KEZZ 1: You are most welcome. Hope you enjoy this one too.
RaphaeltheCowboy: You're welcome. And as far as switching, I have no idea. I don't even use my degree...I just have it...XP...I do gig work and write...lol...kinda lame when you think about it...lol
"I guess it don' look so bad with the feathers and the braids. Maybe should start keepin' bones and weavin' 'em in," Ani joked as she finished putting the new feather Daryl had given her in her hair, looking at the jagged scar that spanned from the end of her left eyebrow to just past the tip of her ear; it was jagged because pieces of her skin had been ripped right off, forcing them to stitch it as best as they could with what they had.
"It's just a cardinal feather, Ania. Ain't nothin' special," he told her, stepping into her back and giving her a lingering kiss on her exposed shoulder. "Can't cover up no more."
"And haven' ya jus' started takin' advantage a that?" she laughed, pressing back against him, more than one hickey being present along her collarbone.
"You two up yet?" Merle asked, knocking on the bedroom door and entering, only to see them in the bathroom standing in front of the mirror. "Well, least the bottom halves are covered," he told Sophia who had entered with him, handing Ani the herbs she'd asked for; her scar itched like crazy and the herbs were to help it stop.
"Me top's cova'd too!" Ani defended, looking down at her black comfort bra and wondering what Merle was on about as Phia left again, hearing Carl calling for her seeing as they were going for a walk, just the two of them.
"You're decent 'nough to be called decent, girly," Merle retorted. "You guys still dead set on goin' huntin'?"
"Gotta test the bike out," Daryl said as he left Ania standing in the bathroom, tying the hawk feather into the braid she'd weaved by her scar to keep the hair from getting stuck in the stitches. "It's good in theory, but gotta make sure all them parts work. Might burn out faster than they oughta."
"Yeah, Merle," Ani said as she walked out and over to the closet, pulling out a button up blouse and tight fitting t-shirt and putting the shirt on. "Why've ya been so high-strung about it anyway? Almost like ya don' trust us ta go on a damn hunt by ourselves. What? Ya wanna chaperone?"
Merle looked down before looking at them both, "Bein' honest, none of us are really wantin' the two of ya takin' any unnecessary risks right now. Them assholes could be out there just waitin' for the two of you to go out there."
"Nah, they won' stick 'round this long, not without their guns. They'll be gone by now. Hopefully for good," Ani said, though she wouldn't look at him which told Merle that she wasn't even sure if that was the truth. "I can' live in fear, Merle. Not a them," she told him, her head snapping up as she stared him in the eye. "Anythin' else? Ya and Abe been doin' as I asked?"
"Yeah, sounds like the neighbors over by Pete hear a lot of yellin'. Some of 'em have heard shit breakin' over there a few times. Figure it's just couples bein' couples. Been that way since the start."
"You still lookin' into that?" Daryl asked.
"Yeah, got Cars checkin' on Sam, since the boy seems ta have taken a likin' ta her. Seein' if I can' get anythin' from 'im through her, somethin' conclusive. Can' be startin' shite without proof 'ere. And I can' justify jus' goin' ova there. I ain' Rick all hot and botha'd by the man's wife and I certainly ain' got a job that botha's with 'em, so, I gotta go slow. All's I got's speculation. I go in and start knockin' heads, even if I basically got the go ahead from Deanna, I'm gonna make us look bad, and I can' be doin' that. But, uh, keep Rick clear a Jessie's place, please? Man's grown sweet on 'er and I can undastand why, but, man, I ain' gonna be the one in control if 'e gets wind a what's happenin'."
"Gee, ya think?" Merle asked. "Sure you gotta go?"
"Listen, we ain' gonna be gone long. I love that ya worried 'bout us, but Mer-man, ya don' let me outta these walls, ya ain' gonna have any balls ta nut Francine with," Ani warned him, going stir crazy at having been primarily either inside the walls or within sight of the walls for the last week.
"Ain't nuttin' 'er yet," Merle pouted as Ani threw her shirt on.
"Eh, only a matter a time, Merle, my man!" Abraham said as he came up. "They done bumpin' uglies and you give 'em the what's what yet?"
"I don' have 'nough middle fingas ta accurately relate how I'm feelin' right now," Ani said as she turned to Daryl. "Wanna help me out, here D?"
They both flipped off the older men with both hands who just laughed before Abraham was pointing at Ani and saying, "Got some news for ya, Tiny. Apparently, that Pete guy? He's a drunk whenever he's not in the office, which is pretty much all the time unless he's needed. That's why Rosita and Beth have been over there helpin' that Denise chick with the minor things. Oh, and that reminds me; Rose wants you to go over. It's about time to take your stitches out."
"It is itchin' somethin' fierce."
"Well alright then. I'm headin' out with the work crew. Anything happens, you'll be the first to hear of it. Come on, Stumpy," Abraham said, dragging Merle with him as the man began cussing him out.
"Thanks, boys!" Ani called after them, turning to look at Daryl. "Should I go ta the infirmary now or afta we get back?"
"Gonna itch either way. Scab'll get pulled off, though," Daryl said, making Ani balk.
"Gonna make the scar worse!" she complained.
"Gotta get 'em taken out. 'Sides, if you weren't a wild child before, you sure are now," he smirked, knowing that her reputation as a 'wild child' was something she always smiled about.
"Gee, a chunk a me hair and a nasty ass scar. Yeah, that's really bein' a wild child," she pouted petulantly as she head towards the door.
Pulling her back flush against him, Daryl lowered his head to whisper in her ear, "You were a wild child last night, baby girl. Gonna be again later, I promise you that."
Releasing her with a smack to her ass as she blushed, Daryl couldn't help but chuckle at Ania's blush and embarrassed smile as he remembered the previous night. He'd finally felt comfortable enough with how much she'd healed to break in the bed, and she had been right, there was plenty of room to throw her around on it. It had been a long while since he'd slept so well and he had every intention of working himself to such a peaceful rest every night he could with his girl on that bed. With his own prideful smirk, he grabbed his vest and threw it on over his long sleeved shirt before following her out.
~x~
"Thanks again for the help the other day," Denise said as she led Daryl and Ani back into the living room. "It looks a lot better in here with all those books put in place. And the organizational system for the medicine? Genius! I don't know why I didn't think of that. And do you think you could bring back some more of that woolly lamb's ear? We get a lot of small cuts in here and people have been swearing it heals them faster than the antiseptic."
"I can do that. If ya got a place, I could even bring some a the plants back ta Alexandria ta grow right 'ere in the walls. Could bring a lot a herbs back for that," Ani suggested.
"Do you think you could teach me?" Denise asked.
"Beth and Sophia have trainin' in it and can help ya. I don' mind teachin' ya some stuff while I'm 'ere, but ya know I don' plan on stayin' in the walls long. Place gives me the willies."
Denise laughed at that as she brought the scissors and tweezers over, "This is probably going to pull, and you'll need some, uh, some more of that stuff..."
"Poultice. Made from dandelion leaf, comfrey, yarrow, aloe and clay. Ya just mash the herbs up with a little warm wata and then carefully spread it on the wound. Put the clay ova top and a wolly lamb ear leaf ova that. Perfect for inflammation, pain, and itchiness," Ani told her as she noticed the woman's hands shaking. "Denny, I need ya ta do somethin' for me."
"What's that?"
"Take a deep breath in through ya nose. Hold it in and count ta ten. Let it out through ya mouth. Keep ya mind clear and only focus on the countin'. Not a single thought in ya head. As many times as ya need ta. Clear ya mind, then focus on the task at hand," Ani said in a soothing tone, taking on the role of psychologist once again, watching as Denise did as she was told and her hands slowly stopped shaking. Bumping the woman on the shoulder, Ani told her, "Ya got this, girl! Don' let Pete stop ya. Ya got the passion, the drive. Ya panic, as most doctors I'd imagine do. But ya can work through that fear, that anxiety. Use it ta focus yaself on what ya need ta do. Breathe and calm yaself and ya can work through it. Ya gonna be a great docta, ya jus' gotta believe in yaself a little more. Ya got this. And I'll write ya up a workbook on basic field dressin' and stuff. Ya know, the herbs, how ta use 'em. Whetha they're topical, edible, or needin' ta be cooked first. How ta pluck 'em and make various tonics, poultices, oils, and elixirs. Still got me Papa's books in me head. I'll transcribe 'em for ya."
Denise had started working, slowly cutting the stitches and pulling them out as Ani talked. Ani would wince and pull away every once in a while as the scab came off with it, but Denise was rather impressed with how well the wound had healed. Even as the scabs came off, very few places were actively bleeding, only a few spots where the scab hadn't fully pulled away from the pink flesh. She hadn't used any of the medicine at the clinic, only her herbs and Daryl's help cleaning it. As someone who had study what was considered traditional medicine, Denise was fascinated by Ani's recovery and how well the natural remedies worked.
"I would really appreciate that," Denise told her. "Though, I doubt I'll even be able to use it with Pete around."
"Yeah, don' be so sure 'bout that," Ani muttered.
"What was that?"
"Oh, ya should know anyhow. I mean, ain' like I'm headin' near Pete any time soon," Ani said with a shrug of the shoulder, not wanting to worry the woman or cause her to have another panic attack.
"All done," Denise told her, dabbing at the bleeding spots with gauze and gauging if she needed to be bandaged again. "Do you want me to bandage it or...?"
"Nah, headin' out with D in a little bit," Ani told her with a smile. "Gonna see if we can bag a buck or some rabbits or somethin'. I've been cravin' squirrel a lot recently but y'all don' 'xactly have a grand supply a that 'ere."
"You're craving squirrel?" Denise said with a grimace.
"Hey, we all got somethin' we grow ta love. Me somethin' jus' happens ta be squirrel," Ani said with a chuckle while standing and walking over to Daryl, who'd just been watching the two from the doorway, a small smile playing on his face. "'Sides, been behind these walls long 'nough. Gotta get me some squirrels."
"Well, you enjoy that. Though, if you get anything bigger than a squirrel, like, a buck or a hog or something, do you think I could get some off you? Been a while since we've had venison."
"A course, Denny! Ya know I wouldn' leave ya out in the cold if we bring somethin' good back," Ani said with a bright smile as Daryl's arm came up around her and they left the room.
"Hey Ani!" Tara called as she, Noah, and Glenn walked by.
"Yo!" she called. "Where ya off ta?"
"We're going on a run with Aiden and Nicholas again," Glenn told her. "Though, if you could help him with his music, that would be great. His mix tapes are killing my ears."
"I'll think about it. How's Maggie? Feelin' any betta since last night?"
"Yeah, just a bad headache," he told her. "Nothing to worry about."
"Keep tellin' yaself that, Glenn. Keep tellin' yaself that," Ani said, catching the wobble in the man's voice that clearly stated he was worried.
"Still under Daryl's arm I see," Tara commented. "I still don't know whether to puke or gush at the two of you. Seriously, it's sickly sweet how you guys act. And weird. You're the two toughest people I know, yet put you around each other and you're just," rather than finish her statement, Tara just shook her upturned hands at them and made a funny face.
Ani couldn't help but laugh, even as Daryl scowled and went to pull her away, only stopping because she stood firm. "Can' say I'm eva gonna get sick a it, ta be honest. Ya'll undastand when ya find yaself a girl ya can' live without."
"Yeah, I'm not really thinking about that right now," Tara admitted. "Oh, do you think you could talk to Eugene later? I mean, I don't know anything about what his mind's like and all that, but, the man could use some of that backbone you give others."
"When I get back, I'll sit down with him," Ani promised. "Been meanin' ta talk ta him anyway."
~x~
"You wanna go faster?" Daryl yelled back at her as they sped down the highway.
"Open 'er up!" Ani laughed back, her hands out over her head feeling the wind as they tore down the road.
"You got it, baby girl," he told her before gunning the engine and flying even faster down the road.
She was laughing as they cut through the wind, whooping and feeling much freer than she had felt since the attack and thankful that Daryl had agreed to let her come with him on his test run. Ani had been afraid that he wouldn't let her due to his own fear, which he'd admitted he wanted to do. But in the end, he knew she needed out, needed gone, and he wasn't really ready for her to not be either in his line of sight or knowing where she was and how soon she'd return. Daryl knew that his neediness had returned greater than ever, but he didn't care. He wasn't about to stop it for the time being, though he knew eventually they would have to learn to separate again.
They drove farther out than he'd meant to, but he couldn't help but enjoy listening to her, let alone the feel of her pressed against his back as she clung to him around the turns, eventually just holding onto his hips and leaning her head against his back. After they'd been riding for about an hour, he pulled off of the road and down into the woods, hiding the bike among the trees as Ani let the kittens out of her pack. They were going to be too big to go into it soon, but for now, she was still dead set on bringing them with her. Grabbing her as she stood back up and giving her a searing kiss, he pulled back and grabbed her hand and lead her into the woods.
Bagging about a dozen squirrel and injuring one for the kittens to finish off, which they did with gusto as Ani leaned against Daryl who was smoking against a tree. "Seems like foreva ago we sat like this."
"Been a while," Daryl admitted.
"Jus' sittin' out in the woods," Ani said as she pulled something from her bag. "Been a while since we smoked tagetha. Totally managed ta knick this."
"Seriously?" Daryl laughed as Ani held up a rather impressive bud from the plants back home. "How'd you manage that?"
"Well, a girl's gotta have 'er secrets," Ani said with a chuckle. "Might've gotten a little help from Denny."
"Good to see you made a friend," Daryl said, nuzzling into her hair and caressing the bracelet on her wrist.
"Yeah, it's nice ta be able ta go ova and jus' pop in. Chat 'bout nothin'. Girl's crushin' on Tara, and I for one, am thoroughly enjoyin' sittin' back and watchin' the show."
"You would. Prolly pickin' apart every move they make."
Ani laughed at him, "Yeah, me, Rose, and Beth were chattin' 'bout it yestaday when we went ta train, though we didn' actually do any trainin'. Promised ya anotha week 'fore I start up, but we're talkin' 'bout what they wanna learn and areas they're interested in. Findin' out what Rose already knows. Ya know she and Abe are through, through? Feel kinda bad 'bout that."
"Not your fault."
"Partly is. 'Pparently Abe was likin' how she was treatin' me, 'cause a what happened with Will. So he told 'er ta skedaddle and hooked up with Sasha at Deanna's party. That's gonna be a match from Hell if eva there was one."
"What do you mean?"
"Nothin' bad. Think they'll be sweet tagetha. Jus' gods is it gonna be a fun ride ta watch. Abe's an idiot and Sash is as serious as they get. That's fire and oil right there. Gonna end up bein' a lot a back and forth 'tween 'em."
"Shouldn't smoke that here. Gotta drive back," Daryl told her, watching her put it back in the little bottle she'd pulled it from and put that back in her bag.
"Should prolly head back soon. Merle's gonna have an aneurysm if we don'."
"Don't know what his issue is. Been huntin' my whole damn life and now he wants me to stop all of a sudden?" Daryl scoffed. "Asshole needs to mind his own."
"Be lyin' if I said I wasn' worried 'bout bein' out 'ere meself," Ani told him, turning in his lap to straddle him, leaning back and talking to him honestly. "I'm worried 'bout if they come back. Worried they won' be gunnin' for me this time."
"What do ya mean?"
"Ya took me away from 'em, Daryl. Ya walked clean away and they got kicked from their home. I'm scared they'll come back and it'll be ya that they go afta."
"I can take care of myself."
"Ain' sayin' ya can'. Jus' worried is all."
"Don't gotta be."
"I'm jus' sayin'!"
"Yeah, well, ain't shit gonna happen."
"D," Ani groaned before folding herself under his chin while the kittens came up and climbed all over their legs. "I love ya, ya enormously stubborn pain in me ass."
"Right back at ya," Daryl told her, wrapping his arms around her and sighing deeply. "Everyone's startin' to move into different houses. Thought maybe, maybe we could find one. You and me. Maybe start tryin' for that baby in earnest."
"Ya mean we ain' been tryin', like, every single time ya stick ya dick in me?" Ani asked with a laugh, sitting back and taking in his serious expression before looking him in the eye.
"I'm serious," he gruffed at her.
"Oh. Ya mean actively try. Not jus' the whole 'if or when' it happens deal?" she realized.
"That's what I'm sayin'," Daryl told her, taking in how her expression changed from smiling to somber really quickly. "Why? Don't wanna?"
"Don' eva think that, Daryl," she told him harshly, her look turning to one of anger momentarily before sighing and trying to explain what she was feeling. "I jus' wasn' thinkin' 'bout havin' a baby afta what happened. I'm scared a them comin' back and I'm scared what that means for a baby. But that don' mean I don' wanna try. So let's get these squirrels home and fry 'em up and go house shoppin', yeah?"
"Yeah?" he repeated, sitting up a bit and looking at her with a small smile.
"Yeah," Ani said, leaning in and giving him a kiss.
~x~
"Hey, Genie-boy!"
"I sincerely wish you would stop calling me that, ma'am," Eugene said stiffly as the small woman walked up to him.
"Heard ya goin' on the run the day afta tamorrow," Ani said, jumping up to sit on the table he was working at, looking over the equipment they needed for the solar panels to work properly.
"No, ma'am, I am not. I am simply showing them what parts they need and then walking away."
"Nah, ya not. Ya goin'. That's an orda."
"Ma'am, I do not believe I am qualified or in any way capable of being of use out there."
"Eugene, look at me," Ani told him sternly, the man bringing his eyes to hers. "I need ya ta hear this. Ya are stronga and brava than ya think. Ya been workin' with Rose and I. We've been showin' ya how ta shoot. We've been showin' ya how ta use the knives. Ya got the knowledge, now ya jus' gotta put it inta practice. Ya gonna be okay, ya big teddy bear."
"I am not a teddy bear," he replied like a child would.
"Yeah, ya are, ya beautiful haired bastard. Here, made ya this," Ani told him, handing over a leather bracelet with Celtic knots carefully carved into the thick leather straps. "This one's the Trinity, symbolizes life, death, and rebirth. This one's the spiral knot. It symbolizes the forces a nature, the forces that allow us ta live; fire, earth, wata. This one 'ere's the Saila's Knot. It symbolizes the unity a our people and the strength a our bond as family. This is the Dara, symbolizin' all things livin'. It represents strength a life and strength in one's self. This one's the Shield, so called for obvious reasons. It protects those who wear it. Ya gonna wear this on ya wrist, and any time ya scared, ya touch one a the knots. Ya focus. And ya rememba that ya got a family that's countin' on ya not only ta get the powa stable, but ta come back home, safe and sound."
"You made this?"
"Carvin's the only art I've eva been good at. Found a swivel knife a while back and had pieces a the leatha already in my pack, so I thought ya could use somethin' ta focus on out there."
"Miss Ani, I don't..."
"Ya jus' need somethin' ta focus on that ain' ya head," Ani cut him off. "Somethin' ta help ya push through ya fear. If ya scared 'cause a walkas, ya rub the knots and let 'em give ya strength. Ya got this, Genie-boy. And, seriously, ya should come ta the trainin' I'm doin' with Beth and Rose. Don' gotta train ta fight, but ya should know how ta defend yaself."
"Miss Ani, I emphatically and implorably ask that you do not let them send me out there. They will listen to you and you know I am a coward. I cannot do this," Eugene said, almost crying in fear at the thought of it.
"Gene, ya gotta go. Ya gotta face ya fear head on. That's why I made ya this," Ani told him, putting it on his wrist and tying it there. "Ya afraid, ya rub this. Ya rememba what ya fightin' for, and ya fight. Ya face ya fear jus' once, Eugene, jus' once, and ya life will change foreva. Ya might still be a coward, but ya'll know when ta step up ratha than back down."
"I don't know if I can do that."
"Ya can. I did," Ani told him with a shrug. "Jus' one drop in the wata will start the ripples. So let it drop."
"Do you really believe that I, a coward and a liar, someone with no known survival or combat skills and questionable people skills at best, can be something like you?" he asked, looking her in the eye as he tried to understand why she was so adamant about sending him out there and making him face his fear.
"Nah, ya neva gonna be like me. Ya hands gotta stay clean, Genie-boy. Neva bloody 'em up, ya hear? But, ya gonna be like you. Ya gonna be the best version a yaself that ya can be, and ya can be so much more than ya are right now. Ya don' gotta be a fighta, but ya gotta fight. Ya don' gotta be a hero, but ya can' turn ya back on othas in need. Ya don' gotta be strong, Gene. I jus' don' wanna lose someone I care 'bout, so ya gotta get stronga than ya are. 'Cause I ain' always gonna be 'round ta protect ya. Neitha will Rose or Tara or Abe. Ya gotta protect yaself at some point, hun."
With a sigh and a clap on the man's shoulder, she hopped down from the table and walked out onto the road. Daryl was at Aaron's, working on the bike, fine tuning some wires he had a few issues with on the way back. They'd been offered the house next to Aaron's, a smaller version of the blue house with three rooms. Sophia had asked if she could move in with them, leaving the larger house to Rick and his family. Carl was helping her move her things over and Ani could see from the look on his face that he wasn't happy about it. The two of them had been pretty much inseparable aside from when Carl was with the guys and Enid and Sophia was with Merle, Beth, or Ani.
"Hey Sport, what's with the long face?" Ani asked with a smirk as she walked up, hearing Daryl cuss in the garage.
"Nothing. It's just," Carl sighed as he watched Sophia walk up the stairs. "She told me how she misses spending time with me, just us, and I get it. But, I just, I don't know. Like, spending time with her alone without the group now. I...It's like I don't want her to move away, even if it's just a few houses down. And...and...Well, Enid. She's pretty and I think I like her, but then I hang out with Sophia and...I don't know. It's stupid isn't it?"
"Ya like Sophia and ya like Enid, too," Ani surmised.
Carl looked down quite sheepishly, "I think so."
"Carl, I love ya, little bro, but 'ere's somethin' ya gonna need ta know if ya haven' learned from Rose, Abe, and Sash. Ya gonna like a lot a girls, bub. In the old world, ya could prolly date 'round and have a shite ton a crushes. I sure as hell had a fair few. Used ta rub one out thinkin' 'bout 'em too," she chuckled as Carl made a face and pushed her away.
"That's so gross! Why...why would you say that?!"
"Oh, come on, Carl! Ya a teenage boy! Ya definitely woken up with a bona by now!"
"I don't want to talk about this," he told her, blushing profusely.
"Dude, ya might as well talk ta me 'bout it. 'Cause who else in this entiya camp are ya gonna talk ta 'bout it?" Ani told him with a laugh. "'Sides, ya really wanna talk ta ya dad or Michy 'bout this stuff?"
"No! And don't tell them, either!"
Ani openly started laughing at his predicament as Daryl came out of the garage and started coming towards them, "Ya secret's safe with me, baby brotha. Jus' know this; ya gonna find where ya heart lies soona or lata. Won' hurt too much ta jus' have fun right not 'til it does."
"Do you think Sophia or Enid like me?"
"I think they both do."
"So what do I do?"
"Why ya askin' me?! Ain' like I got experience experimentin'! I got 'im," she said, jutting her thumb over her shoulder just as Daryl's hands came to her hips. "So's I got no damn clue how that works."
"How what works?"
"Bein' chased afta," she said simply with a shrug.
"Ani!"
"Hey, ya said not ta tell Michy and Rick, neva said I couldn' tell Daryl."
Carl groaned as Sophia came back out of the house, "Carl! Come on!"
"Yeah, Carl, go on," Ani teased.
"I hate you," Carl told her, a joke the two of them had with each other.
"I know, love ya, bro."
"Let's take a walk," Daryl growled lowly in her ear. "Got some news from Carol."
Arm on her shoulder, he lead her back towards the first house so they could grab a few things that were theirs and take them to the other house. Sasha and Abraham had moved into a house together, much to Rosita's displeasure, yesterday. Rosita and Eugene moving into a house with Carol and Tara while Beth, Noah, Maggie, and Glenn moved into the yellow house next to Rick's. All in all, they were still living on the same block, but they had dispersed enough to make the citizens of Alexandria feel a little less on edge around them. Merle was moving in with them, too, though he'd put up an argument that there was no point in moving from his perfectly good bed in Rick's to a smaller on in the one next to Aaron's, Ani and Daryl once again claiming the master suite.
"So, what's the skinny?"
"Startin' to talk like Red talkin' like that," Daryl complained, causing Ani to chuckle. "Carol says Sam's got a lock in his closet Jessie tells him to hide in. Says Pete's hittin' Jessie, maybe Sam and Ron too. Says Sam found Jessie bleedin' on the floor last month while Pete was just sittin' on the porch drinkin' a beer."
"When'd Merle say the neighbors heard the fightin' the most?"
"After dinner."
"Alright. Hey, can ya move the stuff? I wanna nip by and jus' double check on 'em."
"You good to go alone?"
"I'll be alright. Gotta get used ta walkin' without an escort. 'Sides, I ain' plannin' on doin' nothin'. Jus' wanna go and say hi and see what I can see."
"Alright. You be safe, ya hear? Anythin' happens. You holler. I'll come runnin'."
"Thanks, D. I love ya."
"You too." As she started walking off, he called after her, "Hey, anythin' at all. Holler."
"Ya got it, D!"
Ani had to remind herself several times that she was within the walls and Thomas and Eileen were not. She was slightly shaking when she finally managed to get to the house next to Jessie's. Almost immediately, she was taken out of her mind as she heard glass shattering. Quickly walking up the steps to Jessie's front porch, she could hear the yelling happening inside and peered through the window where the shades were just sheer enough for her to make out what was happening inside. Sucking in a deep breath, she rushed back over to the door, raised her foot, and superman kicked it open.
Running into the room where Pete was standing over Ron, who was holding his right arm as Jessie was trying to protect him. All of them were surprised by the intrusion of Ani banging the door open, but it lasted for only a second before Pete began charging towards her, yelling that she had no right to be there. Whipping around, Ani roundhouse kicked him in the face and into the solid wood banister by the stairs. As the blood poured from his head, it didn't take long for Ani to kneel down and check his pulse point, the color draining from her face as she realized she hadn't controlled herself at all. Looking towards the pair in the living room in horror, she could only shake her head.
"I'm sorry, I didn'...I wouldn'...not in front a them. I didn' mean ta. I swear, I didn' mean ta!" she started crying.
"What did you do?!" Ron yelled, rushing her and knocking her out of the way. "What did you do?!"
"I didn' mean ta! He was hurtin' ya and I was jus' tryin' ta stop 'im! I didn' mean ta! I'm sorry! I didn' mean ta! I didn'...I didn't mean ta!"
"Ani?" Daryl's voice sounded out as she kept repeating herself.
Someone had run to Rick's and told them that Ani had busted in the door to Pete's house. Daryl, having heard, had run with Rick as fast as they could to the house, but it was too late by then. Deanna had also been notified, but when she came in and saw the girl so distressed, she could only assume what happened. Half of Jessie's face was bruised and Ron's arm was hanging limp as Ani kept repeating herself, now with her head in her hands and rocking back and forth. Thankfully, Sam, the youngest, had been told to stay in his closet when his father had come in drinking and found out Ron hadn't picked up his room. That was all it had taken this time to set Pete off, but Jessie couldn't help but stare in horror at the unmoving body of her husband.
"Ani? It's okay. Baby girl, it's okay," Daryl said as he wrapped his arms around her.
"He was hurtin' 'em. I didn' mean ta. D, I didn'...I didn' mean ta! I turned it off for the door. The control. I let it go ta get the door down. I didn'. I didn' mean ta! I acted on instinct. He...he came at me and I jus' acted on instinct. I didn' mean ta! Should a jus' gone down, shouldn' a been so hard. I should a...Gods, I swear, I didn' mean ta!"
"You killed him!" Ron roared. "You killed my dad!"
"He was hurtin' ya!" she defended. "He...he dislocated ya arm!"
"You killed him!"
"Daryl, take Ani home. Now," Rick told him, Daryl immediately gathering her in his arms and leaving. "Jessie, you and Ron need to go to the infirmary. Rosita's there, she can look you over. Michonne, you and I will deal with this."
"No! She can't go anywhere! Tell him!" Ron roared at Deanna. "Tell him she has to go! She killed my dad!"
"I'm sorry, Ron, I truly am," Deanna said. "But I can't in good conscience," she breathed deeply before sighing. "I can't exile someone for doing what they had to to protect the citizens of this town. Believe it or not, she was trying to help you and did not want this outcome. This matter is over."
"But she killed him! You're just going to let her get away with it? She killed him!"
"Ron," Jessie said, crying herself. "Ron, they're right. She was just trying to help. She was just...she was just trying to help."