New Meanings To Old Words: Love
SO….a bit of a spoiler…cause I know y'all are jonesin' for everyone to be back together again. Well, it ain't happening this chapter *ducks*. I know. I know. But honestly…I couldn't cut the awesome Daryl and Andrea find the walker in the woods scene could I?
As always, read, review and most of all enjoy!
~michelle
Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie).
Wild Horses Pt. 2
Maggie kept her head down as she walked past the living room towards the porch. She could feel his gaze on her, and it was starting to make her skin crawl.
Shane.
Maggie's heart went out to Rick and his wife, waiting for her father to step out of that little room. To Carol, the soft-spoken mother whose child was still lost somewhere out in the forest beyond their little safe haven. To Callie-God she didn't even want to think about what that woman was goin' through.
She even felt sorry for the foul-mouthed boy who had returned with the dark haired man she now knew as Shane. Shane. She was finding it hard to have anything but contempt for that man. Especially after the way he'd acted not so long ago.
Maggie had been walking back to tell Rick that her father and Patricia were set and going to begin the surgery when she'd stumbled upon he and Callie informing the newly returned duo of the young girl's fate. That boy's grief-stricken face as they told him was heart-wrenching. And Maggie had frozen immediately feeling as though she were intruding upon a very private moment. The way the kid had pushed Callie away sending her falling back against the wall-goodness if it hadn't been for Rick she'd have fallen to the ground. The way he'd thrown himself through the open door of the girl's room, and then stumbled backwards back out only moments later. His back pressing hard into the wall across from the still open door, right before his legs just crumbled beneath him causing him to slide down the wall in a heap.
Shane had merely stood there, his hands raking through his hair as he muttered 'Jesus', while Rick and Callie had moved towards the suffering boy. That poor boy, who was just sitting on the ground, cradling his broken arm to his body as his head moved side to side in disbelief.
She'd felt her own heart seize up in her chest in that moment. Memories assaulting her; images of her and Beth stumbling from a room nearly the same way weeks, or God was it months ago now?
It had taken a few agonizing minutes, that felt like hours as Maggie waited and listened not really knowing what to do while they spoke in hushed tones to settle the boy. Beth had come around and stared at her with wide unblinking eyes, obviously dragged back to another time as well by the look on her face. Maggie shooed her to her room as Rick made his way towards her. He asked so kindly to have permission to let the kid get cleaned up, a request Maggie had agreed to even before the man had finished asking.
She shown them both up to the bathroom and had Jimmy bring up some fresh clothes for the battered kid. The two of them were about the same height, but the kid was a bit wider 'round the shoulders than Beth's lean and lanky boyfriend. After he'd finished she'd gone in and put a bandage to the boy's head and set his arm with an ace bandage around his broken cast. She knew that broken bones were well out of her realm of expertise, and her father was the boy's best shot if he wanted to ever have use of the limb again.
And it was as she was making her way out of the bathroom after cleaning up her supplies that she'd ran into Shane. His icy stare had startled her and backed her up a few steps, her eyes searching the hallway for any sign of the boy or Rick.
"Maggie, right?" Shane had asked in a tone that was meant to be friendly. The man had even tried to smile at her, but Maggie wasn't biting. She'd been mollycoddled all her life by her father, so when it came to deflecting it, she was a damned professional.
"Can I help you?" Maggie said shifting her weight on her feet and glaring at the man. He seemed taken aback by her attitude and after a moment of consideration his smile fell. He sniffed and shifted his eyes down the hall, making sure they were alone before stepping closer. She held her ground, but tightened her arms around the supplies she held to her chest.
"That woman," he started his eyes shifting uncomfortably. "Otis' wife."
"Patricia," Maggie said stiffly, and when his eyes lifted she added "Otis' widow." In hindsight it had probably been the wrong way to act. And she knew, Good Lord she could hear her father's admonishing tone in the back of her mind, but she didn't care. She was upset, and he deserved to know.
"Right," Shane said his teeth slipping out to work over his bottom lip. He again shifted his eyes around and Maggie found herself doing the same, hoping that someone would happen by. "She's working on Carl." Maggie found her head lifting in a sort of confirmation of his unasked question. "She ain't gonna do nothin' stupid is she?"
Maggie's eyes had snapped wide and her head shot back a bit, his words smacking into her with the force of a slap to the face. Because that's exactly what they were. How dare he? Maggie shifted her weight and found herself sliding forward, her face pushing into the little buffer of comfort that she'd put between them and her eyes narrowing on his slightly shocked ones.
"If you mean to ask if she's gonna take out her vengeance on an innocent little baby," Maggie seethed as she pressed closer. She left the statement hang, and he stared at her for a moment before raising a single seemingly humored brow at her. She shook her head and started to walk past him in disgust. "What kind of man are you to ask such a thing?" His hand shot out and grabbed her arm stopping her, rough fingers digging just a bit into her skin.
"A man that's worried 'bout his family," Shane said in a quiet and almost deadly tone. "People ain't the same as they used to be. This world," he shook his head and raised his other hand to slide over his head, wincing when he hit the cut that she could see the blood trail coming from. "This world brings out the worst in people."
"Maybe in your world," Maggie said breaking his hold on her arm and stepping away from him. He stared at her, and she shook her head. "Otis died trying to save that boy. Patricia isn't going to sully his sacrifice by doing anything 'stupid', as you put it." Maggie took a breath in through her nose and shook her head again before turning her back on him. She'd taken a couple of steps before stopping and facing him again, his eyes still boring holes into her. "There's a set a clothes in there," Maggie said. "They were Otis'. It's all we have." Shane's eyes dropped to the ground between them and she felt a heavy weight settle on her shoulders.
Damn her father for instilling such deep-seeded morals into her. She let out a breath and waited for him to lift his eyes again, but he didn't. He simply turned towards the bathroom, his hand still working through his dark curling hair.
"Hey," Maggie said gaining his attention, he turned with that same expression and she suddenly realized that he didn't look angry so much as, what was the word? Lost maybe? "When you're finished I can look at that cut for you."
"S'a'right," Shane said his hand working in a way that made Maggie think he was horrified that she'd noticed his injury. "Just a scratch."
"The world around us," Maggie said quietly, causing his eyes to lift again. "It's only as bad as we make it."
"Thoughts like that," Shane said with a disgusted laugh, as he turned away from her and worked towards the bathroom. "It's a wonder you people are even still alive."
An hour later and that conversation was still plaguing Maggie's thoughts. And her body stayed tense until she'd finally worked her way out of the man's field of vision and pushed out onto the front porch. The cool breeze that hit her instantly helped to settle her frazzled nerves. Taking a deep breath she shifted her eyes to the left, and again she felt her heart break just a bit.
The boy sat alone in the dark, his eyes settled on some point out in the darkness. His left hand was cradled to his body, while his right was clenched tight on his thigh. His dark blonde hair was in a state of complete disarray, dried in odd angles around his head. Maggie let out a low breath and turned towards him, letting her feet fall hard to alert him to her presence. When he didn't turn Maggie raised a brow and simply shoved her hands towards him.
"Here," Maggie said, the sound of her voice waking the boy from his stupor and sending his eyes to hers. She pushed her hands out again and he slipped his eyes down in a daze. "Take this, it'll help with the pain."
"Thanks," the kid muttered taking the two pills and popping them into his mouth, before taking the glass from her. He sucked the entire glass of water down in thirsty gulps and Maggie reached out to take it from him. Once again his eyes slipped to the darkness and Maggie slid her eyes to where he was looking, trying to see what he was searching for.
"Mind if I sit?" Maggie said quietly. The kid shifted his eyes to her and after a moment he shrugged his shoulders. She smiled a bit and settled into the chair next to him, her eyes on the empty glass in her hand.
She really had no idea what to say to the kid. He was hurting, badly. His entire world seemed to have crashed down around him in the span of one day, and he was having a hard time with it. She shifted her eyes to the boy, and watched his face. His eyes were shifting around not fixed to anything, as if he were lost in thought. Maggie shifted her eyes back to the door to the house, knowing that he probably didn't want a stranger out here intruding.
Again she found her mind wandering to that small room where that girl lay. The image of Callie still settled by her bedside, wiping her brow down with a cool wet cloth. In her mind's eye the image changed to Annette, settled beside Shaun, the motions the same. Her step-mother had been adamant about staying by her son's side, no matter how much any of them tried to get her to rest and take a break. It had been that unwavering dedication to her sick boy that had been her undoing.
Maggie still remembered Annette's screams echoing through the room and waking her from her where she'd fallen asleep in one of the chairs they'd dragged into the room. The sight of Shaun tearing into their mother's arm still lingered in Maggie's mind; the sole subject of a many if not all of her nightmares. She'd screamed so loud and watched frozen for what seemed like forever as Shaun continued to tear into their mother's flesh. Her father and Otis had come in together followed by a terrified Beth.
Maggie didn't remember much after that. Brief flashes of Otis working a lead, from God knew where, around Shaun's shoulders and head. Annette bloody body being cradled by her father on the floor next to the bed. Patricia's ashen face leading Maggie and Beth stumbling from the room.
Almost unbidden, Maggie's gaze yet again ventured through the dark to the far off barn. Her eyes then skipped back to the silent boy beside her, before veering to the window behind them. Maggie could only hope that Callie's unwavering devotion to her girl didn't have the same end results as she witnessed in this house before. And whether it was against her father's wishes or not, Maggie was comforted by the sight of the gun Callie had near her.
The woman was obviously prepared in her own way for what was to come. A fact that had not escaped her father's scrutiny. Maggie shook her head, thinking about the conversation between her father and Callie that was still to come.
Slipping her eyes to the boy Maggie felt the his sadness filter around her. Thoughts of her and Beth sitting out here, watching their father carrying Annette's seemingly lifeless body towards Otis and the barn. She understood why the boy would want to be alone. Why he would need to be alone. It was obvious that he knew what was coming, and Maggie again felt awkward, as if she should leave him to his privacy.
But there was something in the way he was isolating himself that had her staying put. Something about the way he avoided being in the house. No, not the house. The people in the house. One person, in particular. The same person who had been eyeing her only moments ago and causing her skin to crawl in her own damn house. There was something to that avoidance, something she suddenly felt the need to get to the bottom of.
"I'm sorry," the boy said quietly causing Maggie's eyes to open wide as her head turned to regard him. He was staring at his good right hand now, and she furrowed her brow at him. "About Otis. He was a," the boy stopped and shook his head angrily, his hand lifting to wipe hard over his eyes. A deep breath and he was again staring at the dark. "He was a good man."
"Yes he was," Maggie said quietly. She felt horrible when the boy's head dropped, his chin hitting his chest. "I'm sorry your girl's sick."
"She ain't sick," the boy spat out, his angry eyes shifting to her. "She's dyin'."
Shock washed over her at the venom in his voice, and just as her mouth opened to respond the flash of headlights caught her attention. The boy noticed too, and he sat up a bit straighter as he watched the large orange Hummer pull up to the front of the house.
Glenn, the young Asian man, hopped out of the driver's seat and Maggie felt herself smiling at him as he caught her eye. He nodded once, and then bounded over towards the slowly opening passenger side door. A man with dark wild hair and the heavy growth of a beard along his jaw slowly worked his way down to the ground. Maggie got to her feet at nearly the same time as the boy beside her.
"Danny!" the boy yelled out, before pushing past her and heading towards the porch stairs. The man looked up, his eyes widening a bit as he let Glenn help him down. The man, Danny, settled his weight on a crutch and pushed away from Glenn.
"Miles!" Danny called out, watching as the boy flew down the steps towards him.
"Thank God," Maggie heard Glenn say as he ran his hand through his hair and watched Danny reach out and pull Miles to him with his right arm while his left hand clutched at the crutch. Glenn shifted his attention up to her and gave her an almost imperceptible smile that she nodded in return to.
Danny pushed Miles out to arm's length and looked at the boy's face, studying him and his wounds. Maggie wondered at the relationship between the two. It was dark, but she would be hard pressed to say he looked like the boy in any real way.
"Jesus Christ boy," Danny exclaimed, his hand cupping the boy's face. "The fuck happened to you?"
"I crashed a car," Miles said in return to Danny before scrunching his face. "Then a Hummer. It's a long fuckin' story, and I don't really wanna talk about it."
"I don't fuckin' care. You're gonna tell me everything," Danny shook his head and grabbed onto Miles' shoulder as they worked towards the stairs. "And as of right now, you're never driving again. Ya hear me?"
Maggie's brows rose at the language and she immediately re-evaluated her initial thoughts. The two of them sounded too much alike to be anything but family. Glenn cleared his throat a bit and gave her a sheepish look as they worked their way up the stairs of the porch. It was at that point that Maggie took in the state of the man Glenn had brought back with him.
He was wearing a pair of khakis, and an old mechanics shirt with the name 'Butch' embroidered on it that looked to have seen better days. The button up shirt was open, and Maggie shook her head at the sight of the bandages wrapped around his midsection. The bit of red staining through it had her moving and shifting her attention to Glenn.
"Honestly," Maggie said to Glenn as he walked slowly beside Danny helping him along. "Is there anyone in your group that isn't hurt?"
Glenn didn't answer just gave a small chuckle and shook his head before shifting his attention to Danny who was now watching her with an interested and amused air. Glenn swallowed and pushed out a hand towards her.
"Uh," Glenn began slowly. "Danny this is Maggie. The girl I was-" Glenn stopped and looked up at her with a small smile. "She's the one that saved my ass in the woods." Danny raised his brows and nodded his head at her and she nodded back. A beat of silence flowed out between them and then Maggie was shaking her head.
"Dad and Patricia are workin' on Carl now," Maggie said quietly.
"Shane? Your man?" Glenn asked and Maggie shifted on her feet a bit, watching as the boy hunched his shoulders in on himself. An action that wasn't missed by his two friends.
"Your man Shane is inside with Rick and the rest." Maggie said, her eyes sliding to where the boy was staring at the floorboards below his feet. "Otis didn't make it."
"I'm sorry," Glenn said quietly his face contorting with the sincerity of his words. "God, I'm so sorry." In the hushed silence Maggie heard Danny shift and watched him eye the boy beside him. He muttered something but all she could make out was 'long talk you and me' as the boy seemed to cave further in on himself.
"Your people are all in the living room, except Callie," Maggie said quietly as she looked to Danny and Miles. "She's in with your girl. Refuses to leave her."
"Yeah, that's what Glenn was sayin'," Danny said with a shake of his head. "Fuckin' woman." He put his hand to Miles' shoulder and pushed him along. "C'mon, you take me. We'll get her to take a break, even if I have to bodily remove her from the bedside." Danny started forward and then stopped just as Miles opened the door. He turned back to her and gave a sad smile. "Thank you."
Maggie nodded in return and wrapped her arms around herself watching as the silent boy disappeared with the newly arrived man. She felt Glenn step up beside her, and turned to see his eyes just stuck to the door. She studied his profile for a moment, indecision clear on his face. He shifted his eyes and blinked a few times in shock when he found her staring at him.
"Uh, I should," he pointed to the door and shifted his eyes away from her. "I should probably go in."
"You don't have to," Maggie said quietly, her eyes narrowing as he sighed. "If you don't want to. If you need a minute-"
"No, I should. Rick, Lori, Callie," he shook his head. "I should be in there with them."
"What about the rest of your group?" Maggie said her eyes shifting behind her to the Hummer. "I thought you were bringing them all back here."
"They're coming at first light," Glenn said shifting his eyes behind him. He opened his mouth to say something but then closed it. He shook his head and then looked at her. "Have you ever tried to argue with a brick wall?"
"Ya haven't really had the time to talk with my dad yet have ya?" Maggie said with a smile. Glenn chuckled and shook his head. He looked at her and she felt her stomach give just a bit of a flip when he smiled. Shaking her head she nodded towards the door. "You should go in."
"You'll be okay?" Glenn asked, the question hit her in a strange way. She found herself smiling widely at him and almost blushing. As the heat in her cheeks grew a bit she shook her head. Wasn't no almost about it. She was definitely blushing. Quickly she held it in check and gave him a push towards the door, hoping he didn't notice her flushed cheeks in the darkness.
Glenn disappeared inside with a small smile and Maggie was left alone on the porch staring into the lit foyer. The quiet of the night settled over her and she hugged her arms tighter around her body, the muffled sounds of the small reunion with Danny filtered out the screen door. But her brain wasn't processing them. Instead those muffled noises turned into something else, something more horrifying, and her eyes filtered back towards the barn. Those final words that Miles had said echoing in her ears.
She ain't sick. She's dyin'.
"So, you really think we're going to find her?" Andrea's voice broke through the silence and honest to fuckin' God Daryl almost smacked her.
Instead of giving into that almost overwhelming response, Daryl chose the fuckin' high ground and ignored the bitch. As if he wasn't irritated enough by all the shit that had gone down today, she had to just keep adding fuel to the damn fire. Daryl let out a long sigh and shifted his flashlight beam around the dark woods once more before shutting it off to save the battery.
His mind went back to what Glenn had said when he climbed out of that Hummer. He was lo to admit that he'd been scared, actual honest to God scared, when he saw the look on the kid's face when he got out. Soon as he'd seen the car he'd been expectin' bad news. Expectin' to hear that he was gonna have to add that woman to his missing fuckin' persons list. Expectin' to hear that Carl hadn't made it.
Much as that one pained him to think, it wasn't farfetched that the boy wouldn't survive a gunshot wound. And Dixon's didn't do wishful thinkin' so…
He'd thought he'd pretty much prepared for anything that Glenn could have said. And he'd been wrong. So fuckin' wrong that the simple words, Jenna's infected, had damn near floored him. Even now, just thinking about it had him all shades of riled up.
And then, instead of Danny just gettin' in the fuckin' Hummer and going back with Glenn, like he shoulda. He and that fuckin' Chinaman had spent the better part of a half an hour tellin' him that he should come to.
What the fuck was he gonna do there that Danny couldn't do?
He'd stormed off after a while, draggin' the devastated Ben and Gracie with him to the RV. He'd left Andrea and Dale to deal with getting Glenn and Danny back on the road and shoved those two kids back to the back room of that RV. As soon as they'd gotten back there the both of them just broke down in tears. He was grateful when they shoved their faces into him because he couldn't even begin to fathom the fuckin' lost expression that had been riding his face when that happened.
They cried for what felt like hours, Daryl makin' his best attempt to soothe them until finally they'd calmed down. And then the fuckin' questions had started all posed by Ben as little Gracie just sat there chewing her thumbnail and sniffin' away.
When was Jenna gonna turn? Was he gonna get to say goodbye? ('Cause he didn't get to say g'bye to Mike and he'd liked Mike.) Was Callie gonna shoot Jenna like she did Mike and Nina and Jim? (Just hearin' all them names spiked a dagger into Daryl's gut and had him thinkin' maybe, just maybe he shoulda gone with Glenn and Danny). Was Callie gonna shoot them too if they got bit?
And then at that Ben had made a point of saying that he wanted Daryl to shoot him if it happened, which was the last fuckin' straw. He'd stood up and snapped at both of them to lay the fuck down and go to sleep. Ben had stared at him for a moment, and then complied with a grumble and a sniff. While little Itty-bit, who had curled up on her side during Ben's question segment stared at him while he stalked around that little back room.
He'd pushed his way out of the room and thrown himself into the bench seat of that little table and stared at it until he heard the Hummer pull off. Dale and Andrea had come back at that point. Dale gave him one long look, a fuckin' look that spoke volumes of shit Daryl didn't wanna hear, and then proceeded back up onto the roof of the RV. Andrea had stared at him for a good long while before slipping herself into the bench seat across from him.
They stayed that way, neither one knowin' what to say to the other-neither one really boastin' ever havin' actually conversed with the other on a one-on-one basis before. Finally after what felt like fuckin' hours Daryl shifted and worked his way back to that back room where Ben was still audibly sniffin'.
"I'm sorry," Daryl said as he settled himself onto the small twin bed across from where the boy and his sister were curled up. Ben's shinin' sad eyes slipped up to him and he nodded, his chin wobblin' as he tried to control his tears.
"You think Sophia got bit too?" Ben asked quietly and Daryl shook his head and let out a long sigh through his nose as he slipped down and knelt in the space between the beds.
"No," Daryl said with conviction. "I'm gonna bring Sophia home. You hear me?" Ben had nodded but Daryl didn't let it go. "I wanna hear it."
"You're gonna bring her home," Ben said, his chin finally coming to a stop and his head lifting a bit. "I wanna say g'bye to Jenna."
"Gonna see her tomorrow mornin'." Daryl said putting his rough hand to the boy's head and pushing it back down to the pillow. Ben's eyes closed and he sighed. Daryl stayed and let his finger run over the boy's forehead until he fell asleep.
Daryl sat there just watchin' them two babies sleep, tiny whimpers fallin' from silent little Gracie's mouth as she snuggled in closer to her brother. Finally it all just got to be too much. The close confines of the RV. Those little whimpers. The sound of Andrea loadin' them fuckin' clips. He needed to get out. Get away. Get his fuckin' head on straight.
He'd pushed forward and made it to the door before Andrea had opened her trap, askin' what he was doin'. When he told her she offered to come along, and he let her. For God knows whatever reason, he fuckin' let her.
"Dale," Daryl yelled up and waited for the old man to peer over. "Gonna walk the road a bit. Shine a light for Sophia. Ben and Gracie are sleepin'," Dary shifted his eyes away when Andrea peered at him as she tucked her gun into the back of her jeans. "Can ya check on 'em in a bit. I don't want them wakin' up alone."
"Of course," Dale said nodding his head. "Be careful," Dale looked to Andrea who scoffed and rolled her eyes. Daryl met Dale's eyes and rolled his own earning a bit of a grin out of the old man before he turned and began walking.
And thus Daryl found himself walking the edge of the woods with a woman he didn't really care for. He didn't hate her, didn't not like her. He just didn't fuckin' care one way or another 'bout her.
"Daryl?" Andrea's voice broke into his thoughts and he found himself squinting over at her. "Did you hear me? I asked if you thought-"
"I fuckin' heard ya," Daryl snapped back. "I just wasn't answerin' ya."
"Why not?"
"'Cause it's a stupid fuckin' question." Daryl said harshly. "We're in fuckin' Georgia, not the mountains of Tibet. Of course we're gonna find her. People get lost all the time." Daryl shook his head. "That girl's a fuckin' survivor. Been one longer than this shit's been goin' down. She's tougher than y'all give her credit for livin' like she was," he felt Andrea's stare on his shoulders and he pressed through the awkward feeling he was getting from talking about Sophia's abusive life before. "She could be holed up in some farmhouse just waitin' for us to find her."
"You're very confident," Andrea said snidely and he snorted in return. "She's only twelve, Daryl."
"Fuck, I was nine when I got lost," Daryl said as he waved a hand at her. "Nine days in the woods, eatin' berries and wipin' my ass with poison oak." A smile came unbidden to Daryl's lips and he knew Andrea caught it.
"Someone found you?" Andrea asked trying to see him in the dark. She'd really never spoken to the man before, and found it strangely interesting to hear him being so open about something in his life.
"Nah," Daryl said that smile still in place on his face. Andrea peered at him as he shook his head and he let out a chuckle. "My dad was on a bender, and Merle was doin' him a stint in juvie. No one even knew I was gone. Made it back on my own. Made myself a sandwich, and weren't no worse for wear. 'Cept my ass itched somethin' awful." Daryl paused and let out another chuckle. "I remember tellin' Merle 'bout that when he got out. Fucker never let me live it down. Used to try to get me to wipe with poison oak every time we went out in the woods."
Andrea snorted and he looked over at her. She was slightly taken aback by what she saw. Daryl was smiling at her, not just a smirk or a twitch of his lips but a full on grin as he apparently fell into that memory of his childhood for all that it was worth. To her it was a terrible story, but to him, she shook her head. To him it had been something entirely different, something she in her limited experience with true hardships couldn't really ever hope to understand.
Daryl was still chuckling a bit and Andrea watched him pick his way through easily through the woods. Obviously still lost in some kind of internal humorous memories. Suddenly she was struck with something, and she looked at the man slightly ahead of her. The man lost in his thoughts of his brother.
"Daryl," Andrea said causing him to look back at her, his smile faded to a bit of a smirk now. "I don't think I ever-" she stopped and watched him raise an expectant and annoyed brow at her. "I'm sorry about Merle." He scoffed at her and looked away, his pace picking up a bit. He turned back and looked at her confusedly and she continued. "Really. I know what it's like to lose a sibling."
"Yeah, well," Daryl said quietly into the night. "Merle ain't dead." Andrea's feet stopped and she stared at the man a few steps ahead of her. She saw the moment his words echoed into his brain because his body tensed up and he half-turned to face her. "That was outta line," Daryl said quietly, surprising Andrea. "Amy was a sweet kid. What happened to her," he shook his head. "That was a shame. I don't envy you that pain."
"Thank you," Andrea said quietly and they started walking again. "Just knowing how hard it was for me with Amy," Andrea continued, ignoring the long shuddering, seemingly pained sigh from the man a few feet ahead of her. "I can't really imagine what Callie's going through right now. I mean she's already had to-"
"Shh," Daryl cut off Andrea mid sentence and held up his hand. Immediately Andrea pulled her gun and Daryl tried to hold back his biting remark. He pushed out his arm as a way to keep her ass back out of the way so he could take a look at what they were up against without her causing a fuckin' ruckus.
Daryl crept forward and squinted in the dark for a few seconds before pulling his flashlight and lighting up the small camp area they'd stumbled upon. His heart had been beating a mile a minute at the prospect of finding Sophia in this clearing, but his hopes were dashed in a heartbeat when his light slid up a nearby tree.
Wishful fuckin' thinkin' gets you this shit, baby brother. Merle's voice echoes in his head, and he snarls at it.
"Oh God," Andrea says putting her hand over her mouth and bending at the waist. Apparently the sight of the Walker hanging from the tree wiggling around wasn't something she'd been prepared for either. Daryl grimaced at the woman for a moment as she put her hand over her mouth.
"Ya a'right?" Daryl asked, she waved him off with a hand and felt his lip twitch a bit. "Go ahead and puke if you gotta. Ain't gonna be the first time I dealt with people pukin on me when we come up on one of these fuckers." Thoughts of Callie and then Rick flitted into his mind and he shook his head and smirked at the sound of her wretchin'. Add another to the list.
While Andrea worked to control her stomach Daryl inched forward and let his light hit off of a small piece of paper tacked to the tree under the Walker.
"Got bit, fever hit," Daryl squinted at the paper, "World's gone to shit. Might as well quit." Daryl squinted up the tree. "The fuck?" Daryl shifted his attention to the undead man twistin' like mad to try and get at him. "Dumbass didn't even know 'nough to shoot himself in the head. Look at that mess."
"I'd rather not," Andrea responded, causing Daryl to look over at her. He scrunched up his face. "Can we talk 'bout somethin' else?"
"Look at him, like some big fuckin' piñata," Daryl muttered causing Andrea to gag, he smirked a bit. Serves her right for taggin' along and bein' fuckin' annoyin' with her idiotic questionin'. She bent over a bit more and the sound was almost pained as she heaved. He found himself shaking his head and grimacing a bit before wrackin' his brain for a way to get her mind off of it. "You know why Merle called ya Sugar-Tits?"
He watched from the corner of his eye as her head snapped up and she speared him with a confused glare. She wiped at her mouth and continued to stare at him for a minute before he raised a brow expectantly. Her face softened as he worked his way around the campsite looking for any signs that Sophia might have stumbled upon it, and he sent her the tiniest of smirks.
"I remember Callie saying something about me having the better rack," Andrea said with a smirk as she spat at the ground and shifted away from the still swinging Walker. She smiled at him when he chuckled, and when their eyes met she gave him a silent nod of thanks. Inane conversation to take your mind off the horror around you was a beautiful thing when used correctly. Then she saw his eyes flick down to her breasts and watched him chuckle as she crossed her arms over her chest. "God, just as bad as your brother."
Daryl shrugged and then went back to looking in the small tent, the beam of his flashlight flicking around a bit. The sound of the groaning, swinging Walker in the tree as the background noise of his search, an eerie reminder of why they were out here.
"That was part of it," Daryl again chuckled the memory of the day Callie got the information from Merle flashing in his mind. "Honestly, the man couldn't remember a fuckin' name to save his life," Daryl said idly as he kicked at a broken lantern and looked over at the blonde woman now just staring at him.
"The drugs?"
"Nah," Daryl said working his head into the tent and looking around. "Merle just never really gave a fuck 'bout rememberin' 'em. Said it was a waste of time. Shit, the man didn't even call me by name half the time," Daryl said unable to stop the smirk from riding his lips as Andrea followed his movements with her eyes. "Called me 'kid' or 'boy' for the first few years, then 'dumbfuck', a few more in between, and then finally it just ended up being 'lil' brother' or somethin' close. Shit, only really started usin' my name after shit started hittin' the fan."
"From dumbfuck to brother in thirty-some years," Andrea said with a smile. "Quite the accomplishment." He flipped her off and she smiled wider. "I used to call Amy 'midget'," Andrea said her brow furrowing a bit as Daryl worked his way back towards her. He lifted a single brow at her in a way that had her thinking he was questioning her intelligence just a bit. "Guess it wasn't as badass as I thought." He scoffed and she snickered. "Shut up, I was twelve."
"And obviously lackin' in the imagination department," Daryl said under his breath. Andrea stared at him for a moment and then shook her head.
"So is this what you're like around Callie?" Andrea asked out of the blue, which caused his eyes to snap back to her. She was honestly interested, because she'd never been able to figure out exactly what Callie saw in him before. Even at the Quarry, it hadn't really made sense and had been the subject of quite a few gossip-fests between the rest of the ladies when Callie wasn't around. But the little glimpse she was getting here, the way he was keeping her mind off of things without her asking him to. The way he smiled when he thought she couldn't see him. She was starting to slowly understand the appeal.
Daryl just stared at her for a second before a snarl marched its way over his features and Andrea actually witnessed him put up a wall around himself, shoulders hunching and body stiffening. Realizing she'd brought up a sore subject she shook her head and glanced around them. She watched him keep walking and turned to follow him with wide eyes.
"Aren't you going to…" she motioned towards the tree with a hand, careful not to look, her stomach still churning a bit more than she liked.
"Why?" Daryl shot back, again looking at her like she should be wearing a helmet. "Ain't hurtin' no one up there."
Daryl watched Andrea slowly turn her head towards the walker, her eyes lifting to the dead man's face. Daryl's nose twitched as she inched along the debris underfoot for a closer inspection. He squinted as she moved, watching her body tense up as she clenched and unclenched her hand around the strap of her bag. It didn't take a fuckin' mind reader to know what she was thinkin' 'bout. The woman had been ready to 'opt out' back at the CDC according to Jenna. He'd overheard the girl talkin' to Callie 'bout it one night and hadn't really looked at the blonde in the same light since.
He'd always thought she had a bit more sense than that.
Daryl found himself moving forward a bit as the Walker began to claw at the air a in a more frenzied way. He found himself sliding back in time to a wooded area and another Walker hanging from a tree, and yet again Merle slipped into his mind.
Bitch wants to die, let her keep rilin' that fucker up. Things gonna fuckin' fall right on her.
"You wanna live now? Or not?" Daryl asked shocking the shit out of the woman and sending her eyes snapping back to him. "Just a question," he jutted his chin. "You keep it up your gonna have that sum'bitch fallin' right on you. Get your wish." Andrea ignored him but backed up a few steps, her eyes slipped to him and then back to the Walker twice before finally staying on his.
"Answer for an arrow?" Andrea said quietly. It took him a moment, because he couldn't quite figure out why he cared one way or the other.
Maybe it was the thought that havin' some suicidal bitch at his back, or side, or even close by could be detrimental to his health. To his safety, and that of anyone else around them. Maybe it was because there weren't that many of them left, and another loss would take a bigger toll than anyone was really prepared for.
His thoughts went to Jenna, and to Callie waiting there for one of her babies to turn. He regarded her again and he snarled and nodded.
"I don't know," Andrea said quietly. "I don't know if I want to, if I have to, or if it's just habit." Daryl shook his head and fired an arrow at the Walker. He pushed his shoulder roughly into hers and turned her to face him.
"You know why I'm so sure I'm gonna find Sophia?" Daryl seethed as he stared into her eyes. Andrea was startled both by him touching her and by his question and simply stared at him opened mouthed for a while before shaking her head. "'Cause that lil' girl wants to live." Daryl said in a matter-of-fact tone, that moved her head back as if he'd slapped her. "Ain't never been a question in her little mind. Not after the world went dead 'round her. Not after her daddy died in fronta her. Not after any of the shit we been through. She wants to live," Daryl roughly broke his hold on Andrea's arm and pointed his finger in her face. "You do me a favor, blondie," Daryl said anger rollin' over him and shootin' words out of his mouth that he'd normally keep inside. "You stow that shit when we get to the farm. Ain't one person there that's gonna wanna hear your sob story 'bout not knowin' if you wanna live or not."
He saw Andrea's eyes widen a bit and he snarled before shaking his head and looking up at the now dead Walker.
"Fuckin' waste of an arrow," Daryl grumbled as he turned away and started back off into the woods. "Let's go."
When he didn't hear her following him, Daryl slowed his angry stride just a bit. She caught up to him a moment later and they trudged back to the highway and the RV in complete silence. He couldn't really figure out why he'd blown up on her. But he wasn't sorry for doin' it. That woman needed to understand that she wasn't the only one who'd lost people in this fucked up existence. His mind was circling 'round and 'round by the time the RV came into view, 'causing a deep rooted pain to throb behind his eyes.
Dale was working his way back up the ladder, his eyes shifting over his shoulder at their approach. Daryl waved the flashlight at the old man signaling it was them before that rifle could make it any further off of his shoulder. Dale waved back and continued up and Daryl flicked off the flashlight. He heard Andrea sigh from her position slightly behind him and he sped up his steps a little.
He made it to the RV without having to hear what was gonna follow that telltale sigh. He stopped at Merle's bike and watched from his periphery as Andrea worked past him to the door of the RV. Her hand was on the door handle and then that sigh sounded again and he growled knowing she wasn't gonna be able to let him have the last word.
Fuckin' lawyers. Merle's words from long, long ago echoed in his mind and he found himself snarling out a grin in agreement.
"Why are you still here?" Andrea's question caught him off guard. He'd been expecting something along the lines of an insult, not a question. His eyes lifted to hers and held. It was a fuckin' loaded question too, with a lot of different branches.
Why was he still survivin' after losing Merle? Why was he still workin' to find somewhere safe? Why was he still with the group at all after what they done to his only kin? Why was he still on the highway?
All the answers circled 'round and kept comin' back to one answer. One he didn't wanna admit, especially not to fuckin' Andrea. She must have seen the answer for what it was though, 'cause he couldn't stop his eyes from flyin' to the RV for a moment before sliding down that dark stretch of highway. He looked away when his gaze slipped to hers again and he heard her take a step towards him.
"You should have gone to that farm," Andrea said with a frown and he glared at her. "Why didn't you?" Daryl really didn't know why he was answering her at all. Maybe it was some residual bad feelin's for what he'd said to her out in the woods. Maybe he was still tryin' to convince himself he'd made the right decision. Whatever it was, he blurted out the answer he'd made up for himself to see how well it stuck in the real world.
"She'd a wanted me to stay with the kids," Daryl said angry at himself for how stupid the words sounded as soon as they left his mouth. He felt his lips hitch at the distaste of it all, and looked away in anger when Andrea looked at him with that soft expression women got when they knew they had the upper hand on a man's logic. She shook her head and let a snarky little scoffing noise out.
"You know what," Andrea said quietly. "You're right. That's exactly what she would have said to you." Daryl's eyes snapped up to her and she smiled before lifting one finger and pointing it at him. "But you and I both know that what that woman wants and what she needs right now are two different things." Andrea pointed at him again and then ran her hand over her head. "And if you don't know the difference, then maybe you aren't the man I was beginning to think you were."
With that Andrea opened the door and her blonde head whipped around in that fashion that said she was fuckin' pleased with herself and Daryl growled low in the back of his throat. The door closed and Daryl skipped his eyes up to find Dale staring down at him. He smashed his foot into the back tire of Merle's bike and then again found his eyes slipping down the highway.
"Fuckin' lawyers."
Danny settled his bum leg up on the bottom edge of the bed that Jenna was laying in and ran his eyes over her slightly twitching, but still sleeping form. His eyes roamed her entire body, marveling at how small she suddenly seemed. How young; how frail. He settled his back against the worn surface of the wingback chair that Glenn had dragged over for him, and put both of his hands over his weary, slightly wet eyes and rubbed furiously. His gaze was dragged to the window along the wall opposite the bed by the sound of feet shuffling slightly on the floorboards. Danny let his hands fall to scratch into his bearded cheeks as he watched her.
Callie stood staring out the window into the night. Her dark waving hair was curled into a messy nest at the nape of her neck, her arms tightly wrapped around her and shoulders stiff as she moved her weight restlessly from her left foot to her right and then back again. It was the same position she'd been in when he'd first arrived.
The moment of relief that he'd seen on her face when he entered the room had been short-lived and easily replaced by grief. A palpable grief that seemed to have settled in the air of that dimly lit room and had hit him like a fuckin' ton of bricks. Callie had worked towards him, his steps faltering as his eyes had rested upon the form of the little girl-'cause that's what she was, a fuckin' little girl-laying in that bed. Callie's hand had settled on his arm, and he'd felt his bleary eyes slip to her but not really see her. The image of Jenna laying there was burning itself into his retinas.
Her hand had remained on his arm, as his eyes slipped back to the bed. They didn't say anything to one another, just stood there. Honestly, what the fuck was there to say? Miles was in the doorway, keeping a distance between himself and the horror, and Danny had picked up Carol leading the boy off in his periphery. His space apparently taken up by Glenn who remained in the doorway while Danny tried to process everything.
Danny still wasn't sure how long he and Callie had stood there, or at what point Glenn had actually pulled the chair over. But he did remember Callie taking his crutch and Glenn's hands leading him to sitting down. And then he'd actually felt the tears that had apparently been streaming down his face since he'd stepped in the room.
Glenn and Callie had a hushed conversation that he'd barely registered at the time, but now, as he watched her shoulders sag a bit and her feet shuffle, the sounds came back. The words finding a place in his head and heart.
"The others?" Callie had asked quietly.
"He, uh, -They-" Glenn paused and let out a sigh. "They're coming at first light. They promised Carol to stay for Sophia," Glenn added hastily. "Daryl," Glenn stopped again and didn't start. Danny didn't know why, but he figured Callie must have done something to stop him.
"You shouldn't have gone out there at all, ya know," Callie said and Glenn had chuckled. "And you were supposed to not tell Rick."
"Yeah," Glenn said in return. "You shoulda probably known better about that one, Cal. As for leaving. I couldn't let you," Glenn stopped again and that was the end of the conversation.
Danny's eyes roamed over Callie again, taking in the sight of her disheveled appearance with a newly awoken sensitivity. Staring out into the dark, but every so often her head would turn to the bed, or the gun settled on the small stand close to her. Danny scratched at his cheeks again and shifted just a bit.
"Glenn could go get him," Danny said quietly watching as her back stiffened but she didn't turn. "I'm the one that said that Ben and Gracie should wait. I wasn't sure what -" he stopped and looked at Jenna's slightly stirring body. "I figured we needed time to discuss." Callie's head was nodding and Danny sat forward a bit, his bum leg falling to the ground. "Glenn could go and get him."
"He'll be here in the morning," Callie said tiredly. "I don't think that's so far off right now." She turned to face him and gave a sad little smile. "You back from the abyss now?"
"Fuck no," Danny said running his hand over his face again and looking back at the girl in the bed. "She know what's going on?" Callie nodded and he let out a sigh that was more shaky than he intended and worked to steel his nerves. "She made any decisions?" Callie didn't answer and Danny closed his eyes. "I really thought we were done, ya know? After Mike and Nina," he took a breath and shook his head. "I really thought…"
"Me too," Callie said quietly and his eyes slipped back to her, watching as she shook her head. "Fuckin' foolish. We should talk—"
"Not tonight, Cal." Danny said cutting her off. "Not right now. I need to- we all need to process this."
She nodded her head and went to turn back to the window but Danny started shaking his head. "You're off duty," Danny said quietly earning a raised brow from the woman. "You're fuckin' exhausted, and literally drained. Get the fuck outta here."
"I'm not-"
"She's as much mine as she is yours," Danny said quietly cutting her off and waving a hand as he closed his eyes and rubbed at the migraine building in his temples. "You're off duty, come back after you've gotten some rest." He heard her sigh, and felt her hand slide over his shoulders as she worked her way towards the side of the bed. From the corner of his eye he caught movement at the doorway and both he and Callie turned towards it, expecting Miles.
"Is everything okay?" Callie asked, her voice filled with dread at the sight of Maggie staring into the room. The girl's eyes were glued to the bed for a moment before she blinked and looked up at Callie, forcing a small smile to her face. "Carl-?"
"He's fine," Maggie said quietly her smile a bit wider. "He came through just fine," Maggie continued. "I figured you'd want to know."
"Thank you," Callie said letting out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. Behind her she heard Danny let out the same shaking sigh of relief, and she looked over her shoulder to see him rubbing viciously at his eyes again. As if he could rub the entire fucking world away.
A beat of silence followed, in which Maggie's eyes yet again locked onto Jenna's figure in the bed. Callie watched the girl's face, trying to figure out what was going through her mind as she just stared. As quick as her staring contest with Jenna's slumbering figure started, it stopped. Maggie shook her head a bit and slid her eyes to Callie's expectant gaze.
"Dad wanted to talk to you," Maggie said, and Callie began to nod. The good doctor had been trying to talk to her for a while about Jenna and her plans, and Callie had been avoiding it quite well. But she supposed there was really only so long you could avoid a man in his own home. She opened her mouth to respond but Maggie waved a flippant hand. "I told him he'd have to wait."
Callie's eyes opened wide and Danny let out a bit of a chuckle. Maggie's gaze flipped over Callie's shoulder to the man with his leg propped up on the bed and she raised her brow at him.
"I should probably talk to him," Callie said quietly to the girl, getting her attention back. "I've kind of been avoiding him."
"Oh I know," Maggie said with a stern look that soon faded to a smile. "As well you should." Callie chuckled this time and Maggie's grin grew and then fell. "I figured you'd want to get cleaned up first. Your man," Callie didn't miss the quick marring of the girl's features, visible even in the dim light of the room. "Shane. He's finished in the bathroom. Everyone else has already helped themselves to a warm shower, I figured you'd like one too."
"It's fine," Callie said raising a hand to wave her off. Maggie grabbed that hand and held it.
"Honestly," Maggie said stepping a bit closer as if to whisper, but her voice was loud and clear. "You smell disgusting. Starting to stink up the whole damn house." Both Callie and Danny barked out a laugh and Callie distinctly heard Danny mutter 'oh I like her' before laughing again. Maggie gave Callie a genuine smile and squeezed her hand a bit. "You need to clean up. The hot water will do you some good. Help clean off a bit of the day," Maggie squeezed her hand and again Callie worked to read the expression on the girl's face as her eyes shifted for a brief second to Jenna in the bed. "Water should be warm again now. We got some fresh towels in there. After you're all cleaned up we can take a look at some of those cuts ya got," Maggie jutted her chin towards Callie's left hand and the blood seeping through her dirty bandage.
"Not really a choice huh?" Callie said with a smirk to the girl.
"She already flat out told ya that you're stinkin' up the place, Cal." Danny said with a chuckle. "You lookin' for something more?"
"Shut it up," Callie shot over her shoulder before turning a smile back to Maggie. "Like his ass smells any better." Maggie chuckled and shook her head mumbling something about language that had Callie grinning from ear to ear. "I appreciate the offer."
"Good," Maggie said cutting off any other protest Callie would have made. The girl stood aside and extended her arm out in invitation for Callie to go on out into the hallway. Maggie looked back at Danny lowering her voice just a bit. "Your boy has posted himself up out here," Danny's brows rose and he nodded once waving a hand.
"Thanks, I'll get him," Danny said catching Callie's eye. "In a minute." Maggie nodded and then gave Callie a little push to her shoulder and out the door.
Callie's eyes caught on Miles sitting on the floor a bit down from the doorway and she gave him a wan smile that he didn't return. Maggie fell into step beside her, the girl's hand settled at her elbow helping her along. Callie couldn't help but smile.
"I don't really know how to say thank you for all that y'all have done," Callie said quietly her eyes flicking to the brown-haired girl beside her. Maggie frowned and shook her head in a dismissive manner. "I know this is an inconvenience," Callie said quietly as they passed by the living room where her group had taken up post. Her eyes skimmed over everyone locking onto Shane's gaze as it followed them. He'd shaved his head, the effect giving a strange harsh, haunting look to his exhausted appearance.
Callie's brow narrowed a bit when she noticed that the man wasn't looking at her, but following the movement of the girl. Callie's gaze shifted to Maggie who was working hard not to look at the man watching her.
"How's Patricia?" Callie asked quietly as they started up the stairs. She felt the jolt of the girl's body at the question and she stopped their progress for a minute as the girl collected herself.
"She's grievin'," Maggie said quietly, raising her own sad eyes to Callie. "We all are. Otis was a good man."
"I have no doubt of that," Callie said with a hand to the girl's arm. "I'm so sorry for your loss." Maggie didn't respond, simply shrugged off Callie's hand as gently as she could. Obviously not wanting to offend, but not really wanting the sympathy of a stranger. Callie started back up the stairs, watching as Maggie's gaze slipped behind them again to where her group was sitting. It was obvious that Maggie's mind was still on the man who had been eyeing her as they walked past. "You don't have to worry," Callie said quietly watching Maggie's gaze snap up to her. She worked hard to put a blank expression on her face as she raised a questioning brow. "We'll be out of your hair soon."
"Daddy's lettin' y'all stay on the land 'till Carl's up and 'round again," Maggie said quietly, her eyes shifting over her shoulder. "He already discussed it with Rick. So I think you may be here longer than you're thinkin'."
"They will," Callie said as they worked up the stairs. Maggie raised a brow as they worked their way slowly up, Callie's legs feeling a bit more like jell-o with each wobbling step she took. Callie smiled at the girl and shook her head. "I'm not expectin' a nice happy conversation with your father. Nor a lengthy stay afterwards."
And she wasn't. Callie wasn't an idiot. She'd seen the way that Hershel had been eyeing her when he would come in to give a quick check to Jenna. The way his eyes skimmed over the gun that she'd settled at the table beside her. The slight frown on his face as he took Jenna's pulse, and felt her head for fever. Two actions that had Callie shaking her head slightly in a sick sort of amusement.
"You're pretty quick," Maggie said with a smirk as they reached the landing and worked towards the bathroom. Callie returned the girl's smirk with a humored raise of her brows. They stopped outside the door and Maggie crossed her arms over her chest and stared at Callie for a moment. "I got Beth workin' to find you some clothes. You look to be 'bout the same size as—" she stopped and Callie watched her face fall for a second before she shook it off. "I think we have something that should fit ya."
"My clothes are in the Hummer," Callie said and Maggie raised her brows. "I don't want to put ya out anymore than we already have."
"Do your clothes all look like," she waved at Callie's stained pants and shirt. Callie again found herself laughing at the unhidden look of disgust filtering over the girl's features. Internally Callie echoed Danny's earlier sentiments, she definitely liked this girl.
"Not quite as bad," Callie said still chuckling but laughing again when Maggie uncrossed her arms and waved them about in front of her.
"Nuh uh," Maggie said. "I'm not havin' you walkin' 'round like that in my house." She mock shivered and gave Callie a small smile. "I'm sure we have something. Don't worry 'bout it."
"Thank you, Maggie," Callie said watching as the girl turned to face her again. "For everything." They stared at one another for a few moments before Maggie gave a single nod and again crossed her arms over her chest. The girl started towards the stairs and Callie shifted into the bathroom. She closed the door and put her back to it, standing in the room for a moment just breathing and looking around.
Callie's head tipped back after a moment, her shaking right hand lifting to her mouth as she desperately worked to smother the sob she felt dragging up her sore throat. She took three deep breaths in, and steeled her spine before her legs had a chance to buckle again. Clenching her hands into fists she let out one more trembling breath before shaking her head and taking those first few steps towards that inviting bathtub.
She turned on the water, and put her hands under the slowly warming stream. Closing her eyes she began the very difficult task of doing as Maggie suggested; trying to wash away this fucking day.
I know I've dreamed you a sin and a lie
I have my freedom but I don't have much time
Faith has been broken tears must be cried
Let's do some living after we die
Wild horses, couldn't drag me away
Wild, wild horses we'll ride them someday
Wild horses, couldn't drag me away
Wild, wild horses we'll ride them someday
~Wild Horses / The Rolling Stones
AN: I feel like this horrible person for not giving y'all what you wanted (the whole group back together-Daryl and Callie's reunion). But you just have to deal 'cause I got this dude. I GOT THIS. Method to the madness I swear. I've been trying to update at least once a week…and I'm hard at work on the next chapter, but want to warn you that we're headin' to the lake for a few days. So if I don't get to update don't worry.
I want to thank a good bit of you for giving a bit of input in your review about the Carl issue I brought up at the end of the last chapter. I loved every bit of response that I got.
Vaughn Zomby: UGH is probably one of the best descriptive words I've seen as a review for my long-ass chapters. I sometimes think about just posting the bits and pieces instead of having so many lengthy snippets together…but for me it just seems to flow better as a big ass fuckin' chunk ya know? I love that you guys stick with me through it and can't begin to thank you all for that. I'm sorry I leave you so frustrated, and sad but I'm happy 'bout the excited thing!
See ya next chapter!