I don't know when I'll be updating this story...I have three more typed, but i had hit the writer's wall. Also, my normal computer is not allowing me to access this website. So, we'll see. Keep me in the know about what you guys think.

Chapter Twenty One

For days, two people watched the main gate; Hershel and Beth took care of Judith, and everyone else tried to repair the downed fence. Bricks were used as projectile weapons against the walkers.

"Looks pretty good," Rick said on day four.

"All we have to do is reset the fence and chain them," Glenn noted.

"Excellent idea, Willow," Rick said before thinking about the night's watch. "I'll take the first watch here; Daryl, you and Willow take the tower."

The pair nodded and left he back. They grabbed their jackets, some food, and left the block to the tower.

"Daryl," Willow said after a couple of hours in silence.

"What is it?"

"If the world returned to how it was, would the group still be close?"

"Yeah, I would think so."

"Even you and Merle?" Daryl just looked at her. "Before everything happened, you only had Merle; but now you protect and help lead this group."

"We're not gunna leave, even if this ended."

But everything was going to change for the group once again when a single survivor arrives.

"Please, help me!" the man called out.

Willow ran forward and unlocked the chain to the internal gate. She looked at the man's face for the first time and recognized him.

"Jack?"

"Willow, let me in, please," he begged.

"No; you're not comin' in here, Jack. Go find your own place."

Willow backed up and closed the other gate. There's too many things that she never wanted to talk about again; and he was one of those things. She noticed Daryl standing on the platform.

"Willow! I'll die out here!"

"You've done well enough!" she called back before entering the tower. "I don't want to talk about it."

"You left him out there, why?"

"I know him from before the world fell. Now, let's not talk about him."

"I'm here if ya wanna talk."

A scream echoed through C Block in the middle of the night; waking everyone not on watch. Daryl and Merle were the first to grab a weapon and run to Willow's cell. Daryl dropped his crossbow and entered the cell.

Willow was sitting on the corner of the bed, as far away from everything as she physically could. She flinched when Daryl got close. Kneeling down, he kept his eyes on the woman cowering in fear.

"Willow?"

"Please don't."

"Not gonna touch you." Daryl moved closer to the bed. "Everythin's all right."

Rick and Merle silently moved everyone away from the cell, hoping that Daryl can help Willow. The hunter was able to reach the bed without Willow reacting too much.

"Willow, I want ya ta say my name."

"D-Daryl."

"'Gain."

"Daryl."

"You screamed, why?" Willow stayed curled up in the corner, shaking her head. "I need ta know."

"My past. That's all you need to know."

"Tell me."

Willow felt Daryl's hand on her knee; his touch calming her slowly. She took a deep breath, trying to even her breathing.

"Six months before the end of the world, I was in a relationship with the guy who I left outside. He would hit me. Finally broke things off just before the word got out about the walkers."

Daryl gently moved Willow into his arms and placed his forehead against hers. "He's gone; won't be comin' back anytime soon."

"He's a dangerous man, Daryl. Jack will return with men and weapons. We won't be able to survive if we stay here."

"I won't let anything happen to you or the group. I promise."

"So, we might have a new enemy," Rick said after Daryl told about Jack; never telling about the fact that Jack is Willow's ex. "How much further out can we go for runs?"

"Not much. We've already cleared out all the retail stores for forty miles; any further out than that and everyone's lives are at risk."

"In the next run, find a map; we're going to need a new location soon." Rick watched as Carol and Beth picked some vegetables in the field. "As it is, our field is too small to grow cotton and food."

"We could try to build an area outside the fence; there's a few places that have cotton gins, wheels, and other things."

"Good idea. Take Willow or Maggie and load the car with as much as you can."

"We'll head out at first light."

Rick and Daryl kept watching the fence for a couple more hours until Tyrese and Michonne took over.