Reviews:
ThaliaJoelle: I'm sorry but I'm having a lot of fun with this, it's kind of sadistic. No, I am sorry I just can't help myself to be honest. This separation thing feels more realistic to me than some of the other stories and even in the Walking Dead. In a matter of weeks, days, in some cases they find each other and I want to kind of mix it up a bit. Thanks for the review! XXX
Salliebear1: Lazy Bitch! Haha get an account so you can do better stuff babe! Thank you I appreciate your willingness to give up being a beta even though you weren't technically a real beta beta but you get my point… Love you! Thanks for the review! XXX
Galwidanatitud: Thank you! I started this story a while back so it's pretty obvious to see an improvement in my writing from chapter 1 to 22 and hopefully I keep getting better! I'm glad it captivates you and I hope you enjoy the rest of what I've in store for Joelle! Thank you for reviewing! XXX
A/N: Back Again Lovelies! Look at that three chapters in a month you guys… Don't you just love it… And remember the more reviews I get, the quicker the chapters will appear! Now I put a poll up and it has 6 votes which I'm proud of by the way but it's going to stay up for a little longer because I feel like it. ENJOY and don't forget to R&R XXX!
Chapter 23
Daryl's POV
The golf club was a bust in terms of everything, no supplies, unless you counted golf shirts and silly cardigans, which Beth had decided she wanted to dress up in, so she did. It was pointless if you asked him, a waste of time. She'd found a bottle of Peach Schnapps, another waste of time. Daryl had been throwing darts when she started to cry and maybe he felt sorry for her because that was when he decided to get her a drink, a real drink. So he took her to a place him, Merle and Michonne had found a while back, some redneck's shack with a shed full of moonshine. He made her carry a crate while he checked for walkers, it was clear though so he cleaned a cup and poured a little moonshine in, the least he could do for being a heartless dick these past few hours.
"That's a real first drink righ' there," he stood back and watched her, she looked down at the cup but didn't drink, "S'matter?"
"Nothing, it's just… my dad always said bad moonshine could make you go blind," she said softly.
"Nothing worth seeing out there anymore anyway," he said kindly, well kind for him.
She took a cautious sip before grimacing, "that's the most disgusting thing I've ever tasted." She gulped down what was left in the glass, "second rounds better," she went to pour more.
"Want to slow down."
"This one's for you," she said and poured more into the cup.
"Nah I'm good," he said restlessly, the temptation was strong but he did want to go there. Not with the headspace he was in at the moment.
She looked confused, "why?"
He quickly came up with an excuse, "someone's gotta keep watch," he shrugged his shoulders.
"So what you're like my chaperone now," she said rudely.
"Ahh… just drink lots of water.." he didn't want to deal with her when she was like this.
"Yes Mr. Dixon," she said sarcastically and drank some more.
He began covering up the windows making sure no walkers could see in, could see them. She started talking about who the hell would have this junk, so he humored her and explained his childhood and his dad, not in detail. A walker came but it wasn't doing much harm so they left it be.
"Well if we're going to be trapped again might as well make the best of it," Beth said holding out a jar of moonshine for him, "unless you're too busy chaperoning Mr. Dixon?"
He hesitated a second before taking the jar, "hell might as well make the best of it." He sat himself down in the dumpster chair; he unscrewed the lid before lifting the jar in mock a toast, "home sweet home."
He took a large swig, relishing in the burn as it made its way down his throat. They drank for a little bit before Beth said something about a game, which he reluctantly agreed to play. It looked like he was going to be drunk tonight.
She explained the rules, which sounded stupid, they played a few rounds before Beth said something that made him angry, "I've never been in jail," she looked at him expectantly, "I mean as a prisoner."
Daryl looked at her, struck silent as he thought over her words, he didn't drink, he hadn't been in jail either. "Is that what you think of me?"
Beth caught his hard tone, "I didn't mean anything serious, you know… I just thought you know the drunk tank, even my dad got locked up for that, back in the day." Looking at him she seemed to realize she was digging herself a hole.
"Drink up," he said unamused.
"Wait… prison guard, were you a prison guard before?" she smiled, digging herself deeper.
"No."
Her smile dropped, she looked around for a bit, "it's your turn again…."
He groaned as he got up, "I gotta take a piss," he loudly moved over to the corner, he dropped the moonshine jar and it shattered. The walker outside heard and started growling loudly, drawn to the noise Daryl was making.
"Shh you have to be quiet," Beth whispered.
Daryl lost it, his anger getting the better of him, he shouted as he pissed before shouting some more. She tried to quieten him but it just made things worse. He raged and Beth looked down ashamed just realizing how much she had hurt his feelings but saying what she had. This man in front of her had saved her from the prison, fed her, protected her and she had to be all stupid, get drunk and hurt his feelings.
He raged, yelling and shouting until the walker got even louder, he grabbed her before taking his crossbow and pulling Beth out with him, beginning to "teach" her and despite being lit his aim was perfect.
"Wha' d'you want from me girl? Huh?" he asked getting into her face after she had killed the walker.
"I want you to stop acting like you don't give a crap about anything, like nothing we went through matters, like none of the people we lost meant anything to you it's bullshit!" she screamed back at him.
"Is that what you think?" he asked his voice cracking slightly.
"That's want I know!"
"You don't know nothing," he said getting in her face again.
"I know you look at me and see another dead girl, I'm not Joelle, I'm not Michonne, I'm not Maggie. I survived and you don't get it cos I'm not like you or them but I made it! And you don't get to treat me like crap just because you're afraid." She yelled at him, angry and hurt because she knew what she said was true.
"I ain't afraid of nothing," he said quietly.
"I remember when we were on the highway, after the farm got overrun, the look on your face when Jo wasn't there, you were like me. And now God forbid you let anybody get too close."
"Too close huh? You know all about that, you lost two boyfriends, you can't even shed a tear, your whole family's gone and all you can think about is getting booze, like some damn college bitch." He shouted back at her.
"Screw you, you don't get it."
"No you don't get it! Everyone we know is dead!"
"You don't know that!" she cried back at him.
"Might as well be, cause you ain't ever gonna see 'em again," he yelled in her face, she stopped and whimpered.
"Elle…" He stopped thinking about what he had just said before shaking it off, "You ain't ever gonna see Maggie again!"
"Daryl just stop!" she tried pulling on him arm but he moved out of her grip.
"No, the Governor rolled right up to our gates, maybe if I wouldn't of stopped looking, maybe cause I gave up… that's on me."
Beth tried again, "Daryl."
"Nah," his voice shook, "and your dad, maybe… maybe I could've done something." Beth hugged him from behind and he let her as he cried.
They were sitting on the porch that night and Daryl just talked and Beth talked back they bonded, even further when she suggested they burn the place down. So they did, pouring moonshine over the interior and lighting the shit on fire before flipping it off and walking into the darkness.
Joelle POV
It was late when she looked out the window and saw the smoke, it was thick and heavy as it bellowed up from somewhere in the woods. It was dark and the large fire cast a wide glow as it flickered and danced, not doubt drawing walkers to its bright light. She was fiddling with her favorite knife, it was a hunting knife and was her favorite because Daryl had given it to her a few months ago on her "birthday", or about the time he thought her birthday would be, seeing as she'd never actually told him. She didn't even realize she had been carving his name on the wooden floor until the knife slipped causing her to look down. Daryl Daryl Daryl. She'd written it three times, she huffed, Lucas was changing Artemis while Merle slept. She kept watch until Lucas was finished with Little Hunter.
Artemis's soft gurgle drew her attention and she smiled, holding out her arms Lucas immediately place her in them.
"She's the perfect mix of the both of you, she beautiful and one day she's going to break hearts."
"She will, just like Daryl will break boys who break her heart, I miss him so much and it hurts. I know you get it Luke, don't think I don't see those looks, the ones you have when you don't think Merle and me are paying attention. Roxie is strong, Daniel is strong."
Lucas pulled Joelle and in turn Artemis into his arms, "everyone in our family, everyone in our group is strong Jo but we're strongest together. How long can we last apart?" Lucas asked softly, "How long can we pretend we're okay without them, how long can we survive without our hearts?"
They talked quietly for a while before Merle stirred; once he had woken he walked straight up to the window watching the fire in the distance.
"Huh well that's a damn shame, that right there was a shack with a shed full of moonshine. Me, Daryl and Michonne found it some time back," Merle looked pissed. "Damn shame I was going to go get us some of that in the morning." He shrugged seemingly not minding too much after all anyway.
Merle pushed them into sleeping; they had stayed long enough and were moving tomorrow instead of the original plan for Merle to go scavenging.
Sleep came quickly for Jo this time maybe because she knew she needed sleep, or maybe her body was already giving out. Either way she slept deeply only waking up when Lucas splashed some water on her face.
They gathered their things and began to move making their way out of the town and further down an unnamed road which no one had the care for. When they came to a cross road with some tracks, they just kept moving forward ignoring the signs leading to a place called Terminus. The three of them took one look at the sign and knew it was bullshit, this place, Terminus, was nothing more than a trap for the sorry bastards who fell for it. They made sure to walk in the opposite direction of where it was pointing.
They didn't talk much no one really wanted to waste the energy, Lucas was currently holding Artemis and the baby supplies. They decided that if they were going to move Arty around, the baby supplies best stay with her.
When Merle had decided they'd moved far enough for the day Joelle got stuck on baby watch, not that she minded but still. It was one of the things Lucas and Merle were in total agreement on, Joelle needed to heal and stay healthy, she was no use to anyone sick.
They were set up in a small white picket fence type of house, the ones where there were twenty others nearby that all looked exactly the same.
The house was dusty and the smell of old air and mold permeated the air making Joelle cough lightly, she opened the window just to let some fresh air in, this house, remarkably, had all its windows and doors intact. The house sweep had been done in minutes between Merle and Lucas who had a very efficient system going.
Lucas was currently cooking their dinner on a small indoor campfire, while Merle was tinkering with an old car they had found in the garage, hoping he could get it working, so that further travel would be a little safer.
"What's for dinner tonight Lucas? Moldy cheese with a side of stale bread?" Jo laughed, Lucas was the worst cook out of the three of them.
"No, that's not it! thank you very much, it's moldy cheese with a side of stale crackers!" Lucas corrected indignity. They stared at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter. It was these times which reminded her of how life used to be, made her think of what it could have been had she met Daryl without the world going to shit. The thing was though if she had to choose between the world going to shit which gave her Daryl and Artemis or having the world the same. She would choose Daryl. She had lost so much with the world going to shit, losing much of her family like she had. Did it make her a bad person that she wanted Daryl, wanted Artemis over keeping much of her family alive? She didn't know nor did she care, all she wanted were Daryl's arms around her waist and his lips on hers.
Lucas, who she assumed saw the change in her face, came up to her then with a small smile on his face and something in his hands behind his back.
"Well dinner is done, and I noticed the other day that your hair was getting knotted and today I found this," he proudly brandished the hairbrush looking so pleased with himself that she had to smile.
Joelle as gently as possible pulled out the hair tie and moved so he could reach the mess that was her hair, "like old times Lulu?" She questioned quietly.
He smiled and softly began to work on the knots at the tips of her hair, "just like old times Jojo." He brushed her hair until it was smooth and silky, the familiar process comforting and welcome. Lucas had used to brush her hair before she went to school or bed, whenever she wanted it brushed really. Lucas had always done it a never been ashamed or embarrassed not even when his friends made fun of him, it was just what they did.
A/N: So tell me how you feel about this! I don't know how much longer I want to draw this out but I think the next few chapters should suffice. I actually cannot wait for you to find out what I have in store for Joelle, Daryl and Artemis! It's so exciting! Now I know a lot of you will be like wahhhhh I want them back together now but I don't know if that's going to happen before Terminus.. which I see a lot in Daryl/OC stories but think.. what would they do with Artemis? See everything has to be carefully planned for this genius to happen. Now massive thank you to the new followers and favouriters.. – I keep making up new words- anyway and an even bigger better thank you to my special Lovelies who reviewed, you are literally the best people ever. This is a long A/N note… Don't be afraid to PM if you have any questions! I don't bite… hard… So R&R XXX