Chapter 10

Charlie leaned the bow against the wall just inside Daryl's cell. The looks she got from Andrea and Maggie as she carried it back into their section made her smile. She wasn't smiling now though. Daryl was on his side, eyes closed. She hoped he was asleep. She was almost out of the door when he spoke. "Best be a good reason you took that."

Charlie flinched. She wiped the sweat off her top lip with her shirt. "There was." She was gone before he had a chance to ask her what that reason was.

The heat was unbearable. The air suffocating. She knew Daryl's temp was at an all-time high right now. Michone was right, he was pissed. Good thing she got away when she did. Charlie made her way outside. He'd cool down eventually. A warm summer downpour greeted her. Beth and Carl were chasing each other through the rain laughing and splashing one another in the deeper puddles. She smiled at the sight of them. It was almost normal childish behavior except for the walkers growling by the gate. Their constant presence was getting on Charlie's nerves. Why couldn't they just enjoy a normal day for a change? Why did these things always find them?

Charlie passed by Carl and told both of the kids to make sure they stayed away from the garden. Brown had moved all of their things here regardless of her feelings about it. The prison was ideal if there wasn't the threat of Woodbury. Plus there was the promise she made to Dom. Besides he really didn't believe there was a threat because nothing more had happened.

She stopped walking at the edge of the garden. It was a small plot of earth they had dug by hand using a tuna can and a shovel. She smiled at the neat rows of tilled dirt. String beans of all things, she hated them but would learn to love them if it meant their survival. Brown was resourceful and always believed he would find a place they could stay permanently. Maybe that is why he decided so quickly to remain here. Well if this was the place, Brown certainly was ready for the long haul.

Back in the early days when it was easy to loot fully stocked and abandoned stores, Adam had cleaned out the seed racks. As they planted these string beans Mel had admitted that she thought her brother was crazy in the beginning. Now she thought he was the smartest person in the world. Charlie would have to agree, if and only if these sprouted. And if they did, next year God willing, she would help sprout the seeds for an earlier planting. He had everything, peppers, tomatoes, squash, and cucumbers…anything you could grow in a home garden. Surely they could figure out how to do this with Hershel's help.

Maybe this was the way they were supposed to live, off the land and self-sufficient? She couldn't help the sarcastic words that slipped out of her mouth. "That is bullshit and you know it. This isn't the way it should be; people shouldn't be eating other people."

With the sound of the rain beating on the fresh ground and the walkers at the fence Charlie didn't hear Daryl until he spoke. "Yeah but they are, get used to it. What are you doing out here?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing once I caught my breath. You scared me!" She waited for him to yell at her for taking his bow but he didn't say anything about it.

Daryl looked at the wet strands of hair sticking to her face. One of them was long enough to reach the corner of her mouth. The temptation to sweep it away was overwhelming. There was so much tension between them. They were both to blame. They would be okay if he didn't yell at her and if she hadn't confused things between them by crossing a line that shouldn't have been crossed. He questioned his own feelings. What was wrong with kissing her? He wanted to more now than ever. Immediately answers came to mind. Don't get attached. People you love die. You can't protect them. Anger and frustration bubbled to the surface. He couldn't help his tone. "Are you crazy? You're getting soaked!"

He was always mad at her now. It was getting annoying. If he didn't want to be around her he didn't have to. "No one asked you to come out here. If you don't like it go back inside!" Two more walkers joined the three that were already there. They pushed on the fence getting louder by the minute. Something snapped in Charlie. Her frustration of leaving the house and Daryl's attitude got to her. She pulled the long blade knife from her hip, sticking it into the first walker. The others tried to grab at her through the fence. She pulled her knife free and took care of two more in short stabbing bursts.

Daryl moved closer to her. "Stop!"

Charlie looked at him. "No, I can't take this anymore! They keep hissing and growling constantly. I can't stand it!" She moved closer to the fence. "Come on you bastards come and get it!" She stabbed another. A couple more staggered over catching the attention of three further away. Daryl was right behind her when a smaller female managed to slip her dead hand through the chain link and grab Charlie's shirt. The walker pulled her against the fence and snapped at Charlie's face. Daryl shoved Charlie away from it making her fall backwards onto her ass. He yanked his knife out, plunging it deep into the eye of the walker. Quickly he fished off the other few that staggered up.

"I had that! You didn't' need to rescue me. What if you hurt yourself again? You might not live this time!" She got up. Now not only was her pants wet they were muddy too. "I was doing it. All y'all constantly yapping about everyone doing their part, yet when I try to help you tell me to leave you alone! You tell me I can't handle it. Just say it Daryl. I'm not good enough for you!"

"I've never said that. All I said was stop killing them."

"You didn't have to. I get it I shouldn't have kissed you. Don't worry I won't do it again." She watched as he held his side. She knew killing those walkers had been a strain on him. Her heart wanted nothing more than to go to him and help him back to his bed. It killed her that she wanted him and he obviously didn't want her. Most of all she was mad that she fell for him in the first place. She waited a few seconds hoping he would tell her he wanted her to kiss him. Or maybe he would pull her into his arms and show her he wanted to. When he didn't she spun on her heels, running to the prison. Halfway there she looked back calling out to him. "And Daryl, if you are well enough to be out here, you don't need a nurse anymore. I'm moving into my own cellblock."

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Charlie had slipped in the mud a few times and it gave him a chance to catch up to her. At the doorway he grabbed her arm. "What cellblock?"

Charlie didn't get to answer because Carol came out with clean clothing folded neatly in a pile. She took one look at Daryl and gasped. "You are going to catch pneumonia! Get in there and change."

Charlie rolled her eyes. It was hot as hell in here and outside. A nice warm rain was not going to get him sick. To his credit he didn't jump when ordered. He faced Charlie full on. Through clenched teeth he growled, "What Cellblock?"

"The one next door. Michone and I cleaned it out. It is actually nice in there. It will be a good place for Brown, Mel and me. Or anyone else who wants a little more space."

"Mel came out of her cell. What's wrong with the space we have? I kind of like being here."

Charlie rolled her eyes again, what Mel liked was Hershel. Even though Hershel was fifteen years older than Mel she thought he was perfect and the only man on earth. They seemed to be spending a great deal of time together talking about everything and anything. "Fine stay here." Charlie looked at Adam Brown. "And I'm sure you like where you're at too."

Brown stood with his hands on his hips as he angrily stared at her. She couldn't help but notice it was the same posture Rick used. Was Brown following Rick's example because he thought one day he could lead the group? Charlie knew Brown wasn't the challenging type and he wouldn't demand to be in charge. Yet maybe he thought he would go back to a leadership role with the three of them. Maybe back at the house. Her hopes were dashed a second later when Brown spoke.

"We can't go back to the house! And I think we ought to stay in the cells we were given. Sticking together is better, strength in numbers. Just forget about it Charlie."

Charlie went into the cell she shared with Mel, grabbing her things which consisted of a plastic shopping bag. All her worldly goods rolled up into one t-shirt style store bag. It brought tears to her eyes. She didn't' care about possessions it was family that mattered. All the pictures and videos gone. Everything Charlie had was digital and with the technology age over she had nothing left. She went to the door separating the two areas. "I'll stay there myself then." Charlie marched through the door slamming it behind her. The clang of the bars rattled long after she was gone.

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Daryl charged into his section of the prison. Merle watched him bag up his stuff. "What are you doing?"

"She ain't staying over there by herself!"

"You going with her? Leave old Merle by himself?" Merle put his hand on his heart as if he was hurt.

"I ain't sleeping in no cage. I can sleep on the floor there just as easy as here."

Rick stood in the doorway. "I don't like this. I don't like this one bit. We need to stay together."

"We are together. We are all in this place, together. Won't hurt none to spread out a bit. We put the single men in the middle, woman and children here and the couples on that end." He didn't want to think about the fact that he and Charlie weren't a couple.

What Daryl said made sense but Rick couldn't help shake was the feeling that Daryl belonged with them. Maybe it was wrong to have a "them and us" mentality. Rick couldn't help it; they had been through too much together to break this group up.

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Charlie was pulling a mattress up the stairs and talking to herself when Daryl came in to the block. The words she used made Daryl smile. She was pissed. He made sure he was loud when he shouted, "Who you talking to?"

He scared her again making her lose her grip. The mattress slide down the stairs. "SON OF A BITCH!" She looked at Daryl. "What are you doing? I'm not coming back over there. So don't try to convince me."

"Not tryin to convince ya. I'm staying over here." Daryl normally liked to sleep on the second floor but he wasn't sure if he should with her already up there. "I ain't letting ya over here alone."

"You don't have to do this you should stay with your group." Charlie couldn't believe she was trying to talk him out of it. She didn't want him to leave.

"It ain't like we moved to another country; we're one hallway over see?" Daryl tilted his head back and yelled "Rick!"

"Yeah?" Rick's voice echoed off the walls.

"Nothin just checking the acoustics."

"What's all this yelling about baby brother?" Merle came in carrying his bedroll and bag. After Daryl shot him a dirty look Merle shrugged. "We've been apart long enough don't ya think. B'sides you need someone to protect your pussy ass."

Daryl glared at Merle. "I'm not a pussy."

Merle drew close enough to Daryl. Normally this is where the fists would fly but Merle was past that at least until Daryl healed some more. He leaned in close tried to whisper but didn't quiet pull it off. "Yeah you are because if yer weren't you'd be up there with her and not making your bed out here like a dog. Pussy!"