Chapter 4:Concrete Angel

Blurb: Hey guys! Thanks for your favorites/follows. Reviews make me feel amazing. :)) How do you all feel about the songs for each chapter? This chapter is named after Concrete Angel- Gareth Emery ft Christina Novelli.

Daryl had insisted on moving out of the farmhouse as soon as he was able to hobble to the bathroom without someone to lean on. Ellen tried to talk him out of it, preferring to have him under the same roof so she could keep an eye on him. He had let the idea go at first to appease Ellen; but then things turned sour.

Ellen knocked on Daryl's door with a bowl of oatmeal in one hand and a mug of chamomile tea in the other. It was still early morning- around 8- and Ellen hadn't checked on him yet. Ellen jumped when a loud thud hit the wooden door, sending it rocking on its hinges.

Collecting herself, Ellen pushed the door open slowly, "Everything ok in here?"

"The fuck 'you want?"

Ellen's eyebrows rose towards her hairline. What was his problem?

Daryl turned to his other side, facing Ellen in the doorway. He let out a short growl before continuing, "Didn't ask you to come here."

Ellen kept her face unreadable. She wouldn't let his words tear her up inside. "And I suppose you think you're fit to hunt squirrels for your meal today?"

"So what if I do? Ain't yer business."

Daryl's behavior had become increasingly brutal throughout his recovery. He had met Ellen's every attempt to aid him with sharp words. And still, Ellen had shown him nothing but kindness. She didn't understand what was going on in his head.

Stepping into the room with a false confidence in her movements, Ellen made for the nightstand. "You need food if you're going to get stronger." She set the meal down on the table near his bed.

Eyeing the bowl of oatmeal, Daryl barked back at Ellen, "I don't want that slop."

Ellen didn't reply. She just turned on her heels to make her way towards the door. Recognizing this as Ellen's usual response to his ungrateful behavior, Daryl threw an extra pillow at the room's entrance. His effort sent the pillow sliding across the wooden floor into the hall. It would have hit her knees if she had been any closer.

Ellen didn't react. Deciding that she should just leave him to his temper tantrum, she exited the room. She didn't even bother to return his pillow.

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Ellen left the farmhouse to look for help from Rick's group. She was going to give Daryl what he wanted- a tent over his head.

She found Rick near the RV. He greeted her warmly, but Ellen went right to business, "I need you to get Daryl out of the house- for good."

Rick gave her a curious look, "What do you mean by that?"

"He's restless- doesn't want to stay in that room anymore. He needs to be out here."

"You'd leave him to the elements?" Rick asked.

"If that's what he wants."

Rick set his jaw and sighed audibly, "Alright, I guess we can get him out here."

"Thank you."

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Ellen wasn't there when Rick and Shane came to transfer Daryl from the house to his tent. Despite his recent behavior toward her, Daryl was surprised she didn't show up to oversee his move. Even though Daryl had specifically asked for this, it still felt a lot like being kicked to the doghouse.

Rick and Shane left him on the floor of his tent, giving him access to his sleeping bag. Daryl had insisted that he didn't need any more help. Alone now, he repositioned himself on the makeshift bed. Lying back, Daryl noticed a few things were not as he had left them the morning before his search for Sophia. For instance, his pillow cover was clean… and floral; two things Daryl would never have done himself.

Daryl looked around the tent, reaching for items in his vicinity. His canteen was full- something which rarely occurred in this Georgian heat. And his clothes, which had been in a rough pile at the corner of the tent when he last saw them, were now folded into neat stacks.

These details did not escape Daryl's attention; and they screamed one thing- Ellen.

She put up a great front in the face of his constant mistreatment of her, but Daryl could see that she could not resist offering her care regardless. At first, Daryl had accepted and even admired her for it. But then he found himself in unfamiliar territory.

Ellen seemed to know what he needed before he did, and she never failed to follow through. Daryl had begun to look on her with new eyes. He'd never once been treated with the sort of kindness Ellen offered, and it left him wanting. The realization that he actually craved her attention made him feel queasy. Never in his life had anyone had this much control over his attitude, and it scared him.

Daryl had never been one to give up control of a situation without a fight. Surrendering to Ellen's good nature would leave him blindsided. He had no idea how to deal with these emotions. But he sure as hell wasn't going to let her sneak her way under his ironclad skin without a fight. Caring for her was not an option; especially not in a world where the dead rise to kill the living.

Frustrated, Daryl threw his canteen at the neat pile of clothes. They tumbled down from their tower. Now a bit more satisfied that he could control one damn thing in his possession, Daryl focused on guarding his thoughts.

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Ellen was in the kitchen when Maggie found her. Walking up behind Ellen, Maggie tried to be discreet about getting her attention. Her attempt at stealth didn't work, however, and Ellen jumped up in surprise. "Holy-, Jeeze, Maggie. My heart almost stopped."

Thankfully there wasn't anyone else in the kitchen with them besides Patricia, who was busy chopping vegetables. Maggie pointed towards the door. Ellen eyed Maggie's finger warily. Maggie jabbed it in the direction of the door again, out of Patricia's line of sight. Getting her meaning, Ellen dried her wet hands with a washcloth and headed out of the kitchen.

Once they were in the dining room, Maggie spoke, "I need to talk to you. Lets go upstairs."

Leading Ellen through the house, Maggie opened the door to Ellen's room and shut it behind them. Ellen stared at Maggie with a look that said both 'what is wrong with you?' and 'are you ok?'.

Maggie sighed, "Look, we have a problem. Glenn found the walkers in the barn."

Ellen's eyes grew wide, "Did he tell?"

"No, not yet. But I'm not sure how long he'll keep it to himself."

Ellen rubbed her hands through her hair, "Oh man, Maggie. They aren't going to like this."

"I'm more concerned about what they are going to do about it," Maggie answered.

Ellen's face fell, "You're right. They kill walkers on site."

Nodding, Maggie brought up another point, "Dad isn't going to let them stay if they do."

The realization of this hit Ellen with full force. Neither she nor Maggie could keep the group here if they did something to get themselves kicked out. "You can't let Glenn tell. He can't-."

Maggie agreed, "I'll do my best."

Ellen was unsure how to proceed after Maggie had left her alone with this new information. She had to warn Daryl somehow. But if he knew everything, he would never allow the walkers to stay. Struggling with this new insight, Ellen knew she couldn't just stay quiet and let things play out. She had to do everything in her power to keep the group here.

But if she failed, and something horrible did force the group to leave, what would she do? Would she choose to stay on the farm, or go with them? Was she even ready to face the unknown outside the borders of the farm? From what she had seen during the search for Sophia, the world had become much darker. One could never really be prepared to leave the comfort of home. But this wasn't really her home- not really her family. If the group did leave, and the farm was overrun with walkers- or a hostile living party- the Greenes would never stand a chance.

They were too sheltered.

Ellen was too sheltered. And whether she chose to stay or go, her lack of experience could kill her. Now she just had to choose… where would she rather die?

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Beth came to retrieve Ellen from the house. She invited Ellen to join the others for gun training. Relieved to have a distraction, Ellen eagerly left the house with her.

Jimmy already had the pickup fired up. Maggie stepped out of the passengers seat, motioning to Beth, "C'mon we don't have all day."

Beth looked to Ellen, realizing there was only one extra seat in the truck. Ellen waved over to Maggie, "I'll go see if there's room in the wagon."

Ellen jogged up to the side of the station wagon. She opened the back side door and stuck her head inside the vehicle, "Mind if I catch a ride?"

"Hop in, Ellen," Andrea answered from the passenger seat.

Ellen scooted in to join the other women in the back of the car, ready for the short ride down the bumpy dirt path.

The passengers were relatively silent the entire ride towards the field they would use for shooting, which was outside of Hershel's property line. Ellen watched the scenery dance past her window as they drove past the greenery. It reminded her of a time when things were far less chaotic, and she didn't have to learn how to shoot a gun in order to sleep easy.

Once they reached the field, everyone piled out of the cars. Rick handed her a gun as soon as she stepped out of the vehicle, "You'll need this."

Ellen thanked him, fingering the cool metal of the weapon in her hands with fascination and respect.

T-Dog ordered glass bottles to be lined up across a fence that had once lined the abandoned property. Once the bottles were in place, Shane instructed his pupils on the importance of the safety switch and the basics of pulling the trigger. Then, he instructed everyone to take aim at the bottles, explaining that he and Rick would correct each person individually as he observed.

Ellen was standing between Maggie and Jimmy, which was where she felt most comfortable. As they began shooting at the bottles, Ellen noticed T-Dog scolding Jimmy on his form, "Hey, c'mon man, don't give me that gangster shit."

Ellen smirked and aimed for another transparent glass bottle. She pulled the trigger, feeling the slight kick back of the pistol as the bullet released. The bottle sat undisturbed in its position.

Growling in frustration, Ellen tried a new tactic. She imagined the creature she had encountered with Daryl in the woods. The- what had he called it?... walker… it's long arms reaching for her- teeth gnashing in want of her flesh. And the only thing standing between her and death was the target before her. Inhaling deeply, Ellen focused her aim once more and fired on her enemy.

The bottle shattered. The walker fell.

Ellen smiled triumphantly, taking aim at another ruby bottle glistening in the light of the afternoon sun. Rick had been watching her carefully and commented on her work, "Nice shot, Ellen. Keep your arms like that and you'll hit the bottle more often."

Ellen nodded, refusing to take her eyes off the bottle, "Thanks Rick."

She pulled the trigger, hitting her target successfully once more. Perhaps she wasn't as hopeless as Daryl believed.

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When everyone returned from the shooting lesson, they found the camp untouched. Ellen walked through the campsite as she made her way towards the house, gun pocketed in the waistband of her jeans. Shane called after her, "Ellen!"

Surprised he had acknowledged her at all, Ellen whipped around on her heels to face the bear of a man. He stalked towards her, "Hey, we can't have you walk'n round here with a gun like that. Hershel doesn't want those on the property."

Realization hit Ellen, and she nodded her acceptance, "Oh, sorry. It just kind of felt natural."

Shane chuckled, "Well you might as well get used to it. You're safer with the gun, in my opinion."

Ellen shrugged, "Hershel's master of the house. I can practice during lessons, anyway."

Shane grunted, disapproving of her easy submission to Hershel's strict rules. "Yeah, whatever. Give it here and I'll hand it over to Dale."

Ellen gingerly pried the weapon from the waistband of her jeans, handing it lightly over to Shane. He grabbed the metal a little to aggressively and gave her a predatorial look before turning to walk in the direction opposite her.

Ellen didn't realize she had been holding her breath until she gulped a deep inflow of oxygen after Shane left. He was danger; she could smell it on him.

Turning to make her way back toward the house, Ellen realized she hadn't seen Daryl since early this morning before he had been moved outside. She glanced over to his tent at the far end of the camp. Was it wise to wake a slumbering bear? Perhaps not- but she would try non-the-less.

She approached the tent gingerly, afraid her footfalls would disturb Daryl if he was resting. She could make out his figure on the cot through the mesh that covered his tent. He had let the covers of the tent down to allow the sunlight through. Choosing to go for the head-on approach, Ellen made for the door of the tent and crouched down to peer inside.

Daryl grunted when he noticed he had company. He had heard her walking outside the tent, but hadn't expected her to come see him. He'd been so rude to her that he'd expected her to turn tail and run at the prospect of ever speaking to him again. But no- this filly was strong.

"How you holding up, cave man?" Ellen asked with a slight smile.

Daryl turned his face away from her in an effort to hid his smirk from her. This girl was doing strange things to him. "I ain't dead."

Ellen considered this, "No, you're not. But you could have been. I'm glad you're ok, Daryl."

Daryl looked at her then. The concern on her face was chipping away his exterior, "Told ya that wasn't yer fault."

Ellen nodded, glad Daryl wasn't totally pushing her away this time, "I know. But that doesn't change how grateful I am."

Silence followed her statement. It hung in the air between them.

Ellen spoke up again, "I'll make sure to bring you some food soon. Do you need anything else on my next trip?"

Daryl eyed her, considering her offer, "Yeah, a new pillow case. This shit's covered in flowers."

Ellen laughed and the joy reached her eyes. Daryl felt a sudden peace and warmth in her presence, this innocent mousy creature. The feeling burned gently in his chest and buzzed all the way to his toes. He wanted to be closer to her… hear her laugh again.

Ellen met his skittishly mesmerized gaze with her own joyful expression, "I'll see what I can do about fetching a solid pillowcase for you."

Daryl smiled back at her slowly and dismissed her, "Get to it, Peaches."

Ellen nodded dutifully, "Alright, alright! I'm going, your highness."