A/N: Heyy everyone! As promised, it is Monday and I am back with another chapter for you all! This chapter represents episode 11 from season 3 which is the aftermath of the Governor's initial attack and the return of Andrea! Temporarily at least, hope you guys enjoy and I'll try getting another chapter to you on Thursday too.
Thank you for all the support and love for my story! Thanks to the people following and favouriting my story and me: DarkFireNyx and Lili Tommo! and to my lovely reviewers:
FnafAnimeGirl109: I was just as excited as you to rewrite Daryl back into the story! I have much love for our favourite archer, so much! Well Rick has a fever and he's losing his mind lol. and thank you constantly for supporting this story you comments mean a lot!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead!
-Angels and Douchebags.
I slammed the metal fence door behind me holding my shoulder which was bleeding. I put the padlock over it and backed away from the fence as Walkers reached their fingers out.
"Ya alright?" Rick asked me also full of dirt and injured breathing heavily.
"Ahh," I groaned holding my shoulder.
"Yeah I'm okay." I breathed out.
"Daryl, come here." The archer walked over to me with one eyebrow raised quizzically and stood in front of me. I reached up my arms around his neck and pulled him down for a hug which he returned.
"I'm glad yourself." I smiled at him pulling apart as he nodded. I took my hand and slapped his cheek glaring at him.
"Oww! What was that for?" Daryl cried out.
"For leaving." I glared at him.
"Aww don't I get a hug?" Merle smirked whilst Daryl shot his brother a look.
"You'll get this knife up your ass," I warned showing him the bloody knife which I wiped against the ground. I opened the gate which lead to the stairs that was going inside the cell block and walked up twinging as my shoulder pained.
"Pol, I think it's dislocated." Rick looked at me sympathetically.
"What?"
"We should pop it back in place now." Daryl said checking my shoulder with his hand as I swatted them away.
"I'd rather let Hers-"
"OWW! YOU PRICK!" I shouted feeling the sharp pain of my shoulder being clicked back into place. I gripped Rick's arms which I was sure had marks on them. Daryl looked at me guiltily before tapping my shoulder and opening the door to the prison building.
I let go of Rick's arm, saw my nail marks and began rubbing his arm.
"Sorry," I winced looking at his arm.
"It's alright. How's your shoulder feel?" Rick asked.
"It fucking hurts." I whined.
"Here." Rick took out some antibiotic pills from a jar and handed two to me.
"Merle's oxycycline." Rick said lowly so he wouldn't here.
"You're an angel." I smiled sweetly and swallowed the pills.
"Here let me help you." Rick held his arm out to steady me.
"It's fine, you keep an eye on Merle." I whispered, moving to walk slowly in front of him holding my shoulders.
I followed Daryl into the prison and wandered through the corridors with Rick and Merle's footsteps echoing behind me.
There was gonna be hell from the others.
"We're not leaving." Rick said firmly reloading the rifle in his hands. I was standing by a cell door with Michonne who gave me a curious look.
"We can't stay here." Hershel stated countering his point to Rick who had his back faced away from him.
"What if there's another sniper? A wood pallet won't stop one of those rounds." Maggie said pulling out her pistol from behind her.
"We can't even go outside." Beth said incredulously.
"Not in the daylight." Carol piped in.
"If Rick says we're not running, we're not running." Glenn said pacing back and forth in front of us.
"These things usually go like this?" Michonne whispered and I nodded.
"More or less." I shrugged. I moved my shoulder slowly as I noticed it was easier and hurt less, thank god the painkillers were kicking in.
"No, better to live like rats." I rolled my eyes and stood up from my leaning position to look at Merle who was trapped in the bigger cells. Suffice to say that when the rest of the group saw him trailing in after us last night. Well, they lost their shit. So Rick explained how he helped us with the Walker problem so we came to a compromise, he wasn't allowed in the cellblock itself for now. Most of the group were okay with this arrangement but the atmosphere was tense and everyone was getting testy with each other.
"You got a better idea?" Rick turned around with his eyebrows raised at Merle.
"Yeah, we should've slid out of here last night, live to fight another day. But we lost that window, didn't we?" Merle taunted. Glenn came to stand against the wall beside me his face contorting in rage but he stayed calm.
"Bet he's got scouts out on every road by now." Merle said.
"We ain't scared of that prick." I glanced up at Daryl's voice who was pacing the upper level of the cell block.
"You should be, that thing with the truck through the fence? That was just him ringin' the doorbell. Sure we got some thick walls to hide behind, but if he takes the high ground. Shoot, he could just starve us out if he wanted to." Merle drawled.
"Let's put him in the other cellblock." Maggie said venomously wandering over to his cell.
"I second that." I said glaring at Merle.
"No, he's got a point." Daryl said calmly.
"This is all his fault!" Maggie shouted pointing at Merle.
"What's the difference who's fault it is? What do we do?" Beth came down the stairs towards Rick.
"I say we should leave." Hershel repeated his first statement.
"Now Axel's dead, we can't just sit here." Hershel looked directly at Rick. Rick turned around without saying a word to exit the cellblock.
"Get back here!" Hershel shouted angrily. The atmosphere was tense as everyone fell quiet and I looked at Hershel in shock seeing him get angry properly for the first time. Rick stopped in his tracks but stood with his back facing towards us.
"You're slipping, Rick. We understand why, but now is not the time." Hershel hobbled over to Rick and spoke in a calmer voice.
"You once said this isn't a democracy? Now you have to own up to that. I put my family's life in your hands. So get your head clear and do something." Hershel finished his speech as Rick was now looking at him intently. In some respects Hershel was right, Rick needed to have his mind clear and as harsh as it was, he needed to put his grief on hold for the good of the group.
Rick nodded towards Hershel before looking down at the ground then at Hershel before he walked out of the cell block without saying a word. I was wondering whether or not to go see what he was up to before Carl stopped me.
"I'll go." Carl said.
"You sure kid?" I checked.
"Yeah." He gave me a half smile before following his father out of the cell block. Beth held Judith in her arms rocking her back and forth as she gurgled happily in her arms.
"Where you going?" Michonne asked as I moved down the block.
"My cell." I pointed and she nodded, cleaning her katana. I sat down on the bed feeling frustrated. The atmosphere was tense, I was happy, so happy that Daryl was back but with Merle? That was something I was not ready or willing to get used to. But it was something I'd take over losing Daryl again.
Hershel may have gotten through to Rick, but he disappeared again to do god knows what. Maggie and Glenn were still affected by what happened back at Woodbury. I sat down on the bed, flicking through the leather journal and saw it had been a while since I'd written in it. I opened it to a fresh new page and recounted the events that had taken place since moving into the prison, from Lori's death to Judith, to Woodbury and all the attacks and heartbreaks in between. By the time I was done I heard the cellblock door gate open as I came out of my cell to see Rick with rifle in his arms.
"Take watch. Eyes open, head down." Rick handed the keys to Maggie so she could go to our makeshift guard tower which was really a gated area attached to the prison building that we had reinforced with wood since the field was taken.
I went out in the common area to see Hershel and Michonne standing in one corner.
"Field's filled with walkers, I didn't see any snipers out there but we'll keep Maggie on watch." Rick stated putting the rifle in the cell next to mine. Daryl came down the stairs from his perch and over to where Michonne and Hershel were.
"I could get up in the guard tower, take out half these walkers and give the guys a chance to fix the fence." Daryl suggested.
"Or use some of the cars to put the bus in place." Michonne added.
"We can't access the field without burning through our bullets." Hershel reminded.
"So we're trapped in here, there's barely any food or ammo." Glenn joined the conversation.
"It's risky but we could go for a supply run. With more people to back us up this time." I suggested.
"I'd rather not risk any of those for now, especially after what happened." Rick said.
"We've been here before, we'll be alright." Daryl said looking at the ground.
"He's right, we should be focusing on how to re-structure and reinforce this prison as much as we can for the potential attack. We should try to find the best points we can defend it from. I think we should scout the prison and see." I explained as Daryl nodded.
"That's when it was just us, before there was a snake in the nest." Glenn said pointedly.
"Man we gonna go through this again?" Daryl came up to Glenn.
"Look Merle's stayin' here, he's with us now. Get used to it." Daryl said annoyed.
"Hey," Rick placed a tentative hand on Daryl's arm.
"All y'all." He turned to him and climbed up the stairs back to his perch.
"Seriously, Rick, I don't think Merle living here is really gonna fly." Glenn whispered to Rick.
"I can't kick him out." Rick defended.
"Seriously Rick, I wouldn't ask Shane to come and live with you after he tried to kill you." Glenn said frustrated.
"Merle has military experience, he may be erratic, but don't underestimate his loyalty to his brother." Hershel interjected calmly.
"The point being, if we kick Merle out we lose Daryl. And Daryl being our friend and a valuable member of the group we need him." I said glancing at Glenn.
"I'm sorry Glenn, I know it's hard believe me but I don't think at this point in time we have that luxury of a choice to make." I explained.
"What if we solve both problems at once? Deliver Merle as a bargaining chip to the Governor. Give him his traitor, maybe declare a truce." Glenn said.
"I've seen the way he is. The Governor is not a guy to be messed with, and he'll demand more than just Merle." I said seriously but the rest of the members of the group remained quiet considering what Glenn had said.
"Guys, if we get rid of Merle, then we lose Daryl." I said lowly glancing up towards the stairs, Glenn looked at me and shook his head walking off to go outside of the cellblock, presumably to join Maggie.
"You can't blame him." Hershel said eyeing me.
"I know, I know it seems like I'm accepting Merle as part of our group, but I'm not. He hurt two of my good friends and I'd rather see him as Walker bait." I spat.
"I know I would." Michonne said lowly.
"But I get why he has to be here for now. Glenn did have a point about trading Merle in." I quipped.
"You know how Daryl would react." Rick said with his hands on his hips.
"Yeah, I know." I nodded. Michonne went back to her cell and Hershel took care of Judith leaving me and Rick sitting on the stairs in silence.
"I wanted-" Rick began with his palms facing up before going quiet then looking back down on the ground.
"Yeah?" I nudged his shoulder with mine.
"The amount of times I owe you. I'm sorry for putting you in a difficult position." Rick said sincerely his blue eyes peering at me.
"Me going off like that, I can't imagine it made things easier." He said.
"It didn't." I chuckled as Rick let out a half smile.
"I'm grieving for Lori. But you are too, and so is Carl. And so is everybody, she was part of our group and your friend. I hadn't considered that. I was so wrapped up in myself, I didn't think." Rick sighed.
"Hershel was right, about me needing to clear my head. And I did." He stated looking back at me as I nodded listening to him.
"What did you find out?" I prompted.
"That I haven't been fair to ya, to any of you. You guys deserve better." Rick said.
"That's your problem." I interjected as he looked surprise at me.
"You think we deserve better than you Rick. You're wrong. We need you Rick. Just you." I turned to face him.
"And if you don't think you can handle it, pass the torch to somebody else." I said gently to make sure he knew I wasn't criticising him.
"Even just for a little while, you need some rest." I patted him on the shoulder. Rick started laughing slowly as a smile lit up his face. This was the first time I saw a genuine smile on his face and it made me feel warm inside.
"What?" I asked confused.
"You been talkin' to Carl? He said somethin' similar too." Rick answered with a grin.
"Smart kid." I chuckled. Our talk was interrupted by the sounds of gurgling and whining sounds coming from up the stairs. Judith.
"No, I'll take her. You rest." I stopped him from getting up and stood up walking up the stairs. I turned around to see Rick had stood up and was watching from the bottom. I pointed to his cell with my eyes narrowed as he put his hands up in surrender and trudged over to the cell.
"Hey baby," I looked down at the baby cooing who had tufts of blonde hair on her head.
"Aww, who woke you up?" I asked gently picking her up and rocking her in my arms. I paced around the perch and glanced out of the window to see more Walkers occupy the fields making me scowl.
"I would show you the view Judith, but you my friend were born in this shitty world." I chuckled rocking her gently. I looked down at the baby to see her eyes had fluttered closed and gently placed her back inside Daryl's handmade cradle.
"You're good with her." Carol stood standing there with a smile on her face.
"I'm good with everyone." I grinned at her.
"How's Daryl?" I asked seeing she had just come out of his cell.
"He'll be alright." She smiled and I nodded. An uncomfortable silence passed between us as I shuffled my feet together.
"About the other day, when I came in your cell-" Carol started.
"Carol-" I interrupted hoping the conversation didn't lead where I thought it was going.
"Please, just let me." She pleaded as I took a deep breath and gestured for her to continue speaking.
"The marks I saw on your back. You were abused, weren't you?" Carol asked gently walking up to me. I didn't look up to meet her gaze but could feel the tears in my eyes nonetheless.
"It was a long time ago." I beamed at her blinking away the sadness and the memories before sitting down on the perch. Carol came and sat beside me as I looked out of the window.
"I don't know if you know this. But my husband Ed, he used to physically beat me. And Sophia." I looked at her in surprise. I heard rumours of him hurting her but not Sophia?! I felt my blood boil at the thought of her father hurting her. I knew first hand what that had felt like, and if I only knew how to fight then like I do now. I could've stopped my father.
"And I never stood up to him. I was so afraid of leaving him. Especially when all this started. When he died, when he got killed by walkers, I was so relieved. Thinking about it, I wouldn't be the woman I am today, my experiences made me stronger." Carol finished.
"It was my father." I said.
"He was a raging alcoholic, charged with manslaughter of my mother. She stood up to him for me and he beat her so badly, she died from her injury." I wrapped my arms around my shoulders shivering for a minute.
"Oh, Polaris." Carol said in a gentle voice.
"I'm sorry." She said wrapping one of her arms around my shoulder.
"It was a long time ago." I leaned my head into Carol, seeking the comfort and warmth of her motherly embrace.
"You have more in common with the people here than you think." Carol said as I lifted my head up.
"We're your family now, we stick up for each other." Carol said firmly and I smiled.
"Yeah, I'm glad I found you guys." I said standing up and brushing off the dust from my clothes.
"I'm starved, I'm gonna go down to the cafeteria and see what food we have left to spare." Carol said stretching her back.
"See ya," I waved as she walked down the stairs and out of the cellblock. Boy these heart to hearts with people were taking a lot out of me!
"Dad! Dad! Pol! Daryl!" I looked down over the edge of the perch to see Carl sweaty and out of breath with his rifle. I looked at Daryl quizzically who had come to stand beside me. The urgency in his voice made us snap out of it and run down the stairs following him.
"Rick!" I called out.
"I'm coming." He said reloading his rifle. Michonne came out of her cell with her katana as we followed Carl out of the cellblock and through the prison. We reached the cafeteria and went through the doors and out of the gated metal door with Merle following behind.
Rick placed his rifle on the jeep standing nearby as I stood behind with my colt, replacing the empty cartridge with bullets. Carl and Maggie had resumed their places on keeping watch at the temporary guard towers we made.
"What's up?" I whispered to Rick just in front of me.
"Maggie said she saw Andrea." Ricks stated looking into the eyepiece. Me and Michonne shared a look in surprise as Merle fixed the sharp metal blade to his arm. Daryl notched an arrow into his crossbow and aimed it in case any of the Walkers came.
The walkers were getting more agitated suggesting that Andrea was close. How on earth she was managing to get through the field was beyond me.
"Go," Rick said to me as I jumped out from behind the truck with a spare rifle and aimed it out into the field. There was no sign of anyone coming.
"Clear." I said to the others as we paced across the courtyard quietly and alert. Merle and Daryl came out taking the rear as Rick stayed in front. As we ran across I saw a mop of blonde hair holding a Walker with no jaws or arms.
"Are you alone?" Rick shouted as we ran over to where the gate was.
"Open the gate!" Andrea said urgently.
"Are You Alone?!" Rick shouted with his back up against the fence scouting the courtyard. I aimed the rifle out into the field in case any of the Governor's men were lurking nearby.
"Rick!" Andrea shouted desperately as she moved closer to the gate. Rick threw me the keys and kept his rifle up as I unlocked the padlock and Daryl helped me slide it open. Andrea came in as I closed the gate and locked it.
"Hands up!" Rick kept the rifle on her as I lowered mine.
"What?!" Andrea said incredulously.
"Hands up! Turn around now!" he pushed her against the fence so her arms were up against it and searched taking her gun and weapons throwing them on the floor. Michonne came to stand beside me as we glanced at Andrea who was kneeling on the ground.
"I asked if you were alone." Rick grounded out with one hand on the back of her shirt.
"I am!" She said looking surprised as he threw the brown bag she had on her to the other side of the courtyard. Daryl and Merle kept watch with the rifles and Carl came out into the courtyard with a bulletproof vest and his gun.
"Welcome back. Get up." Rick patted her back as she stood up. Her eyes finally landed on us and she walked over looking face to face. I was the first to move and stepped forward to give her a tight hug which she returned.
"After all that's happened. I'm glad your safe." I sighed into her shoulders before pulling away giving her a half smile.
"But man you need a shower." I scrunched up my nose at the smell coming off her as she rolled her eyes and laughed.
"Michonne, I'm sor-" Andrea didn't finish as Michonne also wrapped her up in a hug. I looked at my two friends opposite me and smiled. Rick was standing nearby as I gestured for them to follow us back into the cell block.
"I don't know why she's here. For all we know she could've been involved in the Governor's attacks." Rick said lowly to me as we walked down the corridors.
"I don't think she would. But one thing I can't put my finger on is why she didn't come looking for us sooner if she knew what he was doing?" I wondered out loud as we finally reached our cell-block. Rick unlocked the gate into the cafeteria area as we put our rifles on the table followed by Michonne, Andrea, Daryl and Merle. Carol stopped when she saw Andrea and pulled her in for a hug. Maggie stood just offside eager to greet her as Daryl sat on top of the table scrutinising her.
"After you saved me, we thought you were dead." Carol said with a shaky voice still hugging her.
"Hershel my god." Andrea came out of Carol's arms to look at Hershel who was standing on his crutches.
"I can't believe this." Andrea whirled round to look at the rest of the group.
"Where's Shane?" Andrea asked Rick.
"Bastard's dead." I spat out as Andrea looked at me in shock. The members of the group said nothing.
"And Lori?" She looked at Rick who was reminded of his pain and looked down back at the ground.
"She had a girl. Lori didn't survive." Hershel stated as Andrea was wearing an expression of shock and upset on her face.
"Neither did T-Dog." Maggie said as Andrea faced her. I felt bad for her then, her and T-Dog became pretty close.
"I'm so sorry." She said genuinely.
"Carl," Andrea stepped forward towards him as Carl's bright blue eyes looked at her.
"Rick I-" Andrea made a movement towards him but Rick backed off towards the side.
"You all live here?" She asked.
"Here and the cellblock." I gestured behind me.
"There?" She pointed.
"Can I go in?" She asked walking towards the gated door leading into C-block.
"I won't allow that." Rick stepped quickly in front of her as she looked at him in hurt.
"I'm not the enemy." She defended.
"We had that field, courtyard, until your boyfriend tore down the fence with a truck and shot us up." Rick said venomously.
"He said you fired first." Andrea said confused.
"He lied Andrea. He's lying about who he is." I stepped forward until I was standing just behind her.
"He killed an inmate who survived in here," Hershel pointed out.
"We liked him, he was one of us." Daryl said with his hands over his crossbow.
"I didn't know. Hell I didn't know y'all were in Woodbury until the shootout." Andrea said.
"That was days ago Andrea." I gave her a look saying she needed to convince them, I wasn't sure what to believe but being with Andrea for long I knew that she wasn't capable of something like that. Was she?
"What did you two tell them?" She said accusingly.
"Nothing!" I defended.
"I left Atlanta with you people and now I'm the odd man out?" Andrea turned to the rest of the group frustrated.
"He almost killed Michonne and he almost killed us." Glenn said calmly.
"With his finger on the trigger. Isn't he the one who kidnapped you? Who beat you?" She pointed intently at Merle.
"I cannot excuse or explain what Philip has done, but I am here trying to bring us together." She said in a calmer voice.
"We have to work this out." Andrea said and I couldn't believe my ears.
"There's nothing to work out. We're going to kill him. I don't know how, or when but we will." Rick said with a frown on his face.
"We can settle this. There is room at Woodbury for all of you." She said looking at him then around to the rest of the group.
"Not with that man in charge. No way." I interrupted.
"What makes you think this man is willing to negotiate, did he say that?" Hershel asked trying to diffuse some of the tension in the air.
"No." Andrea said looking down.
"Why did you come here?" Rick asked.
"Because he's gearing up for war. The people are terrified. They see you as killers. They're training to attack." Andrea exasperated.
"Then we gotta be ready," I said to the group who agreed.
"Tell Philip when you see him I'm gonna take his other eye." Daryl said lowly.
"We've taken shit for too long. If he wants a war? He's got one." Glenn said.
"Rick," Andrea turned to our leader who was mulling over everything she was saying.
"If you don't sit down and try to work this out? I don't know what's gonna happen. He has a whole town. You've lost so much already." She said helplessly.
"You wanna help then get us inside." Rick came up to her until they were face to face.
"No-"
"Then we got nothing to talk about." Rick shrugged her off walking out of the cafeteria.
"There are innocent people!" She shouted but he ignored her and walked off back to C-block. The rest of the group dispersed back on watch and back to the cell-block doing different things. Michonne and Andrea had wandered outside for a talk as I began taking inventory.
We had about 20 cans of different potatoes and tomato tins left as well as a few packets of crisps and some bottles of coke. We still had enough baby formula for Judith but this food between us? This was only going to last us a few more days, we need to make a run and soon.
"We need to make another run." I said.
"How much we got left?" Daryl came up next to me with his crossbow over his back.
"A couple of days if we can stretch it." I said scratching my neck.
"I'll talk to Rick, maybe we can go tomorrow." Daryl said as I nodded.
"What do you think about Andrea being back?" I asked him looking at the hunter who's hair fell over his eyes now.
"I dunno." Daryl shrugged.
"I think I believe her bout not knowin' what the Governor did. But she shoulda opened her eyes." Daryl said and I nodded.
I didn't know on what terms Michonne and Andrea parted but from what Michonne told me, Andrea had picked the Governor and a warm bed over her friend. And that didn't sit well with me. But she wanted to live not just survive, so I understand her reason for staying in Woodbury.
"You?" he asked.
"I believe her. Still don't change the fact she picked Woodbury over me and Michonne." I said counting the cans on the top shelf. I went on my tiptoes to reach to the packet of food hiding on the back shelf. Daryl leaned his arm up over me and pulled it down handing it to me as I looked at him gratefully.
"You alright Daryl?" I asked the hunter who seemed more quiet and more reserved than normal.
"Yeah," Daryl muttered putting the cans back over the top shelf.
"Sure?" I pressed him gently.
"Yeah, just glad to be back." He stated and I smiled at him.
"I'm gonna take watch, give Carl a break." He said before walking off out of the cafeteria and towards the other side of the prison. I stood by the food cans for a while, trying to keep myself busy doing some sort of cleaning before Andrea came out.
"Pol," She called as I turned around to go to her.
"Hey," I said wiping my forehead.
"You meet Judith yet?"
"Yeah, she's a sweetheart." Andrea smiled slightly.
"Carol told me. What you, Maggie and Carl did. I can't even imagine what that must've been like." Andrea said sympathetically.
"It's okay. We lost Lori, but we could a beautiful new life. And that's something to be grateful for." I said.
"Rick doesn't seem to be doing good." She observed.
"He's going through a lot. Difficult time." I answered carefully.
"He must be, I know you're taking care of him though." Andrea put her hands on her hips looking at me.
"Doing my best." I chuckled.
"Do you hate me?" She asked suddenly.
"No." I answered honestly.
"Whatever differences we have or had, you're still my friend and you've had my back countless times. I believe you when you said you didn't know what the Governor did." I explained.
"Well Michonne does." Andrea said sadly.
"No she doesn't." I chuckled.
"Look what happened between you and Michonne, from her point of view it looks like you left her. Especially after all she's done for us, she felt like you weren't loyal to her, you guys need to work it out between you." I said crossing my arms over my chest.
"Yeah, I don't think she's looking to forgive me anytime soon." Andrea scoffed.
"Give it time, next time you come back." I said smiling.
She held her pack in her hand as I walked her out into the courtyard out of the prison where the others were waiting. Maggie and Daryl opened the brown gate to the other section of the prison where the cars were parked and Glenn drove one of the old cars in. Carl was standing against the fence as Rick was waiting beside him. I joined them as Andrea opened the car door turning back to face us.
"Can you spare it?" She asked Rick.
"Yeah," He said calmly.
Andrea looked around at the rest of the group as her eyes lingered on Carol then on Daryl. Daryl gave her a nod of approval as Andrea got in the car and closed the door.
"Well, take care." She said disappointedly. I reached my arms in and gave her a half hug from inside the car before untangling my arms from her.
"Be safe." I said as she smiled.
"Andrea, be careful." Rick handed her a loaded gun before nodding at her.
"You too." She smiled as we backed off from the car. The car started and Andrea drove off beyond the gate leading to the field. Merle opened the fence as she quickly drove out down the field of Walkers and shut the gate behind him. We watched her car drive all the way down beyond the prison walls until she was out of sight. Be careful Andrea.
It was night when we lit a fire in the cell-block and it was all quiet. Everyone was sitting or standing in different places not talking to each other, just thinking. I was sitting halfway up the stairs writing a poem in my leather journal when I heard footsteps coming down next to me. Rick stood on the bottom step looking at me as he cradled Judith in his arms.
"They hung a sign up in our town."
I looked up from my writing to here Beth's sweet voice singing a song. Rick came off the stairs and walked towards her with Judith.
"If you live it up, you won't live it down."
She continued looking at Hershel who smiled at his daughter's singing.
"So she left Monte Rio, son, just like a bullet leaves a gun."
Beth smiled at Carol as I closed the journal and went down to sit next to her by the small lantern and candles we had lit. I smiled encouragingly as she looked at me continued singing.
"With charcoal eyes and Monroe hips,
She went and took the California trip."
Beth glanced up at Rick who was holding the quiet Judith in his arms and was looking intently at her.
"Well the moon was gold and her hair like wind.
Said don't come now, just come on, Jim."
I looked up hearing footsteps, seeing Merle wander into the cell block, leaning against the gate of C-block listening to Beth singing.
"You got to hold on, hold on.
You got to hold on.
Take my hand, I'm standing right here."
"You got to hold on."
Her melodious voice echoed around the prison as I listened in awe at her beautiful singing.
"Well he gave her a dime-store watch,
And a ring made from a spoon.
Everyone's looking for someone to blame,
If you share my bed you share my name."
Beth looked back at Maggie and Glenn who were sitting side by side together on the stairs. I glanced back at Rick, Hershel and Daryl who were talking lowly to each other about something serious. They turned back to us as I looked at Rick who was looking intensely at me.
And I wandered what was lying in those curls of his. What troubles plagued his beautiful blue eyes.
I only knew one thing.
We got to hold on. Hold on.
A/N: I seem to have lost some of you lovely reviewers. where have y'all gone?