New chapter!
Guest: Yeah! Screw Carol and her crazy ways!
Momorocks101ful: Yup, I always get bummed out when I start reading a new story and freaking 10 chapters in they're kissing already.
1111: Baby Steps Dixon! Haha 1000 chapters? Well, I'm halfway to 100, so I'll see what I can do (:
SaraLostInes: He's more scaredy cat than a real cat!
Emberka-2012: Yup, Daryl is totally afraid of admitting something to the group, guy has no idea what to do in a relationship.
Mrskaz453: You're spot on with your review! You do it everytime! It's like you're in my head!
Toolazytologin: Haha you've got an addiction, and the only cure is…more Daryl!
LadyLecter47: Squee moments are the best!
Nekuranekomegami: Thanks!
Bebe Flow: Yup, very slow progress (:
Leyshla Gisel: I agree, eventually just meeting during the night isn't going to be enough for Daryl. He's gonna have to up his game soon (:
Emmalime: Squeeee!
CallingTheMaker: Thanks! I love that! Woe bitch, roll back! Haha. And you're right, Michonne's that quiet person that stands back and watches everyone. If anyone is suspicious of Alana and Daryl, it's her. But since her and Alana are cool, I bet Michonne won't say anything about it.
Manatakira: I don't even know what Carol's up to! But yeah, she's gotta be planning something. That or she's just very smug, thinking that Daryl doesn't care about Alana. Ha! So wrong!
And now! On to the chapter!
Enjoy guys!
Thursday afternoon Alana could see Daryl had some sort of itch about him. Every time she saw him she could see his eyes casually darting around, watching everyone. She had spent the morning inside the greenhouse with Hershel, going over what exactly they'd be looking for at these stables he knew of. Having already spoken with Rick it was agreed that the group would go out on Saturday; those going would be decided during supper. Back in the greenhouse, the doors had been kept open and Alana swore she must have seen Daryl pass by outside at least five times, having once come in just to wander down the rows and gripe at Hershel about nothing being ready yet.
It was the closest he had come to being alone with her the entire day.
In the evening when everyone was in the cafeteria Rick announced that the group would be heading out for the supply run.
"Now Alana's going to lead the group, but we're going to need four people to go with her," he said, standing at one of the tables.
"I'm going," Maggie said, raising a hand as she came out from the kitchens. Right behind her, Glenn volunteered as well. Someone who knew the area needed to be in the group and because Hershel had gone on the run to the farmhouse, Maggie argued that she needed to go on this one. It was a tough argument, but her father relented when Glenn said he would go with her.
"What exactly we gonna run out there for?" Daryl asked, already in his seat and stabbing at the food on his plate.
"Horses are gonna be needing feed and such," Hershel said, addressing the entire group. "There's a stable, not too far away. Should be able to find everything we need there." He quickly listed off various things they'd be looking for.
"And," Rick added, "while the group's out, they'll be checking the roads. We need to know what's surrounding us. How many cleared roads lead back to here."
Daryl shrugged his shoulders, agreeing to go. "Tired being stuck in here."
There was a hum of silence before Axel cleared his throat.
"Suppose I'll tag along too."
Rick nodded his head. He looked to Alana who showed her agreement with the group.
"We'll talk and sort everything out tomorrow," Rick said. "No one in the group takes any night shifts. You'll all need to be well rested. Plenty of work cut out for you guys."
During the night Daryl made it to Alana's cell before she could sneak over to his. He didn't give her a chance to speak. He told her to stay in her cell. To sleep. She could still see the itch in him. The reality was that everyone had an itch to them. Having to remain inside the prison. They all wanted some sort of change, a stimulus. But Daryl's twitch was different. Alana believed she knew what part of it was; she felt it as well. There was no chance during the day for them to see each other, away from everyone else. The other half for Daryl must have been the fact that Alana was going back outside the prison. She knew that the moment he heard of it that he would be going with her, but by the way he stood there in her cell, it wasn't enough for him.
Daryl leaned down quickly over her and kissed her cheek, his lips barely making contact, and then went back to his cell.
The day of planning the trip appeared to be no easier on him. That irritation could be seen coursing through him. It was always there, whenever he was confronted with something alien, something he did not know how to handle. Instinct told him to lash out, to vent his frustration. But he couldn't let himself do that now; it was bad enough that the others in the group were still staring at him with that look in their eyes. Some sort of pity or wonder. Everyone knew that Alana had gotten under his skin; it had become fully evident that night they left the farm. That day in the gym. And then when Alana came back alive…nothing. He did nothing. And Alana did nothing. As far as everyone was concerned, the two of them had gone their separate ways. Now, the group was constantly shifting, trying to find a way to adjust and accommodate the two of them.
Friday after breakfast was the longest they spent in close quarters during daytime. Rick had called the group together in the library, wanting to keep everything quiet. Hershel had been brought along as well. The group had pushed together two tables and Alana had laid her map out on it along with one that had been found in the prison. Hershel looked over the prison map, putting on his glasses.
"Here," he said, pointing at a spot west of the prison. "About thirty miles out."
"Ya call that close?" Daryl asked with a scoff. "There ain't no closer places?"
Hershel shrugged his shoulders. "None that I know of." There were bound to be other farms in the area, but no one knew if any would have what they needed. Or if they were safe in the first place to go to.
Sliding down into a chair Daryl shook his head. "Can't believe we're gonna risk our necks for some stupid horses." He chewed at his nails. He had intentionally come round to the opposite side of the tables from Alana.
"Those horses are going to help plant the crops," Maggie said, defending the horses she watched grow up. "And they'll save us from having to rely on the cars."
"We need to know what's out there. Who's out there," said Rick. "If you can find what you need somewhere closer, then do it. If you can't make it to the stables, you turn around and come back." He looked down at the prison's map and pointed out the clearest path. "Now this looks to be the best route for you all to take. Did you and Wilhelm come this way?" he asked to Alana.
She pulled her map over, matching up the route. "We crossed over this highway, right about here." The spot was on the other side of the stateline and south to where they were now. "One side of the highway was blocked." Alana sighed. "We're going in blind. No telling what we could run into." She drew a finger along the route. "It's nowhere near a straight path."
"You've driven further than anyone else," Glenn spoke up. "I mean we—we almost took a straight shot here from Atlanta. So you've seen more than us. Is it worth it? Roads can't be all blocked, can they?"
Alana stared over the maps. If they were going as the entire group, then yes. It'd be worth it. But just five of them? "It's never the same. Sometimes the highway is a deadend. Sometimes the backroads are. All just depends on what road you turn onto." The others began to voice their concerns. Axel caught everyone's attention when he began tapping on the map.
"How bout a fancy country club? Used to work at one, remember them having some horses there." He pulled the map over to his side of the table, holding it up. "There, Oldtown Country Club." As he put the map back down the others crowded round it.
"And you didn't mention this before because?" Rick asked.
"You didn't ask? Hell, I just thought we were going out for a stroll, not some…expedition."
"How big is it?" Alana asked.
Axel shrugged his shoulders. "Big. Pretty empty though. Nice golf course, couple buildings." Alana began tracing out a route on the map. It was about 15 miles from the prison. There was a main road that went right past the country club and there looked to be a small access road that led into it. Even if they didn't take that main road, it'd only take 3 backroads to reach the spot. "And on the other side of that little road right there is a farm. Don't recall them ever growing crops. Do recall seeing those bales of hay though."
"Are there any housing developments nearby?" Alana asked Axel. He had quickly become the focus of the group and the man seemed unfazed by it, relaxing back in his chair.
Axel shook his head. "Then again, that was…oh, ten years ago."
Alana looked over to Hershel and asked if he was familiar with the place. "Off of Concord. Covers a nice chunk of land."
"Not many trees there either," Maggie added, leaning onto the table. "Clear view all around. We'll have to drive down a bit." Axel agreed, saying that the place was down a ways from the main road.
"You remember where these stables are?" Alana asked Axel. He pointed to a small lake at the back of the land; said the stables were just in front of it. He then showed them were the farm was. Alana looked to Rick. "This is our best bet. I'd rather take us there."
"You think there might be people holed up there?" he asked her.
"It's possible, but it's a lesser risk than heading thirty miles out. If we were all going? Then I would say we could do it. Just the five of us though, no. I'm more comfortable taking us out fifteen miles. If there are people there, we keep driving. We take this road here, Reidsboro, stop at the cross-section and wait to make sure no one follows us. Head up here on Carmel and follow it back down to here."
"And if anyone follows you back?" Hershel asked Alana. He didn't look over to Maggie, but Alana knew that was why he asked.
"She'll take care of it," Rick told him.
Rick continued to speak, saying that everyone was to follow Alana's orders. That she was in charge starting from that very moment. He told her to go through their weapon supplies and take what she needed. He told the others to pack a bag each, toss a bit of everything in them, just as he had done with Alana and T-Dog.
"Gotta make those cars look like you live in them," he told the group.
Alana took over after that point, asking Maggie and Hershel to list just what exactly they'd be looking for, wanting to make sure they'd find everything they needed as quickly as possible. She told them to plan on spending the night out on the road as a precaution.
Daryl sat there the whole time, quiet as could be, half listening. It wasn't that he didn't care to take orders from a woman, let alone Alana. He just still wasn't happy that she was going out there. The complications had already begun. He might be going with the group, but that didn't mean he'd be able to stick to her side constantly. Daryl wasn't giving himself that choice. He wouldn't have been able to stick by her side even if he wanted to; because Maggie knew what they needed she was Alana's right hand. And because Axel knew the layout he was her left hand. That left no space for Daryl at her side.
And he hated it.
Hated that he had nothing that she needed him for other than scavenging for supplies.
When the group was done discussing their plans the maps were folded back up and everyone headed out of the library. While they began packing Alana gathered up the weapons they'd be taking. Far as cars were concerned, they'd be taking the truck with trailer hitched up and Shane's small SUV. Alana couldn't look at it and just see a car. She still saw it as Shane's. Just because he was gone didn't mean it was no longer his.
Alana began tearing Shane's car up, throwing trash inside, rubbing dirt on the seats. She took a knife and scratched up one side. Spots were torn out and slits made in the seats for weapons. Alana held off on hiding them, wanting the group present to see where everything would be placed. She headed back inside the prison to her cell and began packing her bag. There wasn't much to pack; the one she had taken with Rick and T-Dog had barely been touched, so she just added a few things to it. Alana then sorted through her own collection of weapons, picking out what she would take.
She bit at her lip as a thought arose. Seeing little reason to not go through with it, Alana left her cell and headed down the row to Maggie and Glenn's.
"What weapons are you carrying on you?" she asked them. She did the same with Axel. It was a legit question with legit concern behind it. It was important to know that everyone had some sort of silent weapon, with guns being a backup. Alana's own collection of firearms had their silencers, but she didn't want to go out handing them to the group. Ammo for them was less than the ammo they had for the prison's firearms.
Maggie, Glenn, and Axel each had their weapons of choice, all of which were silent. There were handguns for backup and Alana planned to take a few of her own as a third wave backup.
Though Carol wasn't in her cell, Alana still called out to Daryl from outside his cell, asking what he was taking with him as she pulled the sheet back to walk inside. She planted her feet on the ground, eyeing the cell's entrance every other moment.
When Daryl had heard her down at Maggie and Glenn's cell he knew what she was doing. He went along, pointing out the crossbow. He had a couple handguns in his cell and figured he'd take them as well.
Alana looked over to the sheets that hid them. "I'm going to bring an extra rifle. Anything happens I'll want you up there with me." It had been decided that while the four of them were loading supplies Alana would be keeping watch up on top one of the cars.
Daryl nodded his head, scratching at his nape.
Alana saw the itch in his feet as he jerked just the slightest bit, as if he wanted to take a step closer to her. She lowered her voice and asked, "Tonight?" Daryl nodded. "Be sure to bring your pack down," Alana added as she walked out from his cell, letting the sheet fall back into place. She headed inside her cell to grab her things and take them to the cars. She passed Carol along the way. The woman showed her indifference.
For the remainder of the day Alana did what she could to keep herself fairly busy, not allowing herself to have too long a moment of freetime. The cars were loaded and ready to go for the next day. Everyone knew their jobs for the run. Everyone knew exactly where they would be. Alana would be leading the group in Shane's car. Axel would be riding with her. Daryl would be with them too; it had worked out for him that Maggie and Glenn were going. Both cars would be packed with as much as possible, but with enough space left for two more people in Shane's car. If something happened and the trailer had to be abandoned, it would take too long to detach it from the truck, and so Maggie and Glenn would have to jump into the car.
Though Daryl could never admit it, he was in a way awed by just how thoroughly Alana planned things out.
She must have learned it from Wilhelm.
That or it was just part of being German. Meticulous planning.
No one talked of the supply run during dinner, everyone doing their best to act as if the next day would just be another day in the week. Afterwards Rick headed up to Alana's cell and handed her a walkie.
He had originally not paid them any attention when they got to the prison, but after taking a look over them saw that they were the same ones he had used as an officer. "Pretty old," he told Alana. "Unless you've got this same model, no one else is gonna be able to pick up your chatter." The two of them agreed that Rick would keep his on while Alana would only turn hers on to let them know when they arrived and were leaving the country club. And if they ran into any trouble.
As everyone headed to bed, Alana laid in her bed patiently. Two hours into the first watch and she got up.
Daryl sat in the corner of the bed against the wall, still fully dressed aside from his boots. When Alana slipped in through the sheets he watched her crouch down and sit on the bed with him. She leaned against the wall, knees up against her chest. Daryl looked at her knee, the brace gone. She hadn't worn it to dinner and Dale had been quick to ask if she intended to go out the next day without it. She reassured him that she didn't, that she just wanted to walk a bit without out it.
Alana tried to read Daryl's face, but with the sheets covering the bars it was nearly pitch black in the cell. The lantern wasn't turn on; instead he had a small hand flashlight, a dull glow being swallowed up by the floor.
There was no need for Alana to ask Daryl if he was okay, if there was something wrong.
He still didn't want her to go. Yet if she stayed behind, then he wanted to stay behind as well. Wherever she was, that was where he wanted to be. To protect her. To keep her at his side. That was the best place for her—the only place for her. But she had been at his side when the walkers swarmed that house and he had to leave her behind up in the bedroom.
The harsh truth had set in. There was nothing he could do. There was always a possibility for something to happen. If she went out while he stayed at the prison, something could happen. If she stayed behind at the prison while he went out, something could happen.
Nowhere was safe.
Daryl was brought out from his head when Alana nudged his leg. She began scooting off of the mattress and tried to pull the sheets out from under him. He moved off of them and stood while Alana pushed the sheets down, grabbing the pillows he had tossed on the floor. She pointed down at the mattress, urging him to lie down. He eyed her for a moment before doing so. His muscles locked up underneath her as she lied down next to him. She grabbed the sheets and blankets, pulling them up. Turning towards him, Alana rested half of her body atop of him and Daryl instinctively brought one arm down to wrap around her back. Looking down his nose he could see that her head was the only thing popping out from the covers.
Alana could feel from the tension in his body that Daryl wasn't even trying to fall asleep. She whispered to him, reminding him that she was waking the group up at 5AM; that it was okay for him to fall asleep with her still in his cell.
"I'll poke you again if you don't sleep," she warned, feeling his chest rise with a scoff.
"Kick ya outta my bed." He shifted a bit under her, trying to move closer to the wall. Alana grabbed onto the bottom of his shirt and did her best to move along with him. He couldn't see how using him instead of the mattress was more comfortable.
He fell into the rhythm of running his fingertips over her back, slowing as he eventually began to nod off. Every few hours he would wake fully, turning to look at his clock, watching as the morning came closer and closer. Alana hadn't woken up once. She would move slightly every now and then, shifting her head a bit, clinching and releasing her grasp on his shirt. He woke with a small startle when he suddenly felt her hand pushing the bottom of his shirt up and her hand came to rest on his side. But without hesitation he calmed at the warmth her skin brought to his.
The next time he awoke was at the muffled sound of her alarm going off. As he tried to move he felt warmth under his own hand. He must have pushed her shirt up some time during his sleep, his hand resting on her lower back. Alana began to come to and he waited for her to feel his hand there. Waited for her to become angry with him.
But she didn't.
Alana slid her hand away from his skin, fumbling under the sheets to silence the alarm. She rubbed at her eyes and stretched herself out, pushing herself against him. Daryl took the moment as he back moved away from his hand to drop it to the side of the mattress. Alana pushed herself up a bit and then stopped. She looked over her shoulder to the cell's entrance.
No movement outside.
Daryl watched as she got up and crept out of his cell, going into hers to grab her toiletry bag. When she came back and peeked her head inside she had her leg brace back on. He could see her beckoning him to follow after her. As quietly as possible the two passed the other cells and headed to the restrooms. The two then began walking back to the cells to wake the others. Alana slowed as they went past the offices, stopping at one and opening the door. She reached out for Daryl's hand and pulled him in, closing the door behind them and shutting the blinds nearly all the way.
Without warning she wrapped her arms around him, pushing herself up on her tiptoes. Daryl hesitated and then realized the reason behind her actions. Once out on the road there would be no alone time. And there would no time if they spent the night on the road.
And truth be told, they both needed this moment alone.
She rested her head on his chest and then took a step back, turning to the door.
The itch started to set into them both again; Daryl could see how as she slipped away from him the starkness in her shoulders returned. The fakeness. He took a quick step behind her, pushing against the door.
It couldn't be that difficult; he'd seen Glenn and Maggie a few times. Just had to be quick about it.
With all shadows in the room Daryl was grateful. He had no guess at the look on Alana's face as he stood over her, his free hand on her cheek, holding her in place. She didn't try to move away as he tilted her face up and kissed her. He meant to pull away quickly then, to open the door and end it. He started to back away, but felt her holding onto the bottom of his shirt, holding him in place. He had let his hand slip from her face.
"Stay where I can see you," she said. Daryl nodded. Licking her lips, Alana tightened her grasp on his shirt and pulled herself up to kiss him quickly.
The light from the hallway flooded in as she turned away and walked out, back to the cells.
Daryl followed a few seconds later. They parted once arriving back at the cells; he went to the cafeteria while she went to wake the others. She woke Michonne and Andrea, then Rick. Upstairs, she woke Maggie and Glenn and Axel. The noise of those waking grew and the entire group was soon awake, slowly making their way into the cafeteria. In there, T-Dog shooed everyone away from the kitchens; he intended to make a large breakfast for those heading out. The group mulled around, snacking on small cereal boxes while T-Dog prepared pancakes, eggs, and canned ham. Carol and Lori helped; Lori only grabbed the needed ingredients and then sat back down, not feeling too well. Carl asked to flip the pancakes.
With the extra hands, T-Dog had the food ready in a quick manner. They all sat down and ate; those going out where given more than the others.
Alana looked up from her nearly empty plate, seeing that Rick was also done. He nodded at her. The two of them stood, looking to the others set to head out. Dropping their plates in the kitchen the others filed in behind Alana and Rick, heading to the cells to grab what was left to be packed before going outside. At the cars, Alana showed the others where the extra firearms and weapons would be stashed, hidden inside the cars. She then pulled out her map, laying it on the hood of Shane's car. She made sure that everyone knew which roads to take if they couldn't head back the same way or were separated.
The rest of the group came out to see them off. Dale came down from the guard tower, once again holding his arms out to embrace Alana. Daryl stiffened for a moment, thinking the old man was going to try and hug him, Dale only stood back and nodded his head to him.
"Watch each other's backs out there," Rick said while the two groups parted. He pulled the walkie from his back pocket, turning it on and doing another check, making sure it worked. Alana did the same.
Tossing the last of their gear into the cars the gates were opened and the others watched as they drove through. Daryl sat in the back of Shane's car while Axel sat up front with Alana, tapping his fingers on the door and nodding his head to an unheard song.
Axel, Daryl, Glenn, and Maggie quickly became accustomed to the way Alana worked. She would stop the cars or at least slow down to a crawl whenever a walker was spotted on the road. It was the same method as when she had gone out with Rick and T-Dog. They didn't need a group of walkers piling up behind them, waiting for them to come back down the road later. And at any sharp bend or rise in the road Alana would stop the cars completely, getting out and walking a short ways to make sure there was nothing waiting on the other side for them. It flustered Daryl that when she left the car, she took Axel with her instead of him. He saw and understood the logic behind it—it was easier for Daryl to get to the driver's side than it was for Axel if something happened—but he was still bothered by it.
And it didn't help that he was still unsettled over their kiss. His mind was reeling from it, not believing that she had even kissed him back. When she had, the self-doubts flooded him. As they always did when it came to Alana. He once again questioned things, questioned the us.
He did his best to push the thoughts away.
There was a sharp turn in the road and then it became straight. To their right was a large field. A small farmhouse could just be seen at the back. Alana stopped the cars, grabbing the binoculars and walking out to the edge of the road. Axel followed behind her. Daryl stood by the driver's door, crossbow ready. Alana then turned around and headed back to the car, shaking her head.
"Empty," she said. "Let's keep moving."
The cars drove through a patch of woods before coming out into another field. Up ahead Alana could see three houses right off the road.
The cars came to a sudden stop.
Axel made a hmph noise. "Don't remember those being there."
As everyone exited the cars Alana took to the binoculars again. "One car at the second house, two at the third," she said and then looked to Axel, holding the binoculars to him. "Is that the road there?"
Spotting the road he nodded. "There's a main entrance further on, but this way workers used to head down. Didn't want us scaring the little southern ladies."
"We'll clear the houses out then head down." Alana turned to Daryl. "Take Glenn and Axel, clear the houses."
The three men grabbed weapons and began heading down the road, Alana and Maggie in the cars close behind them. Alana the rifle across her lap, hands gripping tightly at the steering wheel. She rolled the window down, straining to hear anything. Maggie's form in the rearview mirror shrunk as the men came out from the first house. Glenn gave a rather enthusiastic thumbs up as Daryl looked back and shook his head. Daryl pointed to the next house and the women drove the cars a further bit down the road.
He had to keep pulling Glenn and Axel out from the houses; both kept seeing things they wanted to grab and take back. "We'll get that shit later," he kept telling them.
Alana began to fill with anxiety when the group took longer at the last house. She was ready to get out of the car and go in there after them. As she grabbed her rifle the front door swung open and Daryl came walking out, Axel and Glenn behind him.
"Any problems?" Alana asked as the three of them reached the cars.
"Whole lot of them opted out," Daryl said as he got into the backseat.
"Coulda done us a favor and not be so messy about it," Axel added, looking down at his shoes. Alana could see the grime he had tracked into the car. "Left plenty of stuff behind though. We should grab it all before we leave."
"If we have the time," Alana told him.
The last house was right after the turn for the backroad that led to the country club. Alana had been staring down it through the binoculars. Everything looked clear. The truck followed slowly behind her as she crept down the gravel road. Last thing they needed was to kick up dust, screaming out where they were to anyone or anything nearby. They passed a dark wooden sign that said Oldtown Country Club. Right underneath the fancy lettering it said in plain block letters Employee Entrance. Far off to their right Alana could see what she thought to be the main building. They drove past the entire golf course, with its overgrown and browning grass; the sand pits had patches of weeds jutting out of them. Scattered all over the place were random reminders of just how quickly things had changed. Toppled over golf carts, abandoned clubs strewn across the grass, the remains of those who weren't fast enough to get away.
"Walker," Daryl called out, tapping on the back of Alana's seat. She came to a stop and looked around. He pointed out towards the golf course.
It must have been lingering in one of the sand pits; clawing its way out at the noise of the cars. Axel chuckled as it made its way to them, gnashing its jaw. The walker had been an aged white man. He had been wearing crisp beige pants with a light green sweater vest. Now that the elements and death had taken their toll, he looked even more ridiculous. He had been bitten multiple times; perhaps twice on the upper body and once on the leg. His left ankle looked to be completely snapped; he dragged along on it, constantly shaking as his balance came and go. He fell twice, but at the sight of the group somehow found a way to stand back up. Daryl started to get out of the car, but Glenn came up from the truck.
The bat met its head with a thickened crack. Daryl followed behind him, shoving a knife into the walker's skull for good measure. The two men stood there afterwards, looking round, trying to find any other movement. Both looked over to Alana who was doing the same, peering through the binoculars.
When no other movement was seen, Daryl and Glenn got back into the cars.
They next stopped just in front of the stables.
Alana cut the power to the engine and leaned back in the seat. Her eyes scanned over the area. The lake was spotted behind the stables. The group sat in the cars for a moment, waiting to see if anything came out looking for them.
Alana reached for the walkie.
"Rick. We're here."
WDWDWDWD
The afternoon had rolled in. Andrea sat up in the guard tower with Carl at her side. She had told him to keep an eye out on the road while she kept an eye looking out to the west. Down below Rick waved to get her attention, holding the walkie up.
Alana and the others had made it to the country club.
Rick made the rounds, letting everyone know.
Lori had been in their cell when he told her. She was gathering up their dirty clothing to wash. She had begun to feel better since taking the aspirin Alana gave her. The migraines had been reduced to dull headaches She was still feeling a bit under the weather in the mornings; she'd been through it before with Carl. The morning sickness began early, but ended some three or so months in. Lori figured she only had two more months of it then.
Carol met her outside the cells, carrying her own bundle of clothing.
"You don't have to help," she told Lori, "I'll take care of it."
"No, no. I don't mind. I've been cooped up there too long, starting to go crazy," Lori joked.
The two women began going into the other cells and grabbing the piles of clothes the group had set aside. Without thinking of it, Lori was climbing up the stairs. As she was coming out from Maggie and Glenn's cell Carol came up the stairs, fussing at her.
"Honey you shouldn't be going up and down these things." Lori tried to reassure her that she was okay. She hadn't even begun to show yet. Lori watched as Carol went on to Axel's cell before her eyes wandered over towards Alana's.
With a glance to Carol inside Axel's cell, Lori made her way down the row. Alana's clothes were strewn across the place and it took Lori a moment of looking around to determine what clothes to grab. She was flipping through the bed sheets when a plaid print caught her attention. Her brow scrunched as she picked up the long sleeve shirt.
"Lori?" Carol called out as she exited Daryl's cell, a few of his clothing added to her pile.
In haste Lori dropped the shirt and pulled the sheets over it.
"Yes. I'm in here." Carol appeared outside the cell. "Ready?" Lori gave a lopsided smile. "Just trying to figure out which ones need washing."
They used large pots from the kitchens to wash the clothes in. Previously they washed them outside, but with the weather becoming even colder, they sat inside the prison in the hallway. They could still see outside the doors. The two kept quiet for the most part, making small chatter here and there.
Carol chuckled quietly as she held up a shirt. "Don't know how he manages to get these so dirty. Even now that we're in here." Lori looked over and saw that she was holding one of Daryl's shirts. She gave a small smile.
"Boys will be boys," she said. "Hopefully they'll be back today," she added after a while.
Carol agreed. But then added, "Do you really think Rick should be sending Alana out there like that? Leading all the groups?"
"What do you mean?" Lori watched as Carol shrugged her shoulders, grabbing another of Daryl's shirts. It reminded Lori of the one that was in Alana's cell.
The concern was there in Carol's voice, but it wasn't for Alana. "Well, she's not fully better, is she? And he wants to send her out there with every group." She laughed a bit. "Everyone has a off day. God forbid anything happens to the group."
Lori tried to shake off the conversation. "Rick wouldn't send her out there with others if he didn't think she could handle it. Besides, she's good at things like this." She looked up and smiled as Carl walked past, heading to the cafeteria. "We all have a part in this group. She's just doing hers."
Rick walked by then, on the trail of Carl. "Alana radioed again. Said there's some houses they're going to grab supplies from before heading back."
"They're done at the country club already?" Lori asked.
He shook his head. "Making good time though. Might be able to get back here today." He held the walkie up. "Going to radio again once they move on to the houses."
When he was gone from the hallway Lori looked over to Carol. "See? Nothing to worry about."
"I suppose," Carol responded with nonchalance. When she saw the questioning look Lori was giving her she smiled and shook her head. "I'd just be more comfortable if Rick had put Daryl in charge. The group did well last time with him leading it. Don't understand why he's all of a sudden turning to Alana to help him out."
Carol left it at that and Lori said nothing more.
Lori wanted to be angry…but the image of that shirt in Alana's cell…
There was nothing for her to be angry about.
Carol though…
But perhaps it was nothing.
Likely it was something.
Whatever it was, Lori would have nothing to do with it. She'd forget what she saw.
When the clothes were ready to be hung up to dry the two women took down the other clothes, putting them separate piles. Lori was walking to Michonne's cell to drop her pile off. The woman was in there. She eyed the bottom of Lori's bundle.
"Those Alana's?" she asked. Lori said they were. "I'll take them," Michonne told her as she stood and reached out for the clothes.
Michonne headed up the stairs, following behind Carol at a slow pace. She set the clean clothes on the top bunk and walked out. With a slow glance into Daryl's cell she saw Carol, bent down, making up the bed. Coming down the stairs, she caught Lori's gaze.
"Getting cold out there," Michonne commented once down the stairs.
"Yeah…it is." Both women watched as Carol came out from Daryl's cell.
WDWDWDWD
The stables had been empty. Aside from the dried up carcasses of a few horses. The cars had been driven up to the far end of the stables, giving Alana a clear view nearly all the way around. If any walkers did show up, she'd see them right away. She stood on the roof of the truck (it was easier for her to get down from it) with rifle in hand, machete at her side, two handguns tucked away, and a spare rifle at her feet. The binoculars hung round her neck.
Supplies for the horses and anything that looked like it could be used as a weapon were tossed into the bed of the truck. Axel and Glenn dragged out large rubber mats that had been placed in the stalls. Maggie said something about them helping to ease the pain on the horses' feet. There were large sacks of horse feed stacked up in one of the stalls and the men quickly formed up a line. Daryl was the one dumping the sacks into the truck; he did his best to not look up at Alana every time as he crossed under her shadow.
The loading was almost done and Maggie, who had been going through the equipment still in the stables, came out and was asking about checking out the barn behind them. With that farm across the road it might be that they could get lucky and find hay in the barn. Alana stole a glance over towards it. Doors looked to be closed up. She gave a nod. Hopefully luck would be on their side and there wouldn't walkers in there waiting for them.
Maggie headed back inside the stables to make sure they hadn't missed anything. Daryl was carrying the second to last sack of feed to the truck.
The shadow covering him shifted and Daryl looked up.
Alana was crouching on the roof of the truck, a hand held out, gripping the second rifle.
Without looking back, Daryl climbed into the bed of the truck, taking the rifle from Alana. Turning around he saw that she had already grabbed the attention of the others.
He followed the aim of Alana's rifle.
Walkers hadn't been in the barn.
They were behind it.
Not anymore though, not with the scent of the group in the air.
"Everyone stand back," Alana ordered the group. "We'll pick off as many as we can." Without her gaze leaving the scope she spoke to only Daryl then. "I'll take the left, you take the right."
Daryl sneered at her. "That little gun's gonna knock ya off your feet."
Before he could take aim at his first walker, Alana had already taken down three.
And I leave you all with a cliffhanger! Wonder how many walkers there are.
And Carol….that woman is….crazy!
But let's not waste time on her! How about Daryl and Alana! Only took 50 chapters, but I have finally relented and gave you all what you've been waiting for. Their first proper kiss! Wonder how long it'll take Daryl to make the next move haha. What do you all think that next move should be?
Oh! And what about Lori! You think she has the chance to redeem herself from her bitchy ways? Think she'll confront Alana about finding Daryl's shirt in her cell? Or maybe she'll say nothing?
Next chapter will be up sometime next week (:
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