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DarylDixon'sLover: I know I really wanted to keep her alive but Carol needs to become a bitch so… :P XX Thanks for the review! Keep 'em coming!
A/N: Hello my Lovelies so this chapter… it was fun to write but I'm not too sure what I think of it but it is an important installment so I hope you enjoy reading it! XX R&R
Chapter Twenty One
Joelle POV
The week that Daryl wasn't on duty was a blast for the small Dixon family, they had spent copious amounts of time together and Daryl was looking good, awake and healthy. A change Jo was ecstatic with but unfortunately their 'honeymoon' was at an end and they had to get back to their duties, the council though had marginally cut back Daryl's duties making it obvious they didn't want a repeat of Joelle outburst.
Daryl didn't seem to mind the cut in work and everyone in the prison was seeing an even happier version of him than before.
She woke that morning with a feeling of dread; it was so intense she had launched herself out of bed and run outside where she promptly threw up in a nearby pot plant. Daryl who was a light sleeper had woken when she left the bed, he moved her hair out of the line of fire.
"What's wrong Angel, ya alright?" He asked extremely concerned, the last time he'd seen her vomit was when she'd been pregnant with Little Hunter and she sure as hell wasn't pregnant now.
She coughed and spluttered before she washed out her mouth from one of the tanks nearby and breathed deeply for a little bit before she answered, "something bad is going to happen, like really bad, worse than the farm bad."
Daryl paled significantly, her feelings had always been spot on and if it was bad enough to cause her to be physically sick, shit was going down. "You wear both your handguns, ya hear me, both, you have your huntin' knife on ya no matter what and make sure that emergency pack is stocked with enough ammo and supplies for you an' Little Hunter okay, promise me!" He was desperate to make sure that whatever happened, she would be okay, she would be safe.
"I promise love and I promise to find you if we get separated," she whispered back, his lips crushed to hers in feverish desperation, they poured their love and hope and happiness into it, trying to comfort each other. Her lips were slightly swollen when they separated and a blushed stained both their cheeks, her hand lingered on his chest, touching her dog tags that he still wore around his neck, "if anything happens, I'll find you like last time, we'll find you."
"I'll tell the others 'bout what's up tell 'em ta be extra careful, let 'em know ya havin' a bad feelin'," Daryl nodded more to himself then Elle, he gave her another few kisses before hurrying off.
Joelle went back to her cell and quickly did as Daryl had told her placing her gun holsters on her legs and making sure the handguns were filled with ammo, the hunting knife went at her hip and she slipped a smaller one into her boot, just in case. The emergency pack was still full of supplies mostly diapers and things for Artemis but there were a few bottles of water and cans of food. There was also formula and bottles just in case she wasn't able to produce enough milk, Joelle slipped two full boxes of ammo into the bottom along with her other knives.
Daryl had come up with the idea of emergency packs and each person had one in their cell, each decked out with a least food, water and a weapon. Rick and Jo's packs had also been fitted with supplies for the babies.
Can't we just be happy and live the rest of our lives in what little peace we are able? We are in a living hell yet we have found peace, happiness and stability. Please God whatever you are planning let my family be safe, let Daryl and Artemis be safe. Rick, Lucas, Merle, Judith, Carl, Roxie, Daniel, Glenn, Maggie, Michonne, Carol, Beth, Hershel, Tyreese, Sasha let them be safe.
A shadow fell over the cell opening and broke Jo from her thoughts, she looked up to see Merle, Rick, Lucas and Daryl.
"Baby brother here says you have one of 'em bad feelings and that you threw up this morning over it, that right?" Merle asked Joelle while he picked up Artemis, "hey there little Missy."
Jo nodded and Artemis gurgled in answer. Rick sighed and Lucas shook his head, "What the hell could be so bad that it made you sick, fuck you're feelings are useful but I'd be a lot happy if you never felt them again."
"You and me both, we have a home here, a life and something is threatening that and it sucks so bad. I just want my family safe and well is that too much to ask?"
"I'll let everyone know they're to be on their guard at all times, let's hope whatever this feeling is, we all make it out in one piece," Rick said calmly and walked out of the cell already calling to Maggie and Glenn.
It was about an hour and a half until sundown, Joelle had just finished changing and dressing Artemis when an explosion shook the prison. Artemis began to cry, "hush hush Little Hunter, please hush," Jo cooed at her and she quickly quietened.
The bad feeling returned tenfold and Jo's knees buckled but she caught herself before she could fall and kept Artemis close to her. Running out of the cell block she saw the others lined up outside the fence watching what was in front of them. That's when she saw him. The Governor. The fucking Governor, all the searching Michonne had done and nothing but here he was on the doorstep to their home with a small army and a tank, a fucking tank.
Daryl saw her out the corner of his eye and ran to her, "the hell ya doin' out here Angel, it ain't safe with that Psycho at our gates, if shit goes down I need ya and Little Hunter safe," his voice was softer than she'd ever heard it and when she looked into his eyes she knew why. He was absolutely terrified. Terrified of losing them, terrified that he wouldn't be able to keep them safe from this monster in front of them.
She pulled him into a searing kiss, "I love you so much D, please stay safe, please, please stay safe, I love you Husband," with those parting words she ran into the prison, clutching her daughter to her chest.
It seemed to take years for the gunfire to start when in reality it was minutes, blasts hit the prison and gunfire roared and echoed in the prison yard. Joelle could tell by the moans that walkers had filled the yard along with the enemy, Artemis had been crying since the third blast from the tank and Jo hadn't been able to make her stop, that coupled with the dread blanketing her she was at a loss for what to do.
Another blast shook the prison and Joelle made the decision to get her and her daughter the fuck out of there. Maybe she could find Daryl on her way out. She strapped Artemis in her baby sling on her front making sure she was strapped tightly, leaving herself free so she could move, her emergency bag went to her back and she moved towards the entrance.
The yard was full of people and walkers and Jo knew there was no way she could get through it safely with her baby instead she took a different route.
The tombs were dark and cold, the muffled sounds of the attack could still be heard but they sounded far away, as if from the TV or radio. Coming to the exit she found herself at the back or "front" of the prison with the administration block at her immediate left, there were walkers everywhere. Not nearly as many at the front but still a fair amount, trying to stay calm Joelle pulled out her handgun, luckily she had one with a silencer, and shot the nearest walker, than another and another. With the closest threats removed she knew she had to run, so she did, one hand keeping a tight hold on her infant child the other on her only protection.
She ran until there was no danger in sight, only the wide open road to greet her, that's when she started to walk. She walked until she finally slowed and stopped, still in the middle of a desolate road, still in the middle of nowhere, still alone but for her daughter. She sat down and cried, maybe it was because her hormones were still out of whack or maybe it was the dull ache in her abdomen still sore from the birth or maybe it was the thought that she might never see any of her family ever again, never see Daryl. They could be dead for all she knew she hadn't seen any of them the short time she stepped out. She could be all alone forever, her child fatherless and she'd never know.
What have we done to deserve any more dislocation and bereavement? Any more terror and loss? What have we done! She screamed in her head, screamed at God, she had been raised as a Christian to believe there was a God, but if there was where was he now, where was he as their home got torn apart.
Jo's obvious grief and distress caused Artemis to cry out in a screaming wail, probably attracting the dead but she didn't care, she just wanted to grieve. She heard a few moans and groans of nearby walkers. She would kill them in a second, she let a few more tears fall before she decided they were getting too close. Just as she was about to turn around and kill them she heard she distinct sound of a sharp object squelching through brains.
"Little Missy don't cry, there ain't no need to miss your uncle Merle, I'm right here," his voice held that accent of his, so similar to his brothers that she began to cry again.
There he was, her brother in law covered in both walker and human blood but he looked well, a rifle over his shoulder and a handgun at his hip, his knife hand thing covered in the black-red blood of a walker.
"Oh little firecracker don't cry ole Merle is here to keep you safe, I'll bring you back to my baby brother, you and Little Missy there," he said as he brought her into a tight hug, Artemis who recognized her uncles voice had quietened her cries to whimpers and Joelle couldn't help the sigh of relief when Artemis finally became silent.
Once her tears had once again stopped she smiled at the redneck, "hey Merle, it's good to see you made it out… Do you know if anyone else… did… Daryl? Rick? Lucas?" she asked timidly, afraid of the answer she might get.
"Sorry darlin' didn't see any of the others, but if I know one thing about my baby brother, it's he's damn tough and bloody hard to kill, we'll find him. 'Sides nothing can kill a Dixon but a Dixon."
That wasn't the answer she had been hoping for but it wasn't the worst answer either, "we should keep moving, there's water in my bag if you want some."
He got the water out and drank deeply, as if he hadn't had water in days before putting the now half empty bottle back into her bag. From there they walked and walked and walked and walked.
As night drew in they made camp in a hunting shack, they set sound traps for walkers and locked the door and boarded up the windows all in silence. After feeding and changing Artemis she laid them down on the dusty bed, she looked at Merle who was keeping watch, she patted the space next to her "come on Merle you need to sleep, we both do, if anything comes we'll hear it."
Reluctantly he walked over to the bed and lay down but not before putting his gun under his pillow. Sleep didn't come easy for either of them but it did come, having Merle there was a godsend for Joelle she knew that with him there she could rest a little easier, feel a little safer but until Daryl was back by her side she wouldn't feel whole.
The next day they ate a meager breakfast of stale crackers and berries Merle forcing her to eat more as she needed to produce Little Hunters food. They packed up quickly and again began to walk, they were moving through a town of sorts when they saw a massive herd of walkers coming their way, Merle led them into a two story red brick house, locking the door and placing a cupboard in front. Joelle closed the curtains and they both gave a sweep of the house to make sure it was walker free. They did the same upstairs and closed all the curtains so none of the passing walkers could see them. A creak from the cupboard alerted her and Merle, cautiously Merle opened the cupboard knife at the ready.
To their shock and joy a ragged and tired looking Lucas stumbled out of the cupboard a grin forming as he recognized the two people and infant in front of him.
"Hey little sister, Arty, big brother, nice of you to show up," Lucas said in typical Lucas fashion.
The moaning was louder now and whatever replied was forming died on Joelle's lips and instead she opted to give him a gentle hug, careful not to jostle Artemis lest she make a sound.
The river of the dead flowed freely through the town in which the house stood, the house that they were now imprisoned in.
A/N: So how'd you like this chapter? She doesn't know what happened to Hershel yet, she doesn't really know anything but hey she got her bros! Now when would you lovely readers want to see them back together? Terminus? After Terminus? Alexandria? Give me some thoughts I'd love to hear them.. I have an idea but I'm not sure yet! Next chapter you'll see how he feels about the separation! Don't forget to review because I love it when you do! Did that rhyme? I'm not sure :) Thank you to the amazing people who have followed and faverited this story I love you and the beauty who reviewed I love you more! XX