Chapter Nine: After Rain

'You call arrows to fall short
Because the snow is at our feet
And when embraces subside and the lilies have died
It comes down to her tears on a sheet

But it's alright because

You cause lanterns to light
And force demons to disperse
And if Lucifer may fear the swift drying of tears
Then for evil you could not be worse'

After Rain – Dermot Kennedy

The silence within the infirmary was deafening. Daryl Dixon was sat as far away from the others as possible, his eyes remaining on the unconscious woman and protective dog by her side. Rick Grimes and Carol Peletier were discussing what the best thing to do was. It had been decided that Rosita and Aaron would head out to Hilltop for the assistance of Doctor Carson, the doctor currently taking care of Maggie. It had become difficult since the death of Denise – the only person who had a viable medical background in Alexandria – for the rest to truly understand what the best treatment was for injuries. They would assist when Denise needed it, and observed what she would do, but it was very different being in the situation where someone relied on them, and only them.

As Rosita and Aaron ventured out in the direction of Hilltop, supplies and weapons upon their person, silence hung heavily in the air. The seriousness of the situation was unfathomable, with neither one of them knowing what to do. The severity of her injury had magnified. She was pale, sickly, and unconscious. She was hooked up to an IV, one of the only things that Carol could do for Violet. Though she was a stranger, she had been no threat to them despite the tense introductions. She had fought with them, which had shown to them that she was worthy.

The door to the infirmary opened, revealing Michonne. Her eyes immediately went towards the unconscious woman then panned towards her lover. Rick met her gaze with sorrowful eyes, and Michonne narrowed her gaze at him. There were some things that both of them did that the other questioned, with both being so guarded.

"Who is that?" Michonne asked.

"It's Violet," Rick answered.

"What happened to her?" Michonne asked, moving closer to where they were stood. She kept a cautious stare upon her. A low growl – a warning – escaped Bones, and Michonne turned to stare at the dog sat by Violet's bedside.

"Bones came to us," Rick explained. "He led us to Violet. Her wound became infected."

Michonne was silent. She noticed his tone, how he didn't go into too much detail and kept it to the point. "She gonna make it?"

"We've called for Doctor Carson," Carol was the one to speak next.

"What are the marks on her body from?" Michonne asked, observing the numerous burns adorning her body. Cigarette and cigar burns irritated her skin, as white scars that had healed were scattered across her body. Violet had been stripped of her clothes due to the fever being unrelenting, and the cool air seemed to help keep her body temperature normal. They were aware that having Violet be so exposed, with her scars and flaws on show wouldn't bode well with her, but they had no other choice. Any type of material seemed to react negatively with her skin, and they could only conclude that the infection was making her skin incredibly sensitive.

"We think Negan," Rick answered. A growl escaped Bones at the mere mention of Negan's name, and Rick used the dogs' reaction as confirmation.

"He torture her, you think?" she asked, to which Rick shrugged.

"It looks like it but we'll only know once she wakes up," Rick replied.

It was decided that they would all remain in the infirmary, keeping watch just in case she turned. Her condition was worsening, though her temperature seemed to be controlled. They watched as Bones settled once they took their desired seats. He laid on the ground, his eyes wide open and ears alert. The occasional whine emitted from him. The light from the lamp on the bedside table bounced off the dog tag around his neck, and Daryl curiously moved forward to look at it. The tag read a name that had never been associated with the dog since he had first encountered him or Violet.

"Huh…" Daryl began. "The dog's real name is Dave."

She felt as though her entire world was falling apart. She followed behind the two men dragging her brother down to where everyone was stood around the large kiln. The huge factory floor was swallowed up by the mass of people she had only seen once or twice since her arrival, all of them waiting anxiously for the main event.

Peter pleaded with the two men. They ignored him and continued on their way, where they stopped in front of Negan. He stood with a sadistic smirk playing on his lips as he watched her reaction to her strong brother being overpowered.

"Please..." she cried to Negan. "You don't have to do this."

"The iron is already on fire," Negan said. "It'd be a waste to let it go cold now, wouldn't it?"

The people around her cheered, and she turned to look at them, shocked at their reaction. She turned back to Negan and shook her head.

"Negan..."

"This is a lesson to you, my girl," he began. "You obey by my rules, and this doesn't have to happen. You didn't fulfil your duty as a wife which means there will be consequences, and oh, look... retribution must be served. Those tears aren't going to stop me from melting the skin from your brother's face, so wipe those pretty eyes of yours and learn from your mistakes."

As Negan grabbed the red-hot iron from the kiln and moved towards Peter, Violet felt anger surge through her veins. She moved towards Dwight as quick as a flash and headbutted him, her hands grabbing the rifle from him. The hysteria from the sudden attack caused shockwaves to ripple through the Saviors.

Dwight recovered on the ground, blood pouring from his broken nose. Negan watched from afar as the scene unfolded, with Violet pointing the rifle in his direction.

"Put that down," Violet ordered him. A smear of Dwight's blood was on her forehead. "I will shoot."

Negan chuckled at her poor attempt to scare him. He stared at her for a moment, his eyes tracing the curves of her body in the little black dress she wore, the same curves he had grown to love. Before he could comprehend what was happening, Dwight had lunged for Violet and threw her to the ground. A knife had been pulled, and as screams filled the factory as Dwight violently sawed through her cheek and all the way to her ear. Negan watched as Violet's ear lobe fell to the ground.

Negan stood in shock as he watched Dwight's anger take over. As Violet's screams and cries filled the air around him, Negan charged towards Dwight and pressed the iron to his face. The sizzle of his skin filled Negan's senses first, then it was the smell of burning flesh. It was a scent that he had grown to know well, and it didn't bother him anymore.

As Dwight collapsed to the ground, he turned to see Violet on the ground, covered in blood. The black dress hid most of it, but the crimson liquid stain her skin and the floor around her. He watched as Peter moved towards her, adding pressure to her cheek.

Negan always prized beautiful possessions, but now his most prized possession was flawed.

It was sometime later and Violet was beginning to stir. Daryl, Rick, Michonne and Carol had drifted off as the night deepened. Daryl woke to the foreign sound, as well as Bones' wet nose nudging him. Daryl checked the surroundings, then turned his attention towards Violet who seemed to be thrashing gently in her sleep. She was panicking, distressed over something.

Bones whined in response to her nightmare. Daryl gently rubbed the dogs head, reassuring him. Daryl could only watch and wonder from where he stood as Violet woke suddenly and slid off the bed, her body naked and bare. She stumbled over to the window of the infirmary, bumping into the chairs that held the sleeping forms of Rick, Michonne and Carol. They woke quickly, but remained still as Daryl motioned for them to not make a sound or any sudden movement.

She examined the surroundings outside, then moved to her bag. She rummaged through her belongings until she got to a book. It was then that she realized where she was, and who was watching her. She glared at Daryl, her eyes flicking from him then to the others.

"Are you working with him?" she snarled, her voice harsh.

"No," Daryl was the one to answer. "Calm down."

"Why am I back here?" she asked.

"Your wound became infected," Daryl explained. "Bones came for us."

Violet glanced towards the dog sat by Daryl's feet. Bones looked away as if guilty.

"We're getting ya help," Daryl continued. "Ya don't have to panic."

"Can you hear that?" Violet's voice was becoming hysterical, panicky and breathless. She moved her attention towards the window again, her eyes frantically searching the empty street outside.

"What can ya hear?"

"The whistling," she muttered. "It won't stop... it never stops..."

Violet grabbed at her head, trying to make the whistling stop. Daryl glanced towards Rick as silence was the only thing they could hear.

"He's always there..."

"Where is he now, Violet?" Rick asked, coming forward.

"Shadows," she whispered, which caused the foursome to glance worriedly at each other.

"You can't hear it?" Violet asked, her voice abrupt.

Daryl was the one to interject, as she realized they were all glancing at each other. "Yeah. We can. But he ain't here."

Violet nodded at him before moving her attention to her notebook. She scribbled in it furiously.

"What ya got there?" Daryl wondered.

She glanced at him for a moment. "I write down any time I hear them whistling. They're always there in the darkness. Waiting, biding their time to take me back. But I'm not going to let them take me back. If they do, I'll never make it out."

Bones began to whine anxiously. It was at that moment that the pieces began to fall into place.

"He's never going to leave me alone until I return to him. But that isn't going to happen. He's dead and he killed him. Just have to keep moving. Keep walking."

Rick took a step forward, his hands up and palms showing his surrender. "Who did he kill, Violet?"

"He took him away from me," she whispered sadly. "My brother. He's gone."

She moved back towards the window, her eyes still as frantic and panicked.

"Nowhere is safe. We have to... we have t-"

Consciousness seeped away from her, and she began to fall to the ground. Daryl rushed towards her, catching her before she collided with the floor.

A faint knock sounded at the door to the infirmary just as Daryl carried her naked form back to the bed. He laid her down gently, covering her modesty with a sheet. Rick remained inside with Doctor Carson as he examined her. Aaron and Rosita sat outside on the steps alongside Michonne, Daryl and Carol. They were all silent, exhaustion playing a huge part in the silence.

It was a while before Rick and Doctor Carson exited the infirmary. Rick's face was solemn, his expression tight.

"Violet seems to be suffering from a serious and deadly infection, however, with the right medication, she should make a full recovery," Doctor Carson explained. "I've given her some medication to eradicate the infection. However, it looks as though her condition is more serious than first thought."

"What do you mean?" Michonne asked, her brow furrowed.

"She's pregnant."

Author's Note: Dun dun dun! Hope you like the little twist! Leave me a review and let me know what you think!