AN #1: I'm posting another one. Because I feel like it. And I'm kind of sick of nothing happening? But I want this to be realistic. So days of travelling it is. *sigh* I'm getting kind of pooped with the train track scenery.
Disclaimer: I do not own or write for AMC or TWD.
He awoke at dawn to Judith's muffled mewls of hunger. Her face was covered by the vest, and he had such a jolt of panic at her breathlessness, that he didn't even notice the way Carol's arm still rested on his back, the way his arm rested against her other hand across the baby, fingers winding softly in with hers.
He ripped the vest off of Judith, but that just seemed to scare her more. She started really crying then, not just whining. He scooped her up and held her against him.
"Ssh, ssh, baby girl. 'Ts alright. 'Ts okay." He whispered as he clumsily stood, groaning as his joints popped and creaked.
He was too old to have a kid. This baby was Rick's actions, not his.
Or Shane's.
Shane.
Kid sure did have a rage like him, that was for sure.
He hobbled over to the diaper bag and fixed her bottle as he blinked the sleep from his eyes. He shifted her to the crook in his arm and plugged her screeching maw just as she began kicking him with those powerful little feet.
The silence was heavenly.
He sighed deep, felt every inch of him relax. He glanced over at Tyreese, who just shook his head at him, a look of complete disgust on his face.
"That just ain't right, man."
Daryl scoffed and settled down beside him, crossing his legs at the ankles. He stared up at the peachy sky, tasted the morning dew, almost smiled to himself.
Today could be good. It could be. They could start to one of the safe houses, maybe get close. He could probably steal a half hour or so to get some game for the rest of them, actually be of some worth. They could all make it to another night.
Another night.
He hadn't dreamt last night.
The thought hit him like a ton of bricks. He hadn't dreamt of anything last night. He had actually slept peacefully.
He eyed Carol where she slept on the sleeping bag. Lizzie had thrown an arm over her shoulder, and she was sleeping deep. A small smile played on her lips, and he could almost see the dream she was having, of another blonde little girl, sleeping beside her with her arms wrapped around her.
He couldn't wake her from that.
"You can go on and rest," he murmured as he tapped Judith lightly, trying to lull her back to sleep.
Tyreese clapped him on the shoulder in response and stood, swaying as he stumbled over to the other sleeping forms.
He slumped right up against Carol, his back to her. He saw her expression of contentment morph into something else, something darker. Her eyebrows were drawn in close, lines puckering her forehead.
Daryl tried to kill the snarl before it started in his throat, but he was only half successful.
Tyreese was too far gone though, already out. Carol's face soured in her sleep as the big man breathed deep.
He wished he could wake her from that.
oOo
They started out not long afterwards. Beth had hobbled to her feet, and was making to head towards the woods when Daryl stopped her.
"Uh-uh," he intoned gruffly. "You take Carol with you."
She practically growled at him. He half expected her to flip him off.
Her face screwed up into a look so full of loathing that his heart almost skipped a beat, but he righted himself with slight triumph as she turned around and poked Carol.
Carol's eyes flew open, hands going straight to Lizzie's arms. Her eyes were wild, terrified, and his heart ached as he saw her slowly adjust to reality.
"I gotta pee, and Leader over there insists I take an escort," she quipped, eyes narrowing and shooting arrows his way.
He smirked at her, and she rolled her eyes in return.
Carol sighed, exasperated, and took a big, deep breath before standing up quickly. She motioned for the younger girl to go ahead, then came back around near him.
"Uh," he started, head going from Beth to her, and back again.
Now Carol rolled her eyes. "She needs a pad. Chill."
His head dropped immediately. He knew his face must've been brighter than the do rag he carried around in his back pocket, felt the heat spread down his neck and over to his ears. He nodded, busying himself with straightening Judith's already straight socks.
Carol chuckled a little. She hit him on the bare shoulder with something plastic and scented, and he jerked away in slight fear.
"Sorry, Pookie," she called over her shoulder as she followed Beth into the woods.
Judith woke at her words, but not unhappily. She blinked up at Daryl blearily, a small smile spreading across her little mouth. He smiled at her and helped her sit up when she started to struggle.
A tell-tale squelch ensued that wrinkled his nose. He groaned, but he reached towards the diaper bag to get what he needed.
He had just about finished up when Carol and Beth returned. Carol set to getting the girls up, and passed around power bars. She slipped a baggie of something to Beth, who took it with a look of relief, and before long, they were off, Daryl with Judith, the diaper bag, and his bow, Tyreese with Beth's rifle and Beth, Carol with her pack and his rifle, and the two girls each with a gumbo pot tucked under their arm.
They walked in relevant silence, going right back the way they came.
OoO
The rustling from the tree line grew. Carol stuck out her arms to either side, stopping the girls mid-giggle. They choked on their laugh, eyes widening, hands freezing.
Daryl held a hand against his lips and shifted the sleeping baby up high on his shoulder, praying she would stay asleep, stay silent.
The walker was getting closer. Its hisses were high pitched, its gait loud and clumsy. Carol looked to him as she drew her knife and motioned for him to stand back with her head.
Coward, his inner voice intoned.
But he had to let her. Beth was leaning on Tyreese. He couldn't hand over Judy without waking her up.
He had to. He had to trust her.
He stepped back slowly, tapping Mika to follow him. She reached out and took her sister's hand reluctantly, and they followed him back towards the rail.
Carol approached the treeline as the walker approached her. The trees were a black portal that they were both meeting, and one of them would have to cross.
He did.
Daryl saw that brown moptop, and he knew. He pushed the girls behind him as he heard Beth let loose an ungodly wail.
Mika started crying. Lizzie told her to shut up.
And Carol just stood there.
She just stood there.
Her knife had fallen to the ground.
She just stood there.
He was close, so close, dangerously close, his bloody mouth open and raw, ready to take a meal that wasn't his first.
"CAROL!" he bellowed.
Her head tilted up, but she was too slow, it was all too slow, they were mosquitos caught in amber and everything was syrup.
Judith awoke, frightened to death, and he held her against him roughly as he hefted his loaded crossbow up in one arm.
One shot. One arm.
Zero time.
OoO
Luke fell in a heap, the arrow buried to the feathers in his curly brown hair.
Beth was moaning on the ground, grieving, Mika not far from her. Tyreese tried to hush them both.
Lizzie looked at them scathingly and rolled her eyes. She looked up at Daryl, eyes flitting to the terrified baby that knew something bad had happened.
"You need to shut her up."
It drew him out of his haze.
He surged towards her, discarding the crossbow in the gravel.
Carol stood in front of the dead little boy, her face frozen, her hands limp.
He took her into him, his heart pounding and sending adrenaline through his veins at lightspeed. He held her head against his shoulder with one arm.
"God, oh God," he breathed, gasping for breath as he tried to get himself under control. His hands wove into her short hair, anchoring him against him. Judith's cries had calmed to sad little hiccups.
Carol didn't cry.
"I… I couldn't do it…" she said, detached. "I couldn't. I couldn't."
He hushed her, kissed her temple absently.
Her taste lingered on his lips.
She stiffened against him.
His hands shook.
What had he done?
Why had he done that?
Things were going too fast, speeding up faster than he could keep up with. He felt like he could pass out, felt the blood pumping in his ears and reverberating in the veins against his skull.
He held her against him, tried to steer her back towards the rest of them. Mika was still sniffeling, but Beth had swiped her face once again, letting her mask of determination fall back into place.
Tyreese eyed them stoically, and stood, leaving Mika in Beth's arms on the ground. "Do you need that arrow?" he asked strongly, nodding towards the little boy.
Daryl shook his head vehemently, adjusted Judith against his shoulder. "Ain't worth it. Leave it," he growled.
Tyreese nodded, relief flowing across his form. He went to Beth and helped her up again, leaving Mika to scramble up on her own.
Carol let her arm fall from around Daryl. "I can walk, Daryl," she said, her voice small. Weak. "I need to take care of my girls."
He let her go, swallowed past the lump in his throat.
He went back to get his bow. He looked at Luke with tears threatening, and at the last second, made his decision.
He walked towards him with purpose and crouched beside him. He flipped him over gently, shut his eyes. Straightened his arms and legs out.
And then they left.
OoO
AN #2: I'm not so sure about this chapter. Oh well. :/
