Chapter 9

Don't Speak

"Well we decided between the two of us to head out and find you guys to see if we could offer any help," Sasha explained, "It isn't safe for just the two of you to be out here on your own looking around."

Emerson was nodding her head quickly, still trying to get her head on straight, pushing her thoughts away from what she and Daryl had been doing just a moment before, "Yeah that's fantas tic, really," she said quickly, "The more help the better," she beamed and walked over to the library counter, grabbed her things and headed outside.

Sasha raised an eyebrow and looked at Daryl, "Is she okay?"

Daryl nodded, "Yeah, just startled," he nodded to the walker behind him, "This son of a bitch almost got her."

Michonne's expression matched Sasha's, but hers was closer to one of skepticism as her eyebrow raised, "Right well, let's head out."

Emerson was walking silently to the motorcycle, her mind was racing a million miles per second, trying to comprehend everything that had just happened. She was just getting situated on the bike, her eyes glancing over to the parked truck that Michonne and Sasha had arrived in, when Daryl walked over to her, "You dropped this book," his voice was quiet and gruff.

She looked up at him and took the horse book from his hands, "Oh yeah, thanks," Emerson put the book in her backpack, "I guess we should get going."

Daryl nodded and said nothing more as he climbed onto the motorcycle. Emerson's arms wrapped around his waist, the engine started, and they were on the road again, followed closely by Sasha and Michonne. They drove for another ten minutes, briefly stopping outside of the Piggly Wiggly, only to find that the parking lot was still swarming with walkers. So Daryl drove on, down the highway, until he saw the signs for the little country church that Emerson had mentioned before. Daryl pulled his bike up into the dirt driveway and Emerson was off the vehicle the minute it was stopped, her hand resting nervously on the butt of her gun.

"So what is the idea behind this place?" Sasha asked.

"Well," Emerson looked around, her eyes taking in the sight of the relatively undisturbed property, "If daddy was feeling from a horde he may have tried to come in here. He would have thought a church was the best place to take shelter."

"Alright well, let's check it out then," Michonne said as she walked towards the building.

The steps were covered in dead leaves and debris, and Emerson noticed they shook as they walked up them, probably due to the fact that they hadn't been kept up and maintained. Michonne pushed open the door of the church, her katana in hand, followed closely by Sasha and Emerson, with Daryl following from behind with his crossbow out. The sun was streaming through the stained glass windows of the old country church and additional light was being let through the hole in the roof. The damage had likely been caused by the rain and Emerson felt a pang of sadness in her heart as she looked at the toppled over pulpit, thinking of her own church back home. As she stared up at the crucifix that was hanging on the wall, Emerson felt tears threaten to overwhelm her as she thought about what she and Daryl had been doing just a few moments before. She was a good girl and was determined to maintain that ideology, even in the wake of the end of the world.

"I'll check some of these side rooms," Sasha said, pointing to the rooms that lead to the rest of the church.

Emerson gave a weird jerk of her head and she began to walk up the aisle, peeking down the pews for any sign of anything. Her hands instinctively reached out for an old and worn out hymnal, she didn't open it, but just the old leather binding in her soft hands brought her a sense of comfort. She continued to walk until she reached the pulpit and without thinking, Emerson began to brush the dirt and leaves off of it, and began to pick it up.

Daryl watched as Michonne broke off into one of the other side rooms and then he focused his attention back onto the girl, "Em, what are you doing?"

"I just want to pick this up," she grunted, clearly struggling with the weight of the furniture.

Daryl slung his crossbow over his back and ran over to her, "Here let me help."

"No!" she snapped, "I've got it!"

He stepped back and frowned, "Okay." Daryl watched as she continued to struggle with the pulpit, and finally, the piece was standing upright once more.

Emerson proceeded to brush the dirt off the top of the pulpit and nodded, "That's better."

"Are you okay?" Daryl asked quietly.

She looked at him and was about to reply when she heard a voice call, "Emerson, come here now!" The voice belonged to Michonne and Emerson took off running towards the voice. She practically vaulted over a pew and dashed into the men's choir room. Michonne was hunched over a person and she moved so that Emerson could see the person.

"Daddy?" Emerson's voice shook with disbelief and then she was on her knees crawling towards the man.

He was pale and had blood on his shirt, one hand was gripping the front of Michonne's shirt, clearly delirious and unaware of what was going on. "Emmy?" The man's voice murmured, staring up at Michonne.

"Daddy, I'm here," tears began to fall down Emerson's face and she gently turned his cool face towards her, "Daddy it's me."

His eyes were heavy and low, but then he forced them open and he stared up at his only child in wonder, "Princess?"

"Daddy it's me, it's your Emerson," she whispered.

"I'll be god damned," Sasha whispered from the doorway.

"Come on daddy, let's get you out of here," Emerson said quickly. She began to move him and threw his arm around hers, "We have a car and we're at the prison," Emerson was talking quickly, clearly in a state of shock over what was happening, "And Hershel can care for ya, oh and daddy Rick is there."

The man nodded his head numbly, too delirious and exhausted to comprehend. He coughed and as Emerson got her father into a standing position, she noticed how frail he had become. "Daryl," she was completely crying now, "Please Daryl, help me."

Daryl shook himself out of his own shock and then he was on the other side of Mr. Grimes, taking his arm around his neck, "Come on, we'll get ya to the van and get you some medicine," he urged the man.

"Rick?" Mr. Grimes looked at Daryl, completely confused.

"Nah, I'm not Rick but Rick and his kids are at the prison," Daryl explained.

"Come on daddy," Emerson urged.

Together the two helped get Emerson's father out into the sanctuary, with Sasha leading the group and Michonne following closely behind. Emerson was panting by the time they reached the car. Daryl lifted her fathers frail body into the backseat and they stretched him out in the captains bench of the vehicle, and Emerson climbed into the back with him.

"You in?" Daryl asked, eying Emerson with a note of worry.

She nodded, not taking her eyes from her dad, "Let's go."

Daryl closed the door, waited for Sasha and Michonne to get into the car, and then he was mounting his bike. The engines started and then the two vehicles were speeding off back towards the prison. It seemed like a lifetime to Emerson during the entire trip back to the prison. Eventually, as Emerson held her fathers hand, she looked up through the windows of the car as they drove up the driveway.

Daryl dismounted the bike and looked as Rick and Tyreese emerged from the prison, "Get a gurney!" He ordered.

"Why?" Rick frowned and ran over, "Did something happen? Is Emerson okay?"

"Yeah she's fine," Daryl nodded and pulled open the car door, "We found her father."

Tyreese stared in amazement and then he was running back into the prison. Rick's face was white as he stared at his friend, "You—what?"

Emerson jumped out of the way so Daryl could reach into the car and he gently scooped her father into his arms. Emerson got out of the car and threw herself at Rick, sobbing hysterically, "I did it Rick," she had suddenly forgotten all of her anger at him from the day before, "Michonne found him in a little church just down the road from the Piggly Wiggly."

Rick cupped his cousins face and brushed her tears away, "It's okay, he's gonna be okay," he told her, "Let's get him inside."

Emerson pulled away from him just as Tyreese appeared with the gurney with Hershel and Carol closely behind him. "We have to get him to the infirmary," she managed to say.

Hershel pushed Daryl away and began to check the man's vitals, "His heart is weak," he said quietly, "Get him inside to the infirmary like she said."

Daryl and Rick lifted the gurney and followed Hershel inside of the prison. Emerson followed closely behind, her body still shaking as she cried. Michonne reached for the girls hand and held it tightly as they walked through the prison.

"He is seriously dehydrated," Hershel said once the man was laying down on a bed and he could examine him properly.

"He has a horrible cough too," Emerson said, and just as if he heard, her father let out a terrible cough.

"Alright Emerson," Hershel looked at her, "I know you have waited and dreamed about this for a long time but it is time for you to leave. I only want Carol in here to help me. You'll only distract me, you and Rick both."

"No Hershel, I need to be with him," she sobbed, "Please."

"Emerson!" Hershel barked, "I can't save your father if you are in here sobbing like that."

She stared at him and then turned as Daryl gently took her hand and pulled her out of the room, "Come on Em," he whispered.

Emerson followed Daryl who pulled her down the cell block slightly, "Come 'ere and sit down before ya make yourself sick."

She pulled her hand out of his, suddenly aware that he was touching her again, and she was afraid of losing herself again. Emerson wrapped her arms around herself and sat down on a bench, staring down at her hands. Rick settled in beside her and he wrapped a protective arm around his cousin, who leaned into him willingly, "I'm sorry about yesterday," Rick mumbled, "I'm so sorry I didn't listen."

Emerson nodded her head, "I forgive you."

Daryl stood off to the side, eying Emerson, but knowing full well that given everything that had happened that day, he had to keep his distance. He turned his gaze back to Hershel and Carol who were whispering as they administered medicine to Emerson's father.

"I can't believe y'all found him," Maggie said quietly.

Daryl looked up, he had been so engrossed in his thoughts that he hadn't heard the girl walk up. "Yeah, I know. She has fought so hard for this moment and now," He sighed, "I just hope he makes it."

"He seems pretty sickly," Maggie commented, looking through the bars, "Any idea what happened?"

"My guess is that he barred himself up into that church and just couldn't do much," Daryl sighed.

"He's a Grimes, he's tough," Maggie smiled.

It seemed like hours before Carol finally came to retrieve Emerson. "Honey, your dad is awake and carrying cognitive thought patterns, he's asking for you."

Emerson shot up like a rocket and within seconds she was at her fathers side, "Daddy?"

"Hi Princess," he smiled at her and took her hand into his, "How are you?"

"I'm fine daddy," Emerson laughed, "What about you?"

"Oh I'm hanging in there," He chuckled, which quickly turned into a hacking cough.

Emerson looked into the tissue as he coughed and quickly brushed away a tear as she saw the tissue stain with red, "Daddy what happened?"

"Well I lost my things at the Piggly Wiggly and," he shrugged, "I was chased out by those walkers. Did what I could to find shelter. Found the church and it was untouched. I barricaded my way as much as I could and collapsed in that room you found me in," Mr. Grimes sighed, I went through the basement of the church and found some food. Tried to sustain off that and then I started getting sick. I couldn't get out of the church to come find you and I grew sicker," He coughed again, "As it is, Mr. Greene here says I'm not doing that great."

"Well Hershel is the best," Emerson smiled, "You'll be up and at it soon enough."

"That's my girl, keep faith," he brushed her red hair out of her face, "I prayed God would keep you safe in my absence and he did."

"I went on a run," Emerson began to say, "And I went to a store where I found Michonne and Daryl. But I hurt myself," she sighed, "And they brought me here because Daryl wanted Hershel to look at my ankle. That was when I found Rick and Carl."

"Rick is here? As in your cousin?" His eyes were wide.

Emerson turned towards the doorway, "Rick?" She called.

He was at the doorway within seconds and then he was leaning over his Uncle's bedside, "Hi Uncle," Rick greeted quietly.

"God be good," Mr. Grimes exclaimed, his voice was still weak and his eyes were sunken in, but his smile was wide, "And your boy is here too? What about Lori?"

Rick shook his head, "We lost Lori last year when my daughter was born."

"I'm sorry Rick, that is not an easy path to travel," he coughed again, "Excuse me-but it does get easier."

"Yeah," Rick gave a small smile, "I'm so glad you're here."

"God is good and He answered my prayers that my girl would be cared for."

Emerson smiled as she brushed hair out of her fathers face, "He always does care for us."

"That's my girl," Mr. Grimes eyes shut for a moment, "I think I am going to rest Emmy," he mumbled, "Go get yourself some supper."

Emerson nodded, "Okay daddy."

She pressed her lips to his hand and then got to her feet, staring at her father until he was asleep. "You can do what your dad said," Carol told her gently, "I'll stay with him."

Emerson turned and looked at the older woman, "I'll be back, I promise."

"Honey he's okay. Just take your time, get some rest and clean yourself up if you want," Carol smiled, "I won't leave his side."

"Okay," Emerson hugged Carol, "Thank you."

Emerson left the room, followed closely by Rick. She barely glanced at Daryl as she rushed out of the room and headed for the kitchen.

"How's your daddy?" Beth asked when Emerson walked into the room.

Emerson nodded, "I think he is going to be okay." She fixed herself a plate and then headed outside to sit, just for the sake of being away from everyone. Emerson sat down at the table and slowly she began to eat, her mind was still racing as she thought about everything that had happened that day. She wasn't alone for long though, behind her Emerson heard the prison doors slam shut, and then Daryl was sitting down beside her.

"How are you?" He asked quietly.

She nodded, "I'm fine."

He looked down at his hands, "Are you sure? Because you have hardly said a word to me since the library."

"I shouldn't have let go like that," Emerson said quietly.

"What?" Daryl frowned, a little angry because it was difficult enough for him to let himself go like that, especially with someone he had only known for a few weeks; almost two months at the most.

"It was wrong for me to let myself go," Emerson stuck a fork into the cucumber that was on her plate and began to chew it slowly, when she had swallowed she spoke again, "If my father knew he would be so disappointed in me. Never mind what God must think of me."

"All we did was-" Daryl faltered, almost afraid to say it aloud, as if it would lose the meaning, "We kissed, why is that wrong?"

She looked at him and Emerson felt a pain in her chest as she saw the hurt and angry look on Daryl's face, "What would of happened if Sasha and Michonne had not walked in when they did?"

"What are you talking about?" Daryl scowled.

"I felt your erection," Emerson whispered, "You wanted to be with me like-" she bit back the words as if it was a bitter poison she had to swallow.

"Like what?" Daryl swore under his breath and got to his feet, "Yeah I was aroused because I haven't been with anyone in over four years. You were clawing all over me and if it was so damn wrong to your precious god, then you would have stopped. But remember, you kissed first. I reacted to what I thought you wanted."

She looked away from him, "I made vows when I was thirteen that I would stay pure. I was doubting if God was really there and then He brought my father back to me today and that validated it. I am not going to doubt Him again, and I am certainly not going to throw my morals out of the window for a guy."

Daryl laughed, an angry and bitter sound coming from him, "Yeah okay Emerson. Do whatever you want, I hope you're happy being alone with God and your father."

Emerson didn't reply to that, refusing to buy into his cruel words, and she wouldn't look at him because tears were threatening to surface again. There was a long moment of silence with only Daryl's retreating steps, and then the prison doors squeaked open, and the slammed shut behind him. When Emerson was done eating, she retreated to the wash house to clean her face, frowning at the sight of the bruise that Daryl had left on her collarbone. No one had said anything to her about it and she was concerned that eventually someone would comment. Emerson ducked into her room, grabbed a sweater, and then headed back to the infirmary. Rick was sitting with his Uncle, who was awake now, and showing the older man his daughter.

"Hi Princess," Mr. Grimes greeted, "I was just meeting Miss. Judith."

Emerson beamed, her spirits lifting at the sight of her father sitting up in the bed, "Judith is my best friend in this place," she smiled, "Just like Carl used to be."

Carl was standing in the corner and he looked at Emerson, "Hey! You're the one who was always running off with Daryl."

Emerson raised an eyebrow at Carl and shook her head at him.

"You know," Mr. Grimes began, "I keep hearing about this Daryl fellow but I haven't met him yet. I was introduced to the two ladies who helped today, but he is the only one who hasn't come by."

"Daryl is uh," Rick shrugged, "Hard to deal with at best."

"That's the definition of it," Emerson mumbled.

"I can go get him Uncle Henry," Carl offered.

"Oh Carl, I'm sure Daryl doesn't want to be bothered," Emerson said quickly. She noticed the look Rick was giving her but she ignored him.

"Could you see if he is willing?" Mr. Grimes asked, "I would really like to meet the young man."

"Yeah sure," Carl grinned and then headed out of the cell.

Emerson sighed and then sat down in the chair beside her fathers bed. Judith was reaching for her and Emerson happily took the child, "See? She adores me," she told her father.

Mr. Grimes nodded, "Reminds me of you when you were a baby."

Emerson looked down as Judith reached for the necklace around her neck, "She is such a good baby too."

Rick nodded, "That she is."

"You must be Mr. Dixon."

Emerson saw her father was no longer looking at her and her cousin, and his eyes were on the figure in the doorway. She looked down at Judith, forcing her attention on the child, terrified to see Daryl's face, because she already hated herself for what she had said to him.

"Yeah, that's me," Daryl leaned over and shook the offered hand from Mr. Grimes, "Glad to see you're okay."

"You've been helping my daughter according to Carl," Mr. Grimes smiled, "And she said you were the one who brought her back here."

Emerson was convinced that if she looked at Daryl now, she would feel his gaze staring into her head. Instead she glanced up and saw Rick, who was giving her a pointed look, as if he was sensing something had happened.

"Yeah, found her in the grocery store down the road. Guess it was a good thing I did, since her cousin was here the whole time," Daryl's tone was light with the older man.

"You're a good man Mr. Dixon," Henry Grimes said, "Thank you for taking care of my little girl."

Daryl nodded, "Yeah well," he trailed off, "Anyway I have to go get ready for my watch."

"We'll talk some more in the morning," Mr. Grimes smiled, "Thank you."

Daryl nodded at the man and then he was gone.

"Well," Rick stood up, "I'm going to put Judith down and give you two some time alone."

Emerson looked down at the baby, who was pulling at her sweater, and for a brief flash, her bruised collarbone was uncovered. She quickly pulled the sweater back and looked up in time to see her father giving her a look. Emerson blanched and then kissed Judith as she handed her cousin over to Rick. "Good night," Emerson told Rick quietly.

Rick nodded, "Good night Emmy."

Emerson watched her cousins leave the room and then looked to her father, the two of them alone at last.

"So," Mr. Grimes began, "Are you going to tell me what is going on between you and Mr. Dixon?"

A/N- ooooooh. Betcha didn't see that coming!

Review? :)