I do not own The Walking Dead in all of its forms, any of the creators original characters, or story lines/plots. This story has been floating around in my head for the better part of a year and I'm just now starting to put pen to paper. Critiques, questions, and suggestions welcome.

-C.M. Weaver

Caite hated leaving her sisters alone in this new world but one can of baked beans and a bag of stale croutons wasn't going to last them much longer. Stepping through the door of an abandoned convenience store she did a quick survey of her surroundings, being an appetizer for the undead was not on her to do list anytime soon. Their flashlight had run out of juice about three days ago so walking further in to the store was unsettling. Monsters were real now and every shadow was a hungry shell of what used to be.

She wondered how it got to this. At 23 she shouldn't be worrying about whether her sisters would have food or if they would be able to survive through the night and if her youngest sister would even remember the mother that sacrificed herself to the hordes to save them. She should be focusing on her dissertation and creating lesson plans for her student teaching not teaching herself how to use a gun and how to live off of food scraps. Rounding the aisle Caite tried to hold in a scream but it was too late. Clouded eyes met green and a toothy grin spread over the beast's rotting face. Fight or flight kicked in and adrenalin flooded her veins. The girl she used to be screamed for her to run, and if she only had herself to worry about she would have, but there were two hungry girls depending on her and this zombie stood between her and six cans of Spaghettio's.

It staggered towards her and she could smell the putrid rot of its body, slowly she reached for the knife clipped at her waist this one was more lethargic than the others and not worth a bullet. Spreading her feet shoulder width apart she waited. When it got close enough she struck and just missed the brain, falling into one of the shelves and onto the ground with the zombie. The beast went for her neck and Caite scrabbled to get her knife and came up with a can instead. Breathing heavily, she bashed the things head with the can until she saw brain.

She scooted along the floor until her back hit a near empty shelf. "Fucking shit!" she wished she had been more committed to going to the gym, but hindsight is 20/20. Slowly releasing a breath Caite rose to gather her weapons and put the canned food in her backpack. Six cans would last them a few days if she rationed it properly. As she reached for the last can of Spaghettio's her fingertips brushed something plastic…an unopened bag of beef jerky! Caite did a small happy dance and threw the beef jerky into her bag as well. She contemplated the convenience store from her pillaging spot but decided she'd left her 15-year-old sister in charge for long enough. It was time to hightail it back to her sisters.

She began the twenty-minute walk back into the woods to their campsite. After her old Malibu had lost its last fume of gas they had taken to the woods rather than the graveyard of vehicles on the highway. Caite, Lacey, and Sam had been on their own for a couple months now. Caite had found a clearing near a small river and for now that was 'home sweet home'. It wasn't much but they were cleaner than they'd been in weeks. She was about five minutes away when she heard a familiar scream and she tore through the underbrush. She stopped short of the tree line when she saw the back of a man. He was facing Lace and Sam was clutched behind her holding the doll they had found yesterday. "I'm not goin' to ask again girl, where'd ya get the doll?" Caite ground her teeth together as she realized he was holding a weapon that was just out of her view.

Slowly she crept up behind him, careful to avoid anything that would give away her position. Quickly she drew her gun and pressed it into the man's broad back "I'm giving you two seconds to drop your weapon and put your hands on your head." She cocked the gun to demonstrate how serious she was. "Who are you, and what in the hell do you think you're doing pointing a weapon at my sisters?"

Carefully the man dropped the weapon to the ground. "Look lady I need that doll. Little girl is missing from my group and that there is her doll. Where did ya find it?" Caite considered him for a minute before looking at the girls.

"Lace grab Sammy and stand by the tent," Caite started to say before Lace attempted to interrupt her. "I said now Lacey!" The younger girl gave her a hateful look and dragged the four-year-old with her. She waited until they were out of arms reach before considering the man before her. "The only reason I'm helping you is because you say there's a kid missing. One wrong move and I won't hesitate to shoot you understand? Me and mine come first." Slowly Caite backed away from the man and gave him the okay to turn around.

Daryl was shocked to find a young twenty-something glaring at him and not an older woman. The authority in the female's voice did not match her physical features. The brunette stood at about five foot six and had a heart shaped face with chubby cheeks and large green eyes. "I'm lookin' for a little blonde girl 'bout eight years old. She's been missing almost four days now; that doll is hers" he said pointing at the cloth doll in Sammy's hands.

She sighed and considered the toy her youngest sister had grown attached to in a 24-hour period. This would be delightful. Caite knew she needed to be careful, this strange man already knew where they were camped. For all she knew this could all be a fancy rouse to lead her away from camp so that others could raid for supplies…or worse things. "How do I know you are speaking the truth; that you don't intend any harm or ill will towards us? The world isn't what it used to be Mister people aren't right in the head anymore. Like I said I have to protect me and mine. What proof do you have other than your word?"

Daryl did not have time for this shit. Sophia was missing, Officer Friendly's kid was shot, and he needed a fucking cigarette. "Look girl, I don't have time for this! I need your help. Either direct me to the area or show me the way. Doesn't matter to me I just gotta find Sophia. If you don't trust me come back to camp and meet the kid's mama." While it took every ounce of self control to not lose her shit at being called girl Caite felt that his body language and the urgency in his voice leant its way towards being the truth. There might be safety in this unknown group. And maybe even some extra food…and soap.

"Okay, I'll show you. But I want to meet the mother and the other members of your camp. If my sisters get harmed there's a bullet with your name on it—" she paused waiting for the gruff man to offer his name.

"Daryl" he all but spat at her feet.

"Alright, Daryl, my name is Caite." She said smirking at his abrupt manner, he reminded her of a cornered dog. He didn't seem like he was much for talking or friendly interaction. "I show you the area and then you take us to your group. Deal?" She thrusted her hand out before her and waited for him to take it.

Daryl rolled his eyes and sighed. "Fine." And with that a deal was struck.