A/N All characters belong to the writers and creators of The Walking Dead. Except those that arose from my own twisted imagination.
Also, this chapter is being posted on the one year anniversary of the first chapter of this fic. Never thought it would go this long. Thank you to everyone who stuck by through my personal hiatus and continue to read and review. I really appreciate all of you.
Chapter 43-Covet Thy Neighbor
"How's he doin'?" Daryl asked as he walked back in to their cell with food for both him and Dani. Dani looked up from Jesse's sleeping face and smiled.
"Fever still hasn't come back. Hershel just checked him and his reflexes are normal so he doesn't think the infection did any damage. He said to give it another week and then he should be one hundred percent again." Daryl nodded, smiling as Jesse sighed in his sleep. He leaned over and took Jesse from Dani.
"Carol said you need to eat somethin'. Don't want you gettin' sick too." Dani picked up the plate.
"What about you?" Daryl rubbed Jesse's back and took his tiny hand in his.
"I'm not ready to let him go just yet." Dani smiled and leaned over to brush Daryl's hair out of his face.
"I love you." Daryl ran his fingers along her jaw, his thumb grazing her lower lip.
"I love you too." Dani looked up as an exhausted Maggie walked into the cell.
"How's Jesse doing?" Daryl shifted his son against his shoulder.
"He's good. Judith still doin' ok?" Maggie nodded.
"Alice wants to keep her in the infirmary for a another day or so. D block is almost all clear. About a dozen people got sick and all but two of them are recovering. We only lost Dave but Kristen found something this morning." She took a deep breath. "Marci hung herself last night. Kristen found her turned this morning, almost got bit." Dani clapped her hand over her mouth and Daryl closed his eyes.
"Jesus." Maggie chewed on her lower lip.
"Jessica put her down. I gotta hand it to Barbie and Skipper, they can deal with this better than we thought they would." Dani was still stunned.
"Why now? Her baby died almost a week ago and she was getting better." Jesse shifted in his sleep and Daryl kissed the top of his head.
"That was it wasn't it? She was hopin' she'd die too but when she didn't, she opted out." Maggie nodded.
"And we've got another problem. The front fence is getting more and more unstable. Bill's tryin' to fix it but he's runnin' out of material to use. He used so much of what we had shoring up the backside that he can't fix the front." Daryl handed Jesse to Maggie.
"I'm gonna go see Bill." Dani frowned.
"Daryl you need to eat." He shook his head.
"We need to get this fixed. If that fence comes down, everything we've done here, everyone we've lost will have been for nothin'." He looked at Jesse and then back at Dani. "I've got too much to lose. I'm not lettin' anythin' happen to you, understand?" Dani nodded. Daryl looked once more at Jesse, grabbed his gun and crossbow and headed out the door.
Lilly hauled a washtub full of clean clothes over to the clothesline. She could hear Meghan behind the trailer playing with one of her dolls. She wasn't that worried about the biters. They hadn't seen one in a couple of days. All the guys did a pretty good job of making sure they were kept clear. As she hung up the sheets, she heard a truck pull up and looked over to see Karen and Baylor get out.
"Phillip! They're back!" The door opened and Phillip stuck his head outside, half his face still covered with shaving cream.
"Tell them I'll be right there." Lilly walked over to Karen and smiled at her.
"He'll be out in a minute." Karen nodded.
"Everything been quiet out here?" Lilly looked around.
"Yeah, pretty much. Had a couple of them come in to camp a couple of days ago but no one was hurt. The guys took care of them." She looked from Karen to Baylor.
"What about you guys? How'd the scouting trip go?" Karen and Baylor exchanged a look.
"We think we found a place," said Baylor. "That's what we want to talk to Phillip about." The trailer door opened and Phillip walked out, slightly adjusting his eye patch as he walked towards them.
"Lilly I'll want to talk to Karen and Baylor alone for a bit, if that's alright." Lilly smiled and nodded, backing away.
"Of course. I'll get Meghan and go check on Tara." They waited until Lilly had collected Meghan and walked to the other side of the camp before Phillip spoke.
"So they still there?" Karen nodded.
"They've got a lot of people, lot of families. Bunch of kids there."
"Abraham, Taylor, Bill and a few other guys from Woodbury are with them. Bill's got the back of the prison locked down tight. No way anyone's getting back there like Cash and Trip did. It's the front fences that are vulnerable. Got a small herd of walkers there pushin' on the fences. When we were there, Bill was trying to construct supports to make them more stable. It looks like someone crashed through the fence." Baylor reached into his back pocket, pulled out his cigarette pack and found it empty. He tossed it on the table.
"Any sign of Martinez?" Baylor shook his head.
"No. If he's there, they don't have him with the rest of the group. I did see Andrea though so they must have made it to the prison." Phillip nodded and stared off into the distance, the wheels turning in his head.
"What about Rick and Michonne?" Karen nodded.
"They're still there. And so's Danielle and Merle's brother David or Darren or whatever it was. Danielle was carrying a baby around, real young one. I think it's hers and that Dixon guy's kid. They seemed really close." Phillip smiled.
"So all the people that drove us from our home are still there, along with the traitors that helped them. That's good. That's real good." Karen and Baylor looked at each other.
"So what do you want to do?" Phillip turned when he heard Meghan running up behind them.
"Go back tonight, watch them for another day or so. Pay attention to weapons and how on guard they are." He turned to start walking towards Meghan and then called over his shoulder. "If anyone goes on a run, see if you can get them to come back with you. Use a little friendly persuasion if you have to." He scooped up Meghan and hugged her, carrying her back to the trailer he shared with her and her mother. Karen rubbed her eyes.
"Baylor, I don't know about this. We've got a good thing going here. We had a good thing going at Fort Benning too and we left. I don't understand this. I know he wants to take the prison back for our own but why can't he let the revenge thing go?" Baylor put his arm around her.
"You know what those people did to us, how many times they attacked. Phillip's right. It was only a matter of time before they found us and Rick Grimes wouldn't have let us live. Plus there's that huge herd that's headin' our way. Would you rather be in a prison or the tent trailer when it gets here, especially with the baby coming?" Karen smiled and kissed his cheek.
"It's not fair to play on a mother's instinct to protect her child." Baylor laughed and walked her over to their trailer to get something to eat before they headed back out.
"We need to put the supports up in staggered heights. If we only have them hitting the same height on the fence it will make it weaker." Bill directed Bobby and Sergei as braced the supports against the fence and then moved on to Glenn and Carl, who were working further down on another section. Sergei got too close to the fence and jumped back as walkers grabbed his shirt.
"Shit, there's a lot of them." He said as he shook off the burst of adrenaline. Bobby rolled his eyes.
"Just watch what you're doing, alright?" Sergei snorted.
"Shit man, you don't have to tell me to watch what I'm doin'. Who did most of the work on the back wall while you sat back in your big machine huh? Must chap your ass havin' to work on the ground." Bobby narrowed his eyes.
"Don't start with me asshole!" Sergei held up his hands.
"I ain't startin' nothin' man. You're the one makin' smartass remarks."
"Both y'all need to shut the hell up." Both men quieted down when they saw Daryl. He drew up to his full height and clenched his fists, popping the knuckles on his unbandaged hand. "We got a problem here?" Sergei and Bobby looked at each other and shook their heads.
"No man," said Sergei quickly. "We're cool. I just got a bit close is all." Daryl nodded and walked closer, keeping his voice low.
"There ain't no such thing as a bit close. Walkers get a hold of you, you're dead." Sergei nodded and Daryl walked past them to Bill. Both Sergei and Bobby watched as Daryl and Bill picked up another support and wedged it into place.
"Let's get this finished up ok?" said Bobby, still keeping a wary eye on Daryl. Sergei nodded and crouched down to pick up the next support.
"She's looking good." Rick smiled as Alice picked up Judith and handed her to him. "Her reflexes are still a bit slow but she's recovering faster than I thought she would." Rick held Judith to his chest and she pulled back, grinning at him.
"I think she's getting better. She's acting like my girl again." Alice rubbed her back.
"The babies recovered faster than the adults but they didn't go as long without antibiotics as the adults did either. I still don't know how Jesse and Judith came into contact with it. None of you guys are sick." She frowned and then shook her head. "I don't think we'll ever know." Alice looked over at Greg who was sitting in a chair pretending to read one of her medical books. He was trying to talk again, a good sign that he was healing. She leaned in to Rick and lowered her voice.
"You still gonna kick him out?" Rick nodded.
"That's the plan. He can't live in the same place as Dani and Daryl. It's not fair to ask them to just overlook what he did after only being here a few hours." Alice nodded, her eyes sad. "Why? Do you think he should stay?" Alice glanced at Greg and then motioned for Rick to follow her out in the hall.
"Rick, this outbreak of meningitis or walker sickness or whatever it was really brought to light how badly we need experienced doctors here. I was RN for twelve years Rick but that doesn't mean I know everything. Hershel's great but there's limits to what he can do. Greg, as much of an asshole that he is, he can do the procedures that I can't. If he hadn't been here, I don't know how I'd have gotten Jesse's IV in." Rick looked behind him and then looked back at Alice incredulous.
"Does Dani know that you had Greg put in her son's IV?" Alice shook her head violently.
"No and I'd rather you not tell her or Daryl. She's already upset that I had Greg look after Judith. Rick, I don't want him living here but I don't see how we can afford to send him away. He won't try anything with Dani or Daryl again. I'm sure he'll go out of his way to stay away from them. Just…" Alice sighed. "Talk to Hershel and Daryl Rick, please. If they still want to kick him out then fine. I'm just sayin' we need him here whether we like it or not." Judith started babbling loudly and tried to squirm out of Rick's arms. He readjusted his hold on her and nodded to Alice.
"Alright, I'll talk to them but I don't expect their answer to change any." Alice smiled.
"All I ask is that you try. Thank you."
Meghan moved her bishop, easily taking out Phillip's knight.
"Check," she said confidently. Phillip smiled and pretended to study the chess board. Meghan did have him in check but she'd left her bishop open.
"Did you read the board before you moved honey?" he asked her. "Remember what I told you. When you play chess, you have to know your opponents next move before they do." Meghan frowned and then slumped back in her chair.
"You can take my bishop with your queen." Phillip nodded and made the move, capturing her bishop. "I hate this game. You always win." Phillip held up his hands.
"Now come on. You didn't expect that I'd let you win every time did you? How will you learn if I don't teach you?" Lilly had her back to them as she washed dishes and smiled. Even as frustrated as Meghan was, she loved being with Phillip. He had certainly become more of a father to her than her own sperm donor had ever been. She looked outside and in the faint light of dusk saw Karen and Baylor climb into the truck. They turned on the lights and drove off.
"Wonder where they're going at this hour?" Phillip looked up at her. He wanted to tell Lilly everything, about what those people at the prison did to him but he didn't want her burdened with that, not now.
"Probably just goin' out to check the perimeter, make sure it's clear." He reached over and smoothed down Meghan's hair.
"Penny, why don't you run along, get ready for bed?" Meghan frowned.
"My name's not Penny." Lilly turned and saw the look of shock on Phillip's face.
"I'm…I'm sorry Meghan. I just…I guess I was just thinkin' about…about my little girl. She was about your age when I lost her. I'm sorry." Meghan smiled and got up from her seat.
"That's ok." Phillip held open his arms and she gave him a quick hug. After she went into the bedroom, Phillip turned to Lilly.
"I'm sorry Lilly, that just slipped out." Lilly smiled and leaned over to kiss him.
"It's ok, I understand. And so does Meghan. Don't worry about it." She turned back to the dishes and heard Phillip stand. He came up behind her and put his arms around her waist.
"I don't know what I'd ever do without you two. You're everything to me now." Lilly smiled and turned to him, putting her arms around his neck.
"And we appreciate everything you've done for us and for Tara. If you hadn't found us last winter, we would have died in that motel room. I don't know how we'll ever repay you for taking us in." Phillip pulled her close and ran his hand down her hair, staring off into the distance as his mind went to a different time and place.
"You don't have to repay me." He said softly. "I just want you all to be safe." Lilly smiled and hugged him.
"I know we'll always be safe with you." Phillip nodded.
"I will do everything in my power to ensure you all are safe, that Meghan is safe." He kissed the top of her head and his face turned dark as he looked into the distance.
"Everything in my power."
A/N: This is a shorter chapter but I thought that it sounded like a good place to leave off tonight, especially after the mid-season finale! Also, I had to put in a scene where Governor calls Meghan "Penny". I'm disappointed that the writers didn't do it on the show! Again, thank you all for reading and for the reviews. They really keep me going.