Daryl leaned back against the concrete pillar in the yard watching the inmates work the yard. Things were calm right now but he knew that could change quickly before anyone really had a chance to react. Tomas was released back to general population after his stay in solitary for starting the fight with Daryl. Daryl wasn't actively tracking him around the yard but he was aware of where he was at, he didn't trust the bastard at all. He had tried to make a name for himself quickly and it back fired on him.
Daryl looked over as Oscar made his way towards him a friendly smile in place, "Well aren't you the picture of relaxation." He laughed.
Axel slid next to him, "For someone who was in a fight not to long ago and the guy already back out you'd think you wouldn't look so..." he waved his hand around at a loss for words.
Daryl looked down at Axel's smaller form and shook his head, "Fuck that. I aint ever been one to let bullshit like that get to me."
Oscar looked at him, "I guess when you hand a man's ass to him the way you did even after the way you got cut up I wouldn't be worried either."
Axel shook his head his hand going to his mustache as he started talking, "Aint like that, someone just gonna try again."
Oscar turned his eyes down to him, "Tell me would you wanna go around with a guy would damn near killed your ass it taking almost a dozen guards to get him off you? No? Didn't think so."
Daryl laughed at them his eyes finding Tomas in the yard watching him. Daryl held his stare causing the other man to eventually break away looking somewhere else. He'd went against a lot rougher men in his life he wasn't about to let that motherfucker get to him. He wasn't going to actively seek him out but if he tried again Daryl would finish it, again.
"DIXON!"
Daryl turned his head seeing a guard waiting on him. Daryl pushed off the wall bidding the two men farewell and walking towards the guard. He made his way through the crowd easily enough. There were men he hadn't noticed before nodding at him as he passed by and some stepping back from him.
"Report to Medical." He ushered Daryl through the door.
Daryl sighed making his way back through the building knowing the fuckin' route by heart by now. He wasn't sure what the fuck they needed him for now but he was getting tired of being poke and prodded. Daryl walked up to the nurses station the guard nodding at him as he moved to make his rounds.
Daryl seen the nurse Maggie walking towards him a clipboard in her hand scribbling as she walked. Maggie raised her eyes to his and looked around the room her eyes searching. She frowned holding her hand up to him to wait a second, she walked over pulling a door open.
"In here."
Daryl walked over and entered the exam room setting down and looking back to her.
"It'll be just a second."
She turned walking from the exam rooms just as a guard brought another man back. He hadn't seen this guy before and quickly letting his eyes roam the room. Getting bored he huffed arching his back and letting it crack and pop.
"At no time are you to be alone with him." The guard warned.
Maggie nodded seriously her posture rigid. The man was openly glaring at her a lecherous gaze sweeping her form. Daryl scowled and shook his head. He had always hated men like that and couldn't abide being around them. His temper usually won out causing him to lose his shit on people.
Carol slid into the open door and smiled at him, "Sorry to have to call you back again. I gotta finish the case report to it can be closed."
Daryl nodded at her his eyes flicking out the door back to the man that was now openly gawking at Carol. Daryl clinched his jaw reeling in his temper before it exploded. Daryl watched as the guard looked towards him uncuffed and setting calmly on the exam table with Carol buzzing around the room. She was relaxed around him not paying attention to him the slightest as she gathered her stuff up. The guard flicked his eyes to the other man before looking at Maggie.
"Do your exam with another nurse present."
Maggie nodded and turned her eyes willing Carol to turn to her. Daryl raised an eyebrow at the nerves he seen Maggie displaying. What time he had been here he had seen Maggie cool, calm, and collected this was something new. Maggie stepped in the room her eyes nervously going to him before she walked up behind Carol.
She leaned forward whispering in her ear. Carol's entire body snapped to attention her form going rigid and he heard the breath leave her body. Daryl flicked his eyes to the guard who ushered the man through the door and onto the opposite table across the room.
Maggie muttered an I'm sorry before walking to the other side of the room.
Carol turned to Daryl her face pale and her face was in a forced state of calm. "Can you pull your shirt off for me Daryl."
Daryl wasted no time in pulling his shirt up and off watching her. Carol checked over his scars her fingers palpating the area where the deep muscle had to be stitched. She looked up at him, "Feels like they've dissolved. Do you have any discomfort?"
"None."
He heard the man huff and let his eyes go to his over Carol's head. The man openly glared at him chest swelling out. Daryl raised an eyebrow at his attempt at intimidation. He smiled at the man nodding his head in greeting watching the man's eyes sweep him and then focus on Carol.
The guard stepped out of the room walking for the coffee pot and lazing against the station. His eyes flicked to Daryl every once in awhile only being able to see him and not the other inmate.
Maggie's voice caught his attention, "Who would you like to make your contact in case something was to happen to you?" Her voice was terse and no nonsense.
Daryl eyes went to Carol as the man began speaking and answering questions for Maggie. She met his eyes and he seen them watering and her face burned red. Tilting his head at her not sure what the fuck to make of it other than her and Maggie must already know the man. Maybe he had been an inmate here before.
The sound of thudding boots echoed down the hall as the guard made his way around checking things again. Just as the sound of his boots dulled to a quiet thud the man's voice whipped out lashing the silence. Carol visibly flinched at his voice unconsciously moving closer to him her body brushing his.
"Well well well." His voice held a deep menace his eyes pinned to Carol. "If it isn't fuckin' Carol Ann."
Hear breath rushed out of her at her name leaving his mouth and she pulled in a breath and straightened her posture. Turning to him, "Ed, just be quiet and do as your told."
Daryl had to give her credit he had seen her face before she turned she was terrified but she managed to keep her voice from cracking. Her back was almost against him as he set but he made no move not sure what to make of what was going on.
"Don't tell me what to do you goddamned uppity cunt." Ed snapped.
Daryl's nostrils flared and a growl rolled through him before he realized what was happening. Ed's eyes went to him trying to size him up and taking in how close Carol was to him. Ed raised up off his seat and stepped into the center of the room just as Maggie stepped in front of him.
"Ed set your ass down NOW!" She barked.
"Shut your fuckin' mouth!" He shoved her to the side causing her to stumble and Ed advanced on Carol his eyes livid and his face red with rage. Carol backed up slamming into Daryl hard as he stood up. Ed was still barking at her, "You goddamned bitch this shit is your fuckin' fault had you just listened to me the first fuckin' time!"
Just as Ed was getting close to Carol reaching for her causing her to yelp and jerk back from him. Maggie was yelling for a guard but Daryl couldn't hear what she was saying over the thundering of blood drowning out all sound as he focused on the man that was intent on putting his hands on a woman. Ed drawled his hand back as if to slap her with a familiarity that ripped through Daryl setting lose a torrent of rage that set him off.
Before he realize what he was doing his large frame loomed over Carol shadowing her. Just as Ed finally registered him Daryl fist connected solidly with him rocking his head back and a sickening crack split the air. Daryl stepped around Carol his body now blocking her from Ed. He growled as Ed righted himself on his feet after stumbling back from the unexpected hit.
Daryl heard the guards yelling but all he could think about was Maggie and Carol and the fuckin' mistake Ed had just made. Ed moved his hand from his face as blood poured from his nose and he made a move as if to come close to Daryl in a threatening manner. He stalled though when Daryl's face changed not sure what the man was seeing.
He seen Maggie out of his peripheral vision move behind him where Carol was. She was holding her arm against her ribs and the thought that she was hurt set him off again just as Ed stepped closer to him. Daryl pivoted shifting his weight and brought his fist up with a resounding hit that slammed Ed meaty jaws together with a strong clack. He slumped to the ground his head lolling to the side.
Daryl felt his chest heaving standing there clinching and unclinching his fist just as the guards burst through the door and took in the sight. Daryl was forced to his knees as his arms were jerked above behind his head interlocking his fingers and resting his hands on the back of his head. The guards were barking at both women and moving around Ed.
Daryl looked down his torso seeing blood splatter across his bare torso and grimaced wishing he had his shirt on or something. The Warden burst through the door his eyes locking on Daryl and skirting over him.
"What the hell happened here?!" He demanded. "
Daryl made no move to talk or explain shit. He tuned Maggie and Carol both out as they talked to the warden about it. His eyes stayed on Ed's form as the man started coming around. Groaning loudly in the room every set of eyes went to him.
The Warden stepped next to him glaring down, "Well Mr. Peletier let's see if we can't find you suitable accommodations." His voice was threatening with a undercurrent of something Daryl couldn't place.
Ed's eyes went to him and then back to the Warden, "He assaulted me."
"Raise this piece of shit up." The Warden barked at the guards.
Men snapping to attention jerked Ed standing and held him there. The Warden eyed him cooly as blood still flowed freely from both Ed's nose and mouth now. Hed spit to the side and Daryl watched with satisfaction as teeth hit the ground. He wasn't quite Buck but he still packed a helluva goddamn hit when he was good and worked up.
"He broke my fuckin' nose goddamn it. I demand to be taken to the hospital."
The Warden chuckled, "Take him to old block."
Daryl watched as the guards forced Ed from the room as the Warden turned to him, "Release his bonds. Stand up Dixon."
Daryl raised himself up fluidly dropping his hands by his side. The Huntely eyed him for a minute before nodding his head, "The guards should have never left him alone with the women. It was right on his admissions form. Had you not been here I'd not like to think what would have happened. It will acknowledged that you intervened in favor of staff preventing harm from coming to them."
Daryl said nothing rubbing his wrist and watching him with an expressionless face. He didn't trust this man not one bit.
Motioning to Carol and Maggie, "He will be dealt with. Neither of you will be around him again at all." He assured.
"One of you attend to his scrapes." With that he was gone just as quickly as he appeared.
Maggie walked towards the door still cradling her side she turned and looked at him. Her eyes were full of gratitude and she swallowed her eyes watering as she looked at him. She opened her mouth to talk but nothing came out and he just nodded at her. He wasn't good with overly emotional people and he'd rather she didn't say anything at all.
Carol grasped his arm pulling him, "Set down and let me see your hands."
Daryl moved easy enough his body still pumped with adrenaline and his chest rising and falling fastly. He took her in her eyes were bright but not like Maggie's own. She had her emotions in check as far as getting upset went. There was something else on her face though that he was trying to figure out.
Carol hummed in her throat dousing his knuckles in alcohol and glancing up at him, her eyes were darker. "Sorry for the burn." Her soft voice was almost a whisper.
Daryl licked his lips and just nodded at her and he watched her eyes track the motion of his mouth. His nostrils flared realizing what the other emotion was on her but he reigned it in knowing where he was at. He watched her every move and touch with heated eyes.
Standing up straight Carol just barely came eye level with him setting down on the table. She smiled at him, "Seeing Ed..." She stopped and looked off licking her lips and chewing the on the softness of her bottom lip. When her eyes came back his her pupils were dilated dangerously,"Seeing Ed get a taste of his own medicine was more than I could have hoped for."
Daryl smirked at her tilting his head and taking her in. She wasn't the type of woman that was in your face beautiful flaunting herself. She was more of a classic beauty from days gone by. The type of woman he had heard his grandfather speak of with reverence growing up. Meeting her eyes again he seen desire burning through her eyes as she studied him just as much.
Carol hand flashed up locking in his hair and dragging him to her mouth. Carol moaned softly against his mouth causing him to growl as she stepped between his spread legs. Her grip tightened in his hair causing him to groan against her before they broke apart panting.
Carol's eyes were unapologetic and Daryl never hated being in prison more than he did in that moment. Had he met Carol outside the prison there was no doubt in his mind he would have pursued her. But here he was just another convict and just as quickly as her desire burned hot through her it would burn out once she came back to reality.