Author's Note: Hey, guys! So this is one of the two Walking Dead fanfictions I've got on here. The other is just a one shot. And yes, I'm partial to Daryl. How can you NOT love Daryl Dixon? I know that some things are off in this story compared to the show – when I started writing it, I hadn't seen more than the first season of the show and I still have yet to see all of season three. But I'm getting there, slowly but surely. So some things are off, when compared to the show. I'm not one to rewrite episodes and throw in a new character of my own. I like to veer off from the path. But I did try to keep the characters I used from the show as close to the real-deal as possible – personality wise. So I hope you enjoy it.
Chapter 1: First Impressions Last the Longest
~*Ana*~
Annalise Spenser sighed to herself as she and her sister, Belladona, rode through the woods. The birds were singing and the sun was shining brightly, the rays slipping through the leaves of the trees and spilling over them as they rode along on their horses. She felt the slight sway of her hips as the black mare moved beneath her. She had one hand rested on the saddle horn, the reins resting between the saddle horn and her hand. She brought her other hand up to run it through her long, wavy, brown hair.
Ana had been on the run with her sister for the past 2 weeks, catching a few hours of sleep here and there when she just couldn't keep her eyes open and watching over her sister while she slept. Ana didn't sleep well anyway so her powernaps kept her going. And the girls had just stocked up a couple days ago after they'd stumbled onto a small town and raided one of the local gas stations and a police station. Cop shops had better weapons than any of the old farm houses the girls had raided and they had more ammo on site too.
The girls had three horses, one for each of them to ride and one to use as a pack horse to help carry their weapons, ammunition, belongings, and provisions. Ana just wished that they could find a place to settle down for a couple days before moving on again. Sleeping in the woods was doable. But that didn't make it safe. And they could've done with a couple days' worth of decent sleep and a place to wash up.
"Jesus! I can smell ya from here!" she heard her younger sister's voice tease, knowing that she was trying to lighten the mood since Ana had grown silent again.
Ana bit her bottom lip. She couldn't think about what had happened. The memories would all catch up to her and drag her down, kick her ass, if she paused to catch her breath.
She closed her eyes for a couple moments, letting the black mare she was riding navigate her way through the woods on her own.
When Ana opened her eyes again, she reached one hand up to brush away the tears that had escaped from the corners of her eyes and gave a tiny sniff, nodding to herself. She couldn't think about Allie or Aiden. She had to keep going, had to keep fighting, no matter how hard it was. Bella would've flipped shit had she known Ana was contemplating giving up, even if it was only briefly. Bella would've chewed her ass royally and then KICKED her ass. No. Bella would want her to keep on going. She wouldn't let her to give up without a fight. And Ana wouldn't leave her sister to fend for herself.
"Stop that shit," Bella scolded her, "You're thinkin' about them again. Now stop it."
"It's SO hard, Bella," Ana murmured quietly, her voice soft and broken.
"Well suck it up," Bella told her, "'Cuz that little girl wouldn't want you ta give up and neither would he. You did EVERYTHING you could for them."
But Ana's thoughts were cast aside and she reined her horse in as she came to the end of the tree line. She gasped, her hazel eyes taking in the sight before her.
"Not bad, huh?" Bella commented from beside her on her own horse, a smirk curling at her lips.
Ana looked over at her sister and then back down at the sight before them, giving a smile of her own.
There, just a few hundred yards away, was a prison. And it was surrounded by a chain-link fence, barbwire at the top. The buildings within the yard looked sturdy and secure. That was safety. That was shelter. THAT was where they would call home for the next couple days.
"Just 'til we get back on our feet?" Bella asked her.
Ana nodded and agreed, "Just 'til we get back on our feet. That's the safest place for us ta be right now, inside that fence."
Bella nodded and then informed her, "But we've got some fuckin' house cleanin' ta do first. Look at those fuckin' things, shufflin' around outside the fence down there."
Ana sighed and nodded. Her sister was right. There was a fairly decent-sized horde of zombies gathered around the fence down there.
"Check your gun," Ana told her, "You have enough ammo?"
Both girls slipped their shotguns out of the holster on their saddles. They checked their guns to make sure that they were loaded and had plenty of ammunition before they nodded to each other, snapping their guns shut again.
Blow Me Away by Breaking Benjamin
"Let's fuckin' do this," Bella said.
Ana reached down to pat her trusty mare on the neck before giving another nod to her sister. Both girls nudged their horses in the sides with their boots, crying, "Ha!"
The horses broke out into a gallop and the girls flipped the safety off of their guns, charging down the hill and towards the prison gates.
Bella took the first shot, blasting a zombie clear off its feet and sending it flying back onto the ground a few feet away before Ana took its head off. They worked as a team, taking out only the zombies that got too close for their comfort or stood in their way to getting to those gates. No way in hell were they wasting their ammo. You never knew when you'd need it.
The zombies gave their unearthly shrieks and groans, rushing towards them from the front and even as the ones behind them chased after them. They came from all sides, their arms outstretched and their greedy, disgusting, stench-ridden mouths open.
Bella blew one's head clean off and Ana caught another one as it tried to lunge at the horse her sister was riding. Bella took another one out that had stopped right in their path. She continued blasting away zombies that were blocking their way or coming after her horse while Ana shot the ones that were coming after the horse she was on or their pack horse. The horses jumped over the bodies of the dead as they fell.
"I'll cover your ass while you get that fucking gate open," Bella informed Ana, who nodded and sped her horse up into an all-out sprint and surged around her and ahead of her for the gate.
Both girls knew that Bella had a better shot than Ana. While Ana could shoot well enough, she wasn't the marksman Bella was.
Ana slowed her mare down as she drew closer, she and Bella both taking out the zombies that stood between them and their newfound safety.
When Ana reached the gate, she found a large, sturdy padlock on it and her brown brows wrinkled in confusion. But she didn't have time to waste so she slid out of the saddle and reached into one of her saddle bags for her lock pick and worked the lock open. A zombie snarled and she slipped a knife from the sheath at her right hip, turning just in time to bury the blade in the zombie's forehead and twist. Its legs wobbled and she yanked the knife out even as the zombie collapsed onto the ground in front of her. She quickly wiped the blade on her jeans and slipped it back into its sheath.
She opened the gate and smacked the horse she'd been riding on the rump, urging it through the gate so that their pack horse, whose reins were tied to her mare's saddle horn, would follow and make way for Bella and her horse. Once Bella's horse was inside, Ana was quick to close the gate again and put the padlock back into place, closing it tight and jumping back, just as a wave of zombies lunged at the gate.
Ana walked over to her horse and climbed back into the saddle, urging the mare into a walk and heading through the maze of fencing, leading the pack horse and her sister's horse down the gravel pathways to the actual prison itself.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" she heard a male voice shout, making her jump as she and Bella both reined their horses in, their eyes roaming around the grounds even as they lifted one hand up to shield their eyes from the bright, Georgia sun.
"Tower," Bella told her sister, pointing to one of the watch towers there at the prison.
"That was pretty damn impressive," they heard a second male voice call out, this one coming from one of the entrances of the prison itself.
Ana took in the appearances of both men. The one in the tower had dark hair and he seemed tall, lanky. But she couldn't tell what his features looked like from that distance. He was holding a shotgun and the one standing at the entrance of the prison, crossbow slung over one shoulder, had shaggy, brown hair. He was closer so she could see his features. He had piercing, blue-gray eyes and slender cheeks. His features were rugged, masculine. He also had a mustache, goatee, and small beard on just his chin. He was wearing black jeans with a hole in each knee of his pants. He wore a sleeveless shirt that showed off sun-bronzed skin. He was probably about 5'10" and he had a lean build but he was still muscular in a rugged kind of way that hinted at plenty of manual labor.
"Drop the guns!" the one from the tower called to them.
"Fuck that," Bella said as Ana saw her younger sister tighten her grip on the shotgun she had in her hand.
"Bella…" Ana cautioned, her voice carrying a clear warning.
"No. We just took on at LEAST a dozen fuckin' undead creeps and the bastard expects me ta drop my fuckin' gun for TWO human guys? No way, man," Bella replied.
"I'm quicker," the guy at the entrance stated in a matter-of-fact tone, "And the 'BASTARD' up there in that tower was a fuckin' sheriff. So I'd suggest ya flip the safety on that gun and drop it."
Ana held one of her hands up slowly and told both men, "I'm just gonna flip the safety on and drop my gun. We don't mean either of you any harm. We were just lookin' for a place ta stay for a couple days. Three days tops. Then we're gone. We've got weapons, ammo, and provisions we can share with you in the saddle bags and-,"
"Ana!" Bella growled, "Shut the FUCK up! Don't tell them that-,"
But the man with the crossbow was already coming over to the horse Ana was riding and reaching up to gently ease the shotgun out of her lap and flip the safety on. She let him, giving him a nod, and Bella gave a growl.
"You're fuckin' stupid," Bella snapped at her, glaring at her with those dark brown eyes.
"I'm tryin' ta make sure we get outta this ALIVE," Ana remarked, glaring right back at her with her own hazel ones.
The man started to open one of the saddle bags on their pack horse and Ana said, "Take whatever you want."
"What the fuck are you-," Bella started to snarl.
But Ana cut her off, cutting her a sharp glare and reminding her, "We can always make another raid after we get outta here. I wanna make sure we get ta leave in one fucking piece. ALIVE."
Bella gave a loud, annoyed sigh and Ana gave her an annoyed expression of her own.
The man from the tower had jogged down the stairs and was now heading across the yard towards them. He had a police uniform on and Ana found that he had blue eyes and stubble covering his cheeks. His hair was kind of wavy and he had a tall, lanky figure.
"We're not gonna hurt ya," he assured the girls, "But I'm gonna need you ta hand over the gun."
He was eyeing Bella warily and the 16 year old spitfire opened her big mouth to spout something smart off but Ana growled at her in a harsh tone, "Give him the goddamn gun, Bella. NOW. Before ya go and get us both killed."
"I'll kill him first," Bella commented.
"No one's killin' anyone," the man in the police uniform said, gazing up at Bella as he slowly reached out for her gun.
Bella heaved another loud sigh but finally handed her gun over. Ana gave a sigh of relief and nodded.
"They've got the mother lode, Rick," the man with the shaggy hair informed the other one.
"Take it," Ana told the man, "Take whatever you want."
"Goddamn it, Ana!" Bella snapped, "What? You gonna start offerin' your pussy too, just ta make 'em happy?"
Ana gasped, her hazel eyes growing real wide. She'd never been more offended in her life! And by her OWN damn sister.
Ana cast her a fierce glare but didn't say anything. She just stared straight ahead, glaring. Ana wasn't like that. She'd NEVER been a slut. Sure, she had some experience but it had only been with one man. And, honestly, she was still a virgin.
"Could we get some water for the horses?" Ana finally asked, feeling both men staring at her and her sister.
"While you're at it, why don't ya-," Bella started to say before Ana's head whipped around and she glared at her.
"Shut your fucking mouth," Ana interrupted her, her voice eerily calm and quiet.
"I'll show you to it," the man called Rick stated, gesturing with a wave of his hand for Ana to follow him, "Daryl, you stay with the other one."
Ana slid off her horse but froze as she heard the man called Rick say the other man's name.
"What did you say his name was?" she questioned.
"Daryl," Rick answered even as the other man said, "Daryl Dixon."
Ana gasped, slowly turning to face Daryl with her eyes growing real wide and filling with tears. She'd thought those features had looked AWFUL familiar. Now, as she let her eyes roam over his face again, taking in every little detail, she knew why.
"Daryl?" she asked, her heart racing and her lungs struggling to get any air, "Oh my God! Is that really you?"
"Have we met before?" he asked her, his brows wrinkling with confusion as he eased his head back away from her a bit and studied her closely, "'Cuz I sure as shit don't remember you."
"You might suffer…" she said, her voice soft and quiet before she held her breath and waited to see if he'd reply.
She saw the look on his face change from one of pure confusion to one of surprise, those beautiful, blue-gray eyes widening before he finished, "But you're never alone…"
She gave a wobbly smiled and nodded, letting out the breath she'd been holding.
The tears started to pour down her face as she tapped a finger over her chest and added, "I'm in here…"
He dropped his crossbow onto the ground and tapped his temple with his index finger, finishing, "And in here…"
She ran for him and jumped. He caught her in his arms, holding her up by her ass as she wrapped her legs tight around his waist and looped her arms around his neck. She pressed kisses all over his face, soaking him with her tears as she sobbed.
"Oh my GOD!" she cried, "I never thought I'd see you again!"
"Good Lord, it's been what…? 10 years?" Daryl asked her.
She nodded and he set her down on the ground. But she was quick to tug him into another fierce hug, burying her face in his firm chest and taking a deep breath, smiling as his scent filled her nose.
"You know her?" Rick asked when Ana finally pulled back from Daryl.
Daryl kept one arm draped over her shoulders as he nodded and explained, "This is my best friend. I grew up with her. This is Annalise Spenser. So that means that that spitfire up there is her little sister, Belladona."
"It's Bella, ya dumbshit," Bella snapped.
But Ana didn't miss the grin on her sister's face.
"Call me dumb ONE more time and I'll kick your ass," Daryl razzed, "Now get off that horse and help your sister fetch some water for these horses. We've gotta get this tack off of 'em and get all these saddle bags unloaded. You'll get ta meet the rest of our group."
"Group?" Bella questioned.
"Yeah," Daryl replied, "We've got ourselves a little group camped out in there."
10 minutes later and Bella was helping Daryl and Rick empty the saddle bags onto a set of bleachers closest to one of the entrances of the prison while the other members of the group slowly filed out of the prison to come see who the newcomers were.
Bella was emptying out the saddle bags with the feminine products, the clothes, and the First-Aid kit. Rick sifted through the drinks, jerky, and munchies. Daryl sorted through the ammunition and weapons.
"Good LORD!" Daryl cried before rattling off the weapons that the girls had had stashed, "A huntin' knife, a carvin' knife, a skinnin' knife, a dagger, a Bowie knife, a .45, a Beretta. PLUS you've both got shotguns. And you took a walker out with a damn knife ya had on ya. Where the hell ya come up with all this shit?"
"A cop shop," Bella answered.
"Cop shop?" Rick questioned.
"A police station, stupid," Bella stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Bella," Ana scolded, "Let's not forget that they're lettin' us stay, even if it's only for a couple days."
"Well you guys grabbed some good stuff," Rick commented.
"The knives didn't need ammo," Bella replied, "Seemed like the smart thing ta do. And we couldn't go luggin' a whole damn bag of guns around. So we grabbed what had the most ammo for them and split."
"And the food?" Rick questioned.
"We raided a gas station in the same town," Ana answered.
He nodded and Daryl commented, "Ya got plenty ta pick from too. Looks like ya grabbed the good stuff."
Ana pouted and said, "Too bad we couldn't take any chocolate."
Daryl just chuckled and Ana heard the women give a sigh at the mention of such a delicacy.
She cast her eyes over to the rest of the group again. She found that all of their eyes moved from her to Bella to the items Bella, Rick, and Daryl kept pulling out of the bags.
She offered them a smile as she stood over by the horses. Daryl had helped her remove their bridles, saddle pads, and saddles so that he, Rick, and Bella could go through the saddle bags and Rick had fetched 3 buckets, one for each of the horses. She'd filled the buckets up with water and had brought them out of the building, leading the horses over to a shaded area and making kissing noises to coax the horses into following her.
Ana saw Daryl steal another glance over at her and she grinned at him. He winked at her and she laughed before returning her attention to the horses. She took her turn with each of them, doting on them and dealing out affection. She kissed their soft muzzles and scratched behind their ears. She ran a hand down their forehead or patted their neck.
"Whaddya think of your new home, huh, guys?" she asked them, "Look at all that GRASS. And I'll make sure you've got plenty of water. You'll get PLENTY of exercise this way but you'll be safe and sound behind these fences. Ya won't have a care in the world for the next couple days."
"Forget that couple days bit," Daryl chided, "You're welcome here as long as we're here. You should join the group. Permanently."
Her eyes darted to the group, who all eyed her suspiciously, and she was quick to tell him, "Daryl, I don't think we could do that."
"Why the hell not?" he asked, pausing in digging through the saddle bag he was currently working on emptying to look up at her.
He trained those intense, blue-gray eyes on her and she pointed out, "Your people don't know us. I'm sure they'll be uncomfortable with Bella and I hangin' around here all the time."
Daryl looked over to Rick and Rick shook his head, commenting, "Nah. I saw the way you two rode down that hill ta get here. I saw the way you came in, guns blazin'. You'll fit right in with our group. We'd LOVE ta have ya."
Ana looked over at the others again. She'd learned all of their names. There was Glenn and his girlfriend, Maggie. There was Maggie's father, Hershel, and her sister, Beth. There was a blonde named Andrea and another woman with short, gray hair named Carol. And Rick had two children, a boy that was probably 12 or 13 named Carl and a baby girl named Judith.
Carl slowly and carefully approached Ana, his voice quiet as he asked her, "Can I pet one?"
Ana smiled at him and nodded, motioning him over as she said, "You can pet ALL of them."
He laughed and walked over to stand beside her. The horses hadn't strayed too far after getting their drink and they wandered back over to her to check the boy out, sniffing at him curiously.
The chestnut gelding gave a loud snort and Carl laughed some more, asking, "What was THAT all about? Does he think I smell bad?"
Ana giggled and shook her head, telling the boy, "No. Buddy probably just got somethin' up his nose."
She made a few kissing noises and the horses' heads lifted to look at her expectantly.
She pulled something from her pocket and handed it to the boy. He looked down and found that there were three horse treats.
"The last three I have," she stated.
He smiled up at her and she said, "Now be careful when you offer them to the horses. Hold your hand flat out. Don't curl your fingers or they might get your fingers by accident."
He nodded to her and flattened his hand, placing one of the treats in them and offering it to the black mare.
"Which one is that one?" Carl asked her.
"That's Midnight. She's the mare I usually ride," Ana replied.
"And the one that snorted at me is Buddy?" he questioned, making sure he was getting it right.
"That's right. He's the chestnut colored gelding," Ana informed him, "And the bay mare is Gypsy. She's the sweetest horse you'll ever meet."
The boy smiled and asked, "She's the one your sister rode?"
"Yep. We switch back and forth on whether we use Buddy for a pack horse or a riding horse but when one of us doesn't ride him, we ride our favorite mare. Sis likes Gypsy and I prefer Midnight," Ana explained.
Carl just nodded and asked, "Could I ride one sometime?"
Ana looked over at Rick and he smiled at her, seeing her with his son.
Ana told Carl, "As long as it's okay with your dad. Have you ever ridden before?"
Carl shook his head and Ana commented, "Well we'll have to teach you then, won't we?"
"Who you mean by we?" Bella inquired from the bleachers, "I KNOW you're not talkin' about me."
"Fine. I'LL teach you as long as it's okay with your dad," Ana told the boy, rephrasing her previous statement.
Carl grinned up at her and looked over at his father.
Rick just smiled and nodded to him.
Ana informed the boy, "I'll teach you how to ride on Gypsy. I trust Midnight with my life but she's kind of temperamental with others. Gypsy's very obedient and she loves everyone that will give her attention."
"And Buddy?" Carl asked.
"Buddy's got a bit too much spunk for a beginner," Ana answered, "Not as much as Midnight but he's still kind of peppy for someone that's still learning."
Carl nodded and reached out to run his hand along the side of Gypsy's face and over her soft muzzle after he'd given each of the horses a treat.
"You know how the Indians used to greet their horses?" Ana inquired.
Carl shook his head and she smiled at him, stating, "I'll teach you. You lean down and gently blow into their nostrils. Their nostrils flare and they take in your scent. That's how they can tell that it's their owner, their rider."
Carl leaned in a bit and gently blew into Gypsy's nostrils. The mare's nostrils flared, taking in the scent of his breath as she sniffed at him.
Buddy lifted his upper lip and raised his head, tipping it up towards the sky.
Carl laughed, asking, "What is he DOING?"
"He's smelled something he thinks is interesting," Ana informed him.
"That's a pretty funny face," Carl said, giggling some more.
"Yeah it is," Ana agreed, laughing right along with him.
She heard Rick and the others laughing too.
"You sure know an awful lot about horses. Where did you learn so much?" Carl questioned as he and Ana went over to join Daryl, Bella, and Rick in front of the bleachers.
"She grew up around animals," Daryl told the boy, "Horses, dogs, and cats mostly. She can train 'em and raise 'em. She's the smartest person I know when it comes ta animals. I used ta call her 'the animal whisperer'. She read every book about animals she could get her hands on when we were kids."
Carl smiled up at her and Ana nodded to him, letting him know that it was true.
"She was the best huntin' partner I ever had," Daryl commented.
"You hunt?" Carl questioned.
Ana nodded and replied, "My shot might not be quite as good as Bella's or Daryl's but I'm good at tracking the animals. I can hunt and fish just as well as Daryl can. Daryl's the trapper though, not me. And he's got a perfect shot, like Bella. I can shoot well enough but I'm not quite as good as them."
The boy looked at Daryl and then Bella before finally looking back at Ana.
"She's a DAMN good cook too," Daryl informed the boy, "I'm guessin' she's the one that made this smoked deer jerky."
Ana laughed and nodded.
"Well let's get all this stuff inside," Rick said, "It's about time for lunch."
-=Daryl=-
Daryl Dixon smiled as he helped the rest of the group carry in what Ana had kept crammed into the saddle bags. They scattered it all out onto the kitchen counter and sorted it out. He smirked to himself when he saw that Ana had had everything she and Bella needed: smoked deer jerky, bottles of water and other drinks, bags of munchies, weapons, ammunition, a First-Aid kit, clothes, and feminine products. The last thing made him scrunch up his face but he knew that the women of the group would be very appreciative.
Daryl looked over at his best friend and nodded to her. She'd done well.
Ana gave him that beautiful, bright smile and he felt a tiny smile tugging at the corner of his own lips. Her smile was contagious. Always had been.
"Well…" he heard Ana say, "Since Rick said it's almost lunch time, why don't we go ahead and fill those bellies? There are enough drinks there for all of us to have one. And if we keep the bottles, we can fill 'em up with water."
Daryl started to reach for one and she smacked his hand away, giving him a little glare as she scolded, "Ah! Children, women, and elderly first. THEN the men. You know the rule."
She looked at the group and motioned Carl up first before telling the women, "You ladies can go next. Don't be shy. Take whatever drink you want. There's enough for all of us there."
Daryl watched as they formed a line. Carl went first. Then there was Beth, Carol, Maggie, and Andrea before Ana let her sister grab a bottle. Hershel followed her and then Daryl got to go after Rick and Glenn before Ana grabbed the last bottle.
Rick and Glenn rationed out the deer jerky and Ana handed a couple bags of munchies out to everyone. They all found a place there in the kitchen, whether it was sitting on one of the countertops or leaning against the counter or the fridge or even the doorframe.
"So you two were just out there on your own?" Rick asked, his voice clearly full of surprise and awe.
"Nah," Bella said, "We lost a couple of 'em."
Ana's eyes met the floor as she ate and she didn't say a word. So Ana had been close to them?
"I'm sorry ta hear that," Rick apologized, "We've all lost someone we're close to."
"I wasn't close to 'em. I never get close to 'em," Bella replied.
Daryl saw Ana shoot her younger sister a glare and Daryl saw Rick cast a glance over in Ana's direction.
"Who did you lose?" Andrea inquired, clearly not having taken the hint.
"Her boyfriend and some little girl," Bella answered between bites.
Ana cast her sister a fierce glare and jumped down off her place on the counter, walking out of the kitchen. Bella just shrugged and reached out to take her sister's food.
"Don't even THINK about it," Daryl growled.
"What? She's not gonna eat it," Bella pointed out.
Daryl glared at the girl and pointed at the doorway Ana had just disappeared through as he ordered, "Go apologize."
Everyone in the room was shocked, their heads all turning to look at him and their eyes growing wide. Daryl wasn't really the apologizing type. He did it through his actions, not his words. But this fucking crossed the line. Whoever it was that Bella and Ana had lost, Ana had been close to them, close enough that their loss had affected her.
"Why? So I can find her cryin'? Nah. I think I'll pass. She doesn't sleep well and she cries sometimes when she thinks I'm asleep. So no thanks. I'll pass on that. I've seen enough of it already," Bella commented.
Daryl's eyes narrowed even further and he growled, "That girl RAISED you. She'd do ANYTHING for you. I know DAMN good and well what you two dealt with growin' up. She'd lay her LIFE down for you. She's kept your ass alive so far, hasn't she? You'd beat the SHIT out of anyone that picked on her but what you just said cut her deep. Now you go fuckin' apologize."
Bella opened her mouth to spout something smart off to him but he snapped, "NOW! And don't you even THINK about givin' me any lip."
She jumped a little and he watched as she glared at him and hopped off the counter.
"She loves you more than life itself. And you just hurt her. And I know you hurt her with your little smart-mouthed comment about spreadin' her legs ta earn your safety around here too. She's not like that and you KNOW it, Bella. So I'd suggest you watch that fuckin' mouth or I'll fix it for ya. And in the future, you start thinkin' before you open that damn trap of yours," he warned.
Bella glared at him as she passed by him and he returned her glare with an even harsher one. He'd be DAMNED if she thought she could intimidate him. NO one scared Daryl Dixon.
Daryl looked up at the rest of the group to find them all staring at him with wide eyes.
"Ana is the strongest damn woman I know. And the sweetest," Daryl said, "You wouldn't believe all the shit she's dealt with. And I won't take her sister givin' her lip. Bella doesn't know the half of the shit Ana's dealt with or all the sacrifices she's made for her. And someone's gotta keep Bella in check or she'll do whatever she damn well pleases. Ana's a GOOD woman. She's got a heart of gold. She puts EVERYONE before herself. And I'm not gonna sit back and let people walk all over her. She'll make a VERY valuable member of this group. As you've already seen, she'll gladly give all that she has to perfect strangers ta help 'em out. She'll help with the cookin' or laundry ta earn her keep with the rest of the women and she'll fight to the death ta protect the members of this group. She'll pitch right in ta help out with the men's jobs too. And she can patch people up or tend to those that are sick. She's there whenever someone has problems. She's a great listener, great at givin' good advice. She'll do WHATEVER it takes ta keep this group safe, ta keep 'em alive and happy, even if it means runnin' herself into the fuckin' ground. So no. I'm not gonna let that shit Bella just pulled fly," Daryl explained, "Ana's always done all right by me."
He looked at the doorway, to where Ana had left, and said quietly, "She's the one person that was always there for me when I was growin' up. I trust her with my life and I'd give my own for her."
The others were completely silent when he left, not wanting to see the pity in their eyes. He couldn't handle that. He couldn't BELIEVE he'd just admitted something like that. God he was such a fucking pussy!
He headed towards the shower room, planning to keep watch for the girls and watch over them. There was only one entrance into the shower room so he'd keep post outside of it and make sure that the girls were safe.
He heard voices coming from inside the shower room and he grit his teeth as he turned his back to the door and stood watch.
"I've done EVERYTHING I could for you," Ana said, her voice low, quiet.
There was a defeated tone to it and Daryl HATED that. She'd ALWAYS been a fighter. She'd ALWAYS been strong.
"I've been there for you EVERY time you needed me. You have NO idea what I went through growing up. You have NO idea what all I sacrificed for you, ta make sure you were safe, that you were healthy, that your needs were met. I'd die for you, Bella, and you know that. I'd give my LIFE for you, without a second's hesitation. And you can't even keep your fuckin' mouth shut for me? Not ONCE?" Ana asked.
"What? You think it's MY fault that that little girl got bit?" Bella questioned, "You think it's MY fault that you had ta kill her? That's not on me, Ana. You left her there ta keep her safe. You and I BOTH know that. You put her first, just like you've always done for everyone else. You tried ta lure the zombies away from her. But when your plan fell through and that place got overrun, you sat up all night. Ya didn't sleep a wink. And then you went in there at the crack of dawn ta go lookin' for her. You found her all right. She was a fuckin' shufflin' creep."
"Don't call her that!" Ana cried, "She had a name!"
"Fine, Ana. Allie was a fuckin' zombie, the walking dead. You weren't gonna kill her either. I know. I followed you. And I slipped into the building and found you staring at her as she shuffled towards you, snarling. I saw you sobbing, your hand shakin' as you pointed the gun at her. I came up to point mine at her head and you lowered my hand. You did it yourself. You said that's what she would've wanted, to be dead rather than shuffling around as one of those things. You said she would've rather you did it than me. And maybe you're right. Maybe you're not. But, either way, she's not sufferin' anymore. She doesn't hafta worry about anything now. She's in a better place. She doesn't hafta be scared or hungry. She's not a brain-dead creep. She's safe. She's where she belongs now," Bella said.
Daryl heard his best friend sob and his chest tightened.
"And Aiden? Aiden went out the way he would've wanted to, Ana. He died ta save your life. He took the fall for you. He always said you were gonna be the death of him and he was right. But he made that choice. He knew that the zombie was gonna take one of you out and he made sure that it was him and not you. So that's not on you. That's on him. And I can promise you that he doesn't fuckin' regret it. You heard his last words ta you. I know you'll never forget 'em either. 'Stay safe. Keep fightin'.' So that's what you're gonna do," Bella finished, "Or his death will have been in vain."
Daryl's jaw clenched again and his nostrils flared as something flared up inside of him. Something he wasn't used to. It was like anger but it was stronger. It was like… jealousy.
Ana didn't say anything. She just sobbed.
"Whatever. I'm gonna go grab some clothes for a shower," Bella told her, heading for the door.
"Grab some for her too," Daryl said to the girl as he moved to let her pass, his back still facing the door of the shower room.
"JESUS!" Bella exclaimed, jumping a little since she clearly hadn't known he was standing there, "How long have you been there?"
"Long enough," was his reply.
She sighed and he pointed at her, commenting, "You keep your mouth shut. For her sake."
He pointed at the shower room and Bella nodded. He knew that she could hear her sister crying just as well as he could.
"She's got a fuckin' heart of gold," Daryl pointed out, "And you know as well as I do that if ya lose her, you're fucked. Ya won't be able ta handle it. Sure. You're strong. You're capable of lookin' out for yourself. But who's gonna bail your ass out when times get tough? Who's gonna keep ya from doin' stupid shit and gettin' yourself hurt? Who's gonna be there ta listen to ya when ya need someone ta talk to? Who's gonna be that voice of reason, the one that keeps you pushin' through it all, your reason ta keep fightin'?"
Bella nodded and headed for the kitchen.
Daryl knew that he'd gotten her there. She would've come back with some smartass remark, had she been able to think of anything. But she'd said nothing.
Daryl looked back at the doorway of the shower room and then heard the rustling of clothing. He knew that Ana was stripping down to take a shower so he turned his back to the door again.
-=Rick=-
Rick Grimes ran a hand down his face and sighed. The group had been ragging on the two sisters ever since Bella and Daryl had left the kitchen. None of them had the guts to say anything when Daryl was around of course. And they were learning that Bella was a hothead herself.
But Rick saw potential in Ana. He'd seen the way that both of the girls had charged down the hill from the woods and slain all those walkers that stood between them and safety. They hadn't hesitated, not even for a second. He hadn't seen such fearlessness in any of the members of the group except for Daryl. And Ana hadn't hesitated to go ahead of her sister and be the one to unlock the gate either, even though it meant taking on more zombies than Bella had. She'd also been the one to lock the gate again, once again, putting herself in harm's way to make sure that their safety was ensured. Then she had been quick to let Daryl take her gun, putting her hands up in surrender and selflessly offering everything the girls had to Daryl and Rick as long as the girls would be safe. While Bella had chewed her ass the whole time, Ana had not backed down and she had stood her ground to even her sister where their safety was concerned.
Then she'd made sure that the horses were taken care of before even the girls were, just like she had put the other members of the group before herself and her sister. She'd shared EVERYTHING they had with the members of the group, even being the one to take the last drink after letting them all pick one first.
He'd pointed ALL of those facts out to the group and, still, they seemed to doubt his judgment.
Finally, he shook his head and spoke again.
"Look… If Daryl trusts this woman, I trust her," Rick informed the rest of the group as they stood in the kitchen, "That man's risked his life for ALL of us. And you might've been wary about him ta start with but he's always been there when we needed him. He's kept us safe and he's kept us alive. He's saved my life and I know he's saved some of yours. Let's not forget that."
"We don't know her," Hershel pointed out.
"You didn't know any of my group when we showed up. But you helped my son. You helped T-Dog. You welcomed us onto your land. And, yeah, I know Shane screwed some things up for ALL of us back at the farm. I know that we've all lost some loved ones. But we're alive. Right here. RIGHT now. And that young woman just offered us EVERYTHING they have. She doesn't even know us and she's given us all food, something to drink. She's offered us weapons and ammunition. She's offered ta help with the cooking and laundry and whatever else needs ta be done around here. She's offered ta help make patrols around the grounds ta make sure no walkers have infiltrated the fence. She's offered ta help keep us SAFE. And I don't know about you but I trust Daryl with my life. I've gotten ta know him better since I first met him and I'll tell ya one thing right now, if HE trusts someone, we can trust 'em. I stand behind him on this. And, if we vote about it, my vote is for the girls to stay. Ana would make a VERY valuable member of our group. Bella could be convinced somehow. We've just gotta figure out how. But I'll give you all one last thing ta think about. We make those girls leave and Daryl's gonna go with 'em. I can PROMISE you that. I've seen the way he looks at Ana, the way he stands up for her. He hasn't even done that for MERLE. Now you keep that in mind before you make your decision."
The others all gave a slow nod. He'd given them a lot to think about. And HE had a lot to sort through himself.
They had two new members of the group, whether they were permanent or temporary. And, while one of them seemed like she'd make a very valuable member of the group, the other one seemed like she'd give them a bit of trouble.
He needed to talk to Daryl. Daryl knew the girls better than anyone. Hell he was the ONLY one that knew about them other than the girls themselves and he had a feeling that he wasn't going to get very useful information out of Bella.
He walked out of the kitchen, running a hand over his face again as he told the group members, "Don't touch anything on that counter. I'll be back. We'll hand everything out then."
He headed down the hall and to the shower room, passing Ana's younger sister on the way. He just nodded to her and she looked at him but kept walking. He turned his head to look back over his shoulder at her as he kept walking.
Yeah. That one was DEFINITELY going to be a problem. But he'd deal with her as calmly and rationally as possible if it meant having another reliable member in the group, Ana.
Rick found Daryl stationed outside the shower room door. Daryl nodded to him, biting the inside of his cheek as he looked at Rick.
"The group members are pretty skeptical of the girls," Rick informed his new second in command.
Daryl had really stepped up. He'd slowly come out of his shell since Rick had first met him. At first, Rick hadn't been much more of a fan of him than he had been of his older brother, Merle. But Daryl wasn't like Merle. Daryl was actually a good man. And he was slowly learning what it was like to become a member of a group, a man that others could rely on, that they could trust. He went out of his way to help the others of the group, to protect them. And Daryl had saved members of that group's lives more times than he could count. Still, Daryl wasn't one to bitch or share his feelings.
Daryl just nodded. He'd apparently known that this talk was coming. And he'd also apparently known that the group was going to be doubtful.
"I tried ta help the girls out by puttin' in my opinions," Rick stated.
"If they turn Bella away, Ana will go with her. She raised that girl, Rick. She's not just a sister to her. She's like a daughter and a best friend too. And yeah, Bella's all sorts of fucked up. I'm not arguin' with anyone on that one. But if we can keep her in line, she'll make a DAMN good security system. She's like a pit bull with a bad attitude. Ya keep your distance at first and learn what it likes and doesn't like. Then ya start ta slowly figure out if you can work with it. If ya can, ya start trainin' it and learn that it can be a very valuable asset. If it bites the hand that feeds it, ya scold it and take away the things it likes 'til it decides ta come around again," Daryl pointed out.
Rick chuckled at the analogy but nodded and Daryl explained, "Bella's only got one weakness. Her sister. Ana on the other hand… She's the BEST damn friend anyone could ever ask for. She's loyal, protective, watchful, honest, kind, caring, attentive, selfless. Hell everything you could ever hope for. And she's ALWAYS been there for me 'til she had ta move away. Shit I was closer ta her than I ever was ta Merle. She's been through hell but she never bitches. You think I had problems?"
He gave a single snort of laughter that lacked any humor and informed Rick, "I'll tell ya this right now: she goes, I go. No questions asked. I didn't even know she was still alive, Rick, or I would've been out there lookin' for her. EVERY damn day."
Rick nodded. He didn't doubt it. He'd seen the look on Daryl's face when he'd realized who Ana was. He'd seen the way Daryl had jumped right in to defend her from the rest of the group when she'd left after Bella's revelation on the losses they'd suffered. There wasn't a DOUBT in his mind that Daryl would follow Ana wherever she went, without a question. If he was closer to Ana than he was to Merle, there was nothing that could separate the two of them now that they were together again. He could only imagine how hard Daryl would've searched for her, the determination and loyalty he would've shown while looking for her, after seeing the way he acted around Ana. The way he'd looked for Sophia every day, even though he hadn't known the girl all that well, would've been NOTHING compared to how Daryl would've acted had he known that Ana was still alive, still out there. Without him. But that led Rick to his next question.
"You and Ana…?" Rick asked hesitantly, "You're not…"
Daryl's brows furrowed in confusion and Rick hesitated, trying to think of the proper way to phrase his question, before finally inquiring, "You were never a couple, were you?"
Daryl gave a little snort-like noise.
"Hell no!" Daryl was quick to answer, "Nah. Ana and I were never like that. We were like brother and sister, the best of friends. We were as close as friends could be without any of the benefits like you were thinkin'. We never dated. We never… did anything. We just looked out for each other. We were there for each other when the shit hit the fan. I'm sure you've figured out by now that life hasn't exactly been easy for me. And it was worse for her."
Daryl gave a little jerk of his head in the direction of the shower room.
Rick's blue eyes widened and Daryl just nodded.
Rick heard someone clear their throat and he glanced back over his shoulder to see Bella standing there with a pile of clothes in her arms. He and Daryl both stepped to the side to let Bella through with the clothes she'd brought back for both of the girls.
Rick nodded to Daryl and patted him on the shoulder, reassuring him, "I'm sure the group will wanna vote but they're good ta stay as far as I'm concerned. We'll hafta figure out some way ta keep Bella in line though."
Daryl nodded, his jaw clenching before he commented, "No one deals with her but you, me, and Ana. She won't listen ta anyone that she doesn't feel has some sort of authority over her. You're the voice of reason, I'm the one that'll threaten her, and Ana's the middle ground that plays both sides."
Rick gave another nod. Daryl was already strategizing a plan. It made Rick smile.
"You can bet your ass that baby will be safe as long as Ana's watchin' over her too," Daryl stated, changing the subject, "She raised her sister from the time she was 5."
Rick's eyes widened in disbelief. That couldn't be.
"I know what you're thinkin'. I'm a damn liar. But I'm not. I wouldn't have believed it either if I hadn't seen it for myself. She was 5 years old and takin' care of her baby sister. Her mom had the baby blues or whatever and Bella's dad was their mom's third husband. He was a lazy son of a bitch, always sleepin' or watchin' the fuckin' TV when he wasn't at work. So Ana raised her. She was changin' dirty diapers, feedin' the kid bottles, burpin' her, singin' her ta sleep and walkin' around the house all damn night when she fussed 'cuz she had colic. She loves that girl. She'd DIE for her, without so much as a SECOND'S hesitation. She's looked after Bella that girl's whole life. So you can bet your ass that little asskicker's gonna be JUST fine when she's in Ana's care."
Rick nodded slowly, taking it all in.
"You said her mom was married 3 times?" he questioned.
Daryl gave a single snort of laughter that lacked any humor and left it at, "Her mom didn't give a shit about anything but men, money, and herself, just like Ana's old man."
Rick was starting to get the idea that this Ana was like a female version of Daryl. But more open and kinder.
"If you trust her, I trust her," Rick told him, "I trust your judgment."
He saw Daryl's eyes widen in surprise and he patted his shoulder, reminding him, "You're my second in command, remember? My right hand man."
Daryl just stared at him with those blue-gray eyes, blinking a couple times, and Rick walked off, chuckling to himself and shaking his head.
Someday, Daryl would discover just how valuable he was to their group. And Rick hoped that day would come soon.
He knew that the others of the group were still somewhat leery of the younger Dixon brother but he trusted him. With his life.
-=Daryl=-
Hold Me Now by Red
Daryl watched Bella walk out of the shower room and asked, "She almost done?"
Bella just nodded her head but he didn't miss the look in her dark brown eyes. It was pity, sorrow. Two things Bella hardly EVER felt.
Daryl waited for a while longer before finally deciding aloud, "Fuck it."
He stepped into the shower room and asked, "Ana?"
He found her, slumped over in the shower. The water ran down over her naked body as she hunched over, her knees and forehead resting on the ground. She gave a scream and pounded a fist on the floor before sobbing harder.
Daryl felt his chest tighten. He'd hardly EVER seen her cry. And he'd NEVER seen her like this.
"WHY?!" she shouted.
He hurried over to her, slipping his vest off even as he dropped his crossbow onto the floor.
"Ana…" he started as he reached her.
But the words caught in his throat and he couldn't say anything more. She looked so helpless, so broken, hunched over there on the floor.
He jumped back, cursing as the water hit him. It was freezing cold.
"Shit!" he cried before quickly turning the water off and falling to his knees beside her.
He pulled her into his arms and carefully slipped her arms through the holes of his vest, his touch gentle.
She didn't fight him. She just let him hold her, clinging to him tightly as she buried her face into his chest and sobbed helplessly, her body shaking from the cold as well as the sobs that racked her body.
Daryl wrapped her up tight in his arms, dropping a kiss to the top of her head as he ran one hand over her hair and held her close with the other. It felt so weird holding a woman in his arms, having her cling to him. But Ana was the ONLY woman he'd ever held like this.
He knew that she was like him. She let everything build up, just bottling it all up inside, until it eventually got to the point where she couldn't take it anymore and she just snapped. But, instead of taking it out on others like Merle had done or cussing up a storm and kicking something all to hell to let it all out like Daryl did, she broke down.
"Get it out, sweetheart," he crooned softly as he pressed another kiss to the top of her head, "Get it all out."
Daryl didn't offer ANYONE else this luxury, this comfort. He wasn't the affectionate type. But after everything Ana had done for him in his life, he couldn't deny her that and he knew that she'd ALWAYS been there for him whenever he'd needed her, up until her family had moved away 10 years ago, after her 16th birthday. She'd run all the way out to his house just to tell him the night she'd found out. They'd started scheming up all these plans so that she and Bella wouldn't have to leave, so that they could stay and she and Daryl wouldn't have to lose the best friend they'd ever had.
All this time… All this time she'd been OUT there. And he hadn't known. God had he known that she'd been out there, he would've been out there combing the woods searching for her. EVERY fucking day. But he'd had no idea. When the epidemic had broken out and the world had gone to shit, Daryl had had only Merle to turn to. And hell, half the time he couldn't be counted on anyway. But there WAS one thing that Merle could ALWAYS be counted on to do. Look out for Merle.
It had been hard to see at first but Ana had been the one to point it out to him when they'd been 5, after Bella was born and she'd started looking after her.
He wouldn't forget the day she'd asked him, "Would Merle look out for you like I do for her?"
And he honestly couldn't answer her. He hadn't known WHAT Merle would do. But, when her family had moved, leaving in the middle of the night, she had had no way of telling him. All he'd had left of her was a note with dried up tears on it and he was left with the realization that he couldn't lose his brother too.
But now she was back. Ana was RIGHT there in his arms. And he wasn't going to let her slip away again. Not this time. Not until his heart stopped beating.
Her sobs had died down a few minutes ago and she was quiet in his arms. He peered down at her, pulling his head back a bit, and reached one hand up to brush her wet hair out of her face. Shit. She was asleep. He heaved a sigh but there was nothing he could do. He didn't want to wake her up but he didn't want any of the others to see her with just his vest to cover her. He glanced over at the pile of clothes that Bella had brought in earlier for Ana to pull on after her shower. They were clear across the damn room on the bench.
But then a smile curled his lips. He didn't care if he was sitting on the cold, hard floor. He didn't care if the water was soaking through his jeans. Ana was back. And she was safe, right there in his arms where he could see her and know that she was okay. And THAT'S all that mattered.
~*Ana*~
Wish You Never Met Me by Papa Roach
A man and a woman were running through the woods, panting as they surged through the undergrowth and jumped over roots. Their clothes were caked with blood, sweat, and dirt. The woman slipped and fell and the man was quick to double back and hold a hand out to her, stealing a glance behind them.
His eyes were a stormy gray, his skin sun-bronzed, his features very handsome. He had light brown hair that was in a somewhat spiked disarray and he was probably just shy of 6'0", built with a firm, muscular frame.
"Come on!" he cried, "We've godda fuckin' GO!"
The woman was quick to grab his hand and scramble to her feet, reaching her free hand up to brush the dirt from her short, blonde hair as her blue-gray eyes darted every which way.
She was sprinting right along beside him. He was still holding her hand, their arms pumping as they sprinted down the hill and towards the fence surrounding the prison.
"We've godda get in dose fuckin' walls, Steph," the man called to the woman as they raced for their lives.
Swarms of zombies were running down the hill after them.
They reached the gate and found that there was a lock on it. The woman stole a quick glance back over her shoulder at the masses of the undead that were running down the hill and over the clearing towards them.
"Liam!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with fear.
"LET US IN DA FUCKIN' GATE!" he roared, his fingers curling in the chain-link fence and shaking it just before the zombies surrounded them, ripping their skin from their bodies with gnashing teeth and greedy hands.
The screams of the man and the woman pierced the air as they gave a final shout.
The man's gray eyes glared up at the tower as he gave his last, ragged breath.
"You did this," was all he said.
Then he was gone.
Ana gasped and sat bolt upright in Daryl's lap, her heart racing.
Well, what did you think? The more reviews, the better. It'll give me an idea of what everyone thinks. And, the more detailed they are, the more they help me to gauge your reactions. I just LOVE hearing what the readers think and I can't wait to hear from all of you. You can also send me a message if you have any questions, concerns, or comments and I'll answer just as SOON as I can. Thanks so much for reading and there are more chapters where this one came from. Also, something I should've mentioned before now, for all of you avid Daryl fans, I have a one-shot that's essentially all smut, if you're interested. Just check my page out and you should be able to find it. I write a Red Canyon fanfic too.
Libby
