A little Daryl/OC (I know, I know). The schoolteacher/former high end art insurer from Ireland (Moira Riley) stayed with the children at Woodbury and struggles to make a new life for herself, the children and elders in the prison. Will a certain redneck make all the difference?
A/N: I am terrible at finishing stories, so I beg forgiveness in advance. This is just something to tide me over until October.
"I'm scared, Miss Riley." young Billy Thompson came over and gripped her hand as they all gathered in the room they had, at one time, used as Woodbury's elementary school.
There were only about twenty or so others with them, half of them over the age of 60 and the rest younger than 13 That had been The Governor's arbitrary cut off age. 14 and older and they had to go fight. She'd been furious when the Governor even made poor Andy train and go along in spite of his debilitating asthma.
"It'll be just fine a ghra," Moira Riley's irish brogue was still just as thick as the day she arrived in Atlants from her beloved Ballinadee a year or so ago. The little boy seemed soothed by her words but still clung tightly to her.
"Shouldn't they be back by now?" Mabel Bentzen piped up. She was well into her 70's but still amazingly fit as a fiddle...except when it suited her not to be.
"Let's get the children well settled in for the night in that corner, and the rest of us will take turns staying awake, to keep a watch Tyreese and Sasha have the wall but there are just the two of 'em?" Moira was trying her best to keep the group calm and the kids from crying.
Elmer Jenkins, a frail elderly man with a wicked sense of humor and a genius IQ, she was sure, immediately supported her and organized the older ones while Moira put the children into sleeping bags in the corner. Julie was only 6 and her little body was shivering so Moira lay beside her and gently stroked her back, doing her best to warm the wee girl with her own body
Julie only had her older cousin, Michelle, who the Governor demanded also go on this mission. This foolish mission. She'd never had a good feeling about the Governor but when he started having those disgusting arena fights, she began to become suspicious.
Then when he pit Merle against his own brother...also in the arena...well,,
that had been the final straw. But it was what she didn't know that frightened her more. And her gut told her there was much more.
Julie finally settled down as the other kids fell asleep around her, little Billy sleeping snugly beside her. But Moira had so much more to do, so she slowly edged herself up and away to go check on the others.
"Moira. I got a real bad feeling 'bout this," Mr Jenkins admitted. "The Governor never would keep our people out their past dark. Least not willingly." And Moira had to agree. Something was awry.
"Well, I expect we're needin' to be preparin' for the worst. Can anyone here shoot?" Moira looked around at all the wizened faces that were looking to her for some strange reason.
"Sweetie, we may be old, but we all grew up in America, which means shootin' guns. We'll defend those kids, we promise!" This time it was Maude Grant to stand up to reassure her.
"Thanks Maude. I'm countin' on yer truth. I'm going to go check on Tyreese and Sasha. Mrs. Bentzen, and Mrs. Grant...will you keep an eye out for the little ones 'til I get back?" Moira asked. She grabbed the bat from behind the door and ran down the unlit main street to the wall.
"Tyreese? Sasha? Anything?" Moira stood at the bottom looking up at the two, grateful they had elected to stay.
"Nothing yet," Tyreese called down to her.
"Whoa, what's that?" Sasha raised her weapon as a single vehicle approached in the distance.
"Why just one car?" Tyreese wondered aloud as the two headlights approached.
"Miss Riley, stay back. Hide over there," Tyreese yelled at her. Moira stood there frozen for a second, but Tyreese's urgent 'Hurry," broke the spell and she ran as fast as she could behind the makeshift barrier of old tires and scrap metal.
"Get outta the car! Weapons down! Hands up!" Tyreese screamed at the occupants. Moira was shaking like a leaf herself now, armed with just her baseball bat and charming, irish wit.
"Karen?" Sasha's voice rose an octave, surprised that she was with three of the prison group.
"Let us in! He shot them all. The Governor...he slaughtered our entire group," Karen's voice was raspy with emotion and tears were falling freely as she pleaded with Tyreese.
Moira watched Tyreese and Sasha look at one another trying to decide what to do. Almost imperceptibly Tyreese nodded at Sasha, who shouldered her weapon then climbed down to open the gate. Moira ran over to help Sasha pull the gate open.
They waited for the car to drive in but Karen just walked in.
"Karen?" Moira stepped into the dim moonlight and ran to hold the bloody, beaten woman in her arms. "What in all that is holy happened ta ya?"
"We got beat. They were ready for us, and you know how most of us felt about attacking the living anyway. We lost half in the attack. So we had to run. A few miles back the Governor stopped all the trucks and wanted us all to go back. When Kevin told him we wouldn't go back and fight...that we had no beef with these people. I've never seen such coldness in a person. Without a word he took his machine gun and just started shooting. He killed everyone except Gerald and Todd. I think they went with him," Karen's words were coming out in exaggerated hiccups.
"A ghra, how did ye ever survive such a heinous thing?" Moira wiped smears of blood from Karen's swollen and cut up face.
"Oh dear God, please forgive me!" Karen wailed. "I hid under Terry's dead body. The Governor was going around puttin' bullets in everyone's head. By some miracle his gun jammed and then he just drove off," Karen struggled to regain her composure.
"And your friends?" Moira looked around at the three people she was with. She remembered Michonne, who was Andrea's friend, but not the guy with the crossbow or the guy with the piercing blue eyes that appeared to be the leader.
Tyreese was the one to speak up next. "Rick," he extended his hand, which to Rick's shame was more than he had ever had the decency to do with Tyreese back at the prison. Instead he had gone psychotic and ruthlessly kicked them out into the deadly unknowno.
"Tyreese, I owe you and yours an apology. I wasn't...myself that day," Rick shook the offered hand.
"Accepted. But you didn't come all this way for that." Tyreese's shrewd eyes saw that.
"We're here for Andrea. Karen said she jumped the wall the other day. But she never made it. We think she might still be here," Rick asked if they could look around.
"Karen's speaking the truth. We let her go...but had no idea she came back. Where should we look?" Tyreese hadn't been here long enough to know his way around.
"There's a cell in the basement just on the edge of town. Its where they kept Glenn and Maggie," this time it was the scary crossbow guy that spoke.
"Let's go," Rick and Daryl knew exactly where they were going and the others followed.
When they arrived to the dank dungeon-like facility all of them stood outside the door, each afraid to open it. Moira stood at the rear and Rick stepped forward and turned the handle. Slowly he pushed open the door.
"Milton!" Moira screamed as she ran to his dead body. He had turned before he'd been killed judging by the state of decomposition.
Moira then turned to find Andrea who was now surrounded by Rick and Michonne. Andrea was bloody and bruised.
"Andrea are you ok?," Moira cried out. Michonne fell to her knees beside Andrea, gently stroking her cheek as she feared the worst.
"It was close, but I didn't get bit," Andrea had sharp gashes and bruises all over though and was in obvious pain, but if it wasn't from Milton then the Governor obviously did this.
Moira raced out of the room to run up the stairs, falling backward when crossbow guy, the one she recognized as Merle's brother, suddenly yanked her elbow.
"Where ya think yer going?" He snarled at her, his silver blue eyes looking at her with suspicion and derision.
"To get something to help Andrea, ya dumb shite," Moira paused to face him, regretting her use of profanity, then turned and continued. He still followed her but didn't try and stop her again. Milton had told her a while ago where the Governor kept the extra morphine and spare medicine so she ran into his apartment, straight to the small, secret cabinet.
"It's locked," she yanked futilely then looked at the man for help. Without a word, he yanked open the cabinet door and it quickly gave way, hinges now dangling from the fractured wood. Moira grabbed all the vials and syringes, gauze and alcohol that was there, not wanting to ever have to enter this room again.
She felt the man follow her as she ran back to Andrea. She stood off to the side as she drew up a syringe from the glass vial and approached Andrea.
"Here's somethin' for the pain, Alainn," Moira used the Gaelic term for beautiful as she easily found Andrea's vein despite the obvious dehydration and soon the medication began to flow through Andrea's body and ease her. She then helped Michonne patch up some of the worst wounds before they attempted to carry her away from this filth.
Michonne walked out carrying Andrea but Rick took her and carried Andrea to the truck, where she was placed gently in the backseat.
Moira followed solemnly behind everyone, expecting the prison folks would be on their way now. She refused to focus on how scared she was now that all they had was herself and Karen to take care of everyone in town. Hopefully Tyreese and Sasha would stay. But why would they? Just to be saddled with geriatrics and toddlers? It would literally be suicide.
Moira followed the new folks to their car after getting a heavy blanket for Michonne to wrap Andrea in.
"What'll ya'll do here?" Rick suddenly became concerned. "I mean, is there anyone left in town?"
Moira looked to Karen, unsure if she should answer honestly. But Tyreese and Karen seemed to believe in these folks. And they obviously cared deeply for Andrea. Enough to come after her in Woodbury.
"We have children and a few elderly," Moira admitted. "Maybe twenty of us."
Rick seemed stunned as he digested the information. That monster left these poor people to fend for themselves over some crazed vendetta.
"Miss Riley?" Billy Collins called her name from down the street, his small frame nearly hidden by the shadows.
"Billy a ghra, what are ye doin' out here on your own?" Moira ran towards the young boy, lifting him up in her arms and resting him on her hip, his long limbs dangling.
"Who are they?" Billy pointed to the new folks.
"They are...well they're ...our new neighbors," Moira tried to come up with something that wouldn't frighten him.
Reluctantly she lead everyone to the old school room. Maude was snoring loudly on the porch which explained how Billy was able to slip past. With a startle Maude's eyes slowly opened.
"Maude wake up. We have visitors," Moira tried to help Maude up, but with Billy on her hip it was hard. To her surprise crossbow guy held the older woman's arm and escorted her inside.
Rick stood there stunned. There were ten small children, mostly between the ages of four and eight all huddled on sleeping bags in the corner. At the table were eight older folks, none younger than sixty. With a heavy sigh he pulled Daryl and Michonne aside.
"We can't leave them here. With just Karen, and the Irish girl to protect them. They wouldn't last a week," Rick ran his hand through his sweaty hair. Even if Tyreese and Sasha stayed they still couldn't secure the entire town.
"Those old folks and kids are handicaps. Just get us all killed," Daryl snarled. But the look of utter disgust on Lucky Charm's face when she overheard what he said, made him instantly ashamed.
"They wouldn't be alone if the Governor hadn't killed their family and friends. They're as much victims as we are," Rick argued. Daryl just hung his head. He knew Rick had already decided. Already he began worrying about how he'd keep all these people fed.
But Michonne was looking at Rick with respect and pride. This is what Andrea had wanted. What she had been fighting for the whole time. A way to join both groups. Sadly, Woodbury was much smaller.
"Ma'am?" Rick approached Moira.
"Call me Moira, please?" she asked him, her sapphire blue eyes meeting Rick's lighter ones.
"Well Moira, I can't in good conscience leave you here with all these kids unprotected. We'd be happy to invite you to stay at the prison with us...if you want?" Rick knew they'd become acclimated to the Governor's tyranny, so felt it best to give them the choice.
"Aye, I wasn't expectin' that," she looked around in surprise. "Karen? Tyreese and Sasha?" Moira looked to them for input, well aware she couldn't do this on her own.
"Despite our last encounter, these are real good folks at the prison," Tyreese admitted. "It ain't all homey like it was here, but with just us, I'm not sure we can keep this place from becoming overrun," Tyreese laid out the cold hard truths.
"I agree. With just us, we can't defend this place," Karen joined in with Tyreese.
"How do we know he isn't as bad as the Governor?" Moira asked the ones who knew Rick even a little.
"Because he asked. The Governor would have your things already packed up." Tyreese answered honestly. Moira and Karen walked over to Rick to give him their answer.
"Let me tell the elders then I'll go help everyone pack," Moira explained to Rick. There was much to be done. 'Dear Lord, please let this be right?" Moira prayed, fingering her cross.
Fortunately they still had the old, beat up, schoolbus, so they packed all the food and medical supplies too. Moira helped each child pack a bag, and let them each pack one special toy. All were now orphans, which left Moira responsible for ten young children. What the hell was she thinking? She wasn't equipped for this.
"Moira? Please?" Billy pulled her hand, desperate for one more thing.
"Ok! Let's go. But we have to hurry," Moira let Billy lead while Crossbow followed them. She wasn't sure if it was for security or that he still didn't trust her. She figured it didn't much matter since he was here, so she should ignore him.
"Where is he?" Billy was looking for the big golden retriever he and Moira had helped care for. The dog had been mangy and thin, but she'd acquired the mange meds, frequently bathing the dog and his thick mane grew back healthy and golden.
She helped him look but knew it might be that Buddy had already snuck out with all the comings and goings. To Moira's surprise Billy then went to the floor rug of his small house and rolled it back.
To her amazement the floorboards had a small indentation where you could tuck your fingers and pull it up. A dark cellar lay beneath, but Moira held Billy back.
"Billy? What's down there? We can only take food and medicine," Moira had to remind him.
"Mark said Daddy kept important things down here," Billy had been sworn to secrecy by his older brother but figured now was the time. Billy had never even been allowed to see.
"Its a damn arsenal!" Crossbow guy whistled, immediately reaching in for the dozen or so guns and semi-automatics along with boxes and boxes of ammo. There were also a few bottle of Jack Daniels.
"You said DAMN!" Billy clasped a shocked hand over his mouth. Moira watched Daryl at least have the temerity to look sorry.
It still took hours and hours to pack up everyone, and then make sure they packed all the food and medical supplies. The ratty old bus was packed to the brim, to such an extent they even had to strap some bags on top, but by the time the sun rose the kids were awake and getting antsy.
"Miss Riley, I gotta go," Little Julie raised her hand but soon the bus echoed with "Me too, and I need to pee also." Moira gathered up the five girls, looking around desperately for help.
"Hey Crossbow, could ya perhaps consider givin' me a hand?" She cornered him as he rounded the front of the bus.
"Whatcha need," Daryl acquiesced, more to hurry things along and get the hell outta there than any real desire to help her.
"Come on boys...Billy, Evan, Rand, Joey and Austin." She called out their names individually.
"What's your name?" Moira knew she couldn't keep calling him crossbow. She knew he was Merle's brother but couldn't recall his name.
""Daryl Dixon. Don't ya remember from the arena? Or do ya just forget everyone ya'll try and kill." Daryl snarled as he remembered all the cheering citizens.
"I'm sorry, but I never went to those ...'events'! I couldn't stop them, so my best was to ignore them and encourage others to do the same," her disgust was obvious and Daryl felt a slight zing of regret for accusing her.
"Boys, Mister Dixon is going to take you to do your business ok? Every one of ya is ta be on yer best behavior...or else!" Moira instructed with loving firmness.
"The hell?" Daryl realized he'd just been hoodwinked into babysittin' these brats while they all took a piss. To his surprise the five little squirts followed him like a litter of pups.
It took Moira a bit longer, of course, to get five little girls to tinkle and wash their hands. But still she was surprised that Crossbow was already back with the five boys, all standing quietly in a straight line behind him...none of them horsing around.
Daryl couldn't completely hold back a smirk as she returned with the girls, her face reflecting her obvious surprise at the lack of chaos. But she quickly corrected, and back in place was her polite mask of a smile.
"Thank you, Mister Dixon. I'm quite impressed," she reached forward to guide Austin and the others back on the bus.
"He told us we could call him Daryl!" Joey piped up.
"We pissed outside ...just there on the bushes," now Kevin and Billy were joining in, all of them excited over their adventure.
"You did what?" Moira's voice rose an octave, somewhat shocked by Billy's language.
"I'm sorry. We "relieved" ourselves on the bushes," Billy assumed she was upset with him for saying piss, not that Daryl hadn't taken them to a toilet.
"Well, that's just one more benefit of being a boy," Moira couldn't hold back her own smirk. Peeing outside would likely be the least of her concerns anymore.
"What are the others?" Billy was easily the most precocious and intelligent of the bunch.
"That's a conversation for when yer a wee bit older. Now Scoot. We're going on an adventure," Moira guided them all to the bus.
Moira took her seat beside Karen, and Tyreese cranked up the old bus, but for some reason she couldn't help but take one last look at Crossbow.
