"He said my name," I said not speaking to anyone in particular just speaking it as if to make my own mind believe it.
"Yeah we heard," Rick replied. "But what does that mean?" He asked as he darted his eyes to the others as we all stood just outside the infirmary where Daryl still lay tied up. He had passed back out after calling out to me, and it was decided that we'd hold off killing him.
"I've never seen anything like it," Hershel said. "I had thought…hoped that walkers retained a sense of themselves, the way they were before they were bitten, but none of the horde that we kept in the barn seemed to."
"And none of them talked," Beth the youngest and quietest of Hershel's daughters added to the discussion.
"So what does that mean, that my baby brother aint a walker, 'cause I can tell ya now those aint the eyes he was born wit." Merle stated.
"There's a guy in Woodbury," Andrea spoke out nervously and I knew it was because she felt that some among us thought of her as a betrayer, mostly Rick. "His name is Milton, he was Phil…the Governor's friend before all of this happened, they worked together. The Governor had Milton working with Walkers, well people who were about to turn to see if they retained any of their humanity. I never found out why."
"His daughter," I chimed in as I leaned against the doorframe of the infirmary with my arms folded across my chest and my eyes glued to Daryl's unconscious form. "She was a walker and he kept her chained up in his room like a little pet. At least he did until I put my blade through her head. That's why he wanted me so badly."
"Damn he was even more fucked up than I thought." Merle said.
"Anyway, Milton really believes that walkers retain their humanity, he has a lab set up and studies them and everything."
"I recall him from our first meeting with the Governor, nice fellow," Hershel said. "And has he…this Milton fellow documented any proof that they do retain their humanity?" Hershel asked with a hint of hopefulness in his voice.
"None that I ever saw, no," Andrea replied with a shake of her head.
"This is all well and fine but it really aint helping us with our current situation," Rick stated. "What do we do about Daryl?"
"Why tha fuck am ah tied up?" Daryl's voice broke through the moment and I rushed to his bedside with the others fast on my heels.
"Don't you dare cut him loose," Rick barked out at me with his hand gripping the butt of his gun. "Not 'til we're sure. I won't let you endanger everybody here, endanger my children." I removed my hand from my knife which I had reached for to cut Daryl loose.
"What's goin on?" Daryl asked as he looked from his bond limbs up at me, and I had to admit gazing into his new eyes was going to take some getting use to.
"How do ya feel son?" Hershel asked as he pulled Daryl eyelids wider and shined his pen light across his eye.
"Hogtied," Daryl answered as he jerked his head away from Hershel probing hands. "Will someone tell me what's goin on, 'Chonne?"
"You were shot by the Governor last night right before you killed him, then you...I guess you either died for a moment or was close enough to death that you turned, but not completely." I answered to the best of my ability.
"Fuck you…ah aint no fuck'n walker," Daryl said as he frowned up in disgust at the very thought of it.
"Are you hungry?" Carl asked as he stood at the foot of the bed watching Daryl curiously. "For our flesh I mean." It was a question that was apparently on everyone else's mind because everyone seemed to lean in just a bit waiting with bated breath for Daryl's reply.
"What…no," Daryl answered looking offended. "But ah wouldn't mind some bacon, grits, and eggs." He added and I had to smile because he may have looked slightly different but he sure did sound like himself. "Will ya fuck'n untie me now?"
"No," Rick said point blank.
"Why tha hell not?" Daryl asked as he struggle more determinedly against the bindings that held him to the bed.
"Michonne just told ya lil brother." Merle spoke out.
"No Michonne just told me a bunch of bullshit," Daryl stated as he turned mad eyes at me, but I was hurt more by him using my real name instead of the nickname he had given me. "C'mon Merle, its me yer bruther, you know me." Daryl pleaded his case as I moved to one of the counters and opened a couple of drawers until I found what I was looking for. I then moved back to the bed and held up a mirror. Daryl's face grew slack as his mouth fell open he moved to yanked the mirror from my hand but the bindings stopped him.
"I would never bullshit you about something like this Dixon," I said to him and he looked up at me with frightened eyes.
"Shit," He groaned out and then tried again to yank his hands up. "My pulse…didja check it, do ah still have one?" he asked and we all looked about slightly embarrassed that no one had actually bothered. I reached out without thinking and placed my fingers to his jugular and a collective gasp filled the room. Both Daryl and I turned to see what was wrong but seeing how all their eyes were lock onto my arm which was inches away from Daryl's mouth I figured out what the matter was. I waited until I found a steady and very strong heartbeat before I looked directly into Daryl's eyes and spoke.
"They thought it was foolish of me to just reach out and check your pulse. You could bite me."
"Ah would never bite you," He said as if he needed me to know and believe that.
"Well there are 'those' times," I teased around a smile.
"Yeah well as ah recall at 'those' times you don't seem ta mind me bit'n ya, in fact yer usually commanding me to bite ya." He teased back as we fell into our usual banter and both of us leaned into the other for a kiss.
"I wouldn't do that Michonne." Hershel's voice cut in killing the moment and I turn a frown to the man.
"He's got a pulse, so he aint dead."
"That may be but he's still a carrier." Hershel countered.
"Wait, accordin ta Rick we all are." Daryl stated.
"Say what now?" Merle interrupted and by the look on his face he was just as surprised as I was and from the expression on her face, Andrea, too.
"When we made it to the CDC a researcher there told me that we're all carriers...all infected." Rick began explaining to those of us who didn't already know. "I didn't believe it, didn't want to believe it. But then I saw it for myself when I had to killed Shane, he immediately turned."
"So ya see ah aint got no cooties…at least no more than the rest of ya."
"You are an apparent anomaly Daryl," Hershel spoke out once more. "An obvious mutation, with a different strand of this disease, and there's no tell'n how it will effect someone if it gets into their system."
"Ah aint gonna tear off'a piece of anybody, 'sides right about now several of ya don't smell too appeal'n and could use a bath." Daryl stated as he scrunched up his nose.
"Sounds like another Walker trait, their heightened sense of smell." Hershel continued.
"Probably not because I can smell Merle's Funk too all the way over here." I spoke out to make light of the heavy, somber mood and Merle simply smirked and flipped me the bird in reply. "Look there's only one way to find out." I declared and then leaned down and captured Daryl lips in a wet, deep kiss. After a moment where I let my brain remind me that there were others in the room one of which was just a kid I pulled back. I stood upright and held out my hands and waited to see if anything would happen but nothing did, and I didn't feel any differently. "See nothing happened and I'm fine."
"How 'bout you bro, feeling any strong desires to eat sum flesh now?" Merle asked innocently and upon seeing Daryl nod his head, lick his lips, and look at me with that crazed look he got whenever he was horny I reached out and smacked him up side his head.
"Not like that you horndog. He meant eat me like…" I paused as Daryl arched his brow at me and smirked. "Yeah I can't think of any way of saying it without it sounding sexual either." I pondered aloud.
"Look ah have no desires to eat anybody here…well...nobody except Michonne but ah felt that way 'fore this all happened. So, now will you please untie me?" Daryl asked again.
"We can untie yer legs and one of your hands, but I want one hand cuffed to the bed." Rick offered. "At least until we're sure."
"And when will that be sure, I mean how can we be 'sure'?" Hershel asked.
"I say we give it a few of days, if he aint act'n like those outside we can uncuff him, but keep him quarantined." Rick added.
"Fuck that ah aint staying chained ta no bed for a few days." Daryl argued.
"Well I aint asking ya to, I'm tell you yer gonna." Rick spat back angrily.
"Let's compromise," I interrupted their pissing contest. "If we're gonna cuff him to a bed at least let it be our bed in our room."
"I'm fine with that." Rick said with a nod.
"Well ah aint." Daryl protested further.
"Shut up Dixon," I ordered and he closed his mouth but I could hear him mumbling under his breath. "Let's put it to a vote. All for keeping Daryl cuffed for the time being?" Everyone except Merle and me raised their hands. "Then it's decided, majority rules since we're now a democracy," I said throwing Daryl's earlier rantings back in his face. "Don't worry you won't be bored I'll stay with you to keep you company. Ya'll can even lock us in to be extra safe." I offered and Daryl opened him mouth to say something but then closed it again. I knew that he was thinking nasty thoughts about being alone with me, and I had to admit a few dirty thoughts fleeted across my mind too. But then a voice in the back of my mind also questioned whether Hershel was right, just how safe was it being close with Daryl? Was this just a very slow change before he would end up like the other walkers. Would any swapping of bodily fluids cause me to immediately turn? Hershel was right, time would tell the tale. Before we could discuss further about how to get Daryl to our room without letting him loose or aggravating his wound we heard a shot ring out.
"Fuck! I forget no ones on watch right now," Rickcursed as he, and the others rushed to the windows.
"Who the hell are they?" Rick questioned which peaked my interested and I too moved from Daryl's side to peer out the window. There was a group of people with their backs to the gate fending off approached walkers. More shots rang out.
"Looks like folks from WoodBury," Merle confirmed even as more shots rang out.
"Shit, don't they know that they're just attracting more walkers with all that damn gun fire?" Rick asked as he and the rest rushed from the room and out to the yard.
"What's goin on out there baby?" Daryl asked from his position in the bed, where he strained to look up and see for himself.
"Looks like we're having guests for dinner." I replied as I watched our group help pick off the walkers while having a conversation with the small group of about 8 people who were still locked out of the gate. I saw Rick's eyes land on a woman cradling a baby who seemed to be pleading with him, and then after a brief hesitation and a curse he opened the gate and the group rushed in.
Author's Endnotes: So are y'all still with me? I hope so. I know this idea is blowing some of your minds but it's just my own twisted thoughts, and the wonderful thing about a fanfic is that we can make it however we want it, right. Anyway stay tuned guys I'm working on even more to come. May even post more tonight, but definitely tomorrow. Thanks for the reviews they really keep me going. ~ Pari
