Eve quietly and swiftly got into position with the others.
Her stomach twisted, hearing sick minded strangers of this god forsaken town cheer and shout while Daryl and Merle fought each other inside a circle of walkers.
Eve set her gun up and peered through the scope at the back of Merle's head and her eyebrows lifted in surprise watching Merle pull Daryl onto his feet.
In a flash they were back to back, facing the walkers instead of each other.
They didn't have to last long though, Maggie and Eve's guns clicked and almost simultaneously shots rang out like thunder and two walkers dropped dead where they stood and startled screams split the air.
Rick threw the last of their smoke grenades, while they aimed for the electric lights and as soon as the grenades sparked panic ensued.
As soon as the lights started going out, the crowd scattered in every direction, like bugs from poison.
Eve inwardly smiled and grabbed the flashlight from her hip. The more chaos there is, the better this'll work.
The flashlight clicked and shone brightly into the fog, casting a single point of light into the circle and just as planned, the panicked confused people of Woodbury ran for it in a blind stampede.
Strangers flooded towards them and ran past like a herd of deer, streaming out of their makeshift auditorium.
As soon as Eve sighted Daryl near the middle of the fog, she pressed her teeth to her lips and whistled their personal calls, the one that alerts him that it's her.
Without even thinking, Daryl ran. He didn't make it five steps before he heard the telltale sound of his crossbow and saw the man holding it as one of the walkers from the circle dropped in front of him.
Daryl grabbed it right out of his hands without slowing as both Dixon's ran right around him like a stationary pole.
Merle followed Daryl naturally as his younger brother shouted, "Let's go!"
"Daryl." Rick greeted and simultaneously let the team know that they've got what they came for.
"Let's go. Go." Daryl ran right past them, right into step with Eve as she led their escape.
The group ran with the fleeing crowd, disguising themselves among the panic and nobody paid so much as a smidge of attention as they broke off from the main stream and headed straight for the area they escaped from before.
"They're all at the arena. This way." Merle suddenly took the lead and went straight for the makeshift metal-shutter wall.
"You're not going anywhere with us." Rick seethed over his shoulder, sparing only a glance at the distasteful man as he monitored the deserted road, in case the people of Woodbury catch up with them.
"You really wanna do this now?" Merle snapped, and unfortunately Eve has the misfortune of having to agree. This is not the time for this.
Without hesitation Merle bashed the wall open, as if knowing the precise spot where it was weakest and would give out with only two direct hits from that metal arm of his.
Merle forced the wall open through a feat of pure strength and stumbled through to the outside.
"Rick, come on. We've gotta go." Daryl tapped his back the second the panel was open and grabbed Eve's arm, making her go through first.
Rick glanced over his shoulder again and made eye contact with Maggie. "Go"
Maggie grabbed Randall and stuffed him through next, Rick right behind them.
As soon as Eve got through she almost stumbled straight into Merle's back but at the last second she saved herself like there was a force-field around the older Dixon preventing contact.
It didn't matter much though because her knife flew up in a heartbeat as she spun to the side, a wall of rotting flesh snapping it's teeth at her.
A putrid smell wafted off of it in waves and could've made anyone vomit on the spot as she buried her knife in its forehead and plumes of stagnant blood, yellow puss and decaying brain matter spilled from the crevice.
Eve made a sharp intake as Merle's back hit hers and nearly knocked both of them over, but despite being unused to having someone right behind him at his back, Merle adjusted quickly and used the woman's quick strong stance to push his own battle back and threw it to the ground before jumping on it and bashing it's head into cranberry puree on the asphalt street.
Eve stumbled forward, her stance not quite as strong as it should have been with the support being sprung on her without warning but Daryl was out not a second later and took care of the one madly shambling out of the darkness of the sidewalks for them. That's the fastest he's ever seen one move but it's rare to see walkers without leg injuries like this one.
Daryl took immediate notice of Eve hunching over as she caught her breath and took her elbow out of habit.
She nodded without him having to ask if she's alright and straightened up, ignoring Merle's angry shout of, "A little help would be nice."
The walker he pinned was dead already but from every direction there were sparse walkers making their way towards them; undoubtedly drawn by the commotion they'd caused inside.
In the heat of adrenaline, all bitter feelings were forgotten and as soon as he called for aid, everyone aimed and fired at their chosen targets, bulls-eyes all around like a well oiled machine or perhaps a better fit would be an experienced fire squad.
They leveled the incoming threat in less than 15 seconds and Merle was on his feet again, barking yet another order, "We ain't got time for this."
However this time, it took Daryl moving and saying, "Let's go." for the rest (aside from Eve) to follow.
The rare occasion when Eve was not covering their backs went unnoticed except by the woman herself. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end and she habitually kept glancing behind them but she didn't leave Daryl's side, stuck like glue as they moved.
The order in which they ran spread out a bit and reordered itself as the group moved from street to forest and fled into the woods but as Rick took the front, the back was taken up by Daryl & Eve again, only this time they had another.
Merle is the definition of white trash but even he knew to stay back. His brother is the only one here who likely won't attack him, and Rider shouldn't as long as Daryl's next to him, but that didn't keep him from subtly keeping his eyes on her in case she's changed in the time they've been apart.
She's always been a tricky one and even now she wouldn't let him get behind her, no matter how subtle he was or much attention she was paying, if he started getting anywhere near her, she automatically adjusted so she'd remain in the back. Just like always.
He's seen a lot of people change since the turn, lose themselves, become something else, but he never would'a bet that it's more alarming when someone hasn't changed.
Though what has changed is the distance between his baby brother and Rider.
Merle kept eyeing the two of them, there's somethin' about the two of 'em that's changed and he can't quite put his finger on it. Not just them but his baby brother, there's somethin' different and he can't quite pinpoint what it is other than he just… there's not as much tension in his shoulders as there used to be.
The dark was rapidly becoming light as the sun began to rise and dye the black sky a dim light blue and they could finally see where their feet were landing instead of tripping every few steps.
Randall slowed down after they could finally see each other's faces and fell into step next to Eve. "You ok?"
Eve nodded, patting him on the shoulder. She's grateful for the checkup but her entire face is numb or in pain all the way down to her bones so she's really not up for a chat. Not even a one-sided one.
Randall nodded, thankfully satisfied with her answer. He really did just want to make sure she's ok. She's been a little sluggish and turning her head more than usual because she can only really see out of one eye.
She looks like she tried to fight a bear for a fish and won by a hair's width.
Randall followed her line of sight though as she kept glancing in one direction and followed it straight to the back of this stranger — who is apparently Daryl's brother. He didn't even know Daryl had a brother. He can't recall it ever being mentioned but it's possible that he also just could've forgotten.
He's not an idiot though, he's noticed the tension in the group and who it's being caused by.
Maggie seems to be the only one (aside from Daryl) who doesn't have some sort of deep animosity or wariness towards him. It makes him uncomfortable. It reminds him of how they looked at him back at the farm. His choice to move back near Eve was partially unconscious but mostly it's just that his leg is tripping him up a little and well…...back here is the only place he doesn't feel like the crushing animosity in the atmosphere is stabbing him from all sides.
After Randall and Merle were far enough ahead, in front of the two of them, Eve tapped Daryl and as soon as he turned, he flinched.
The sudden embrace startled him but quickly enough his palm rested on the cool leather over her back.
Her forehead hit his shoulder with a soft thump and Daryl knew what she meant.
"Don't feel so good, does it, Sunshine? Now ya know, so no more runnin' off."
Eve was tempted to bite his arm but she'll let it slide. It may have been a bit of a mean comment but she kinda deserved it after all the times she's put him through this.
Circumstance can't be helped, she doesn't really have the room to be angry anyway, and even if she was mad she'd be angry at the universe for creating the situation, not Daryl who was forced into it.
Eve finally pulled away and not so softly punched him in the shoulder and it was Daryl's turn to let it slide, while simultaneously suppressing a little smile.
The look she gave him was stern, pissed off, and even threatening. Don't do that again.
Finally getting a proper look at her face though, his hand was hovering by her cheek before he knew it.
She looks like Hell.
Her eye swollen up to the size of a balloon, a split lip, bruises all over and that's just the visible injuries.
God what is he gonna do with her? It doesn't sit well with him that he's starting to get used to her state of 'always injured' but given her history, it makes him wonder if she's always been like this — like when she was a kid and stuff — or if it's just an occupational hazard these days.
No matter what, she's always got more bruises and scrapes than anybody else, like she's taking them for everyone else. It's not right.
They put her in danger way too often and he's no longer ok with it.
Eve suddenly turned her head and Daryl started again. She flashed him a cheeky grin and quickly swiped her finger over the red stain on his cheek, making a getaway before Daryl could process the fact she just stole a kiss from his palm and caught up with the others.
Daryl could feel the flame crawling up his neck all the way to his ears but he refused to be the only one who suffers it, so he half-crouched and snuck up on her.
That's right, you heard him. Eve's not the only one who's been picking up tricks from their partnership.
Eve turned her head and almost had a heart attack — her heart flat-lining for a solid 3 seconds as Daryl's lips departed from her temple; the sole uninjured place on her head.
Nobody noticed what transpired behind them or that the two had lagged a bit until the exchange was over and all that was left was Daryl's hand in hers, both of their ears red and silent thankfulness that it's dark.
Eve's lip stung a little from kissing his hand but it was a sweet sting. Like the last remnant from the retreating wave of separation anxiety.
However, the fright from how much she relies on this presence next to her is all but gone. It used to scare the bats out of her but now she's just glad. When did that happen?
Oh well. Doesn't matter.
Eve brushed her thumb over Daryl's interlock hand and he squeezed in turn. Who knew just holding hands could have such a calming effect.
Eventually though, they had to let go. They're not out of the woods yet. Literally.
It didn't take the group long to reach the cars again and this time they were right on target, having been able to see for the final few minutes and as soon as they were close, Rick called out, alerting their return to the 3 waiting.
"Rick." Glenn stood up, spotting the figures of movement under the dark canopy of trees immediately. T-Dog and Michonne
It took a moment for his eyes to adjust as the group got close enough to relax, but the relief didn't last long.
As soon as Glenn spotted Merle, and Merle spotted T-Dog, all Hell broke loose.
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