Sorry this took so long. Sme more Jamie/Carl bonding here. It can't be Jamie all the time, I stil have to work the plot in. Please review!
Hershel had settled to talk to Milton, who was sitting, research journal out, looking interested as he studied Hershel's stump. They'd fashioned a prosthetic leg so he could drive, but Milton seemed exceedingly interested as to how he'd survived the bite.
Daryl and Martienz had spoken a little when they heard it- the moaning and the sound of dead hands on the metal cylinders around the old factory.
Martinez moved, killing one with a well-place shot to the head, befire turning to look at Daryl, smirking. Daryl nailed the next one with a bolt through the head. There was no time to gloat- Martinez had heard the next walker stumbling through the metal farm equipment and raised his gun. A knife sang through the air before he could, thoug, and with a satisfying gush the waker hit the ground.
Martinez turned to look at him, slightly surprised. Daryl didn't acknowledge him, walking forward and oulling his knife frm the walkerms head, starting towards a grassy field. He needed to smoke, and he didn't want tobe enclosed by all those old cylinders...
"Pretty badass." Martinez admitted.
Daryl shrugged, pulling a pack of Marlbros from his pocket. "Wanna smoke?"
Martinez shook his head. "I shouldn't. Governor wouldn't like it."
Daryl looked at him, putting the a in his own mouth and flicking open his lighter.
"So? We might be blowing eachother's brains out in a few minutes- 'least I can do is offer you a cig a'fore it happens."
Martinez chuckled, taking the cig he was offered. "It might be the other way around, but what the hell, I love a good smoke."
Daryl brandished the lighter and Martinez leaned forward, ligtng his own ciggarette. Daryl pocketed the lighter, and Martinez looked at him.
"You got anybody left in this world you care about besides Merle?"
"No. Nobody." he said simply, blowing out a puff of smoke. If there was a war, which he knew was most likely gonna happen, and if they DID loose... which they might, he couldn't let them know about Jamie. If they knew he cared about someone... He would deny he loved her until his last breath if it meant saving her life.
"Shame." Martinez said. Daryl shrugged.
"Walker!" they heard the yells and both turned, running back owards camp. The click of silence gunshots sounds, and they ran out to find at least six walkers stumbling towards them, the governor's men and Hershel stood side by side, pumping led into the walkers.
"I'm not here to negotiate. I'm only here to accept your surrender. I do have a proposal, though. You give us Michonne- and it's all over. We leave each other alone."
"No." Rick said firmly.
Ther Governor chuckled. "You have to be so rash. Thank about it, Rick, all these lives saved, just by giving us one woman..."
"She's one of us." Rick said firmly. "If that's all you wanted to say..."
"Think abut it, Rick. All this bloodshed can stop if you jut hand over Michonne Bring her here, by noon tomorrow. Then it all stops."
"I already told you- no." Rick said firmly.
The Governor smiled. "I know you're thinking about it though, Rick. You'd be a fool not to. So, just in case you change your mind. Tomorrow."
"'M goin. They've been gone for too long..." Merle said simply. "I know the governor, he don't wanna bargin. He wants me. Me and Michonne."
Michonne looked at him, eyes narrowed. "Which is exactly why we stay here."
"No. My brother's out there, I shoulda gone with him. The governor's probably holdin them hostage..." he threw soe flash grenades from the prison armory into a duffle bag, along with a few rifles.
"No. No one is going anywhere. Rick said to STAY HERE." Glenn said firmly.
Merle grunted. "And you think you're gonna stop me, Chinaman?"
"Yeah. I am." Glenn said simply, eyes hard. Merle had lunged forward, though, was ontop of a struggling Glenn in a minute, one good fist sinking into his ribs over and over again while what was left of his lower arm, minus the knifeblade, which was, thankfully, not at Glenn's throat, pinned his neck and held him down.
"Stop it! I said stop it!" Maggie was screaming, still traumatized from being with the Governor, Carol and Carl watched, shocked.
Jamie was in the room in a minute, staring at the scene before her, wondering what to do. Hse made her choice, then, sinking the toe of her boot into Merle's ribs and knockingmhim off a gaspin Glenn.
"What he hell was that for!?" he demanded, getting up quicker than she'd expected. Luckily Carl came in from the side then, slamming into Merle and driving him backwards, into an open cell.
He ducked out and Jamie slammed the door, Carl pulling the keys from his pocket and quickly locking the door.
Maggie was on the ground beside Glenn, who had a bloody nose, sobbing hysterically as she touched his cheek.
It was clear no one was going to make any move to help them, so Jamie nodded to Beth, who'd trooped out. Judith was probably asleep.
"Jamie- what the hell's wrong with you?!" Merle demanded. "Daryl's probbably dying! He's gonna die, bitch, and it'll be your fault!" Merle was yelling now, grabbing the bars.
Jamie turned away. Maggie was still sobbing and Carol was cleaning the blood from Glenn's face.
"Beth- mind calmin' her down?" Jamie asked Beth nodded, gently taking a hysterical Maggie by the arm and leading her away.
"I'm serious, bitch! Daryl's probably already dead! It's your dalt, bitch! This is on you!" Merle yelled. She didn't let it show, butthe words cut deep. Deeper than anyone really knew.
"He's comin' back." Jamie muttered.
"Yeah- in a body bag! I know the governor, he don't like to wait around none! Soon as he sees them he's shoot 'em, kill 'em all. And he won't even go for the 'll leave 'em, let 'em turn..."
"Daryl's comin' back." Jamie said firmly. "Now quit bitching- you'e scaring people."
"They should be scared! Youknow what happens after this, everybody!? As soon as they kill our men, they come back for us! Bomb this place out, leave us to turn, too! We should be haulin' ass outta here already!"
"Shut up. We stay until they get back." Michonne said simply, eyes narrowing.
Jamie turned, heading to the prison yard, with Carl following after her.
She climbed into a guard tower, staring out along the railed part, where she was into the open air, looking out at the road that led here, praying to see the car.
"You alright?" Carl asked.
Jamie shrugged, leaning against the rusted railing and staring out at the sky.
"What does a shrug mean?" Carl asked, tone so serious she grinned, turning and playfully punching him in the arm.
"It means the shit just hit the fan. But that's happened before. We'll make it."
"We?" Carl asked.
She nodded. "I thought you were in love with me."
"Well I am, I just..l I figured you'd play hard to get longer."
Jamie shook her head. "Nah. Besides, you falla me everywhere. Not like I can loose you. But if you touch me or kiss me and I don't like it, I'll slug ya."
Carl grinned. "That's what I like about you. You know how to take a stand, bullshit doesn't fly when you're around."
Jamie shrugged, nodding to him. "Glenn isn't a strong leader." she said simply. "We should probably go back down. Try and keep the peace."
Carl raised an eyebrow at her. "You? Keep the peace?"
"Well yeah... what are you implying, Grimes?" She asked, looking at him skeptically.
"Oh, nothing, you just seem kinda... impulsive. Not really the peacekeeper type, is all..."
She grinned. "You don't need brains to be a peacekeeper- you jut gotta carry a big gun."
And with that she headed towards the flights of stairs that led towards the prison yard, leaving Carl to smile as he looked down after her. She- no, they- were together in this, now. He liked the sound of that.
"So- you surrender Michonne, and we'll be fine." the Governor said camly, leaning back, hands behind his head. "That's all."
"She's one of us." Rick said firmly.
"Rick- a war won't happen if you just give her to me." the Governor said, standing. "Bring her back here tomorrow by noon. Otherwise- we'll come for her. I have nothing more to say."
"They're coming!" Carl yelled. He'd been keeping watch up top while Jamie sat, back against the wall of the guard tower, idly whittling away at some sticks that would soon become arrows. She'd made sure things eere running smoithly downstairs before coming back up to see her friend.
She jumped to her feet, though, sheathing her hunting knife.
"Can you see who's in the car?" she asked, hopeful. Carl shook his head as he perred through the binoculars. Carl shook his head and they both stood in silence for a moment, swallowing, wondering. Would they all come back?
Carl reached over, taking Jamie's hand, and she didn't pull away.
"Think they all came back?" Jamie asked quietly.
Carl shrugged. "Only one way to find out. Come on.".
A minute later they pulled the gare open, an Daryl stepped out of the car along with Hershel and Daryl.
Wordlessly, Jamie hugged Daryl, and he ruffled the fur on her coonskin cap. He was home.