Chapter 7

Daryl opened his eyes and blinked them into focus. Peering around he saw Glen sitting beside Maggie's bed. Glen noticed Daryl's eyes were open and smiled. "Hey, you're finally awake!" he said softly. Glancing quickly at Maggie's sleeping form, Glen quickly crossed the room to Daryl's bedside.

"Hey, it's good to see you awake man," Glen said, relief obvious in his features and face.

Daryl nodded slightly and sighed as he struggled to sit up some. "How long I been out?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

Glen frowned. "Two days now." At the look on Daryl's face, Glen hastened to explain. "You'd lost a lot of blood, you were going into shock. They gave you a transfusion and kept you knocked out so wouldn't move around much-so your shoulder could heal a bit," Glen paused. "We thought we had lost you," he said softly, and he briefly touched Daryl's shoulder.

"Where the fuck are we?" Daryl asked. He felt worse than he'd ever felt in his life-bone weary and aching all over, and he bit back a groan as he tried to shift into a more comfortable position.

"It's some preppers place. I don't know how much you remember-but the woman that yelled at Negan saved us. Her group attacked Negan's. He's confined somewhere-they have a couple of different camps. She was with the FBI and they stockpiled supplies and ammo and weapons and food. The whole time we've been trying to find a safe place and lost our people-Herschel, Beth, Lori….the whole damn time the big shots were safe in all these hiding places around the country." Glen shook his head angrily. "Leanora, that's her name, told me and then Maggie that her group is in charge in this area and that they'd been watching Negan a while. And she said Enid is a spy of his-that's how they knew where the RV was headed and what roads to block." At the look of anger on Daryl's face, Glen nodded. "Yeah, they have her the same place Negan is. I don't know where, but she promised those two would pay for what they've done."

"How's Maggie? And the baby?" Daryl mumbled.

"Good. The baby is safe, but Maggie will have to be on bedrest a while," Glen answered, rolling his eyes at the thought of Maggie being on bedrest.

Daryl smirked. "Good luck with that," Daryl rasped and began to cough. Glen helped Daryl sit up a bit and gave him a glass of water which Daryl greedily drank down. Sighing Daryl nodded at Glen that he could lean back again.

Hearing a noise near the door, they both tensed up out of habit as the door swung open.

"Rick!" Glen called out and jogged over to the door to throw his arms around Rick in welcome. Rick laughed and hugged Glen back then looked around the room inquisitively.

"Looks like they been taking care of you all real well," he said, nodding his head as he continued to look around.

"Yeah, this place is pretty well supplied," Glen replied. "How was the camp you've been at?"

"Same," Rick answered. "Food, supplies, running water, lights-they've also been very open with information about what's been going on –not just here but everywhere," Rick looked at Glen searchingly.

"So they told you about the safe places, and how they knew something was going to happen?" Glen said, anger seeping back into his voice.

Rick nodded. "Yeah, we got the abbreviated version like I'm sure you did. We were right near a safe camp when we were in the prison. If they'd helped us, we would never have lost Lori or Herschel or Beth or any of the others," Rick gritted out.

A yelp from Daryl drew their attention and they crossed over to his bedside.

"What the fuck're ya saying?" Daryl snarled.

Rick and Glen looked at each other, then at Daryl. "We found out there was a place like this right near the prison-or near enough that they could have easily taken us in. We're damn lucky Leanora is in charge of this place-otherwise we'd be at the mercy of that lunatic Negan." Rick paused to let this sink in. "We owe her our lives. And we've been invited to join her group-live with them underground in these camps or stay in Alexandria but with them giving us supplies and helping us better fortify the town."

Glen nodded eagerly. "Yeah, I already told Leanora that Maggie and I are staying put until the baby comes. I've had enough close calls the last couple of months-I don't want to take any more chances of one of us not making it through another herd overrun or another group like Negan's coming around."

Rick nodded. "Michonne and I talked too. I want Carl and Judith to stay safe. Michonne and I are going back to Alexandria and help fortify the place, but then we're coming back to be with Carl and Judith. And anyone who wants to join us is welcome. But I'm like Glen-I've had enough of close calls and sleepless nights and wondering when the next disaster is going to happen. Carl's already lost an eye-I'm lucky it wasn't worse. And Judith needs a safe place to grow up," and he sighed wearily, rubbing his hand over his face.

Daryl listened quietly. Logically he knew he wasn't in any shape to go anywhere for a while-and the thought of recuperating somewhere safe with his family safe nearby went a long way to reducing the stress he'd been constantly under for what felt like years now.

The woman who had been instrumental in their rescue entered the room and stopped at the sight of Rick. She smiled and crossed the room to stand near the three men. "I'm glad you got to come over today. Your friend here seems to finally be awake so you can actually have a real visit," she said.

Daryl watched her closely-he had always had an excellent bullshit detector, but none of his alarm bells went off. She seemed to be sincere in her greeting to Rick. Daryl noted that Glen seemed to already be comfortable with her as he joked a bit with her. Rick too seemed to show her no small measure of respect as he spoke with her. He sighed and shifted about as he listened to them talk about the other camp and plans for moving Judith and Carl here for the time being. Every once in a while, he noted her eyes would glance his way and hold his gaze for just a moment before she turned her attention back to Rick or Glen. He didn't usually appreciate anyone looking directly at him, part of the reason he hadn't cut his hair was so he could hide under the shaggy mess-but her gaze didn't make him feel intimidated, or challenged. It was direct without making him feel uncomfortable. Almost as if she was gauging his reactions to what she was saying-not necessarily for his approval but for his opinion.

She smiled suddenly and turned to go. "I'll let you all visit. I'll have someone bring some food and drinks for you all –I'm sure Maggie will be starving when she wakes up," she called out as she went out the door.

Rick and Glen turned and gazed speculatively at Daryl. "What the fuck are you two lookin' at me like that for?" he snapped as he shifted about restlessly.

Glen smirked at Rick. "Somebody has an admirer," he said teasingly.

Rick's eyebrows went up and he smirked as well. "So it seems," he drawled.

Daryl glared at the two men. "What the fuck are you two yapping about?" he huffed, crossing his arms across his chest and then wincing at the pain in his shoulder.

"All I know is she was in here the last three nights when you were knocked out-slept right there in that chair by your bedside," Glen stated matter of factly.

Daryl flushed with embarrassment. "The fuck you say."

Rick hummed and nodded in agreement. "All I know is those looks she was giving you just now-well she looked the cat that had gotten a hold of the cream," he teased.

Daryl rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Thought it was me that had been drugged up the last few days-guess they been slippin' something to you two as well," he huffed again.

Rick and Glen clapped each other's backs and snickered. "We'll see about that Dixon, we'll see," Rick laughed again at the look on Daryl's face-his cheeks were red with embarrassment but there was something else there as well-it seemed to Rick that Leanora wasn't the only one who was smitten. He sent up a silent prayer that after all that had happened to them all this would finally be a time of rest and maybe some happiness for his family. Especially Daryl.