Curative

By Kaimaler


Review replies are at the bottom!

We're going to focus on one area for a while since we've jumped around so much in the last 10 chapters. So welcome back to the Atlanta group. ;)

EDITED CHAPTER FOR REVISION OF FIRST SECTION.

Continuity error. My apologies!

Laura's gauntlets are still wrapped in the jacket Rick used to stop her from attacking them in the tombs. Edited chapter section describing Laura's use of gauntlet while attempting to eat.


Laura was stricken by a painful and deafening silence. It was the longest she had ever been without the infection inside her talking to her, guiding her down a path of survival.

She remained in her cell as she found the door chained and locked. It was likely they did not have the keys to this cell block for the individual rooms so they made do with a padlock and chain. She did not know what was happening outside, only a few people passed her on their way around. Something was going on and they were gearing up, she could hear an engine running just outside the door when they opened it.

It appeared at least a few of these people were leaving enough to warrant people walking passed with a stock of weapons. She watched and waited, never getting too close to the bars.

No one spoke to her or even attempted to acknowledge her beyond their initial interaction. She figured they were nervous after she attacked them, but she felt like the victim here. Locked up, no food or water, and nursing her wounds alone. It was nothing new of course, she had done this a lot back in Woodbury. The lack of care she received from the group distanced her further.

On the prison bunk bed cot she sat, leaning against the wall and holding her side. Nothing else compared to the burn, her other injures and wounds could remain untreated. In all her time she had never gotten an infection, her wounds would heal and that would be the end of it. No need to clean cuts, sooth joints, or medicate. She just needed time.

She felt utterly lost without the infection guiding her. There was nothing between herself and the outside world. Laura was cared for, protected, and lead by the Voice. It knew keeping hold of Laura with direct connection with her people would be impossible. Instead of attempting that it surrendered and gave control back to Laura. The scared girl hurt and tired was coming back to the surface, but her strengths were still her own.

Laura felt a burning hatred in her chest. She wanted to rend the Governor limb from limb, put a hot iron to the soft skin of his stomach and see how he fared. She wanted him to feel pain just like he tortured her and to watch Woodbury burn.

Her hands clenched together, the metal scratching. Laura abhorred Woodbury, the Governor, and all the men and women who tortured her. She cared about Merle regardless of his role in her capture. She wanted him to escape with her so they could survive together on the road, just like on their runs, except without Woodbury watching their every move.

There was nothing she would not do to bring him here with her. He showed her decency when there was none to found. Though it was not much, he could not do more than what he had done. Even that was too much for the Governor. Merle tried and she did not blame him for what happened; she wanted to protect him.

She wanted the Governor and all his people dead. Woodbury was a hellish place with nothing to offer but pain and death. If she could she would have killed the Governor and ate whatever was left of him. She wanted him to see her do it, she wanted him alive to suffer in horror as she ate him alive. The dead around her, she would kill him before he could turn. The dead were kinder than the living.

Laura was taken with a revenge fantasy of fire. She could see it in her head, hear the screams as he burnt alive. He always threatened her failures with fire now, knowing her weakness to it. She wanted him to feel fire on his skin, searing his flesh and melting whatever was left. It was a fantasy to burn all the men and women who showed themselves as monsters in Woodbury. All the torturers who took sick enjoyment out of beating her, wiping her with cables, or taking turns violating her. She wanted them all to burn, feel the white hot lick of flames and drown in the fire she bathed them in.

The only exception to this was Merle. He may not have attempted to rescue her, but she knew why. She knew he wanted to find his brother, one of the men here that grabbed her. Daryl, the younger brother. Merle talked about him enough for her to know this Daryl had to be him. Crossbow, sleeveless vest with wings. This was certainly him.

In the cell it did not much matter what she wanted. Laura was trapped and this cell was no more restful than the least. She dreaded the punishment and watched the cell door constantly. The Voice kept her subservient to survive, Laura wanted to try a bit more brutal way this time. Violence and pain was the only language the living knew, so she would speak it.

Outside the cell block the group prepared a scouting trip. Daryl was reluctant to leave with Laura in side. Her just being alive after what Red and Carol said was amazing, he did not know what to say. Laura would not hear it and he knew that, she was not the same. She was damaged worse than he could understand. Her physical injures were visible, to some extent, but her psychological ones could not be accounted for yet.

The group stocked one vehicle taking Michonne as their guide lead by Rick, Daryl, Micheal, Markus, Glenn, and Oscar. The rest of the group would remain behind to protect the prison. It was an important step for the two groups as Rick was leaving Red with control of the prison beside Hershel and Carol. Rick was sure to enforce this, but Carol insisted it would be fine.

Between the two groups they were well defended. The guard towers were manned, the gates locked, and as the car drove off with their best hopes none of them realized the trouble coming for them.

Carol approached Laura's cell, a sad smile on her face. She stood at the bars, hands wrapping around the cold iron just as Hershel approached. "You shouldn't be too close. We need to give her some space." He urged Carol and she stepped back from the bars, still looking at Laura inside. Laura's eyes reflecting the light pouring in from the barred windows through the cell block.

"Laura, I know you're there somewhere. You told me once you were scared of losing yourself and I told you it'd be okay, that we'd be okay. You didn't believe me." She replayed so many times Laura expressed her concerns over turning and the few times when Carol began to fear she already had. "When I saw you I couldn't believe it... I've thought about you so much. You're family to me and I know you know that. Somewhere you do still know that."

She left the cell door and Laura did not respond to her. She waited until she was gone to slide further back on the bed and ignored anything she heard as best as she could. Distrust and doubt rampant Laura did not want to believe them.

As Carol and Hershel left the cell, they headed back outside to see the group leaving. The fully loaded car already heading down the road just in front of the prison. The gates were locked and the guards armed, doing their job.

Red was beside the security gate, arms crossed. He looked behind to see Hershel and Carol exited the cell block, letting Hershel take his time down the stairs. "I guess now is as good a time as any. We haven't properly met yet," Red nodded to the older man, "I'm Red. I hear you're a vet." Hershel offered his hand, careful to balance on the other crutch as he did.

"Hershel Greene, it's good to meet you without all the craziness of the last two days going on. Rick's under a lot of pressure, you understand." Hershel gripped his crutch. Carol just beside him in case he needed additional support. She was glad to see the men getting along.

"No explanation needed. I lead my group and Rick leads his. It's hard work and after the other day... I'm sorry for his loss, for all y'all's losses. Carol told us about the people we... didn't get to meet." He spared her a glance, trying to show he was intentionally being friendly. Again, she was aware Red was a quiet man. He did not take enjoyment out of pleasantries.

"Thank you. Though I suppose thanks to your people we didn't lose as many as we thought." He implied Carol and Laura.

Red shook his head, "I'm glad we could bring Carol back. I'm afraid I can't take credit for Laura... I feel it's important to mention that is not how we found her with Carol and certainly not how she left the group."

"I don't doubt that." Hershel appeared unconcerned about the trouble with Laura. He knew nothing could be done at this time so he was content letting the scared woman be. "I suppose we should talk about what to do if something happens while they're gone. Rick left us in charge."

"That's a good idea. Let's get out of the sun and we can talk." Red turned to the far cell block across the courtyard, gesturing them to join Red's group inside.

Inside Cell Block C was Daisy and Beth looking after Carl, Melanie, Sophia, and the baby. During Laura's attempted escape Rick sent others not following Laura into the tombs to get the kids to safety. Granted they were in a cell block over, but the doors between them were unlocked. If she managed to get through he was worried about what could happen.

Carol saw her daughter happy drawing in a notebook with Melanie handing her crayons to use next. Melanie was not as sheltered as Sophia had been and was steadier on her feet, but the difference between them was obvious. Sophia's pale skin and hair, Melanie's smooth pink tones and darker hair. Carol looked at Sophia and worried about the issues they were having with Laura.

"Hey," Red approached Daisy, "We're going to talk about stuff in the cell block. Can you make sure the kids stay in here, I don't want to scare them."

Daisy smiled and gave him a firm nod, "You got it boss man." She went to sit beside Melanie, keeping the girls busy as she talked about what they were drawing. Carl was less enthused, Rick had given him authority to help protect their own. He wanted to be a part of the conversation, he felt ready to take on this responsibility. He wanted to prove to everyone he could handle it.

While Daisy and Beth kept the girls busy, Red lead Carol and Hershel into the cells on the far side. Hoping for some privacy only to be followed by Carl, insistent on being present at the meeting.

"Carl, hon. Stay with me." Daisy tried to catch him before he went any further. The group stopped to see Daisy reaching for him.

Hershel looked to Red, "Rick did want him to be in charge one day. He's more capable than he looks." He had a smile on his face that told Red Carl had already performed for the group. He did not like the idea of a child discussing the potential upcoming fight. Carl was stern, a little unsure, but his confidence somehow radiated his experience and willingness to take part.

He could not fight, but he could learn. Red nodded, "If Rick is okay with it. I won't go against him." Hershel nodded and gestured the boy along. Carl was excited to be a functioning part of the decision making team.

Daisy's eyes conveyed her concern for Red. She knew a child, especially a son, was a sore spot with him. He did not give the thought time and moved on. She returned to the girls and waited for their deliberation.

Hershel sat on the stairs, still having trouble adjusting to crutches. Carol leaned on the railing beside him while Red stood across, Carl at his side. Red looked down to the boy on his right, Carl returned the look. There was a mix of complicated feelings having a child involved, but seeing Carl beside him, son of their leader - it took a lot more out of Red than he could readily admit. He refused to think of his own son while Carl was nearby.

"So, what do we need to focus on first?" Carol asked, sharing a look between the two men.

Hershel set his crutches against the stairs beside him. "I think we should get ready to protect the prison. We all worked very hard to carve out a life here, I doubt any one of us is willing to give it up. We need to make fortifications around the entrances; get ready in case they do know where we are."

"That's a good idea. Do we have anything to build these fortifications? Not much in the prison aside from old chairs, benches, and some shelves. Not really enough to create decent cover." Red shrugged, "Or walls."

"There's some crates and pallets in the store rooms. Maybe we can use those." Carol remembered seeing some supplies in there. No food or water, but other junk that was useful before the outbreak.

"We'll need something to put them together. Do we have any actual tools? Hammer, nails, that sort." Red asked, but Hershel shook his head.

He was aware of the stock they had and there were no tools listed. "Nothing capable of holding that kind of weight. We'll have to make a run." It was not the best option. There was a lot of risk involved with leaving the prison while another group was somewhere nearby.

"Too dangerous. We don't know if they know we're here. We could risk running into them or giving away our position." Red denied that idea. Carol and Hershel did not mind, they agreed a run could be put their people in danger. There was already too much they didn't know about this group, they would have to wait until the others returned. "Not to mention we're charged with protecting the prison. If any of us leave we could be at a disadvantage."

"There are tools in the mechanical rooms through C block." Carl spoke up. "I saw them while we were hiding from the walkers when the gate was broken."

Carol knew what that meant, she had spoken to Maggie about what happened. "We need to see what's in there. Maybe it's enough to fortify at least some spots near the cell block doors."

"That'll be fine. We need to be ready in case anything happens and prepare a few rooms if someone gets hurt or comes back hurt." Red suggested, getting a grin from Hershel.

"Sounds like I'll be useful after all. I can get Beth to help me make a few beds ready if anyone needs medical attention." Hershel was unable to help with heavy lifting, now only resting on crutches and one leg. His medical experience was invaluable and he could still help in ways no one else could. For that he was glad, he did not want to feel like a burden to the group.

"What do we do about Laura?"

Red's eyes snapped to Carol. "What do you mean?"

"I mean she's still one of us." Carol added, "Maybe she can help us."

Hershel put his hands together on his knee, "I think it'd be best to keep her in her cell. She attacked Rick, from what they told us she could have killed them in the tombs. I think she needs more time before we trust her." He did not like the idea of keeping someone locked up against their will. Yet he knew it was necessary at least for now.

"Hershel's right. Laura is our friend and we do care for her," He sighed, running a hand down his tired face. "But after what happened with Rick... We can't think of her as our Laura, we need to be careful around her. We can't trust her not to attack one of us again."

Carol pursed her lips, "Well, we can't just leave her in there."

"Rick wanted to wait a bit longer before anything is done about Laura. You saw her, she isn't herself; she isn't ready." Red closed the topic. There was nothing to discuss and they could not do anything about their imprisoned friend.

"So we arm everyone, set up some defenses... there must be more we can do?" Carol spared a look down to Carl before focusing on Red. Hershel was not a strategist, he had not much to offer when it came to fighting another armed group.

Red shook his head, "There's not really much we can do. It's a good idea to see if we can work to clear paths deeper in the tombs, maybe reach the front of the prison as an escape route. Worse comes to worst that is."

"Who will take point on that? We don't entirely know what's deeper in the tombs." She was right, though they could plan the group of volunteers. It would not be too hard, Red was certain many of their people would be willing to help out. Especially his group that had so far felt a bit out of place since arriving. Well founded of course, they were not exactly trusted.

Tonight while Rick left with a team to scout for Woodbury there was an enormous amount of trust placed in Red. He intended to deliver.

"We'll ask for volunteers. If no one else wants to lead clearing a path out I will take point, leave Hershel and you in charge here while I try to make plan B possible." Red did not mind clearing the halls. It was hard work, very taxing to fight in close quarters with the undead. They needed all the support they could get and having an escape plan would help.

"We should start soon. We don't know when they're coming back and it's getting late as it is." Carol turned around, looking down the hall to see Daisy with the girls. She glanced up from the table covered in colorful papers, she was ready for anything.

Carol appreciated Daisy's careful eyes always watchful. The woman was more than she seemed. She was incredibly observant, but good at being inconspicuous.

Red stepped around Carl and headed off to ask for volunteers to help clear deeper into the tombs. Carol helped Hershel to his feet and handed him his crutches. Carl ran up behind Red, wanting to be a part of his work. Looking down to the boy following him Red hated seeing him there. His own personal feelings began to scratch their way to the surface. He had loved his family more than anything in the world, but they were gone and now he had this boy following him.

He let it go for now. There was no time to hold onto those feelings. He needed to get to work.

Daisy watched him leave, he did not need to ask her. He already knew she would volunteer to clear the halls. When Carol entered the room with Hershel, Daisy stood from the table. Hershel sat down on a bench across from the girls while Carol prepared more formula for the baby.

Knowing they were staying in the cell block for a bit, Daisy slipped out the door behind Red and Carl.

The sunset was lovely, she enjoyed being in a place to enjoy the colors on the horizon. Out on the road there was no time to look up even for a minute to bask. The prison was not exactly what she expected, perhaps a bit more drab than most anywhere else. The fences, sturdy walls, and tight security was a benefit no one could pass up.

Daisy watched Red approach the prisoners and Braddock. She wanted to see Laura, if but only for a moment before they started work for the night.

No one was inside this cell block anymore. They wanted to leave Laura alone at least for a while. This area is where Rick's group slept and Daisy just figured they wanted to keep Laura near them. They did know her better, she lived with them the longest. Even carried out a relationship with the crossbow wielding redneck who either seemed pissed off or indifferent at any time.

She knew no matter how quiet she attempted to be Laura would know she was coming. Carol told them a great deal of things about her group, but she also talked about Laura's condition. How her senses were more sensitive than theirs. So Daisy did not bother trying to hide her approach, not that it mattered much. She was coming to see Laura.

On the shelf beside the far left barred door she saw bottles of water and some bags of canned fruit. She knew technically she was stealing their food even if she was actually planning on giving it to Laura.

Finding a can opener was not hard, they kept it near the storage of canned food. Daisy popped the top and peeled it back. There were no dishes to speak of in this area and she was not entirely sure where to find them. She took the canned peaches and bottled water to Laura's cell, careful to approach slowly.

Peering inside she saw Laura sitting on the top bunk in the further corner from the door. She was clearly trying to distance herself while still being able to see the door in case anyone came by or unlocked the door.

Daisy made no quick movements. She knelt down in front of the cell door, reaching the canned fruit inside the bars and setting it on the floor. Daisy cracked the bottle lid and removed it, knowing Laura's gauntlets likely did not allow for such delicate tasks. She set the water down beside the can and leaned back on her calves, hands resting in her lap.

Laura's eyes followed her without blinking. It was eerie, Daisy felt like Laura was a caged wolf and she was a deer just beyond the bars. As if these iron bars were the only thing between her and certain death. This was perhaps the only thing that actually shook Daisy's usual cool demeanor. There was a distinct chill inside her as she saw Laura's eyes haunting her every move, no matter how slight.

Feeling intensely inspected like a piece of meat behind a glass display case, Daisy resisted the urge to shift under the weight of Laura's gaze.

Laura moved, the bed rustling below her. She steadily swung her legs over the edge of the bed, her head remaining disturbingly still as the rest of her body was poised to jump off the top bunk. She hesitated only for a moment before she slid off the bed, her boots hitting the ground hard. Too hard apparently as she lost her balance after landing.

She hissed, a hand on her side. Daisy tried to look closer but could not see what caused it. Laura regained herself and turned to the food and water at the door. Daisy was within reach of Laura even behind the bars, she could jump and maybe grab her, but not much else would happen. Laura was still too confused to think about planning an escape; the door was chained and locked. Killing this woman, injuring her at the least, would not change that.

So Laura rested on her heels, knees on the ground. Her hand reached out for the water bottle and picked it up with extreme caution this time. She wanted the water, her throat was dry. Drinking with the muzzle would be hard, but she would make it work.

Tilting her head back she tried to pour the water through the muzzle slats. Which immediately lead to failure, somewhat. A bit of the water actually got through the leather bit and muzzle, a lot more ended up spilling over her face and down her neck. She whipped her head back up and shook the water off her face, unable to dry her face under the muzzle.

Daisy giggled, trying her best to not. Laura looked at her and she bit her lip to hold back her laughter. It became a bit easier once she realized the water was mixing with dried blood under the muzzle leaving thin trails down her face. That was a bit disturbing. Daisy wondered where the blood was coming from, how it ended up behind the muzzle.

Laura reached for the can of peaches. It was open at least, but the challenge of eating it was going to be harder. She used one of the claws that had torn through a hole in the jacket to skewer a slice of a peach. She cut it in half with her other hand and raised it to her face. She spared Daisy a quick look before tilting her head back again and trying to slip the peach into the muzzle.

It took a few seconds but Laura managed to get it inside the muzzle, but it tore in half inside the muzzle and fell off her finger. Laura tried to look down, her clawed finger attempting to get a hold of the slippery sliver of peach, struggling with her restricted movement. It did not do much and Daisy's amusement grew a bit hard to ignore.

Laura glared at her and she tried to quiet down. She continued to struggle with the peach inside her muzzle and Daisy waited patiently before realizing she was not making any progress at all.

"May I?" Daisy scooted closer to the bars. Laura froze, she was so close. She did not want to be that close, it made her nervous. Daisy did not seem to mind, she placed a lot of trust in Laura without even seeming to. "Let me get it for you. I'm not going to hurt you, I swear." She had this amused grin on her face. Laura was unsure how to feel about it.

It was a bit tense, though Daisy did not show any signs of hesitation when Laura leaned forward. She did not flinch or watch her hands, as if she did not believe Laura would hurt her. When Laura was just close enough Daisy reached through the bars slowly, giving Laura clear view of her hands so as to not feel threatened. Her fingers brushed the end of the muzzle, Laura's eyes narrowed.

"I'm just going to get the peach out, nothing else." Daisy's voice was low and soothing. She had a gentle sing-song voice not nearly as rough or loud as everyone else. Laura did not mind her as much as the others. Daisy was everything they were not. She was quiet, soft, and unbelievably gentle. Her fingers easily fit through the slats of her muzzle and picked up the stuck fruit between her middle and index.

Daisy leaned closer, trying to see into the muzzle. Her fingers hit something inside it, something thick and hard. Curious she tried to see around it, but only barely managed to glimpse something inside the muzzle. It is rigid, definitely not meant for comfort. Her fingers followed the object and touched Laura's face, she glanced down. Daisy could feel no space between this object and her mouth and she realized what that meant.

Carefully Daisy removed the piece of peach from the muzzle, placing it back inside the can Laura's other hand was holding. "There we go." She sighed, the sad expression evident on her face. Laura leaned back onto her heels, using the water bottle to clean some of the stickiness the peach left behind.

"Laura," The woman looked up for a moment before focusing back on pouring water over her fingers and muzzle. "Can you tell me why you wear that mask? Would you be willing to tell me?"

Laura stared at her for a moment. A slow blink, then she returned to trying to drink more water. "Hmm." Daisy took a deep breath. "There's going to be work outside for a while. We're getting ready for a fight. Those people that woman,Michonne, told us about. She said they might come for us and for you. We don't want that to happen so we're boarding up the prison." She explained, "I'm sorry if it gets loud."

The door opened, coming inside was Red and Carol. They entered the room, not realizing Daisy was already inside. Carol paused first, seeing Daisy just around the corner kneeling in front of Laura's cell. She was close to the bars, one hand even inside the cell. Red realized a moment later what was going on and instantly became nervous about Laura swiping at Daisy.

Rick and Daryl had left the jacket around Laura's hands, worried she might attack if given the chance. Eventually they would reopen the cell and let Laura out, during that time they could not risk her lunging again. The gauntlets were dangerous, that was proven when she initially attacked Rick for simply getting too close to her.

Red and Carol froze as Daisy's head turned to see them approach. They made no attempts to come closer fearing too much movement might put Daisy at risk. Red felt like reprimanding her for getting so close after what happened to Rick though now was not the time. He was worried over her, hoping Laura did not lash out again.

Instead he saw Daisy turn her head back to the cell, likely back to Laura and pick up something. She whispered something, far too quiet for them to hear, then stood up. Rustling from inside the cell told him Laura was moving in relation to Daisy.

In her hand was an opened can of fruit. Daisy walked passed them, placing the can on one of the tables before approaching them. "So what are we up to today?"

Red looked to Carol, "Excuse us for a moment would you?" Carol balked and nodded, watching Red and Daisy retreat behind the door to the outside. Carol walked deeper into the cell block, wanting to see exactly what Daisy was doing. See peered around the corner and saw Laura with her back against the bunk bed, sitting on the floor, trying desperately to pour the last bit of water into her mouth. The muzzle making the task far more difficult than it sounded.

Outside the cell block Red lead Daisy around a far corner, out of sight from the others. He turned around and stared at her, not needing to say much.

"Someone had to." Daisy defended herself from the firm look she was getting from Red. "Laura's hurt and scared. She's never been very brave and everything, everyone frightened her back there. Someone needed to show her some kindness."

"Daisy, you saw what happened. She could have seriously hurt you, maybe even killed you. You were well within reach." Red chided her. She pushed her luck with Laura after today's events.

Daisy huffed and crossed her arms. "I haven't had much time to get to know Rick, but he seems like a decent man. If Carol's praise of him is true. Doesn't matter if he's the best leader in the world; they handled that poorly. She needed space, she was so obviously uncomfortable and scared - you can't tell me there was not a better way to handle that."

"We're in no position to judge them. They barely let us in at all." Red could see the look on Rick's face when they first arrived. It was poor timing truly to find them just as the prison was overrun with walkers.

"They sat her in a room with a group of people and expected her to just readjust instantaneously." She sighed in frustration. "You can just look at her and realize she's been hurt. That group that attacked us..."

"Daisy..." Red reached a hand out to her, but she pulled away before he could.

"You have to be thinking the same thing I am..." Her brows knitted, "It must've been that group that did that to her. She's covered in- in so much, Red. We got too comfortable, we stayed too long..." She pinched the bridge of her nose, "I told you to wait a couple more days. I convinced you we all needed to rest and time to prepare. That we should wait out the weather."

Red's shoulders fell, "You can't blame yourself for this. No one could've known."

"No, but you and Markus wanted to move the group. If we did that when you said... maybe Laura wouldn't look like that. She acts like a beaten dog, Red. She's a scared animal in a cage and all we can do is wait- hope that she comes around." Daisy threw her arms up, turning to look back to the cell block Laura was being held in.

"We don't know what happened. She could've escaped that group, maybe ran into another, or got those injures on the road. There's just too many possibilities. We won't know until Laura tells us herself." Red's hand rested on her shoulder.

"I know what happened." Daisy turned her head so he could see her face. "Someone saw what she is and hurt her. Just like we did." She took a shaky breath and walked away, leaving Red to stand and think to himself.

Red watched her go, clenching and unclenching his jaw. Daisy was never one to mince words, she was always careful and calculated about what she wanted to say. Infrequently she would be emotional and express her thoughts in a torrent of curses. This ordeal with Laura, finding her so soon after they arrived at the prison... it was pure chance. They were both lucky and unlucky.

There was no blame placed on anyone but herself. Red knew Daisy looked out for him, she even took a lot of the weight of leading off his shoulders when she saw him grow exhausted. When he came back she always relinquished that leadership back to him. It was smooth, like an engine directly off the factory floor. Perfect unison and he was not as capable as Daisy when it came to detailing how he felt.

He cared for her. Perhaps more than he wanted to. Red looked to the small rocks beneath his feet and grimaced. He couldn't think about it, he just couldn't. In his mind's eye he saw his son, his wife, and he had no words to describe that pain. His family was his entire life, his whole reason to live. Now his reason to live was to help these people, to keep them alive.

He wondered what kind of leader he is. What they would think of him if he ever told them he wished he had died beside his family instead of surviving out here with this makeshift replacement family he managed to tie together.

Carol was by the gates, her eyes searching. When she saw him she began to come over, taking long strides to cross the courtyard quickly. Red sobered up, running a hand down his face to wake himself up.

"Red." She addressed him, coming to stand a few feet in front of him. "Braddock, Maggie, and Daisy have volunteered to help you clear the tombs. Why don't you come get something to eat before heading in there? It'll give you some energy."

He nodded, following behind her. He wouldn't say it but he saw her gentle smile and found it offensive. It was selfish and petty to think himself envious of Carol finding her daughter alive. Chastising himself, he still could not shake the feeling.

Red kept just behind her. His own thoughts and feelings conflicting, he was angry and ashamed, he felt guilty for Laura and envious of the families here. He was looking forward to the tombs; if nothing else than to clear his head.

Outside, standing in the hot sun beside the gate was Braddock and Maggie. Neither one of them enjoying the slow sunburn they were getting. Braddock's cross arms appeared a bit comedic to Maggie, he was a large muscular man and his arms crossed made him appear even larger. She supposed he preferred it like that, to appear intimidating.

He caught her glancing to him and smiled. "Appreciating the view?"

She chuckled embarrassingly. "Just wondering how much food you have to eat to still be that big. Takes a lotta food and work to keep up that shape."

Braddock raised a hand to the back of his neck. "To be honest it's not that hard. I enjoyed bodybuilding before the outbreak and it keeps me going even now. I've actually lost a bit. Carb intake is a pain out here. Nothing but vegetables and rice from the prison. Not to mention to rationing."

"Impressive you've stayed in shape. Carol tells us there wasn't a hell of a lotta food on the road." Her eyes squinted in the sunlight. The sun was going down, but it was still bright enough to be blinding.

"There really wasn't, hunting was the only thing that helped keep us alive. We're thankful Carol learned on the road before we met her. She, Micheal, and Red did most of the work. I, uh, I really wasn't able to stay quiet." He laughed, a blush spreading across his face. His size posed some benefits and hindrances.

Maggie gave him a once over, "Everyone has their talents. Carol used to clean dishes and hang the laundry. She was a mouse, scared of her own shadow."

Braddock scoffed, "No way. That woman out there, she took down walkers like it was nothing."

"Yup, it's true. Ask anyone." Maggie saw Carol leading Red inside and waved. "It might be mean to say, but when we lost her at the farm I figured there was no way she could survive out there. She was such a wall flower, especially after they found Sophia."

"She never really talked about that. But her kid seems alright, a bit shaken; what kid wouldn't be." He responded, also watching Carol and Red head inside cell block C. He knew they had to get to work soon.

With a firm nod, Maggie raised her hand over her eyes to shield her face from the sun. "You know we're glad to have you guys around. I know Rick and Daryl won't say it, but we were in bad shape when you got here. Everyone was on edge thinkin' you were here to kick us when we were down."

He waved her off, "We made a promise and saw it done. I gotta figure you know that already and about Laura and us in Atlanta. Couldn't exactly say no to her, could we?"

"No, I guess not. Still, it makes people feel better knowing they're alive. I haven't gotten to say thank you to Red for stickin' his neck out for us." Maggie hoisted the rifle on her shoulder, eyes focused on Braddock.

"You let us stay here, gave us food and shelter. I'd call it even." He shrugged, "Besides, I can't complain. The view is pretty nice, I wouldn't mind sharing dinner with you after we get out of the tombs. Maybe talk more." He gave her a wink. A lopsided smile on his face.

Maggie bit her lip, crossed her arms. "I'll share dinner, but I'm with Glenn."

Braddock's smile faded, "Oh- Oh! Ah man, I'm sorry. I didn't know. I'm so bad at reading signs." He pressed the heel of his palm to his eye, "Ah shit I just misread the look and everything. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to and I completely respect your relationship. I wouldn't want to break anyone up or complicate things. I'm so out of practice." His face went a bright shade of red as he burnt with embarrassment.

She shook her head, "No harm done. It'd still be nice to talk over dinner if you can keep it friendly."

"Yes! Yes, of course, one hundred percent platonic. Not a problem, I swear." Braddock put a hand over his heart and glanced around. "You- you won't tell anyone I came onto you, right? I mean it's fine if you do, your choice and I won't stop you... Just uh, go easy on me, please?" His bare teeth grimace caused her to laugh. She waved him along to head back inside.

Braddock walked beside her, still a bright shade of red. Maggie found his nervousness amusing. "I'll probably tell Glenn, but I don't see why everyone else has to know. Not really the gossip sort."

"Thank you, I appreciate it." He let out a deep breath he had been holding. "I was never good with women and dating before all this. I guess some things don't change."

"Well, it's certainly endearing. Very sweet, like a big bear." She could see Braddock being a sweet guy. The trust between the groups was growing, but not enough to entirely rely on each other. Maggie found a growing friendship with the big soft bear of Red's group. "And don't take it as rejection. I'm with Glenn, that doesn't mean I shot you down because you're too nervous."

He gave her an appreciative smile, "That makes me feel better. I'm happy you have someone out here, it's good. We need each other now more than ever. No telling how long any of us have left, we might as well live as best we can."

"I feel the same way." The two shared a look, the beginning of a new companionship. She hoped he was trustworthy and he was still internally panicking about Glenn knowing he came onto Maggie. He found he liked her company, she seemed good to him. Carol did not speak much about the Greene family other than how they let their group stay on their farmland.

Braddock was planning to be extremely careful he did not want to appear like a homewrecker. He was alright with Glenn so far and when Maggie told him about this unfortunate accident he just hoped he was not the jealous kind.


Gemini's Revenge:

Haha I'm glad you liked it. There's no real time for Laura and Daryl to speak or interact much. We're stuck on the same day, I believe it's day 310 and we're only going to move onto 310 night next chapter. We've literally been on the same day for about 6.4 chapters now. This is actually the most amount of chapters dedicated to the same day in the entirety of Curative. :)
And a big YES to when that happens. A lot of introspection with Daryl, Rick, Carol, Red, Daisy, and Micheal will happen when Laura shows her colors. By fuck she will too. I won't try to gloss over it, I want people to understand this is Laura's reality and since she is no longer really 'human' and has a real need for it... the rules are a bit different for her. Laura got over the disgust of eating human meat a long time ago, though it did not take much for her to adjust to it. She was fighting the craving for long enough when the meat was presented to her with the intention of her eating it the transition of "not eating human" to "eating human" was smooth.
It's time for Atlanta and Red Atlanta to come to terms with this. It will be VERY prevalent in later chapters.
Hopefully people can hold out for the romance between Laura and Daryl to continue. Which it will! But things aren't easy for anyone right now. Everyone needs to realize what Laura is now heheheheheh
Hey, it's no problem! I actually really enjoy writing replies to my reviewers. Especially reviewers who keep writing - I honestly super appreciate it. It really helps me feel like I'm moving in the right direction. Don't be afraid to criticize what I write if you dislike something, I might even work on it to make it better and write a bit "THANK YOU!" at the beginning of the chapter. :)
I appreciate you reviewing, reading, and just generally enjoying the story. I'm incredibly thankful to have reviewers like you. :3

adelphe24:

Hahaha it's true. I'm terrible to Laura, it's a bit twisted but man I enjoy torturing her. So much fun to read and write! Our girl Laura can't always be perfect, but damn if she isn't gonna be one of the badasses in the group after this. :D
And I know! I think that's the hardest to write so far. I can't just write them with that knowledge of the nails and gear. It's fucking radical, I love creating the claws and muzzle for her. But man, it would be so painful. She hasn't let anyone really get close enough to inspect these objects she wears, so maybe soon we'll get to see? When that time comes I'm planning on making it super emotional. Like, people are gonna be fucking wrecked. It's going to be around the same time they learn more about what happened to Laura in Woodbury. Fuck Daryl, Rick, and Red are gonna be so mad. We'll get to see one of those rare emotional moments Daryl has on TWD show. :(
It's going to take time to heal, but well worth the work and wait! :DDDDD

WickedlyMinx:

I'm glad you're enjoying it! I have a lot of fun writing this story and it's always in my head somewhere throughout my day. I hope you like what's coming up next! Man we have SO much about to happen I'm just being careful to write it well. :)

Guest:

We'll see more about the muzzle and gauntlet gear in a later chapter. Unfortunately with Laura's standoffish behavior it's hard for them to really get an idea of what to do with her.
Merle will be appearing again shortly, no worries! But how the Atlanta and Red Atlanta group finds out about Laura's experience in Woodbury will be a mix of things. ;)