LIGHT A FIRE

{Author's Note: Wow, I have a lot of inspiration, and I'm also an annoyingly fast typer, so I'm updating this regularly XD. This chapter features flashbacks during season two and now we are currently at season four. An argument takes place between Hayley and Tessa. Whose side would you be on? Thank you to everyone for reading, it's appreciated. Please review if you have the time-it's lovely to read your comments. :)}

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the character(s) you don't recognise.
Lyrics: Underneath by Adam Lambert.

Strip away the flesh and bone,
Look beyond the lies you've known,
Everybody wants to talk about a freak,
No one wants to dig that deep,
Let me take you underneath…

-+-
[HERSCHEL'S FARMHOUSE|TWO MONTHS INTO OUTBREAK]

HAYLEY'S P.O.V.

"HERSCHEL!"
I heard Daryl's call for help before I even caught a glimpse of him.

Furrowing my eyebrows in concern for him, I rushed over to where I heard him call out.
"You okay?"

My eyes took all the blood that had stained his clothing as I started to get agitated, "Daryl?!"

He barely registered me as he tore through our makeshift camp in order to get to Herschel who had come out to see what was going on.

"Daryl? What the hell you done now?!" Shane was coming over with his eyes narrowed accusatory as I kept a hand firmly on my compact bow.
I didn't trust him and I wanted him to know it.

"She's bleedin' out!"
It was only when Daryl moved his arm slightly to the left that I could see he was holding a small woman who looked like she was already dead.
Her ridiculously long hair was matted with blood and dirt whilst her face was bruised so much that it was hard to determine her age.

Herschel's face paled as he swiftly rolled up his sleeves and spoke simply but firmly to Daryl, "Get her into the bedroom. Patricia!"

Everyone suddenly sprang into action as I watched Herschel and Patricia quickly wash their hands before blocking off my view of the stranger.
Something within me clenched painfully at the thought of this woman being beaten and abused to the point of near death.

I sighed whilst shaking my head at knowing that Daryl couldn't handle anything bad happening to anyone he deems a damsel in distress.
"Daryl?" My eyes took in his troubled expression, "You okay?"

He nodded briefly, still not looking at me as he paced nervously, chewing ferociously on his thumb nail.

Shane had exited the farmhouse and was striding over to Daryl with a strange expression on his face that I couldn't determine.
"Herschel said that she hadn't lost as much blood as he had originally thought, and that most of it belonged to someone else. So, that means you have just brought a potential murderer into our camp!"

He glared over at Daryl angrily, "What the hell were you thinking?!"

Daryl suddenly sprung to action as he scoffed at Shane, "What the hell was I gonna do?! She was dyin'!"

"You should have been more careful! We can't compromise everyone else's safety because you want to play hero!"

I angrily stood protectively beside Daryl, "None of us would of let her just bleed out! We are all murderers now anyway…"

Shane shot me a dark look to keep quiet that I just let bounce off me.
I have dealt with tougher men than him.

"I didn't mean with walkers!"

Daryl gestured towards the farmhouse, "She got scared when I mentioned Sophia! She might know somethin'!"

"You brought her here because of a hunch?!"
He scoffed in disbelief, "You know what, I'm done with this shit man!"

I rolled my eyes at Shane's drama, "What the hell you getting worked up over anyway? We can take down an injured loner!"

"What if she has people looking for her? You gonna take that risk?!"

"Yes, because we help those who need it!" Rick had come over as he looked angry at Shane's rant, "What the hell is wrong with you Shane?! She's a young woman who was in need of our help!"

"Help that has just put Lori and Carl's lives in danger!"

"They are my family Shane! Look, we can all discuss this when she can actually talk to us and tell her side of the story, until then we leave her to rest!"
His words were cemented by a stern glance at all of us before patting Daryl's arm, "Patricia has put out some clean clothes for you."

He looked down at himself before shrugging, "Ima' go and look around where I found her, could help with lookin' for Sophia…"

I jumped at the opportunity to spend some time with the man whom I admired and respected, "I'll come with you!"

I saw him stiffen as he shook his head before answering back, "It's okay…"
He nodded to Rick before walking off towards where Patricia had set out clean clothes.

No matter how many times I try to show him that we are the same and I understand what he's been through, I get pushed back.

"Screw him…" I muttered to myself, scoffing as I struggled to let the rejection go over my head, before angrily walking off in the other direction to go and blow off some steam.

-+-
[HERSCHEL'S FARMHOUSE|TWO WEEKS LATER]

TESSA'S P.O.V.

Warmth and comfort was surrounding me with happy memories of a life that I wanted to escape back to.
The smell of fresh flowers lingered in the air, causing me to sneeze as I automatically was forced to sit up in bed, finally opening my eyes.

Relief at being able to move without feeling excruciating pain caused me to smile and relax, before I realised that wherever I was, wasn't somewhere that I knew well.

"Where am I?" I half-whispered to myself, fear finally settling in as I vaguely remembered the stranger who was looking for a little girl out in the woods.
I couldn't remember if he had told me his name or not, but I knew that it must have been him who had taken me here to be patched up.

'At what cost?' My inner voice asked me a question that I feared the answer to.

I widened my eyes, before looking down at myself to see that I was wearing clean clothes that had been taken out from my backpack.

"I hope that you don't mind, but we needed to get you out of those blood-stained clothes. Don't worry, Patricia changed you. I'm Herschel, can you tell me your name?"

I jumped at hearing a comforting male voice, sharply turning my head around to see an older man standing in the doorway with a sympathetic smile on his face.
My heart wanted me to fall to my knees and thank him for saving my life, but my head told me to still be on guard and not trust anyone.

"Tessa…I'm Tessa. Where am I?" I spoke quietly, my throat feeling as though it was on fire with every word, as I coughed into my hand.

He moved into the room cautiously, holding up a glass of water and a box of painkillers, "You're currently staying in my farmhouse, do you remember who found you?" He stopped about a foot from the bed and held out both the glass and the box to me.

I looked at him gratefully, carefully taking the box and taking out two pills before reaching for the glass and downing both pills and all of the water, "Thank you".

He nodded with a gentle smile, obviously still waiting for me to answer his question.

Clearing my throat, I ran a hand through my hair, cringing at the amount of knots I came into contact with before answering, "Uhm…he had a vest on and a crossbow. I cant remember if he said his name or not…"

Herschel seemed pleased as he said, "Your memory seems to be fine, which is good, as you had mild head trauma…"
His expression then looked serious as he studied my face for a while before asking, "Do you remember what happened to you Tessa?"

I froze in place, my brows creasing as I shook my head, "No…I just remember stumbling through the woods…" I suddenly remembered about my backpack as I went to get out of bed.

Dizziness overcame me as I found myself clinging onto Herschel, "I need my backpack!"

"You need to rest. I'll go and get your backpack from Rick."

"Rick?" I started to panic.
There were more of them and I was unarmed.

"Daryl is from Rick's group-he was the one who found you."

He must of noticed the fear and anxiety on my face, as he reached out to touch my shoulder, "I have a family here Tessa, with daughters similar to your age, I trust Rick and his group to not hurt them. I promise that you are safe here, but you need to extend the same courtesy to me and tell me if there are people we should be worried about."

Guilt built up inside me as I sensed that this man was a good man and posed no threat to me.
"There is this camp, or was…" I sighed, wanting to repress the memories, "They were about two miles uhm…north-east maybe, of where I was. These men are…"
I looked down, shaking my head, "I'm sorry…I can't remember anything else."

Herschel nodded in empathetic understanding, as he smiled comfortingly, "Why don't you rest? I'll go and get your bag for you."

"Thank you Herschel." I smiled tiredly, sitting back in the bed as I watched him leave, fear starting to subside slightly.

I laid my head back after a couple of minutes, my eyes closing calmly and sleep coming peacefully as I dozed off to the sound of a young woman singing.

-+-
[THE PRISON]

I was asked to be on the council months earlier when Rick had declared that he needed some time and space to himself.
As much as I respect Herschel and the others, I didn't want that pressure put on my shoulders; I respected Rick one hundred percent for leading us.

Even now I still find that I don't regret my decision.
The council were trying to figure out a plan of action and I wanted to help them in whatever way I could, but I didn't envy having to decide what to do.

"Hey, we need to talk!"
I turned to see Hayley standing behind me with a serious expression on her face, "It's about earlier…"

"Please, Hayley, not now-"

"Yes, now!" She scoffed in disbelief, "You have no idea why I wanted you to end his life, do you? Oh, you think I hate you, right?"

I shook my head, "This is not the time-"

Once again she cut me off, "This is the perfect time! That kid looked up to you! He would of wanted you to pull the trigger!"

"I couldn't!"

"HE WAS SUFFERING!"

I flinched at her words, as I answered back quietly, "I had to end someone else's life who I cared about and I can't-" I sighed, "Patrick didn't deserve to suffer, and yes, maybe I should have been the one to end it, but you can't-"

She scoffed, "Can't what Tessa?! If you can only kill walkers then what are you going to do if those assholes who hurt you come and find you?"

"That is different! You want me to be able to kill someone I call a friend or family! I'M NOT YOU!"
As soon as the words left my lips I knew that others in the prison had heard too.

Hayley raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching upwards in distaste, "Right, because everyone should be 'sweet, innocent little Tessa', who only has to bat her eyelashes and has everyone eating out of the palm of her damn hand!"

"I didn't mean it like that!"
I defended myself, "You want me to be as tough as you and to not still feel deaths as hard, but I can't!"

She scoffed, "You're weak! That weakness will either get you or someone else killed!"

I could hear a throat being cleared as I turned to see Herschel and the other council members standing by the doorway of the cell block.

"Is everything okay ladies?" Herschel gave us both a firm look, one that I knew meant that he thought we were being ridiculous.

"Everything's fine…" I forced a wary smile on my face as I looked at them all, "Is there anything I can do?"

Herschel nodded, "Find out if anyone else is displaying symptoms of the 'flu'; we need to isolate them and try to remain calm."

Hayley sighed, "Great…"

Daryl looked away, "Ima' go and help bury the bodies…"

"I'll join you!" Hayley gave me a look as she followed Daryl, leaving me to comprehend everything that is going on.

"Tessa? Can you check in with some of the others from that cell block?" Herschel looked seriously at me, "Anyone displaying any signs of…infection, should go into quarantine."

I nodded as I started walking off, my mind swimming with so many different emotions and thoughts.
We've come this far and have survived so much, only to be killed by a strain of the flu virus?
Makes no sense.

Sighing to myself, I reached the other's cell block, seeing everyone talking to each other in fear as I took a deep breath to steady my nerves.

Then this tickling feeling started in the back of my throat…