scar from a long time ago. When you're eighteen, I'll show you and I'll tell you how I got it. You're the only one who'll know."

The scar was actually an appendix scar near her hip but what the hell.

"I don't know if I'll make it to eighteen." He said seriously.

"Sure you will." She tossed at him. "Not many people are strong enough to survive a shot to the gut. Hurts like a bitch, too."

He grinned when she cursed but he didn't look entirely displeased. She got the feeling he got treated like a kid a lot. A figure appeared in the open doorway and she jumped up, the chair falling backwards with a bang.

"Hey Dad, hey Mom." Carl said quite cheerfully.

Cassidy stood there in silence as a tall attractive man in a sheriff's uniform and the woman with dark hair filed into the room. The woman went over to the bed immediately and took her son's hand, glaring at Cassidy. She glared right back. Now this was more familiar territory. The man thrust out his hand.

"Rick."

She shook it.

"Cassidy."

They stood there awkwardly, the hostility from the woman quite tangible in the small room.

"He was having a nightmare." She eventually offered.

"We were talking." Carl piped up from the bed, his big blue eyes fixed earnestly on his father. "She's cool, dad."

Rick and Cassidy exchanged a look, apparently both amused at the fact that she was deemed "cool".

"I'm Lori." The woman said, getting up from the bed and coming to stand besides her husband.

Cassidy got the hint. She was marking her territory. She returned her hostile look quite dispassionately. Rick was definitely hot but she was not on the lookout for a fling, especially not one that would come hand in hand with breaking up a marriage. Rick was thanking her for talking to Carl when she sensed someone at the door behind her. Shane cast a rather large shadow on them but Carl lit up to see him.

"Shane!" Carl pointed at her and there was a definite pink tinge to his cheeks. "Tell mom how cool Cassidy is. She doesn't trust her."

"Observant kid." Cassidy said into the embarrassed silence that followed.

Lori glared at her again. What was her problem? Fine. It had been a while since high school but Cassidy could be quite the bitch when she put her mind to it.

"So you're Rick's deputy?" She asked Shane in a sweet honeyed voice.

Shane nodded but didn't reply. She could tell from the look on his face that Rick had no idea something had happened between his wife and his friend. Polite conversation followed between them but she kept her gaze on Lori. When Cassidy took her leave of them, she was pretty sure Lori knew that Cassidy knew her dirty little secret. Carl called out to her as she was closing the door behind her.

"Did you mean it? About the deal?"

He'd gone pink again. She'd never had someone have a crush on her before, especially not a kid. But he was sweet and pretty cool for an eight year old.

"Sure thing, kid." She grinned at him. "So long as you keep your end of the deal."

The three adults in the room were peering at them curiously but she wasn't going to tell. The boy looked happier than he had when she'd first come into the room anyway.

Cassidy had no doubt that she was the topic under discussion. They were all grouped in the living room talking intently. That bitchy blonde was almost shouting. She had a pretty good idea what her opinion was. She'd saved them the trouble and left the room without them asking and was currently curled up on the porch swing, one bare leg propped up against the railing swinging the seat gently. There was a gentle cool breeze breaking through the hot humid night air. She felt surprisingly content. Which was pretty dangerous. You got comfortable, you got sloppy.

Cassidy tensed when she felt something in the dark beyond the reach of the porch light. Just as she reached for her gun, the figure stepped into the light and she exhaled.

"Skulk much?" She snapped as Daryl mounted the porch steps. "You're lucky I didn't shoot your ass."

He surveyed her in silence, propping one hip against the railing and folding his arms across his chest. The sound of raised voices made his eyes drift over her head to the window behind her.

"Why aren't you at the mother's meeting?" She went back to swinging the seat. "Don't you have an opinion on whether to invite me to join your little gang of ragtag individuals?"

He chuckled.

"Do I look like the kind of guy who goes to meetings?"

Cassidy grinned. There was something distinctly attractive about him as he slouched back against the porch railing, the warm light from the window bathing him in golden highlights. He wasn't really her type. She liked the successful types; suits and gleaming hair and an air of superiority, she liked seeing their arrogance dissolve into lusty need which inevitably became frantic phone messages and emails when she'd had enough of them. Total power trip. Of course that was Before.

She studied him through her lashes. He was very sexy. That mop of unruly brown hair, the scruffy dark stubble, the piercing blue eyes that felt like they were boring holes straight through her. The slightly plump lower lip pulled up into a smirk. The light reflected off his well built arms, slick with a sheen of sweat from whatever he'd been doing. She wondered what he'd been doing and felt heat flush up her throat.

He knew she was studying him. He had no problem with that. It meant he could study her without being on the lookout for a kick to the crotch or a sharp right hook. She was hot. No doubt about that. It wasn't just because of the total lack of available women around nowadays; he'd considered Andrea once or twice but he couldn't take the whining that would inevitably follow, Lori was wound too tight trying to keep Rick from finding out about Shane, the farm chick was pretty hot but no one had really stirred his blood for a while. She did. She was reclining back on the swing-seat, her head leaning against the cushions and exposing her long slender white throat. Her hair tumbled down over her bare shoulders, revealed in the rather hideous halter-top she was wearing. She'd changed out of the jeans and into a pair of white shorts which must have been somebody else's at some point because they were a little too tight. One leg was curled under her and the other was stretched out alongside him, her bare foot propped against the railing.

When they'd finished eyeing each other she laughed. Daryl glanced up again. The meeting must be over because they were scattering. Andrea swung open the front door. She came up short when she saw the two of them. She shot them both a poisonous glare and stomped off towards the RV. Rick followed her out.

"What's the verdict, Sheriff?" Cassidy drawled in a thoroughly unconcerned voice.

Rick glanced at Daryl who remained there silently, clearly not intending to leave any time soon.

"If you want to stay with us, you're welcome to. For as long as you like." Rick said with a grin.

Daryl watched Cassidy but her face was entirely expressionless. She could have been listening to a weather report for all the interest she showed.

"Carl was pretty adamant about voting in your favour." Rick's face was alight, as it always was when he spoke about this son, and his grin was entirely genuine.

Daryl couldn't remember the last time Rick had smiled without forcing it. Not that he kept track but Rick had been understandably miserable since Sophia went missing and Carl got shot. Rick glanced at Daryl again and then excused himself.

"Are you going to stand there all night?" Cassidy asked.

"Just trying to figure you out, lady."

She cocked her head to the side. He'd never seen eyes that green before. Like cat eyes. He was a pretty simple man, he had no problems admitting his needs and he wouldn't make excuses for them. She stretched her leg out further until her ankle brushed his hand where it gripped the railing.

"Figure me out?"

"Your angle. You don't need us. You look like you've been doing just fine on ya own out there. So why you here?"

She looked past him, out into the dark surrounding fields. After a moment he realised that she wasn't going to answer him. She dug into the pocket of her shorts. He tried not to stare when she arched her back to get into the pocket in the tight shorts and exposed a tantalizing glimpse of her smooth navel. She lit a cigarette and tossed him the pack.

"I never smoked Before." She commented as she took a drag.

"Not really the right time to start. There's a sorta shortage."

She grinned and lifted her eyebrows at the unexpected joke.

"Desperate times."

He tossed the pack back at her.

"Why do you stay?" She asked abruptly, turning his own interrogation back onto him.

Just as she had ignored his question, he kept silent. After a moment he realised she wasn't looking at him, she was looking past him and up at the sky.

"It's a full moon." She murmured and in the flare of her cigarette he could see her brow was wrinkled and she was frowning thoughtfully.

She got suddenly to her feet and the light camaraderie they had encountered vanished immediately. She took a step towards the edge of the porch, her lips pursed and her eyes very bright in the dark.

"How long until sunrise?" She asked without looking at him. Her gaze was fixed firmly on the darkness beyond the farm. "Best guess."

He had no idea what was going on but he decided to go with it.

"Five or six hours maybe. Give or take."

"There's something I have to do." She wheeled on her bare heel and stalked back into the house.

Daryl was completely baffled, even more so when she re-emerged fully dressed. She'd pulled on her Dr Martens again and they added an inch to her height. She'd gone with a pair of rather filthy black leggings and a black long-sleeved sweater and her bright hair was tucked up under her ball cap. He was startled to see the bag with her rifle on her back and a wicked looking hunting knife strapped to her thigh.

"Where are you going?" She ignored him and strode straight off the porch. "You can't go prancing off into the woods in the pitch dark. You're going to end up as some walker's midnight snack."

She kept going and he had to pace after her to continue the argument in a relatively low voice.

"I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself." She said calmly. "I made a promise."

He was thoroughly annoyed at how cryptic she was being but he clearly couldn't persuade her to stop. They both halted as they reached the edge of the trees.

"Not coming, then." It was hardly a question, it was hardly even a statement.

There was something almost provoking in her eyes and Daryl bristled. He was, however, not stupid. He had no intention of going into those woods in the middle of the night. He didn't even like being this close without his crossbow.

"Too bad, darlin'." He sighed, eyeing her up and down. "What a waste."

She grinned that wicked grin again, leaning towards him until he could smell the coconut scent of her newly washed hair.

"Well maybe if I make it back…" She trailed off thoughtfully.

Before he could comment she'd disappeared into the trees.