I slowly opened my eyes. But I wasn't in the car no more, I was lying on a comfortable bed. While the bed was warm and soft my head hurt and blinking hurt even more. I couldn't see clearly through my left eye, was it swollen? "Look who's up." This voice. My head automatically turned to the side.
"Merle?!" It hurt to talk. My mouth was dry, as was my throat. I wanted to ask how he was, but when I looked at him, I saw it. He looked fucked up. "You look like shit." I was in a cell again … in my cell. I was home.
"Thanks, ya look dead." He laughed. His left hand was tied to his body, just like mine had been. It looked as if a finger or two were missing. I dimly remembered his fight with Phillip, he had absorbed many blows.
Ironically my left arm was moveable and I could feel my fingers when I moved them. Lifting my right hand to my face, so I could see it, moving it felt weird. My hand seemed freshly bandaged, but in the middle of my palm was already a red spot. Was I still bleeding? I touched my head, wanted to massage my temples, but my head was bandaged too.
"Nice turban." I looked to Merle again. "Ya must still be high on meds." And I must say, I didn't feel pain, but off-key.
"What are you doing here?" I croaked. And where the heck was Daryl? I thought he would stay close.
"Ouch baby …" He faked. "Want to see my little sister? 's working for the sheriff, needs to be bossed around."
I sat up but my rip cage told me to lay down again. It hurt like hell. "Doc said you shouldn't get up. Rest until ya feel better." Either way Merle wasn't baring me from getting up. I swung my legs to the side. They looked fine, looked usable. "I think ya should rest yar pretty ass a bit more." I rolled my eyes.
"Don't boss me around." I was on edge.
"Ya have broken ridge, bruises all over ya body, a knife was put through ya palm …" he paused a sec. "Should I go on?!" I gave him a mad glance, tried to silence him, but he babbled on. "But ya still look hot. Even sexier with all the specials." He smiled.
I suppressed a laugh. He was still Merle, even when he was a one handed asshole, he was still the brother of my love. I blushed, it was weird to admit it to myself again … I was in love with Daryl Dixon. "How did you get out?" I rested my head in my hands to gather my strength and to suppress the urge to throw up.
"I didn't." I heard him standing up. "He left me dying. Broke my arm, a few stabs here and there, wanting me to bleed out. Thought zombies would eat me alive, but Daryl found me first." I smiled. Daryl had done his work that day. Had saved Merle, had saved me. "But he almost killed me 'cause ya weren't there." He leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "Can't believe you survived." He whispered and I tried to overhear it.
I stood up, my legs worked. I coughed and Merle handed me a bottle of water. I drank the whole thing hastily.
"Ya would be in a better shape if we had whiskey." He laughed.
With one hand on the bed I supported myself walking to the door. But after one step I puked on the floor.
"Ugh …" Merle made a step back. "Told you ya shouldn't move." He held his hand up … well held up the few fingers he had left. I needed to get some fresh air. I was captured in small rooms too long and needed to see freedom. I suppressed the urge to throw up again, even I felt better after I had fetched up. "Ya really should rest bad ass …" The smile he gave me was too nice. "…ya're not that bad after all."
"Did you hurt your head too hard?" I joked and whipped over my mouth. Looking to the empty bottle of water I wished I had some water left to get rid of that nasty taste.
"Nah … I'm trying to thank ya bitch." He came closer. "Ya didn't give me up." He walked out, not waiting for a reply.
"Wait asshole." And he stopped. "I think I need a hand to walk." I reached for the bars at the door and walked on. Maybe I just needed some food to gain strength. Strange to say, my stomach didn't turn on that thought. I reached for him and he put forth his stump. "Where is your knife?" I asked careless.
"I lost a lot on ma way." He sounded broken. I didn't dare to ask what had exactly happened after we had been separated.
I took his stump and he pulled me into him to steady my walking. "Thanks." I said and he retorted a smile. We walked to the common room but no one was inside. "Where are they?" I began to grow scared. Had anyone survived? There was no one on the cells nor here. Had Daryl lied to me?
"Outside." Merle said. When we walked out, the sun burned my eyes. I wasn't used to light anymore. When Merle marched on with me, I looked through squinted eyes. Everybody was outside, there was Glenn and Maggie. Carol and Beth. And there were more. There were people I had never seen before. Had I been in a coma? How could there be people I had never seen and nobody was chasing them away?
"How long had I been out?" Scanning the area, there were too many people and just a few I knew. Michonne and Carl stood a few feet away, talking to a man I had seen before … I knew his name … he had been there … Tyrese. While I looked around, my eyes adjusting to the sun light, Merle walked on with me. I just realized that he was holding me very tight.
"People from Woodbury. Rick brought them here." He didn't seem to like it. "And he is on his way again to get them all here."
"What?"
"All I wanted was to be with my brother …" He said deep in thoughts. I looked at him, his eyes were lost, and I felt sorry for him.
"Ella." Maggie came running for me. Merle immediately let go off me and stepped back.
"I am not a welcome guest, not as these strangers from Woodbury." He spat and walked backwards. I turned around to see him walking away not looking back. "Wait." But he walked on.
Maggie hugged me tight. "You having a run-away-virus or what?" I couldn't tell if she was happy to see me.
"I'm really sorry Maggie." I had never wanted to disappoint anyone of my friends. But I had ran away from my fears every time. They should better lock me up in that prison.
"Next time I'll kill you myself you stupid girl." She boxed me and it hurt but I kept a straight face. She finally smiled.
"No need to, I'm not gonna leave again. I've learned my lesson." I must be looking like a semi unwrapped gift with all my bandages.
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm okay …"
"Dad said you shouldn't get up … but with that run-away-virus of yours, you can't be stopped at all." I looked around, but didn't see Daryl. "Daryl is over there." She pointed to the other cell block. "Getting ready for new people."
Are all the Woodbury people coming here? She steadied me and we walked slowly towards the building. "Of how many strangers are we talking about?"
"Don't exactly know. We planned everything here, but Rick is the one bringing them here. He brought the first ones with a school bus. They were old people and children. I think he is on his last round." I nodded bewildered.
"This is a lot of information … I feel like sleeping beauty, awakening after a thousand years of sleep."
"Yeah, but skip the beauty part." She laughed. But the world around me was turning. I puked again and almost on her.
"I'll get you back inside." She took my arm carefully and pushed me towards the prison. But I already got this far … I wouldn't turn around now. "Don't be so stubborn Ella." Behind the smile I could see her seriousness.
"I need to talk to him …" I paused. "I need to see him now. Please … I gotta do this … on my own." She seemed to understand and slowly let go of me.
"You sure?" She looked me up and down. "Daddy really said you should rest and regain strength." She sighed, knowing I wouldn't listen. "You don't look fit … don't underestimate your injuries."
"Thanks Mag, but I really need to do this. I have waited too long …" Too long for what?
"Should I support you to him?" She asked me but I shook my head. She smiled as if she knew the end of my sentence. "See you later. Don't push yourself too hard." I watched Maggie walking away. I looked for Merle, but there was no one handed bastard around. Maybe he was hiding in the shadows next to the prison to escape the looks of hate. He had tried to safe this place, these people, they should be more thankful. Well at least not treat him like scum. Even I still didn't know how I felt about him, I knew I didn't hate him. I touched my head, maybe I had a concussion and didn't know right from left anymore.
I turned around and looked to the cell block Maggie had pointed at and slowly walked over. Moving hurt and I wondered why my legs hurt so much. Ignoring pain and agony, I walked on to see the man who had saved my life many times. I had only walked a few yards, when the door opened and Daryl came out of the cell block. He looked exhausted, but when he looked up our eyes met and he stopped. I smiled, maybe he thought he was looking at a walker. But then I wondered why he didn't move. Maybe he didn't know how to act or behave … I stopped walking. Was it the wrong decision to come here? But then he began to walk on in my direction, his walk was fast yet hesitant. I prepared a speech in my head, I wanted to apologize. I hadn't listened and had hazarded Merle's and my life.
I unwrapped my head, freeing myself from the bandage. He shouldn't see me all patched up. I didn't want to look like a harried mess, like a broken victim. "Daryl …" I whispered when he came closer, but I didn't think he heard me. When he was almost at my side, an unpleasant feeling grew in my stomach. I was suddenly afraid to face him. I had left when he had been mad at me. I had no idea how he would react now and his eyes didn't give away his feelings. "I' m sorry …"
Hey guys, hope you like this - even short - chapter. I am excited about what comes next. It is already in my head and will be online soon :o) Thanks for the messages, this really pushed me!
As always R&R!