A little idea that popped into my head today. This is a crossover story with another show. Established Caryl and Gleggie romance. Has potential to turn into a multi-chapter story. Enjoy, and please be sure to review!
Disclaimer: Not mine!
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Daryl Dixon just knew taking in the people from Woodbury would be trouble.
Once they opened their doors (or the doors of the prison, technically) a floodgate would be opened and they would be taking in people like stray puppies and kittens. Rick wanted to give everyone a chance, but it seemed he wasn't considering the logistics of this. Specifically, Daryl having to hunt for days on end to find just enough food to feed those there at the prison for a day, if they were lucky.
At the moment, he was attempting to take a short nap on his perch. At least with his hunting duties being doubled, no one expected him to keep watch at the prison fence. Everyone left him alone, which he liked.
Soft footsteps caught his attention, furrowing his brow. Well, most everyone left him alone.
A moment later, a familiar face came into his line of vision. It was too late to pretend he was sleeping, so he frowned at her. "What do ya want, woman?"
Carol smiled back at him. Somehow she was always able to see past his carefully constructed walls when no one else even bothered to try. "Want some company?"
Heaving a sigh, he turned onto his side and held his arm out. Clearly pleased by his offering, Carol dropped to her knees and crawled onto the pallet with him. Whatever this was going on between them, they didn't really talk about it, and he preferred it that way. She laid down beside him and rested her head on his shoulder, and he slid his arm around her bony shoulders. The woman was flat-out scrawny, mostly due to giving her food to the others who needed it more, himself included. He decided he would stay out longer to make sure he found some berries for her. They all needed nourishment and he considered himself partly responsible for feeding everyone, but above all, he was responsible for her. She was his woman, after all, and no one would look out for her the way he did.
His thoughts were cut off when her slender hand slid past the waistband of his pants, and he stifled a soft groan. "Carol…"
"Shh…" Her fingers danced playfully over his skin, making him ache in the best of ways.
An hour later, thoroughly sated and exhausted, Daryl decided that Carol Peletier was the best thing to ever happen to him.
Running, running…
Ducking past trees and through bushes, the brunette woman gasped as she clung to the precious bundle strapped to her chest. Behind her, she could hear her two companions following closely, and even further back she heard the sounds of the dead following them.
The trees suddenly ended and in front of them lay a prison. Hope surged through her, giving her another shot of adrenaline and propelling her forward.
"Help!" she screamed as she raced toward the gate, her voice already hoarse and dry. "Help us, please!"
Her friends skidded to a stop behind her and their voices joined hers. They were out of ammunition, food, water, everything. If no one helped them now, they were dead.
One walker came up behind them, and the man turned, driving his knife into the thing's eye socket.
The woman continued to scream her desperation.
This couldn't be the end.
Glenn and Maggie were coming out to take watch after lunch. Without thought, Glenn slid his free hand into Maggie's and smiled at her. Her engagement ring sparkled brightly in the afternoon sun, holding all the promise of a brighter future for the both of them. Wrapping his arm around his girl, Glenn dipped his head and caught her lips in a sweet kiss.
"Help! Help us, please!"
The scream startled Maggie and Glenn apart, and they looked at each other before running to the prison gate. What they found there shocked both of them.
Three people, two women and a man, were standing just beyond the gate and fighting off walkers. One woman clutched a tiny bundle in a sling to her chest.
They didn't have time to think; they only had time to act. Maggie yanked the gate open while Glenn rushed out and dispatched of a walker that had latched onto the second woman's arm.
"Follow us!" Maggie demanded, grasping the arm of the closest woman.
Without hesitation, the three followed Glenn and Maggie into the safety of the prison yard. Glenn slammed the gate closed and let out a relieved breath. That had been too close.
The man wrapped his arms around the woman and held her tightly, clearly relieved. "Thank you. You saved our lives."
Glenn looked at Maggie, then back at the newcomers. "I'm Glenn. This is Maggie. Do you have any weapons?"
"Just a couple of knives. Ran out of bullets days ago." To illustrate his point, the man withdrew a gun and discharged the magazine onto the ground. Then he handed it out to Glenn.
Glenn accepted the gun, tucking it into the back of his pants. "Is it just the three of you?"
The slender, brunette woman looked up at the man who had his arm around her. "Four," she corrected softly, lowering her arm to reveal a tiny baby in the sling strapped to her chest.
Maggie gasped softly and took a step closer to them. "Oh, my God…"
Glenn scrubbed a hand roughly over his face. Now there was no way they could send the trio back out again to face a certain death.
Rick and Hershel emerged from the prison and were surprised to see the three newcomers. "What's going on?" Rick demanded as he eyed Glenn suspiciously.
Maggie beat Glenn to the punch. "They were being attacked by walkers. We let them in."
"Maggie…"
"They have a baby!"
Running his fingers through his hair, Rick looked over the woman's shoulder and caught a glimpse of a tiny face and little fingers. He looked at Glenn again, who shrugged.
The man holding the woman spoke up. "Thank you for letting us in. We've been running for days, ever since those things overran our home and we lost the rest of our group."
Pain flashed across the young brunette's face before she turned her attention to her baby.
Maggie stepped closer to the young woman and studied the little baby. "Is it a boy or girl?" she murmured.
"She's a girl," the woman replied, running her thumb over her daughter's cheek. "Her name is Sara."
"She's beautiful." Maggie motioned to Rick. "Rick, our leader, has a daughter too. Her name is Judith."
This seemed to relax the three adults.
More people were emerging from the prison. "What are your names?" Glenn queried.
The woman closest to Glenn replied, "I'm Remi Hadley. He's James Wilson, and she's Allison House."
Allison rested her head on James' chest, and James placed his hand protectively on the baby's head.
Grabbing Glenn's arm, Rick guided him away from the group. "We can't take them in," Rick protested, but Glenn could already see chinks in the man's armor.
"Rick, we already took in all those people from Woodbury. What's three more?" Glenn pointed out.
Rick rubbed his hand over his face. "You have a point."
"Plus they have a baby. You know they'd have a better chance here with us."
Maggie joined the men a moment later. "James and Remi are willing to help with watch, and Allison can help with the children."
Glenn looked pointedly at Rick, who held up his hands in surrender. "Fine. If they're willing to pitch in around here, they can stay."
Maggie looked relieved as she linked her arm through Glenn's and kissed his cheek. He touched his lips to her forehead, then looked at the newest members of their group.
Maybe there was hope for humanity after all.
To Be Continued...?