Dumping the tray full of blow torches into the back of the truck I watched as Daryl and Merle placed one of the metal sheets onto the back of the same truck. When Daryl saw me looking at them he marched away without saying a word and I rolled my eyes heading back inside to get more of the stuff we piled up. Having told Daryl of a plan to fix the metal sheet to the bottom of the fence he had said about the fences falling in and I pointed out the solid metal poles that could be dug into the earth and used to prop against the fence. Those were already loaded onto the largest of the 3 pickup trucks along with most of the tools we found. Once Maggie and me had wandered around some more and found a huge supply of gardening items along with some seeds and plant feeder, Maggie mentioning that Rick and Hershel were the main ones that looked after the garden in the prison.
There were only a few things left to pack and as I picked up a tray that was filled with packets of nails and screws I heard Tyreese shout from outside. Setting the tray back down I headed outside where a small herd of 6 walkers was heading from across the small road outside. Daryl was already lifting his crossbow when I heard Merle talk from behind me.
"Le' Lexi deal with 'em, res' of us can grab the res' of the stuff and ge' ready ta leave. If there's six now there'll be more of 'em soon." I saw Merle push Daryl's crossbow down and look at me.
"One person to deal with six walkers? That's suicide." Glenn shouted at Merle and I saw him grab at the crowbar he'd brought.
"No he's right, finish packing the stuff I'll deal with them." Pushing the gate open I pulled the hatchets from their holders and walked towards the first walker, swinging the hatchet sideways it sliced through the female's temple and she toppled over as I yanked the hatchet free, before copying the action with the male behind her. Pulling that out I threw it and hit the third walker and ducked under the fourths flailing arms and jammed the hatchet into the back of her skull before pulling it out, turning on my heel and hitting the fifth walker in the forehead. Pulling it free I kicked number six in the knee and heard the muffled crack as it went down landing face first and stamping down on the things head with a growl.
Staring down at the body I realised just how heavily I was breathing and turned away from the body grabbing up my hatchets and cleaning them on the clothing. Kicking one of the things in the side I watched as the 3 pickups drove closer and saw Merle open the cab door, climbing in I pulled the door shut and Daryl pulled the truck away from the storage unit.
Taking a deep breath I elbowed Merle in the side, when he looked down at me I pointed to the knife strapped to his metal arm and he glanced down at it.
"Watch where you're putting that thing, I don't need another scar."
Merle chuckled and removed the blade carefully setting it down on the dash of the truck. Daryl had stayed silent since I'd gotten into the cab and it was a tiny bit unnerving.
"We should have pretty much everything we need to fix the fences, although I would consider sending some more groups out in a few days to gather up more of that stuff, try bring as much of it as we can back to the prison?"
Daryl shifted in his seat and brought his left hand to his mouth, biting at the skin around his thumb, his right hand still on the wheel of the truck. "I'll talk ta the group when we're back."
As the truck came to a stop in the courtyard I opened the door and climbed out, Heading straight to the bed of the truck and opening the tailgate. More people appeared and I saw them begin to unload the other two trucks as I pulled a few of the plastic boxes down off the back and began setting them into piles according to what they contained.
Daryl and Merle appeared from the front of the truck and began to move the heavy metal sheets from the bed.
"Great, you guys are back." Turning around I saw the teenage boy approaching, his hair was growing long and messy and he wore a brown sheriff's hat. This was clearly Carl, Rick's son, they looked quite similar in some facts but other than that he could have been someone else's. "Judith's crying, won't drink her milk and she hasn't got any rashes but she won't stop."
Daryl put the sheet down and Followed Carl inside, turning round and looking at Merle questioningly he shrugged before following and I set the box down and followed, washing my hands in the rise water on the way past, wiping them on my pants.
Once inside I heard the loud screaming of the baby and Daryl's hushing. Walking inside I unfastened the gun and hatchet holsters setting them down on the table. The small baby was less than a year old according to the groups very basic time monitoring, watching Daryl try and deal with the baby I saw his face was settled his face had softened and he was too busy concentration on the child to notice everyone staring at him.
Twenty minutes later and the small child was still crying and exercising her more than healthy lungs. Hershel had since returned and had looked over the child, determining that she wasn't sick in any way he could see, she was simply unsettled. The group had taken it in turns to hold her, while everyone else sat around trying to come up with ideas.
Currently Daryl had gained the small child back and was quietly bobbing her and hushing, his face was scowling again and I'm sure he must have a headache by now. Letting out a loud sigh I stood up carefully and Merle who had been resting his head on the table shot up looking around and let out a grunt as he saw me.
"Hand her over." Pushing the loose pieces of hair off my face I Pulled my tank top down from where it had risen up my stomach.
"Ya ever held a baby 'fore?" Giving me hard look Daryl's eyes passed over me.
"Of course I have, got a lot of slutty aunts and friends." There was a couple of chuckles behind me as Daryl sighed and walked closer allowing me to get my arms under the baby.
Settling her into my arms Daryl removed his own and took a couple of steps back rubbing his face. Looking down at the small girl I noticed how she had the same eyes as Rick, her hair was dark like theirs and I wondered just what her mother had looked like.
"Hey sweetie, it's alright, shh, it's okay." Gently tapping my hand on the side of her thigh, she was staring at me and I found myself softening m expression, giving her a soft smile. "Aren't you just a little cutie?"
The sudden sound of silence had everyone who was looking at the floor or away lifting their head and staring. Lifting my head I stared at Daryl and saw the same expression on his face.
"I think we found our new baby sitter." Rick's voice filled the air and I saw him rub his hand over his hair and let out a relieved sigh.
Daryl sat down beside Merle and I took the seat the other side where I had been before, my back resting against the table.
"Prob'ly just go' sick of Daryleena's ugly mug." Merle's voice was quiet like he was tired and I heard Daryl let out a loud sigh beside him.
Kicking Merle in the leg I looked up at him as he looked at me and frowned.
"That's enough of that around little ears Merle, plus you should be nice to Daryl. Amount of times he's been there for you and all." Raising my eyebrows I let my gaze go cold and saw Merle's expression change to a glare before he stood up and left heading back to cell block B, muttering to himself.
"I don' need ya ta stand up fer me." Daryl's voice was quiet and I saw the rage in his face.
"Wasn't for you Daryl, I'm on watch tonight and I'm trying to avoid a headache." He glanced over at me and I looked at him dead in the face.
"Ya up in the guard tower?"
"Yep. Going to freeze my but off all night." Laughing slightly I stood up when Beth walked over to collect Judith form me for her night feed.
"You're on with me then, best get ready cause we're heading out soon."
The watch tower was cold. No I take that back it was fucking freezing. The tower had seen ruined when the prison had been attacked by a man that built a safe town close by that had a wall around it. Daryl was sat beside me, I was wrapped in a jacket loaned to me by Maggie, and wrapped in a blanket. Daryl beside me was wearing a jacket beneath his leather vest.
Letting out a sigh I saw Daryl glance at me, he was chewing on his hand again and I saw him fidgeting. He'd been on edge since we got out here and I was beginning to get nervous from how he was behaving. When he moved his hand away from his mouth to peer down at a couple of walkers I waited till he leaned back and lifted his hand to his mouth before grabbing it.
"For god's sake, please fucking stop!"
Daryl looked at me, his eyes confused. Pulling his hand out of my grasp he glared at me and set it down on his thigh. "Stop runnin' yer hand ova' tha' scar then." Pointing to my hand I glanced down at the Scar and sighed.
When we stayed silent for a few minutes Daryl sighed. "How'd ya ge' it?"
Looking over at him I let out a sigh. "Probably about time I told someone about it." Touching the long line that ran from the base of my thumb across the back of my hand and ended just before it hit the soft part of my wrist, the line was white and raised, having healed years ago. "When I was 10 my mum came home late one night, quite badly drunk and pissed off. She brought me downstairs and started shouting at me, threw a few plates and glasses at me then shoved me over. Landed on a piece of glass and it slashed my hand open. My dad came downstairs and took me to the hospital, lied to protect my mum and told me to keep my mouth shut." Staring down at the scar I ran my index finger over it before letting my hands drop to my lap.
"Ya ma? Most people have it with their dad, not their ma."
Casting him a sideways glance I looked back down at my hands. "Like Merle?" When his head shot round to look at me I met his eyes. "I've seen his back Daryl; don't need to ask to know who put them there."
When Daryl went quiet I bit my lip and leaned my head back against the wall. "He used to tell us that he was proud of you, they you weren't into the same shit he was. Didn't get yourself wasted drunk and pick fight when men twice your size, didn't get high and get arrested for one thing or another. Used to tell us all that you deserved better."
Reaching out I carefully took hold of Daryl's hand again and gave it a gentle squeeze before letting go, his head lifted and he stared at me. "Ya see good in 'im don'cha?"
My only reply to Daryl was a soft nod. "There's a little good in even the worst of people Daryl."