Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This

Chapter 119

Author's Note: I'm putting all my people in place and figuring out about that dang flu. I know my Jewel and baby to be are going to be safe. But that's a couple chapters away. And, I know where all my people (well most debating if Ridge is making it or not but I LOVE Kiefer Sutherland!) are going to land. I'm actually excited because Merle being alive for this is working well! Summer needed a little Dixon temper scene. Now, there's nothing wrong with matching toes and nails (as I am about ready to go get my pedicure in about an hour) just needed something to slap the preppies out of there 'safe' zone. Now on to our not scripted whatsoever program. Please Review.

Four and Half Months After Governor's Initial Attack:

Group POV:

Jewel sighed as she put Rick's gun in her bag and picked up Judy. "Daddy and I need to have a little talk about this leaving his gun up here while he's planting," she said as she adjusted the child on her hip. "You are getting so big! I think either you and your baby sibling decided to both grow by leaps and bounds over night," she told the little girl as she kissed the top of her head as she walked down the steps.

Carol looked up from cooking breakfast as Axel went to get Judy. "You're really going to be regretting those stairs soon," Carol told her.

"It'll keep me in shape," Jewel told the other woman. "Thanks Axel."

"No problem, this little cutie and I can just hang out until Beth is ready to take her," Axel said.

Jewel grabbed a peach. "Daryl took the hunting party out already?"

"He wasn't to happy that he got stuck with a couple of the teens from Ridge's group," Carol said.

"Ridge volunteered and went with them. Summer volunteered," Mar said as she walked up. "Daryl took the chance to take Mitch too."

"Joey go? That's why Summer volunteered huh?" Jewel asked with a grin.

"Basically," Carol said with a laugh.

"Maggie, Ty, Glenn and Sash is taking a couple of them out to a shopping center, thought I'd go with them," Axel said. "Need to be more useful then some of the older people around here."

"Or the pregnant one?" Jewel asked with a grin. "Did Rick already go out to the fields?"

Mar laughed. "Lost your husband? Honeymoon phase is over."

Jewel stuck her tongue out at her friend. "He left a note, said that he was letting me sleep in."

"He left his gun again," Carol told her.

"I know, I've got it in my bag," Jewel answered. "That's top of my priority list."

"Hershel was going to talk to him if he continues," Carol informed her.

Jewel took another peach. "Well, I know most of this group only dealt with Lori while she was pregnant. Lori who somehow didn't say a word against anyone or put her foot down when it came to Carl. But, I'm not Lori. If anything I get more fierce," she said as she kissed the top of Judy's head. "Yes, daddy may get shot with his own gun if he doesn't wear it. Not really, I kinda like having daddy around. Yes," she said.

"Do I need to come watch and make sure everyone comes out alive?" Mar asked.

Jewel grinned. "Nope, Merle's on guard duty, he'll shoot if he sees me losing my temper," she teased. "You be a good girl," she said as she walked out of the prison.

Jewel and Rick's POV:

Jewel smiled as she watched Rick dig in the ground. The weather had just turned warmer and Hershel had gotten him out to farming as soon as he could. "Hey there."

Rick looked up and smiled. "Hey you," he said as he went over and kissed her. "Judy wake you?"

"No having to go to the bathroom with this one did," Jewel answered as she gestured to her stomach. "We need to talk," she told him as she kissed him.

Rick looked at her. "I know that glare," he told her as he touched her face.

"You didn't wear your gun again," Jewel told him. "Rick, if it was one of us, you'd be the first one to give us a lecture about not being protected."

Rick sighed. "Jewel, I just want to show Carl and Summer that there's more to life then killing walkers," he said as he kissed her.

"I know, Rick, I get it," Jewel said as she kissed him. "But the danger is still outside those gates, and I'm not just talkin' about the walkers outside those gates," she said. "I'm talkin' about the Governor and any other crazy insane people out there ready to take what we have. Enjoy this, Rick. Enjoy being able to relax, enjoy the fact that we've got a baby on the way. Enjoy the fact that Summer is enjoying having her first crush, much to your chagrin. Enjoy the fact that Carl is hanging out with kids his own way. And enjoy that we are able to climb into bed at the end of the night and hearing Judith cooing herself to sleep," she said as she placed his hand on her stomach. "But please, Rick, don't get complacent. We both know what's out there, just waiting to get inside," she begged. "I can't do this alone Rick because you were doing something stupid. Yes, leaving your gun inside is stupid, and you know it."

Rick kissed her. "I never meant to worry you, Mrs. Grimes, and you know that."

"I know Mr. Grimes and that's what pissed me off about seeing your gun hanging over the chair, again," Jewel told him. "I swear I'm about ready to make you go share a cell with Merle," she teased.

"Oh no, not that," Rick teased as he kissed her. "I take it you have my gun in that bag. You taste like peaches," he told her.

"I've ate two this morning, and yes I have the gun in my bag. Judy's with Beth, Carl's hanging out in D Block, Summer's out with Daryl…we could go upstairs and spend a couple hours alone," Jewel teased with a grin.

"Now, Mrs. Grimes, are you suggesting I leave all this work for later and play hooky with my pregnant wife?" Rick asked as he kissed her.

"That's exactly what I'm suggesting, Mr. Grimes," Jewel said with a grin. "I'll even come out here and watch you build the pig pens. I'll even offer Merle's assistance," she said with a grin.

"Now why would Merle be up to helping me build a pig pen?" Rick asked as he walked with Jewel.

"Because I'll throw things at him if he doesn't help," Jewel said with a grin.

Rick laughed. "You are horrible Mrs. Grimes."

"Just remember that, Mr. Grimes," Jewel teased.

Daryl, Ridge, and group POV:

Ridge sat down next to Daryl who was sitting next to the campfire. "You don't like me much do you?" Ridge asked the other man.

Daryl glanced at him through his bangs. "Don't have an opinion one way or another," he simply answered. "Summer, you bring your sleeping bag over here next to the fire and next to Mitch."

Summer glanced at Joey as she shook her head before she did it. "Yes Uncle Daryl," she answered.

Ridge stifled a laugh. "Got to give them a little freedom before they go hog wild you know."

Daryl flicked the cigarette ashes on the ground. "Wasn't askin' for your advice," he simply said.

Ridge nodded. "No you weren't. But I remember when Kim got interested in a boy, more I pushed, more I hated him, more I said no, more she snuck out a window and went a little hog wild. I mean you know, your sister had Summer as a teenager," he simply said.

Daryl glared at him as Summer and Joey both looked at them. "You want to back off right now," Daryl told him.

"I'm just offering some advice, meant nothing bad about it," Ridge told the other man.

"You offerin' me advice? Alright, how about some back in return? How about you coddle these people like they are going to break? The only one who has any balls is Zach. I offered to bring them out here to teach them basic hunting skills. You aren't always gonna be around, that's the days we live in today. Allie there is more interested in putting on eye make up then hunting. At least she'll be an attractive walker," Daryl said.

"Let's not talk about the perfume that she tried to come out here with, talk about attracting walkers'," Joey said.

"I've kept them alive," Ridge said as he stood up. "So, the girls dare to be girls. It's something that all of us should encourage, for them to be kids. Mitch here should be back at the prison playing with legos and not carrying a knife everywhere."

Summer got up and put herself between the two men. "You need to back down Ridge. Mitch is out here because he wants to be out here. Even before the end of the world, I knew how to hunt, I knew how to use a bow and arrow and I knew how to survive. Mitch is still alive right now because he's learned and he's listened. You're a good guy, you and Ronnie's done a commendable job. This isn't a contest about whose balls are bigger," Summer said. "You can yell later Uncle Daryl," she told him. "Both of you have different ways of keeping your people alive, and it's worked. But, the fact is that they aren't kids Ridge. You may want to think about them as kids, but they were never kids, not when you met them. They were young adults, on there own. They got to experience that, they did better then I did. Better then Mitch, Judy, Mika, Lizzie, Lexi, Carl and the other kids back at the prison will ever get. Yeah, maybe I am a bit annoyed because of the way you coddle them. We've seen what happens when someone gets coddled. Carol had a daughter about Carl's age, she didn't want to let her grow up, learn to use a knife, protect herself. She got bit. Carol will tell you now that if she had it all to do over, that she'd insist she'd learn how to defend herself. Just because you adjust to this life, doesn't mean you have to give up who you are. You can still keep who you are, but you still have to defend yourself and others. Truth be told, I came out here because Mitch was coming and I didn't trust the Barbies and Kens over there to back them up. It just takes one minute, one distraction, to get them killed. I know you don't want that, you care to much," she said. "Uncle Daryl, Mitch, Joey and I are going to walk perimeter," she told him.

"I'll go too," Zach said as he stood up.

"One trip around, stay in pairs," Daryl instructed.

Summer nodded as she started to walk away. "By the way Ridge, next time you want to imply something about my mother being lose, you and I are going to have a problem. One that is going to leave you bent over and doubled over in pain," she warned.

Joey gave a small grin. "Dixon's don't make promises they don't keep," he said. "Come on Mitch, let's show these people how it's done," he said.

Daryl glanced at the group. "Anyone got anything to say for themselves?" he asked as he looked at Ridge. "I'm askin' them. They are adults, they've got to figure this out for themselves."

"There's nothing' wrong with the way we survived, we're here," Allie said. "There's nothing wrong with us wanting to be females and put on makeup."

Daryl sighed. He wasn't used to girlie girls. Jewel and Summer both weren't girlish or cared about makeup, or there hair done perfectly. Now dealing with these college girls, he was quite thankful of that. "No sweetheart, there's nothing' wrong with wanting to look your best if you're going to a frat party," he told them. "But you might want to come out of fantasyland and join us in the real world. The world where the living are a dying breed, literally. The world where the dead don't care if you have matching red nails and toes when they make you a meal," he told the group. "The dead isn't the only threat out there, sweetheart. We've ran into groups that kill Ridge, Joey, me and any of the other men out here and use you and Summer and the rest of you anyway they'd want."

"There's no reason to try to scare them," Sean told him.

"I wish it was just a threat, Sean. You want to hear about what groups can do? Talk to Mar about what the hell she went through before we found her. Talk to Maggie and Jewel about what the Governor tried. You all got lucky with Ridge and Ronnie, and for that you all should be grateful. But, now the time to man up, because they may not always be there. That's not a damn scare tactic, that's the damn truth," Daryl told them. "Bruce, Ellie, Stacey, with me, we're doing perimeter checks taking over from Summer, Joey, Zach and Mitch," he told them.

Ridge nodded as they got up and looked at Daryl, both men nodded at each other a sign of understanding.