Chapter 26: Names
CPOV
~3 years ago~
I was getting out of class, I saw Kat was waiting for me. Her hair swaying in the wind, her smile bright and she waved to me. Her skin aglow in the sunlight. Rushing to her, I saw her begin to walk forwards, onto the road and that was when I was shocked. I froze and felt my heart stop.
A car was coming for Kat just as she began to cross the road. Kat too then notice my frozen expression, her body halted and her head slowly turned in the direction of where the car was coming. Everything went in slow motion at this point, until I saw a familiar figure jump and grab Kat.
Throwing themselves onto the safe side of the road, where there was a car space ready but no car occupying it. The woman landed ontop of Kat but as quick as it all happened, Kat was back to normal speed and looked up shocked. Nerve wrecked as Kat thanked the teacher over and over again for saving her life.
Running to Kat, I checked for any cars and crossed when it was safe. Jumping into her arms, I hugged her close and thanked her multiple times for saving my sister. It was Mrs Mueller who saved Kat. Mom and dad were running towards us and hugged us, witnessing what had happend and thanking the teacher themselves for saving Kat from her almost death.
Present day...RPOV
"Hello? Is-is someone there?" I answered the phone as it suddenly and magically rang.
"Yes. Yes," the voice spoke, slightly surprised and pleased to have called a phone that would answer.
"Who is-?" I asked but was suddenly cut off.
"Oh, my God! I can't believe someone picked up. We've been calling since...since it all started," the female voice told me which surprised me a little.
"Where are you?" I asked her, trying to find out if we could get there.
"I can't say," the girl told me.
"You could be 1,000 miles away," I answered, unsure as to how this call was even possible.
"I'm not going to say where we are," the girl told me which made me frown.
"Are you...are you someplace safe?" I asked as I would rub at my face frantically.
"Yeah. And part of it is because we're careful. I can't tell you where we are. I'm sorry," she informed me. Smart.
"What ma-what makes your place so safe?" I asked her, wanting to know if there was some way to find a place safe and if we could possibly join.
"It's just... away... from them," she told me which made me sigh and rub at my sweaty and blood covered face.
"I have a son. I-I have a newborn baby. I'm with a good group of people. Would you be willing-. Could you take in others? We can pull our weight. We can help you," I tried to voice our group. We're desperate.
"I'd have to talk to the group," she told me, telling me she would consider us joining them.
"Well, put them on. Let me make a case," I suggest, feeling the adrenaline rush through my veins again, but this was a different type.
"Let me talk to them first," she suggested but I couldn't afford to lose time. Not anymore.
"Please, please, don't. Don't go. Just...please, we're good people here. We just need some help and...we can help, we-" I tried, stuttering, unsure and unable to communicate well enough to convince them to let us join them.
"I'll call you in two hours," she told me before she hung up.
"Please! You don't understand. You don't know. We're dying. We're dying here," I mumbled into the phone as I felt tears prick at my eyes, making me blink them away. We're desperate.
DPOV
Suddenly, Rick came in with a clean and fresh face. He looked as though nothing had happened to him but we all knew it wasn't the case. Nor could we honestly blame him. "Everybody okay?" he asked us as he walked closer to us.
"Yeah, we are," Maggie responded as we all slowed our eating, staring at him surprised to see he was clean and looking better than he did a few hours ago.
"What about you?" Hershel asked him curiously.
"I cleared out the boiler block," Rick informed us and walked closer to his son and baby girl. I wonder how he would feel about calling the baby after someone who died. He probably would hate it or love it. It depends on what he would think.
"How many were there?" I asked him, curious as to how many he took down with the anger he had towards losing his wife. And his daughter.
"I don't know. A dozen, two dozen. I have to get back. Just wanted to check on Carl," Rick said as he caressed and ruffled Carl's hair. Carl smiled sadly up at his dad as he looked up at him.
"Rick, we can handle taking out the bodies. You don't have to," Glenn spoke as he stood up, trying to make sure that Rick wouldn't push himself too far. Guy's been through a lot. He shouldn't need to do things like this.
"No, I do. Everyone have a gun and a knife?" Rick asked as he looked to me, getting closer to me and looked to the ground. Briefly glancing up at me.
"Yeah. We're running low on ammo, though," I informed him as I would roll my tongue along my teeth, clearing off any left over food that might have stuck to the bottom.
"Maggie and me were planning on making a run this afternoon. Found a phone book with some places we can hit, look for bullets and formula," Glenn informed him of what he had planned when it came to scavenging.
"We cleared out the generator room. Axel's there trying to fix it in case of emergency. We're gonna sweep the lower levels as well," I inform him, trying to get him to realize we had all more or less under control for him.
"Good, good," Rick said with a nod and swipe of his arm under his nose.
"Rick," Hershel tried to call out, but it was too late. Rick had already left and decided not to try and turn back to us.
KPOV
"Hey...I know that the whole...Michonne thing has been hard on you too but...we need to pull our weight around here too," Andrea said as she looked to me with a small smile. She knew that she was trying to convince me but...it wasn't exactly what I wanted to hear.
"I don't want to pull anything for anyone," I grumbled a little upset after what happened yesterday with Michonne and that night with the walker ring. Sick assholes...cheering that shit like it was a fucking show.
"Oh come on Kat," Andrea said as she shook my shoulders in her hands. A smile on her face as she leaned to place her head down on one of her hands that rested on my shoulders. A sweet smile plastered on her face.
"Whatever," I said with a small roll of my eyes. Taking the book in my hands, I flicked the pages and placed it back onto the table beside my chair. Picking up a stone, I looked at it curiously, as though it had some sort of interest to me.
"I'm going to be working the wall. Learn how to use a pretty bow like yours," Andrea said with a smirk in her voice. Making a small noise it made her giggle softly. She wouldn't survive a day with a bow like mine. Believe me...I've tried to teach her.
"You don't have a chance," I told her slightly teasingly and she looked at me a little surprised. See...this is the Andrea I've known and loved. My friend. My partner in crimes. When we would be stupid with Michonne and yet...I miss us all being together.
"Don't think I can do better than you?" Andrea asked me a little teasingly back. She would have to have a lot of practice, bruises, scars and strength to better than me with a bow. I've learnt how to use almost every type of bow. Mine was simply always my favourite. It was personal and meant something to me.
"You'd be lucky," I teased her lightly and she laughed at what I said. Moving her hands away from me, she grabbed a stool and placed in in front of me. Pulling the stone out of my hands, she placed it back onto the table and took my hands in hers.
"I want you to be there with me. I'd feel safer if you're beside me," she spoke as her soft blue eyes looked at me sadly. She meant what she said and I had to give her gentle hands a soft squeeze. She's like a sister I never had. As was Michonne...we definintely all bickered like sisters.
"Doubt the Governor wants me anywhere near weapons after what I did last night," I spoke to her and she simply sighed. Her eyes dropped and gently, her thumbs rubbed along my skin. Her touch was gentle and loving. Much like how my mom and dad would do so.
"I don't care what the Governor wants. I want you beside me. If he can't deal with it...then...he can tell me off. Not you," Andrea said as her eyes glanced back up at me from her thick lashes. Sighing, I bit my bottom lip and sucked it into my mouth. Unsure what to say and thinking of what to tell her in reply.
RPOV
"Hello? Hello?" I spoke into the phone when it finally rung. Two hours. That's what they said...right?
"You the guy she was talking to?" a male voice answered this time.
"Yes," I spoke bluntly. What the hell am I supposed to say under this situation?
"And you want to come where we are?" the man asked me a little dully. His voice...it sounds familiar. Come to think of it...so did the girl's voice too.
"She said it was safe," I spoke to him, hopefull that he would agree on what she had said to me earlier.
"It is. No attacks, no one's been bit, no one's died, no one's turned, no one's gone crazy," he informed me. Can't say the same about our group. Amy, Dale, Shane...so many more.
"Yes, we want to come where you are," I informed him. Hopefull that we would all be safe this way. Away from all the walkers and death that follows around with them.
"You could be dangerous. Have you killed anyone?" the man asked me.
"Yes, people who threatened me or threatened my group," I informed him of what happened and why they would have been killed.
"How many people have you killed?" he asked me, curious to know how many I had in fact killed.
"Four. Two outsiders who tried to draw on me. One threw me to walkers. The other one, he was one of our own. He lost it," I informed the man, trying to seem as though it was all for a good cause and that we were trustworthy enough.
"Lost what?" the man asked me curious as to what my answer would be.
"Who he was. He threatened me. He tried to kill me, so I killed him," I tell him the truth, not wanting to beat around the bush with him.
"How did you lose your wife?" he asked me which made me pause in confusion. I didn't tell him I had a wife.
"How do you know I had a wife?" I asked him as to question him in return. I need to know how he knows. Is he...watching us?
"You have a boy and a baby. Tell me how you lost your wife," the man suggested for me to tell the truth about Lori. Did I tell the girl earlier? I don't even remember.
"I don't want to talk about that. Hello? Hello? No!" I spoke softly at first. I then heard a click and this then made me lose it. Shouting and kicking things, slamming them and crying to myself.
KPOV
"Thanks for doing this. Both of you," Andrea said as she glanced at me with a sweet, warm smile and then to the girl. The pair of them were sat on chairs, watching the distance and sometimes each other.
"When the Gov asks me to do something, I do it. I figure we can start tomorrow. There's a training area, some hay bales. There's even a bow you can use. It was my old one," the girl told us which made me look at her bow. It was good enough to use. I had in fact, used one similiar to that back when I started practicing.
"You must be pretty good," Andrea said slightly amused. Is this her trying to make me jealous or mad?
"Better than me Andrea?" I asked slightly amused and this made her look at me over her shoulder. I was sat beside them, my legs tucked under me slightly as I could glance over to the scene of cars and blockades.
"I've only seen you work one bow Kat," Andrea informed me. Touche...but you would be surprised Andrea. I can work any bow if I put my mind to it.
"Yeah. My dad taught me. He used to take me hunting. He wanted me to be in the Olympics. This one was his. I mean, it's worth more than my car. It's... awesome. So I totally killed him for it," the girl informed us a little sadly when she soon realized there was silence between myself and Andrea.
"That wasn't why you killed him," Andrea spoke which made me look down. This world really isn't easy on any of us.
"No. My dad wasn't himself and my brother wasn't either," the girl informed us as she looked away to the distance sadly.
"I had to kill my sister," Andrea was sympathetic with her.
"It sucks, right?" the girl spoke and this made me frown slightly.
"Yeah," Andrea agreed. We all have our sob stories. This world does that to us.
"Walker," I inform them as we all stood to our feet and looked at the lone walker roaming the street.
"Cool. Watch this," the girl said as she raised her bow and began to shoot at it. Failing two times, she was about to shoot again but Andrea looked to her a little annoyed. This girl is terrible.
"I got it," Andrea informed her as she began to climb over the wall.
"I can do it. We're not supposed to go over the wall!" the girl called out which made me worry. Andrea jumped down and straightened up when she knew she had secured her landing.
"Andrea. Where the hell are you going?! Get back here!" I shout to her as she pulled out her knife. I felt my heart pound in my chest at the thought of Andrea misstepping and getting herself killed. "Give me that!" I shout at the girl as I pulled the bow out of her hands and aimed. Shooting the walker, it fell and was no longer moving.
"What the hell was that?" the girl asked me angered as she took the bow off of me. Andrea turning to look at me angered and annoyed that I had taken her chance off of her to kill it.
"That is how it's done," I growled, unhappy with the fact she was so pathetic using something so basic.
"I said I could do it. What is wrong with you two? This isn't a game!" the girl growled at me and Andrea as I rushed down and opened the gate for her. Glaring at each other, we then rolled our eyes at the girl and this was when I left the pair alone. Heading to our house to be by myself.
RPOV
"May I? Still feel it. I'm wiggling my toes right now. I'm a ghost from the knee down," Hershel asked as he walked towards me and I pulled up a chair for him. He chuckled at his ghost leg.
"I'm sorry," I said sadly. He's lost a part of him. Like I lost Kat and Lori.
"You saved my life, Rick. She was sorry for the things that happened. She told me that. She planned on telling you. Take your time, whatever you need. You carried us. You didn't let us give up. You got us here," Hershel reminded me but it wasn't what I wanted to hear.
"It's not enough. It's not safe enough," I growled as I cut him short.
"There isn't anywhere else. I know you want to get away from this, but we've run already," Hershel tried to reason to me.
"I got a call," I informed him, knowing it would probably make me sound crazy.
"What?" he asked me as though I had just made up the biggest amount of bullshit ever.
"Someone called. On this phone. A woman. She was young. She was part of a group. She said they had a safe place. They said they were just dialing numbers and I picked up. She said they'd be calling back. If it sounds right, I want to talk them into taking us in," I inform him, trying to get him to see my point. We can finally be safe. Pointing to the phone while he would check it too.
"Did she say where they were?" Hershel asked me interested in the caller.
"No, but it doesn't matter. If it's safe, we'll get there. Don't tell the rest of the group, not yet," I tried to convince him to keep this secret. To keep it between the two of us.
"I'll sit here with you. That's something I'm pretty good at nowadays," Hershel tried to offer me some support with light humour.
"No," I demanded. I don't need him here. I don't want him here. I want to be alone when they call.
"All right," Hershel spoke and soon left me to be alone. Again.
DPOV
"Check it out, man. Must have missed it last night," Oscar spoke as we saw a door begin to open and close. We had decided to check to see if Rick really had cleared the cell block.
"It's probably just one or two of 'em. Don't look they got much fight," I spoke as I saw the door open and shut slowly. Weakly. "They ain't going nowhere. We'll take care of it on the way back," I said as I went to walk towards the kid. Whistling he looked towards me. "Come on," I ordered as we began to walk ahead of Oscar.
"You know, my mom, she liked her wine. She liked to smoke in bed. Virginia Slims. I was playing out with the kids in the neighborhood. I could do that with Merle gone. They had bikes, I didn't. We heard sirens getting louder. They jumped on their bikes, ran after it, you know, hoping to see something worth seeing," I began telling Carl a story as we checked for walkers.
"I ran after them, but I couldn't keep up. I ran around a corner and saw my friends looking at me. Hell, I saw everybody looking at me. Fire trucks everywhere. People from the neighborhood. It was my house they were there for. It was my mom in bed burnt down to nothing. That was the hard part," I said the last part as I looked to the kid. Remembering that day like it was yesturday.
"You know, she was just gone. Erased. Nothing left of her. People said it was better that way. I don't know. Just made it seem like it wasn't real, you know?" I told him as I remembered how hard it was to try and remember my mom. How I had nothing to remember her by other than that and other things that happened in my childhood.
"I shot my mom. She was out. Hadn't turned yet. I ended it. It was real," Carl spoke as we all stood still and listened. Looking to him, I could see the pain behind his eyes. Poor kid has lost so much. His mom...his sister. They were both good people. "Sorry about your mom," Carl told me with a small sigh, looking to his feet and shaking his head. Possibly trying to erase the memory of his mom.
"I'm sorry about yours," I told him honestly. Kid's dad is losing it and he has no one else but a crying baby. Must be hard. I'll look after him. Not just for Lori or Ass-kicker or Rick or Kat...but for the kid. He need someone. Kat would always be with him. Looking after him. Guess I should now take that responsibility. "Come on," I said with a gentle squeeze to his shoulder. Leading him ahead as I walked beside him in the dark.
RPOV
"Hello?" I answered when I heard the ring of the phone again and picked it up.
"You didn't want to tell him how your wife died?" a now female voice asked. It was different from the last time I heard a female voice on the phone.
"No, I just lost her, but...but if that's what it takes..." I said to her, hoping that it wouldn't feel so difficult to explain how Lori died. Why she died.
"It'd be good. You should talk about it, Rick," the woman's voice said into the phone.
"That sounds-. How-...how do you know my name?" I said as I froze. It was too late to get an answer. She hung up on me again. Fuck!
DPOV
"What the hell you need slippers for?" I asked Oscar as I saw him crouch down and clutch a pair of slippers in his hands. Praising it as though it was the best thing he had ever found in his life.
"You know, end of the day, relaxing," Oscar tried to make an excuse, suddenly we heard shuffling. Raising my crossbow, I spun around and tensed. Shooting the walker down with an arrow, I heard the others all shoot at the walker too.
"All right," I said as I tried to regather my breath again. My heart pounding at such a small space and at the sudden scare from the walker.
"Must have been in the cell at the end. We checked everywhere else," Oscar spoke as I found something interesting in the walker's neck. It was dug into it. Eaten almost as it was hidden if you weren't close enough. Crouching down, I gripped it tightly and tugged on it.
Blood squirted out of it's neck where the knife once was. Examining it, I came to a solid conclusion. I know who's knife this is. "That's Carol's knife," I said before I began to swipe it along the walker's shirt. Eyeing it to see if he had eaten her. He was fat enough but he hadn't had anything to eat recently. Cleaning the knife, I got to my feet and lead the boys back to our group.
RPOV
"How did you know my name?" I demanded down at the phone when I had gripped it tightly and brought it up to my ear.
"Because we know you," the woman spoke. Her voice is so familiar. Just like the others I have spoken to on the phone.
"How do you know me?" I asked her curious as to what she would say. Was she a neighbour?
"And you know them Rick. The people you were talking to today, that was Amy, Jim, Jacqui," the woman said and that was when this voice hit me. Lori.
"Lori? Lori? Lori? Lori?" I spoke as I grasped my face, each time I said her name I fell further towards the floor. Crying out her name as though it was the last thing I would ever say.
"What happened, Rick? Baby, what happened?" she asked me slightly softly. Making me cry out.
"I loved you. I loved you. I couldn't put it back together. When Kat died...god...I didn't know what to do anymore. I couldn't put it back together. I thought it was...I made a deal with myself. I would keep you alive. I'd find a place. I would fix that. And then...I couldn't open that door. I couldn't risk it," I told her as I was telling her all that was wrong with us. With what happened between me, Carl, her, the baby and Kat. Not to mention how heartbroken I was after knowing about Shane. How she rejected me.
"I was gonna keep you alive. Carl, the baby. And then...I thought there'd be time. There's never time. But I loved you. I love you. I couldn't put it back together. I should have said it. I should-...I should have said it," I told her. I felt my heart smash in my chest. I miss her. I miss Kat.
"Rick. Now you listen to me. I'm with Kat now. You have a baby. Our baby. And Carl. And the others. I love you. Rick. Can you do that? Can you do that? Rick? Rick? Rick? Rick? Rick?" her voice called to me and this was when I realized. I needed to get over Lori. Over Kat. I needed to look after my family. This was all in my mind. This wasn't real. They are all dead.
DPOV
Losing Carol was making me lose myself. I didn't know what it was but...losing Kat was heart breaking. Losing Lori was depressing but...losing Carol...it was something that was terrorfying me and making me lose my mind at the same time. Carol was dead. Kat was dead. Lori was dead. Merle was lost or possibly dead.
Pacing around the halls, there was one walker that was stuck behind a door. There was another walker blocking the door from opening. I couldn't focus. I had to get up off the floor, to get up from sitting around alone and being sad. Pulling out my knife, I dragged the walker away and opened the door in anger.
When I saw her pale, sweaty, distraught and tired face...I knew she was alive. Carol. She looked up at me, her blue eyes were dark from the lack of light she had in there. Lifting her chin to inspect her, I saw that she was fine and checked for bites or scratches. There were non. Picking her up, I carried her tired body in my arms and brought her back to our group. She's safe...and alive.
RPOV
Eventually I made my way back to the others. Taking the baby into my arms, I held her, saw her. She looked like Lori. Like me. She's mine. Smiling, I cradled her and rocked lightly. "Hey," I mumbled as I smiled down at her and kissed her forehead gently. "She looks like you," I told Carl with a chuckle as we decided to take a step outside. "Hey, just-...you got her?" I asked Carl as he chuckled. Handing him his sister gently. Noticing something odd in the distance.
"Yeah," he informs me and when we were both sure enough, I looked towards the figure in the distance. This walker is...carrying something. Walkers can't carry things...can they?
"All right. Okay," I whispered as he held his sister. Walking towards the figure, I stood only a few meters away and was surprised to see she was alive. Holding a basket of goods. Formula. Baby things. All things we needed. How does she know we have a baby? Is she bit? She has...blood and guts all over her.
The woman was looking at me directly in the eyes, until she touched her thigh and winced in pain. Bringing her hand up, I could see the blood and soon enough, so did the walkers. "Should we help her?" Carl asked me as he came up beside me and we watched the woman begin to fight against the walkers. Using a Katana she swung, sliced and killed as many walkers as she could with a limp she had in her leg.
"Carl!" I demanded the keys as he threw it to me. The woman had fainted and fallen to the floor. Walkers surrounding her until both me and Carl shot at the walkers surrounding her. "Shit," I growled as I opened the gate and made my way to her. Walkers gathering up, walking to either her or me. Carl joined me and shot as he went to get the basket the woman had dropped.
"Is she bit?" Hershel asked me as I kicked away her katana and checked her for any bites or scratches. Nope. Non here. Non there. Wait...what's this? I thought to myself as I inspected her thigh.
"Gunshot," I informed Hershel before I picked her up and threw her over my shoulder. Taking her katana with me. "Carl, get a blanket. Beth, water and a towel. She's not coming in the cell blocks. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Steady now. All right. All right. Thank you," I said as I slowly lowered the woman to the ground and her katana with her. Beth handed me the bottle of water and a towel.
"Shh. It's all right. It's all right. Hey, hey, look at me. Look at me," I spoke gently as she awoke from her sudden fall to the ground. She was worried as I had poured water slowly onto her chest, to cool her down. "Who are you? Hey, it's all right. Hey. Hey. No. We're not going to hurt you unless you try something stupid first, all right?" I suggested. She had reached for her weapon but I kicked it away before she could get it and pinned her down gently.
"Rick. Who the hell is this?" Daryl asked me as he slowly crept into the room. The way he looked down at the woman was one of questioning. The woman slowly sat up as I carefully moved away enough to give her some room.
"You wanna tell us your name? You wanna tell us your name?" I asked her and she stayed silent. Unmoving. Only staring into my eyes.
"Y'all come on in here," Daryl suggested to us as his head moved to indicate that we needed to enter into the cells.
"Everything all right?" I asked him as I got up to my feet.
"You're gonna wanna see this," Daryl suggested with a small gleam in his eyes. He looks...somewhat happy. Why could this be? Did he find us some dinner?
"Go ahead. Carl, get the bag. We'll keep this safe and sound. The doors are all locked. You'll be safe here. And we can treat that," I informed the woman as I gave some orders to my son.
"I didn't ask for your help," the woman said to me a little coldly. There was something in the way she looked at me. It made me think she knew something I didn't. Something she wouldn't tell me.
"Doesn't matter. Can't let you leave," I informed her which made he smirk up at me. That smirk doesn't feel right. Walking into the cells, I locked the door and wandered to where Daryl was leading us to. I was surprised to see a tired looking Carol sat on the bed. "Oh, God. Thank God. Thank God. Thank God," I mumbled as she stood up, pulling her to me in a warm hug.
"How?" Hershel asked her a little surprised too to find that she was in fact, alive.
"Solitary," Carol told us with a small smile. This woman is turning tougher than I would have ever expected.
"Poor thing fought her way into a cell. Must have passed out. Dehydrated," Daryl informed us of the condition he had found her in. This was when someone came into sight of Carol, the baby gently cooing behind me and this was when Carol looked at me curiously. Looking away, down at my feet she could tell that Lori was no longer with us.
"I'm sorry. Oh, God," Carol cried as she took my face in my hands and went to comfort me. Heading to the baby, she held her and smiled sadly at her. How fucked up this has all turned out. No Kat. No Lori. Just me, Carl and the baby.
KPOV
"Andrea. Where were you last night?" I asked Andrea as she entered, she was wearing the same outfit she was wearing last night. Did she have sex with someone? Considering she didn't come back last night.
"I erm...I was with Philip," she told me which made me look at her confused. She was slipping her bag onto a chair that wasn't occupied.
"Philip? Who's that?" I asked her confused and surprised of her words. Who the hell is Philip?
"The Governor," she informed me which made my eyes almost pop out of their sockets. She fucked the Governor?! What the hell was she thinking?!
"What?! Are you touched in the head?!" I asked her surprised that she would do such a stupid thing. She growled and shut her eyes, when she opened them she was clearly irritated by my words and presence.
"No. I'm getting his trust. Isn't that what you wanted?" she asked me as though this was what I truly wanted. No. I wanted his trust. Not you in his bed!
"So to gain his trust you slip into his bed rather than act loyal to him?" I asked her. I doubt Merle jumped into his bed in order to get the respect and trust he's gained by the Governor.
"It's my life. My choice. It's non of your business who I sleep with," Andrea growled as she looked to me angered. Insulted.
"Fine...but this is your death wish. Not mine," I growled back and glared at her.
"I have work that the Governor wanted me to do. Only wanted to check up on you," Andrea said truthfully. Before I could answer, she swung the door opened and slammed it shut. Fuck.
RPOV
"We can tend to that wound for you, give you a little food and water, and then send you on your way. But you're gonna have to tell us how you found us and why you were carrying formula," I suggest to her as I wanted answers to these unexplained questions.
"The supplies were dropped by a young Asian guy with a pretty girl," the woman told us as she looked directly up at me. She was sat on a stool and holding a cloth to her wound.
"What happened?" I asked her.
"Were they attacked?" Hershel asked her as he got up onto his crutches.
"They were taken," the woman informed us.
"Taken? By who?" I asked her as quickly as she answered.
"By the same son of a bitch who shot me," she growled as she looked up at me. Whoever shot her...she clearly didn't like them. Not one bit.
"Hey, these are our people. You tell us what happened now!" I said as I crouched down to get to her level. I was getting annoyed by her simplistic and vague answers. Grabbing her wound, I added pressure to it. Making her wince and groan. Getting her to stand onto her feet.
"Don't you ever touch me again!" she growled at me as she raised her finger to point it at me angrily.
"You'd better start talking. You're gonna have a much bigger problem than a gunshot wound," Daryl threatened as he aimed his crossbow up at her head.
"Find 'em yourself," she growled. Daryl probably could. He's a good enough tracker. He's proven it more than once.
"Hey, shh, shh, shh. Put it down," I told Daryl as I lowered his weapon and got into her view. "You came here for a reason," I told her, wanting better answers than what she was giving us.
"There's a town. Woodbury. About 75 survivors. I think they were taken there," the woman informed me with a dark look in her eye. I don't know exactly what she hates but I sense it could be the town the most.
"A whole town?" I asked her surprised.
"It's run by this guy who calls himself the Governor...pretty boy, charming, Jim Jones type," she informed us. Oh...so he's not the good type of leader.
"He got muscle?" Daryl asked her curious as to how many men we could possibly be up against.
"Paramilitary wannabes. They have armed sentries on every wall," she informed us. How the hell do we get to our people then?
"You know a way in?" I asked her curious as to if we could get Glenn and Maggie out of there.
"The place is secure from walkers, but we could slip our way through," she told us.
"How'd you know how to get here?" I asked her with a small snicker. This woman acts like she knows it all.
"They mentioned a prison, said which direction it was in, that it was a straight shot," she informed us. The pair need to be careful with what they say next time.
"This is Hershel, the father of the girl who was taken. He'll take care of that," I inform her as I pointed to her leg and left her there with Hershel.
CPOV
I was alone with Hershel and the woman. My eyes glued on her as Hershel tried to fix her leg. I didn't know if to trust her or not. Her eyes were staring at me as my fingers itched closer to my gun. "Thank you," the woman spoke softly to Hershel. I hope she doesn't do anything stupid.
RPOV
"How do you know we can trust her?" Oscar asked us as we all decided to gather around in order to discuss the issue at hand. We trusted Oscar and Axel at the end...we could of killed them both given the chance.
"This is Maggie and Glenn. Why are we even debating?" Beth said a little irritated. She wants her sister back. Wants Glenn back. We all do.
"We ain't. I'll go after them," Daryl spoke, putting himself up first as a volunteer to go find the pair. To visit this...'Woodbury'.
"Well, this place sounds pretty secure. You can't go alone," I spoke up as I informed them all of what we heard from the mysterious woman.
"I'll go," Beth said with a determined tone in her voice.
"Me, too," Axel added as he stepped up.
"I'm in," Oscar agreed with a small nod of his head.
DPOV
"I got the flash bangs and I got the tear gas. You never know what you're gonna need," I spoke as both me and Oscar placed the weapons into the boot of the car. Slipping on my small wings jacket, I saw Carl come up with some extra equitment. "Hey. Hey, don't you worry about your old man. I'm gonna keep my eye on him," I told him which made him nod and smile at me slightly. Shutting the boot, we all got ready to leave. I saw Carol at the back with the baby in her arms.
RPOV
"Carl," I said as I gave the things to Oscar and pulled my son away to speak to him in private. "What you did for Mom-" I started when we were far enough from the others.
"I had to," Carl said abruptly, as quick as lightning.
"Yeah, I-...I know. I know, and I'm sorry. No one should have to go through that," I said as I gulped and looked down at him saddened. His bright blues looked up at me with sorrow.
"How long will you be gone?" Carl asked me with a small shake of his head before he looked up at me expectantly.
"Look, if something happens while we're gone-," I began to speak as I crouched down to his level.
"We'll be all right," Carl said quickly yet again.
"If anything happens, you get everyone locked in the cells, keep them all safe," I informed him, giving him instructions to do while we were away.
"I will," he spoke and with a small nod.
"I know. I know you will. Take care of your sister, all right?" I said, knowing he would be a good kid and a greater brother.
"Daryl's been calling her Ass-Kicker," Carl told me as I was about to leave him.
"Ass-Kicker?" I said with a small chuckle. Silly Daryl. "Has he, now?" I asked him amused by this sudden fact.
"I've been thinking, what should we really call her?" he asked me as he leaned against a pillar. God...he reminds me of when I would talk to Kat. Of when we were deciding Carl's name.
"What do you think?" I asked him as I walked closer, curious as to what he had in mind for the baby's name.
"Remember my third grade teacher, Mrs. Mueller?" he asked me and I nod. How could I forget? She saved Kat's life.
"Of course," I said with a nod of my head.
"Her first name was Judith. Do you think that's a good name?" he asked me and I felt a tear sting in my eye. Kat...if only she could be saved by this baby too...
"I think that's-...that's a fine name. Judith it is," I said with a smile on my lips. Leading him back to the others, we smiled and looked to the new member of our family. Judith. Judith Grimes.
DPOV
"Stay safe," I order Carol as I was getting ready to leave.
"Nine lives, remember?" Carol teased as she held the baby in her arms, rocking her back and fourth with a small smile.
"Bring them back," Hershel pleaded with us as we all climbed into the car. Myself, Kill-Bill, Oscar and Rick.
RPOV
"They have patrols. We're better off on foot,"
"How far? Night's coming,"
"It's a mile, maybe two,"
"You know, what you did for me, for my baby, while I was... working things out-...thank you,"
"It's what we do," "Rick. Down," Daryl ordered as we all did as he said. This was when we faught off walkers as best as we could but found no way out, other than to find refuge in a cabin. Entering there was a stench that made us all cough. A man was hidden behind the covers while a dog was decaying in its bed. The man seemed delusional, shouting and about to open the door.
I was stunned to see the woman kill the man and not flinch once about it. With the help of Daryl, I lifted the man up. Ready to throw him out the door so that the walkers would be busy eating him, Oscar checked the back door, throwing the man out with Daryl's help would ensure we would have enough time to slip away and get to Woodbury in time to get Glenn and Maggie back.
KPOV
I hadn't seen Andrea in all day. Watching from the window quietly, I saw Andrea come closer to the house. She looked for a long, good moment as she deliberated what she would do. Sighing she lowered her head and turned. Leaving me alone at the house as she silently slipped into the Governor's home.
RPOV
Woodbury was as the woman explained. It was heavily guarded. Quiet and nerve wrecking. We were all on edge, trying to fix our weapons and figure out a plan. Infiltrating the town, we had already broken in, got a man unconscious and set a huge fog in a room in order to get both Glenn and Maggie out and to safety. Something about the place wasn't right. I could feel it in my gut.
DPOV
When myself and the others saved Glenn and Maggie, we found out the woman had disappeared and that my brother was behind the Governor. That he was threatening the others and about to kill them. That Merle was alive and here. We ended up in a fire fight. Oscar was down and eventually...I was captured. All I could picture was how disoriented I was. Thinking if Merle knew I was captured or was clueless like I was.
KPOV
I hadn't left my room while there was gunfire. I didn't care for what was happening. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door which made me open the front door. We were all to be at the arena. Reaching it, the Governor eventually arrived and was watching us all. Talking to us about what he promised his stupid community.
"I should tell you that we'll be okay, that we're safe, that tomorrow we'll bury our dead and endure, but I- I won't, because I can't. Because I'm afraid. That's right. I'm afraid of terrorists who want what we have. Want to destroy us! And worse... because one of those terrorists... is one of our own," he said as we all surrounded the Governor and Merle was suddenly stripped of his weapons.
"Merle... the man I counted on, the man I trusted. He led 'em here. And he let 'em in. It was you. You lied, betrayed us all. This is one of the terrorists. Merle's own brother/ What should we do with them, huh?" he asked as suddenly, my breath was caught in my throat. A pair of blue eyes I thought I was never going to see again was suddenly before me. Daryl.
Rushing, I pushed my way through a man but was held back firmly. Screaming, I tried to get him off me but it didn't work. "Daryl! Please! You can't kill him!" I screamed the last part to the crowd. They were wanting Daryl dead and Merle too. "Daryl...where's my dad?! My mom?! Carl?!" I pleaded as tears were forming in my eyes. There was no answer from him as he would pace around, he was hyperventilating as his eyes darted from me, Merle and Andrea who was behind me. "Please...tell me," I begged...
Hope you liked this! Aren't you guys lucky! 5 reviews please! That way, I'll try and post by Thursday! What would you guys like to see more of? Any suggestions to anything in mind? Any predictions? Time for answers to previous reviews!
An Amber Pen: We'll have to see. Won't we? Hope you're liking it! Thanks for the review dear!
Bloody-Asphode11: I don't think Rick would be too against Daryl when Kat and Daryl finally reveal their feelings towards each other. Rick doesn't mind, as long as his daughter is happy, then he is.
Caity6991: You'll eventually see why Kat stayed. So keep you're eye open because we'll find out soon enough!
KoNeKoLuvsU: Haha! Not that badass was it? I don't want to stage her as a complete badass but enough to show she's been through so much that she's faster, smarter and more adapted to whatever comes her way.
redangel2463: I hope it didn't seem like it was too much. Well...Kat would never put up with that crap! Not ever. Well...she's now seen Daryl. We're getting closer to her reuniting with her father!
Until the 5 reviews and next chapter...
Much love!
HeroJustInTime90 xx
