Anna was leaning against a tall oak tree. Its branches stretched out long. They reminded her of spider legs, all twisted and at odd angles stretching out. Samson had wandered off somewhere; he never really did go too far so she wasn't worried. Samson had caught a scent of something on a fallen tree and wandered off into the woods to find it. Here's to hoping that Samson could find whatever it was and they could make a decent feed of it. It still was wishful thinking even when Samson did catch it because not a lot of animals had meat on their bones.
Anna had been finding it a little hard to breathe with the air being so thick with humidity in the warmer months. It felt like she was sitting in a sauna. Sometimes Anna would swear she could have got out a spoon and eaten the air with it. She was wearing a pair of black stretchy skinny jeans, her black shin-length leather hunting boots and on her bad knee was a high impact knee brace. Sadly, even though Anna hated wearing them cause of the heat; a purple and black long sleeved flannelette shirt. Anna hated showing her bite marks; it always made her cringe when she saw them so it was easier to just hide under big baggy clothes. Anna was drenched with sweat, her clothes clinging to her body and parts of her hair fell out of her braid. She was feeling really hot but she hardly ever wore anything else. Feeling ashamed of herself for surviving the bites. Her feet ached in her boots and they were really itchy from the dirt, sweat and grime.
Anna just wanted to take this moment for herself. She knew Daryl was going to kick her ass when he found out she hadn't really gone out in the woods to pee. Anna didn't have anything in particular she had wanted to do. She just wanted to take the time for herself to have alone and not be so crowded with everyone else around her.
The past eight months or so she had been inseparable with Daryl because he didn't want to take any chances after what happened at the farm and be separated from her again. Where she moved, he moved and vice versa. It was like as they were magnets in a way, always being able to find each other even when they were apart.
Anna being alone was a miracle but knew she would pay for it later from Daryl with a lecture or a growl from him about lying where she went. He always found out if she lied to him to go somewhere by herself and he always kicked her ass for it.
Then she felt something cold and hard pressed up against her throat. She opened her eyes to see an older, dirt covered man with a knife pressed up against her throat. The days where they could just relax were few and far between, hardly ever happening ever now. This proving maybe it never will happen again for any of them.
"My, my, aren't you a pretty little lady?" he sneered and taking a step closer to her and smelling her. The knife was kept at her throat "Are you out here all by your lonesome?"
He tilted his head, looking at her from head to toe. His rotten teeth making her want to gag "You have beautiful green eyes, don't ya? Never seen anything like them before in my life!"
"What is your name, pretty little lady?" he asked, getting close to her face to get a better look at her and licking his lips in delight, saliva dripping down his lips.
She kept quiet. Her eyes were hard and nostrils flaring a little bit. Anna chose to keep quiet to not give him the satisfaction of her talking. Anna racked her brain, trying to think of a way to get out of the situation. There had to be a way out without getting herself killed in the process. Daryl would bring her back from the dead just to tell her off!
"What? Are you a mute or something angel eyes? Well, well, well. We are going to have to do something about that because that is not going to be any good for me. You see, I happen to love a screamer when it comes to the ladies giving me pleasure when it comes to the down stairs department. We are just going to have to find a way to get that little voice screaming" he sneered and pointed his knife into her neck.
A trickle of blood ran down her neck. There was no way in hell Anna was going to go down here in this moment. She used her good knee, lifting it up and hitting him in the groin and making him fall to the ground "Ass hole" she growled.
"You little bitch!" he growled, looking around for his knife, "You are a dead girl when I get to you!"
There was a growl and Samson was up on the man's back. His teeth sinking into his neck and away at the man's throat. It was like a dog being set onto a wild pig and taking it down. Samson scrambled back down on the ground and crouched down low and growling. He was making sure the man was going to stay down. Anna felt her heart beat go back to a normal pace. Anna wiped away at the blood from her neck, it smeared across her neck. Anna had to get back now. There was only a certain amount of time she could be out in the woods to "pee". Daryl would soon come out and look for her, knowing full well she had lied to him. Then he would not let her go anywhere by herself. If she had to go to the toilet, she'd have to take one of the girls with her.
Anna called Samson to her with a quick whistle command, getting down on her knees to pat him "Good boy".
The man had come back from the dead already and she groaned in frustration, rolling her eyes and feeling pissed off. Anna took her knife out from her holster, got a strong stance with her bad knee and stabbed the man up through his chin into his brain, letting it fall to the ground "Just one god damn day. That's all I ask" she muttered as she leaned down close to the ground and wiped the blood on her knife "I just want one day where shit doesn't go bad!"
…
Daryl was kneeling by their low lit fire, keeping a close eye on the way he knew Anna would come back. He always felt a little nervous when she went somewhere by herself. Samson came out of the bushes first and his nose covered in blood. Samson doesn't attack walkers. Anna pushed a branch out of the way, wiping her hunting knife on the trouser leg and looked up at Daryl. He gave her quizzical look when he noticed the cut on her neck, pointing at I "What happened out there?"
"Nothing you need to worry about now. Samson took care of it" she answered "Everyone else in the cars?" she asked, subtly changing the subject from her to something else.
Daryl kicked dirt over the fire, making sure it goes out as not to attract any walkers "Yeah, we found a house not too far of a journey from here. Carl is waiting in the truck with Lori for Samson and then we can head off"
"Right oh, let's get this show on the road then" she joked.
"You sure you are alright?" Daryl asked her, double checking on her as they got to the main road where his bike was. Seeing the little spot of blood on her neck and wiping it away with his thumb.
Daryl got on first and held his hand out to help her get steady on the bike, a concerned look on his face. He couldn't help but always worry about her.
"There was a man. He's dead" she told him.
…
They pulled up just ahead of the cars. Anna looked back at Lori who had her head lying back and asleep. She looked absolutely exhausted and so drained. It was tough for Anna to stay angry or annoyed at her with all of the trouble she had caused. Maybe it was her doctor/surgeon instincts.
Daryl eyed her off "You need to learn to think more of yourself, ya know" he told her.
Anna shook her head, strands of her hair fell over her eyes as she drew up her cross bow and a smirk on her face "You know Dixon, that is not going happen any time soon".
He looked at her, pensively "Yeah, I know that. I just wish it would" he admitted.
The world was harsh to everyone now but even more so to Anna, being so kind hearted and all. Anna felt the need to protect those she loved more so than others. A burden that sense of protection weighing heavily on her shoulders. There were bags underneath her eyes and were dark all around them. She hardly got any sleep because of the nightmares about those they had all lost. It was always the same one of her being alone and surrounded by them, not being able to escape their pleas.
Daryl always had to keep an eye on her when they did get what little meat they could on a hunt because she would give away half of her food to Lori and Carl. Daryl would shake his head and then give her some of his meat, despite her protest. He could go without a little bit of meat. She needed it more than him.
Rick and Tom came up from behind them, each with their guns in their hand. Together they all walked up the steps to the front of the house.
Rick looked in each of the windows, then turning back to talk to his team "Daryl goes in first, followed by Tom and I. Anna you come in the rear with your cross bow because you are quick to cover anything that we miss or that sneaks up on us" Rick said.
"No problem, be glad to cover your ass's guys" she joked, raising her eye brows and a smirk on her face.
They all shook their heads, Anna always with the jokes. Daryl braced himself, his cross bow aimed and he kicked in the front door. A walker was sitting in an arm chair, sloppily trying to move. It was finding it hard to get off because it's skin was sticking to the leather chair. It made a final lunge for Daryl, it's skin tearing from the chair. Daryl shot it in the eye. Anna screwed up her nose and covered it with the back of her hand "Oh that smells absolutely revolting. WOW! IT'S BURNING MY NOSE!"
Daryl pulled the bolt from the walker's eye, wiping the remnants on the front of his trousers "Stop being such a princess will ya" he joked, the corner of his mouth lifting up and a smart ass look in his eyes.
"Are you kidding me?! That smells worse than Samson stuck in the car on a hot day!" Anna replied, looking around the lounge. "And we all know how much that smelt".
"Yeah, well know you know how I feel after that one time at the farm" Daryl taunted, leaning down to more her level and his face close to hers as he walked passed her, pulling a face.
She took her hand away from her mouth, following Daryl and still with a disgusted look on her face "That smell is never going to leave my nose".
"Not nice is it, Half Pint?" he called out from the kitchen he walked in "Pay back is a bitch!"
"Screw you, Red neck!" she called out.
"No thanks, I don't want your girly cooties" Daryl teased her "And I don't know where you have been!"
Rick and Tom were looking on, trying not to laugh as they came back from scoping out the upper levels of the house. The banter between Daryl and Anna was always entertaining for them. There was never a dull moment.
Daryl was now in the kitchen and Anna was looking around the dining room. Anna stepped on the big round mat and it squelched underneath her shoes. The floor creaked under her feet. She looked up to the roof, seeing water damage and termites.
"Shit" Anna whispered, now being careful where she stepped.
Daryl was always aware of where Anna was, looked up from what he was looking at on the bench "What?" he asked her.
She carefully took a step "The floor", the floor cracked and the rug began to sink from underneath her feet. Her eyes widened, she gasped and fell through the floor with a scream.
Daryl ran forward, "Anna!" he yelled, turning on his torch and looking down the hole "Talk to me girl or hope to god I am going to kick your ass for scaring me!"
Rick and Tom came running from the corridor. "What happened?" Rick asked.
"The floor must have been rotten from the wet and termites and she fell through. Anna, are you alright?" he called down, worried and looking at the hole in the floor.
"My ass broke my fall!" she called out, coughing and wiping away the dust from her face.
Then Anna screamed, there was a scuffled and banging, her cross bow was fired and then there was silence. Just for a second the three men all looked at each other in shock at what happened. Daryl, got on his belly and scrambled as close as he could to the edge of the hole
Tom and Rick were on the opposite side of Daryl, shining heir lights down "Anna! You alright down there?" Tom called down.
There was silence, a feeling of dread stared to build up in the three men.
"I am going down there! Tom give me some rope…" Daryl told the two men, holding out his hand.
But Daryl didn't get a chance to get right down then because the reason why Anna had screamed was chucked up in Daryl and smacked him in the face. Daryl pressed his lips together, wiping the blood away. It was a rat with a hole in its head and the body bashed in. He picked it up; the look on his face was priceless! Anna cackling like an evil little pixie down in the hole. Rick was trying not laugh at the sight of the blood smeared across Daryl's face.
"You should know when Anna is silent she is up to something" Tom chuckled, reaching into his back pack and throwing the rope to Daryl "That girl can never be quiet even if her life depended on it".
"I am going to leave you down there ya evil woman!" he called down "That was putrid!"
"Someone has to try and put a smile on your dial" She laughed, wiping a little dust from her face "You aren't going to want to after you see all the stuff that is down here! We have hit the jack pot gentleman!"
Daryl gritted his teeth together, shaking his head "I am going to kill her!" he grumbled.
Rick and Tom knew they were always empty threats from Daryl. They were always at each other bantering.
"Anna, where are you at down there?" Daryl called down, pointing his torch around to try and find her.
"Bottom far left corner" Anna called out, opening up a twenty litre plastic tub and smiling ear to ear because in it was filled to the brim with dry emergency food packs. They were going to eat like kings. And that tub was the only one filled with goodies either.
"Alright, don't you go too far! I am coming down!" Daryl getting himself ready to jump down the hole "I am going to go down there and help her. Maybe even kick her ass…"
Tom scoffed with a smirk on his face "Yeah, good luck with that!"
He picked up his cross bow and put it across his back "Go get Glenn and T Dog, what supplies Anna has found down there we are going to need to help the get it back up. Might even have to bring a dead body back up here"
Rick looked at him strange "Take it you mean Anna's?" he joked.
Daryl braced himself to jump down the hole "I try and kick her ass down there, we all know it is my body that will need to be brought back up here".
Daryl jumped down the hole and Anna shined her torch in his eyes "Long time no see" she joked.
"Shut up" he muttered, looking around at the tubs "I am going to get you back for that rat!".
He tried to give her an evil eye. But she just laughed at him and ushered him over to where she wanted him with her torch. He couldn't stay angry at her, being able to genuinely laugh and have her alive was worth getting a dead rat in the face. Daryl just wouldn't admit that out loud to anyone.
It was hard these days to get a break. The law of averages was always stacked against them and it was a relief to finally have gotten a break. All it took was Anna to fall through a termite ridden floor.
Daryl turned on his flash light, looking at another box and finding canned goods "How is the knee?" he asked, pretending to look through the canned goods.
"Fine" she mumbled, focused on unhinging a locked metal cabinet and opening it. Then smiling from ear to ear.
Inside was a large arsenal of weapons of all sorts. There was even quivers with brand new bolts that had yet been even fired. She picked one of them up, lashing it across her back. Passing the second one to Daryl and reaching across to touch a wooden beam "Touch wood, we finally might have caught a break, hey red neck"
Daryl nodded, looking up from the tub of goodies "Yeah and all it took was for you to fall through a termite ridden floor. Ruining your knee, I saw you limp just now"
She screwed up her face, squirming on the spot with the rats scurrying behind the metal cabinet "Not to mention these disgusting things. I hate rats! They give me the creeps, making my skin crawl something awful".
The dead are walking the earth and she was grossed out by rats and bug "You are weird".
There were footsteps above their heads and small echoes of laughter. Then a few bunches of rope were chucked down and Glenn's head popped over the edge of the hole "Oh right, Anna. We have hit the jack pot!"
"We eat like kings thanks to you, Anna" T Dog said to her from up top.
"I can't remember the last time we all had a full stomach" she laughed, helping Daryl tie up the tub of emergency food packs "I bagged one of the chilli con carne packs and two mars bars".
"Wait? There is chocolate?" Glenn asked, his face lighting up.
"Yeah and you are going to eat one of that packs all by yourself without giving it away to anyone" he muttered, as he finished tying up the last of the knots "You need to get more strength in your knee and more muscles on your bones".
Rick, Tom, T Dog and Glenn were up above he floor, pulling up the heavy boxes. There was even a mass supply of water bottles that had been unopened.
"You are up first" Daryl told her, picking up the rope.
She shook her head, saying no "You are better going up first because they are going to need all the strength to get up all of these tubs and supplies. I am stronger than I look and I know how to tie knots and what not. I will be fine down here".
Not bothering to fight her, he started to tie the ropes around his body. His eyes focused on her "You be careful down here. Just yell and we will get you up real quick if another rat crosses your path".
Anna rolled her eyes at him, shaking her head and looked up into the hole of the floor. Daryl chucked up the rope that was wrapped around him "Daryl is coming up first. I am going to stay down here and secure everything"
"Alright" Rick called down as he grabbed the rope and the four men started to lift Daryl up "You just be careful lifting everything".
"I am not made of glass, Rick" she called out, lifting the first tub with the emergency ration packs "Let's get these up so we can have ourselves a decent meal tonight".
…
Daryl and Anna were on first watch for the night. They had their ration packs, Daryl had beef stew and Anna go her chilli con carne. They were on the veranda of the house, sitting on the bench and on watch. Samson was on the top of the steps, keeping his eye out and helping with watch as well. Anna was asleep, her head resting on his lap. Originally she had her head resting on Daryl's shoulder but she kept on slipping when she fell asleep, so Daryl told her to just lay her head on his lap. She a blanket over her body to keep warm and curled up into a little ball. Her panda bear beanie almost over her eyes. He liked to keep his eye on her.
Anna had thought she had died. Daryl was the last one Anna saw when she died and the first one when she woke back up. It was a force of habit for her to fall asleep with Daryl ever since that happened. That is why she sticks with him, not that he minded anyway. They're so close, she just fits there into him. They looked like pieces of a puzzle put all together.
They were kindred spirits, two people that had a special connection by sharing a bond that had drawn them together from the time when Anna had died and had come back to life. It was an experience that had drawn them together even more on a higher level of consciousness. Even from all that they had been through before even each other. They were two people that were in a dire situation on a day to day basis with the way the world was now. They were depended on each other in order to get out of everyday situations, each other's back up. They were two people that had both come from very bad past situations. A bond had been reached because there was an understanding of what each other had been through where they feel no one else truly understands them. Through this they have become each other's half.
The front door creaked open and Daryl turned his head, craning his neck back to take a look. It was Rick coming out to see them. He nodded at Daryl a hello and softly closing the door behind him.
He walks over to the end of the veranda, picking up an old fold up chair and walking to sit down next to Daryl. Rick leaned back, his hands folded together in his lap "I had a feeling Anna would have fallen asleep early and you would need a hand with watch".
Daryl had his hand just resting on her shoulder, pulling up the quilted blanket a little more "It is probably the first time in a long time, maybe even since we left her house that she has had fallen asleep and with a fall stomach".
He was getting worried, just a couple days ago him and Anna were out on a hunt. She had been walking, then out of the blue she had collapsed out of pure exhaustion and malnutrition. Because of her good will nature, she had been slowly starving herself.
"I could never repay her for what she has done for Lori and Carl" Rick told him "Thank god Anna found the food when she did. She was already small enough. I was getting scared because how little she was getting".
Rick looked down at her, laughing a little "Is she snoring?"
"She calls it purring, apparently" Daryl answers him, his eye brows raised and a smirk on his face.
Everyone had even gotten a chocolate bar for dessert and Rick had not eaten his yet because he had saved it for Anna. Rick pulled it out. Anna stirred it from her sleep and opened her eyes. Daryl shook his head at her "Did you smell that in your sleep, girl?"
"Smelling chocolate or candy out is one of my sixth senses" she joked, yawning and getting up off Daryl's lap.
"A little thank you for all the food you have given to Carl and Lori" he told her, handing her the chocolate caramel bar.
Anna took it from him "Thank you", she takes it and unwrapping it, breaking it into three parts. She reached across passing a piece to Rick and then giving one to Daryl. Of course she was sharing with them both "I have already had two mars bars" her voice muffled, eating with her mouth opened.
A lone walker trudged along into the front yard, Daryl went to get up but Anna stopped him, wiping the remnants of the chocolate on her trousers "No, I got this one".
Anna got up, picking up for cross bow. Standing by the railing off the porch, aiming in her cross bow to the walker head and shooting it in the eye, looking behind at Daryl "I will be right back, going to go and get the bolt".
"Be careful!" Daryl warned her.
"Always am!" she laughed at him, pointing to where the walker was lying down "It is just over here Daryl. Promise I won't break a nail".
"Still got to be careful young lady!" Rick joked with her "I don't want a single scratch on you"
"Yes officer friendly" Anna saluted cheekily.
They looked on as she walked to the walker, keeping an eye on her surroundings and leaning down to take the bolt out of the walker's eyes and wiping it on the grass.
Rick leaned forward, his elbows on his nears as he looked on "She can handle herself well out there but I still can't help but worry about her".
Daryl didn't say anything back to Rick as Anna walked up the steps. He was never a one for words with people or expressing his feelings "I can take over both of your watches from here" Rick offered, "Both of you have worked hard enough today. Get as much sleep as you can while you have the chance. We don't know when we will get another chance to".
"I am not going to say no to that!" Anna commented as she stood by the front door, "Thank you Rick".
Daryl got up from his post, stretching his back out "Not that I can get any sleep while you purr" he teased, pushing her a little into the door and ushering her inside "Maybe that is why the dead started walking, you woke it up with your purring".
Anna glared at him, playfully punching him the arm.
"Night, Rick" she whispered, a smirk on her face as she ducked her head around Daryl's body.
"Night, Anna" he replied, settling himself on the chair "Sleep tight".
Tom was on duty that morning when a small herd of walkers started to come through the woods "Shit" he muttered and quickly going inside to the others.
Hershel was up with Beth. Carol was looking after Lori, lifting her up "What's wrong?" the old man asked seeing the look on Tom's face.
"Walkers are coming, everyone needs to leave now and quietly" Tom whispered.
Rick got up off the floor, picking up his gun and bag, sighing. Carl put on his hat and quickly rolled up his sleeping bag and stuffing it in a bag, calling Samson over to him. Maggie and Glenn were ready and alert. T Dog picked up his axe.
Anna and Daryl heard the fuss, coming out of the hall way and looking around at the group "Walkers?"
Tom nodded and now they were all ready. Rick, Tom, Daryl and Anna were out first, shooting walkers as they ran and clearing the way for the others to come through. Lori, Hershel, Carl and Rick got into the wagon. Carol, Maggie, T Dog and Glenn got into the small sedan. Daryl and Anna jumped on to his motor bike, riding off away from the walkers clawing away at them.
…
The cars were all pulled up, needing to stop and take a break. They needed to work out a plan to where they should go next. Daryl and Anna pulled up just ahead of the cars and she got off first. She had gotten really good with getting around on her bad knee with the high impact knee brace. Usually when they had breaks but it was always to Daryl's protest, Anna and Samson would take a small patrol around the area. The dog could smell the air and would always know if any walkers were nearby. She picked up her cross bow, checking for any damage and put it on her back.
Daryl leaned back, picking up her quiver and lashing it across her back "Be careful out there" he muttered.
She smiled, eyes crinkled "Always am".
Daryl knew she could handle herself but he couldn't help but worry "Stay within yelling distance" he told her with a pointed look "I will be out to you in a minute if you need me".
He watched her and Samson go in the bushes, getting up off his bike and picking up his cross bow. T Dog had said they were going to the creek to collect some water. Rick was walking to him "While the others go and wash their panties, let's go hunt. Anna is already out there and on patrol, probably already got some kill. Damn girl will rub it into my face, again"
They didn't have to go far to find Anna who was running to them, with two large rabbits in hand and a big smile on her face.
"No rubbing it in Anna!" he scolded her.
"What?! No" she exclaimed, shaking her head. "I found something you are both going to want to take a look at".
Excitement was spread across her face, running forward and grabbing Daryl's hand, dragging him along he train line with Rick following them close behind. They came out from some bushes and into a clearing. Anna let go of Daryl, pointing her hand put towards a prison "Look at that!"
"That's a shame!" Daryl pointed out, the front yard was filled with walkers.
But Anna looked and Rick saw something else, their smiles big on their faces.
…
Rick cuts the fence with a large pair of wire cutters to make a hole for them all to get through. Lori, Carl, Hershel, Carol and Beth stood in a circle with Anna and T Dog at the rear to be their guard. Rick had finished cutting. Daryl grabbed their bag of tools and ducked through the hole quickly. He was followed by the Carl, Beth, T Dog and Hershel. Rick held back the wire for Lori as she ducked through. Anna was the last one, shooting a walker, running forward to get her bolt out of its nose.
"Hurry, hurry" Rick whispered loudly.
She ran with her cross bow in her hand, hardly having any trouble ducking through the hole because she was so small and quick on her feet. Daryl glared at her as he and Glenn zip tied up the hole in the metal fence. Anna just rolled her eyes at him, smirking as she drew up her cross bow "Not a scratch" she said, being cheeky.
Walkers in the prison yard all started to come to the fence, snarling at them.
Daryl tapped her on the side of her arm as they started to jog, nodding at her "You run with me, yeah".
He wanted to be able to help her if she needed it. They made it to the end of the corridor of fences to the front gate of the prison.
"It is perfect" Rick muttered, looking on in hope. Seeing all of the possibilities of a positive future just in that field "If we can shut that gate and stop any more from coming through. We can take out these walkers and have this field by tonight".
"How do we shut the gate?" Hershel asked.
"I will do it" Glenn offered, stepping forward "You guys can cover me!"
"No, it is a suicide mission" Maggie told him, shaking his head.
On purpose Anna diverted her eyes away from Daryl and she stepped forward to Rick "Glenn doesn't have to do it. I will. I am even faster than him even with this god forsaken contraption of a knee brace on" she joked.
Rick saw the struggle from on Daryl's protective stance of Anna. Rick could tell he wanted to say something but couldn't "No, Anna won't go and do it by herself. That isn't fair on her. Anna and I are going to go in there together, working together as a team. Glenn, you Maggie and Beth draw the walkers over there and pop them through the fence" he pointed, directing them a few metres away.
"Daryl, go back to the other tower" Rick instructed "Carol, you have become a pretty good shot. Take your time, we don't have a lot of ammo to waste.
"Hershel, you and Carl take this tower. Tom, I will get you take Samson along the fences, get him to bark, run along and draw them into you " Rick instructed.
"You got it!" Tom replied, taking Samson with him.
Rick put his hand over Anna's shoulder, looking down at her "And we run for the gate"
Anna peers behind her shoulder, looking back at Daryl who was pointing at her "Be careful" he mouthed. He couldn't stop her, she wasn't his wife and he didn't own her. He feels it is not his place to tell her what to do but he could always tell her to be careful.
"You know I wasn't going to let you ran through this alone right," he told her as they got to the gate where Lori was standing.
"Yeah, I know" Anna answered, holding her small pistol in her hand.
Glenn passed Rick a chain and locks, nodding at Anna "Kick ass, Anna", touching her on the shoulder with a kind smile on his face.
"Always do" she answered
They got to the gates and the worries started bubbling up inside her, anything could go wrong. It felt like as if there were butterflies flying around her stomach and she hated bugs at the best of times. There was Lori waiting for them at the gate. Anna felt a little worried looking at walkers, testing her knee by stamping on the ground. She tightened her cross brow strap, holding her small pistol with a silencer and her machete in her holster. Lori nodded at them both "You two be careful now". She pulled the gate to open it. All of the others ran along the fences, banging on the fence and yelling to draw the walkers in. Tom gave the command to Samson and he ran along the fence, barking to draw the walkers to Tom.
With Rick in the front and Anna in rear they crept from out behind bus, poised and ready with their guns. Rick ran ahead, shooting walkers as he ran. Anna shot a walker that was a little too close for comfort, jogging up to Rick. Anna looked behind, to see if any walkers were close and turned around to see one about a metre away from her with an arrow in its head. She looked up, nodding at Daryl and he motioned her to move on with his hand. She ran, passing Rick who chucked her the chains. He shot the walkers close to the door, looking back to see Anna had locked the chain.
"Come on, Anna" he urged, hold out his hand to her.
She turned, slipping over a little on her feet and giving Daryl a heart attack but she quickly gained her composure, getting up and running to Rick with a big grin on her face.
"They did it!" Carol exclaimed.
Relief washed over Daryl, he waved his arm about "Light it up!" he yelled.
Rick picked off the last of the walkers, a look of hope across his face. He looked down at Anna, raising his fist up at her and she fist bumped him. He pulled her into a side hug "We did it, Half Pint. We actually did it!".
"We sure did, officer friendly" she replied, relief washing over her.
…
Night had fallen and they were all sitting around a fire eating the rabbit Anna had caught earlier that day. Daryl and Tom were on watch on top of the bus, keeping them all safe.
Glenn finished chewing on a bone, turning it around in his hand "Thank you for the rabbit, Anna. It is a nice change from squirrel!".
"Anytime" Anna replied, her muscles aching a little bit and she felt a little tired.
"Tomorrow we will pull those bodies together away from the water. Now if we can dig a canal underneath the fence we will have plenty of fresh water" T Dog said to them all.
"That's a good idea" Anna shifted her weight off her knee a little, laying out on the blanket and pulling her sleeping bag across her body. Her eye lids were feeling a little heavy "Maybe if the soil is any good we can plant some crops. It would do wanders to us all, even more when the baby comes. It will need fresh vegetables".
"Anna is right, we can plant tomatoes, cucumbers and soy beans" Hershel said.
The old man looked up to see Rick patrolling he fences "That is his third time going around now. Any part of it was compromised, he would have found it by now".
Anna sighed, snuggling more into her blanket and patting Samson. There were times Anna really did feel sorry for Rick and the burden that was weighing down on his shoulders. It wasn't fair on him and what it was doing to him. She knew he was avoiding Lori "Give him time. Don't you worry, he will come around".
"Bethy, sing Patty Riley for me. I don't think I have heard that since your mother was alive" Hershel asked.
"Daddy, please not that one" Maggie answered. The memories of her mother making her feel a little sad.
Hershel thought for a moment "How about Parting Glass?".
"No one wants to hear" Beth said to him, feeling a little shy.
"Why not?" Glenn asked.
Anna sat up with her sleeping bag wrapped around her waist. Ever since Anna was bitten, she always felt colder than normal "I will sing it with you Beth, my grandmother loved this song. I know the words like the back of my hand".
Beth smiled "I didn't know you could sing? Yeah, okay then. That would be great".
Together they sang, harmonising with each other. Everyone became more relaxed and at ease. Rick came back down and Carl had passed his food to Rick, who then passed it to Lori without a second thought. Carol, Tom and Daryl walked up to the group as they sang. Daryl looked at her oddly; he had not known Anna could sing and sound like that.
He sat down next to her, sitting down his cross bow next to hers and taking off his poncho, draping it over her shoulders. Daryl always made sure she as warm, cosy even "Never knew you could sing" he whispered, making himself comfortable on the blanket.
"Well you are lucky then Daryl because growing up she was a singing and dancing ballerina. Her brothers and I had to drive her around everywhere. To and from practises, recitals and competitions" he joked, sitting down his rifle and stretching out his hands to get them warm.
"You never asked if I sang Daryl" she whispered and leaned into his shoulder, feeling herself starting to fall asleep. Daryl was a space heater for her. "And I didn't see you, Sebastian and Matthew complaining when you go to see the older girls in their black leotards and pink tights".
Tom chuckled "Oh they were fun times, we got a few dates out of that. We got up to so much trouble".
"You have a beautiful voice, young Anna" Hershel complimented "I hope we get to hear more of it. A voice like that shouldn't be hidden away. The world needs to hear it".
"One of Anna is bad enough, can all of you imagine have triples? The three of them together was an absolute nightmare" Tom teased
Anna's mouth dropped, digging her hand into the ground and grabbing some dirt and throwing it at Tom. He ducked her throw, chuckling. She frowned, pointing her finger at him "You are a jack ass!".
"Takes one to know one" Tom said, in a childish voice.
"We all had better turn in. I will take watch over there. We have a big day tomorrow" Rick instructed.
Anna mentally cringed, making a face because her knee was feeling a little sore and she could feel it getting a little stiff and sore. It didn't go unnoticed by Daryl.
'What do you mean?" Glenn asked, seeing Anna's face and feeling sorry for her. He should have done that run today, not Anna with her bad knee. Anna was a good friend of his.
Rick was getting eager, excited at the prospect of a future in the prison "I know we are all exhausted. This was a great win but we have got to push a little bit more. Most of the walkers are dressed as guards or prisoners so that means this place fell pretty early which could mean supplies are still intact. They will have an infirmary where Anna could see up a proper practise for herself"
"An armoury even" Tom suggested "Lord knows we need some more ammo, we are getting pretty low".
"Weapons. Food. Medicine! This place could be a gold mine!" Rick told everyone.
Hershel was holding a piece of grass in his fingers, twirling it around his fingers. He sighed, looking up at Rick "We are dangerously low on ammo as Tom just pointed out just now. We would run out before we make a dent with all of those walkers".
Rick nodded to himself, he didn't want to look up at every one because they were so tired "That's why we have to go in there hand to hand. After all we have been through, I know we can handle it. We can!"
Anna was nodding her head, making eye contact with Carl "These ass holes don't stand a chance".
…
Hershel stood at the gate "You ready?" he asked them.
Daryl put his hand on Anna's arm, putting her behind him "I want you to stay alongside with me. I don't want you leave my side". Anna knew when to choose her battles, now was a time where she didn't fight him on this. She knew the time to fight was not now. Anna nodded, her knife raised and ready to kill any walker that came across her path. Truth be told, she felt a little nervous and always felt more comfortable and safe when she was with Daryl. Rick opened the gate and T Dog went through first, stabbing a walker in the head with a crow bar.
"Daryl!" Rick called, he raised his knife and stabbing the walker in the eye.
Anna shot a bolt through to a walker going through it mouth and hitting another in the eye, taking two with one bolt. They stayed in formation of a circle; Rick, Daryl, T Dog, Maggie, Glenn and Anna.
T Dog saw some riot shields, breaking rank of the circle "T! Get back here!".
He grabbed a shield, pushing a walker that Maggie then came and slashed with an axe.
They ran, opening a door and nothing was inside of it. Rick looked around the corner, seeing a horde of walking in front of an open gate. He raised his hand, stopping them from going further. Daryl now had his cross bow up ready, just the same as Anna now.
Ahead in the distance coming was two walkers in riot gear, another two just coming around the corner. They were all pushing and shoving the walkers, causing hardly any damage at all
"That isn't going to work" Anna whispered.
Anna put her cross bow on her back and she stepped away from Daryl.
"Anna!" Daryl growled, "What the hell are you going? Get your ass back here, ya hear me!".
She had her knife, running forward and shoving her knife up through the chin of the walker. Every one saw what she did and followed suit, eliminating the remaining walkers.
Rick ran forward, getting closer to the gate "Daryl! Anna!" he yelled for back up.
Daryl and Anna ran side by side. Daryl gave her the evil eye to tell her he would talk to her later about that little stunt she pulled and she just rolled her eyes at him. He ran ahead to help Rick to close the gate "We are good!" he yelled.
Glenn went to run off to let the others in but was stopped by Rick "Wait" he urged, raising his hand.
Glenn looked at Anna, whom shrugged her shoulders "The place is secure Rick" she told him, looking around the prison yard.
"Not with the look of that court yard over there!" Daryl pointed over to.
Anna took a closer look at a walker she had taken down "That one there is a civilian".
"So the interior could be overrun with walkers from outside the prison?" T Dog pondered.
"What if there are walls down? We can't rebuild this whole place?" Glenn said.
Rick shook his head, looking around at them all in the eye "We can't risk a blind spot. We have to push in".
Anna looked up, seeing Beth look at her worried from the fence line. She smiled at the girl, waving as they walked away from them. They all went through the caged stair way, walking up to a door. Daryl looked at Glenn and then to Anna. Glenn held Anna back with him at the rear of the group. Daryl put his hand on the handle and opening the door for Rick, who raised his machete ready to attack anything that could come at them.
But there was nothing and Rick casually walked in, looking around at everything. Daryl held open the door and waited for Anna to come through. He was going to be with her in this part of the prison. It was dark and hard to see. The girl could trip over flat surfaces in the middle of the day.
Rick walked up a stair way, finding a guard that had shot his head in and the remnants spread all over the glass behind him. Rick nudged it with the edge of his machete, making sure it was well and truly dead. Slowly he reached down, grabbing the keys from the belt of the dead man. Rick raised his hands up with the keys to every one down on the lower floor, walking back down the stars. They opened the cell block and cautiously walked through, they were always wary of their surroundings. Anna stuck by Daryl's side, her cross bow raised. Cells had dead bodies in them. Their heads been blown off and lots of blood on all of the walls. Daryl went up the stairs and Anna followed him. Rick joined them from the other stair well. They walked past some cells, walkers reaching out wanting to tear away at their flesh hungrily. Anna screwed up her nose at the smell, Daryl raised his cross bow out of the way and put his hand across her shoulder to shield her from any potential danger. Anna raised her knife but Rick stopped her, taking his machete out and killing the walker. Daryl stepped aside, taking out the walker in the next cell.
They threw the bodies over the side. Anna wiped away some sweat from her face.
Anna pulled a face as she undid all of her straps and buckles on her brace. Daryl saw she needed help, walking to her and helping her down on to the floor. "Thanks. I need to sit for a moment. My knee is killing me and I am dead on my feet" she told Daryl.
"Sit tight, you deserve it. You kicked some serious walker ass the past couple of days" Daryl told her, patting her on the shoulder. "Take all of the time you need".
Anna nodded, putting her hand over her mouth and stifling a yawn "I am really not that tired" she mumbled.
"You could have fooled me with that big yawn just down" he chuckled.
Everyone else came in and a look of joy and relief on all their faces. Glenn had gone out and helped them bring all of their belongings. It was home sweet home for them for the time being. The cell block was safe and secure for them. It was a good place for Lori to have the baby and for it to grow up in.
"Is the rest of the prison secure" Hershel asked, looking around.
"In the morning we are going to find the cafeteria and the infirmary" Rick told him.
"Are we sleeping in the cells?" Beth asked, wide eyes and looking around at it all.
"Found some keys on some guards, Daryl has a set as well" Rick informed them.
"I am not sleeping in no cage…" Daryl muttered but then stopping to see Anna fast asleep with her hand on Samson.
He turned, looking around at everyone "Can someone please wake her up for me?" Daryl asked out loud to of everyone "Because I am kinda scared to do it even though we just killed a bunch of walkers. Waking her up is nothing compared to that".
Tom chuckled, "No, you can do that on your own. I know what Anna is like when you wake her up from a sleep when she is over tired. One time I did, I got too close and she broke my nose in the process".
"So her breaking Andrea's nose wasn't the first time injuring someone?" Carol asked.
"Oh you have no idea" Tom answered, dropping his bag in one of the cells.
"Aww hell" he muttered, edging nervously and crouching down to Anna.
"You are such a chicken shit, I am not that bad!" Anna opened her eyes and squinting her eyes at him "I am not sleeping on no floor. If there are beds, I am sleeping in a bed!".
"Fine, we sleep in a cell, Princess" Daryl holding out his hand and helping to pull her up off the ground.
She grabbed her back pack, knee brace and medical bag. Anna pulled a grumpy face at the sight of the stairs and groaning like a child at the sight of them, but it was safer for them to be up on a higher level. Daryl rolled his eyes at her, putting his hands on the small of her back, holding her steady as she limped up the stairs "Daryl carry me up the stairs" she joked.
He scoffed "You have two legs, arms and a heartbeat. Besides, you are almost at the top of the stairs. A few more steps won't kill you!"
She yawned, tilting her neck side to side and chose the cell at the end of the level. They were lucky, there wasn't any blood splattered on the walls or any dead bodies lying in it "Home sweet home" she muttered, not really caring what state it was in.
Daryl chucked his bag and cross bow on the top bunk "You have got the bottom bed, it will be easier on your knee rather than getting up and down".
He peered down, looking at her quizzical. Anna had taken out the plastic slip with all of her photos and she was sorting through them "Why are you doing that now?"
"I want to do it now because I want it feel like home here in the prison now" she told him and pulled some tape out, smiling at the first photo. It was a photo of her and Daryl together, smiling and looking at the camera "Every time I fall asleep and I wake up, I want my family to be the last thing I see when I go to sleep and be the first thing I see when I wake up".
Anna smirked "That even means your ugly mug".
"Same to you" he teased, getting up on the top bunk of the bed "You sleep tight Half Pint".
Daryl was arranging his bed, taking out his poncho and leaned over the bed. He snickered because Anna was already asleep. He held out the poncho, chucking it down on to her.
…
They had collected all of the weapons and armour from the walkers in the prison that they could. There were all sorts of weapons laid all out on a table. Hershel, T Dog, Rick and herself were all standing around the table, Daryl sat down a torch "Not bad!"
"We all did well!" Anna commented, then looking around at the men "We could do some serious damage with all of this to both walkers and humans".
Rick picked up one of the small hand held weapons on the table "Flash bangs, CS triple chasers. Not sure how they will work on walkers but we will take them".
Anna picked up helmet, ooze dripping from it and she screwed up her nose as the smell drifted up in her nose. It was an almost unbearable stench. She cheekily waved it in front of
Daryl ducked out of the way, glaring at Anna "Get that shit away from me".
Anna just rolled her eyes at him, putting the helmet back down "Who is the princess now?", teasing him.
"We could boil them maybe?" T Dog suggested.
Daryl screwed up his face, not really seeing the point "There isn't enough fire wood in the forest. No!"
"We have gotten this far without them!" Anna added, shrugging her shoulders.
Everyone looked up to see Carol had entered the room, nodding her head for Anna to follow her.
"Everything okay?" Rick asked.
"Yeah, nothing to worry about" Carol told him.
…
Anna had walked Lori's cell, carrying her medical bag on her shoulder. She dragged across a crate, sitting in front of Lori "Now, you can tell me what has you worried?".
Anna had such kind eyes, not a hint of malice in them. Lori mentally cringed, feeling guilty with the way she has treated Anna "It's the baby. I think I have lost it"
"You haven't felt it move?" Anna asked "No squirming or kicking?".
"No nothing. Not even Braxton hicks. At first I thought it was malnutrition or exhaustion" Lori explained, her hands on her stomach and her eyes filled with fear.
"If we all are infected, so it the baby" Lori said.
There was an awkward silence in the air "What if it is still born? What if it is dead inside of me and rips me apart" Lori said shakily.
Anna got up off her seat and sat next to Lori, holding her hand and doing her best to calm her fears. "Stop it!" she said gently, rubbing her shoulder "You can't let your fear take control of you. Believe me, I know how it is. It works its way into your head slowly before it all becomes too much".
"Okay" Lori answered her, nodding her head "Let's say it lived and I die during child birth" Lori pointed out, looking down at the ground "What happens then?"
"That is not going to happen!" Anna told her, shifting closer to Lori to try and comfort the woman.
"Why not? How many women died during child birth before modern medicine?" Lori asked.
"If I come back, what if I attack it? Or you. Or Rick. Or Carl. If I do, if there is any chance. You put me down immediately and you don't hesitate. Me, the baby, you do not hesitate and you do not try and save us, okay" Lori
Anna nods silently, rubbing her back and letting her express all of her fears.
"It would have been better if.." Lori started to say.
She took away her arm, looking at Lori "Better if what?"
Lori looked Anna in the eye "If I never made it off the farm".
"You are exhausted and you are frightened" Anna told her.
"My son can't stand me and my husband hates me because of what I put him through. You are the only one that they turn and talk to" Lori
"I have tried to talk to him" Lori
"He will come around" Anna said, "What happened no one can just get over. It will take time for the wounds to heal".
"He hates me. He is too good of a man to say it but I know. I put him and Shane at odds and the knife in his hand" Lori
"You know who doesn't care about that, this baby. So let's make sure everything is alright. I am going to prove to you that there is nothing to worry about" Anna.
…
Anna was tightening up her bullet proof vest. Rick, Daryl, Anna, Hershel, Maggie and Glenn were going further into the prison to clear it and make it more secure. Daryl leaned walked up to Anna, motioning her to come to him. She rolled her eyes at him, quickly doing up her vest and finished with a smug look on her face.
"I don't even want to know why you are so good at that" Daryl.
Carl was trying on a protective helmet. The fit was too big on him and it was slipping off his head and Tom was laughing at him, ruffling his hair. Rick took a step, taking if off him "You won't need that. I need you to stay put".
"You are kidding me!" Carl exclaimed
"Carl, we don't know what is in there. We need you to stay back. If something happens in there, you could be the last man standing. You could be the last man standing" Tom pointed out, backing up Rick.
"Sure. You just be careful with that knee in there. Daryl, you watch her like a hawk. She comes back with one scratch on her" Carl threatened.
"You got it" Daryl assured him.
"Great, let's go" Rick said.
…
The tombs were dark, Anna had her torch raised. The dust was floating in the air, tickling her nose. Daryl had taken the lead, Rick came in second and of course Anna was behind him. Rick wasn't going to let her go in front of him.
Daryl had unlocked the cell gate, slowly opening it to make as least noise as possible.
They came around the corner, there was droplets of water coming through the ceiling. Ahead of them lay bodies, all rotten and in pieces. Glenn was spray painting arrows along the walls. Daryl kept by her side because he wanted to keep a constant eye on her. They rounded one corner, no walkers. Rick was taking the lead when a corridor when a corridor of walkers came around the corner "Get back! Get back!" he whispered.
Daryl instantly grabbed Anna's hand. He was not going to lose her. What happened at the farm was not going happen again.
They ran but Glenn and Maggie were cut off. Anna looked behind over her shoulder. There was a huge wall of walkers and she couldn't see Maggie or Glenn. Daryl was still holding her hand when they were crouching down. He was not letting go.
"Where is Glenn and Maggie?" Rick whispered.
"We need to go back" Hershel.
"Which way?" Daryl asked.
"I saw we lost them back there and they hid in a cupboard" Anna.
Rick nodded and they all got up off their feet. Rick took the lead, nodding to Daryl to take the lead. Hershel must have heard something because he stopped and went down another corridor. Anna looked ahead, Daryl and Rick were too far ahead to let them know.
"Hershel!" she whispered, her cross bow raised and having his back.
He placed his foot in between the legs of a walker "Glenn! Maggie!", he whispered.
It was all so fast. The walker suddenly woke up grabbing Hershel's leg and pulling at his muscles. Anna shot it in the head with her cross bow and threw her knife at another. Hershel was screaming. Anna ran, skidding down to her knees and her surgeon instincts kicked in.
"DARYL! RICK!" she screamed "I NEED YOUR HELP!".
Rick came around the corner and shot a walker who was close to Anna and Hershel. Glenn and Maggie came around the corner, a look of horror of on their faces. Daryl and T Dog came behind Rick. Glenn ran forward, helping Rick pull up Hershel. The walkers were coming out from nowhere. Maggie was in shock and crying. Daryl put his hand up helping her "I am fine".
She turned her attention to Hershel. They ran around a corner, finding a door with hand cuffs. T Dog snapped them off and they ran in, laying him down. Daryl and T Dog stood by the door, keeping a hold on it. Anna looked at his leg, now way in hell is Hershel going to die.
"Rick, take your belt off. There is only one way we are going to keep him alive" Anna
Rick look at her and he felt sick. He took off his belt and wrapping it around the top off his knee. Anna ripped off her flannelette t shirt and slipped her t shirt over her head, leaving her in just a tank top. Maggie had his head on her lap. Daryl was holding down his other leg. Anna held down his ankle. Rick raised his axe, striking down and cutting into the bone. Five strikes and Hershel's ankle came loose in Anna's hand. She immediately stuffed her t-shirt onto the sump and tied her flannelette around to secure it.
Daryl had a look on his face, she followed his eye line. "Duck" he whispered to Rick. Quickly picking his cross bow up, aiming it at five prisoners that were standing behind a caged door in the cafeteria.
"Holy shit!" one of them whispered.
.