Thank you to everyone to reviewed my last chapter. It was nice to go off on my own story a little, and I liked that it seemed to be so well received! This chapter is mostly dialogue, what it is like being back at the prison for Ali after everything that's happened. And I'm fully convinced at this point that Daryl is completely in love with these girls and treats them like gold. Seems like he'd do that with any woman he happened to love. Dammit, I miss TWD, can't believe we all have to wait until October to see new episodes.

Anyway, I hope you like, and please review. Reviews=writer fuel

Chapter Twenty Seven

Ali…

It was strange to be inside the prison gates again. Only a day had gone by but she looked at everything as though it were brand new. Orange fires glowed in half a dozen spots, 6 to 10 people seated at each one… it was surreal. She glanced up to the bars in the windows to her home and the small glow from the lanterns shone through. Maggie and Glenn were there to greet them immediately, both of them finding their way to Ali.

"Come on in… you gotta get stitched up." Maggie's eyes weren't leaving her forehead. Ali had guessed a blood soaked bandage covered the split at her hairline.

"Fix it before I see Emma please?" Ali begged quietly as the two ushered her into the dimmed cell block. She glanced back, watching Daryl getting smaller in her eyes. He was looking off at nothing, no one… just staring into the night as the other men spoke around him. The two henchmen were there as well, one looking just as shell shocked as the next.

She had to admit that as soon as she saw Herschel's welcoming eyes her muscles relaxed a little. If he was smiling… she couldn't look that terrible right? Or maybe it didn't matter how bad she looked… maybe it was just because Ali was back when they all thought she'd never return. As he stitched her up and told her of the people outside, why they were there, what the others had gone through to get them here… guilt overcame her again. She didn't speak of it though, didn't let it sneak out in her words or mannerisms… but it was there none the same. The comparison of what they'd done to get all those people here… and what they had been through traveling out to bring only her back home… words couldn't describe.

She could see Daryl out of the corner of her eyes as Herschel completed his job. Ali wouldn't look him dead on. She couldn't… his anger wasn't something she was prepared to handle. Herschel put his hand on her shoulder. "You should be alright now, if it starts to ache let me know, I'll do what I can to help…" He stopped as she reached up and clung to his hand… her eyes stared straight ahead. She squeezed his palm with her index finger and thumb.

"Thank you Herschel." Her voice was barely a whisper.

"You are welcome my dear." His voice equally as soft as he stepped away. The old man passed Daryl on his way out and Ali dared to look. They two men nodded swiftly at each other, Daryl stepping aside so Herschel could fit his crutches out the door.

"So what is it?" She couldn't get herself to shut up. Defenses up… you feel bad enough… don't let him make it worse.

"Nothin'." Daryl strode up to her in such a casual way that it threw her. She didn't bare a reaction as he plopped himself up the table right next to her. His hand covered hers without a word, looking straight ahead. "Can't I just sit with ya'? Huh? You gonna deny me that?"

She didn't know what to say, her eyes stuck to the slate grey wall in front of her. Ali could feel the hot tears streaming down her face, and just as suddenly, his rough thumb wiping her cheek.

"Stop it." She barely got it out. "Please… I know what I did… I know."

"Shut up Ali." Daryl was shaking his head, his hand still covering hers.

"Why? Why can't we just say what we mean Daryl? I know you're mad at me, you have a million reasons to be… well, what are you waiting for? Just yell at me and get it over with!"

He let the silence hang for a few more moments before she spoke again. "Well?"

"Well… well I was waiting for you to actually shut up."

She pressed her lips together and attempted to pull her hand away from his. He didn't let her. He held on tight and reached over with his other hand. He grabbed a hold of her arm and pulled around as gently as he could. She would have tried not to turn but she really didn't want to. His steely blue eyes pulled her in without a word. She could feel a heat above her wound on her neck and looked down. He had let go of her hand and was hovering over her wound… wanting to touch her neck, but unable because of what had been done…

"You know I'm happy… right?" Daryl's voice was throaty and deep, the way it sounded when he wanted someone to really listen. "I'm happy you're here, I'm happy that I got you… if it had worked out any other way then…"

"Then I'd be dead."

"Not necessarily." He laughed quietly, kissing her hand. "Imma' say this once… ya got it?"

She nodded, allowing a small smile to form on her lips.

"You seemed to actually have an idea of what to do in there… 'fore we got there." He shrugged nonchalantly. "I mean, you did have his own gun on him. How you did that is still a mystery I don't understand."

"He was standing right in front of my legs so I just hit in him in the back of the knees and he fell, so I could run and-"

"Jesus girl, I thought I was bad at subtlety." He was smiling his sweet smile at her. "I guess I'm better than I thought."

Her cheeks turned bright red and she refused to acknowledge what he was trying to get across. "Maybe you are."

With that he stood up. He was towering in front of her, hands on either side of her lap. When she looked up his face was inches from hers. "You did somethin' I didn't think you were capable of. That first night, you almost killed me…" His voice trailed off for a moment. "You would have, if I wasn't who I am."

"Quite full of ourselves aren't we?" Ali smirked at him, she leaned up, brushing her lips against his quickly, only for a second, not even a kiss really.

Before she could respond both of his hands were on her hips, his mouth pressed against hers. She could feel his tongue rubbing against hers slowly, his hands not releasing their grip. His lips were softer then they'd ever been, taking extra care. She let him kiss her, hand on his chest the whole time. He pulled away and smiled. Ali didn't know how long they stood there without a word spoken… but it was the best kind of comfort she could have hoped for.

She slid off of the table, letting go of his hand. "Where is she?"

Daryl kissed her forehead, attempting to ease her anxiety. "In her own cell, been there since we got back. I don't think she saw nothin'… you were quiet enough too… she either don't know you here, or she's waitin' for you to come find her."

"I guess I should do that then huh?" Ali stepped to the side and headed right for the door leading to the separate cells. She stopped and turned slightly. "I'm going to say this once… you listening?"

"Yep."

"I don't think… I mean I know… I wouldn't have made it out of there without you guys." Ali swallowed hard, looking away. "Thank you." She quickly strode away, walking from one raw conversation to another. She could see her hand and foot before any other part of her. Through the bars her foot was tapping up and down rapidly, her hand was gripping the side of the mattress. "Emma?" Ali could barely hear her own voice over the deep thud of her heart.

She stilled. As Ali rounded the corner she saw her, the girl looked smaller and paler than the last time she looked at her… and she realized then that their last meeting was anything but nice. "Oh, yer alive…" Emma feigned surprise. "That's great… so when you leavin' again? As soon as someone else asks you to go get yourself killed? Seems like you're all over that kind of stuff lately. Suicide mission: Ali's the first to sign up."

Ali nodded as she slowly made her way to Emma's cell. Her own eyes were darting around, looking all of the backpacks, the new supplies organized in corners of the cell block. When she looked back toward Emma as she walked through the door she spotted one of her own shirts lying in a heap on her floor.

Emma saw her eyeing it, picked it up and threw at Ali… tossing at her like a used rag. She reached out and caught it, taking careful time to notice its condition. She saw the tear stains, a few of Emma's blonde curls on the fabric. The girl had wrapped herself up in Ali's shirt in mourning.

"You are mad… you should be." Ali turned away from her. "Just wanted to let you know I'm back is all." She began to walk out of the cell. "I'm sorry for putting you through that. Stay mad as long as you need, I'll be here when you want to talk."

She had almost made it around the corner and out the door when she heard the girl's faint voice calling her back. "Wait, Ali? Wait!"

When she turned Emma was standing in the middle of the room. "Yes honey?"

She took a few moments to answer, but when she did Ali's heart almost stopped at the maturity in her words. "I am mad at ya'… and you should be sorry for puttin' me through that. I dunno how long I'll stay this way, or if it'll get worse before it gets better… but I'm gonna tell you one thing before you walk away… okay?"

Ali nodded, heart beating uncontrollably.

"You're the closest thing I got to a mother now Ali… you gotta think of me before you do things, before you run off, or put yerself in danger. Think of me… okay? Because if you don't… and if you leave again and come back lookin' like this…" She pointed to the wounds on her head and neck. "Well… I won't forgive ya'. I won't. I won't look at ya' the same way, I won't want ya' as my friend or anythin' else. I'll hate you if you leave me alone again for some stupid reason… because I used to be what you worried about. It's not fair that you put everyone else before me now." Emma began to cry, Ali was already in that boat. "I need to be important to you… cuz you're important to me. I need to mean more than hunting down a bad guy, or going to rescue someone you don't even really know… if I'm not important anymore just tell me now."

"Emma… of course you're important to me…" Ali began as she approached the girl slowly. She seemed as skittish as a mouse and Ali didn't want to scare her off. "I made a mistake." She knelt down in front of Emma, taking both of her hands in her own. "I make a lot of them, it's what I do. I make mistakes and spend most of my life trying to correct them… and unfortunately I'm going to continue to do this because it's who I am… but I can promise you one thing." Ali reached up and touched the girl's wet cheek with the back of her hand. "When anything dangerous comes into play, if I'm ever asked to do something that might get me hurt, or anything like that… I'll think of you before anyone else. You are the world to me, and I mean to start acting like it… okay?"

Ali wasn't sure but she thought she saw a hint of a smile before Emma pulled her hands away and began walking back into her cell. "Okay Ali… we'll see." She turned to look at her again and spoke quietly. "I'm going to lie down. I'm tired… but when I get up will you make me some ramen?"

The simplicity of this request brought her youth to the surface again, how young she was in that moment was evident. It broke Ali's heart. "You got it kid, see you when you wake up."

Daryl…

Daryl sat with his back against the cement wall right outside the cell block door. Ali hadn't even noticed him when she'd exited until he reached out, grabbing at her leg lightly.

Her reaction was startling. She hollered out, turning so quickly that she fell backwards on to one of the men they had just rescued from Woodbury. He caught her, both hands under her arms… her eyes were scanning everything around her in fear.

In fear of him… the Governor. A man they both knew was dead. Daryl stood as quickly as she had fallen and nodded a thank you to the man that had caught her. Ali slowly began to come back to reality as Daryl took her hand, leading her away from the droves of people that now littered their front yard. "Jesus Christ Ali… what the hell?"

"I'm sorry Daryl, you startled me." Her voice was shaky as she reached up and pressed the medical tape to her forehead. Her bandage was beginning to come off.

"Come'ere and sit… just wait here a minute, don't go runnin' off."

Ali rolled her eyes slightly. "I'm not gonna run off Daryl."

"Yeah… well you'll just have excuse me if I don't believe ya right this second." He could see that comment had stung and immediately felt guilty, but he wasn't going to apologize. He turned and walked back in the cell door, found one of the first aid kits and brought it back out to where she was still sitting.

Daryl carefully re-bandaged her stitched up wound. It had soaked through and the smell of blood was thick. He always smelled blood in the air these days, but this particular day was more intense than most. Maybe it's because this blood belonged to Ali, and he'd do anything to make it stop hurting. He had her hold the gauze on the corners as he applied the medical tape as gently as he could. "Now what about this one?" He asked quietly motioning toward her neck. He decided to sit down in front of her, getting down to her level. He knew this might help put her at ease… and it did exactly that. Her shoulders began to relax and she looked tired instead of frightened.

"I… I don't know." She shrugged and looked down at his hand she was holding. She turned his it over and began to trace his veins with her fingertips. He had to actively resist from shivering… in a good way. To be honest, all he had wanted to do from the moment they had returned was take her somewhere private and make love to her… but he didn't want to push it. She had just gone through hell, and with her previous record of things like this happening, he didn't want to scare her all over again.

But it was becoming more difficult to resist his urges with every second that passed. Daryl pressed his lips together to keep himself from talking, he didn't want to say something stupid.

"Herschel told me that I just had to keep on top of this one, make sure I keep it clean so it doesn't get infected. He couldn't stitch it because it's just a piece of skin that's missing, not slashed…" She began coil up again. "It's going to be an ugly scar."

Daryl kept his eyes on it, watched her vein pulsing right above the stained bandage. "Looks like we should replace this one too then."

"No… I don't want you to see it."

He was confused. "Ali… I watched it happen, what's the difference if I see it now?"

"It's just another reminder Daryl." She was beginning to cry now. "It's another scar from another man who decided to leave his mark on me for life." Her eyes were filled with sadness as she finally looked at him. "The only man I've ever wanted anything permanent from is you."

Daryl didn't know what to say… so he didn't say anything. He took her face in his hands and kissed her softly. When he released her he turned, leaned against the wall with her and slipped his arm around her shoulder. Ali curled up and practically disappeared into him, face pressed against his chest, one of her hands clinging to his shirt. He didn't know how long they sat there like that, just watching everyone around them trying to acclimate to their new home.

"Who decided we should take them in?" Ali's voice piped up after a while.

"Rick did." Daryl sighed. "He's the one that decides everythin' 'round here anyways." Daryl rubbed his hand up and down her arm. "But… I think that this was the right call. He's been different since, calmer… seemed to have cured his crazy… doin' somethin' good like this."

Ali smiled. "Cured is crazy huh?"

"Yeah," Daryl shrugged and looked at the horizon. "Kinda like you and the kid cured mine." He felt Ali squeeze his hand in that way she always did and smiled against her forehead. Daryl reached his other hand out, pointing to the sky in front of them. "Look… first sunset we had in a while where we don't have to worry about getting our asses shot off the next day." He sighed as he lowered his arm. "Didn't realize how tense everyone was until now… now that he's gone." He and Ali took in the different people, two of older men that had come back with them brought guitars of their own. They were playing a song Daryl didn't recognize, but when he looked at Ali she was smiling like she was remembering something. There were the sounds of children running around and laughing, and old women cooing at Judith asleep in Rick's arms. "I wonder… this must be what it was like for them back at that place. Funny, all I remember are the sick rooms in the back. That's all yer' gonna remember too."

Ali nodded, but her smile didn't fade. "Sometimes the bad memories are necessary… it makes you realize how lucky you are to have the good ones."

"Hey guys?" Daryl and Ali looked up to see Emma slowly making her way toward them, rubbing her eyes. Daryl let out a laugh as she yawned so big that she squeaked at the end, her arms stretched out to the sky.

"Yeah Em, what's up? Did you want that ramen now?" Ali was preparing to get up when Emma shook her head, gesturing for her to sit back down.

"Nah… I can eat with everyone else a little later." She stood right in front of them, looking to where they were both looking. All these new people were like a jolt to the system, but a good one. Only time would tell if it turned out to be something different. Emma looked back down at them and her cheeks were flushed red. Daryl realized that she was nervous to be around them, and immediately wondered what had been said between these two people he cared so much about. He reached his free arm and tugged her down next to him. Emma sat, smiling, and reached over to hold Ali's hand… the whole thing felt surreal. Like picture you'd see in a frame before you put your own less than perfect portrait in there… only this wasn't surreal.

This was Daryl's portrait. And in this moment, it was perfect.