"You all know what you're supposed to be looking for, any questions?" Everyone shook their heads, Sasha was standing near the door now as Tyreese drug the last walker body out of the front of the store. As Daryl attracted them to the front they took care of them so they didn't have any surprises in the store but it had taken a good bit of time. Now everyone was ready for this, hoping that there was some stuff worth the work inside and as Sasha glanced around to everyone they were practically bouncing on their toes.
"Grab and go, no standing around." Everyone nodded again as Michonne smiled to Trixie and she grinned over to her and then Daryl. When they were about to go inside Glenn sighed, motioning over to the side where a random and alone walker was stumbling.
"Looks like we attracted some out here now." Trixie turned and smiled, holding a hand out to them.
"I got him. Go on, I'll keep it clear out here."
"You sure?" Trixie nodded to Sasha and smiled as she nodded back and motioned for everyone else to head inside.
"Stay low, be careful." Trixie nodded to Daryl, sharing an intense look before he turned and headed into the store with the others. Trixie sighed, walking over to the random walker now and easily taking it down with her machete before scouting behind him, looking for any other walkers that had been drawn in by the banging on the glass. As she rounded the tents again she sighed and ran a hand over the back of her neck, the hot sun was making it harder and harder for her to work in without sweating every five seconds and she hated it to be honest. As she rounded the last tent, once again, she wondered if anyone else would be showing up since it had already been almost five minutes since the last walker so she decided to head into the store. As she got back to the entrance she almost tripped over something on the ground and stopped, glancing down to what looked like half of a body, legs, and frowned. She hadn't cut the walker in half, who did? Glancing around she didn't notice the top half and started to wonder if some other survivors were there as she backed up to see what she might find. Searching the ground she still didn't find the top half but after looking again she failed to notice the first time that the lower half of the body belonged to someone who was military, more specific, a pilot. She hadn't seen any kind of air craft though and as she tried to wonder where it would be a fearful thought hit her. Putting her machete back in her boot she threw the gun Daryl had insisted on her holding around her back and rushed to the side of the building. She knew there was a ladder to the roof around there, her and Michonne seen it while they were scouting, and when she found it she started to climb. It didn't take her long to get to the roof and when she looked over the side of it she had to cover her mouth. There, crashed on the roof, was a huge army helicopter and about two dozen walkers were walking around as if they had no clue they were stranded on the roof of a store. Fearful of what might happen if they heard the group Trixie quickly climbed down the ladder and rushed to the front of the store. Skidding in the fresh walker blood she hit her side as she slipped but scrambled up to rush inside.
"Only what we need. Nothing more." Trixie heard Zack and Sasha over on the side immediately. Rushing to find them Trixie almost ran into Bob right at the side of the store where the liquor and wine were as he rounded the corner. Stopping her Bob tried to help her settle down, a bottle of wine in his hands as she shook her head.
"What? What's wrong?"
"Daryl! Michonne, where are they?"
"They were over near the clothes last I seen. What's going on?" Trixie tried to catch her breath, she feared being loud right then since she didn't know what the roof walkers would do so she tried to explain to Bob the urgency of the situation as fast as she could before she needed to rush off.
"Walkers. Everywhere, on the roof."
"Roof!" Bob seemed to understand the urgency now and as Trixie turned, nodding, she scanned over the top of the shelves for the others as Bob mumbled to himself and sat the win bottle back down on the shelf next to him.
"We need to find the others, we got to hurry, the roof, it might cave and…Bob?" Trixie turned, seeing Bob put the bottle down just in time to hear the shelf crash. Bob yelped, making Trixie jump as the whole shelve this time came crashing down on them both. Bob screamed now, covering his head with his arms as Trixie fell over backwards, tripping on some beer cases in the middle of the isle. When the silence finally hit she was breathing hard, Bob was nowhere to be seen, and the others were heading their way.
"Trixie!" Trixie sighed, rolling over onto her knees and scrambling over to the side. As she glanced under the shelf and saw Bob she shook her head.
"Nice keeping quite."
'Sorry."
'Can ya move?" Bob tried to move but shook his head.
'Naw, my foots caught." Trixie nodded, glancing up as Daryl skidded to a stop on the other side of the downed shelf.
"What happened?" Trixie glanced over to him, putting her hands on the shelf and frowning.
"Daryl, Bob's stuck, his foots caught, but we got to move. There are almost two dozen walkers on the roof. This had to of attracted them! We got to get him out." Daryl frowned but nodded, glancing to the side as he put his flashlight down and sighed.
"Alright, his legs caught and we got no time. Come on help me get him up." Trixie glanced up now, seeing Zack and Tyreese standing behind Daryl as they nodded and went to get the shelf off of Bob.
"Everson's alright, were over here in wine and beer!" Trixie hissed, waving her hands immediately and glaring to Zack.
"Shut up! Keep it down! Didn't you hear me! There are walkers on the roof dammit!" Zack palled then, stalling in his help with Daryl before Tyreese nudged him.
"Get the shelves, we got to go." Zack nodded, grunting with Daryl and Tyreese as Trixie scanned for Sasha or Glenn, Michonne even, as the boys worked.
"I was trying to move, but man this thing came down hard." Tyreese glanced under the single shelf now, nodding to Bob as Trixie ran a hand through her hair.
"You lucked out, if this thing had come down on you the wrong way. Or her." Tyreese glanced to Trixie but she was glancing to the ceiling as she froze. She heard it, before anyone else, and when the creaking got too loud she flinched as the roof caved in and a walker was suddenly hanging by his guts.
"Daryl! I told you! We got to move!" Glenn and the others were quickly coming around the corners now, glancing between the hanging walker, the downed shelf were Bob was, and Trixie as they seemed confused.
"What happened!"
"Walkers! On the roof! They're coming down!" Glenn frowned, throwing a look back to the others as another walker fell in through the hole and Michonne immediately put her katana in its head.
"Yeah, uh we should probably go now!"
"Bobs still stuck! Get him outta there!" Michonne nodded to Daryl as Glenn turned to talk to Sasha. Tyreese was trying to lift the shelf now while Trixie readied her gun she had on her back, just in case, while Daryl rushed to the other side of the shelf. When walkers started to fall through though all around them the group started to startle and jump, everyone glancing to the other for what to do.
"Shit, take them out, we got to get Bob!" Trixie then turned her gun on the closet one that had fallen next to the shelf and shot. Glenn shook his head, turning to get the ones behind him while Michonne turned to help Sasha. Zack had one chase him but Trixie couldn't help him right then as she turned and shot another that had tried to crawl up her leg. Hearing another shot she knew that someone else had taken care of some as another shot rang out and Glenn could be heard grunting. Fearing that her friend was in trouble she scanned to see where everyone was and whimpered when she noticed that there were now more holes in the roof from the falling walkers. She didn't think they would all fall in at once. Noticing Sasha over in the next aisle Trixie feared for her when her gun went out but she turned and grabbed a nearby sword and started going all Michonne on the other walkers and let Trixie know she was ok. As Trixie noticed that the walkers were starting to be drawn by the shots from Glenn and Tyreese she slung her gun back over her shoulder and went to the shelf Bob was under.
"Hey!" Trixie squatted down right in front of him, smiling a bit as she tried to lift the shelf.
"Come on, help me!" Bob nodded, trying to lift with his back as a walker groan was heard coming from behind Trixie. Bob glanced back and patted her foot, letting her know to look, and when she turned around she quickly kicked the crawling walker away before snatching out her machete and slicing its head.
"Nice."
"Yeah, now move!" Again Trixie tried to lift the heavy shelf, the falling roof that landed on top of it not helping, as she heard more groaning and turned to make sure no one else was behind her. What she saw though trapped her heart in her throat. Daryl was on top of some of the beer cases, standing just out of reach of about six walkers, and above him the helicopter was leaning further and further into the roof. "DARYL!"
"Hey! Help me!" Trixie glanced between Daryl and Bob, her gaze lingering on Daryl a bit longer before he met her gaze and shook his head no. Biting her lip she had to fight with herself to keep from rushing over to help him but when Glenn came around and took out some of the walkers her fear settled down.
"Daryl! The helicopter! Its going to fall! Help me!" Glenn and Daryl glanced over to Trixie, sparing one more look back up to the roof where the helicopter was leaning in again and then nodded to each other.
"Hello!"
"Stow it Bob! I know why the shelf fell, keep ya mouth shut or I will tell." Bob stared up to Trixie, fearful of her and her knowing his secret now, but he nodded, as he clamped his mouth shut and waited patiently for them to help him up.
"Get Bob! Help Trixie!" Trixie turned to see Zack now taking out a walker that was about to surprise Glenn and Daryl but by doing this he helped them get over to her and Bob quicker. When they got there Trixie picked up on the top of the shelf and Zack picked up on the bottom. Having the help and extra muscle the shelf moved enough that Daryl could grab Bob and drag him out. When Bob was standing and they dropped the shelf Trixie turned to glance back to the roof.
"Its gonna come down! Go!" Glenn started to move everyone out of the store, Daryl shoving Bob over to Tyreese before turning to grab for Trixie's hand. As she put her hand in his she went to move, Zack right beside her, as a hand shot out from under the shelf Bob was just under and grabbed a leg.
"NO!" Screaming, Glenn went to move back in to take care of the walker that had just surprised them but Zack moved first, smashing his foot down on the hand that had Trixie's leg and shoving her in front of him. She was shaken now, her eyes wide as she glanced up to Zack, his smiling face almost laughing as he went to move but a walker falling from the roof fell right on top of him. Trixie covered her mouth, screaming and about to try and take the walker out but Daryl held her back as Zack screamed. The walker he had kicked off of Trixie was crawling up his legs now, biting him as the walker that fell on him bit into his neck.
"ZACK!" Trixie tried again to go for him but one look from Glenn and Daryl picked her up around her waist and headed towards the others in the group.
"Go! Go!" Daryl was rushing behind the others, Trixie watching from over his shoulder where she was tossed and she cringed as the helicopter finally fell through the roof and landed right on top of Zack and the walkers feasting on him. Her body slumped, her breath leaving her as she just stared.
The night had fallen, once the group had gotten back they talked to Rick, telling him what had happened as he asked. Once everything was told he dismissed them, letting Tyreese, Glenn and Daryl go to do what they needed to do. Glenn and Maggie needed to talk, Tyreese was ready to see Karen again, and Daryl had a few women to check on. After putting Trixie in their room, she had been almost catatonic since the accident, he went to find Beth with Merle's promise that he would watch out for Trix. Rounding the cells Daryl found her in her cell, writing in her journal and laying on her bed as he stopped next to the entrance and sighed.
"Hey." Beth smiled though, glancing up as Daryl looked in on her.
"Hi. Hunters sleeping with Judith, how did the run go?" Daryl frowned now, shaking his head slightly, not knowing what to say really but knowing he needed to say something. "What is it?"
"Zack." He hoped it that would say it all and as Beth started to realize what he was talking about she sighed, her smile disappearing.
"Is he dead?" Daryl nodded, watching as Beth nodded softly then, closing her journal and nodding again. "Okay."
"He saved us." Beth nodded, getting out of her bed and walking over to the side where she had a board that showed the number of days they had been without an accident. It was at 30 before she removed the 3 and sighed.
"What?" She glanced to Daryl now, he was watching her, a bit of wonder in his eyes as Beth seemed so calm. "I don't cry anymore Daryl."
"I'm sorry." Beth nodded, shrugging at the same time as she stepped up to Daryl now.
"Is Trixie alright? The others?" Daryl nodded then.
"Yeah, like I said, he saved us." Beth nodded then, a soft smile on her lips as she suddenly hugged Daryl, snuggling into his chest.
"I'm glad then. I'm glad I got to know him, ya know?" Daryl sighed, nodding himself as he barley put an arm around the girl and patted her back.
"I know what ya mean." As she smiled up to him she nodded, then walked back to her bed.
"Are you ok?" Daryl nodded, watching her as she put her journal away now.
"Just tired of losing people."
"Me too. I'm glad I didn't say good-bye. I hate good-byes." Daryl looked right at her now, nodding as she sat back on her bed and started to hum to herself. Daryl sighed, he didn't know what to do honestly, he was at a loss of words as he slipped quietly away and headed back to his room. Outside the door Merle was standing, glancing inside the open door, and when Daryl made it to his side he noticed he was watching Trixie as she sat on the bed, rubbing the spot on her ankle where the walker had grabbed her.
"She alright?" Merle shrugged, glancing back to Daryl as he ran his good fingers under his lip.
"Shes out of it little brother. Has the little gal ever really been touched by those dead heads?" Daryl had to think, hard, and finally realized that he didn't think she had been. Sure she had shoved her fair share off of her, had even drug a few away to kill them. But he never thought any had ever gotten an upper hand on her and actually grabbed her.
"Don't know, let her rest. We'll be fine by morning." Merle nodded, going to move away from the doorway now as Daryl shut it behind him and sighed again.
"I was only touched once. Way back when they first started. You were looking for Merle in Atlanta." Daryl frowned, nodding now as he remembered.
"The night at the quarry."
"Yeah, it grabbed me, shoved me back. It was….so cold and…..dead. You weren't there, but you came and saved me. Just in time." Daryl nodded, he remembered that. Going to sit beside her on the bed he sighed as he started to take off his boots.
"I'll always save ya girl. Don't worry about that." Trixie turned now, looking right to Daryl and shaking her head.
"Its not that. No, you saved me and you survived. Tonight, Zack saved me. If he wouldn't have got that walker off my leg, I could have been the one bitten."
"He did what he knew needed to be done, why?" Trixie sighed, shrugging as she laid on the bed now, on her side and seeming defeated, confused.
"He saved me, like you, and yet he died. Why….how….what kind of world is this now where the good die when they are saving others?" Daryl sighed now, he understood what was rushing through her head and frowned before laying on the bed beside her, turning on his side to wrap his arms around her.
"Darling, not everyone is going to survive this world. We barely do. Don't go thinking that though. You gonna survive, ya got me and I ain't going anywhere. Not everyone that's good dies. He was….just inexperienced in the outside world. That's why we got to train them."
"Help them learn?" Daryl nodded, nuzzling his nose up against her neck.
"Exactly. Teach them girly. Ya be alright, I promise." Trixie nodded, smiling softly as she snuggled into his grip and yawned.
"Good." Daryl chuckled now, holding her tighter as he yawned as well and pulled the covers of the blankets over them. Once he felt her drifting off into sleep, her breathing evening out and slowing down, he sighed himself and slowly let himself grab a few moments of rest, they were rare now and days and he wasn't wasting them.
