Never Look Back

Chapter 10

I woke up to a cold empty cot. I rubbed my eyes and pulled my hoodie down from my head. Daryl wasn't in my cell and I heard Carol and Lori up probably making food. I stumbled out of my cell and went towards the small table that was on the other side of the room. I sat down and looked up at them as the busied themselves around the kitchen. No one else seemed to be around though which was odd. Carl wasn't around and I didn't see Rick or Shane anywhere.

"Where is everyone?" I asked Carol who turned around with a cup of coffee and I smiled taking the mug between both my hands.

"Well Daryl went off hunting and he took Carl with him. Decided he needed to be able to take care of himself in case something ever happened. Shane, Rick, T-Dog and Glenn are moving the cars in and I was just about to join them. We were going to wake you but Daryl told us you didn't sleep too good last night, said he heard you making noises" Carol said and pulled on her mittens. I wasn't Lori's biggest fan at the moment and didn't really want to be left alone with her. It was really nice of Daryl to tell them to let me sleep in though even if I wasn't too happy about it.

"Give me a minute and I'll come with you?" I asked Carol and she nodded and headed to her cell probably to get a hat or something. She had short grey hair and unlike mine which would keep me warm I doubt hers would do the same.

I took sips of my coffee, it was warm and fresh. I quickly went into my cell after putting down my coffee cup and grabbed my gun and my knife. I wasn't going to be caught without something ever again no matter what.

Carol waited for me by the door and she told Beth to watch out for Lori and her father. I had almost forgotten about Hershal. He had been bitten by a walker and maybe saved? We didn't know what he would become but his heart had slowed slightly and just for save measures I saw he was cuffed to the bed in case he did turn. Beth was sat against the wall and gave a small smile to carol acknowledging what she told her.

Poor Beth had last most of her family and now she may lose her father. I walked out with Carol into the cool winter air. They were fixing up the place outside and moving everything inside. The RV was closest to the entrance and then Shane's Jeep. Daryl's motorcycle was nearer towards the prison though towards the entrance.

We watched everyone work and Rick sent me and Carol up to the different guard towers to take watch. I really liked the tower that I was in. Was pretty comfortable and had shade from the hot sun. I watched everyone from up high.

Rick and Lori barely were near each other when she came out to give everyone water. He took it and went away but I also noticed how she looked around before sneaking off to go behind the guard tower. I watched to see if maybe Rick was going to sneak off with her but instead I saw Shane wave at Rick saying something and he jogged over near my tower.

I groaned at the thought of what I might see. I waved over at carol and pointed towards my side and she nodded and started watching both my side and hers. I slipped through the door and over the steps and looked down and sure enough Shane had Lori against the side of the guard tower and was kissing her like there was no tomorrow. His hands were roaming over her shoulders and into her hair while hers just gripped his shoulders.

I was completely disgusted. I kicked the grate and they both looked up and saw me. I waved down at them and went back to my post locking the door. I didn't want them coming up here but I wasn't about to talk to them either. I came back to the post outside and put my arms over the railing. Daryl and Carl were walking back out of the woods and Glenn opened up the fence to let them in from the main road. Closed it behind them and I saw carol waving me over. It looked like it was time for our post to be finished.

I unlocked the door and hopped downstairs and Lori and Shane were nowhere in sight. I wasn't about to be caught by them either. I quickly jogged over to the group and met up with carol. Maggie and Glenn took our position but decided to only take one guard tower.

"Well I think we can all head in maybe relax a bit. I bet Lori is dying to see more people than just Beth and Hershal" Rick said and started walking towards the prison but instead of going with him I grabbed Carol and Daryl bringing them to the side.

"Hey we need to talk" I said lowly and both of them looked at me waiting "I saw Shane and Lori…together" I trailed off.

"They were together while Rick was away but I thought she stopped…" Carol asked.

"Well apparently not and they both know that I know about it. I made my presence known." I told them and Daryl grunted and kicked at the ground.

"Just Wha we need more drama" He mumbled and took out another cigarette taking a drag from it and I could go for one too. I nodded in agreement.

"What are we going to do tell rick?" Carol asked quickly.

"Oh hell Nah. Man will go crazy. He may not act like it but yeh can tell he loves his woman" Daryl said and we started walking back towards the prison now that they weren't within ear shot and inside the prison.

"Maybe we just need to let him catch them and if it goes on again if Carl sees….I hate to bring him into it but it may be the only way. Shane and Rick have been having a match over her always acting like one is more right than the other" Carol whispered slowly.

"Might have te" Daryl said and flicked his burnt out cigarette to the ground and crushed it with his boot.

"I just hope she knows what she's doing. This apocalyptic romance she has going it bullshit" I shuttered. I could barely get one guy and I to at least say there was something more let alone juggle two of them when one was my husband.

"It's not bullshit she just needs to keep it in her pants. She's pregnant for Christ sake" Carol said bitterly and shook her head.

We finally got back to the prison and went inside to see a stand down between Shane and Rick. Daryl rushed to get behind Rick to back him up. Daryl would always have his back but T-Dog was in the middle trying to keep the two men from going at it.

"YOU CAN'T PROTECT YOUR FAMILY!" Shane was yelling and trying to get to rick but was held back by T-Dog. Rick was ready to kill him it looked like and Daryl wasn't about to hold him back, if anything he would encourage it. I knew he hated Shane.

"GET THE FUCK OUT THEN. GO ON GET OUT! THIS ISNT A DEMOCRAZY ANYMORE!" Rick was screaming up a storm and finally moved around T-Dog and tackled Shane to the ground and was beating him down. It wasn't any regular fight. I thought he might kill him actually.

"NO!" Lori ran from her spot and finally grabbed onto rick and he stopped and shrugged her off and got up. Shane had a bloody nose.

"The fuck was that for? Lori. Answer me" He growled and pulled her to him.

"He's your best friend" She mumbled and I felt sorry for her. Maybe she was in love with Shane? Rick was a great guy but you can't help who you fall in love with. She was pregnant with his child though and had fucked Shane only after a week after he was dead apparently.

"I love your family rick! Maybe if you loved them the way I would you wouldn't make these stupid decisions. We should be going to somewhere safer and without the damn redneck whore!" I shouldn't have been shocked at what I heard since I had caught them but I kept my cool but Daryl didn't. He walked forward and punched him hard in the jaw sending Shane flying back down onto the ground.

"Chelle ain't got nothing te do with yer hate for meh or yer pregnant whore here" he spat out.

"He's not worth it Daryl." I grabbed his arm and pulled him with me from the whole commotion to the upstairs part of the block where my cell was. Shane and Rick decided to continue to fight and Carl looked torn between his mom defending and Shane and siding with his father.

Daryl sat up on the concrete with his feet hanging over and I sat between his legs with his arms on either side of me. His chest to my back and we watched the fight like children over something like this. They both were leading the group but rick was right. This wasn't a democracy anymore. Poor Beth and Maggie probably didn't want hear this especially with their father being here.

I lay back against Daryl and his arms were around me a moment after I did so. He seemed to get more comfortable with the idea of touching me which was quite alright with me.

"He ain't right you know" He said. I looked over my shoulder at him but he was just looking away from me over at the wall next to us.

"Bout what?"

"The whole redneck whore thing, cus yer not one." He said and looked at me. I gave him a tiny smile. He was nice under the mean exterior.

"I'd rather be your whore then be what Lori is to him" I said and looked away from him and back down at all of them down there. T-Dog seemed to have gotten them settled them down and where Lori should have been at Rick's side instead it was Beth calming Rick down while Carol was tending to Hershal apparently. Lori was with Shane and poor Carl was with his dad and Beth talking to him. T-Dog had finally walked off.

I hummed to myself and put my chin against the railing and Daryl leaned forward with me keeping me tight against him.

"Whatcha humming?" He asked, his voice was soft and soothing.

"It's called Cold and it's by Aqualung and this girl named Lucy Schwartz. I used to be obsessed with it when I would draw or paint. I would just go into my own little world and let the music take me away" I replied happily. The song was beautiful and I could remember every note and cord that was struck when I heard it played.

I smiled and watched Carol walk over to Rick and give him a light hug and she watched over to where our kitchen was and started up on it.

"I should go help her. We should go help her because I don't think Rick's going to let go of Beth anytime soon. She's a great girl, always made me feel better. Has a way with words" I told him and he chuckled and scooted back to let me out. I grabbed onto his hand and pulled him downstairs towards our mini kitchen as of now. We would unpack more things tomorrow probably and do some laundry.

"We're here to help Carol. Put us to good use" I told her and she looked surprised to see Daryl there but didn't question it.

"Chelle cut some of the vegetables up and Daryl if you could cut the squirrel meat while I start the fire and get the pot going. I'm making some squirrel stew. Hadn't had that in a while and I think we all could use a little TLC" She smiled and gave us our jobs. We stood side by side and chopped up our things. I tried to make everything as normal as possible and I ever danced around a little and I got Carl to laugh when I fell on my ass. I would have a bruise later but it would be okay.

"Did you ever take acting classes when you were in college?" Carol asked.

"Oh we had to take theater for a semester and I was terrible at it. Can't act, momma always said I wore my heart on my sleeves and that's not exactly a good thing for an actor" I said and finished my vegetables and put them in the pot she had stewing. Daryl had finished his as well and I took both boards we used and cleaned them while Carol was stirring it.

"Oh you must know something a monologue maybe?" She asked and sat down on a chair near the stew.

"Hmm let me think I did have to do a monologue but it was really stupid. It came from the godfather but it's a bit brutal maybe some other time" I offered and she nodded.

"Was there anything you really loved doing there?" She asked something else.

"Oh the whole experience was great. I loved going around to the art galleries. That used to be my dream that when I was experienced enough I would open up an art gallery and have famous artists, modern that is, and have their works in my gallery. I was just from a small town so that was like big city dreams." I replied and I looked over at everyone who was just listening even Shane.

Maybe they would get their heads out of their asses and start working together.

"Anyone back there you think might still be there looking for you?" Rick spoke up this time.

"Oh me? Nah. I was a quiet one for sure which is pretty hard to believe but I was mainly a home body when I was in school. Didn't date and I didn't go out just did my thing and read. It's funny because right before I met up with ya'll I was wishing to be back on my stupid green couch with some tea and a book" I giggled and sat on the ground and looked up at them.

I wasn't the youngest of the group but I was pretty close to being that.

Carl was probably 12 and I know Beth was 17 but I think she said her birthday was pretty soon and Carol had told me she was 47 years old. Rick and Lori were in their thirties and Shane was probably around that age but T-Dog never told me his age and I was pretty sure Daryl was older than me and Rick.

"That does sound peaceful" Beth said smiling.

Beth ran after that to go get Glenn and Maggie to come eat Dinner since it would be done soon. It was one thing I had noticed about the group is they had always eaten dinner together since I had met them. It was like something they just did. Even after the world ended they still were like that commercial that told families to eat dinner together every night.

Soon they came in and Carol and I passed bowls out to everyone and they happily took them eating in silence. All you could hear was spoons hitting the bowls. Maybe things would settle now at least.

Rick took Carl to his bed finally to sleep and Lori goes to her own cell for the night and I'm sure Shane would sneak in there at some point.

"Sweetie you should get some sleep. We need to wash clothes tomorrow" Carol said and took my finished bowl from me and kissed my forehead. I smiled and nodded and got up stretching and headed upstairs towards my bed. Hopefully we could find some showers in here that worked even if it was cold water. I climbed into bed and curled up facing the wall since it was still pretty cold despite my warm attire.

Maggie and Glenn Retired and I only heard Daryl and Carol talking downstairs for a little bit before I heard boots against the ground in my room. I turned over and saw Daryl kicking his stuff off. I looked back at the wall and felt him sit on the bed behind me and soon he was lying with me. His face against my neck and his arm over mine while my feet curled up against his, both of us were wearing socks but no shoes. He brought the blanket up over me and I closed my eyes.

I liked his warmth that he brought and how I felt save with him. I'm glad I traveled all the way from Ohio down to Georgia. It had been the best decision I had made in a long time especially saving him from those walkers.

I turned over slightly and curled into him which he didn't seem to mind. I was trying not to make him too uncomfortable but I liked feeling his chest. It was hard and defined. My forearms and hands were against his chest and coat clutching it while his hands rubbed my shoulder and upper back. I yawned and I felt him shaking, probably laughing slightly.

"Shut it" I mumbled.

/Mkay well first off.

Check out one of my favorite reviewer's story. Histoirejolie!

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It's seriously amazing and you know I love to give me reviewers and fellow authors some love. Get to reviewing and give her some love! Also because I didn't finish my picture in time I can't upload the picture of my OC, I don't have a scanner but I can try to take a hires picture of it just to put it up maybe. It depends because I'm such a perfectionist when it comes to my art.

Also one of my other reviewers who have been reviewing since I started this I believe is Mar76. I can always look forward to seeing them pop up on my reviews. :)

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