So, this is a short chapter and I am truly sorry because I know you guys have been waiting! Work is so damn busy right now and I am exhausted. I have so many ideas for this story and the only time I have to write is at night when I am pooped. I hate writing when I am tired, I feel like I churn out some pretty dumb stuff. Please forgive me for the shortness of the chapter and any errors. I didn't do such a good job proofing this thing tonight.

Ps- I've been getting so many new readers and subscribers. Welcome everyone! I love you all. Love, love, love. :)

Chapter 35

Beth and Leah leaned over the cold stream filling up as many random bottles and pails as they could find in the two vehicles while Daryl kept watch just a few feet away. It wasn't much, but who knew when they would be able to find fresh water again?

Beth cast a glance over at Daryl, her eyes holding a curious glow. "You're lucky," she said quietly to Leah.

"Hmmm?" Leah cocked her head to the side, not quite sure that she had heard Beth correctly.

"You're lucky," Beth repeated a little louder this time. She capped a crinkled water bottle and put it to the side on the grassy bank. "Daryl's really strong. He's not going to die easily."

A chill went up Leah's spine and it wasn't because of the way the young girl spoke without emotion. Rather the chill came from the heavy reminder that death was just around the corner. She gnawed on the corner of her lip and nodded. "He's a survivor. It's in his blood," she said quickly, but quietly, hoping to stop the conversation from going on further. She wasn't exactly excited to be chatting about the possibility of losing the last person she loved on this earth.

Beth didn't catch on. "I didn't love Jimmy," she continued. "But you love Daryl don't you?"

Leah nodded and sent a sidelong glance towards Beth, curious to see where she was headed with this conversation.

"Does he love you?"

Leah pulled her hands out of the water and smiled despite herself. "Yeah, he does."

"Did he tell you?"

"In his own Daryl way. What's this about Beth?"

The girl stood and shrugged. "I'm just wondering what that feels like. Love. I don't think I will ever know." She wasn't heartbroken. At least it didn't sound like it. Rather, it sounded as if she was just stating the facts.

Leah gathered her bottles and stood as well. When Daryl saw that they were finishing up, he began to walk closer. "Love looks different these days," she said before he was within earshot of their whispers. "You never know."

"Done?" Daryl asked.

Leah gave him a loving smile and a nod. "Yeah.

He didn't bother to grab some of the items from her hands to lighten her load as they walked, but Leah didn't mind. Like she had said, love looked different. She didn't need him to carry anything. She just needed him to be ready to shoot down a threat at a moments notice.

When they reached the group, Leah caught a glimpse of Lori and Rick arguing off to the side. She watched the couple's heated conversation from the safety of Daryl's side and didn't bother to hide her look of disapproval. In fact, Leah was almost wishing Lori would look over and see the scowl on her face.

"What's the hold up," Daryl asked Glenn who just sent a pointed look in the direction of their fearless leader and his lady. He growled in response, "Waste of damn time. Bitching and moaning 'bout every damn thing."

Glenn just rolled his eyes in response; an obvious indicator that he thought Lori's drama was unnecessary as well.

"We're all frazzled and hurting," Leah whispered. "But she needs to flippin' pull her shit together. Everyone else is doing it. Boohoo. Her husband killed her fuck buddy. Oh freaking well."

Glenn choked back a laugh and Daryl gave her a proud grin.

"What?" She shrugged at the two. "It's true."

With that, she strode off to distribute the water between the cars. Leah grabbed the handle of the red Jeep and threw the door open with more force than necessary.

The three vehicles looked so small and vulnerable without the anchor of the Winnebago. It had been the patriarch of the cars, just like Dale had been with the group. She blinked back a fresh, hot batch of tears that threatened to spill over and took a deep, ragged breath. It had only been a few days since Dale's death, yet it felt like ages ago.

Daryl walked up behind her as Leah tossed a couple of extra bottles into the wagon for Carl. "I wish we had more to put water in. That's not going to last very long," she said solemnly.

Daryl didn't reply, he just kept his eyes on the woods. Leah slammed the door to the car and reached for him, Beth's words replaying in her mind. She was lucky. Very lucky. In so many more ways than she could count. When he felt her hand on his hip, Daryl turned and caught her eyes. A tenderness spilled out from them and he couldn't help himself. He kissed her roughly, pulling back, and then kissing her again. Gentler the second time around. When they broke apart Leah buried her head in the crook between his neck and shoulder, nuzzling in and holding his waist tightly. Daryl wrapped his free arm around her shoulders and breathed in the sweet scent of her hair. No matter how dirty they got, he didn't think he would ever want to stop smelling her.

"I love ya, girl."

Leah smiled against his neck, despite her previous anger and sadness. He said the words for the first time. Unprompted. On his own. That was something to smile about. A little light in the bleakness.

"I love you," she replied, quietly.

He groaned a little as her lips ghosted over his neck, they were just a reminder of how much his body was aching for her. He reluctantly pulled away from her as the rest of the group started to join them. They were anxious and ready to head out on the next leg of their journey.

Into the unknown.

…..

Their tiny caravan hadn't driven far when they stumbled across it. Leah's feet hit the pavement as Daryl slowed the bike to a stop and dropped her hands from around his taunt waist to his hips. She stared ahead, with a slack jaw and nervous stomach, at the looming and haunting structure.

"No way," she breathed. "No." She did not like where this seemed to be heading.

Daryl turned to look at her and then back to the huge, looming structure. His thoughts were completely different from hers though. Where Leah saw terror and death, he saw a means of survival.

What better place to fortify than a prison? From what Daryl could tell it was maximum security. From a distance, they could see the high fenced yard of the prison crawling with geeks in light blue jumpsuits.

All Leah could think about was, how many more are caught inside? The place was huge. She imagined there would be hundreds roaming the building. Starving and anxious for a fresh meal.

"Whatcha thinking?" Daryl asked as Rick approached the couple on the bike.

The former sheriff shook his head and cast a glance over to the prison. "It's risky, but there are fences, more weapons maybe. Could be a damn good option."

Daryl nodded, but remained silent.

Rick stroked his face and sighed. "We're so low on gas. I'm not sure if we can make it anywhere else."

Please no. Leah prayed silently. There had to be something better up ahead. Anything was better than this hellhole that stood so threateningly on top of the hill. They would surely lose half their group trying to fight their way inside.

"We'll die trying to fight our way in there," Leah quietly whispered.

Glenn stepped out of the car then, looking positively green. Apparently, he liked the prison idea as much as Leah did. He stood with his gun half way raised off to the side of the road, presumably to keep watch but it was obvious he was trying to get a handle on the decision that was being made. No doubt, Maggie had sent him out.

"Want to go check it out?" Daryl suggested, causing Leah to groan inwardly. Why couldn't he just tell Rick that it was a bad idea?

Rick crossed his arms and stood silently for a beat, gazing over to the prison. He was deep in thought and Leah held her breath in anticipation. The torn look on his face had her worried. Finally he answered, "I need to check everyone's gas. How are you doing?"

Daryl glanced down at the gas gauge, "Got about 20 miles or so left."

Rick nodded, "I have about the same. Let me see how Hershel is doing."

When Rick strode away Leah buried her face in Daryl's neck. "I'm not going in there."

He reached back and gave her knee a squeeze, "Why not? It's gotta be filled with weapons, ammo. Check out them guard towers. Probably can see for miles up there. Good advantage."

Leah's stomach twisted into a knot. "Babe, look at how many walkers are in the yard. There has to be hundreds more inside. We'll die trying to get in there."

"Ain't many places for walkers to hide in a prison. Reckon it wouldn't be hard to take 'em all out."

Rick returned and looked to Daryl. "I don't know man," he confided vulnerably. "It's a risk. It's a damn scary risk."

Daryl lifted his thumb to his mouth and began to chew. "There's gotta be a ton of shit in that place. Beds to sleep in. Shit ton of weapons," he said around his thumb.

Rick crossed his arms and looked over to the prison. "Designed to keep people in and intruders out."

They went back and forth with the pros and cons for a few minutes while Leah began to become more anxious. She had a terrible feeling about that place. "Please," she interrupted them, "There has to be a safer place. Please."

Daryl's grip on her knee loosened and then squeezed again.

Rick's final decision made Leah sigh with relief. "Let's keep going a few more miles and see if we can find anything else. If not, we'll turn back. There has to be something better. Safer. I'm sure they have plenty of supplies in there. That many geeks crawling around, I'm willing to bet no one had looted it yet."

"Probably for a good reason," Leah observed.

Their leader looked back towards the prison and for a second Leah wondered if he was going to change his mind. "Five more miles, then we turn back." Rick finally said firmly.

Daryl nodded. "Five more miles."

The caravan resumed it's journey and as they drove Leah kept her eyes peeled and prayed for something, anything, to pop up and keep them away from that prison.

When her eyes weren't on the road, they were peering down at Daryl's odometer counting down the miles until they would have to turn back. Trees and overgrown brush surrounded the highway and she was beginning to lose hope. They were truly in the middle of nowhere.

4.8 miles.

This was it, they were going to have to turn around.

Just as she was beginning to lose faith and feeling the dread of turning back to the prison hang over her, she saw something in the distance. She squeezed Daryl's shoulder to get his attention and pointed ahead to a small, white sign with back lettering It was almost hidden by the overgrown brush coming over the guardrail of the highway.

Daryl slowed the bike as they approached, the other two cars slowing to a stop behind them.

Sweet Peach Bed and Breakfast. 2 Miles. The sign read.

Leah felt her heart jump hopefully.