LIGHT A FIRE
{Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who has added this story to their favourites, alerts, followed and reviewed *hugs*. Wow, this chapter has a lot packed into it: Girl talk with Tessa & Sasha, the war with The Governor and a romantic scene between Tessa and Daryl...Enjoy! Please read and review :)}
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the character(s) you don't recognise.
Lyrics: Angels In The Room by Delta Goodrem.
Don't know how I got here, the past has come and gone,
I just know I have found the place my heart belongs,
And I want to stay,
I feel safe here in your light…
-+-
[THE PRISON]
"Sasha?"
Cautiously I entered her cell, only to see her laid out on her back on the hard concrete.
"Sasha!"
She shook her head weakly, managing to reply back with, "I'm just resting…the cold feels good on my skin…"
I quickly knelt down beside her, using my hand to touch her forehead gently, "You're burning up! I'll go and get Herschel-"
"No!" She grasped onto my arm pleadingly, "I'm fine. I just need a few minutes…"
Smiling lightly, I gripped onto her hand comfortingly.
"You're stubborn, you know that right?"
Sasha laughed groggily, "I know, but so are you. Shouldn't you be resting?"
"I can't seem to relax enough so that I can rest…" I trailed off before sighing, "I'd always find myself walking around the prison courtyard with Daryl until the early hours."
At hearing me speak the latter sentence, Sasha had started to laugh gently.
"I guess that I lose the bet…"
I turned to look back at her in confusion, "A bet?"
"With Bob. He thought that there was something goin' on between you and Daryl, I wasn't sure so we both made a bet…I think that I've lost that."
Laughing, I shook my head loosely, "No, there isn't anything going on between us Sasha; I just enjoy his company."
"Mmhmm…" She murmured out sarcastically before watching me closely, "You're not a very good liar Tessa. And I may be oblivious, but even I can sense something between you two."
"Like with you and Bob?" I raised an eyebrow, a slight smirk turning my lips upwards before bringing my free hand up to my mouth to stifle a cough.
"Me and Bob? I just enjoy his company."
Both of us started to laugh softly as I squeezed her hand gently, "It'll be okay…"
"I hope so." She answered back simply before using all of her strength to sit upright, "We'd best go and help Glenn."
"You sure that you're-"
"Tessa, don't get me wrong, I understand why you're askin', but that doesn't mean that I won't kick your ass if you ask me that again." She gave me a firm look but smiled teasingly as she started to push herself onto her feet.
I used the grip I had on her hand to help her, as I steadied her.
Sasha then turned to look at me, her eyes filled with gratitude, "Thank you, this isn't easy on all of us, but you're risking your health-"
"Sasha, I'm infected too! I'm just doing what I can, just like the rest of us. It's Herschel who is risking his life-he's the one who should be thanked."
She nodded slowly, "We're lucky to have him…."
I nodded in agreement as I helped her make her way to the door before she squeezed my hand to get me to look at her, "Sasha? You okay-"
"Tessa, if they don't come back with the meds-"
"They will come back with the meds." I corrected her firmly.
She smiled warily before continuing, "Promise me something?"
"Of course."
"Help my brother to carry on? I don't want to die knowing that he won't be able to function without me."
I looked heartbroken at her plea, "You're not going to die Sasha! I'm making sure that those meds get to you and Glenn!"
"But if they aren't quick enough, Please help him?"
Chewing on my bottom lip, I nodded before replying brokenly, "I'll help him, but you'll be there too! We haven't survived for this long only to be killed off by the god-damn flu!"
Sasha smiled in relief as she then said, "Another thing, you and Daryl-"
"Sash-"
"Promise me that if you get a chance, to take it!"
I sighed softly, "There is never a good time Sasha. We are always on our guard and-"
Cutting me off, she shook her head, "Just promise me?"
"I promise." Smiling, I nudged her jokily, "Never knew that you were a romantic…"
She laughed before coughing and croaking out, "Just trying to spread a little joy."
We made our way to Glenn's cell, both of us feeling sluggish and tired.
Every one of my limbs felt heavier than usual and my throat was so sore that it hurt to swallow.
The minute we started to near the row of cells connected to where Glenn was, all hell suddenly let loose.
Walkers started to stumble out of cells left, right and centre.
From my side, Sasha had started coughing again, her hands gripping onto the wall as she tried to reach for her knife but also stand up without me helping her.
"HERSCHEL?!" I coughed violently, my eyes frantically scanning the nearby area before being forced to take out my gun.
I didn't have enough time to bother with applying silencers or to even worry about whether or not I had enough bullets; I had to protect as many people as I could.
I struggled to keep the gun raised, my limbs protesting against the weight as I shot at a few of the walkers who were trying to make their way towards us.
"Tessa…go and help Glenn!" Sasha coughed out as she looked up at me through hooded eyes.
"I-" Cursing, I was torn.
Walkers still kept coming at me as I carried on shooting, most of my bullets hitting their limbs as it was proving too hard to keep my aim steady.
Screaming echoed all around me with my vision limited to dead bodies and stumbling corpses.
"TESSA!"
Turning at hearing a familiar voice, I looked confused to see Maggie standing behind me and shooting at the walkers, her eyes taking in the scene before her.
"Where's Glenn?"
I turned back around to empty out the last few of my rounds into the walkers that were left, as I replied back, "The first cell block on the left!"
My eyes then zoned in on Herschel who was struggling with a walker who almost had it's jaws clamped down on his arm, as I threw my gun down and took out my knife, clumsily stumbling towards them as I used whatever ounce of strength I had left to strike my knife into it's skull.
Gasping in pain, I breathed deeply, keeling over to cough.
"Maggie! Take this for Glenn whilst I help Tessa and Sasha!" Herschel shakily stood up, giving Maggie something that I couldn't make out before going towards me to help as I shook my head feebly.
"Go and help Glenn!" I looked up at him, "I'll get Sasha into a cell comfortably!"
He looked worried but did as I said, rushing into Glenn's cell to help Maggie, as I weakly staggered over to where Sasha was, collapsing by her side.
"Tessa?!"
I felt so tired and weak.
Pain was rendering me unable to speak or to answer back whoever was calling out me.
My eyelids fluttered as I was still gripping onto my knife tightly, too scared to let it go in case more walkers came towards us.
I suddenly felt a hand enclosing over mine on the knife as I felt it being pulled away before a face came into view.
"Bob?"
"It's okay, we got the meds. You'll be okay…"
The last thing I remember is smiling as my eyes grew too heavy to remain open.
-+-
[SOME TIME LATER]
This overwhelming need to cough and get rid of the tickling in the back of my throat came over me, causing me to immediately sit up, sending my hand flying to my mouth.
Coughing profusely, I groaned, blinking a few times to get my bearings, finally realising that I was laid in my bed.
"Hey…"
Jumping, I widened my eyes, turning towards where I heard the voice, relaxing as my eyes came into contact with a pair of familiar blue ones.
"Daryl? Are you okay? You didn't get hurt on the run?!"
Anxiety came over me as I tried to get up but dizziness took over, clouding my mind as I gripped onto my head with both of my hands to steady myself.
Concern showed on his face as he rushed over to me from where he had been leaning on the wall, gently pushing me back down on the bed.
"You ain't movin' until Herschel says you're better!"
I found myself chuckling at him being so protective as I lifted my eyes up to inspect him, worry flashing across my face at all the blood on him, "You look shaken up…"
He shook his head, "The run didn't go to plan…"
"You're not injured are you?!" Without thinking, I brought my hands up to brush over his chest, rubbing the bits of congealed blood off of his vest.
"I'm fine." He stiffened at my fingers lingering on him, both of us suddenly realising how much this seemingly innocent moment meant.
I moved my hands away from him, looking away to say in a broken tone, "I didn't know what to do. I thought that I was going to die-"
Daryl listened quietly before cutting me off to say defiantly, "Nothin's gonna happen-"
"It will someday…"
The restrictions that I had given myself when it came to Daryl didn't matter anymore.
I had to get something through to him as I had this awful feeling in the back of my mind that something bad was going to happen.
Looking up at him with my blue eyes echoing all of the emotions that had come to fruition between us, I said gently, "I didn't think about how sick I was or what it meant for my life. I thought about you! I knew that I'd never let myself…go…without knowing that you're okay first. And, I don't know why I feel this way or why it's taken this long…"
My voice started to drift away into the ramblings of a scared woman, as I could feel my cheeks burning in embarrassment, "You're the one consistency in my life. When I lost my Dad and Caleb, I never wanted to open my heart again and care for someone else because I couldn't take the pain-I still can't. But you…if any of us survive this until the bitter end then it'd be you! That is why I let you in…"
Daryl remained silent, his eyes staring into mine as he processed everything that I was telling him.
"Tessa-"
"I'm not as strong as you, and there is more that you can teach me than I can teach you. But…" I sighed gently, knowing that I had gone too far now to just back out in fear.
Shakily, I gripped onto the side of the bed, using whatever strength I had to lift my body up and stand to my full height.
I couldn't look him in the eye, fear had taken over momentarily which caused me to look down at the rips in his jeans.
"Tessa…"
Emotional tears were starting to fall tenderly down my cheeks as I whispered, "I've never been in love or felt like I was falling in love…before…"
My eyes then finally lifted up to his as I parted my lips slightly.
Electricity filled the air between us as shivers danced down my spine.
It felt right, the moment felt like it should despite our circumstances.
My lips trembled in anticipation as I made myself search his eyes for a sign to back away and to leave before I do something that we'll both regret.
Only, I didn't see anything but confusion and nervous desire.
Here was a man who'd never hurt me or leave me intentionally, all I had to do was find enough courage to break down the invisible barriers between us both.
Leaning up, I used my right hand to entwine our fingers together, whilst my left hand rested cautiously on his cheek, guiding his face down towards mine as I let my heart take over, feeling his breath lingering on my lips as we were barely inches away from each other.
"Daryl-"
At being interrupted abruptly, I quickly pulled away from him as though I'd been shot, my cheeks burning up as I turned to face Rick who looked slightly awkward.
I cleared my throat, "Rick…are you okay? Is Carl-"
He smiled comfortingly, "We are all fine Tessa, I just wanted to have a word with Daryl."
I daren't look up at Daryl in fear of facing up to how intimate the previous moment had been.
"Of course…uhm…I…I think that…" Cringing internally at how I couldn't string a coherent sentence together, I indicated to behind Rick.
"I'll go and take a walk…"
Rick nodded as he moved out of my to let me pass.
I didn't let myself turn to look back, what could I say to him?
We almost kissed.
I can still feel his hot breath on my lips and the warmth of his calloused fingers in mine.
As I walked slowly outside, I smiled in ecstasy at the sun hitting my skin and the feeling of no longer being cooped up in confinement.
For that moment I was truly happy.
With my eyes closed, my mind was still in the heat of desire and the happiness I was feeling only added to it.
Then I could feel the ground start to shake as a loud boom tore through the prison.
Shock had me confused for a moment as my eyelids burst open and my gaze was drawn to where beyond the fences, a large tank was waiting with a group of people I didn't recognise.
"What the…" I murmured quietly to myself before finally noticing the all-too familiar man who was smirking at us all smugly.
"No…"
I looked around to see who else was around as I noticed Daryl indicating for me to grab a gun quickly whilst Rick hesitantly went over to the fence to have a word with The Governor.
Anger was building up inside me that we couldn't even get a moment to recuperate before having another problem rear it's psychotic head.
I moved as fast as my aching limbs would let me, as I grabbed a gun and approached where Beth and Maggie were watching in fury.
Then the atmosphere changed.
I realised that we were at his mercy.
He had Herschel and Michonne knelt before him whilst he sadistically showed off with Michonne's sword.
Rick frantically tried to negotiate with him; even offering him to come and live inside the prison with us and become a part of our group.
My heart clenched painfully as I knew that some people were just too far gone.
Then again, nothing could of prepared me for what had happened next.
The gleam of the sword was the last thing I remembered as The Governor had brought it swiftly down on Herschel's neck.
"NO!"
I heard Beth and Maggie scream hysterically.
As all hell then broke loose.
