Each chapter will be a jump through time, going to a different situation that stood out to Alice in particular in the groups story. I hope you enjoy and any constructive criticism is welcome.

The weather was so excruciatingly hot, burning down on the camp until they had no choice but to search out shade on the edge of the tree line. Carol fretted at her daughters being even that close to the density of trees but her eldest, Alice, couldn't blame her really and kept a sharp eye out.

An old table was set up in the shade with Carl, Louis, Eliza, Sophia and Alice sat around it. Twenty-year old Alice kept them occupied with sums and writing exercises and if she was going to be honest she enjoyed the distraction.

"Amy!" She glanced up from where she was sat talking to Andrea, "Cover me for a second?" The blonde nodded, coming over and Alice briefly explained where she was going. Stretching her legs felt so good, her back cracking as she arched, relishing as it popped.

"I'll be back in a bit," Alice gently squeezed Sophia's shoulder before heading for the tents. The camp seemed so calm, everyone was just milling around, doing their own things and generally just helping out wherever was needed.

"Hey, mom!" It was always best to announce themselves in some way or another as they entered the tent area – it was the safest way to not be mistaken for a walker rustling about. She knew Carol was back there, she had seen her head down there just a while ago – what she hadn't known was that Ed would be there as well. And there her father was, leering over her, cigarette burning dangerously close to her delicate skin as he sneered in her mother's face.

Ed's eyes shot to Alice's, her heart hammering in her chest. Alice despised the man, hating every inch of him and especially the fact that she herself had his anger within her as well. She snapped at the terror in her mother's eyes.

"Stop it!" She shot forward, trying to grab his arm without a second thought. It always seemed to happen the same way – she'd walk in on the worst opportune moment to then lash out and then have Ed retaliate on her. Carol secretly begged her daughter to stop turning Ed's attention to herself and just leave it be but in reality neither of them ever spoke about the abuse outside of the situations.

"Leave her alone!" She ripped the cigarette out of his hand, letting it fall to the floor before stamping on it.

"What the hell do you think you're doing girl?" His attention was fully on Alice now though Carol scrambled behind him for his hand.

"No, no Ed, don't touch her. Please Ed, it's me you're angry with-"

"Shut it!" He lashed out, hitting her hard in the side of the head. She slumped to the ground unconscious and all Alice saw was red.

"You bastard! You fucking bastard!" She tried to hit him, tears flowing down her cheeks as she tried her hardest. Ed completely lost it though, pushing her back hard until her back connected harshly with a tree trunk, his hand going to her neck. Scrambling Alice tried to pry his fingers away, gasping with panic in her eyes. Slowly he relented, her head pounding and spinning as she fought to focus on the man she called her father. Her eyes shot down to her mother where she still laid slumped and unconscious on the floor.

"Why do you always have to get in the way Alice," He hissed, getting uncomfortably close to her as she struggled against the hold he still had on her neck. "You were always the prettiest, yet you push to piss me off the most."

"I'll scream and alert the others, they'll think its walkers and come running."

"You would do no such thing." Alice tried to scream, a bleat escaping her throat before his hand clamped down, swallowing the rest of her sound. His fist slammed into her stomach before she could try again, making her double over as she coughed and spluttered, the air being forced from her lungs. She gathered herself together quickly, going to punch him only he beat her to it, his first connecting with her face twice before he took a step back, breathing heavily front anger.

Alice spat onto the ground beside her, blood trailing down her chin as she staggered. Ed gave her one last look before stalking back into the main campsite. As soon as he was gone Alice wiped at her mouth hastily with her arm, wincing all the while before dropping to her mother. She checked her breathing, thankful to find that she was fine. Carefully she moved her into their tent before zipping it closed.

She pressed her hand to her own mouth trying to stop the bleeding slightly as she quietly slunk down to the quarry, knowing no one would be there right now as they were either out gathering supplies or in the main camp. She let her long dirty blonde hair drop into her face as she walked, hiding her face from view just in case anyone did catch a glimpse of her.

She knew Dale had a few bits in the RV that could help her out a little but she didn't want to face the humiliation of letting the group see her like this. And after all, she had fixed herself many times before, she could do it easily again. As soon as she entered the quarry she regretted wearing shorts as she felt the sun burning down on the back of her legs. There was a limp to her step as her gut ached painfully. Swearing beneath her breath she knelt partially in the water, the rocks cutting into her knees slightly as she got as close to the water as possible before splashing her face, trying to get rid of as much blood as possible.

"Tha waters not the cleanest," She stilled, her heart hammering as she heard his drawl and then she felt the tip of an arrow poking into the back of her head. "You been bit?" Daryl had been sat beneath the shelter of the rocks of the quarry, escaping from Merle for a little while when he had seen the girl stagger towards the water. His sharp eyes caught the blood smeared down her arm and the way she was hunched over as she walked, his instincts telling him 'walker bite'.

"No," Alice barely uttered, turning slightly to face the Dixon brother so that he could see her bust lip and bruising cheek bone.

"You don't want to be using tha water," He uttered finally, slinging his crossbow back over his shoulder. "Come on." Alice looked at him confused as he started walking away from her only to pause and turn back around when he realised she wasn't following.

"You want that lip sorting or wha'?" Alice silently stood, brushing off her knees before following him. She had rarely spoken to Daryl much since he joined the group – he and his brother generally kept to themselves which Alice was happy about, they were both pretty intimidating guys. He stooped down and entered his tent and Alice couldn't help but linger awkwardly in the entrance until he uttered that she could actually come in.

"Sit," He uttered, pointing in the general direction of the two makeshift beds. Awkwardly she did as he said whilst he rooted through his things before coming over with some wadding and a bottle of water.

"What happened?" He uttered as he gently pressed the damp wad to her lip, putting his other hand on her jaw to steady her as she jerked away from the sharp pain.

"I fell," She uttered and Daryl actually met her eyes then but he didn't utter a word. Alice's eyes stayed downcast after that, hating the pitying looks people gave her which was why she went to the quarry in the first place. Her cheek was beginning to bruise but Daryl had nothing cool that he could put on it to help; instead he took her arm into his hands and started to wipe away the blood there. Grabbing a bottle he dabbed some of the contents on some wadding before pressing it to her lip. She shot backwards in shock at the stinging pain.

"Well you shouldn't have used that quarry water," He murmured, bringing her head back towards him.

"Well, well, little brother, shall I leave you two alone," Alice's eyes shot up to see Merle in the entrance to the tent, "Or can I join you, we both could 'ave a go."

"Shut up," Daryl merely uttered, dousing the wad again and applying it to her lip for a second time, the sharp stinging didn't improve the second time around to her dismay.

"You finally get hungry for a bit of Dixon girl?" Merle grinned, knowing he was making her feel uncomfortable.

"Tha's the best I can do," Daryl murmured and she thanked him. Alice wasted no time in leaving the tent, refusing to meet Merle's eyes as she passed him.

"Hey!" She turned to see Daryl standing at the entrance to his tent, "Come straight to me next time, I'll fix ya up properly." She nodded before quickly heading over to check that her mum was okay.

Of course it happened again – twice more in fact before Ed died. Daryl stuck to his word though, helping to patch her up the best that he could. He knew what it was like to have an abusive parent and he knew how much it hurt to go through it alone.