Chapter 25

BPOV

I had been stuck in this gray ass cell for about 6 days now… People came to visit with me all the time, but good god I wanted to go outside! Hershel put my ass on bed rest until they could come up with some kind of brace for my leg since the swelling hadn't gone down very much; but I don't think they were looking all that hard for one. I was going to go crazy being in here; I had already recalled having weird wet dreams about Daryl and Beth, and not those kind of wet dreams either. I remembered talking to them and feeling all sticky, like someone was licking my face with a big fuzzy wet tongue… like I thought, I must be going bonkers in here.

Tonight was the first night I didn't hear anyone post up outside my cell and I was going to make a break for it. I needed fresh air and to see something besides concrete; plus I planned on being back before anyone knew differently. I strapped all my weapons on and put on my only salvageable boot. I grabbed the stick they had for me to hobble to the toilet and started my slow awkward trek to the doors. I was about half way across the common area when my good leg started to give out from doing absolutely nothing for almost a week, when a throat cleared quietly. I followed the sound up a flight of stairs only to find the ever so elusive Dixon perched on the middle of them shaking his head at me.

He hadn't been by to see me and I had been worried enough to ask Beth if he was ok; after all the last time I thought I saw him was when he was saving my ass from being zombie kibble. She had smirked at me and said that he was fine, then strutted off with a certain look on her face I'm not so sure I liked; Carol had been giving me the same look and even Hershel had been giving me small smiles like he knew something I didn't know. The other strange thing was that no one had asked me what had happened that day yet… it was strange. Yet another reason I wanted to blow this weird twilight zone popsicle stand and just check outside to make sure I'm not stuck in some kind of purgatory. But I was too desperate to be mad at him right now.

I glanced at him then to the door with my best puppy dog eyes. I was not beyond begging at this point. I needed to be outside, even if I was night time, it was better than nothing. I stood there awkwardly, balancing on my stick as he stared. Well this was getting me nowhere; determined to push through the pain and get my ass out the doors, I started hobbling as quietly as I could. He hadn't alerted anyone else but didn't seem to feel any sympathy for my injured ass either. That was fine, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right? I heard him snort softly but I was concentrating on not falling on my ass to pay him any attention. Just as I was about to take a dive and probably wake the whole cell block he was there. He was a quiet SOB; though it's not like I could hear anything over the sound of my own labored breathing.

He offered his arm for balance and quietly opened the door to the cell block for us to go out of. Once we made it about 5 yards from the building, I lowered my body down to rest on the grass. GRASS! Oh, it was beautiful. The moon was full, the air fresh, and the grass was cold as fuck but so nice to sit on compared to my hard ass bunk. I laid down and molested the grass for a moment, just breathing it in and running my hands through it; that is until Daryl snorted again. I stopped my momentary molestation of the grass and turned to look at him. He was shaking his head with a half-smile on his face, probably at my crazy antics. "Thanks for helping break out of prison" I told him, only half joking.

He shook his head once more and sat down, somewhat in front of me, "Why ya' try'n ta make a run for it in the middle of the night Swan?" I knew he was just curious and not accusing me of anything, so I answered him honestly, knowing he was probably the only other one to really understand. "I couldn't stand being confined anymore and being waited on hand and foot; I need to see the outdoors and breathe some fresh air. See something besides gray…" I said while stroking the grass beneath me. He nodded slightly but then said "Hershel said ya need ta stay put for a while.." I cut him off with a slight glare and said "Don't give me that shit Dixon, you couldn't make it 24hrs inside Hershel's house at the farm. I deserve a damn medal for being in there for 6 DAYS! 6 Days Daryl! I can't take it anymore… I've even started to get a little snippy with people lately.." He cut me off with a look and I conceded, "OK, more than a 'little' snippy, but can you blame me? Every time I would try to make a run for it, or more a less a hobble for it, I was intercepted."

Since I was already outside, I decided to give him a hard time "By the way, why didn't you come keep me company for a while?! I was bored out of my mind in there." He looked to the ground, I thought I caught a blush but the shadows from his hair covered his ears, "Been keep'n a eye on Rick 'n Maggie" he stated simply, like I should know why. When I raised my brow at him he continued, "Ricks been acting off lately, 'n Maggie wants ta put a bullet in 'ur skull." Wow… lovely. "What's going on with Rick?" I asked, not really wanting an explanation about Maggie, that bitch was crazy with a capital C. He shrugged a shoulder "Been talkin' to 'em self. Don't spend any time with Lori or Carl. Donno.. ain't acting right though." I nodded and went back to enjoying the outdoors, even the dead ones groaning at the fence.

It was a good 5 minutes of him shifting around and what not before he finally asked "So what happen'd out there Swan?" It took me a while to decide how to explain, knowing if I was to leave certain details out he would pick up on it. I didn't want him to think I was lying so I told him everything; well everything except for the virgin stuff, no one else needed to know that. I wanted him to know the truth, to have him in my corner if shit hit the fan with the others; who knows how they would react knowing I killed two of their own. He was pissed, like I suspected he would be; he sat silently dealing with his anger clenching his fist, while I continued to breathe in the fresh air. It was a good while before he stood with his hand held towards me and said "Better get ya back inside 'fore the doc finds ya gone" I glared at him for wanting to take me back inside that concrete prison. He just smirked and said "Come on, maybe I'll take ya out for a little yard time tomorrow." I glared at him harder, taking his hand and said "You better!" as we hobbled back inside. I collapsed onto my bunk quickly falling asleep, exhausted from the small walk and pain in my leg.

Sorry it took so long! Holidays are keeping me busy and now I even have to deal with this damn Elf on the Shelf business..I went so long without having to get one until my kid thought they weren't special enough for Santa to send an elf like all their friends and proceeded to break down in tears… Parent guilt is a bitch. Now I spend my free time either baking or coming up for stupid stuff for this elf to do. I am trying to make more time for writing, so have no fear, like I said before, I will finish this story! Thank you for the reviews! You all are great! Slow short chapter of in between stuff, more action coming soon.