*Hey everyone. Is this getting intense enough for you? Thanks again to NanamiYatsumaki for each chapter review, makes me smile each time. And thank you/hello to our newest reviewer Morbidgypsy. Thank you for your kind words and I am so happy you are enjoying 'Walking Distance'. I really try to stay canon to the characters as I think it makes it feel a lot more real or true, thanks for picking up on that. I am now getting out two chapters a day ;-) I can't seem to slow down. I am a few chapters ahead of what I publish as I like to give each a proper read through and sometimes a rewrite before I post them.
As always I love hearing from you. Even if it is just a smiley face left by a guest, all reviews are more than welcome.
Daryl watched Jack playing with the small collection of toys that had been accumulated for Judith in the gen-pop room. Something about the scene in front of him made him feel both ill at ease and strangely satisfied. He was caring for this small boy while his mom couldn't, but it should be her. A child shouldn't be playing on the floor of a prison while his mother was out cold in a locked cell.
After stitching up what he could and redressing her wrist, Hershel agreed to Rick's request that she be put in a cell to rest. Her black backpack had a few clothing items, a small med kit, a switchblade, another beretta and some non-perishable food items. She had been prepared to get out quick if she had to, but no one could have been prepared for The Governor's psychotic assault. Rick had agreed to leave her with the bag in her cell, but had taken the knife and gun.
Beth was sitting next to Jack, encouraging him to play, rolling a ball back and forth with him. Daryl was sorting out some dinner for the kid, scooping some of the softer vegetables into a bowl from their stew. Walking back over to Jack, a shrill scream echoed throughout the cell block.
"JAAACK!" The bloodcurdling shout, bounced off the walls and struck an icy chill in Daryl's chest. He dropped the bowl on the nearest table as he ran into the cell room.
Taking the keys from his belt, he stopped in front of the last cell. Carrie was on the floor at the bars. She looked up as Daryl quickly shoved the key into the steel lock. He slid the door open and dropped down on a knee to her level. Carrie looked at Daryl through bleary eyes. It took her a moment to recognise him.
"Where's Jack?" She sobbed, her voice a dry rasp.
"Beth!" Daryl yelled over his shoulder. Beth had already picked up the small boy and was following behind Daryl. She got to the cell just after his call. Beth quickly passed Jack to Carrie on the floor, the mother's arms instantly closing hard on the baby boy's body. Relief swept over the woman, followed closely by a flood of pain from her side. Daryl stood up and gave her and her boy some space, ready to step in if she was going to pass out again.
She held her baby to her chest and sobbed deeply, wincing slightly from the pain of her broken ribs. The panic at waking in a locked prison cell had paralysed Carrie until she realised her son wasn't with her. Her scream had burst from her lips and shocked even herself. Only when she saw Daryl did the memory of her assault return to her.
Carrie still held her son on the floor of the prison cell. Jack was beginning to look uncomfortable and was looking around over his shoulder, pushing slightly away from his clutching mother.
Others were now standing at the cell. Hershel, Maggie, Glenn and Carol had joined Daryl and Beth. Concern and curiosity drawing them in.
Daryl stepped into the small cell and crouched down beside Carrie and Jack.
"Hey," He whispered into her ear so his words were only for her. "Yer okay." He stroked her back slowly, trying to ease her tension and grip on her son. He put his other hand to her arm and applied a slight pressure, rubbing his thumb in a small circle on her skin. Carrie's green eyes lifted to Daryl's face. Her pupil's were pinpoints, the green startlingly brilliant. "Come on Carrie."
Carrie closed her eyes as her grip on Jack slackened softly. Her hands slid, inch by inch, down his back, as Daryl rubbed slowly back and forth across her spine. As soon as he was able, Jack squirmed from Carrie's arms and she watched him slip away from her hands. He stood back from her on wobbly toddler legs and turned back to Beth. He ran to her and grabbed her around her legs. Beth smiled a brief, uncertain smile to Carrie and Daryl.
"He's jus' a baby." Daryl reminded Carrie. "He don't mean anything' by it."
Carrie knew that, but it still struck something painful deep inside her chest to see her son favour another woman over her.
Carol's heart felt for the heartbroken mother on the cell floor.
Carrie closed her eyes again slowly and rocked herself a little. Her breath was coming in short, shallow puffs as she swayed slightly back and forth. She dropped her hands down to the floor beside her and eased herself to the ground. She lay down on her uninjured side, eyes closed tight, as Beth picked up Jack.
Uncertain what to do, Beth looked to Maggie and Glenn. Maggie put her arms around her sister and turned her towards the gen-pop room.
"We're gonna get the little guys some dinner." Maggie said to Daryl and the unlistening form of Carrie. Daryl just nodded and returned his attention to the woman lying with her cheek pressed against the concrete floor.
Hershel hopped forward, easing past Carrie's curled up legs and making his way into the cell. With some help from Daryl he managed to get down on the floor. He felt her neck for her pulse and checked her breathing. Her skin felt clammy and was quite pale.
"She's in shock." The doctor spoke softly to Daryl. "Someone should stay with her for a while."
"I'll do it." Carol's voice spoke firmly. She nodded to Daryl. "I'll stay with her. You go get something to eat, and some for her too."
Daryl didn't know what to do. Carrie was a catatonic mess on the prison cell floor and Carol was offering to take care of her. This was beyond his comfort level. He looked back to Carrie on the floor and brushed her hair away from her face.
Watching the tender gesture, Carol felt a tight heat take hold of the back of her throat, but she pushed it aside in her thoughts and stepped forward, helping Hershel to stand up again.
Daryl stood slowly and turned to the cell door. He stepped past Carrie's curled up legs and looked up to Carol's face. He gave her a brief tight nod and brushed his hand along her upper arm.
"I'll be back in a lil' bit." Daryl said quietly to Carol, as he spotted Rick eyeing him from the entry way to the block.
Carol gave him a tight nod and stepped into the cell. As Daryl walked away, she sunk down on the floor beside Carrie. Repeating Daryl's earlier actions, Carol brushed Carrie's hair back from her face.
The woman on the floor had her eyes shut and was breathing in jagged little huffs, almost like sobs.
"This world," Carol whispered softly to the woman beside her. "It gets to us all sometimes. It takes so much from us, and gives almost nothing in return." She studied Carrie's face and hands. Her facial bruises were blooming into greeny-black tinged clouds on her white skin. Her split lip, swollen slightly and a deep red from her biting at the inside of her mouth. Carrie's long, slender hands lay pressed against the concrete. Her wrist's bandaged and fingernails bitten right back into the nail bed.
Carol looked out the cell door, her thoughts changing to Daryl. She sighed and continued on, "Sometimes it gives us just what we need." Carol brushed her fingers softly over Carrie's hair and closed her eyes.
…...
When Daryl returned to Carrie's cell with a bowl of food for her, Carol was sitting on a chair next to the occupied lower bunk. She stood and walked to Daryl.
"I managed to get her off the floor but she still hasn't really come around yet." Carol whispered.
Daryl looked from the woman in the bunk to Carol's face, she was smiling her natural soft smile and the hard edge seemed to be gone from her eyes.
"Are we good?" Daryl asked in a low voice, daring to ask despite fearing her reply.
"I understand, Daryl." Carol nodded slowly.
Daryl didn't quite get what she meant, but instead of questioning it, he just put his hand to Carol's shoulder and turned back to face Carrie.
Carol slowly stepped out the cell door and watched over her shoulder as Daryl sat on the woman's bunk, at her feet. She sighed softly to herself and walked away.
Daryl sat with the small bowl of warm stew in his hands. He just looked over the curled up woman beside him, pale and broken. Placing the bowl on Carol's vacated chair, Daryl sat back further in the bunk. He put his hands up and held onto the bottom of the upper bed.
"Come on Carrie." He muttered. "Time to get movin'. Can't stay in bed the resta ya life."
Carrie took a shuddering slow breath and let out a small sob. 'Fuck, now she's crying.' Daryl thought to himself.
"Stop." He whispered softly, putting his hand on her leg.
Carrie recoiled from his hand. She clutched her arm in to her ribs and shuffled herself into a sitting position. Her face was glossy with tears and perspiration. While the swelling had subsided, her face was still discoloured. Carrie's breathing was ragged and painful, but she still managed to push herself away from Daryl.
"Don't touch me." She hissed breathlessly. She eyed Daryl with venomous green eyes. Her face twisted into a scathing glare. "This is all your fault."
A sick icy feeling struck Daryl in his chest at her words. He had already been blaming himself, but her words still cut him deep. "I didn't… mean for any a this." He mumbled, looking away from her piercing eyes.
"Get away from me." Her voice cracked into a harsh whisper.
Daryl got up from the bed and stood at the bars of the cell. He looked up quickly to her eyes. She had her back against the cinderblock wall. Her head was heavy but her eyes still had their sting.
"Get out." Her voice was low, barely audible.
Daryl didn't move. He just watched her for a moment. He stepped to the bedside and grabbed the chair. Passing her the bowl of stew, he wordlessly dragged the chair outside the cell. Putting the back of the chair to the open door's bars, he sat, facing away from her.
Carrie had taken the bowl without looking at him. She placed it on the ground beside the bed gingerly. Rolling back to her side, she lay down, turning her back on Daryl outside her cell.
Daryl rest his head against the bars with his eyes closed. He didn't care that other were watching him. His thought's drifted back to his conversation with Rick earlier.
After following Rick out in to the yard, away from the ears of others, Daryl waited silently until Rick spoke.
"I have to ask you this Daryl." Rick began slowly, looking up at him through his eyelashes. "Are we going to have a problem?"
"What'sat suppose ta mean?" Daryl asked in a somewhat hostile way, pushing out his chest.
"I don't mean anything by it, Daryl." Rick looked away, raising his hand in an open gesture to Daryl. "I just want to make sure that everyone is going to be safe. When I was an officer I brought in my fair share of people who were in a state, not to different to Carrie in there."
"She just had the shit kicked outta her Rick!" Daryl shouted. "Cuzza me! I led them there. They never woulda known about her if it wasn't for me and Merle's fucking motorbike!" He kicked angrily at a pile of pallets, stacked beside the wall.
"Daryl. That is not true." Rick shot back. "We both know it was only gonna be a matter of time before he found her out there. If it wasn't about you, and he found them, just out in those woods with all her guns and supplies, he would have just killed them and taken it all. Without a second thought. They're only alive because he wanted to hurt you, by turning them, like your brother." Rick shook his head and paced back and forth.
Daryl bristled at the mention of Merle. But Rick's words were sinking in.
"She ain't gonna be a problem." He wiped roughly at his mouth. "I'll make sure."
Rick stepped towards Daryl and put his hand on the man's shoulder. Daryl nodded at Rick, an agreement passing between their eyes.
Now he sat in front of Carrie's cell as she quietly sobbed behind him. She was stifling her crying, but the soft weeping still made it to Daryl and each noise was a painful stab in his chest. The last of the day's sunlight passed over the window bars, nightfall settling over the prison. He just stayed in the chair, hoping that she would fall asleep soon.
…...
The morning came and Daryl took up his watch at the front of the prison. He was up in the guard's tower, leaning against the platform rail, his crossbow at his back. Rolling his stiff neck, wishing he hadn't slept upright in the chair last night. The morning passed uneventfully. It wasn't until after lunch that something caught Daryl's attention.
Carrie walked out of the cell block, Carol by her side holding Jack. Her arms wrapped tightly around herself, Carrie was getting a tour of the yard. Daryl squinted at them, trying to get a better look at the women. They seemed okay. Carol walked slowly beside Carrie, Jack was resting on Carol's hip but was watching his mother, waiting for her to take him.
They took a short turn around the yard and the cars. Carrie had momentarily stopped at Daryl's bike and looked around the open space of the prison. Despite the distance between them, his eyes met hers briefly. She tightened her arms around herself and turned away.
As they walked back to the cell block door, the yard fence to cell block 'D' slid open. Part of the Woodbury group were making their way into the garden yard. Twenty five or so people walked into the paved yard, Carrie instantly backing away.
Daryl ducked back inside the tower and made his way to the ground before running all-out towards the woman with her back against the brick wall near the cars. Carol was still holding Jack while trying to talk to Carrie.
"It's ok Carrie." She cooed. "They are good people. No one is going to hurt you here."
Carrie had slid down the bricks and was shaking her head, her wide eyes watching the group as they poured into the fenced yard.
Daryl got to the women just before Rick entered the yard. Crouching down beside Carrie, Daryl looked up to Carol first.
"Take the kid inside." Daryl nodded at Jack on her hip. "Don't need to see his momma like this."
Carol pursed her lips in tight and looked at Carrie on the ground with concerned, wide eyes.
"Go ahead Carol." Rick spoke up from behind her. "Daryl?" He was asking if this was going to be the problem they discussed.
Daryl ignored Rick and put his hands to Carrie's face, trying to get her large eyes back to his. When she finally met his stare, she seemed to wake from a daze and fall straight into a delusional state.
"There's too many." She muttered, tears filling her eyes. "There's too many. There's too many."
"There's not too many." Daryl consoled. Not knowing what else to do, he just held onto her gaze. "It's fine. They're all good. You don't have to worry 'bout 'em."
"What's she taking about Daryl?" Rick asked, concerned about her unstable rambling.
"It's nothing' Rick." Daryl snapped at him. "She jus' had some trouble with her last group, s'all." Daryl spoke to Carrie again softly. "'s okay Carrie. Jus' calm down, girl."
Hearing her name broke Carrie from her daze. Her eyes turned fierce as she looked up in to Daryl's face. "You." She accused. "You brought me and Jack here. And now we're going to die." She realised his hands were on her face and she brushed him off roughly. "Get off me! We're going to die! We're going to die, and it's all YOUR FAULT!" Daryl tried to grab hold of her again as she pushed him away. Rick stepped down beside her. He put his hands up in a non-threatening way.
"It's okay. No one is going to hurt you." Rick spoke with his calm, authoritative voice. Carrie just looked at him with wide green eyes, like he was the mad one.
Carrie slapped away Daryl's hands and kicked him away from her position on the ground. She scrambled back away along the wall, adding a scrape to the elbow to her list of injuries. Clutching tightly to her broken ribs, Carrie pushed herself away from the wall and to her feet. Daryl and Rick gave her a little space and looked briefly at each other. Carrie slowly backed away, making her way towards the side entrance to the tombs.
"Carrie, jus' stop and wait a second." Daryl asked. She didn't wait. Carrie slipped into the side door with a last glance over her shoulder.
Daryl looked to Rick. "I got it Rick. Just gimme some time with 'er."
"Okay." Rick sighed. "You got it man." He tossed Daryl the torch from his belt. "Just bring her back from the edge."
Daryl hitched his crossbow back up his shoulder and followed Carrie through the door, to the tombs.
…...