Songbird didn't like keeping secrets from Daryl. At least…not new ones at any rate. She had to bite her tongue every time they were alone to keep from spilling the beans about Lori's pregnancy to him. She managed to hold it in all that day and her mind was occupied later that night, but she'd been going crazy this morning. They had a patrol now though and it would take her mind off of it, hopefully anyway.
"Might as well check in with the tower," Daryl said, adjusting the sleek black crossbow hanging over his shoulder.
"The ghost?" she asked, raising her eyebrow. "Won't Mary Jane get upset?"
"Not if you don't tell her," Daryl replied conspiratorially. "Got your knives?"
"Yes," Songbird answered with a sigh as they headed up the stairs.
The sound of raised voices greeted them before Daryl had a chance to touch the door.
"What the fuck are you saying Shane?" Rick yelled.
"I don't know! Goddamnit Rick! I was just saying that I wondered if Lori could be sick! You're the one who's…"
"How dense are you?" Rick cut in.
Songbird drew back from the sheer venom in his voice and Daryl put his hand on the back of her neck in a comforting gesture.
"She's been throwing up in the morning? She's been moody and withdrawn? She doesn't have an appetite? What the fuck does it sound like to you?"
Daryl's eyebrows shot up and he glanced over at Songbird. She was chewing her bottom lip.
"You're telling me that you forgot how she was when she was pregnant with Carl? None of that sounds even a little bit familiar?" Rick continued.
Songbird backed up when she heard one of the chairs scrape back loudly.
"What?" Shane didn't seem to understand. "She's…you're saying she's…"
"Sure sounds like it to me," Rick said bitterly. "Want to play a game? Who was fucking her when she got pregnant?"
Daryl took Songbird's arm and dragged her down the stairs with him.
"Lori…" he began.
"Lori's pregnant and she doesn't know who the father is!" Songbird burst out as they made their way outside. "She told me yesterday in the bathroom and I promised not to tell anybody so you can't tell her that I told you…but she is! And she's all freaked out and she was crying…" she went on with the story, noticing at the end how pale Daryl looked in the sunlight. "You look kind of sick yourself; are you okay?"
"I don't know," he answered. He looked sick? He sure as hell felt sick. Daryl wondered if Lori being pregnant was some kind of sign. He took a deep breath and ordered himself to man the fuck up. "I've gotta tell you somethin'. When we were high…that night I might have…well, not might…that night I…"
Daryl broke off when he heard the scream. Songbird gasped, looking up instinctively at the watchtower. Shane and Rick had rushed to a window facing away. She could see that they'd both frozen. She caught Daryl's eye for a moment and then bolted for the area of the property they were staring at; the same area Rooster and Lucky were fixing the fence in.
A new, masculine sound of pure agony and rage cut through the air, so heart rending that Songbird stumbled, nearly frozen from the shock of it. Lucky and Rooster were standing near James. Blood poured from the man's leg; she caught a flash of white bone. But what nearly made her throw up was the headless body of a small child on the ground near him. It had been a little boy before it had become a Walker. Now that it was still, it looked heartbreakingly helpless.
Daryl saw Rooster jerk the shotgun from Lucky's grip and shoot James in the face. Something in the set of Rooster's jaw told Daryl what he was planning to do next. Daryl wasn't close enough to stop him. Songbird started forward again; Daryl yanked her back against him and covered her eyes, even though he couldn't seem to turn away.
Her breath caught when she heard the gun go off again. "Daryl?"
"Don't look darlin'," Daryl said hoarsely as Rooster's lifeless body collapsed, Lucky's knees gave out and she sat down, her face drained of color.
Rick and Shane had made it out by now, Rick ran for Lucky, scooping her up, trying to get her to talk to him. She stared right through.
"Daryl!" Songbird twisted, but he held on.
"You don't want to see!" he said firmly; he didn't want to see either, but he still couldn't look away.
Blood had pooled around Rooster and James. Blood and…more. Daryl was surprised when he gagged. Somehow all he could hear was James teasing him and calling him that Scottish thing. What was it?
"Ah bobhain," Daryl whispered. "He never told me what it meant."
Andrea put her hand on his shoulder and he turned.
"Take her inside," Daryl said. "Please. I don't want her to see. And keep the kids inside."
Andrea nodded and walked back in with Songbird.
Rick walked past him with Lucky in his arms just as Freddy came barreling out of the compound.
"No!" he dropped to his knees, reaching out and grabbing the front of Rooster's Army fatigues. "God no!"
Freddy's choked sobs united everyone. Dale, Glenn, Shane, T-dog, and Daryl all moved over to him. Glenn looked green and Daryl wasn't surprised when the kid threw up after one look at the hole that had been Rooster's face.
"We need to think about a burial," Daryl began after several long minutes.
"No," Freddy said.
Daryl was afraid they were going to have a long argument, but Freddy went on, "They wanted to be cremated."
Daryl nodded and offered Freddy his hand. Freddy stood after taking the offered assistance. Then he turned and walked inside after giving the men the go-ahead for the cremation. Daryl looked down at the red staining his hand and swallowed hard, wiping it on his jeans and then turning to get the fire ready. Everyone seemed to expect it from him; he could feel them all looking his way. He couldn't think of anything he'd rather do less then build a fire and watch Rooster and James melt in it. But someone had to do it.
"All right," Daryl began, forcing his voice out. "We need firewood, we need to find out where the fuck that little bastard came from and we need to get that fence the fuck put together."
Everyone nodded and Shane and Glenn got started on the fence while Andrea and Carol, who'd come back out, patrolled the area. Daryl, Dale, and T began the fire. When it was burning high and hot, Daryl and T tossed James in. His clothes caught easily and Daryl was glad that the smoke gave him a reason to blink hard and wipe his hand across his eyes. Then they tossed Rooster's body in.
Daryl felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Songbird standing beside him.
"Don't be mad," she whispered.
"I'm not mad," he replied.
She heard how strained his voice was and saw him swallow hard. He put his arm across her shoulders and saw her move her right hand in a familiar gesture. It crossed his mind to wonder if she was Catholic; why else would she cross herself? Why did it matter anyway?
Tears streaked down her cheeks. Lucky wouldn't speak and Freddy had refused to come back out. And James, who had been sort of a father figure, was in the fire with Rooster, who, while he hadn't been as close, had always been kind to her. These men had opened their home to 13 strangers and now they were dead. She sobbed and Daryl pulled her against him, cradling the back of her head and rocking her back and forth. It was a gesture that normally would have made her feel very childish but now it made her feel almost comforted. Almost. Songbird and Daryl both knew that nothing could take away the pain of the moment.
A/N: Oh god. This chapter was hard to write. That's why it's so short. I try to focus on the more lighthearted stuff, or at least human interaction stuff…but this is a Zombie Apocalypse and a sense of safety is a dangerous thing. The next chapter should be up much more quickly. I think Gw3nhwyfar and I were just avoiding the subject matter of this chapter honestly. Umm…next chapter will address pregnancy stuff and we will begin delving into Songbird's past. Hopefully no more sadness for a bit.
Anyway, glad everyone liked the last chapter and that you're all still reading!