Chapter Twenty

                                    

                                          
.:Kat's POV:.
                          

Crawling out of the tent once the sun finally shone, I slipped my feet into my boots and shoved my blade into it's proper place on my thigh strap. I did not sleep one second of last night, my eyes burned from the tears falling. I could not shed another tear but I wanted to so badly.
                          

My little girl. My only reason for moving on in this world.
                          

Gone.
                          

Two little girls were lost out in the forest, where the freaks hid out. Searching for their next meal.
                          

Everyone was up and about, some of the men getting ready for the search of not only Sophia but now my little Hailey. While the women did their duties of cleaning and washing.
                          

"Daryl, you are in no condition," Hershel started, following after Daryl who was storming towards us.
                          

"Shut up, old man." Daryl grumbled. "My daughter is out there somewhere's. I ain't goin' to sit back and let others look my for little girl."
                          

"Daryl." I placed my hands on my hips, glaring at him. "That's no way of speaking to a man who jus' saved your life."
                          

Daryl glared right back at me, getting in my face. "Comin' from the one who lost my little girl, dumb bitch." He stalked away.
                          

I scoffed, tears brimming up as I picked up a pebble and threw it at the back of his head. Daryl turned around angrily at me while tears fell down my cheeks.
                          

"She's not jus' yer little girl, Dare. She's mine as well! I gave birth to her, I raised her. Ye have no right to blame me for this." I angrily wiped the tears away. "I had no choice! I was takin' freaks down left an' right. I needed her to get away and fast. I couldn't go with her an'-"
                          

"An tha's why you were supposed to stay at the farm!" Daryl yelled back.
                          

I shut up then, I didn't have a comeback for him.
                          

Daryl breathed heavily as he scowled, spitting on the ground he turned and stomped over towards Rick. I fell to my knees and took a few deep breaths, my heart giving itself a tight squeeze as I pictured Hailey once more.
                          

I was a horrible mother. I shouldn't have lead her off the farm, away from safety.
                          

Daryl was right.
                          

I felt a hand rest itself on my shoulder, I looked up as a few tears slipped to see Dale frowning down upon me. He held out a hand which I took, helping me to my feet.
                          

"There now," He hugged me. "No more crying, okay? Hailey is okay. I know she is. And she doesn't want to see her mother crying when we find her."
                          

I sniffed. "How are ye so sure we'll find 'er?"
                          

Dale smiled. "Because she has two of the very best survivalists for parents. It's in her blood."
                          

I smiled a little. "Thanks, Dale." I hugged tighter. "I needed to hear that."
                          

He wiped a stray tear that trickled it's way down my cheek. "I'm only tellin' the truth. Now, go on and go search for that beautiful little girl. I'm sure she is ready to come back to the farm."
                          

I nodded and blinked away any traitor tears then made my way over to the search party, listening in on the plan. I ignored Daryl's hateful glare in my direction. I was in no mood to deal with him.
                          

My baby was out there.
                          

After leading the guys to the lake where I sent Hailey off to run back to camp, we split into groups. Rick and Shane went one way to look for Sophia due to this side being one they have yet to search, while I was stuck with Dixon looking for our baby girl. Only because Shane didn't get along with either of us.
                          

For once, I wish I was partnered with Officer Numbskull.
                          

Daryl was silent the first hour were tracked for Hailey. Occaisionally he would stop to glare at me or mumble hateful sentences under his breath. It finally got to me when he glared once more in my direction. I threw my knife into the ground, catching Daryl's attention.
                          

"Would ye stop actin' like I'm some horrible person?!" I yelled at him. "I understand I let our daughter run off by herself into the freak infested woods, but what was I supposed to do? Huh? Let those freaks follow us back to camp?"
                          

"That's exactly what you should have done!" He yelled back. "If ye could take 'em down by yourself, then clearly it would not a been a trouble on us. We coulda handled it!" He circled me, blue eyes filled of hatred. "Dumb bitch, now cause of you, my daughter could be dead!"
                          

Tears fell once again, but my voice was much softer now. "Daryl, please. She's my daughter too... I feel just as sick as you are over her... I never meant for this to happen..."
                          

Daryl grumbled, shaking his head. "I ain't got anythin' to say to you anymore. I'm goin' to find my lil' girl without ye."
                          

With that said, Daryl disappeared deeper into the forest. I could have easily tracked him down, but I didn't feel like moving. I didn't feel like doing anything. I just wanted my baby girl.
                          

Now I know exactly how Carol feels.
                          

It's such an unbearable pain.