LIGHT A FIRE

{Author's Note: In this part I decided to mix a little happiness with tragedy. I did change the rating from an M to a T, as to be honest there's no explicit sex scenes in THIS one, but I will post it up separately. I actually want to write something beautiful and intimate. I hope I haven't offended anyone, but now you get the best of both worlds :). Thank you once again to Leyshla Gisel for reviewing, and I agree, Tessa should trust Daryl ;) Please read and review as I haven't written in so long due to illness, so knowing you guys are enjoying it makes me happy :) Thank you & enjoy.}

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the character(s) you don't recognise.
Lyrics: Rise by Delta Goodrem.

Lay me down,
Make me feel safe until I'm back on my feet,
So lift me up and teach me how to love and
Rise above it all…

-+-
[THE PRISON: TWO DAYS AFTER SUPPLY RUN WITH DARYL]

I was making my way through the vast settlements that made up the once prison yard, smiling at everyone who waved greetings to me as I passed them.

"Uh, Miss Montgomery-sorry, Tessa?"

I turned swiftly, coming face-to-face with one of the kids whose perfect manners still managed to confuse and shock me.
I had told him numerous times that it's fine to call me Tessa, but he would always get flustered and revert back to using my surname first.

"Yes, Patrick?" I smiled as I looked around, still in mild shock that the prison had turned into a small community.

It was incredible that we had built all this from essentially nothing.

Patrick smiled brightly, his face full of gratitude as he asked, "Do you know where Mr Dixon is? I want to thank him for bringing us the deer."

I couldn't help but match his enthusiasm with my own smile as I glanced around, "He usually does what I like to call 'his rounds' about now. I'm sure that he'll be touched by your appreciation."

His face beamed, "Really?"

"Really." I nodded before patting his shoulder, "How's story time? I would go but I don't think that I'll get away with it-not to mention that I have a 'date' with that seriously decaying walker by the gate…"

He chuckled, "Yeah, I know that I'm too old, but…"

"But it relaxes you?" I smiled and nodded in understanding, "We all need to get away from the stress sometimes."

Shock registered clearly on his face, "You relax? I mean no disrespect Miss-Tessa! But every time that I see you, you're either doing chores or at the fence."

"Maybe that is me relaxing?" I laughed softly before playfully acting secretive, "I used to be a journalist, so I write everything down and I find that it helps to clear my mind-it's therapeutic."

Patrick grinned, "So, in a way you're telling our story?"

"In a way…" I then made a thoughtful expression before handing him the small, leather-bound journal that I always carry around with me, "Would you like to add to it?"

His eyes widened in excitement, "Really?!"

"Really." I confirmed with a smile as I then handed him the pen that had been gifted to me on my graduation by my Father.
"Drop it by my cell when you're finished?"

He nodded, still clutching both items, "Thank you ma'am!"

"I'll see you later Patrick…" I smiled, patting his shoulder before walking over to where Karen and a few others were trying to keep the walkers from leaning too much on the fence.

I smiled, indicating that I was there to help.

"Everything okay?" She returned the smile whilst handing me a broken off bit of pipe.

"Fine, I could get used to this, you know?"

She laughed, "Thinking of retirement already? Don't you want to experience more excitement? Like raves? Drinking until you have no choice but to do the walk of shame the next morning?"

Laughing, I teasingly mocked thinking it through before answering, "Oh, I still want the doting husband and the many kids…"
I smiled wistfully before stabbing a walker in the head through the chain link fence.

"Taken your pick yet?" She edged in closer as I laughed.

"Trying to get some gossip?" I smirked whilst raising an eyebrow.

Playfully letting out a loud sigh, she nudged me, "Just wanting to see if I can be of any help. Anyway, it's getting ridiculously boring around here…"

I chuckled lightly, "Trust me, boring is good!"

"Well, Hayley doesn't seem to think that." Karen sighed to herself as she stabbed another one through the fence, "She needs to stop pushing herself too far and speak to some of us with a little more respect."

I sighed, "To be fair, Hayley is one of those valuable people who always like to be on the go."

"You're valuable too Tess."

"Not in the same way Karen…" I held up a hand in defence, "I don't think that strength is just measured physically, but she is more useful than me when on runs."

"You have to trust her to watch your back first!"

"She puts up this façade-honestly; she's needed in the group."

Karen obviously struggled to hide how Hayley had offended her countless times.
"Michonne came back earlier…"

"Hmm?" I turned my head towards her, wiping the congealed bits of blood and flesh off the pipe momentarily, "She find him?"

Shaking her head, she sighed softly, "No, I don't even think that he's still alive…"

I paused to think it through, "Someone like him doesn't give up that easily; he's still out there."

"But do you want to lose Michonne? She won't stop and we miss having her here."

"No, I don't want to lose any of our group over an asshole like him. Losing T-Dog, Lori, Merle, Oscar and Axel was enough…"

"Hey! 'Princess!'"

Closing my eyes briefly to push back the anger I felt at her still using that nickname to upset me, I turned and looked over at Hayley, "Hayley?"

Karen shook her head as she went back to stabbing the walkers, obviously not understanding why I let Hayley speak to me with that much disrespect.
Truthfully, I didn't want any more arguments or fighting and it's not the first time I've had to rise above pettiness.

She hoisted her compact bow up onto her shoulder, "Daryl is getting a group of people together for a supply run. He…wants you to come."

I could tell that she wasn't happy at my presence being wanted.
Opening my mouth to tell her that I'll stay here in a bid to avoid any drama between us two, it was Karen who made the decision for me.

"Go, we can handle things here Tess."

I gave her a warning glance before sighing and nodding at Hayley, "Tell Daryl that I'll come."

"Tell him yourself! I'm not your damn messenger 'Princess!'"
She then turned on her heel and stalked off.

I sighed again before turning towards Karen.
"Thank you?"

"You're too young for retirement honey." She smiled before taking the pipe from me, "Be careful."

"It's just a routine supply run-I'll be fine."

She nodded before seeing Tyreese come over as I smiled at him and left them two to exchange their goodbyes.

-+-
[ON THE SUPPLY RUN]

"I get a guess today, right?"
Zack grinned as he looked smug with himself, "I think that I've got it!"

"Got what?" I looked confused as I glanced over at Michonne who was already smirking.

Daryl scoffed as he knocked on the window behind him before leaning against the window sill, waiting for whatever is inside to make themselves known.

Zack cleared his throat, "Everyday I've been making guesses on what Daryl did before all of this."

"You ain't even come close…" Daryl looked into the distance, but judging by his expression, he actually enjoyed the game.

"Wait a minute; I think that I've got it!" He shifted before going for it.
"The way you are in the prison, helping people and that, but also being kinda'…surly…"

I had to bite my lip hard not to laugh, "Definitely describes him!"

Daryl gave me an amused look before going back to looking into the distance.

"Homicide cop!"

The minute the words exited his mouth, both Michonne and I were laughing as I had to turn away and put my hand over my mouth to stifle the giggles.

Daryl smirked very lightly as he raised an eyebrow at Michonne and I, "What?"

"Nothing…" Michonne answered back for the both of us as I was too busy trying to stop laughing.

He then nodded as he replied back with, "Yeah, but I don't like to talk about it, 'cause it was some heavy shit…"

Zack widened his eyes incredulously, "Really?"

Daryl was still smirking as suddenly walkers started to bang on the glass.

"I'll keep guessing…" Zack laughed as he got up to follow us all into the small building.

Hayley shoved past me as she shot down a few walkers as though it was something that came naturally to her, "Watch yourself."

Michonne-having obviously witnessed the altercation-gave me a confused look.

I shook my head to tell her that it was nothing as I held up my knife whilst looking for anything of use.

My eyes zoned in on a few broken packs of cigarettes that were lying across the ground, as I swiftly picked them up, opening the pack to see that they were still in the packaging.
I shoved them in my bag before suddenly feeling a rumble resonate as events took a turn for the worse.

Bob's fearful cry rang out as the sound of smashing bottles echoed.
"Bob?!"
I looked around in confusion as shelves were blocking my view from left to right.

"Over here!"
I made a face, getting frustrated with myself for not being able to locate where he was, before suddenly the roof gave way and walkers started to fall through.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Hayley swore loudly as she angrily retorted to Tyreese, "Get him out of there! We need to go or we'll be dinner for these assholes!"

I could hear Tyreese answer something back as he was struggling to pull Bob out.
Finally, I decided to shove safety protocol; I had to get my friend out of his predicament.

Climbing the shelves, I gripped hard onto the wire that was hanging from the ceiling, never once letting the fear of it not being attached to anything cross my mind.
"Bob?! Tyreese?!"

I chewed on my bottom lip in anxiety, using my free hand that wasn't holding my knife to push my hair out of my face before eventually seeing them.
"Shit…" I climbed over the now falling shelving units and dropped down in front of Bob, taking a hold of his hands, "Tyreese, you need a hand with the shelves?"

"Just be ready to get Bob out from under there Tess!"
He made a strained face as he started to push up the shelves before Daryl hurried over and helped him to get them up off of Bob.

I gently wrapped Bob's arms around my shoulders as I looked over at Hayley, "Help me carry him out of here!"

She opened her mouth to protest at me giving her orders but went quiet at seeing the mess we were in, "Fine…"

She roughly grabbed Bob's other arm and wrapped it around her shoulder too as we both started to haul him out of the building.

All of my focus was getting Bob safely out to the car, but the last thing I remember hearing before the whole roof finally gave way, was Daryl yelling to Zack and I could just feel my heart sink.

-+-
[BACK AT THE PRISON]

I sighed, leaning my head against the gate as I couldn't face telling Beth what had happened.
She deserved happiness, to have someone special.

"Hey…"

I turned at hearing Daryl's voice as I lifted up my gaze to meet his sorrowful blue eyes, both of us silently communicating our pain.
"I'm sorry, I just couldn't tell her…"

He nodded slightly in understanding, "Nothin' ain't ever easy no more."

"Was it ever?" I smiled faintly.

"Before all this it was just me and my brother, we knew what to do to eat and survive, but now we can't even go on a run without someone dyin'."

I looked up at him, he always dwarfed my five foot two inch frame, but somehow I was never scared of him.
Not even on our first encounter.

"Don't blame yourself…" I could tell by the pain evident on his face that he was taking all the blame, as I turned back towards watching the walkers stumble towards us on the other side of the fence.

"Was supposed to keep everyone safe-"

"Daryl…" I turned back around to face him, "It wasn't your fault! You save so many of our lives, focus on that. On my life that you saved by taking a chance."

He chewed on his bottom lip before nodding quietly, "I knew someone was hurt, that it weren't Sophia 'cause the amount of blood would of…" He trailed off but I understood what he meant.

"You followed the trail?"

He nodded, "I saw you an' knew that you were no threat."

I laughed gently, "But, if I remember rightly, you still pointed your crossbow at my head?"

"You had a knife."

"True…" I couldn't help but chuckle as I then looked up at him, "Thank you, for everything. For giving me a chance, saving me, not treating me like I'm inferior because I'm not as tough as some of the others."

He stared at me before quietly replying, "You ain't got nothin' to prove Tessa."

"I could say the same to you. All of us appreciate the hard work you put in to help us function."

Our bodies connected, warmth flooding between us, blocking out the chilly night air as I shivered from the sparks that were igniting between us.

I could feel Daryl stiffen, his eyes not leaving mine.
Our eyes remained connected for what seemed like an eternity before a blood-curling shriek echoed through out the prison and shouting could be heard.

My eyes widened as I started to run towards the commotion.

"Rick?!" I searched around before seeing Carl run up to me.

"There are walkers in the other cell block!"

"There's a breach?!" I cursed before holding up my knife and entering the other cell block, shocked at seeing so many dead bodies of the people I had called family.

Daryl was rushing around me, picking up children and carrying them away from the drama as I entered a few of the cells, wincing at seeing nothing but devoured bodies.

"HEY!" Hayley shouted from up the top of the railing, "We have our culprit!"

I ran up to where she was calling from as my blood went icy cold at what I saw.

"Patrick…" I watched him feasting on another member of our community, my legs just frozen to the spot and my hands glued to my sides.

"I thought that you should be the one to end it…" Hayley raised an eyebrow at me, "What are you waiting for?!"

"I can't…" I replied back weakly as I just couldn't stop myself from feeling the pain of having lost someone so young.

Sighing in frustration, she let lose a quick arrow into the back of Patrick's head, before turning towards me, "You owe me an arrow!"

Rick had come running up to us by that time, his eyes full of emotion, "You two okay?"

Hayley nodded, "Yeah, it was Patrick who had turned first…I had to put him down."

He sighed, running a hand over his face, "We need to get these bodies out of here…"

I then furrowed my brows in confusion as I knelt down to gently turn Patrick's head fully towards me, "Why are his eyes like this?"

Rick widened his eyes slightly, "I've seen that before on some of the walkers by the fences!"
He turned back towards Hayley, "Get Daryl and Herschel, and tell them what's happened!"

She nodded, never once protesting when Rick gave her orders, as she gave me a scornful look whilst pushing past me.

I then glanced over to where my journal lay open on his bed with just a few neatly scribbled lines at the top of the page, 'Yesterday was Christmas Day, so I spent it telling Lizzie and Mika about one of my favourite books that my Dad used to read to me about a magical wardrobe leading to another world. I didn't mind that they didn't know what day it was, as I was just happy to spend it with all of my friends…'