There's Always A Price to Pay

(Daryl's POV)

We could never get a fucking break. I knew those jail rats were trouble and Andrew was the cause of that disaster. When we found him, he gloated about feeding one of us to the Walkers to avenge Tomas and he almost killed Rick, but Oscar…saved him. Maybe he and Axel were good like Zayla said. After we got everything settled down again and our group met back in the yard, Rick did roll call. Zayla, Carol, T-Dog, Lori, Maggie, Sophia and Carl, were MIA and that was way too many people; we still didn't know who Andrew killed or even if he did. We were starting to plan where to look for them when we saw Carol gravely stagger to us from another side of the prison; she had Walker blood on her shirt and hands and her scarf was torn.

She fell to her knees and broke down as she told us that T-Dog sacrificed himself for her and Zayla. I couldn't understand what she was saying about where Zayla was, but I knew she said she was alive. Carol was still bawling into Beth's embrace until we heard a gate open and Carl and Maggie came out, but she was holding something wrapped in Carl's jacket. Rick couldn't get a word in before we heard the fussing of a…baby; he looked at Carl, who just stared at the ground. Nobody needed to ask because when Rick fell to the ground, his life shattering before us, we all knew Lori died…

We watched our leader crumble for a long 20 minutes, the girls crying along with him, but then, he grabbed a fire axe from the side of the building and charged into the prison. We followed him, and he told us to back off , but Glenn still went after him when he went into the tombs and Hershel looked over the baby. She was healthy, but she was going to need formula to keep her strength up. Everyone seemed to look to me for guidance now and I'd do my best to fill in for Rick while he gets his head together. Maggie and I were going out to find formula while everyone took care of the baby and looked for anyone who was still missing.

When we got back, Carol was passed out in a cell while the baby was crying because she was hungry. Beth quickly made the formula and I fed her, shushing and rocking the small girl in my arms; everyone looked at me like I was an alien or something, but I didn't care. I had hope for this little girl, she was strong, a fighter.

"Lil' AssKicker…that's what I'mma call ya'." Everyone smiled.

Rick was in the tombs for the next 4 days, slashing walkers and losing a piece of his sanity by the hour. We still didn't find Zayla or Sophia and Carol was in such a shock, she could barely talk. I still had to manage everyone, set up watch shifts, make sure the breaches were closed, and plan runs, but I was going in the tombs today, so I left Glenn in charge. I didn't see Rick when I came down, but the trail of Walkers would lead me to him eventually; my main concern was finding her. She was still alive, this was Zayla…she had to be.

(Zayla's POV)

I was on the dirty ground, barely able to breathe. There was a stowaway Walker in here and it was lying against the door with my knife sticking out of its head. I don't know how long I've been in here…hours, maybe even days, but I was starving and dehydrated, so it had to have been awhile. I used every ounce of energy to try and get out of this hole, but that door wouldn't budge for anything. My shoulder hurt to a torturous point and I was pretty sure it was bruised, possibly dislocated. My throat was sore from screaming and my hands were wrapped up in some patches from my jeans because they were bleeding from me pounding on that door. I was trembling on the cold concrete and every time I breathed, I wanted to puke because that Walker was rotting by the second.

In my isolation, I started hearing voices. I thought they were coming from the group, but then I actually started to listen. I heard Jim…Amy, Dale…I even heard Shane. Everyone we lost was talking to me, telling me to come with them, but I knew better. I was tripping shit just like when I tried Shrooms, but…I started giving into their company. I laughed when they did, I talked to them…they were still my friends, so what's wrong with having a nice chit-chat? Oh, that's right, they're all dead.

I knew I was dying, but I fought the urge to close my eyes for fear of slipping into the darkness. I looked to the door and I saw the silhouette of someone standing. Didn't I kill that Walker? Who cares, I wouldn't put up much of a fight anyways. I was about to blink to see if it'd go away, but then I heard him say my name…he was there. The man that used to haunt my dreams to the point of insanity, someone who I loved and cared about…my best friend…who left this world long ago…

I mumbled his name over and over. That thick British accent belonged to Skylar and I could see him perfectly as he seemed to start glowing in the darkness. He looked so clean and although I couldn't see what he was wearing, his black hair was managed and his emerald eyes were like fireflies in the darkness.

"Look at you…my poor girl."

"Sk-k-ky?" I rasped.

He came closer and kneeled over me. I felt him move some hair from my face, rub some grime from my cheek and I almost cried, but his presence seemed to ease my pain. Skylar was dead and this was a hallucination, but visions can't touch you!

"The way I left was so selfish…I didn't want to hurt you, but then you found me and…I'm so sorry, love. You shouldn't have had to go through that."

"…it's…ok-kay."

He started at me like he had a big decision to make. My breathing slowed and my vison got fuzzy again. I think he knew he was keeping me from slipping because when he got up, my eyes automatically focused on him.

"You don't have to fight anymore." He beamed and it was the most beautiful thing; Skylar always had a dashing smile.

"I'll take the pain away. No more fighting, no more struggling, just sweet serenity. Just you and me, like before. You deserve to be happy, carefree, and that escape is awaiting you. You've earned it…she's there Zayla, she misses you. Don't you want to see your Mum again?" He smiled again; the softness in his voice matched the kindness gleaming in his sparkling eyes.

My heart started stinging with every beat. This was an invitation to be free of all sufferings and worries…a call from Death. I should take this opportunity to be free and be taken care of because, apparently, I deserved it. Just leave everyone because this was the easy way out and, supposedly, there was a blissful nirvana awaiting my arrival. My Mom was waiting for me to come to her and I briefly wondered if my Dad was there too…all the friends I lost...The others hadn't found me yet, and they probably never would, so the answer should be obvious right? It should be so simple, shouldn't it? I should go, I should do this.

No.

I am not that selfish. I refuse to give into Death's kiss, no matter how marvelous it'd be. Whatever God that wanted me, could look me dead in my eyes, propose the most luxurious utopia he has to offer and you know what I'd do? I'd flip him off without a second thought. I'd destroy his image, tear down his gates and not give a rat's ass about anything because no paradise of mine would be complete without him, without my family. These people need me and I need each and every one of them. I didn't take Jenner's painless escape and I wasn't going to take this one, even if it meant being with Skylar again. Granted, this shithole of a world is a hard life to live, but we've been kicking ass since the shit hit the fan! We've been kicked around and beaten by this life, but I'll be damned if it hasn't made us stronger. I am not one to surrender, I am not taking the easy way out and I will never abandon the ones I love; I still had a hell of a lot of fight left!

I faintly smiled at my mirage and his grew wider until I flipped him off. He shook his head, but smiled again.

"I'll be waiting." He disappeared and I looked around to see if he was really gone.

Not a second after he left, the pain washed over me and I groaned almost like a Walker. I crawled to the door, pain pulsing through every inch of my body, and I tried to get the knife from the Walker's skull; I was not going to give up, I'd find a way out. Every pull took a toll on me and with the hardest one I could muster, it came down on me, pinning me under its dead weight and it's stench polluting my air; I groaned again because now it was damn near impossible to breath with this thing crushing my lungs. I grunted as I tried to push it off of me, but I didn't have anything left.

I let my head softly hit the floor and tried to focus on breathing, when suddenly the door scraped open and a man looked in the cell. He stabbed the Walker in the head and the knife almost went through to mine before he dragged it out and towered over me, his shoulders heaving with rage. My eyes couldn't stay open after I felt his calloused hands pull at my shirt.

(Daryl's POV)

Through the little bit of light seeping through from outside the cell, I could see her perfectly and she was half dead. Her breathing was slow, shallow like her very life was escaping with each breath and I couldn't bear to look at her hands. She had Walker blood everywhere from the shirt down and I could see her paling skin. I couldn't run with her because every time I went faster than a jog she cried out and I didn't want to cause her anymore pain. Everyone gathered around me to see her as I carried her to a clean cell and put her in the cot.

She was so still and I thought it was too late, but Hershel listened for her pulse and she was still there; my tough girl. He sent everyone to get the needed supplies and he told me to talk to her to keep her conscious. I kneeled in front on the bed and held her lifeless hand.

"You listen to me, girl, you hold on. We gonna get ya' patched up and you're gonna be fine. Ya' hear? You can make it through this. I'll rip ya' from His hands if I have to. I ain't givin' up on ya', so don't give up on me."

I didn't know what the hell I was doing, but I was going off instinct. Her thumb twitched and I took that as a good sign, so I kept talking to her. When everyone came back, Hershel cleaned up the minor cuts and scrapes, none of them looking to be from Walkers, before he saw the gash lower on her shoulder. The skin was darkening from being bruised, and her shoulder may have been dislocated, but he told me that she was going to have to get stitches first. We didn't have any more painkillers, since we used them all on him and Carol, so this was going to hurt like a bitch.

I held her top down, my hands bracing on her collarbone and Glenn holding her legs down. Hershel said a quick prayer as he treaded the needle and the second he punctured her skin, her face twisted in pain and she whimpered. I thought this was going to be easy since she was really drained, but when he got into the 2nd stitch, she growled and then the trashing stared. She kicked Glenn off and she screamed when I held her down, putting the smallest amount of pressure near her wound to keep her restrained. Her screams where mixed with fearful whimpers as Hershel continued.

"NO, NO! GO AWAY! I'M NOT COMING WITH YOU! NO, DARYL!" She cried my name and I felt my heart harden like a rock. Maggie came in and she gave Hershel a small box.

"Few tablets of Valium. It was in the Warden's office."

The name sounded familiar and I remembered that Merle was addicted to those things at one point. I guess they were narcotics because he was really happy afterwards…then again he always mixed his drugs with handfuls of others.

Hershel got the foil open as I straddled her torso. I pushed her cheeks together, separating her clenched teeth as she tried clawing at me. She nipped the bottom of my finger, but I got her mouth open and Hershel put the tablets in. He poured a bit of water in her mouth before I clamped my hand over it and waited for her to swallow.

After 15 long minutes, she was happily sighing and her eyes were as big as marbles. Hershel and Glenn would laugh at her whenever she babbled to them or tell them how much she loved them as she stroked their heads; she was so high. Her shoulder wasn't dislocated, but it needed to be wrapped for proper healing. Hershel was finishing up as she stared at me with big starry eyes. When was done, he asked me to stay with her until the drugs wore off and I sat on the other end of the bed. She was sitting up, but her head was in her hands and she was laughing.

She kept up her nonsense talk and she laid in weird positions for the next 20 minutes or so. Now she was face down with one of her legs hanging from the poles on the top bunk.

"Z, you still high?" She pulled her face up and she looked so tired.

"I'm mmm can't be going bubblegum for orange today now…yeah?"

She was still up there, but she was coming down.

I chuckled as I put my hand on her head to make sure she didn't have a bad fever. She was a little warm, but it wasn't anything too bad. She seemed to think otherwise as she huffed and franticly pulled her shirt and jeans off.

"HEY, eyes off! My boy man friend gonna…is will kick…yer ass!" She glared and pulled the blanket up to her shoulders. I snorted.

"Oh yeah? Who's your boy man friend?"

She threw the covers off and stood on her knees so her ass was to my face. She pointed to a spot and on top of her right cheek was something scribbled in cursive. Taking a closer look, inscribed elegantly in cursive said "Property of Daryl Dixon" and I felt my dick twitch.

How long did she have that? Why did she decide that I was good enough to engrave my name on her, making her permanently mine? I knew she liked me and I cared about her so much, but we never really sat down and confirmed we were together. We didn't have to because I'm pretty sure she knew how I felt and it wasn't like anything was going to change. We weren't going to display our relationship. As far as I know, we've been 'together' for a long time, but it was more like an open relationship we didn't know about. She had 3 long-term boyfriends before the apocalypse and I've had fuck knows how many one night stands.

She had her stomach touching the wall, so she could cool off, and when her head went down, she was out. Seeing the opportunity, I kissed her warm cheek.

I told Hershel to come find me when she woke up. Since Rick was still having his mental breakdown, we'd have to make do with the absence of his guidance. I was always used to being on the opposite side of the law, but I wasn't going to let him down and I wasn't going to let anyone else die. We lost T-Dog and Sophia to get this prison and I was going to make sure their deaths weren't for nothing.

(Remember Zayla's roommate? Skylar's re-appearance will have a explaination! The prison parts are almost always going to be long, so heads up to future chapters. Thanks for the reviews, you guys rock!)