Chapter Nine:

When Willow and Carol returned to the cell block, they found Rick, Daryl, and T-Dog cleaning their weapons. Carol went straight to Daryl to make sure everything was good.

"What happened?" Willow asked the three.

"Helped clear out B-Block," replied T-Dog.

"Anything bad?"

"Nothing we couldn't handle," said Daryl.

Willow nodded and watched Carol talk quietly to Daryl. She turned and walked to her cell and closed everything out.

Hours later, Willow was lying awake in the cell. She wasn't put on watch rotation that night, but knew who would want sleep.

"Willow? What are you doing up?" Glenn asked in a whisper when she stood beside him.

"I'll take your shift."

"Why?"

"Because I feel so useless around here. Plus, I'm sure Maggie wants you beside her."

Glenn nodded, unsure of what Daryl will say in the morning; he was being relieved by him in four hours. Willow watched the Korean descendant return to his cell. Sitting on the floor, she heard someone shift in their sleep.

"Come 'ere," a hoarse whisper called out.

Daryl sat up slightly from his spot, looking at Willow.

"Forget it," she replied.

For some reason, her response pissed him off. He stood, walked down the steps, and knelt in front of her.

"What is it?" he asked.

"What?"

"Why are you up, taking over Glenn's watch? And why hide away from everyone?"

"Couldn't sleep."

"What about the second part?"

Willow didn't say anything; she only looked to the windows. Daryl saw something in the woman's eyes; an emotion he knows all too well from Carol.

Doubt.

"You're part of this group."

"Doesn't seem like it most of the time."

"I kept you off detail tonight; my choice." Willow looked at the man in front of her. "I did it because you're still healing. In my mind, you shouldn't work. Hell, I was ordered not to do anything for two days when I was injured."

"I can still take a shift. It's my side that hurts, not my eyes or ears."

"I'll give you a shift tomorrow," he grumbled.

Silence filled the air between the pair.

"Don't you ever sleep?" she asked a few minutes later.

"Nope."