Chapter 11

A vehicle screeches to a halt in front of the Green house. Rick emerges from it, followed by Hershel and Glenn. Carl rushes toward his father, grinning ear to ear.

"Dad!"

Annalyn smiles at the scene. It was rather heartwarming. She glanced over at Andrea, and her smiled vanished. She heard the conversation between her and Dale. Why does she defend Shane? He was nice enough, and she knew they slept together that one? time, but weren't they over?

The thought troubled her heart. She would maybe ask her later. Their sort of relationship was...bumpy.

She gave herself a mental shake and watched as her older sister made her way over the hill towards the house. The woman had spent the night out in the field with Daryl. She had been worried last night, but she knew the man wouldn't allow her to be harmed.

"Patricia, prepare the shed for surgery," Hershel stated, his voice full of urgency and authority.

"Who's hurt…?" Annalyn wondered out loud, her voice barely a whisper.

"Who the hell is that?!" TDog asked, pointing towards the truck. A man sat in the backseat, clearly passed out with a rag covering his eyes.

"That's Randall," Glenn stated.

No one spoke after that.

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After her conversation with Daryl this morning, Ayce stayed in the field. She needed to do some serious thinking. Needed to get some priorities rearranged. Of course, Annalyn was her first. What about after that? It had been Lilith, and now she was dead. Then it was keeping them fed and sheltered, and now they had the whole group, and a house close by. What were her priorities now?

It would always be Annalyn first. But maybe it was time to put herself second?

Ayce plopped down in the grass and began shredding it as she glanced all around. She took her bow off her back and placed it next to her.

"You've been real stupid lately…" she spoke to herself.

It was time to start taking better care of herself. Not running off into the woods looking for lost little girls. Not driving off with worried wives and getting into car wrecks. That's how you get yourself killed. And she wasn't going to leave Annalyn alone. No way in Hell.

I will provide for the group. I will hunt for them. No more rescue missions.

She lie back in the grass and closed her eyes for a few minutes, enjoying the sun on her skin while she could have the peaceful time. When that time was up, she took a deep breath, got up, grabbed her bow, and started for the house again.

A red and white car was parked out front, and she gathered that Rick had made it back.

No one was around, and so she made her way inside. Voices came from the dinning area, and she joined the whole group as Andrea asked, "What do we do with him?"

"Do with who?" Ayce asked. People looked, but no one gave her an answer.

"Repair his calf muscle as best I can, but he'll probably have nerve damage," said Hershel.

Ayce's mind whirled. Someone was hurt, hurt bad. And she had no idea who.

"We can't just let him go. He knows where we are," Shane stated.

Rick retorted quickly. "He was blindfolded the whole way here. He's not a treat."

"How many of them were there? You killed three of their men, took one of them hostage. But they aren't gonna come looking for him?"

"They left him for dead. No one is looking!"

A person who was a threat. Great, so much for keeping her nose out of things like this.

Rick and Shane continued to argue. It was clear that things between them were strained. Shane went to leave, saying something about getting this mystery man candy and flowers. He didn't make it far before Hershel stopped him.

"You know, we haven't even dealt with what you did at my barn yet. Let me make this perfectly clear, once and for all," he said as Shane turned to face him. "This is my farm. Now, I wanted you gone, Rick talked me out of it. That doesn't mean I have to like it. So, do us both a favor… Keep your mouth shut."

Oh SNAP. Ayce mentally laughed at this.

Rick stepped forward. "Look, we aren't gonna do anything about it today. So, let's just cool off." And with that, everyone dispersed.

Ayce flagged down Annalyn, didn't speak, just gave her a quizzical look. Annalyn frowned and explained. "Rick came back with a man from someone else's group. Two of them drew on him and he killed them. They left the other guy for dead and they brought him back."

Ayce leaned against the dinning room table and sighed. "Jesus…"

"I know. It's a mess."

Ayce stayed quiet for a minute and studied her kid sister. She was always fit, but in the months since the world ended, she had lost a lot of weight. They both had. There were bags under her eyes, her skin was pale and no longer held a glow.

She reached out and took Annalyn's hand. "I want you to know I came to a decision." She received a questioning look, but no word was spoken, so Ayce continued. "I'm not risking my life for other people anymore. I want to make sure I'm around for you. I'm not going to leave you all alone."

Annalyn squeezed her hand and shook her head. "Ayce, if you did that, you wouldn't be you. You are a protector. A warrior, if you will. And its in your nature to help others. So please, don't make me that promise. I don't want to see you be anything less."

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Rick and Shane took Randall. Went to drive off and drop him somewhere. Ayce did not go.

The blonde woman was very aware it's been a few days since her last shower. Since then, she's been through the woods and in an accident. And she could desperately use some cleaning.

She wasn't too sure that Hershel would want to let her use their resources, though. She knew he had wanted them gone. So, she came up with a plan.

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"I need your help."

Ayce waited for Daryl's response, staring intently with large blue eyes.

"What?" The man kept skinning the small animal in his hands.

"I need help. Would you come with me? With a truck?"

He frowned and stopped what he was doing. "Where are we going?"

She smiled a bit and told him. "Remember those duffle bags in the black truck we found? With all the excitement around Sophia, I forgot about them. We need those supplies, and I need your help getting them. It'll be easier with two people."

He didn't respond.

"Will you?"

He glanced up at her, face unreadable. "You're gonna go whether I go with you or not?"

She nodded.

"Well, I guess I'm going."

They climbed into an available vehicle and headed off. Ayce made sure to stop so she could close the gate.

The two of them sat in silence as Daryl drove. Ayce was content to watch the passing trees and just sit. It was the other that broke that silence.

"What are you doing?"

Ayce turned to Daryl, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"I asked what you were doing? Why do you keep riskin your life like this? First it was goin after Sophia, then gettin in a car crash, and now this? What's the deal?"

She was appalled. "Who are you to lecture me?" she asked, turning to face him better. "You are not my relative, you are not my boyfriend or husband. You hardly know me."

He had no response for her.

She relented on her tirade. "Look, I already came to terms about my recklessness. And I've made a promise to Annalyn to be around for her. So, you're a bit late on the draw." Her voice was low, and she sounded almost sheepish.

They drove in silence until they reached the traffic snare. Ayce hoped out of the vehicle with her bow. Daryl made his way around the truck to her.

"You know, I may not be your family. Not your boyfriend or husband. But this group, my group, is a family. They took you in and took care of you, supported you. I supported you. When Your sister died, when you got into that wreck with Lori."

Daryl looked around for a second, checking for walkers or gathering his thoughts, Ayce couldn't tell.

"Ayce. Don't you dare say that we aren't a family. You're part of it too, and so is Anna. Don't you dare say that."

She was, for lack of a better word, flabbergasted. She had no words. He, the redneck hard ass, saw them as family. He seemed almost hurt at the fact that she didn't see them that same way. She probably looked like a fish with her mouth opening and closing the way it was. She wanted to form words, but had none. He shook his head and turned, preparing his crossbow.

She would mull on this later.

She grabbed one of the two arrows she had left and knocked into place. Daryl motioned for her to move ahead and take the lead. She walked forward, keeping a steady pace but not going to quick. He watched her back as she made her way to finding the truck again.

The occasional whiz of an arrow letting lose was the only sound around. No talking.

The truck was still standing. Of course. Where would it go? Ayce boosted up into the dead, careful to not step on any bodies from her killing spree the last time she was there. And there they were, all 7 bags. The bed of the truck shook as Daryl heaved himself up into it.

"7 bags. We'll have to make 4 trips. Only one of us can carry them while the other carries a weapon. I can carry heavier weights. So, I'll take two at a time, maybe 3 one trip so we can knock a trip off. You cover me."

He tested the weight of them, checking to see if he could carry 3 at once. It seemed like a bit of a strain, but he managed it. He heaved 3 bags over his shoulders. Ayce picked up his cross bow and slung it over her back. She jumped down out of the truck after him and knocked another arrow in her bow.

They made their trips with relative ease. Still no more talking than necessary. Ayce was fine with that.

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"Annalyn, I don't know what to think."

Annalyn glanced up at Ayce from the potato in her hand. She was working on dinner, and had already had a busy day with Beth.

"Think about what?"

Ayce chewed on her bottom lip before answering. "Daryl brought some things to my attention. I've been think of this as a 'Them and us' thing. Not a 'we'. And he said I was wrong. We are all a family." She stared at the counter and fiddled with a potato that wasn't in her sister's hands. "Are we their family too?"

Annalyn put her potato down and gave Ayce her full attention. "Listen, the world is over. We are all alone. They took us in and helped us when they could have tossed us aside. They have allowed us to stay with them and they give a damn about us. Yes we are their family, and they are ours."

Ayce shook her head. "We don't even know them. We haven't been around that long."

Annalyn huffed and held up a finger. "Hush. Open your eyes, dummy. They don't have to know us. We don't have to know them. That comes with time. They give a damn about what happens to us. I think you do too. I do."

Ayce gave her sister a pat on the arm. "Thank you, Anna. Always the voice of reason."

She crossed over to the dining area where the bags of food were being inventoried. She and Daryl had heaved the 4 bags that contained food into the house as a peace offering for Hershel. Lots of canned items. Few bagged. Nothing perishable. At least the Apocalypse fanatics were smart.

Hershel came around the table to stand in front of Ayce. "This will help our supplies and put a dent in what we need for the winter. Thank you."

Ayce waved him off. "Its nothing. The least we could do. But, I could really use a bath, if you wouldn't mind."

Hershel shook his head. "Of course not. Upstairs, you can use the master bath."

She wrapped him up in a quick hug and practically skipped away.

Ayce wasted no time in running to her tent and gathering her soaps and a change of clothes. She grabbed a towel from the upstairs linen closet and locked the bathroom door behind her. She drew a nice hot, steaming bath and went to undress. Before hoping in, she took some time to inspect the stitching in her side. It was bruised, different shades of purple and yellow. Tender and still a little red on the cut. She cursed to herself. It was infected.

Sighing, she submerged herself into the hot water. She took a few minutes to relax and let the water sooth her muscles.

The entire group was her family now. It wasn't just Annalyn she had to stay alive for. It was them. But that also meant she had to do her part for all of them. Meaning she couldn't sit on the sidelines like she promised her sister. And maybe that's why Anna said not to make that promise. Because these people were becoming their family, and that meant putting her life on the line for them too.

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That night, Rick and Shane brought Randall back. Something went wrong with the drop off. Randall was chained up in the barn, so not an immediate threat. They all had an amazing dinner together.

It was weird for Ayce, being surrounded by all these strangers, and knowing that these were her people now. She was invested in all of them now, and she had to show it, too.

Next to her, Annalyn laughed at something Andrea and Dale were saying. The sound made her want to cry. Almost. Rick was having a discussion with Hershel while Patricia and Carol chatted about what to do with meals tomorrow. It was like everyone was able to forget what the world was like out here. Just for a moment.

Ayce helped the women with dishes. Putting things away. Like normal people.

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"Good night, Annalyn." Ayce gave her sister a wave and made her way into her tent. She changed from her clothes into a pair of light blue sleep pants and a long-sleeved white shirt with a comfortable scoop neck.

She giggled softly to herself. The only good thing about all the zombies is that she can raid clothing stores and have comfortable clothes at a reasonable price.

She glanced over at her 'Weapons Corner' and her grin widened. They didn't tell Hershel about the other 3 bags. Rick and Dale were the only two who knew. And they even allowed Ayce to keep her own selections. Two simple 9mm, a couple knives for skinning, and a brand-new bow! Completely black with an entire quiver of 20 black and green arrows. It was like Christmas. She didn't have to make any arrows anytime soon.

It was a good day. Kinda.

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"Ayce? Ayce? Hunny?"

"What?"

"I asked what you wanted for breakfast," said the woman in front of her.

"Mom?"

"Yes sweetie?"

"You're here…?"

"I do live here."

Ayce stood from where she sat at the breakfast bar and rushed as quickly as she could into the kitchen. She wrapped the older woman into the tightest hug anyone could imagine.

"Mom, I miss you."

"You let her die, Ayce."

"Excuse me?"

"My daughter is dead, and it's all your fault."

"No, Mom, Anna's okay. I've kept her safe."

The woman pointed off to the left and screamed. "She's dead because of you!"

"No! It's not true!"

Lilith stood off to the side where her mother pointed. Bright green eyes sparkling. "Ayce. Why? Why am I dead? Why didn't you save me?"

"Lilith… I tried. I'm so sorry."

"Ayce…"

Blood began to pour from Lilith's neck as her hair faded to gold and those green eyes turned blue.

"Oh no. Oh, Anna…"

"Ayce… Why?"

"Anna, no! You're not dead!"

"Ayce…"

"NO!"

"AYCE!"

The older blonde popped up from her blankets in a whirl of curls and fabric. She flailed around, confused and ready to fend off attackers. "Wha- What?"

"Ayce, you're okay."

Annalyn leaned over her, her hands on Ayce's shoulders. "Anna?"

"Yeah, me, Anna. You were starting to scream. I think you may have woke a few people. But I got in here just in time. Luckily, I was still awake and heard you talking at first."

Ayce, still confused, laid back down, trying to even out her breathing. "I don't- What?"

Annalyn huffed and rolled her eyes. "You had a nightmare."

No response.

"Ayce, we live in a world of horror," she said, noting her sister's strongly disappointed face. "It would be weird if you didn't have them."

"Anna, I haven't had a nightmare since this all started. I haven't dreamed. At. All."

"Well, that's weird."

"Yeah."

"Want me to stay in here?"

Ayce shook her head. "No, I'll be alright."

"Okay, get some sleep."

"Annalyn. I love you," she said, sitting up. She gathered her sister in her arms and held on to her until she was sure that the dream was absolutely not true. That she still had Anna around to care about.

"I know. I love you, too."

After she left, Ayce laid awake for a while. She didn't want to go back to sleep. She was actually terrified of sleeping, of having another dream.

But she did sleep. She drifted off again and was lost. No nightmares, no dreams. Just black.

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"Blondie, time to wake up."

Ayce woke lazily. She stretched her arms over her head and yawned. She opened her eyes and stared sleepily up at the top of her tent.

"Hey, I said get up."

She lifted her head and propped up on her elbows. "Daryl. Good morning to you, too." She sat up fully and grabbed a water bottle from beside her. She took a drink as he unzipped the tent and popped his head in. "Pack a bag, were going hunting. Winter is around the corner, and we need to get ready."

She nodded her head and shook out her hair. "Alright. Ill meet you in 20 by the house."

He nodded and zipped her tent back up.

She changed quickly, pulling on dark grey pants, made from a material that's made to form to your body and keep you warm. She paired it with a dark green long-sleeved shirt. Ayce pulled her hair up into a bun, grabbed her new bow, arrows, and her backpack, and went to find Carol.

She found the older woman doing laundry.

"Carol, could you help me get a few things?"

The woman looked confused, but nodded. "Sure. What are you looking for?"

"I need to find a canteen, some provisions for the day, and some Neosporin."

Carol nodded and put down the laundry. "Going hunting with Daryl?"

"Sure am."

"And the Neosporin?"

"From the hunting trip that brought me to y'all. Its infected. Not bad, but enough."

"Alright, wait here. Ill be back in a minute."

A minute later, Carol comes back with everything Ayce asked for.

"Thanks Carol."

Ayce stuffed the full canteen and the baggie of food that contained a protein bar and strips of dried meat from her last trip into the backpack. The Neosporin she unscrewed and lifted her shirt to apply it to the stiches. She hissed at the sting. It wasn't overly painful, but it hurt enough. She was glad she got the Neosporin now.

Daryl waited for her by the house, one leg resting up on the steps to allow him to lean on the higher leg. "Ya ready?" Ayce nodded. "Here." He handed her a long piece of rope, which she fastened to her belt loops. "Let's go."

In the woods, the air was crisper. It had a heavy earthy smell to it, but there was no sunshine, so no warmth. In the woods, you could really feel the fall chill.

They moved together, but not close. He stayed out 15 yards or so. If they moved too close, the animals would have no trouble spotting them. And this way, they could get a wider area covered.

It was around noon, maybe one, that they decided to break for lunch. Ayce had a couple rabbits and squirrels each on her rope. Daryl had a few more than she did.

"I think I'm winning."

Ayce raised an eyebrow as she chewed her protein bar. "Oh?" she said after she swallowed. "I wasn't aware this was a competition."

He simply nodded his head and drank his water.

"Alright, fine. What's the prize?"

"How about the winner decides what the prize is once they win?"

"So, anything?"

"Pretty much," he said, giving a small shrug. "I'm not too scared. There's no way in hell you'll beat me."

"Yeah, yeah. Talk big while you can. Are we going off the number of kills or pounds?"

"We'll do pounds of meat. After they're skinned, cleaned, gutted, we'll weigh it inside."

"Ayce extended a hand, grinning. "You're so on," and they shook on it.

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How did this happen?! What were the odds?!

Ayce was fuming. Not only did the two of them have the same number of small kills, but the both managed to nail a freaking doe. And to make matters worse, his looked bigger. She did not want to lose!

They went through the process of skinning and gutting everything. Cleaned all the meat. Carol had brought them both large bowls to carry it in. And so, they borrowed Hershel's scale and the moment of truth was upon them.

Daryl won. He didn't say anything. His shit eating grin said it all.

"Well? What do you want?"

He shook his head, still grinning. "I'm gonna rain check that prize."

"What? No, that wasn't part of the deal."

"It wasn't not part of the deal either. Face it, Doll, you owe me."

And he walked out of the house, leaving Ayce fuming and stunned.

Doll?

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The group sat together in the living room. They were voting on what to do with Randall. Dale was the only one advocating for his life. Dale, and Annalyn.

"He's not one of us," Glenn said.

"Neither were we!" said Annalyn. "Ayce, Lilith, myself! We weren't one of y'all either. You guys took a chance with us. We could have been a threat, but you let us in!"

"That was different," Rick said. "You were a bunch of women who had an injured team mate. You three didn't try to hurt us, didn't shoot at us."

"So, what, we were girls, so you took pity on us? That's not sexist or anything."

They went around and around like this, Ayce never saying anything. There wasn't anything she could do. The group wanted him dead, Anna and Dale did not. It wouldn't make a difference if Ayce advocated for him. And if she voted for his death, she knew she would never hear the end of it from Annalyn. Best to stay out of it.

"This group is broken," Dale said to Daryl as he left the house. Everyone dispersed. It seemed Randall would be put down tonight.

That night, Ayce changed back into her pjs and sat in her tent. The flap was open, and she lay on her stomach in front of the open flap, reading a book by the firelight. She glanced up every now and then to watch the others walk around. Everyone was thinking about Randall. She could see it on their faces.

"Oh, hey! Daryl!"

Ayce flagged down the man from her spot in her tent. He was walking away from the house, probably heading to his tent in the field. He stopped and jogged over. "Yeah?"

She sat upon her knees and rested her palms on her thighs. "I just wanted to let you know I thought a lot about what you said yesterday. You're right, you guys are my family." She stood up to face him better. "That means you are my family too. And that I can't keep my promise to Annalyn to stay safe. I have to risk my life, for each and every one of y'all."

He stood silent for a moment, then gave her a shock. He stretched out his arms and wrapped her in them. She was stunned, but thought nothing of it and hugged him back.

"Thanks for comin' 'round, Ayce."

"Yeah…"

She sat back in her tent after he left. Up close he smelled like cinnamon. It was hidden under all the dirt and sweat. But it was there.

"HELP!"

Oh God, that's Daryl!

Ayce didn't even think. She jumped from her tent and sprinted towards the voice that was still yelling. She could see all the others running towards it, too, from all different directions. Ayce's heart pounded in her chest. She didn't think though. Wouldn't until she got there.

But she wasn't prepared.

Dale laid in the grass, stomach ripped open. A dead walker off to the side. Rick yelling for Hershel. But Ayce already knew. She stayed in med school long enough to know it was hopeless. He was done for.

"Oh Dale…"

She dropped to her knees, getting water and grass stains on her favorite blue bottoms. People were crying all around her. Carl over with his mother and Annalyn with Andrea.

They knew what they had to do.

Rick aimed the gun at Dale, but was unable to do it. Daryl took that gun and aimed it again. This time, Dale leaned up to make his forehead meet the gun barrel.

No.

"Sorry, Brother."