Hi Lovelies! Here's a new chapter for you, I would have uploaded earlier but I've been to sunny Menorca and just got back! Anyhoo, expect two chapters tonight as a sorry for me being away! Enjoy xxx
The next morning Callie woke up feeling like she hadn't before. Last night, out of the darkness of the trees and the shadows of the night, Daryl emerged with someone she had never seen before. The feeling of relief overwhelmed her so much she hadn't strayed far from him from the moment she laid eyes on him, and he the same. It was obvious they had to fortify the church – it was hilariously unsafe and anyone could emerge from the woods and ambush them. Callie had volunteered to help round the sides of the church, nailing wood to the windows and any other open places as protection.
Daryl was round the front, banging the pipes from the organ into the ground in front of the steps leading up to the door, and Callie smiled at him every time he stuck his head round the corner to check she was okay. She was stood next to Carl as the new boy limped beside them, watching over as they quietly worked in the heat. "C'mon, let's take a break" Rick said as he murmured to Michonne.
Callie happily put down the hammer she used and wandered towards the church entrance, her concentration on picking the splinters of wood out of her hands. Daryl slid an arm around her waist and she rested her head lightly on his shoulder as they walked into the church, neither of them getting relief from the heat. Callie sat down on one of the benches and Rick turned to face the group.
"Carol and Beth are in Atlanta. Now I, I know as much as anyone we all want them back, but the only way we're gonna do that is if some of us go. I'm not askin' all you to come, I want some of you here so I know we have a safe place to bring them back to. I aint riskin' Judith's life in Atlanta, so she's stayin' here with Carl, Zephy and Michonne; Callie, I'd like you to stay here too" Rick said, hands on his hips as he addressed them.
Callie gripped Daryl's hand as Rick spoke, and he squeezed it once back in reassurance. The group all stood up and started gathering bags together, but Callie stayed sat down. "I'm not letting you go back" she said to Daryl after some silence. Daryl sighed and took Callie's face in his hands. "I gotta go. Hell, I want you to come with me but you gotta stay here. Atlanta is dangerous, you aint goin' somewhere dangerous" Daryl said, and pushed a finger against Callie's lips as she opened her mouth to protest.
"I aint askin', I'm tellin'" he said, and stood up. Callie glared at his back as he walked away, but she knew he was right. He wouldn't leave her here unless it was dangerous. Callie watched as he packed a bag and stood in front of her, his muscled body making her knees weak. "I'll be back soon" he murmured, and Callie nodded. His hand locked itself around the back of her neck and pulled her lips up to meet his, as one of her own hands slid its way up his bicep and pulled on his neck to bring him closer.
They didn't say a word to each other, they didn't have to, as he walked out the door and left her standing with Carl, Michonne, Zephy and Judith in the doorway. The doors closed and Callie sighed, Carls hand worming its way into hers and squeezing it tight. She turned and smiled at him, pulling him in close for a hug. He snuggled his head into her neck – he was growing up so fast he had reached her height and was overtaking her quickly. Judith started to cry and Michonne gently placed her in her crib, motioning to Zephy who happily skipped over and started to sing the same lullaby Callie had sung to her.
Callie smiled and walked over to a large wooden plank, lifting it up in silence and heading for the door. Carl and Michonne followed in her wake, carrying a hammer and nails. Carl started to hammer the wood to the door, the sudden noise making Judith cry out again, followed by the sweet lullaby as Zephy tried to quieten her down. Callie turned and watched as Gabriel started to scratch the floor where the dried blood was, his scratches becoming more and more frantic as he couldn't shift the stain.
Carl turned away from the door and pulled on Callie's hand, walking down to the front of the church and pulling a bag of weapons out. Gabriel stood up and walked into the back room, coming out a few moments later with a bucket filled with cleaning fluid and a sponge. Once again, he frantically started to clean the floors as Carl laid each weapon out on the ground, Callie and Michonne sitting back and watching.
"Pick one. You need to learn how to defend yourself. We can teach you" Carl said, and Callie's hand brushed over her hips, the feeling of knives on her belt comforting her. Daryl had found them in the woods, new and old, and bought them back for her. Gabriel stopped what he was doing and looked up at Carl. "Defend myself? They said they'd go" he said, and Callie looked up and glared. "They were liars, and murderers" Carl said. "Just like us" Gabriel responded and Callie felt anger bubbling inside her.
"We protected ourselves. They wanted us dead... You're lucky your church has lasted this long. You can't stay in one place anymore, not for too long. And, and once you're out there, you're gonna find trouble you can't hide from. You need to know how to fight" Carl said, and both Callie and Michonne watched for Gabriel's answer. He leant forward and picked up the machete with the blue handle. "Good choice" Carl said, and Callie leant her head back on the wall behind her.
"But you're not holding it right, you gotta be able to drive it down because sometimes the skulls aren't as soft as you need them..." Carl started, before Gabriel motioned for him to stop. "I need to lie down" he said, standing up. Callie stood up and walked over to Carl, a hand cupping the side of his face to congratulate him on trying before she bent down to help pick up what was still on the floor. Michonne stood up and walked over to the door Gabriel was behind, knocking once as she caught eyes with Callie.
Judith started crying again, and Callie watched Zephy walk out of the room holding her, bouncing her softly to try and calm her down. Callie sat on a bench next to Carl and tapped her foot on the floor, uncertain of what to do with herself. She shot to life as she heard someone cry for help, and Carl stood up next to her. Carl ran for the door, ignoring Michonne's call for him to wait for her as she put Judith on her back and handed Zephy a knife. Callie ran after Carl as they pulled at the wood over the door, and Michonne pushed them aside, hitting the door with the axe.
Gabriel's cries for help became more terrified, and Carl pushed the door open and pulled Gabriel inside. Carl was the first to shoot down the walkers ahead of them, standing in front of Callie as protection. Michonne sprung into action with her Katana, the four of them being pushed back by the amount of walkers that surged into the church. "The Rectory, come on" Gabriel said, all of them knowing there was no hope of taking down all the walkers that surged into the building. Carl pulled on Callie's hand and Callie grabbed Zephy as they ran into the room.
"Go, down that way, go! Take the little ones with you" Gabriel said, and Michonne handed Carl Judith as they stood over a hole in the floorboards. "Hey, you wait for me" Michonne said sternly, and Carl nodded as he jumped down the hole, Zephy close by. Callie was next to go, jumping down and crawling through the dirt under the building to the light. Carl held a hand out to pull her up once she reached the end, and she took it gratefully. "You okay?" she asked, and he nodded, Zephy clinging to her sisters legs.
"Keep an eye out" Carl said, and Callie watched the woods as Michonne and Gabriel spoke quickly, and she headed round to the front, taking out two walkers with ease. "Here, we gotta lock them in there" she said, and held up part of the wood Michonne had axed down. Carl nailed the wood to the door as Michonne tied to doorknobs shut with her belt, and the five stared at the building as Gabriel leant on the fence and caught his breath.
Carl had Judith on his back as she rested against him, fast asleep. Callie had a hold of Zephy, who had demanded to hug her sister and in turn had also fallen asleep, her arms loosely wrapped around Callie's neck and her head rested on her shoulder, her little mouth half open as she slept. They all took a step back as the walkers started to break down the door in front of them. "Where do we go?" Gabriel asked, and before they could answer, a bus drove and stopped in front of them.
Glenn jumped out the bus and his arms extended in Callie's direction, the two embracing awkwardly as Zephy mumbled something and flopped her head off of Callie's shoulder. Maggie took Glenn's place, gently lifting Zephy's head and placing it back on Callie's shoulder once more. The two shared a small giggle. "You're back" Michonne said, and Glenn swallowed hard. "Eugene lied. He can't stop it. Where is everybody?" Glenn asked, and Callie closed her eyes in exasperation.
"Beth's alive. She's in a hospital in Atlanta, some people have her but the others went to get her back" Michonne said, smiling at Maggie and taking her hand. "Do we know which one?" Maggie asked, her eyes filling slightly and her voice wavering. Michonne told her and Maggie threw herself into Glenn's arms. "Let's blow this joint, go save your sister" Tara said, giggling and the group smiled and headed for the bus.
Callie placed her sister down on a seat and took one herself, resting her head on the window as they drove towards Atlanta, Callie's heart racing at the thought of seeing Beth, Carol and Daryl again. The bus pulled up outside the hospital and Callie shot up out of her seat, walking out the door and into the sun with Maggie at her side. They walked towards the entrance, guns and weapons held aloft, and watched as Rick walked out the hospital, followed by their group.
Maggie held Callie's hand tightly as she waited to see her sister walk out behind them. Her hand dropped the gun and Callie's hand, and she cried out as her legs gave way beneath her and Callie's body trembled at the sight. Daryl had Beth in his arms, her body limp as her held her, his own eyes pouring with tears. They had lost another