18

- Mary!

Beth and Effy ran out to me. Both of them crushing me into a hug when I found the courage to get out of the Jeep. I have been in the middle of a gunfire, with walkers in my back and facing the most dangerous man around and I was just fine with it. But funny thing is, I felt more afraid of the reactions from everyone at the prison, and obviously I didn't want to be scold over again.

- What happened? — Effy asked with the most concerned look.

- It doesn't matter, we're fine now.

The others were approaching us too. I noticed how Rick asked something to Michonne, and then he narrowed his eyes and nodded before he walked to me. I wasn't too aware of what might happen now. But I would obviously explain everything that happened and how we got out of that place with our lives. Carol came first, brushing softly at my hair and giving me a little warning about not to disappear like that ever again.

My mind was still blurred and a little overwhelmed with the rushed situation so when I asked for going inside and tell them everything they agreed and we started to walk. The roaring of Daryl's motorcycle echoed in the yard, making me notice in that moment that he wasn't there, then he drove near us, stopping abruptly and jumping out of the bike almost in a harshly and angrily way. I thought for a brief second that he was going to walk to me a scream something about how imprudent and reckless I was.

But he didn't.

Instead, he walked straight to his brother.

- Hey lil' brother I'm bac...

Merle's words were silenced by a punch in the jaw. The eldest Dixon stumbled backwards, he was took aback by that punch. And even I was completely stunned. Daryl crouched on the pavement grabbing at Merle's shirt with a tight grip and lifting the other man with a rough manner.

- How could ya do that?! Took 'er out when she got shot just five days ago! The fuck were ya thinkin'?! — Daryl shook his brother, but the eldest Dixon seemed to be still shocked by his brother behavior. And if it wasn't for my own astonishment I would have tried to stop them. But I was too busy processing the fact that Daryl Dixon was beating his brother because of me.

- C'mon Darylina, I don't wanna hit my baby brother in the face — Merle managed to free himself from Daryl's hands and stood up stepping back of him. Daryl shouted at him again, and they began to argue.

I stepped forward to them, but a tight grip on my arm stopped me. Looking behind I found Rick giving me a warning look, I stood there reluctant watching how the sheriff approached the Dixon Brothers and stopped the loud argument.

- Enough! Daryl, hey, Daryl! — The archer glared at Rick and walked aside him. — We'll talk about this inside.

My heart stopped in my throat when I realized that Daryl was absolutely approaching me. I stiffened raising my chin, if he was going to scream at me for being a crazy girl who's always got involved into dangerous situations, I might as well be able to fend my reasons. He stopped just a couple of feet away from me, I could saw his jaw clenched, his hands still on fists turning his knuckles white and the blue in his eyes burning. But it wasn't burning with rage; instead they softened as he took his breath and grabbed at the hem of my leather jacket. I just realized that second a sticky wetness in my arm that was coming from my bandaged bullet-wound.

Daryl pulled part of the black fabric away and with the sudden move I yelped in pain. My eyes found out that the white bandage was all painted with crimson and blood had went through the fabric of my tank top. He looked more concerned than any other thing, suddenly he grabbed at the rag he always had on his back pocket and pressed it to my bleeding wound.

- We need to change that bandages, maybe the stitches pulled and teared at the skin — Hershel's voice said behind the archer. Daryl glanced to me but I couldn't manage to utter a single word. So I just nodded to nobody in particular, in part I was just avoiding Daryl's gaze.

- Come, let's get inside — Carol that now was beside me, she grabbed softly at my arm and we headed to the cellblock.

Just like Hershel said, the stitches had pulled out of the skin and part of the wound was reopened. I tried to contain a few curses from coming out of my mouth while Carol cleaned it up the blood and patched me up again. Sophia handed me a bottle of water and I took it rapidly feeling my dry throat aching for my own thirst. Michonne entered the area then, carrying the bag and rifle I forgot in the back seat of the car, she put the stuff on the floor and stood there near the stairs.

- You need to tell us, what happened? — Rick asked me, while I was still sit in one of the chairs from the common area. — Look, Michonne explained how Merle took her out of the prison, he let her go and you find her on the road. Right?

- I was in the armory, cleaning and checking out the rifles when I saw Merle dragging Michonne out the prison. — I started — I did my best in tracking them until I found Michonne, she told me where the storage was and I drove there. — Pausing i gulped — So I got there and...

I hesitated, how do you tell to your friends and family that you just killed three people and fight a bunch of monsters in the process?

- And? — Rick demanded, his gray eyes staring at me.

- Biscuit shot down the Governor's men, I got in a fight with 'em, and she saved my ass and threw a grenade. The end. — Merle countered — tell you something officer friendly, though she did that, that charmer could be alive now.

They weren't even paying attention at Merle, because instead all the eyes in the room were glued to me.

- Ya did what? — Daryl inquired with an incredulous look.

- You made yourself sure that he was dead? — The sheriff questioned, I know he was talking to me. A tired sigh escaped from my mouth. His question had a point that I did not have time to think.

- No.

- Everyone listen — Rick stated — we can stay and fight, or we can go.

...

I packed my things. There wasn't too much to pack, just four shirts, three blue jeans and a pair on tank tops. The rest of my belongings, like the shotgun ammo and my knives I carried them with me in my side bag. I felt uneasy, since we all debated and decided what to do, Daryl has not even said a word to me, and even when I tried to tell anything to him. He just muttered a blank excuse and left me with the words unspoken. I did not know if he was acting like that because he was mad at me or another thing. I couldn't tell, he could be sometimes so unreadable.

And this was one of these times.

The sun was already up when I drove off the prison with Hershel, Beth, Sophia, Judith and Carl. Even though I didn't like the idea at first I didn't get another choice but to let Effy go with Maggie and Glenn. I noticed since we left the prison that Carl was upset, he kept himself silent and with and obvious bad mood. In fact he did not talk to us, or even with his dad. And Rick mentioned that to Hershel and me, he was worried and I understood that. But first we had to take care of something else.

We first saw how they got inside the yards, parking their cars and walking through the grounds like it belonged to them. And then I spotted him. The Governor in flesh and bones, perfectly alive. I couldn't watch from the distance if he was injured or something, but he was alive and that made me feel like a rush of anger was taking over me. I made myself sure that the car was perfectly hidden behind some trees; Beth remained inside the car with the baby while Carl and I were on guard. Sophia had my handgun in case any walker appeared. And my step-dad, he remained beside the Jeep's front door, his shotgun in hands. The gunfire started and we waited.

After what it seemed like an hour or maybe minutes the firing stopped. The Governor's soldiers found their way out of the prison and hop on their cars with a desperate manner. I tried to not laugh right there, but I couldn't help to have a light feeling inside my chest when all of them left the prison.

- It's over? — Sophia muttered behind me.

- I think so — stepping forward I got out the woods — Stay put.

The shuffling of footsteps and an erratic breath made me turn around and aimed my weapon directly to a teenager who stopped on his tracks aiming his rifle to me. Fear was plastered on his face but a hint of something else flickered in his eyes.

- Whoa, whoa, don't shoot — The kid said still his gun aimed at us.

- Drop the rifle — I commanded almost in a whisper. He was hesitant.

- Drop your weapon, son — Hershel said quietly. Without expecting it the kid dropped to the ground, a bullet hole on his forehead. I looked beside me immediately watching a little shocked how Carl lowered his gun.

...

Again at the prison, Rick told us that he, Daryl, Maggie, Glenn and Merle will go to Woodbury and finish the fight there. Effy, still wearing he riot gear, she volunteered to go with them but Rick said no to that. Explaining how it was better if some of us stayed in the prison in case the Governor regroups his people and came back. We couldn't keep living like this. So part of us took the fight back to Woodbury.

The night felt endless. I don't know how many time or hours passed but I was already anxious. So while Effy and Carol did patrol outside, Beth was with her Dad just as sleepless as me. Even the kids were wide awake with his guns in hands. I kept telling to myself that they'll be able to make it and get back sooner than later. Even though my mind was rushing with horrid scenarios of what could happen, I kept pushing them in the back of my mind. It was like the first night they went to Woodbury to rescue Maggie and Glenn, and my pulse just became erratic at the thought of something happening to them. Or something happening to Daryl.

No, everything had to be good.

Dawn was breaking when the roaring of an engine was heard. I spent the whole night taking care of little Judith, so sleep wasn't really an option for me. A little startled and exhausted at the same time, I took the baby with me out to the common area. Carol entered the area, followed by Hershel walking with his crutches and he gave us a small smile.

- They're back, and they brought people from Woodbury. — Carol announced, I was quite surprised by that.

- We're gonna need help to settle them in Cellblock-D – Hershel said looking at me.

- All right, I'll be there in a minute — I moved and gave baby Judith to Sophia before taking my shotgun and walking to the other cellblock.

The newcomers were kind of unsure of this place, so Carol, Effy, Maggie and me did our best in reassured them that they will be okay here. I never got to see how Woodbury looked like, but for all the things that Rick and Merle have told, it was a proper community. I created this imaginary picture in my mind that it was part of a neighborhood with walls and barricades to keep the walkers away. Maybe a prison wasn't like a neighborhood, but this was better for them than a pretty place ruled by a madman.

Once they were settled, I tried to check out on every one of them, in an attempt to get to know how their lives were and to give them a word of courage in the middle of this disaster they went through. It was almost nightfall when I came back to our own cellblock. I drank a whole bottle of water and the first thing I did when I stepped in my cell was taking off the shotgun from my back and the leather jacket. I felt exhausted and tired and all I wanted to do was get under my blankets and sleep for at least a whole day.

I was about to take my boots off when the sound of footsteps echoed from my doorway. Sitting on the bunk, I turned a little observing the man in the cell entrance. A gasp almost escaped from me when I saw Daryl there, his face unreadable, one hand on his pocket and the other grabbing at the belt of his crossbow that hanged on his back. Automatically my heart started to drum inside my chest uncontrollably.

He stepped inside leaving the crossbow on the floor and he stood there still not saying a word. I didn't know what the hell to do. I wanted to tell him so many things but my words were all gone, I couldn't find my voice, the nervousness had taken over me like a wave of stupidity. Because that's how I felt in that at my reaction of seeing him.

- Why did ya save Merle? – His voice sounded husky and firm. And as he spoke my heart skipped a heartbeat.

- Because I could – My answer was hesitant, almost in a whisper.

- Ya got mad at me for going with him, then ya go and almost got killed to save him – He countered, sounding confuse – Why?

I stood up from the bed to face him. Even thought my breath felt shallow and I felt like and idiot for feeling this way, my legs managed to walk a couple of steps with my arms crossed in my chest, thinking about a way of telling him my reasons to go and save his brother. I've knew it from a long time. I cared about Daryl, but I didn't know if it was a good idea to tell him that, I mean I was just a twenty-two years old girl who always got in the middle of a trouble and he always seemed to get upset at the things I did for helping people.

- Well, despite the fact that I loathe Merle's guts, he's your brother – Daryl gaze was glued to mine and I tried hard not to trip in my words – I knew that if he got killed it will hurt you – I continued though Daryl remained silent – I did it for you.

The archer stepped forward leaving just a single feet of distance between us. His piercing eyes were still looking at me and I was taken aback when he lightly curved the corner of his mouth into a soft smile.

- Yer not goin' out there alone ever again – Daryl's words were too surreal for my brain to process.

- Really? And what are you going to do? Lock me up here for the rest of our lives? – Daryl snorted giving me a glare.

- Nah – He passed besides me walking to the bunk and I didn't comprehend what he was doing.

He grabbed at the upper mattress of the bunk and dropped it ungraciously on the cell floor. He moved the mattress a couple of feet away from the bunk leaving enough space for someone to pass between the two things.

- Daryl, what the hell? – He just kept accommodating the blankets and the pillow and what he did next almost made my jaw dislocated from my skull.

- I'm gonna keep my eyes on ya – He explained while he laid on the mattress placing an arm over his eyes – Make sure ya wont do anything stupid again.

- Seriously?

- Yeah – Daryl shrugged.

- This is ridiculous; I'm not a little girl and you're not babysitting me – That came out almost in a yell, I was shocked to the bones. He just laid there, his chest coming up and down quietly.

- Then stop acting like one – He said before yawning. – Now I'm gonna sleep, this was a harsh day.

- How you know I won't escape or do anything stupid while you sleep? – I walked to my own bed, and I sat down there.

Daryl didn't respond; instead he placed his arm away from his eyes and looked at me for a moment. The blue on his iris seemed like the color of the ocean after a storm, but I noticed something I didn't before. He wasn't joking at all about keeping his eyes on me and that only made me feel more confused. He grunted before closing his eyes again and taking a deep breath. The cell was dark, not even a glimpse of moonlight to light up my mind and comprehend what on earth was happening in that moment.

- Good night, Mary.

Part Two/Season 3 is over... But this story is not ;)

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