The cell block was silent when she woke up that morning. Strapping on her gun holster on to her chest, her knife holster to her leg, and putting her sheath on her back Lacie headed down to the first night before Lacie had skipped dinner, she didn't feel right eating something she didn't contribute to. Lacie had just met this group yesterday and already owed the one they call Daryl for saving her life. Not showing up to dinner made quite a conversational topic for those who did show up. "Where's the new girl?" Glenn asked looking at Daryl from across the room, who just shrugged in response. "Maybe she's not hungry" Carl added before taking another bite of the deer Daryl had caught. "Yeah right. Food is hard to come across. Maybe she just doesn't want to be around us. You know get to know the people she plans to screw over." Maggie was very cautious of their new acquired member. "We should have checked her backpack." The group was at war with the Governor, a mentally insane man who controlled Woodbury, trust wasn't something that would come easy. " Now let's give her a chance. That girl looks like she has no problem with us. I will go talk to her after dinner." The old man gave his daughter a small look of disappointment.
After dinner Hershel went to Lacie's cell door with some of the cooked deer meat. "Hello young lady." By this time Lacie was sitting on her bed with her long black hair down dressed in the pajamas she had packed. "Are you hungry?" Although it was clear to Hershel that she was, Lacie shook her head. "Can I come in then?" After she nodded Hershel came into her cell and sat next to her. "My name is Hershel. It is a pleasure to meet you young lady." He smiled at her trying to calm her nerves. His blunt kindness in his eyes and voice surprised Lacie, causing her to look up from her hands. Her face was bruised along with her neck, arms, and legs. Bruises on the arms and legs were normal in this new life they were living in, but the hand print on her neck and the fist print on her cheek worried Hershel. "Do you like your room? I know it's not much but it's better than always runnin." Lacie nodded and looked away from Hershel again. It became obvious to him that she wasn't going to open up to him. "Well try and get some rest. If you need to talk I am 3 cells down."Hershel got up smiled, left Lacie's cell and went to talk to others about what her observed in her behavior and the bruises. Their imaginations went wild trying to figure out if she was in an abusive relationship like Carol or something else. The group left her alone for the rest of that night.
Making sure not to make much noise, Lacie snuck outside. The same light blues and purples that she took advantage of from the sunrise just a month before, where painted across the sky. She made her way across the gravel to the field, Rick was already up and gardening. Taking a moment to decide whether or not to go up to him, another person who was already up came to her side. "What are ya doin?" Lacie jumped a bit not hearing Daryl's footsteps when he walked up to her. "Nothing.""Then why are ya full armed." Frowning she looked down. "I wanted to go hunting. I'm hungry." Daryl adjusted his crossbow then looked at her." Ya can come huntin with me. Just don't slow me down." Lacie actually felt her face smile for the first time since her best friend got taken from her. "I am more worried that you will slow me down." Daryl rolled his eyes then walked away to get Glenn. He didn't mind bringing the new girl along, but they sure as hell were not going alone. Glenn was passed out in Maggie's bed cuddling his wife. Tapping his boot to the metal frame of the bed, he woke up the couple."C'mon we're going back out." Glenn let out a sigh and started to get up. "Why so early?" The Korean man whined a little. "Do ya wanna to eat tonight?" Daryl headed back out to the gazebo. Lacie was no longer standing there, she had gone down the hill to talk to Rick who was still gardening at the time. "Where did you learn to garden?" Rick started to water the crops. "Hershel taught me. He had a farm before the walkers took it over." Glenn had finally made his way out to Daryl who was keeping his eye on Lacie. "Okay I'm ready." The two headed toward Daryl's truck, and he signaled Lacie to come. "Sorry. I have to go now." After giving Rick a light bow of her head she headed to the light blue truck.
This was the second time Lacie was in the bed of this truck. She liked it though the wind in her hair, and time to just close her eyes without worry. Daryl was a very good driver, according to Lacie anyway. /I wonder what we will catch today. Hopefully another deer. I want to show my worth to this group./ Daryl made sure they were a good ways from the prison, parked the truck on the side of the road. The road was empty, which was lucky for a lot of roads were car grave yards by now. Glenn and Daryl got out of the front seats of the truck with their weapons almost in sync. Lacie waited a moment before hopping out of the truck bed, then heading to the forest behind the men. A light breeze passed through the branches of the trees. The group stood still trying to hear any animals that may be sneaking around. Within minuets Daryl had shot a squirrel with his crossbow. The likelihood of them finding anything else was slim. "We're gonna have to get a shit load of these to feed everyone." Daryl shot another squirrel. Glenn seemed to be there more for moral support and as a carrier. Lacie and Daryl seemed to be the only ones hunting squirrels. Then again throwing knives and shooting a crossbow were much quieter then shooting off a gun. The hunt lasted a couple hours before they decided to head back with their twelve squirrels, four rabbits, and two snakes. Glenn thought Lacie and Daryl were a good team, for every time one killed something the other matched it only a few moments later. "She's pretty good at hunting with you." Glen said sitting next to Daryl's crossbow in the passenger seat. "Ya, so?" This is why Daryl never judged books by their covers, Lacie didn't look like a hunter, but she clearly was. She had rode the whole way back with the kills in the bed of the truck. Pulling back in to the prison she felt excited to share her game with the group.
Three weeks later Lacie had become accustom to her new sitting with the council she was even given the job of hunting and gathering supplies, with the redneck and on some occasions the Korean. Lacie had spent time with everyone at least once with in the three weeks. The group aside from Daryl were pretty open with their experiences even if she didn't return with any information about herself. Hershel even taught her something everyday about tending to wounds. Rick helped her improve her shooting and Carol taught her cooking tips. These people who were once strangers, were her new family. Except Daryl she couldn't think of him as a brother, she didn't know why, she just couldn't. You would find her looking for Daryl whenever she had down time, for sometimes she was called upon to help take care of Rick's daughter Judith. However even though neither Daryl or Lacie gave way on their life before the apocalypse, the two hunters gained a rather strong respect for each other and a friendship.
On the current day it was one of those different days where Lacie didn't go with Daryl hunting because Beth needed a break from babysitting Judith. The only other baby she had held was her cousin, she was four then. Looking at Judith she was reminded of all the plans she had for her life prior to the apocalypse. Lacie wanted to be a psychologist and have a family, she had been closer to the degree though. The heat in the prison was almost suffocating, therefore she brought Judith outside and found shade. A little bit before sunset Beth came to take back her job taking care of Judith. "Thanks Lacie I just needed to rest." Bath loved taking care of Judith ,but just like any job she had need a couple hours to recuperate. "No problem. Do you need anything else?"Lacie said handing Judith to Beth ever so carefully. "Not at all. You've done enough." With that Lacie ran off to see if Daryl had returned from the hunt. Lucky for her Carol informed her that he had. Tightening up her pigtails she went to go see him.
Daryl had gone hunting by himself today. Lacie had to take care of Judith and Glenn had been too busy up in the guard tower with his wife to go. Daryl didn't mind going alone he just found himself enjoying it more when Lacie had come with him. She made him feel comfortable in the way that she didn't ask him a hundred questions about the past or any for that matter. The two instead would create a competition of hunting to see who could get the most kills or the biggest kill. Daryl felt pretty comfortable that he would have won today for he caught a large deer. The group will be eating well tonight. Wiping sweat off his brow he drove back to camp with the windows down. After he parked his truck in the usual spot then headed to the place where he skinned the animals, stopping just long enough to say "hey" to Carol. Part of Daryl made him hope that Lacie would show up and make this tedious process a bit shorter with good conversation. Admittedly he kind of enjoyed this apocalyptic world where people actually gave a shit about him "Hey Daryl." Lacie came around the corner. He looked up smiled returned her friendly smile and put his knife down. "Great kill. I would have got a bigger one." Daryl wiped the blood from the deer on his jeans. "Ya right Lace when fuckin pigs fly." The two shared a small laugh. "If your so sure then why don't ya come back out huntin with me." Before Lacie could answer a commotion was heard from the front of the prison. Daryl grabbed his crossbow and headed to the front.
Lacie trailed after Daryl, seeing him stop in his tracks looking at the strangers who had made their way into the prison. One of the strangers was a male who was standing over Rick with a gun to his head the other was a long blonde haired girl aiming her gun at Carl. Lacie let her emotions come over her. / Who the fuck are these people? If they think they are going to hurt my family they have another thing coming!/ However when she tried to run to Rick and Carl's aid, her arm was grabbed by Daryl. "What are you doing? They need us." She scowled at him and tried to get her arm free. "Stay here." Daryl let go of her arm and headed down to the scene. Normally Lacie wouldn't listen to people who didn't give her reason but she trusted Daryl and decided to stay put.