HEY GUYS! HOPE YOUR ENJOYING THIS AS MUCH AS IM ENJOYING WRITING IT! IF ITS NOT TOO MUCH COULD YOU PLEASE LEAVE SOME FEEDBACK FOR ME SO I KNOW WHERE I AM GOING WITH THIS AND IF ITS WORTH CONTINUING!
AS NORMAL I DONT OWN ANYTHING IN THIS STORY OR BELONGING TO TWD OR SOA :D
Daryl had come back from a very uneventful watch only spotting a handful of walkers that hadn't even noticed him sitting in the guard tower and instead walked straight past the prison and back into the woods. It had been 3am when his watch finished swapping with Glenn, he had walked through the field dragging his heavy black boots with ever step he couldn't remember a time where he hadn't been so exhausted, it seemed the last few weeks of early morning hunts, late night watches and then spending time spying on the two women seeing if they would be an asset to the group had really taken its toll on Daryl. He rubbed his dirty hands against his furrowed brow pushing his brown hair away from his face before climbing the stairs of the prison up to his perch where his cot lay along with a few blankets and an almost flat pillow that he had to fold in half. Kicking off his heavy leather boots letting them fall to the side of the bed next to his black leather sleeveless jacket. He climbed into bed pulling the blankets up around his body staring absent-mindedly out the barred up window at the moon, he had decided he was going to go out and hunt when he woke knowing that if he could get a good haul he wouldn't need to go back out for a few days. He took one deep breathe flicking his eyes back to the cells hearing nothing but a few people snoring and with that he too fell into a deep sleep.
When morning had broken five hours late, people had woken up one by one going about their day to day jobs, Daryl had been the first even though being the last the bed, he had already made his way into the woods with his crossbow on his back before anyone else had even stirred in the prison. Rick had been the next to wake, taking a crying Judith in his arms to warm up some baby formula for his daughter, and as if by clock work everyone's cells began to open one by one and people made their way into the canteen sleepily. Last to wake had been Sheri-lee and Peyton but they too had made their way down stairs after dressing to join the rest of the group. Peyton had pulled her platinum hair into two braids one at either side of her head, keeping the red checked shirt from yesterday on she pulled on the tight black jeans Maggie had given her yesterday but this time swapping her converse for her heavy boots as she had a feeling Rick probably had jobs for all of them and these would fair best out in the field. Rick smiled to Sheri and Peyton as they walked into the canteen catching them eyeing the tiny infant that lay in his arm drinking from the bottle he was giving her.
"Morning girls, I forgot you didn't get to meet this little one last night, this is my daughter Judith. Take a seat we are gonna start breakfast soon but I wanna speak to everyone first."
Sheri and Peyton made their way to the empty chairs next to Carl and Michonne who give them friendly smiles as they sat down. Sheri beamed back as for the first time in what seemed like years she had managed to sleep all night putting her in a very good mood. Like Peyton she had kept her outfit from the night before on just swapping her tank top for a long sleeved cream shirt and tying her beautiful raven hair into a messy bun on the top of her head that moved when she spoke, which Carl found hilarious every time he spoke to her.
Rick coughed as he handed over Judith to Carol and positioned himself in front of the group. "Mornin' everyone. Today is a new start, we have two new members in our group and we really need to push on making this a home we can all stay at. I need volunteers to patrol the fences killing any walkers that are close enough and dispose of the bodies else where."
"I'll do it dad" Carl said raising his hand.
"Okay son but you can't be doing it alone."
"I'll help." Everyone turned round to see Sheri with her hand in the air high fiving a giggling Carl.
"Thanks Sheri, Carl on ya best behaviour show her the ropes kay?"
"Beth can you look after Judith for me?" Beth responded with a nodd, "Great Hershel and Carol are going to start planting the bulbs and seeds Glen got oh his run last week."
"Everyone else we need water collected from the stream and then when Glenn is back I need anyone who is willing to clear the last part of the prison out which has the Wardens office and a small corridor with a few windowless rooms. Now it is unlikely we will come across any herds of walker activity but I want to avoid any blind spots and this is the last part of the prison we need to secure."
Everyone nodded in agreeing with Rick, "I'd like to help Rick if thats okay?" Peyton raised her hand.
"Count me and Glenn in too" Maggie said giving Peyton a quick reassuring wink.
"Great, I will be coming too, we will have breakfast and head off to the last part of the tombs and hopefully we should be back by lunch. Michonne, Carol do you mind keeping watch in the guard tower until we come back?"
Carol nodded and went back to smiling at the beautiful baby that lay in her arms, "Well I guess I best start breakfast then." She said beginning to stand up when Peyton interrupted her.
"Let me, it is the least I can do to help let me cook for you all this morning, I know I have some food that I gave to Rick last night that I can rustle up for everyone." You didn't have to tell Carol twice she had already sat down pulling Judith even closer to her for cuddles.
Peyton stepped from the canteen and into the kitchen looking around for the bag she had given to Rick, pulling out a few packets of porridge. She couldn't believe her luck when she noticed the electric stove still working assuming this is what the small solar panels outside were powering along with the hot showers. She poured her ingredients into the pan stirring as it thickened, the group were clever not only had they been collecting tins of food they had also collected a hand full of spices and seasoning which Peyton was sure came in handy with whatever Daryl would bring back from his hunting trip. Her eyes widened as she spotted some cinnamon and sugar as she stirred them into the mixture turning it down to a low heat before starting on the last treat for her group, she remember she had a small jar of coffee left as she pulled that too out her bag leaving it on the side as she began boiling water on the next ring on the stove. It wasn't long before she carried several bowels spoons and cups into the canteen and then returned bringing a big pot of hot steamy porridge and placing it on the table for everyone to help themselves, but it was the freshly brewed dark coffee that Peyton held in her other hand that everyone stared at.
"Is that... Coffee?" Maggie asked licking her lips.
"Sure smells like it, it is isn't it?" Rick asked.
"Sure is, as I said I wanted to say thank you and me and Sheri know how hard it is to come across this, but yeah everyone tuck in." Peyton said as she took a bowl full of porridge and cup off coffee sitting back down.
The whole group fell silent tucking into the food that had just been prepared for them, with a mouth full of porridge Carl broke the silent giving his thanks with food spilling from his mouth and onto the table. Everyone began laughing when Michonne flicked him on the ear telling him to not eat with his mouth full. Peyton and Sheri smilled back at Carl, hmm I wonder if there is something going on with Rick and Michonne they seem quite close. Sheri thought to herself.
It wasn't long before everyone left to go do what needed to be done leaving, Rick, Peyton, Maggie and Glenn alone in the canteen.
"So whats the plan then?" Sheri asked the remaining group members.
"Right well we need to stick together, we don't know what were facing in there so knives and bats first. We take one room at a time then when we know everything is secure we take a room each and collect anything thats gonna be any help to us. Guns are last resort remember that. Everyone get ready, get what you need and we can meet down here in fifteen okay?"
They all nodded and made their way to their cells. Peyton was strapping a small knife to the side of her boots and a longer sharper one to the side of leg, remembering guns were a last resort but still needed she checked to make sure hers was loaded and even attached a silencer. The last thing she equipped herself with was a hard wooden bat that she turned in her fingers. She picked up the now empty backpack and filled it with a handful of ammo and decided it was the perfect size to collect whatever she could find as she made her way downstairs once fifteen minutes had passed. Rick threw a couple bottles of water to each of them to put in their packs and one by one they filed into single line and began to make their way through the prison the survivors had already cleared and making their way to the last part that they hadn't.
Rick took lead as they reached the last unchecked corridor of the prison, one heavy door with a small window was all that stood between them and the unknown. He used the steal toe of his boots and kicked hard several times against the door making enough noise to draw the walkers to the door so they could see how many were in there. They could see eight walkers moving slowly towards the door, two of which lay incapacitated on the floor dragging themselves along by their hands.
"Okay we have six we need to worry about, i'm gonna open this door ever so slightly so only one can come through at a time we need to take them out together, stick together and eyes everywhere okay?" They all nodded back at Rick who did as he said and opened the door ever so slightly and it wasn't long before the walkers reached the door and they came out one by one. It was the smell that hit them first, the smell of decaying rotting flesh mixed with the metallic smell of blood, the first one came out teeth clattering, biting ferociously trying to get its next meal, guts trailed along the floor, Without even thinking Peyton had pulled her bat all the way back and with such force and had it crashing down onto the top of the walkers skull feeling it break under the bat and seeing the walker fall to the floor she stomped on the head with her heavy boots.
They worked as a team clearing the last eight walkers, stabbing, kicking, stomping and hitting them till they all lay motionless on the floor. There was three rooms in the corridor left unchecked that they all took it in turns killing any walkers hiding away in those rooms and giving the all clear, Maggie and Glenn took the largest of the rooms finding it to be wardens office and staff room, Rick took the next one which was the armoury that appeared to be untouched and full of weapons and ammo for the prison. Peyton took the smallest room in the corner which was unmarked. As she stepped inside she saw selves on each wall with assorted items. This was where all confiscated items had been placed, home made weapons lay a plenty. Knives made from mirrors, blades sharped from pieces of metal and wood, a whole row was filled with narcotics but there was bottles upon bottles off alcohol and cigarettes. Peyton thought how everyone might react if she brought this all back but reasoned that the alcohol could be used for anaesthetic and cleaning wounds. So she began moving all the confiscated items into the hall way when she spotted Rick carrying his last bag of weapons out the room.
"Yo Rick can I see you for a second?" She called to him as he handed the bag to Glenn who began carrying all their items back to the C block with Maggie.
"Sure, whats up?"
"Well, I found all this alcohol and I thought it could come in useful you kno' for cleaning shit and well y'no drinking." She said rubbing the back of her neck.
Rick laughed stepping inside the room with her, "Don't worry I like a drink as much as the next person but yeah your right it will come in handy. Hmmm what about these?" he said pointing to the row of pills and narcotics.
"I really don't know, drugs really aren't my speciality but we could bring them back to Hershel see what we can use and anything dangerous we could just flush them?" Rick nodded in agreeing.
"I'll take them over to Hershel now and carry what alcohol we have left over to him as well and we can separate what we can drink and what we can use for medical. You gonna be okay on your own? Maggie and Glenn shouldn't be long, just search them last few selves then we can meet back in the rec room." Rick instructed as he picked up the heavy box walking out the room when Peyton nodded to him. She had cleared out the whole room bar one shelf that had two fairly large boxes on it. She placed her bag on the floor looking down at her jeans that were now caked in walker blood from the ones she had stomped on. Sighing at the realisation that she was probably never gonna stay clean in this world, she knelt down bringing the first box off the shelf buckling under the weight of it dropping it to the floor as the contents spilled out, porn. The box was filled to the brim of dirty magazine and photos and pictures that she took one look at before kicking the box far from her. She was sure some of the guys back in the prison might want them but she sure as hell wasn't breaking her back for them to get a quick fix and she soon turned her head to the other box taking the much lighter box from the shelf placing it on the floor. It was a box full of clothing, it was obviously clothing from the prisoners on death row that had no next of kin to return their items too. Morbid Peyton thought but she spotted a lot of the clothing was clean and looked to be warm which would be perfect as the winter months set in. It was then she spotted it, the black leather kutte staring up at her, could it be? She thought as her finger traced over the patch that read "Men of Mayhem" slightly shaking she picked it up feeling the heavy leather material as she turned it around seeing the familiar patch "Sons of Anarchy Georgia" with the reaper in the middle brandishing a bloody scythe and the anarchy symbol. She had seen this everywhere growing up, her late father had been a member of the Sons of Anarchy motorcycle club, eventually becoming President with Sheri's father at his side as Vice President. This wasn't her fathers vest, as she remembered being presented it to her for him to be buried in when he died on a protection run all the way across in California. Even though the jacket she held in her arms didn't belong to her dad she held it close to her like it was his and felt close to him as she inhaled the smell of leather and tobacco smelling just like her old man. She brushed a small tear away daring to escape from her green eyes as she pulled the kutte on, it seemed only right for her to wear it, she had such happy memories of that club along with a lot of sad ones but it really reminded her of the family that had passed before everything had happened. Hearing Maggie call out her name pulled her out of her trip down memory lane as she slipped the jacket on then picking up the last box and last few alcohol bottles and followed her back to the main area of the prison.
Maggie didn't think anything of the new clothing that Peyton was wearing but she did notice that her face was tear marked ever so slightly and gave her new friend a comforting smile as they walked side by side into C block. Rick was sorting out what the four of them had collected clearly impressed with the haul as the table was stacked high of new weapons, ammo, drugs (which Peyton noticed had been dwindled in size assuming Hershel had already flushed what wasn't of use) Alcohol, an old camera, clothes and large quantities of junk food and sugary drinks. It seemed that the prison warden must have had a sweet tooth with the amount Maggie and Glenn had collected from his office Peyton thought. Unlike Maggie, Rick did notice the new jacket that Peyton had acquired and looked at her with a raised eyebrow beckoning her over to him as they walked over to the entrance of the prison knowing she could probably use a smoke.
Peyton had pulled out a cigarette, lighting it and begun taking a long overdue inhale when she spoke to Rick before he even had chance to ask her first. "Hey Rick i'm sorry I know I don't have rights to just choose something from that box of clothes before anyone else." She said exhaling and playing nervously with the leather vest that she now wore.
"Hey Peyton it's not that, back before the walkers I was a cop, I just don't think you realise what you're wearing there. The guys who work them jackets were bad men, some more than others."
Before Rick could finish Peyton had already stopped him firmly, "Rick I didn't pick this up because I thought it would look good on me, I picked it up because I knew what it was, I know who the Sons are, My daddy was President of the Georgia Chapter about five years ago. I know they did a lot of bad stuff but they were always good to me and my family and they weren't all bad. I just don't have anything from back home that means anything y'no please don't make me give it up." She looked up at him with pleading eyes.
"Okay, but I wasn't going to make you give it up, I just wanted you to realise what you were wearing, but I guess you know more than anyone eh?" He said with a smile which she reciprocated.
"So we still need water from the stream then?" she asked him.
"Yeah I was gonna head down and get some."
"Tell you what, let me. I'm just gonna change out these bloody jeans and i'll head out." Rick nodded in response to her as she begun walking away.
"Hey Peyton!" he called out to her as she reached the bottom of the stairs as she turned around on the spot to look at him, "It really does look good on you." She blushed a thanks to him and made her way back upstairs to her cell. Pulling off her jeans she noticed a neatly washed pile of her clothes on the bunk beside her, and the empty pink laundry basket at her feet. Placing the dirty jeans in the laundry basket and opting to switch her checked shirt for a white t-shirt so she could feel the sun on her already tanned arms pairing it with her new leather kutte and the pair of shorts from the day before, lacing her boots back up. She readjusted the large knife back around her waist on her belt she used to keep her shorts in place and tucked the gun in the inside of the kutte the same place her daddy used to keep his and begun making her way out of the prison doors grabbing the 3 rather large water containers. She reached the gate smiling as she saw her new group around her, Michonne was carefully standing guard in the tower giving Peyton a nod in her direction, Sheri and Carl were stabbing walkers through the fence and it looked like they were almost making a game of it and dare she say looked like they were enjoying it but it was when she turned to Hershel in field where he was planting the bulbs and seeds that she smiled the most, Beth was sitting cradling Judith as Hershel and Carol were planting but at the same time kept making funny faces at the baby.
Walking towards the side of the prison she reached the water pump and begun lifting the metal handle repeatedly until water flowed through the tap and into the drum. She carried on pumping over and over again until the drum was full and then she would slide the next one in, one by one the group came over collecting the water she had pumped carrying it to the bigger drums near the prison returning the empty ones waiting for them to be filled again. When it was the final drum that needed to be filled she told Glenn who was waiting for her, to get himself off to the canteen as they both could smell something delicious being cooked for dinner. You didn't have to tell him twice as he began running to catch up with Carol taking the heavy drum of water off her as they walked into the prison together.
Peyton looked up at the guard tower to see Michonne had switched and it was now Carl and Rick on watch as it looked like Rick was showing him how to aim the riffle accurately at walkers as they silently shot at the very few that got too close to the fence. Peyton went back to pumping the water when Carl put down the riffle and began climbing down the guard tower and over to the gates of the prison as he pulled hard on the huge maroon door pulling it towards him opening it ever so slightly, and as quickly as he opened it he closed it shut before any of the walkers could get through. However someone had gotten through, someone covered in dirt and blood, this person had a large deer wrapped around his shoulders with several smaller animals strapped to his waist. If it hadn't been for him turning around showing off the off coloured angel wings on the back of his vest Peyton wouldn't have recognised him underneath all the mud and blood. Rick had swapped places with Carl and had helped the hunter with the heavy dear as they too walked into the prison.
Peyton stopped watching as they reached the prison door and went back to pumping the last of the water, this last drum had taken her the longest as her arms had begun to get sore from repeatedly moving up and down and it must have been another thirty minutes before the drum was finally full. She was exhausted and had no idea how she was going to have the energy to even lift the drum let alone keep it lifted and walk to the prison with it. Deciding she needed a break before she even attempted that, she sat with her back to the prison watching the woods in front of it keeping her eye out for walkers placing her gun at her side she pulled out a cigarette lighting it enjoying every inhale and exhale as every inch of her body ached. She was exhausted and seemed to drift off into a world of her own but not daring to take her eye off the space in front of her. She didn't even hear Daryl walk up behind her and towards the water pump. It was only when he started pumping water washing his hands and for arms so they were clean from blood and mud that she jumped pointing her gun straight at him.
"You wanna get that thing outta ma face?" He asked angrily looking through his long hair that partially covered his face but his blue eyes still shone through them.
"Oh sorry I was just..." She trailed off lowering the gun, "Y'no you might wanna get a shower rather than washing your hands."
"Sorry princess, but I brought us back some meat that needs skinned and as no one round here can do it, I'll be skinning it, so no point gettin' a shower waistin' water to shower later on. Anyway stay outta ma business woman!"
"God Daryl why gotta be so rude to me?" She asked him as she could feel herself getting riled up standing up finishing her smoke.
"Woman i've just met ya, just be glad I persuaded the others to take ya in, in the first place!"
"Fine" She retorted seeing he had finished cleaning off at the pump. She shakily picked up the drum of water and slowly and very unsteadily began storming away to the prison, or so she tried. She had only made it no more than 20 metres before her arms were so weak she had to put water drum down. Daryl was standing back smiling to himself watching the woman struggle before he ran his now clean hands through his hair before storming after the blonde. Before she had time to pick up the drum he had already reached her towering over her before bending down and pulling it up into his arms.
"Come on we aint got all night, Carol's been cooking and i'd like a plate today, can't have you outside here all alone, probably let some walkers in or summit."
Peyton was so angry at Daryl insinuating her incompetence but she couldn't carry the drum anymore and she did appreciate the view of his musclier arms showing through his vest looking even bigger as they strained against the weight of the water drum. He's such a jackass, but damn good to look at. Can I hate him but fancy him? She thought but shuck her head trying to rid her head of that thought.
She stood and waited as Daryl lifted the drum above his head admiring as his shirt slightly lifted as he tipped the water into the bigger water container until it was completely empty. Sure he was rude to her but she couldn't help think boy did he look good, seeing him like this she felt really self conscious and had already begun to blush ever so slightly as she kicked the dirt with her feet looking down shyly, she tried to nervously run her hands through her long hair failing instantly regretting having braided it that morning. She heard a grunt and a rough "Come on" from Daryl and she followed him in to the canteen.
Everyone was in high spirits, it seemed the new haul of weapons, alcohol and junk food had put a smile on everyones face and Daryl's huge hunt for the group was just the icing on the cake. They noticed Rick had brought a lot of the sugary drinks and alcohol into the canteen and put them on the table at the front. Daryl went and took his usual table at the back on his own, Peyton bit her lip checking that no one had noticed and decided to do something totally out the ordinary for her and wandered over to Daryl's table pulling the chair out opposite him and looking at him before she dared sit down. "You mind if I sit with you?" she asked him nervous as hell that he would tell her to fuck off. Daryl just shrugged and went back to using the maroon rag to clean his knife.
It must have only been a minute or two of silence between them but it felt like hours to Peyton when just as she more than likely gonna start blabbering rubbish, Rick stood up in front of the group.
"Everyone I want to thank you all, together we've made the prison more secure and sure we got a long way to go but everything we did today was a step in the right direction. Daryl that hunt you came back with today is gong to see us fed all week, you've earned a rest. Today myself, Maggie, Glenn and Peyton cleared out the final corridor and managed to get plenty of supplies to keep us going along with all this wonderful chocolate sweets and alcohol, now I don't say this very often but I think it's been a long time coming but I think we all need a night off and I propose the next morning off as well. Hershel and Carol are going to take watch tonight and Carl is going to take watch tomorrow morning and they will have tomorrow afternoon and evening off, so everybody tuck into the rice and rabbit meat and enjoy the alcohol and soda for dessert."
Everyones face lit up, fizzy soda and alcohol? It was like Christmas had come early. One by one they all shovelled the food in their mouth desperate for desert. Carol and Hershel left the canteen to take over on watch as Maggie finished hers and came and joined the group, she clearly looked happy with herself as she lifted something old and dusty onto the table next to several bottles of beer.
"Okay so while clearing out the wardens office we found this really old CD player and it runs on batteries and we found plenty of them lying around his office too so tonight ladies, gentleman, Carl and Judith we also have entertainment." Maggie spoke as she clicked her fingers down on the play button.
One by one everyone went up to get a bottle of alcohol or soda for their table as the soft guitar chords were heard above the relaxed noise of chatter. Peyton looked around at the canteen as everyone enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere and gentle music being played. Peyton recognised the song as Radiohead, Fake Plastic Trees, smiling to herself as this song brought back lots of happy memories. Standing up she noticed Daryl had remained seated not taking a drink, she had noticed this behaviour a lot over the few days she had known him. He never just took the food at breakfast or dinner and instead waited till Carol gave him a plate of food. So taking Carol's lead she picked up two plastic cups and the bottle of Jack Daniels that she had been eyeing up since seeing it in that room. Along with the whiskey she balanced two bottles of Budweiser giving Sheri a little wink and made her way back over to Daryl. "Peace offering?" She said handing him a beer and putting the whiskey and cups on the table.
Daryl looked up through his long hair that was now beginning to cover his eyes taking the beer from her looking slightly confused. "Peace offering for what woman?" He said twisting the lid off as he watched her do the same mirroring her as she moved the beer up to her mouth taking a slow and deep drink.
"God thats good" She said letting out a soft gentle moan doing so "Well, we ain't really got off to a great start 'ave we? I just don't get ya."
"Theirs nothing to get woman, your just damn nosey." He said taking another drink as she did the same.
"You interest me what can I say and my names Peyton not woman. Where you from originally?"
Peyton was met by a long pause until he eventually took a long drink finishing his beer and setting the two cups down and pouring out two large glasses of whiskey, finally he looked up at her, "Atlanta, all over really. Never really had a set place and not really much has changed since the world went to shit. What about you woma…..Peyton?" he corrected himself taking his cup in his hand nudging the other over to her.
"Darlingsville, outside Senoia. Never left their until now, my old man did now and then but I stayed back helped my Mom with the books at the garage." Peyton had expected that to be the end of their conversation as she was surprised in the first place that Daryl had even called her by her name and answered her question not telling her to fuck off but she was more taken back when Daryl actually responded to her.
"So what your old man do then? Other than be in and out of prison." He asked her.
She finished her beer and picked up the cup of whiskey, if she was gonna talk about her dad then she was gonna need a stiff drink and she watched as Daryl's eyes widened as she let the whole of the amber coloured liquid fill her mouth as she swallowed it all down. Pouring herself another drink she began to fiddle with the black leather jacket she was wearing, "Erm this." She said pointing to the jacket she was wearing, clearing her throat, "He worked in our garage sure, but he was president of The Sons of Anarchy Atlanta chapter erm if you've heard of it." She had grown accustom to the looks she got when she told people her dad was an outlaw, but when she looked up at Daryl sure he perked up interest but he didn't look disgusted or like she was scum like most people did.
"So you ride then?" he asked.
She laughed taking another drink, "Ha! no. Daddy wouldn't let me, I did a few times though, no one in any of his charter would let me, something about my daddy willing to meet Mr Mayhem if his little girl got hurt. But after he died we used to get a lot of the other charters come up and they would let me ride once or twice but not like how my old man used to ride."
"How'd it happen?" He asked her not looking up just staring looking down at his glass. They were both now on their forth glass of whiskey and everyone around them had seemingly lost their tolerance of alcohol after going so long without it, Sheri and Rick looked to be in a rather serious conversation, while Beth was carrying a sleeping Judith and pulling a defiant Carl who was scared to miss anything to bed, Michonne had begun following Beth and she too was going to sleep. Maggie and Glenn looked in high spirits though as they became closer and closer each time they drank more and more and it wasn't before long till Maggie was sitting on Glenn's knee whispering and soon after Glenn had finished both their drinks in a hurry dragging her off to bed which Peyton was sure it wasn't to sleep.
"How'd what happen?" She asked after she had finished observing everyone going back to drinking her cup of whiskey.
"Your old man, how'd he pass away?" Daryl asked emotionlessly still not looking at her. To others the emotionless tone would be hurtful or make it even harder to answer but to Peyton it was a sigh of relief, this man was a mystery and she was sure as hell certain if it hadn't been for the alcohol he wouldn't be talking to her but he didn't judge and he didn't make small talk he seemed to only talk if he wanted too or needed too.
"Oh he….erm….he was shot. Boy its erm getting hot in here I need a smoke." She had flushed red and pulled her seat back and exited the canteen without a second glance behind her. Immediately making her way to the exit she rested against the hard stone wall, undoing the braids in her hair and letting her body slide down the wall till she was sat on the hard floor as she ran her hands through her hair. Once again like earlier when she saw the jacket she felt a dangerous tear try to escape from her big green eyes this time ignoring it she pulled out one of the cigarette packets she had found today and pulled out a menthol one and begun routing around in her pockets trying to find her lighter but just like the other night she saw a bright orange flame in front of her face as Daryl stood over her small frame holding his already lit cigarette in one hand and his metal lighter in the other. She lit her cigarette then placed her hand on the bar behind her to pull herself up but instead Daryl flung himself opposite her on the other side of the doorway.
"I lost my 'Ma and Pa too y'no" he said suddenly looking at her. "Ma Da' wasn't good like you said yours was but my Ma' was, well she was when she wasn't passed out from this." He said, as Peyton noticed he had brought out the bottle of Whiskey and was now holding it up.
Peyton gave the same look to Daryl as he had earlier when she had told him her dad had died, one of empathy and not sympathy or pity. She took the bottle of whiskey from him taking a large swig and then raised the bottle, "To fucking shitty pasts, and hopefully less shitty futures, surviving." Taking another swig before handing it back to Daryl who nodded and did the same.
They both sat in silence for a while smoking and drinking and looking out into the distance, they occasionally asked questions but little conversation was needed as Peyton was finally beginning to understand part of Daryl and he too about her. When they were half way finished the bottle of whiskey they both decided to call it a night noticing no music playing anymore and silence running through the cells, Peyton pulled herself off the floor and stood up as Daryl grasped the bottle of whiskey in his hand and they began walking into the prison, walking up the stairs silent and side by side. They reached Daryl's perch first as Peyton smiled a genuine smile at him placing her hand gently against his arm giving him a soft gentle squeeze, "Goodnight Daryl Dixon." Daryl froze at the contact, he hated being touched and it always sent shivers of repulsion through his body but this time he definitely didn't hate it he just hadn't expected it and it actually felt nice, warm and kind the way she did it. All he could do was muster a low pitched quite mumbled, "Night Peyton." But she had heard it and turned around walking to her cell with a slightly drunken smile on her face.
Daryl had watched her walk towards her cell with her back to him, her long white blonde hair was glowing as the moonlight reflecting off it, he watched as her shorts clung to her figure accentuating her curves and figure. She seemed so relaxed walking away from him and he got a fright when as she reached her cell door she turned around catching him looking at her, as she flashed a slightly flirtatious smile towards him and stepping behind the make shift curtain on her cell and disappearing inside. He took off his jacket and boots and lay down on his cot and looked out onto the stairs just like he had done downstairs with Peyton and it wasn't long before he was falling asleep.
