Disclaimer- I do not own the Walking Dead
Volkov 666- Thank you for the review. Exactly but with all of Danny's stress she can't help but blame herself even though there is no logical way that it is her fault. Carl's lost his mother, his dad is checking out and Daryl never made that connection with him so he hasn't really got anyone to help him through this grief.
OldLonBird- Thank you for the review. You are one hundred correct. In the TV reality Daryl is there for Carl but in mine he doesn't know him, none of the group do. You've sort of guessed the way this story is going and I love it when you guys manage that.
Alwaysand- Thank you for the review. I think her baby brain isn't helping and that she's terrified of what the next few weeks hold.
Please review and enjoy.
Danny's POV
Oscar and Daryl lift the still passed out woman out the bed of the truck, being so careful not to jostle her too much. Carol walks along side them holding a rag against the woman's leg to try and stem the bleeding. I am a hundred percent ready for the trouble this will cause, and I don't have to wait long for it.
When we pulled in Carl went running back inside and now he's emerged with the Sheriff in tow.
"Take her into D block", I tell Merle who nods. I step in front of the Sheriff as he tries to get to them. Daryl half steps in front of me as the man finally stops moving to glare down at me.
"Who the fuck is that?"
"She's injured and we're helping her".
The Sheriff runs a hand over his chin rather aggressively. "And you thought bringin' her back here was the right thing to do? You don't know her, she could be dangerous".
"She's also bleeding out and I couldn't leave her like that out in the open".
"You once tried to kill a kid for being associated with some bad people. You know absolutely nothing about her, who she's with or even who done this yet you bring her back here to my families home".
I can feel my eye actually twitch at the word my but I stop myself, I won't getting pulled into something I'm not ready for. With how I'm feeling and what's constantly going through my mind, I know this argument will be it. I will let out every emotion, every feeling I have towards the man who's just lost his wife. I can't do that, even if that man is a dick.
"Ya need to watch ya mouth. I trust her gut way more than I do yours. She's been right more than you so if she thinks we can trust and help this woman then that's what we're gonna do and you 'ave nothin' to say on the matter".
The Sheriff scowls at Daryl but before he can say anything I point at him. "Stay away"; And then I just turn around so as not to give him a chance to say anything back.
As the door shuts to D block Daryl hooks an arm around my shoulders. "Proud of you". I glare up at him. "For not bitin'".
"Don't appreciate the sarcasm or condescension."
He just smirks as he leads me towards the cells.
We stand in the doorway to the cell they've laid the woman down in, Carol is holding a towel over the wound trying to stem the blood flow.
She looks over he shoulder at us when she realises we're here. "It's a bullet wound, she was shot, looks like it was done side on as the bullet hasn't gone into the leg, but it's made the bullet hole pretty big and it's still deep. We need Herschel".
I groan, annoyed at myself. I was meant to get him but the sight of the Sheriff threw me off.
Sophia gets to her feet from where she was sat on the toilet. "I'll get him".
"Thank you".
She smiles at me as she walks past.
I try and ignore that Axel is staring at me from across the table, head resting in his hand, elbow on the table but after ignoring it for a good ten minutes my resolve has gone.
"What?"
With the hand his head is resting on he sort of points a finger in my direction as best as he can. "How'd you get that scar, looks pretty decent".
"Her and Merle got jumped," Sophia tells him around a mouthful of food. "She split her head open from hitting the floor. Blood everywhere".
I lean my arm on the table. "Huh? How do you know that? I don't think we've ever talked about it".
She smirks a little. "Merle! He loves to talk about you. He says it's the moment he knew you were a keeper. You rammed that bat up so hard into the Walkers jaw you impressed the hell outta him".
"He talks about me?"
"Like all the time".
I roll my eyes, not quite believing her. "No he doesn't"
She giggles, "No he doesn't but he does talk about you a lot more than I would say is normal. He's like this proud big brother".
I `mmm` at her, not quite sure what else to say. I'm extremely flattered but also slightly embarrassed.
"Is it also..." Axel draws my attention away from a smug looking Sophia. "...Rude to ask about the limp?"
Oscar ignored his first question but this time he tuts. "Yes, man, stop".
Axel drops his hands onto the table. "I'm just tryin' to get to know our host".
"It's alright", I assure Oscar. "It was a rusty, bent up sheet of metal. It went straight through my thigh"
"Oh shit", Oscar exclaims.
"Does it not slow ya down?" Axel asks.
I shrug, "occasionally but I barely notice it anymore. It's better than what we thought was gonna happen." Axel just stares at me waiting to hear it. "We thought I would need to lose the leg to survive".
"She's awake". Merle's head pops out the doorway to the cells.
I get to my feet and follow him back in to see the unnamed woman sat up in bed with Herschel explaining her injury.
"... stitched up. There should be no permanent damage as long as you keep it clean and covered". She doesn't say anything but she gives him the tiniest of nods to show that she understands. I put my hand on Herschel's arm where he moves to let me come inside.
"Hi". Her stare lands on my bump, I put a hand on it a bit self consciously and with the other gesture towards the end of the bed. "You mind? Feet are aching". When she doesn't out rightly say no I take a seat. "I'm Danny, I'm sorry we brought you back without your permission but we couldn't leave you out there unconscious but you need to know we won't keep you here against your will. If you want to get up and go then we'll give you some supplies and let you go but I hope before you do that you'll just help me and tell me who did this to you?"
For a heartbeat I think she's considering talking to me but then, much to my displeasure, she struggles to her feet and walks out of the room. I shake my head at Merle who really looks like he wants to stop her.
I stand up and step into the doorway. "If you can wait at least five minutes I was serious about the supplies. Please don't go back out there with nothing".
Finally she stops and slowly hops around to face us. "Why are you doing this?"
"Because you look like you need help and I want to give it to you and... I won't lie to you". She looks like someone that would appreciate truth. "It's also because you were attacked and shot less than hour a way from where we live and I need to know what happened in case we are in danger".
She sighs heavily, "You stay here then you're in danger".
"Why?" Daryl asks surprisingly calm.
She barely looks at him, just keeps her eyes on me. "There's a town, Woodbury run by a man that calls himself the governor, he offers you a place to stay, says you're free to go whenever you want but as soon as you leave he sends his men to track you down. You either stay and allow him to rule you or he kills you."
I cast a worried glance at Daryl. "A town!"
"Ya think ya'd be able to point the town out on a map?" Daryl keeps his voice calm as he talks to her, if we scare her and she clams up then we won't get the answers we need.
"I can but you need to stay away, there's about 70 of them. You're outnumbered".
"If we know where it is, we can make sure to avoid it". I assure her.
She jerks her head in what I take as a yes. She then gestures behind her. "But outside". She then just turns around and hobbles towards the door, I hurry after her not quite trusting she won't just leave if left alone.
I spot the Sheriff and the others as soon as I step out into the slowly fading light. They don't move from their positions as they watch the lady move over to a bench. She lowers herself down carefully and stares out across the field, I sit down with her being careful to keep my distance.
"Can I ask your name?"
She doesn't say anything for what feels like ages. "You should leave here!" I only just catch the glance down at my bump. "If he finds out you're here he'll make himself known and I don't think it'll be a friendly visit".
Merle places the map against the table and pins down the corners. She turns around in her seat and looks at where he puts his finger to show where we are on the map. She casts a quick glance over the whole thing before jabbing her finger right on the town. I lean over to take a look once she removes her finger again.
"They aren't using the whole town, they've blocked off a few streets and are just using the centre. You'll notice when you're getting too close as you'll see the bodies of the things they've killed".
"How armed are they?" Daryl asks.
"Heavily", she winces as she adjusts. "They even brought back an armoured truck.".
Merle scoffs, "Where the fuck did they manage to scrounge one of 'em up".
"The same way they seem to get everything". Her lip comes up in a sneer, "They take it from those that have it".
Daryl leans closer, an intense look on his face that he only ever gets when he starts to stress. "You know that they're like that, for definite?"
"They came back with that truck and loads of supplies and weapons, spinning some bullshit about the soldiers losing against the dead, yet that truck was riddled with bullet holes. Their story didn't add up but those brainwashed people just believed it".
"We need to check it out, see who they are". I turn my head so fast at the sound of the Sheriffs voice that it causes my neck to crack. Carols hand touches my neck and she starts massaging it gently with her fingers.
"No, we don't."
"We can't just trust her word for it, we don't know her. We need to see it for ourselves, see what threat they hold and then decide what to do from there. How do you know she isn't lyin' to you?"
I know he's not wrong, I do but why risk it. "I don't, not for certain but it's a risk. She was shot and someone had to have done it to her and whoever that someone is is probably someone we should stay away from. They don't know we're here, why not try and keep it that way".
He glares at the woman beside me before shaking his head at me in disbelief, he then stalks back towards C block.
"Michonne". Michonne isn't looking at me and she finally gives me her name, she just continues to stare out across the field so I get up and walk away to let her do it in peace.
A plate of food is placed right in front of me and then Daryl sits down opposite me.
"You trust her?"
We sat in the dining area of D block, keeping out of the glaring sun, Michonne is asleep in one our cells with Merle hanging around outside just in case.
"You don't!" His lips just form in a tight line. "I wouldn't say I trust her but I don't think she's lying. She doesn't seem bad just a little guarded and standoffish but not bad. Sorta like you".
His nose scrunches the tiniest amount, probably a little offended. "You want her to stay?"
I shrug and I pick up my fork. "She needs to heal so we let her do that and see if there's anything else we can get from her. Just go from there".
He nods his head once but then clears his throat and looks around the room, he repeats the action a couple more times like he's clearly trying to look anywhere but me.
"What?"
"You've had somethin' to focus on and I don't wanna bring this up and ruin it but the guilt... It has to stop. I can't sugar coat it anymore and I can't watch you spiral. Lori died, it wasn't your fault, it wasn't anyone's fault. For all his fuckin' faults Rick hasn't actually blamed ya, no one does".
My fork goes back onto the table, I'm no longer hungry. "Carl".
"He's a kid whose own dad is spiralling with grief. He has no one to help him work through his own problems and grief. You and Rick butt heads daily and Carl sees that and he thinks that that means he should do it to, probably thinks it's how he should prove he's growing up. He knows it's not your fault.".
Before I can even get the disagreement out of my mouth he reaches over the table to grab my hand which he then squeezes to silence me.
"He was there, he saw what happened. Anybody would have sent her inside as there wasn't anythin' she could do to help. So the best decision was to send her away for her safety." He pulls my hand closer. "I'm not sayin' that ya shouldn't mourn or be sad about it, go right ahead, I will be with you through it all but you have to stop feelin' guilty. I don't know how to help ya through that other than to keep ya preoccupied but you're a overdue and shouldn't be leavin' this place. I shouldn't have taken you out today but I didn't know what else to do".
I can feel the tears pooling in my eyes. I was so consumed in my own guilt that I didn't think about how it was affecting him.
He moves round the table until he's sat right next to me. "Don't cry".
I sniffle, "I don't know if it's because she died. I think I'm just struggling because she left two children and I'm terrified that it might happen to me. I've never given birth before. I've not had doctor appointments so we have absolutely no way of knowing what will happen. Lori needed a C-Section because she knew there was a slim chance of her being able to deliver it whereas I don't know. I don't know if they'll be birth complications. What if I start bleeding out after? How do I survive that?"
Daryl ducks his head to make sure he has my eye contact, he puts my hand against his chest. "Copy my breathin'. I will not be leavin' you alone. You will survive this because I won't let it be any other way".
"You won't let it?"
"I won't".
I smile a little. "You sound very assured of yourself."
"'Cause I'm confident".
The door to the block opens very suddenly causing a blinding light to fill the space, once it's shut I can see that it's Oscar.
"Rick, Glenn and Maggie have left?"
Daryl sits up straighter but leaves my hand where it is. "They say where they were goin'?"
"To find Woodbury".