Weeks had passed since Kit had her procedure done, but she and Daryl were still not their normal selves. Neither of them had ever been particularly talkative, except with each other, but now hardly uttered a word a day to anyone else in the prison before nighttime when they would return to their assigned cell.
"I knew it would be hard," Kit said as she cried silently, "But not this hard." Daryl had tried his best to console her while he himself was trying to process what had happened, finding it an impossible task on both counts. "I still think it was the right thing to do, though," she sighed. Daryl nodded silently to acknowledge what she had said without actually giving an answer.
It was becoming clear there was need for another run so Rick stood in front of everyone at the prison and announced, "We're takin' volunteers to go on a run. Now, there are a few places around here I had in mind and anyone who wants to come is welcome." After that announcement, people began to make their way to Rick and volunteer for the expedition, among them Daryl and Kit. Both of them needed to get out of the prison and get some fresh air because otherwise, they were both afraid they would go stir crazy. Rick gave them a confused look. "Are you two sure you want to go? You don't have to," he insisted, maybe trying to be helpful.
"We're sure," Daryl assured him. "Never been more sure about anythin' in my entire life."
"Besides, you and I both know that Daryl and I are useful to have on runs," Kit reminded Rick.
"That's true," Rick admitted. "I just want you both to know that you can take as much time as you need before going on runs again." He really was trying to be kind to the pair after what they had been through.
"We need to do this, Rick," Kit said with utter surety in her voice.
Their leader nodded and it was decided that Kit and Daryl would go on a run with Sasha, Tyreese, a few people who were originally from Woodbury and one woman who was entirely new to the prison.
"Does anyone mind if I drive?" Kit asked as they approached her minivan. Nobody said a word so she said, "I'll take that as an okay to drive."
She drove quickly towards the warehouse Rick had circled on the map, probably driving faster than she should have, but no one said a word, tension building inside the vehicle. Kit could see the eyes of the other passengers drifting to her and Daryl and feel the silent judgement taking place, making her want to slide down the driver's seat to the floor. Parking outside the warehouse, everyone checked their weapons, making sure they were ready for use before they entered the building. Daryl and Kit checked their weapons away from the others and Daryl placed a calming hand on Kit's shoulder. "It's gonna be alright, Dex, ya jus' gotta keep yer cool. Gotta say, it feels weird bein' the one keepin' you calm and not the other way 'round."
"Oh, the irony," she agreed. "Thanks, Griz. I needed that. Now, let's see who has the best aim today, shall we?"
Unsurprisingly, they found a number of walkers inside the warehouse, which were silently dispatched by members of the run, each of them skilled in the art of taking out walkers.
"Let's be quick," Tyreese suggested. "I don't like this place." Seeing as being outside the prison made most members of the run nervous, they nodded in agreement, wanting to be as speedy as humanly possible. Each of them began to fill large bags with the food and toiletries in the warehouse, though they had no idea what kind of store it had been stocking before the outbreak of the fever. Even if it was all a little picked over, it would still feel as if they were eating like kings after running so low on food since the Woodbury incident.
They were just about to leave the warehouse when they heard a yelp behind them. One of the new arrivals at the prison was about to be bitten by a walker. The warehouse was dark and the walker's head was a little too close to the newcomer's for comfort but Daryl and Kit saw no other option than to take a chance with their aim; after all, if they did nothing, the newcomer would die for sure. So, both an arrow and a knife were sent towards the walker to bury themselves in its skull. (The others had hand-held weapons rather than projectiles and couldn't have reached the woman in time.)
A small shriek escaped the women who had nearly become walker food as the arrow and knife made contact with the walker and it took her a moment to realize she wasn't going to die but when she did, she blinked before collapsing to her knees in relief.
Sasha ran over to her and helped her up. "We can't stay here, let's go."
They all ran to the car with their respective collections of items, filling up the back of Kit's minivan nearly to the brim so she couldn't really see out her back window. As the small band returned to the prison, the young woman Daryl and Kit had rescued stared at them in the front seats – not with judgement anymore, but gratitude. "Thank you," she said. Kit and Daryl merely nodded in response. "My name is Chloe." When she didn't get a response, she tried again. "What are your names? I've heard you call each other Dex and Griz before but…"
Daryl spoke for the two. "My name is Daryl an' this is Kit."
"So you two are married, then? I saw the rings."
"Yes."
Chloe had scarcely been there a few days so she had no idea why the rest of the residents stared so much at the couple or why Daryl and Kit were so morose but she had a newfound admiration for the couple that would last her entire stay at the prison. No matter how gruff the two appeared and how little they associated themselves with the others, they had saved her life.
The following morning started out as it normally did with all the new members of the group – those from Woodbury – mingling with the old members of the group, getting to know each other. However, breakfast didn't end as it normally did.
Rick stood in front of everyone and cleared his throat. "Everyone, I have an announcement to make. Now, it seems to me as if things have been workin' out pretty well since Woodbury has joined our group and now we're bigger than ever. Just in the last two weeks we've taken in four new members. Now, with a group this large, havin' one absolute leader don't usually work out too well. In fact, there were times when it didn't work out too well with a smaller group, either, and I have a regret or two that I'll have to live with because of that. What I think the group needs now is a democracy. Now, if there are any nominations, and nobody is opposed to me steppin' down, then we can start votin'."
Daryl stood and said, "I nominate Carol Peletier." The room went silent for a moment. There were some people among the crowd who had never heard Daryl or Kit utter a single word and now Daryl was nominating someone to be on a council of sorts and make vital decisions for the prison.
"I second that," someone in the crowd shouted, much to Daryl's surprise.
Rick nodded slowly. "Alright, Carol, if you'll just step into that cell there behind the curtain, we can hold this to a vote." Carol did as she was told so she wouldn't see who did and did not vote for her. "Now, who believes Carol should be part of the new prison government?"
Almost every hand in the prison was raised, including Rick's. (He figured he had earned himself a vote in this election.) Carol had acquired a great deal of respect due to the kindness she had shown the children and the elderly from Woodbury, so it was unsurprising when the majority of residents in the prison decided to vote for her. When she returned from behind the curtain, Rick smiled at her. "Congratulations, Carol. You are now part of the new prison government." He coughed briefly. "Now, if I may, I would like to nominate Herschel Greene to be part of the new government."
"I second that," Kit called, receiving stares just as Daryl had when he nominated Carol. She also nominated Glenn not long afterwards, ensuring the strange looks from the rest of the prison continued.
The process continued in a similar fashion a few more times with the new prison council now consisting of: Carol, Sasha, Herschel and Glenn. The final nomination, however, operated a little differently from the rest. Chloe stood up and practically shouted, "I nominate Daryl and Kit." The friction in the room could have been cut with a knife and the heads of the two nominees whipped behind them to see Chloe standing and beaming at them. "They both saved my life today and they volunteered for the run without hesitation Now, I may not know them as well as some of the other people here but I would like to think I have a pretty good judge of character and it seems to me as if Daryl and Kit are good people." When no one else in the room said anything, she blushed furiously and sat down.
"I second that," Herschel called, smiling at the couple and at Chloe.
"So do I," Glenn said.
"Me, too." Carol also sent a smile towards them.
"Alright, alright," Rick replied. "I can see that there are clearly people who would like to see Daryl and Kit serve on the council. So, if they would please step away, we'll hold a vote. I'm assuming you would each vote for the other?" He received nods in response. "Alright, if it comes down to the wire, I'll throw in an extra vote."
Unlike with the others who had been elected into the council, there was actually a discussion – more like an argument – over whether or not the two deserved to be on the council. "Let's see," Rick mused. "Let's call a vote for Kit first. Who believes Kit should serve on the council?"
Members of the group immediately stood: Herschel, Glenn, Maggie, Carol, Carl, Beth, Michonne – all stood for Kit. And, a few others who knew her also stood – Sasha and Tyreese being two and Caleb being another. However, most the rest of the prison was unsure and this was not enough people for Kit to be voted onto the council. Had nobody said anything, Kit would have been passed over without incident and probably Daryl, too, but one man decided to open his mouth.
"I don't see why anyone would vote for those murderers," he growled, giving an especially dark look to Chloe who looked shocked that anyone would call the pair murderers and hoped she had not read them wrong.
"They're not murderers," Glenn scoffed. "They have never killed an innocent person."
"What about the baby they fuckin' murdered, huh?"
Glenn was about to pounce on the man, only being held back by the combination of Beth, Carl and Maggie when Carol stood, only for Herschel to hold up his arm and stop her. At first, the others in the group thought Herschel was going to turn the other cheek and allow this man to say whatever he pleased, but the older man slowly stood up with the help of his crutches. "If you are referring to the fact that Kit received an abortion, as has become common knowledge in this prison, then I have only one question for you: what would you have done in their place? I'm aware most of you here have your own feelings towards abortion, as you did before the fever hit, and believe me I am not much of a fan of it myself. But you must remember, as I did, that we live in a different world now than we did before – one I personally would think twice about raising a child in. Daryl and Kit did not make this decision lightly and this situation has been hard enough for them without strangers who know nothing about them leering at them from afar or making snide remarks as they walk past. They are among the best people I have ever had the privilege of knowing and they deserve better than the treatment they have received from newcomers to this group. I have entrusted them with my life on multiple occasions while we've known each other, never failing me, and I would gladly entrust them with my life again. You could not ask for better leaders, so you best think long and hard before you make accusations, sir." It was only on rare occasions that Herschel's voice became as hard and cold as it did in that moment.
"You fuckin' asshole," Carol added.
The man who had spoken against Daryl and Kit appeared flabbergasted that anyone had opposed him, especially a respected member of the group such as Herschel Greene. Daryl and Kit had been close enough to hear Herschel's entire speech, both feeling incredibly grateful towards him. Everyone else in the prison allowed the exchange to sink in and slowly but surely began to stand in support of Kit and Daryl – with a few obstinate exceptions – realizing if they had been in the same situation as the couple, they had no idea what course of action they would want to take now that civilization as they once knew it was over.
Rick himself raised his hand before announcing. "I believe that is enough people in favor of Kit to induct her into the council. All who want Daryl to be on the council?" Rick kept his hand raised in support of the couple and the rest of the room remained standing. "Both Daryl and Kit are now on the council."
The two reentered the room and Kit went immediately to Herschel and gave him a hug as Daryl stood behind her and gave the old man an appreciative nod. "Which one was the asshole?" she asked Herschel as she broke the hug. She and Daryl had heard the entire exchange but had not seen it. The older man pointed out the man who had called them murderers and Kit promptly flipped him off before returning her attention to the others.
"Any other nominations?" Rick asked. When no one else stood after a moment, their former leader smiled. "Well, then, I officially step down as the leader of this prison and your council will meet today so if you have any concerns you would like to be addressed, feel free to speak to them before they go to their meeting."
The three women and three men on the council smiled at each other before they sat down at a table together.
"I suppose we should elect a leader of the council," Kit suggested. "I nominate Herschel if there are no objections." Everyone else in the group nodded, not opposed to the idea of Herschel heading the council. "With that in mind, what do you think we should address first, Herschel?"
He smiled before revealing his wishes for the future of the prison. "I want us to begin farming – animals, crops…you name it I want it. All who agree we should begin farming?" Everyone in the council raised their hands. After all, the more food they could grow themselves, the less runs they would have to go on. "Does anyone else have any suggestions?"
Kit raised her hand. "I think the kids should have to go to school. Even if it's only for an hour or two a day plus homework, they deserve to have at least some kind of an education."
"Does anyone have any input?" Herschel asked. No one had any suggestions or objections, but Herschel did have one thing to say. "Before I put this through to a vote, I do have one stipulation. If the children here are to receive an education, they are to receive an education from you." He had a devious gleam in his eye.
"What? I'm terrible with children and besides, I'm not one of the more qualified people for the job. There are people here with much more education than I do; I hadn't even finished college!"
"You were the one who suggested the kids go to school," Glenn said with a laugh, liking Herschel's stipulation. "Why shouldn't you be the one to teach them?"
"I second tha' Kit teach the kids!" Daryl called with a grin on his face.
"Carol, Sasha," Kit begged. "Please help me out." The other two just shook their heads as they laughed at the idea of Kit teaching kids for an hour or two a day.
"Let's put this to a vote," Herschel announced. "All who vote we should educate the children with Kit as the teacher?" Every hand was raised, though Kit raised hers reluctantly at the idea of having to spend any quantity of time with children.
As Kit and Daryl lay down on their bed that night, pressed up tight against each other, it was the first night in a while they didn't feel absolutely miserable.
"Ya seemed pretty good today," Daryl commented.
"You, too," Kit said, a small smile spreading onto her face. "I think we're going to be okay, Daryl.
"I think yer right. I love ya no matter wha', Kit, ya know tha', right? 'Cause I don't ever want ya ta think I ain't gonna stick 'round."
"I know and the same will always go for you, too. I've just realized I haven't ever thanked you for being so supportive of my wishes…not hating me for them."
"I could never hate ya," he informed her emphatically. "It don' matter whatever ya do, I ain't gonna hate ya an' ya never, ever have ta thank me for tha'."
She didn't say anything but snuggled in closer to him in response.
