Hello everybody! Here's the next chapter for you guys. (:

5

Wanna Be Free, Throw Your Hands Up

Morning came sooner than expected.

Shane had thrown in the towel after only a few hours of staring dejectedly at Rick and Lori's tent, leaving Riley to her own devices. When the sun started creeping up, she descended the ladder on the RV, sitting near the middle of camp. She started stretching her cramped muscles as the sky lightened.

What she really needed was a workout. A long, gruesome, exhausting workout that made her body sore. Maybe she could go for a run; a long one, at least seven or eight miles.

Riley nodded to her fellow survivors as they woke, all going to their separate jobs. Eventually the new guy left his tent, crossing over to Riley as she stood.

"I don't think I've introduced myself yet," he drawled, extending a hand. "Rick Grimes."

"Riley Todd," the brunette remarked, firmly shaking his hand.

"Nice to meet you," he said in his comfortingly sexy voice before walking over to Glenn.

Riley went over to where Lori was hanging clothes and started helping. They exchanged muttered "Good mornings" before Rick came over to them. Knowing that Rick and Lori were about to have a marital spat, Riley relocated to Amy, Andrea, and Simmie's laundry-folding session.

Just as she got there, two high-pitched screams pierced the air, making Riley's blood run cold. She took off towards the sound, arriving before anyone else.

The walker had his back to her, hunkering over the body of a dead deer. The able-bodied men joined her after a second as the geek stood up and slowly turned around.

Rick hit him first, knocking it hard enough to make it turn. Riley danced forwards, slashing the back of its knees and making it pitch onto the ground. They all gathered around the writhing body, bludgeoning it mercilessly. Riley repeatedly kicked its head until Dale sliced the neck, making the skull roll away.

"What the hell is it doing up here?" Riley asked, staring at the corrupted body. She hadn't seen any walkers outside of Atlanta, much less all the way up their little mountain.

"They never come this far up," Dale said, echoing Riley's thoughts.

"They're running out of food in the city," Jim stated bluntly.

A loud rustling in the woods made Riley step forwards, clenching her knife tightly.

She let out the breath she'd been holding. Just Daryl, she thought to herself in relief as he stepped out of the trees. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Rick's uneasy expression. She remembered what was about to go down and got anxious all over again. Daryl was going to lose it.

"That's a damn shame," Daryl growled, staring disgustedly at the deer. "I got us some squirrels, though. Those'll haveta do."

"Joy. More squirrels," Riley muttered sarcastically. If she ate anymore of the fuzzy rodent, she swore she'd be sick.

Daryl turned an angry gaze on her. "Don' see ya contributin' any, so shut up." He paused for a second, staring at her. Damn, kinda hoped tha' nightshade woulda gotten ta ya."

"Sorry to disappoint," she sneered, crossing her arms as he stormed by, calling out for Merle's name.

Riley walked over to where Simmie and some of the other women were standing as Shane broke the news to Daryl.

Daryl instantly grew somber, looking at the ground. "He dead?"

"Not sure," Shane responded.

Daryl jerked his fiery gaze up. "Either he is or he ain't!" he shouted.

Riley watched as Rick bluntly explained the situation. Daryl turned his back on them for a second, dragging his arm across his eyes.

Riley's heart clenched, and she tightly crossed her arms under her chest. Instantly, she felt her emotionless mask settle instinctively on her face.

"Lemme process this- you handcuffed my brother to a roof, and YOU JUST LEFT HIM THERE?!"

Nobody bothered to tell him to keep his voice down. Mostly because everyone was intimidated by the infuriated redneck, but for Riley it was because she knew he was grieving. And his grief at losing a sibling was tearing open old wounds for her.

Simmie noticed the steely look in her friend's eyes. Most people thought Riley was cold and didn't care about anybody, but Simmie knew that wasn't true. She watched as Riley's hand fluttered up to her neck, pulling the necklace out of her shirt and clutching the pendant. Simmie wrapped one arm around her waist and held onto her elbow with her other hand.

"You okay?" she whispered so no one else would be able to hear.

Riley's jaw clenched as Shane pulled Daryl to the ground in a chokehold. She listened intently to what was being said, trying to block out her darkening thoughts. After a moment, Shane let go of Daryl.

T-Dog suddenly spoke up, telling the redneck about the key he had dropped. That was a little too perfect, Riley thought. For him, of all people, to "accidentally" drop Merle's key. But Riley knew T, and she knew he wouldn't do that to somebody.

For a second, Riley thought Daryl was going to break down. His choked sob made her stomach tighten up, and she let out a sharp exhale.

Think of something else, she pleaded with her mind. The last thing she wanted was to have a meltdown in front of everyone at camp.

Daryl stood up, yelling at T-Dog for a second. From this distance, she could see the red rimming his eyes. Riley struggled to contain her emotions. She felt bad for Daryl, she really did, but he wasn't the reason she was about to break. She tightened her grip on the tear-drop shaped pendant, dropping her gaze to the ground.

"I'm goin' back," Rick said firmly, turning and walking away towards his tent. Daryl stormed off, and Riley didn't move, struggling to control herself.

"While you were in South America, I met that really rude guy in your apartment building. You know, the redneck one."

Riley nodded, listening to Simmie's voice as she tried to distract her friend from her spiraling thoughts.

"He has to be the meanest man in the whole country. He makes Daryl look like a teddy bear."

Riley snorted, a tiny smile flickering on her face. "I wouldn't go that far."

"Well, obviously, he doesn't talk to you the way he did me. I thought for sure he was gonna rape me."

"But he didn't," Riley said, looking at Simmie.

The woman grinned, showing off her white teeth that were such a contrast to her dark skin. "Nope, because he knew you'd kill him."

"Got that right," Riley agreed with a disdainful sniff. "I hate that guy." She didn't add that she hoped he was dead; that might've been too cold for Simmie.

"Everybody does," Simmie chimed, knowing that she had saved Riley from herself.

"That's just great. Now you're gonna risk three men," Shane sneered.

"Four," T-Dog added.

"Five," Riley corrected, stepping forwards and dropping her necklace back down her shirt. "I'm going too."

Shane looked like he was about to bust a cap. Daryl snorted, his attention on his arrows. "My day just keeps gettin' better and better."

"You see anybody else offerin' to save your brother's ass?" T-Dog demanded, taking the words out of Riley's mouth. Daryl didn't get the option to be picky.

"Why you?" Daryl asked.

"You wouldn't even begin to understand," T-Dog responded, shaking his head.

"Wha' 'bout you?" Daryl questioned gruffly, glancing up at Riley for a second.

She shrugged. "Don't know how many more loads of laundry I can take," she answered, even though she had yet to do one load.

"I don't know..." Rick said. "It's gonna be dangerous-"

"Don't immediately put me down just because I'm a woman," Riley spat angrily. "I know how to shoot, and I know how to fight. You can ask Merle Dixon's broken nose when we find him."

Rick shot a questioning glance towards Shane, who shook his head aggravatedly. "You're puttin' all of us at risk; takin' all the gun power and leavin' all the women and kids behind without protection?"

Riley listened as Rick explained the real reason he had to get the bag of guns back from Atlanta before she felt someone tap her elbow. She turned, looking in surprise at Simmie's anxious face.

Immediately knowing something was wrong, Riley grabbed the younger woman's elbow, leading her out of earshot. "What's up?"

Simmie shook her head. "I don't want you to go."

Riley's eyebrows furrowed. "What?"

"Stay. I don't feel safe when you're gone, and I get so worried- I can't take it." Tears swam in the woman's eyes, and her lip was trembling.

"Simmie, you don't have to worry about me. You know I've been through a helluva lot and it hasn't killed me yet. I'm not about to let dead people take me-"

"I'm serious," Simmie growled. "What has Merle Dixon done for you?"

"You know I can't just sit back. You'd want me to do it for your brother, if it were you."

"I know why you're really doing this. Helping Daryl won't bring her back-"

"I know that," Riley snarled as pain suddenly lanced through her heart. "I promise I'll be back, okay? Soon." Riley pulled her friend into a tight hug.

"Be safe," Simmie muttered.

The van's horn blared, pulling Riley away from Simmie.

"C'mon, let's go!" Daryl shouted. Riley jumped into the back of the car, followed by Sky.

"Uh, uh, stay!" Riley ordered, pushing the dog out of the van. The dog looked up, confused, as Daryl pulled the back door down.

Simmie watched dejectedly as her best friend drove away. Sky looked just as sad as Simmie felt, turning to look at the Indian woman. She trudged up, tail tucked between her legs.

Simmie crouched down next to her, rubbing her head. "She'll be back soon, don't worry."

Sky pressed her nose against her neck before walking into the woods.

"Hey, Simmie, come help with the laundry!" Amy called, holding a bucket on her hip.

Simmie stood up, following the women down to the quarry. She sat next to the water, dipping the clothes into it and scrubbing them clean with her hands. Her attention was pulled to where Shane and Carl were splashing around in the lake.

"I'm starting to question the division of labor around here," Jacqui said disdainfully.

"The world ended, didn't you get the memo," Amy responded, smiling.

"I didn't even like doing laundry when I had a washing machine," Simmie complained, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Don't be such a negative nelly," Amy retorted, splashing the other woman.

"Shut up." Simmie rolled her eyes, smiling and splashing Amy back.

"I miss my Maytag," Carol reflected.

"I miss my phone... And texting," Amy added dreamily.

"Who would wanna text you?" Simmie teased.

Amy scoffed, dropping the shirt she was holding and shoving Simmie's head underwater. Unprepared, Simmie jumped out of the water, gasping for air as the other women laughed.

"I will get payback, Amy," she warned, grinning.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll sleep with a football helmet on."

After a silent pause, Amy admitted, "I miss my vibrator."

Carol glanced over her shoulder before quietly confessing, "Me too."

They all cracked up. Looked like Ed wasn't so good in the sack.

Speaking of the large man, he hunkered over, looming over them with his cigarette hanging out of his mouth. Simmie, along with the rest of the women, fell silent. She started to get anxious, internally urging him to leave.

If only Riley was here, she thought, her eyes focused solely on the shirt she was washing. Riley would tell him off.

"Problem, Ed?" Andrea demanded.

Well. Maybe Andrea could be their temporary Riley.

"None that concerns you," he retorted, turning his attention to his wife. "You oughta be focusing on your work."

That's not fair, the Indian thought as she wrung out one of Glenn's shirts and passed it to Jacqui. Carol was working the hardest out of all of them.

"You know what Ed?" Simmie jerked her gaze up as Andrea stepped towards the smoking man. "Don't like how your laundry's done? Do it yourself." She tossed the wet shirt at him.

He flung it back, making Simmie gasp and her heart clench. She hated fights, and this was one Andrea would lose.

"Sure ain't listenin' to sum smart-talk uppity bitch," Ed stated, taking another drag from his cig. "Come on now," he said to Carol, who obediently stood up.

"I don't think she should be going anywhere with you," Andrea retorted.

Simmie put her hands up, blocking the older woman's path. "I think you should stay," she begged. This was going to get ugly very fast; Andrea wasn't going to give up, and someone was going to get hurt.

"So she can show up with fresh bruises later, Ed?" Jacqui demanded, her voice sharp and tight. "We've all seen 'em."

Simmie's eyes widened. How had she missed that? It suddenly explained all the contusions that Carol always struggled to explain.

No way was she just gonna stand by and let Ed beat Carol. He gripped one of her arms tightly, and Simmie reached forward and gently took the other. "Carol, no-"

She was cut off as Ed slapped Carol. Right across the face. In front of all of them.

Simmie started beating madly at one of his arms, trying to pull him away from Carol. She succeeded, but only to be rammed in the face with his elbow. She stumbled back, seeing stars, as she cupped her eye and cheek. Pain exploded through her face.

Shane, out of nowhere, suddenly appeared, gripping Ed by the back of the shirt and throwing him on the ground. She watched in horror as he started to beat the living daylights out of Ed. As blood started forming, she buried her face in Jacqui's back, who turned and wrapped her in a hug. Simmie clenched her eyes shut tightly, flinching each time a punch fell.

"Next time, I will not stop," Shane promised, standing up and kicking him in the side.

Carol ran over to Ed, crying and apologizing. For what, Simmie wasn't sure. She was sure that Shane had gone too far, and that her face hurt, and that tears were swimming in her eyes.

"Come on, baby, let's get your face looked at," Jacqui comforted, wrapping an arm around Simmie's shoulders and leading her away and back up to camp.

Riley and Glenn held open the hole in the fence, waiting as everyone filed through before following.

"Merle first, or guns?" Rick asked, keeping up the brisk half-run half-walk.

"Merle! We ain't even havin' this conversation!" Daryl exclaimed.

"Yes. We are," Rick answered in a tone that left no room for questions.

"We're gonna get him either way," Riley added. Daryl shot her a venomous glare that she ignored.

"Merle first," Glenn stated as they started jogging.

They made it to the department store without a problem. Daryl swiftly dispatched the lone walker lurking next to the 50% off rack. Immediately, they charged up the stairs, easily snapping the chain T-Dog had wrapped around the door.

Daryl pushed out first, nearly knocking T on top of Riley in his hurry to get onto the roof. Glenn supported her as she struggled to regain her balance and follow the rest of the group.

"No!" Daryl screamed, pacing as his face scrunched up in pain.

Riley's heart sank, expecting to see a shriveled-up dead body.

Instead there was a hand and a bloody handcuff.

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