27. Deep Breaths

I held onto my knife tightly as I spun around, my eyes had adjusted to the darkness but I still failed to see anyone or anything. The footsteps were loud, they seemed closer then they were. I followed the sound, making my way back to the tracks, I tapped Maggie's shoulder and pointed to a group of five walking along the tracks. I studied each person, noticing Glenn on the far end. I turned to tell Maggie but she had already noticed and took off running toward him, I watched her arms wrap around him and the surprise on his face before he noticed what was actually happening. His arms tightly held Maggie against him, the rest looked confused all but one. I stepped out and walked toward them, a questioning look on my face. I saw their weapons raise as they turned toward me, I slowly raised my hands.

"Uh, hi" I mumbled, slowly putting my knife back into it's holster.

"She's apart of my group" Glenn says, still holding onto Maggie.

"There's more of us, but they're sleeping" I said softly, keeping my voice low.

"I'm Abraham. This is Eugene, and Rosita" He nodded toward the two beside him.

"Bella" I said, glancing between them before "And her?" I asked Abraham.

"I'm Tara" she smiles and hold out her hand a little awkward.

I smile, remembering the first time I was introduced to the people at the prison. "Hi" I mumbled and shook her hand. Glenn and Maggie join us, and soon after I'm leading them back toward the sleeping group. My small smile fades as I see Daryl's worried and angry face as his eyes meet mine.

"I-" but before I can explain his arms are wrapping around me and pulling me into his chest. "Sorry, did I scare you?" I asked softly.

"Don't do that. Where the hell were you?" He mutters, still angry.

"We found Glenn. And some others" I whisper as I stood up on my tippy toes and gently kissed him before I pulled back and blushed.

"Daryl and Bella" Glenn smiles softly and glances around at Rick and the rest sleeping.

"Yeah, Uhh. Yous should get some rest before daylight" Daryl says a little nervously, taking a deep breath as I held his hand tightly. They nodded and took place on the ground, settling. Abraham introduced himself and the others before I tugged Daryl away to a tree and pulled him down to sit beside me.

"You should have seen it" I whispered to him as I tangled myself in him, nuzzling my face into the crook of his left arm.

"Seen what?" He asks, confusingly staring down into my eyes.

"The way Maggie leapt into his arms.. The way they held each other" My eyes drifted shut as I yawned. "I love you"

"I love you too" he mumbled and held me close on him, I must have drifted off to sleep as I imagined what our kids would look like. I was awoken to the sound of a girl screaming, I clung to Daryl as my head jolted up and looked around, but the more awake I became the more the scream faded into the nightmare I must had been trapped in. "What's wrong?" Daryl asks alert.

"Just a bad dream.." I mumbled, sighing softly.

"You've only been asleep five minutes, what nightmare happens that fast" he tries to joke but I can barely force out a laugh. I can't remember who was screaming or why but whatever I was dreaming about left a fright in me that I couldn't shake. "You alright Bella?"

There was a long pause as I looked at Daryl, slowly nodding my head "Yeah.. I just need to wake up properly" I somehow managed a chuckle that died before it could sound real.

"You ain't got nothin' to be scared of" He whispered as he kissed me, the soft but rough feeling of his lips against mine drained every bit of fear that remained inside me.

"It amazes me how one simple kiss can make everything okay" I whispered, wanting the kiss to last longer as I placed my lips back against his, the beginning of a slow, passionate kiss. That was soon interrupted by the low groans and moans of walkers nearby.

"Shh, wake the others. We need to move" Daryl whispered as we slowly crouched and made our way to the group waking each person slowly and shushing them, but it didn't take long until they heard the growls that grew louder with each moment that past by. Quickly but quietly they packed everything together, I held my knife tightly as I listened to the movements that didn't belong to anything living around us. I caught a glimpse of a faded red shirt, it had holes and mud all over it, the owner didn't look any better. Chunks taken from her arms and jawline, I stepped back and scanned the group.

"We should get going. Now." I said loud enough for them to hear but not to loud. I saw their heads turn toward the walkers less than a football field away from us. They weren't headed toward the tracks but if they saw us they would be. Quickly we slipped out of the trees and back onto the tracks, dodging another group of walkers heading toward where we had just camped. I took slow deep breaths, our group had grown and there was a lot more of us now. I wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. We had another day or two traveling along these tracks before we reached our destination, according to Abraham. I stuck to the back of the group with Daryl beside me, again I didn't care where we went or how long it took to get there, how many walkers we had to re-kill, or how many humans we had to put down. Daryl was by my side. Nothing mattered more than surviving with him.