SHELTER | DIXON

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"You got that right," Madison agreed with a short laugh, pulling out a large pot for Carol to put the chopped potatoes in.

Carol smiled. "Thank you so much, Madi, for letting us into your house," she said gratefully.

Madison shook her head. "No thanks necessary." Her gaze shifted toward the dining room, and she met the gaze of her father head-on as he looked in at the women in the kitchen. The unhappiness was clear in his expression as he turned away and started talking to Maggie, no doubt scolding her about what was happening. Rolling her eyes, Madison started toward the front door, wanting to avoid her father's scorn for just a little longer. "I'm gonna go check if Daryl made it back yet, see if he found anything else."

"Okay," the others all chorused as she slipped outside. 

Madison made her way across the grass to where Dale's RV had been set up, once she hadn't caught sight of Daryl anywhere. Andrea was perched on top of it with Dale's rifle. "Daryl's not back yet?" She called out to the blonde.

"No." Andrea didn't turn her gaze away from the treeline in the distance as she spoke. Madison rolled her eyes and started toward the door of the RV, figuring she'd check in with Dale and see how he was doing. Before she could fully step inside, the sound of Andrea's shouting caused her to stumble back out of it with Dale and Glenn right behind her. "Walker! Walker!"

"Just the one?" Rick asked as he jogged over to them, having heard her shouts as well.

"I bet I can nail it from here," Andrea said, throwing her binoculars down and grabbing the rifle.

"No," Madison and Rick snapped at the same time. "No, Andrea, put the gun down," Rick continued when the blonde made it clear she didn't want to listen.

"You'd best let us handle this," Shane called out to the woman as he and T-Dog grabbed an ax and a bat, heading out toward the approaching figure.

"Shane, hold up! Hershel wants to deal with walkers!"

"What for, man? We got it covered."

Madison yanked out her daggers and raced out into the field after Shane, T-Dog and Rick. "Don't you dare shoot that gun, Andrea!" She yelled over her shoulder at the annoyed woman standing on the RV. "I mean it!" Her heart was pounding in her chest as she raced after the men, only to pull herself to an abrupt stop when she recognized the face of who was approaching them.

Daryl looked worse for wear. He was covered in blood and dirt, most of the crimson liquid having originated from the side of his torso. More of it was smeared in the scruff on his face, and ice flooded her veins at the sudden fear of what she could be looking at: Daryl, as a walker. 

The others couldn't believe what they were seeing, either. "Is that Daryl?" Glenn asked, out of breath from running.

"That's the third time you've pointed that thing at my head," Daryl snapped at Rick angrily. Madison visibly relaxed despite the anger in his voice; if he was talking, that meant he wasn't a walker. "You gonna pull the trigger, or what?"

"Jesus," Madison breathed, putting her daggers away and moving toward him. "What happened to you?" Before she could get too close, a gunshot echoed throughout the air. Daryl flung back, his body slamming against the ground and prompting screams to tear out of both Madison and Rick's throats. "Daryl!" Madison quickly dropped to her knees next to him, grabbing either side of his neck and tilting it to look for where the bullet had struck him. It had just grazed his temple, thankfully, but the way Daryl's gaze couldn't quite focus didn't sit well with her. "Daryl? You gotta stay with me now, okay?"

"Goddammit, what more do you want from me, woman?" He grumbled furiously, trying to lean away from her touch. "I came back to you, didn't I? An' ya still won't leave me alone!"