J POV
I chew on my lip trying to to giggle at how embarrassed Daryl has gotten. When he said I looked cute it nearly floored me. I kinda didn't realise he had actually said it until I seen his face fall at his little slip up. I can't deny that my heart skipped a beat much like when he called me "darlin". I didn't call him on it because I liked it and if I did he would get embarrassed much like he is now and he would never say it again.
He looked sort of happy through his embarrassment when I told him he looked cute too and I am desperately trying not to laugh as he waits nervously for my answer.
"Yeah I wanna shoot it," I finally say as he starts looking a little uncomfortable. He looks relieved when I finally answer and I smile. He is just about to shrug the crossbow off his shoulder when we hear someone clear their throats. We spin round together him raising his crossbow and me the pole at the man on the other side of the fence. His eyes widen and his hands fly skyward as he stares at us.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," he gasps as we glare at him.
"Who the hell are you?" Daryl asks his voice gruff and threatening. The mans blue eyes dart between us and he swallows hard when his eyes focus on the crossbow aimed at his head.
"Hey man I'm sorry I didn't mean to sneak up I just… I can't believe I found you guys. I have been alone for so long."
"I didn't ask for yer life story," Daryl says stepping closer keeping his crossbow raised. "Who the hell are you?"
"I'm sorry, I'm Zach. My name is Zach," he says his focus now clearly on Daryl. He stays quite as Daryl looks him over. I look between the two of them.
"How long have you been alone?" I ask startling them both. Daryl looks round at me with his eyes narrowed slightly. I ignore him and keep my eyes on the man.
"A few weeks now. It was me and my brother but then they got him," he says his eyes falling to the pile of walkers on the floor. I look over the man and see he is a little thin and he looks filthy, like he has been on the move for a long time. He looks around him as a few walkers starts moving towards him.
"Are you guys alone? Is there a group in there?" he asks.
"Why so interested?" Daryl asks sounding cautious. I move forward putting my hand on the crossbow and pushing it down.
"Ask him," I say looking at Daryl. He stares at me like I am mad and he grabs my arm moving me away from the guy.
"We don't know this guy," he whispers close to my ear.
"You didn't know me and you took me in," I argue. His eyes narrow as Zach moves off to dispatch of the walkers who are closer to him.
"You were different," he says watching Zach still. I put my hand on his arm making him look back at me. His eyes are dark as he looks back at me and my breath catches a little.
"He'll die if we leave him out here. Give him a chance," I say pleadingly. Daryl stares down at me and I can almost feel the cogs turning in his head. He groans and nods.
"Fine," he says moving back to the fence and the man who is stood there breathing a little heavy now with a hopeful look on his face.
"How many walkers've ya killed?" Daryl asks. Zach stares at him confused before looking at me.
"Just answer the question," I implore. He frowns a little but looks back at Daryl.
"I don't know. I lost count."
"How many people you kill?" The man hesitates before answering.
"One," he says his voice full of sadness and before Daryl even asks the next question I know the answer.
"Why?"
"He got bit, he was dying and he asked me to," Zach says his eyes filling with tears. I feel my throat tightening and Daryl nods.
"Move over to the gate an' I'll let ya in," he says. Zach's eyes widen in surprise and he smiles widely. "Jist know ya try anythin' I'll have no problems with killin' ya maself," Daryl adds. Zach nods and he crosses his heart.
"I promise man, I just want somewhere where people ain't trying to eat me. I'll be good," he promises. He moves off towards the gate and I join Daryl as he moves off. I nudge him with my elbow and he look down at me.
"You're doing the right thing," I say. He grumbles as he looks back at Zach who is waiting patiently at the gate.
"We'll see," he says and I chuckle. He looks down at me frowning.
"Always so serious," I say putting on a grumpy face. He frowns at me but I can see he is fighting a smile.
"Shuddup," he grumbles and I smile up at him.
Zach smiles at us as we reach the gate. Daryl is scowling still and I return his smile as Daryl unlocks the gate. He pulls it open and Zach slides in grinning like a fool. He looks around at the prison and looks like he has just won the lottery.
We stare at him and wait for him to finish looking at everything. He looks back at us and his smile vanishes.
"What?"
"Ya got any weapons cept that crow bar?" Daryl asks looking down at the bloody crow bar.
"I have an empty pistol in my bag but you guys can have them. I don't want you worrying about me trying to hurt any one," he says shrugging his bag off and dropping the crowbar. Daryl picks them up and Zach waits patiently.
"That everything?" Daryl asks his tone making it clear that if he wasn't telling the truth and he was hiding something else he would be fed to the walkers.
"I have nothing else man. I'll strip naked if that's what it takes to prove it to ya," Zach says moving to unbutton his shirt.
"Keep yer clothes on!" Daryl snaps and Zach's hands drop.
"No problem man," he says nodding. I try not to laugh and I see Daryl scowling at me from the corner of my eyes.
"Look man, I'm sorry to interrupt you guys y'all looked kinda in the middle of somethin' but when I saw ya I just couldn't ignore it," Zach says looking between the two of us. I frown at him and he goes on. "I would be scowling at me too if some punk ass kid interrupted my make out session…"
"We weren't…"
"Ya talkin' bout…"
Daryl and I stare at Zach both with wide eyes and I can almost feel the heat radiating off Daryl, or is that my face?
Zach looks between us trying not to smile.
"I'm sorry, y'all just looked like you were gonna…"
"Shut yer damn mouth," Daryl snaps and I look down at the ground frowning.
"Sorry man I just though…"
"Well don't," Daryl snaps. I frown deeper and keep my eyes on the floor. I can't help but feel a little hurt that the thought of kissing me has gotten him this mad. We walk in silence back into the prison until Daryl stops us in the hallway.
"You wait here," he says looking as Zach. His eyes flicker to me then quickly away. "Can you stay with him? If he moves shoot first as questions later," he says his warning glance pinning Zach to the spot.
"Hey man I'm not gonna move a muscle," he says crossing over his heart. Daryl looks at me and nods before he turns and leaves. Zach stands quietly for a few seconds then opens his mouth to speak.
"Just shut the hell up," I snap angry with him for making Daryl act that way. His lips pop shut and he stays quiet while we wait.
D POV
Ma head is spinnin' as I crash through the door to the mess hall. Heads snap round as I enter everyone lookin' at me like I have gone mad. Maybe I have it sure feels that way.
"Who's on watch?" I ask loudly as ma eyes scan the room. Rick gets up an' moves across the room slowly like he is worried I'm gonna fly off the handle.
"Maggie, Glenn and Axel. Why?" He asks his tone slow an' calmin' but he is frownin' at me.
"Some kid has just walked right up to me an' Jess at the fence like he fuckin' owned the joint," I say tryin' to stay calm.
"A kid?" Carl asks movin' next to Rick. "How old?"
"How did he get the slip on you?" Rick asks soundin' serious but I see him tryin' not to smile. I feel ma face get red an' I look away before I answer.
"That ain't important, he should never have gotten close enough," I say through ma teeth trying to fight the urge to run away. I'm embarrassed that I have let myself slip an' become distracted. I couldn't help it but at the time Jess was all I saw nothin' else.
"Where is he Daryl?" Rick asks after a few moments snappin' me outta ma memory of Jess an' her smilin' face. Man I just wanted to kiss her then…
"Daryl!" Rick snaps I shake ma head an' point ma thumb over my shoulder.
"He's with Jess," I say quietly. Ricks eyes widen slightly an' he stares at me.
"You left a stranger with Jess, alone?" he asks soundin' confused an' a little worried. His worry snaps me outta ma daze an' I feel ma back straighten. I nod once tryin' not to show the worry I'm now feelin'.
"Seemed harmless."
"So did the Govenour," Rick says quietly. Panic runs through me an' I turn rushin' back through the dark hall followed by Rick an' Carl who both unclip their guns.
When I round the corner the guys hasn't moved an' jess looks relaxed but pissed.
"Ya alright?" Rick asks putting his arm on her shoulder and squeezin'. She smiles up at him an' her eyes flicker to me. Her face falls off her face. She looks back at Rick.
"I'm fine," she says. "He started talking but I told him to shut it and he did." She looks over at Zach who is lookin' between Rick an' Carl like he has never seen something so interestin'. Carl is starin' at him with a hard look that he wears almost all the time now an' Rick looks him over.
I move over to Jess an' put a hand on her arm about to apologize for leavin' her alone with him but the word stick in ma mouth when she shrugs me off an' she walks away without even lookin' at me. The hall is silent as she walks away until Zach lets out a low whistle.
"Women," he says with a sigh. I turn to glare at him.
"Whatcha say to her?"
"I didn't say anything man. It's like she said she told me to shut it and I did. She had a gun. I ain't gonna argue with her," Zach says quickly as he looks between me an' Rick. I can't help but agree with him but I am still mad.
"Daryl," rick says in a low voice makin' ma eyes snap to him. "Go see what's goin' on. Me an' Carl'll show the kid…"
"It's Zach," he interrupts. Rick glares at him.
"Just shut up," Carl says with a sigh. Zach looks a little shocked to be gettin' told off by a teenager but he shuts his trap.
"Yeh sure?" I ask. Rick nods his head once and grips my shoulder.
"Yeah man, what ever it is work it out. You never know these days," He says quietly but still makin' ma face turn red. I nod an' grunt in agreement before I turn away ignorin' the stares of Carl an' Zach.
"Trouble in paradise?" Zach asks with a chuckle an' I her Rick tellin' him to "Shut it," as I pass through the door.
I walk quietly towards Jess's cell feelin' like I might lose the contents of ma stomach. It's quiet inside with people either ourside or eatin' an' getting' ready for watch. As I approach Jess's cell I hear her a sob and some snifflin'. I slow in my approach suddenly not wantin' to go in there but ma feet keep movin' forward until I'm stood at the other side of her sheet covered doorway.
Don't be a pussy baby brother, Merle growls in ma head an' it is all I need to push the sheet aside an' step into the cell, I clear ma throat an' she turns away from me as I enter. The room is dully lit an' she moved quickly but I seen the tears she is now wipin' away.
"What do you want Daryl?" she snaps as she wipes her face with a towel. I fold ma arms not really knowing why I'm there.
Yer checkin she's alright ya dumb ass.
"You alright?" I grumble. She takes a deep shaky breath before turnin' to face me. Ma heart nearly blows up in ma chest at the sad look on her face an' it nearly floors me. I ball my fists tightly tryin' to regain control of maself.
"I'm fine," she lies in a shaky voice. Her eyes fill with tears and she bites down on her lips to stop it from tremblin'. I frown at her tryin' to sort out the uncomfortable feelin' that I just wanna scoop her up an' let her know she's gonna be ok. I wanna help her, make her feel better but I don't have a clue where to start.
"Yer lyin'," I say makin' her frown an' fold her arms across her chest mirrorin' me. If I didn't know any better I would've thought her anger was ma fault. I haven't done anythin'.
Have I?
"Oh you think so genius?" she snaps as she steps up to me. The anger in her eyes makes me straighten up an' stare down at her cautiously as she glares up at me. I lower ma arm's to ma side ready if she tries to attack me or…
She ain't gonna attack me. I think makin' me shake ma head.
"Just get out Daryl," she says in a quiet defeated voice, surprisin' me.
"What, why?" I splutter confused by her reaction.
"Just get out!" she says shovin' me hard. I move back a step as she keeps shovin' an' hittin' me, hard. "GET OUT!" she screams an' I grab her arms.
"Stop it!" I nearly yell as she struggles with me. She stills at ma raised voice an' stares up at me her eyes wide and wet.
"Why are you here?" she asks in a quite voice as she blinks up at me. A tear rolls down her check an' I fight the urge to wipe it away with ma fingers as I try to make sence of her question.
"I…I…"
Why am I here?
"I'm makin' sure yer ok," I say lamely. She scoffs an' shakes out of my grip.
"Well I'm not so you can leave. Your job is done here," she says with a tone of dismissal. I blink down at her an' suddenly feel angry.
"Why the hell are you mad at me?"
"Why are you here?"
"I told ya, to make sure yer ok," I say with a sigh.
"Yeah but why? Why the hell do you care?" she asks. I stare at her completely frozen.
"I… I just," I can't form a full sentence an' I feel maself getting' pissed. "Yer ma... I needed to know yeh were ok."
"Why Daryl?" she asks in a near whisper an' if she wasn't so damn close I might not have heard her.
I stare down at her an' think of everythin' Rick an' Hershel have been sayin', about everthin' I have bin feelin'. I look over her face then into her eyes that are focused on me, the same startlin' green that had me hooked from the first moment they locked onto mine in her fevered state an' she whisperd "you."
I wanna tell her, I wanna make her feel better, to stop her from cryin' but I can't have that. I can't take that.
Can I?
J POV
My heart is racing in my chest as Daryl stares down at me. He is completely still except for the rise and fall of his chest. I chew on my lips nervously as I wait patiently for an answer to my question.
"Why?" it is such a simple question but he seems to be struggling to come up with anything close to an answer. When I had come back to my cell I had not expected him to follow me. It was the last thing on my mind as I let the tears that had been stinging my eyes spill out.
But here he is checking on me making sure I am ok. I should be grateful, I should thank him for caring but I can't. The only thing I care about is why. Why is he here? Why couldn't he just let me be?
"I care," he finally says after what feels like a lifetime. I didn't even see his lips move as he said it but he definitely did. It was his gruff voice and the worried regretful look in his eyes just proves that he said it. He looks like he wants to run away and when he finally moves I panic.
"What did you say?" I ask quickly. He stills again and his eyes narrow at me.
"Yeh heard me," he says sounding defensive again. I frown up at him fed up with his hot and cold attitude towards me.
"So is that all you wanted to say? I think you should leave. It's been a long day and we wouldn't want people getting the wrong idea with you being in my cell now would we?" I snap finally getting to the reason for my anger and frustration. He straightens up at my words looking confused. I feel myself blush a little but it probably just comes across as an angry flush.
"The hell you goin' on bout?" he snaps as he frowns at me.
"Nothing, it's just…" I sigh and turn away from him. "It's nothing Daryl."
"Clearly it ain't nothin' Jess. Yer pissed at me fir somthin' an' I wanna know what. Spit it out," he snaps his accent thickening with his anger and frustration.
"I care about you too," I mutter quietly still looking at the wall. I try to listen for some reaction from him a gasp, a groan of mortification, his running footsteps but I hear nothing. "I can't help it, you're just so… you've been so nice to me and you have helped me. You saved my life getting those drugs. That isn't something easily forgotten. I heard about how hard you fought to keep me here and everything you have done for me got for me over the last few months. I couldn't help it. I have had a horrible relationship before I came here and you showed me not all guys are horrible," I say into the silent room, I can't seem to stop myself and I go on. "When you were away I was so worried that I wouldn't see you again and that was hard to deal with. I'm sorry but I can't help how I feel and I know you are probably not wanting to hear this and the last thing I want to do is scare you off or make you uncomfortable. I need your friendship and I will take it happily it is so much more important to me that this stupid crush."
The silence stretched out between us and I am almost certain that he has left soundlessly like he always does until I feel a warm hand on my elbow. His hand tugs me around gently and I stare up at him as he eyes me cautiously like I might attack him again. I look into his darkened eyes. He looks like he could turn and run at the slightest noise.
"I'm sorry I shouldn't have…"
"Shut the hell up," he says gruffly as his eyes dart over my face. He steps towards me, his rough hands cupping my face lightly. My eyes widen when I realise what is about to happen and his lips meet mine roughly.
Despite the roughness of the kiss his lips are soft against mine and his stubble tickles my chin before he steps back and drops his hands. I stare at him in shock and he turns and leaves without another word. The sheet flaps in the doorway from his hasty retreat as I rub my smiling lips with my trembling fingers.