Daryl's eyes scanned the faces of every single person sat around the fire pit until they reached his sister.
He felt himself becoming a lot more protective over her, things had already started to head south and they'd only resided there for a month or so.
He knew no matter what happened, she was his only priority. Keeping her safe is what mattered to him.
He joined everyone sat around the fire, stopping next to Briony, who was sound asleep on a sleeping bag, Bandit in her arm.
She'd been playing with Bandit all afternoon, Daryl found that this dog was a blessing. The dog was the only thing keeping her stable.
Things felt half normal with him around and he knew that Bandit would be very therapeutic for her when shit hit the fan.
Shane started to approached the group, his main priority was the health and well-being of both Lori and Carl.
Why?
The answer was a dark secret he kept to himself.
Briony also sprung in his mind too, as he neared the fire pit his eyes also searched around for her. He smiled a little when he saw her sleeping innocently next to her brother.
Shane stood in front of everyone, one foot on the rocks around the fire and the other on the floor, balancing him. "I've, uh..." He started. "I've been thinking about Rick's plan. Look, there are no guarantees either way. I'll be the first one to admit that."
The group continued to listen and hold on to every single word that Shane spoke. "I've known this man a long time. I trust his instincts. I say the most important thing is we need to stay together. So, those of you that agree, we leave first thing in the morning. Okay?"
Daryl confirmed in his head that this was the correct decision. Staying here was becoming way too dangerous. He wouldn't do anything to risk his sister getting hurt.
He knew this group was strong, although in his mind, some of the choices they made were wrong. He knew there was a lot of love here.
With love, comes strength but also weakness. Luckily for him, strength had the upper hand this time around.
With this group, he could see a future, filled with pain, but also with happiness and memories he would never forget. He was down for the ride.
As the others parted to go into their tents to get some sleep for the big day ahead, he stayed with his girl.
He looked at her deeply as she slept, she looked beautiful and completely innocent. She resembled her mother, looking at her gave him goosebumps sometimes.
He smiled as that same spine tingling feeling came around, laying next to her in another sleeping bag, he raised his hand and used it to stroke her hair.
Something he used to do when she was little, it sent her straight off to sleep.
Even though she'd changed, she became this stubborn, bitchy, annoying little sister. Deep inside, she was still that same little girl he used to know.
She just has to grow up faster than any of them wanted her to. It hurt Daryl to hear her swear, spit, bite and hurt others but, she had to in order to survive.
As much as that broke him, it also made him proud. That spiteful side of her was what made her a true Dixon. He knew Merle would be proud, he'd be smug as hell, watching her the way she is now.
Daryl chuckled to himself, imagining the scene unfolding right in front of him.
"Huh." Briony mumbling regained his focus, he looked at her as her eyes fluttered open, revealing her emerald green eyes.
"Shh, go back to sleep." He whispered gently, continuing to stroke her hair.
She furrowed her eyebrows. "Why?"
Daryl smiled. "You need your rest, we are leaving first thing in the morning. I'm gonna stay right here, okay?"
"Okay." She whispered. Her eyelids slowly started to drop until they were closed, Daryl continued to stroke her hair. Before he knew it, her breathing got heavier and he knew she was back into her deep sleep.
↠ ↠ ↠ ↠
"Everybody listen up! Those of you with Cbs, we're going to Channel 40." Shane announced, the group was stood around him, listening.
Brodie was listening, but preparing herself while he talked, distracting her from his voice. She held onto the gun her brother had given her and slid it into her holster, along with her knife.
Her other supplies and essentials were all set, ready and waiting by the vehicle that Daryl and her would be traveling in on the way to the CDC.
Did she have hope in the plan?
All she knew, was that she trusted her brother and he told her he thought this was the right thing to do.
Her brothers instincts were usually correct 99.9% of the time.
She also trusted Shane, he was the one that brought her here. Wherever he went, she was going with him.
"Let's keep the chatter down, okay?" Shane continued. "Now, you got a problem, don't have a CB, can't get a signal, anything at all you hit your horn one time. That'll stop the caravan. Any questions?"
Briony looked up at her brother, she watched as he raised his right hand and rubbed his right eye, while he looked over at the rest of the camp.
"We're, uh... We're not going." Morales announced.
Briony looked over at Shane and Rick who just stared at the man in disbelief. She smirked at their reaction but quickly changed it, she had a habit of laughing at serious times.
"We have family in Birmingham. We want to be with our people." Miranda, Morales wife, chimed in.
"You won't have anyone to watch your back." Shane told them, trying to sway them from the dumb decision.
Shane cared for everyone in this camp, he didn't wanna see anyone part with the group.
Things like that were going to happen though. The group would see a lot of loss but new people would soon come across the camp.
She was sure of it.
"We'll take the chance. I got to do what's best for my family." Morales replied.
"Are you sure?" Rick asked.
"We talked about it. We're sure." Morales confirmed, Briony looked over at the small family and smiled with sympathy.
"Alright, Shane?" Rick questioned.
"Sure." Shane replied. "357."
Briony looked up at her brother while Rick rummaged through the bag of guns.
He was biting his nails, watching this all unfold.
Briony looked back at Rick who was now passing a small hand gun to Morales. Shane at his side, showing Morales a box of ammo for the gun.
"The box is half full." Shane informed him, Daryl scoffed and started pacing in a circle.
"Thank you all." Miranda thanked. "For everything."
Lori hopped off the car and walked over to the woman. "Come here." Lori reached out her arms and wrapped them around the small woman, embracing her.
The family were going round to each person, saying goodbye and shedding many tears.
Briony and Daryl stood together watching. Briony didn't know the family very well and didn't make time to get to know them.
She wanted to say her goodbyes though, whether Daryl would or not.
She approached Morale's son and daughter and bent down to get eye level with the both of them.
She put her hands on each of their shoulders. "Stay safe you two." She hugged them both and then got back up.
Miranda and Morales were next.
Briony approached Morales and he took her to one side. "Hey, you stay safe and you look after your brother. He's gonna need you, okay?" Morales whispered in Briony's ear.
He looked straight into her eyes and she nodded, she wrapped her small arms around his waist giving him a hug.
"Will do. Be careful." She replied, she broke away from him and looked at him one last time and then walked away towards Miranda.
She approached Miranda and hugged her. "Bye."
Miranda looked down at her and placed one hand on the back of her head. "Goodbye sweetheart."
Briony let go of the woman so she could join her family, Briony walked back over to Daryl and watched as they said the rest of their goodbyes and walked away to their car.
She looked up at her brother who was continuing to bite his nail, she could tell he was concerned. She punched him lightly on the arm, he looked down at her.
"There's gonna be no nail left for you to bite if you keep doing that." She joked.
"Shut up." He nudged her slightly with his elbow, making her stumble a little. He chuckled at her.
"Come on! Let's go. Let's move out!" Shane ordered.
"Gorn." Daryl told Briony, pointing to the truck, she nodded, proceeding towards it. Daryl's motorbike was in the back, along with a few of their sleeping bags and essentials.
Briony grabbed her bow and arrow, placing it in the back of the truck. She then ran to the right hand side of the car, the passengers seat, sitting down, closing the door behind her.
Daryl, got in just after her, picking up Bandit and placing him onto her lap, he put the key in the ignition and started up the engine.
Dale's caravan led the way, Daryl's truck was the last one to leave the camp and Daryl drove behind the rest of the 3 vehicle's.
"Daryl, you want a fag?" Briony asked as he drove.
"What kinda question is that?" Daryl replied, Briony giggled and took 2 cigarettes out of a box. She lit one in her mouth and passed it to him.
She lit her's and rolled down the window, she inhaled and closed her eyes. Feeling the wind brushing past her face and hair.
Bandit sat up on her lap, jumped up onto his hind legs, leaning against the door to also feel the breeze.
She smiled, watching him as he stuck his little tongue out, enjoying every moment of the ride.
Briony caught Daryl looking at her from the corner of her eye, she turned her head to make eye contact and he smirked.
He look back upon the road ahead. "Get comfortable Chick, this is gonna be a long journey."
↠ ↠ ↠ ↠
"I told you that we'd never get far on that hose." Dale informed Rick. "I said I needed the one from the cube van."
The group had come to a halt, due to a malfunction in the engine of the caravan.
Briony was sat on the side road, bandit by her side, reading a comic while she let the men get their hands dirty.
She knew nothing about engineering, so she would be useless.
The comic she was reading was a pile of shit, she wasn't slightly interested in it but it was the only thing keeping her busy.
It was called: 'Force Carrier: Savage Starlight' it was set in the year 2186. The plot, as far as she knew, centers around Dr. Daniela Star's adventures in space.
She discovers a method of traveling faster than light via a jump drive and soon finds that a group of hostile extraterrestrial known as the Travelers are threatening mankind.
Funny thing was, Briony didn't even like Sci-Fi.
"I see something up ahead. Gas station if we're lucky." Shane announced, catching Briony's attention.
Jacqui suddenly rushed out of the caravan. "Ya'll, Jim, it's bad! I don't think he can take any more!"