Author's Note: Well, she isn't dead yet, can we be happy for that? :D No? Yeah, I know. Sorry this chapter took so long for me to get out guys, I spent most of the time racking my brain, trying to figure out what could possibly make someone immune, and my theory, ladies and gentlemen, is inscribed below, so, have at it! I want to know how you think I did!

Secondly, I spent a lot of time on many medical webisites for Parish's whole idea, and I did what I could, but there was just no changing the fact that they aren't at a hospital, so I did what I could. Rather, Beau did what he could. No matter what, I hope you all enjoy.

Now, a question, do you want to see Daryl take mercy on Jackson, after his talk with Avery below, or do you want him to kill the fucker? The choice is entirely yours!

Finally, another thing I need you all to put to vote, and this one is important. Do you want the immunity scheme to work? Or would you rather have it be another failed attempt? Please do share.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Walking Dead, and in this chapter, there is swearing, racism, mentions of suicide and self-harm, and a brief stint of mental illness. Enjoy.

Chapter 21: Don't You Fret My Dear, It'll All Be Over Soon

Avery glared at Glenn, her eyes burned into his skull, and he could feel her fucking intent to kill him. The Pizza Boy only shook his head. They needed her help, but blackmailing probably hadn't been the best way to go about that. Besides, whatever happened to Cali, Daryl was probably going to kill that immune mother fucker no matter what. The Redneck got pissed when people stepped on his foot, and Glenn couldn't even imagine the anger that comes with 'almost killed/killed the girl I love'. "I don't feel bad. Your brother did this to himself."

"You have to be wrong. There's no way Jackson could have done this. There's just no fucking way."

"Why would I kid about this? And seriously? You and your brother are the only people that can get bit, and walk away from it. Who the fuck else could it be?"

Avery flinched and looked away, anger written all over her face. "Don't talk about us like that."

"Like what?"

"Like we're fucking freaks! We're not freaks! I mean, fuck. There are more people like us. There have to be more people like us." She glared at her feed. "It's fucking biology. There's no way it's just me and Jackson. There's more. They just don't know they're immune." She answered, looking behind Glenn, and around Parish's office. All she saw were medical supplies and needles, and she was suddenly uneasy.

"What do you mean they don't know?"

"It's not like there's a test." Avery spat, thinking about how each one of those tools were now her enemy. These people were willing to rip her open to see how she ticked, what made her genetically immune to the greatest plague in mankind's history. "You don't know unless you get bit, and if your group is anything like here, you get killed before you can even find out."

"Why would they kill you? You won't end up a Walker."

"Like they know that." Avery rolled her eyes. "And anyway, just because we're immune doesn't mean we get bit, slap on a bandage and walk away, it hurts like hell. It's like we get the joy of feeling the pain of having your body shut down on you, but, the next day, you get up, and you're fine."

Glenn nodded his head. "And that's why you're not afraid to go on land alone?"

"No, that's why I'm not afraid to go on land. I go alone, because I don't have time to teach some dumbass the ropes, and if they call the attention of a bunch of Walkers? Well, no one's immune from being ripped apart and eaten alive." She rolled her eyes. "Besides, I'm usually the only one who needs anything from land."

"Nice of your brother to wait until you left before trying to kill us all."

"SHUT UP!" Avery screamed, and clenched her fist. "He didn't do it! He would never do this!"

"Yes he did! And goddamn it Avery, we need you to make this right! Understand!?"

"It's not my job to help your fucking friend!"

"But it is your job to help you brother!" Glenn argued back, and Avery scoffed.

"From your redneck? He won't do shit. You're bluffing."

It was Glenn's turn to scoff and shake his head. "Honey, you don't know Daryl. Anyone fucks with his family, and he will end them. You think he's going to let the guy who killed his favorite just walk away with a slap on the wrist? Daryl is going to fucking destroy him."

"Fuck. Daryl."

The Asian closed his eyes and sighed. "You're going to regret that."

"He won't do shit."

"Fine. Then I'll kill your brother."

"What!?"

"Yup. Cali is my best friend, and she's family now. And I don't like it when people fuck with my family either. You don't help her, and I will kill your brother."

Avery pulled her eyes from the tubes and needles, and gave her focus back to Glenn. "You don't have the guts."

"Try me."

Her glare lessened as she looked at him, and she realized that he wasn't fucking bluffing. That kind man would pick up a fucking rock if he needed to, and he would beat her brother to death. She was fucked, Jackson was fucked, and the rest of the ship was fucked.

But she couldn't let them do this, couldn't let them fucking commercialize her. To get enough of her blood to help that Cali chick…it would possibly kill her, and it wasn't like she had an excess amount of blood to put back into her veins here. She would be risking her life, no doubt.

But if she didn't, she threw away her brother's life.

Her fucking brother, who apparently liked to collect dead people and set them loose when he got bored of playing pretend, had completely and totally thrown her to the infected wolves. But she had no choice either; people didn't fuck with her family.

"Fine."

"Fine what?"

"Fine. I'll help your stupid whore." She snarled. "On two conditions."

"Oh great."

"One, no one from your group lays a fucking hand on my brother. Not a single fucking one of you. Understand?"

"Yeah, got it."

"Two. You need to find someone with an O- blood type."

"What? Why?"

"Because if I'm going to help your friend, I'm going to need a transfusion after." Avery sighed, pressing the heel of her hand into her palms. Glenn nodded slowly.

"So…it's your blood then? That's what makes you immune?"

Avery snorted. "Up for a biology lesson huh? Yeah, that's what me and Parish think. Me and Jackson, we both have Thalassemia."

"And that is?"

"Our blood cells are shaped weird. It doesn't carry hemoglobin well, so we're both seriously anemic, but we can't take the iron pills, because our body doesn't have low levels, it just doesn't produce the shit. So we have to get transfusions every now and then.

"Parish seems to think that the Walker-Whatever thing isn't from the Walkers themselves. He thinks it's already in the body, in the blood. And when you get an infection, or maybe even killed a different way, it suddenly activates itself, and changes into a fucking monstrosity, so long as-"

"-So long as the brain is intact." Glenn finished, and Avery nodded.

"Yup. Boom headshot. That's how you win this fucking game."

"And you're not infected…because…"

"Our theory? Because my blood sucks. It doesn't do its job right, and it doesn't travel the way it's supposed to. But, they also think that's my blessing. My blood carries things for shit, and because of that, it carries the disease or whatever wrong. I'll get bit, and I'll get sick, but it'll stop spreading through my body at some point, and it'll get expelled out. I don't know why, Parish doesn't know why, and I'm sure somewhere, God thinks this is all really fucking funny." She growled, and Glenn only shook his head.

"So…you've been bit?"

"Yup." Avery tugged her shirt up, and raised against her skin was an angry red scar, shaped in the jagged half-moon of human teeth.

"Deep red."

"It never stops being red. It doesn't settle, it's always there." She answered, and sighed, dropping her shirt. "Your friend will have one too, if this ends up working."

"Yeah. I think she can live with that, as long as she's living." Glenn sighed, and eyed Avery again. "What's going to happen to her when she gets your blood?"

"In theory, it'll stop spreading the disease, make it noticed by her body, and her immune system will start trying to kick its ass."

"But your disease thing…"

"Yeah, it'll burn out quick, like I said, my blood is for shit. But if Parish has done a good job of blocking it, and she wants to fight it, then it should work. Maybe two or three rounds of blood here."

"How much are you going to give her?"

"I'm only doing this once. Parish can take as much as he needs without killing me. But then I'm not doing this again. Understand?"

All in all, Glenn figured this was the best deal he was ever going to get out of this situation, and Cali was too fucked up to even argue, so this was going to have to be it. This was their one chance. "I understand."

"Stay the fuck away from my brother."

"I will."

"Keep the redneck away from him."

"He won't even learn his name."

"And don't let me die, like a fucking guinea pig."

"You won't."

"Fine. Go find me a blood donor."

"On it."

"Good. Now just leave the fuck alone."

"Avery..."

"Seriously. Just go."

Lori growled and tugged at the duct tape that secured her arms to her back, also trying to work off the tape that covered her mouth. Apparently she'd lost her speaking privileges after the skinny little fucker who'd tied her up decided she was being a bit too logical about their situation. He hadn't liked the way she was constantly asking him what he planned to do.

Sooner or later, Rick or Daryl was going to track them down, and then Lori would be safe, and she could forget this whole mess.

In front of her, the kid continued to break down. He kept pacing back and forth, mumbling to himself. He used to talk loud enough for Lori to listen, but she'd just hear snippets about his dead children, and that they would pay. She wasn't exactly a genius, but she had a feeling that 'they' meant her and her family.

Suddenly, he leaned into himself and let out a wretched sob from his chest, and leaned against the wall, crying to himself.

His world was crashing down around him, and Lori shook her head.

His world was crashing down, and it just hit her, that this kid was 22 at the oldest.

He was just a kid.

Then, he wiped his eyes, and turned back over to her, and ripped the tape off her mouth. She cried out, but his hand covered her mouth instantly, and there was nothing but steely determination in his eyes. "I need you to stay calm. Understand?" Lori nodded, and made sure to regulate her breathing. The kid nodded and slowly removed his hand from her face. "What do you think they're going to try to do?"

"In what case?"

"If I come out, offering to trade your life for mine."

"They'll see right through that. If you kill me, then they'll just kill you. It's an empty threat."

"But you're a mother, they'll factor that in."

The mother could only scowl, he was right. There was no way any of the Camp would be willing to throw her life away, they'd want the trade. But…only one thing preventing that…"Depends, did you kill anyone from camp?"

"One of the cops, I hear. Not the one that's a dad."

"Shane." Lori's eyes widened, and they flooded with tears. Not Shane, not the man who had saved her and her son, the man who had risked everything for them, the man, who after Rick walked out of his grave, had walked away the best he could.

Shane was dead, because of this fucking kid.

"That won't play into your favor." Lori growled, knowing Rick would be out for blood on this one, no doubt about that.

"One of your women got bit." The kid continued, a smile crossing his face slightly. "She's going to turn, the only one that's going to make it. She'll be my first new child."

"You sick bastard." She could only growl. "Who is it?"

"I don't know her name."

"Who. Is. It?!"

"The one named after the State."

Lori had to blink for a second while the information sunk in, then she threw her head back and laughed. The kid slammed his palm against her mouth again. "What the hell is so funny?!"

"You've killed yourself. There's nothing I can do to help you."

"Why's that?!"

"You pissed off the only man on this ship, who isn't afraid to kill you."

Daryl rolled his eyes, and brought them back down to the floor of the chapel. He didn't know why he was bothering, wasn't like God ever listened to him before, so why would now be any different? The hunter was about to get up when he heard a small noise, and froze. "Who th' fuck's there?" He snarled, and turned around. The brown haired girl with the brace around her hand was half in the door when she smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry, didn't know anyone was in here."

"'S fine. I was jus' leavin'." He answered, getting up. The girl walked in, and sat down in one of the pews, looking at the cross.

"Did you find what you were looking for?"

"Nope."

"Maybe you're looking in the wrong place?"

Daryl narrowed his eyes, and looked at her again. "Who th' fuck're you?"

"Blaine."

"Daryl."

"Pleasure."

"Likewise." He answered and scrubbed a hand across his face. "Ya helped th' chink today right?"

"Glenn?"

"Ain't that what I said?"

She smiled. "Yeah, I helped the chink. He helped me back."

"Ya helped with Nia too."

"That Cali?"

"Ain't never been Cali." Daryl mumbled, the name tasting weird on his tongue. Blaine only nodded.

"You heard what Parish had to say?"

"Sound like a bunch of bullshit."

"Nah, I think it's a good plan."

"Sounds like wishful fuckin' thinking."

Blaine laughed, and shook her head. "That's all we have."

"Ya got some point of view girl."

"I grew up weird." Blaine shrugged, and turned her attention back to the cross. "He's not much a conversationalist, is he?"

"Silent as fuck."

"Yeah, I've noticed that too. But…ever consider he isn't talking in his voice?" Blaine asked, and Daryl cocked an eyebrow at her, and she continued. "Maybe he's never liked talking through a statue, maybe he's trying to talk through the people around you."

"This ain' on'a them 'Touched by An Angel' bullshit, is it? Ya ain't gonn' disappear when I leave or some shit?"

"Does this look like Lifetime? Yeah right." She rolled her eyes. "I just think that your friend has a good chance of making it. And there's a good chance that you'll get the help you need."

"She don't wanna live."

"She doesn't know she can live. She's trying to be strong."

"She's fuckin' scared."

"Just like you."

Daryl's eyes narrowed, and he glared at Blaine, who only cocked an eyebrow up, daring him to challenge her. He turned away, and scowled. "Fuck you."

"It's okay-"

"Don't fuckin' tell me it's fuckin' okay to be scared. I'm fuckin' aware of that! But if I'm scared it means I give up, so fuckin' believe you me, I ain't scared."

Blaine met his glare, and she smiled. "You're fucking terrified."

Daryl scowled, and crossed his arms over his chest. "Th' fuck do you know anyways? An' is it common fuckin' practice for you to chat up people you meet in a fuckin' church?"

"Increasingly, lately." She shrugged. "But don't flatter yourself okay; I didn't exactly have a choice."

"Th' fuck's tha' supposed to mean?"

Blaine stared at him for a second, before pushing the bangs off his face. Daryl flinched under the touch, and narrowed his eyes. She only shook her head and laughed. "No joke, you look just like my brother. There's no way I could leave him alone brooding at a cross, so I figured I'd do the same for you."

"I ain't broodin'."

"Sweetie, you got a face that promises a bartender one hell of a tip."

Daryl turned back to face the girl, who only winked before looking back at the cross. "Ya sure ya ain't gonn' disappear?"

"I'll see you at dinner."

He accepted her answer, and they sat in silence for a while. She was weird, sure, but she did have a point. He was fucking terrified. And who would blame him? Not many people had to sit down and swallow the idea that they might have to put a bullet through the head of someone they cared about. Not many people had to fucking listen as that person begged to just die already. To just fucking watch them cry, and bleed, and puke and pray for death in some fucked up delirious half state.

It was fucking terrifying.

So, maybe this Blaine chick had a point, and maybe there wasn't anything wrong with having a little faith. After all, wishful thinking or not, it was all he had.

"What's your blood type?"

"Th' fuck kinda question is tha'?" He turned back to the girl, cocked an eyebrow back up.

"An important one." She answered sagely. "Possibly one that can change this entire situation."

"Whut's yers?"

"B+, and I am of no use to them."

"Who?"

"Daryl? Blood type?"

"Fuck if I remember."

"Come on, don't even remember a little bit?"

"All I know, is tha' every time I ended up in th' fuckin' hospital, they all but beg me to donate. Never did. Freaks me the fuck out."

"Best news I've heard all day." Blaine grinned. "We're going to need to go see Parish. When you're done, of course."

Daryl settled back into the pew, and stuck his gaze back up at the cross. Don't you fuck her over, you bastard. Blaine sat next to him, a content smile on her face, staring up at the cross with him.

"So, I look like yer brother?"

"You could be twins."

"Handsome mother fucker."

"Yeah, I guess, if it wasn't for the crippling fear of commitment and misplaced anger, he could probably be really happy someday. But I'm sure you're nothing like that."

"…Fuck you."

"We're going to have fun. I can tell."

Parish fluttered around his office, gathering up supplies for a transfusion, while Avery sat stone still on his exam table. He sighed, and gave her a remorseful look. "You don't have to do this."

"Yes I do. They'll kill my brother."

"You know that the Redneck will kill him no matter what, right?"

"Maybe he won't."

"He will."

"Maybe-"

"Honey, if I had the guy who killed Pat right in front of me, there's no way I wouldn't kill him."

Avery winced, and looked down. "You don't think that first time…that Jackson…he did it. Do you?"

"Oh no. There was no way. You hadn't even been bitten yet."

"Beau…I'm sorry about Pat."

Parish sighed, and resumed sterilizing his equipment. "It's alright."

"If I had known I was immune…if I had come to you first…I just didn't want to die, and I was so scared-"

"Okay Honeybunch, listen up." Beau whirled to face her, and he threw his hands on his hips. "That first attack, was a tragedy. And we learned a lot from it, but, and make sure you're listening to me now, but Pat had his foot chewed off. By time he'd been found, he'd lost too much blood. Understand? He lost all of his blood. There was no way immunity was going to be able to help him then."

"I don't want to be immune. I feel like a freak, like a fucking guinea pig." Avery snarled. "I don't want some fucking blood disease that didn't fucking matter a few years ago to define me now. I am not immunity, I'm Avery. And they've all forgotten it. I can't become some magic pill."

"You're still you. This will be the only time you're asked to do this."

Avery only scoffed, and shook her head. "How do you know?"

"I'll make sure of it." Beau promised.

"Same." A voice drawled from the door. Daryl leaned against the frame, arms crossed, and frown etched onto his face. "Ya don' wanna do this again? Tha's fine."

"You're making me do it now."

"Technically I ain't makin' you do shit."

"Glenn said you'd kill my brother if I didn't."

"I'll be honest, I'm plannin' on killin' tha' fucker, no matter what. He's th' reason tha' Shane's dead too."

"He's still my brother!"

"My brother tried to kill Glenn, an' T-Dog. He's still my brother." Daryl shrugged.

"Where is he?"

"Fuck if I know. Last I saw, his fucking friend shot me, and he left me fer dead. After killing two of our friends. They wanted to kill him. I stood up fer him. He's still my brother." He finally smirked. "That doesn't change th' fact tha' he's a lying shithead."

"Please don't kill my brother."

"Ain't up to me." Daryl admitted. "If this works, and Nia ends up okay, then I'm willin' to look th' other way. But I don' answer to you, and if Rick wants him dead. Fucker's dead."

"He's all I have."

"An' these people are all I got. Gotta say, they been better company than my brother would've been." Daryl shrugged, and Avery narrowed her eyes.

"Why the hell are you here? To drop by and say 'hey, I'm planning on killing your brother, thanks for the blood'? Asshole."

"Nope." Daryl shook his head. "I'm yer fuckin' donor."

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." Avery sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "You have got to be fucking kidding me."

"Sorry princess. Looks like yer jus' lucky."

"How do I know you haven't got AIDS or some shit?"

Parish shook his head. "He's good, Avery. Clear to donate."

"He's got fucking tattoos!"

"Been well over a year since I got them too." Daryl nodded.

"It had to be you." Avery narrowed her eyes, and Daryl only smirked.

"Could've been Shane, 'cept he's splattered down by th' fuckin' pool. Ya can thank yer brother fer tha'."

"You can go fuck yourself!" Avery growled, and Daryl shrugged.

"Knock it off!" Beau ordered, and glared at them both. "I thought you and Miss Hollywood were bad, but it might just be you."

"Yeah, I'm a fuckin' dick." Daryl shook his head. "I know, I suck."

"Yeah. Agreed." Avery spat, and Beau shook his head.

"Let's just do this, kids. Ready?"

"Sure." Daryl shrugged and leaned against the counter. Beau shook his head.

"No, no. you'll want to be laying down for this. I'm afraid we don't exactly have the time to do a correct transfusion, so we're going to…improvise."

"Like how?"

"Like…dangerous." Beau admitted. "I need a lot of Avery's blood, which means I'll need a lot of your blood."

Daryl narrowed his eyes. "How much?"

"Enough to save Avery from a Stage III Hemorrhage. We're looking at a lot. A little under two liters."

"What?!"

"Two fuckin' liters!?"

"Hey, hold on now." Parish held up his hands. "Daryl, you're bigger than her, and for every 100 pounds on a human, there's seven pints of blood. That's about 3.3 liters. So, Avery'll need the blood, but it shouldn't cause you any serious problems, other than the standard feelings of blood loss. Avery, you'll need blood, immediately, but Daryl should have enough to give you."

"And th' blood for Nia?"

"Yes…" Beau straightened his tie. "Her blood's pretty much bad. I want to drain her blood too, like I'm doing to you two, and then put her on Avery's blood. That way, she'll have more immune in her, than infected. Now, Daryl, would you mind?"

"Ya gonna drain her?"

"How does that work?"

"Well," Parish sighed. "Quite simply, we're going to bleed her out and then put her on the new blood. Our one Saving Grace is that Miss Hollywood is AB, which makes her a universal receiver. You blood type won't even matter Avery."

"Is that going to work?" Avery asked. "Seems a little risky, for everyone involved."

"No risk, no gain." Parish answered, pulling on gloves. "Now, ready Frenchie?"

Daryl nodded, and Avery moved so Daryl could hop up on the bed. He held out his left arm, and Beau tied the tourniquet on his arm, and Daryl winced. Beau examined the skin, and shook his head. "I can't see the vein. Make a fist would you?" Daryl clenched his fist, and Beau nodded. "Perfect." Parish swabbed the area with disinfectant, and swiftly, he stuck the needle into Daryl's arm, and had it attached to the bag in a matter of seconds.

After that, they just watched the bag fill up.

Three bags later, Daryl was definitely feeling it. He was fucking freezing, and judging from the looks Parish and Avery were giving him, he probably didn't look so hot. The piercing in Avery's lip traveled downward. "I think we should stop."

"Almost there."

"He looks like he's going to keel over."

"Well, he'll be fine."

"He's pale as fuck."

"Was when he came in." Beau replied, tone drenched in snark. Daryl tried to lift his arm to flip him off, but it was too much work, and he couldn't bring himself to do it. Parish watched his arm fall, and he cinched the blood flow. "Alright, that should be good enough. He carefully removed the needle and tourniquet, and had the gauze pad pressed against the bleeding before Daryl could even bitch about the pain. "Can you hold this here?" He asked Avery. "I need to get the medical tape."

Avery held the gauze down while Parish ducked out of the room, and she looked at Daryl. "You look like shit."

"Sorta feel like it too."

"So…your brother tried to kill you?"

"Nah, tha' wasn't whu' I said." His voice slurred slightly. "Merle'd never kill me. But tha' fucker ain't ever stayed around to help me either. Always running off to somethin' better. Fuck whatever's waitin' fer me at home."

"He sounds like a dick."

"I'd agree withcha."

"But you still wouldn't let them kill him."

"'S my big brother, whu' th' fuck was I supposed to do?"

"So you see where I'm coming from?"

"Nope. Cuz, when he came back, and he'd attacked Nia, I swear to God I was going to kill the mother fucker. Ya don't choose blood kid, but ya can choose th' rest. An' sometimes, blood just sucks."

"So, you're the only one allowed to kill your brother?"

"Yup."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Anythin' to help."

"You're kind of philosophical for a red neck."

"An' ya can kiss my philosophical ass."

"Yeah, no thanks." Avery rolled her eyes, and Daryl snorted. He pulled himself up, and ignoring the swimming in his head, brought his right hand over the gauze pad. Avery pulled away, and he got up, shakily, so she could take his spot.

"Hey kid."

"Yeah?"

"Thank you." it was muttered out of the side of his mouth, eyes fixed on the ground, but for some reason, it actually made her proud of what she was about to do. After all, this immunity had killed so many people through her brother; it was about time it had saved one.

A person who causes no destruction, yet does nothing to prevent it, is just as destructive.

Maybe she would end up doing this again, maybe it would be okay.

Because, she'd never seen someone so hurt look so hopeful before in her life.

And for once, she could do something to fix it.

And that felt amazing, that felt like redemption.

And who couldn't use a little redeeming these days?

"Beau, hurry your fairy ass up! My blood ain't getting any younger!" Avery called, out and smiled at the Redneck. What he gave her back could hardly be counted as a smile, it was more smirk than anything, but all things considered, that was the best she was going to get.

Cali had learned something really fucking quick. Whatever was inside of her, it was a disease. And this disease, it had some fucked up symptoms. Firstly, there was the constant regurgitation of her blood. That damn bucket she had become white knuckled on was starting to actually fill up, and she wasn't a doctor herself, but she could guess that wasn't exactly a good thing.

The hallucinations came afterword.

She was getting fucking sick of it, the slew of visitors from her past who did nothing but patronize and mock her. Amy bitched her out, Jacqui sat there and clucked her tongue, not letting Cali get a word in edgewise, while a steady parade of Walkers and monsters danced in her head.

But out of all of them, Merle was the meanest. He'd just fucking sit there, and mock her, for the blood, for the tears, for the bite mark on her hand. "Hoo-wee Lil Bird, never thought I'd meet some'n stupid enough to punch a mother fuckin' Walker righ' in the jaw." He cackled as she leaned over the bucket and blood dripped from her mouth.

"Shut your fucking mouth already." She growled, and Merle only rolled his eyes.

"Ya dumb enough to make the mess, then ya gotta be ready to take th' shit. Understand? Ya a dumb lil bitch. Ya ready to die?"

"No."

"Awh don't be scared Nia. Dyin' is super easy. Just lean back and wait for th' bullet to rip your head apart."

"Don't you fucking call me that."

"Don't be so scared then, little girl."

"I'm not scared to die." She snarled. "I'm a little bit scared of what comes after."

"Ya get to meet your God. Ain'tcha excited."

"Why the fuck are you here?"

"Ya missed me."

"You tried to kill me. Twice."

"Past's in th' past."

"I fucking hate you."

"Then why'm I still here?"

"Because go fuck yourself, that's why." She snarled, and instead of Merle answering, she heard a different sound. She opened her eyes, and Glenn was standing in the door, a worried look on his face. She tilted her head. "You real?"

"Last I checked." He answered. "Have you had a lot of not real visitors lately?"

"Yup." Cali answered, reaching blindly for the bucket before she was face first in the plastic once more. Blood spattered the inside, and she laughed to herself while the excess dripped off her chin. Glenn walked inside, and pulled up a chair.

"What's so funny?"

"I don't know. I'm hallucinating. Or delusional. I get the two mixed up. Either way, I'm tripping balls dude." She smiled up at him through red stained teeth, and Glenn flinched. Cali saw, but just shrugged, and wiped the blood off her face. "You here to kill me?"

"You can't be serious?"

"Goddamn it, we kill everyone else super easy, why they fuck is that courtesy not extended to me?"

"Didn't Parish come talk to you?"

"He was here. I think, but when he was talking, Merle kept distracting me, then Wade and Merle got into it, and Amy started yelling at them both, and every time I close my eyes there's a Walker waiting for me, and no one has their eyes anymore, and I'm coughing up my vocal cords, and I'm breaking apart blood vessel by blood vessel, my fucking cells are killing themselves. And I just want to die." Cali muttered, and Glenn frowned at her, and took off his hat.

"Is that really what it feels like?" He asked, and Cali nodded and brushed her hand under her nose. Not ten seconds later, blood began dripping from her right nostril, and Cali only smiled as she brought her stained shirt up to stop the bleeding.

"It feels like the Devil and God are raging inside of me. And I can't fucking take it anymore Glenn. I need to let go."

"I'm not going to kill you."

"Come on, be a pal."

"Quit asking me."

"Quit saying no."

Glenn sighed, and pressed his hand against her forehead. He made slight contact before he pulled his hand away in shock. "Holy shit."

"Still hot as hell?"

"Like the Third Circle."

"Damn, why would you make me gluttony?" She spat. "I'm way cooler than that."

"Cali, you did hear what Parish had to say, right?"

Cali frowned, and closed her eyes. "I don't like it. It seems really fucking unnatural, weird, and against the natural order."

"Cali, you got bit by something that had died, and came back to life."

"Well…abnormal for our normal." Cali shook her head. "There's no such thing as immunity Glenn. There never has been."

"Cali, there has to be. This this is a sickness, and there's always a group in every plague that's immune. It's natural order."

"There is no fucking order. I don't like it." She shook her head.

"It's going to happen."

"For what? Another extension of a life that seriously hurts more than anything I can possibly imagine. I'm already dead Glenn, and I just want you all to let me die."

"We're not ready to let you go."

"Like you have a choice."

"And you do? What are you going to do? Beat us up? We can make this happen."

"You bastard. You wouldn't."

"I have to." Glenn shrugged.

"I'll kill myself first."

"With what?"

"I'll run off the damn deck, and jump right into the ocean."

"Yeah…I really wish you hadn't said anything." Glenn frowned, and his face turned slightly red. Cali lifted any eyebrow.

"And why is that?"

Glenn didn't answer, instead, he jumped on top of her, and pulled her arm up to the headboard, and before Cali could gather enough strength to fight him off, he had her arm tied up with a belt, cinched so she couldn't even fucking move it. Cali stared at it, then at Glenn, and she snarled. "What the fuck is this!?"

"Daryl said if you threatened to do anything stupid, I was supposed to do this."

Cali blinked, and tried to lift up her free arms to work at the knot of leather her hand was trapped in. But, it wasn't any good. She'd lost a lot of blood, and her body hurt too much, and was too tired to even attempt to suspend her arm in the air. It dropped back down to the bed with a flop, and Cali glared at the belt.

"That mother fucker." She snarled. "He promised me death."

"And you believed him?"

"He's never broken a promise before."

"I know." Glenn answered. "And way before be promised you that, he promised me he'd look out for you. He's only trying to do both."

Cali stared up at Glenn, then at her belted hand, and her eyes welled up again. "That mother fucker."

Thanks yous!:

CheshireGrinn: I know. I know. Every freaking time lol.

Hahaha I'm flattered! If you do so desire, I would LOVE for you to print this out and keep it. If you want to, then you should be able to.

Thanks girl!

If Nia was real…God I would be the happiest person in the world! No joke, I don't see a problem with putting her on the show! Do you?

Bloodrope: What's a good zombie story without any immunity?!

I didn't exactly have Avery on Daryl's side, but let's all admit it, Daryl could talk a nun into becoming a hooker, he just doesn't like to.

And sadly, Avery doesn't do anything out of her 'good moral conscious', there always has to be something that benefits her.

I would LOVE A BETA! PLEASE!

Klekje:

Ahhh I'm so glad to hear you liked it!

You live in Holland?! That is sooo COOL!

Well, anything to make your drive better :D

Thank you so much for reviewing!

LaciL: I'm so glad that Daryl's 'softness' fit. I always worry about doing something so drastic with his character when we see little to know evidence of him actually having a soft side. I'm glad he still came across in character! Whew!

No offense, but yes! I do not like Daryl/Carol in the slightest! Lol

KamuiLumior: I'm so glad you happy dance! Every time I get a review I have a happy dance party myself!

Mad skills!? Thanks so much dear!

Avery, oooh Avery is a little bitch isn't she? :D but she has her reasons, I suppose.

I don't know yet if Cali's going to die, after all, it's up to you guys, and what you vote on. So let me hear ya!

And what will Daryl do to Jackson…hmmm what do you want to see? :D

PlasticCandy:

Hope your NANoWriMo is going well! Ahhh go with Daryl-centric! He is so fun!

Fucking Avery indeed! I'm sure there's a soul in that little bitch somewhere. They'll have to find it.

And, you want Daryl to beat the fuck out of Jackson then?

How did you like my explanation of her immunity? Believable enough? :)

Nelle07:

Ahhh I'm so glad you liked his speech! I was very worried about how that would go over! I'm glad people seemed to like it!

Awh I'm sorry I made you cry!

Thanks for the review!

Thanks to all my Little Zombies reading, and remember! Vote for what you want Daryl to do to Jackson, and if you want Cali to live!

Love you all!

-Eris.