Lab Angel: Okay so apparently my muses decided that the dream sequence is going to be backwards...
Disclaimer: I don't own The Walking Dead, I just borrow the characters for my own nefarious purposes.
Rick's thoughts.
Daryl's thoughts.
Flashback to the TWD Universe including my snippet in the beginning of the story.
0-0-0-0 Third Person POV 0-0-0-0
"Rick! Daryl! There's gotta be at least ten walkers. No more than that." Michonne said, giving her blade a flick to get some of the blood and other things off, she nodded towards Carl before turning and heading off again.
"C'mon Carl." Rick said grabbing his son's shoulder and running the opposite direction Michonne went, they would meet up again in a couple of days, Daryl took off at a jog ahead of them. Rick knew that eventually Daryl would separate from them, they were all in agreement that they would each lead more of the walkers away, so that the herd wasn't so big and could be easily eliminated. Rick kept his hand on Carl's shoulder, pushing the teen along, Daryl stopped and held a hand out for the Grimes men to do the same.
"Daryl?" Carl whispered, looking ahead of them, shambling towards them were more walkers. Daryl motioned towards a parking lot where there was a shelter, the walkers that were behind them were closing in quickly, Rick lifted Daryl up on the platform where the archer pulled him up, then Rick reached over the edge to pull Carl up. The cry of pain caused Daryl to jump into action, his last arrow embedded in the head of the walker that bit Carl, the officer pulled his son up and held onto him as Carl cried.
"Rick!" Daryl yelled, slamming another clip into his gun. "Rick, I know how you feel but I need your help." Rick could hear the strain in the other man's voice, laying Carl down on the platform next to him, he couldn't let go yet; not when his son was still alive. He watched the life leave his son's face then his eyes. "Rick, get up! We have to get out of here! I need your help!"
-0-0-0-0 Rick POV -0-0-0-0
The nurse had returned with a cane and handed it to me, helping me to stand up and walk, at first my legs didn't want to support me but with Shane's help feeling returned and I could walk. We head towards the cafeteria, passing by a set of double doors that in the dream had read 'Don't open, Dead inside.' They weren't chained and boarded, I had to wonder yet again if that life was all a dream, looking at Carl who walked next to me. The last thing I remembered about Carl was the life leaving his eyes, I turned my attention to Lori than Shane, my family was back from the dead and they weren't walkers. I had to stop and think about what I had given up to have my family back though.
"Rick? You okay?" Lori asked looking at me, I had stopped in the middle of the hallway.
"Yea, I'm fine, just thinking too much." I smile at her, continuing to walk towards the cafeteria. What happened to Daryl? I had to think about that because in the dream, three years had passed, Daryl and I had become a strong team. I glance between Lori and Shane as I continue walking, had their relationship begun even before that all happened, I had hoped it hadn't but all the signs were there. I'd seen it a hundred times over with people I arrested for spousal abuse, most times the husband had said he could see that she was cheating on him, I could see those signs in Shane and Lori. Getting to the cafeteria we get what we all want and Shane offers to buy everything. Carl picks a table by the windows and we all sit to eat.
"So how's everything going down at the station?" I ask looking at Shane across from the table.
"No Rick, you're just getting better wait until you're out of this hospital to ask about work." Lori nearly shouts at me, Carl flinches and I remember the day I got shot that her and I had fought. I left for work with her saying it's like I don't even care about them at all.
"Lori please it's not like I'm gonna race out of here to go straight to work, I'll be at the desk for the next few months." I had to stop myself before I said anything more. That life was still at the front of my mind, remembering that her and I drifted apart more and more after the Greene farm. Herschel, Beth, and Maggie, how are they doing? I shook those thoughts from my head, maybe I'd drive out to the farm lands after I get out of here. If I knew anything about where Daryl had been before the outbreak than I'd go see him, but no one had known where he was when it went to hell.
"Rick, Lori's right, I'll let you know what's going on when you get outta here." Shane smiled, I couldn't stop my frown, he had smiled at me like that at the Greene farm. When he returned from getting the supplies to save Carl, when he had killed Otis.
"Alright, I understand." I shook my head, finished off my meal, before I got up and began the trek back to my room. Carl entered after I had gotten settled, he hugged me and went back out into the hall, Lori passing him in the doorway. "Do you still love me?" I asked after the door had hissed shut, she looked surprised.
"What are you saying?" She asked, her arms crossing over her stomach, raising her right shoulder in a defensive gesture.
"Just answer the question: do you still love me?" I couldn't let myself get distracted, I need to know this now.
"I don't know anymore." I was relieved to hear an honest answer and at the same time it hurt. "I don't know Rick! Is that what you wanted to hear?!" She hissed out trying to keep her voice down.
"I want honesty, I don't know that we can stay married if we don't love each other anymore. I still love you," I said as the hurt look cross her face. "But the love I feel for you is the love a man could feel for the mother of his child." She nodded, I hoped that I got through to her.
"Well, if we are going to do this, we need to talk about Carl." I nodded again at her suggestion.
"I would love to take him, but I don't want you to hate me." I started saying and paused as she pursed her lips.
"I don't think I could ever hate you." I thought about that, before Judith had been born there had been moments where I had wondered.
0-0-0-0- Daryl's POV 0-0-0-0-
Any tracks that I saw were weeks old, nothing to track there, maybe the deer moved farther up the mountain. I sat in a lookout platform, keeping my body heat up, wrapping my jacket tighter around myself. I hadn't wanted to go to sleep, anything to keep from having those dreams again.
Climbing the steep hill was tricky, but without the arrow in my side it was easier, the cry of buzzards drew my eyes upwards.
"Please, don't feed the birds." I look towards the top of the hill and there's the illusion of Merle, smirking down at me, I hear him chuckle. "What'sa matter, Darylina? That all you got in ya? Throw away that purse and climb."
"I liked it better when you was missin." I ground out moving up a few more feet, another laugh.
"C'mon don't be like that, I'm on your side."
"Yeah? Since when?" I growl out.
"Hell, since the day you were born, baby brother. Someone had to look out for yer worthless ass."
"You never took care of me, talk a big game but you was never there. Hell you ain't here now, guess something's never change."
"Well I'll tell you what- I'm as real as your Chupacabra."
"I know what I saw."
"And I'm sure them 'shrooms you ate had nothing to do with it, right?"
"You best shut the hell up!"
"Or what? You gonna come up here and shut my mouth for me? Well c'mon and do it then, you think you're man enough. Hey, kick off them damn high heels and climb, son." The laugh that comes from the illusion makes me climb faster. "Y'know what if I were you I'd take a pause for the cause, brother. 'Cause I just don't think you're gonna make it to the top." I swing around a sapling, nearly to the top. "C'mon, c'mon little brother. Grab your friend Rick's hand." I reach the top pulling myself up and resting.
"Hey! Whatchu doin' sleepin' boy!" I jerked awake at hearing Merle yell, looking over the railing of the lookout I glared. "Don' be lookin' like that, we come up here to hunt not sleep." Thankfully he was clean and sober right now. 'Nother damn dream. How was I so sure that Merle was just an illusion?
"Shut up." I say over the railing hunkering down into my blanket again.
"Or what?" I'm thrown back into that dream for a moment, shaking my head I growl and move towards the ladder down.
"Ain't nothin' worth huntin' I been up and down these trails for most of the mornin'." I say hitting the bottom.
"Guess it'sa good thing I got food from town." He laughs hooking his arm around my shoulders and we trek back towards the cabin.
LA: I'm gonna stop there for now, thanks to those of you who've reviewed, your words are encouraging. I wasn't too sure how well this story would be received but I'm glad you're liking it.
One more thing, you've likely noticed in the flash backs to TWD universe I use mostly the dialogue, I can't really describe actions, it's a weak point so I apologize for it.