Chapter Twenty Three: Migration

Migration: movement of people to a new area or country in order to find work or better living conditions.

Day 62

Daisy sighed as she fell back to sit on the dirt beside Daryl's legs, leaning back against the log he was sitting on and bringing her knees to her chest. She wrapped her arms around her legs tightly and crossed her feet, resting her cheek on her knee.

"Y'okay?" A reluctant voice asked her from above, Daisy hid her smile into her knee.

"Yeah, 'm fine." She mumbled up to Daryl, not entirely feeling it. They had just been to the makeshift funeral. What had really gotten Daisy was the way that Amy cried silently as she helped Dale lower her sister's sheet-covered dead body into a too shallow grave. She couldn't imagine what it would feel like to do the same for her own sister, or her brother. Daisy didn't want to imagine it.

"Don't look like it." Daryl muttered with a scoff. Daisy turned to him and gave him a wide, obviously fake smile, her nose crinkled with the effort, making him smirk. Her smile softened into a genuine one as she turned back to face forward.

She sighed once more, listlessly tapping one finger against the dirt. Daisy's attention was suddenly caught by the sight of an upset Carl walking by himself in the direction of the tents, his parents had stopped to talk closely together further behind him.

"Carl!" Daisy called softly, getting his attention immediately, even with her having to yell quietly so as to not attract walkers. She waved him over and he swiftly shuffled towards her.

"Mmm?" He asked in a hum, eyes wide in an obvious effort to not cry. Daisy patted the ground beside her and smiled comfortingly at Carl. He sat beside her heavily and mirrored her position, hugging his knees tightly to his chest.

"You okay?" She asked, trying her best despite not being the best at comforting lost souls.

"Yeah." Carl said, a shuddering breath escaping.

"Yeah." Daisy said with understanding, throwing one arm around the kid's shoulder and squeezing him to her side. He rested his head on her shoulder and relaxed into her side. Daisy glanced up at Daryl to see him focused on closely inspecting the bolts from his crossbow. "What are you doing, there?" She asked suddenly, when Daryl looked down at her with his customarily narrowed eyes, she looked at him with intent, brow raised. Daryl sighed and rolled his eyes before answering.

"Exactly what it looks like, Daisy." He muttered, shaking his head. Daisy laughed and looked forward again, he obviously wasn't in the mood to entertain her and Carl. She thought to herself for a moment, before deciding to make her own entertainment.

"You bored, Carl?" She asked him, he looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding with a hopeful smile. Daisy nodded resolutely and stood with an exaggerated groan, stretching her legs out and swiping the dirt off her backside. "I got some Uno cards in my backpack, wanna play Uno with your friends?" She suggested, Carl looked doubtful.

"Uno?" He repeated, mouth twisting into a decidedly judgemental smile.

"Hey! I'll have you know, Uno is the best!" Daisy looked expectantly at him, Carl gave a reluctant nod and she pumped one hand out in celebration. "Let's go!" She said, trying to convey her excitement with her tone, making Carl giggle at her.

She pulled him along towards where her backpack was in the tent, before she stuttered to a halt. "You go get Sophia and the rest of the munchkins." Daisy ordered, waving him off. They ran off in different directions, Daisy quickly entered her tent and rifled through her bag. She soon surfaced the pack of Uno cards, along with a bag of Warheads she had been hoarding for a time when morale was low.

Daisy exited her tent and found a gaggle of children right outside it, each looking as glum as Carl. She ushered them towards a low-traffic area of the camp and sat them in a circle.

"Anyone know how to play?" Daisy asked, holding up the packet of cards.

"I do." Sophia's soft voice called, Daisy promptly handed her the cards and, once they were all discussing the game with their heads together, she slinked off back to sit next to Daryl on the log.

Daisy shot a quick smile at Daryl, who barely glanced up from his bolts, and sat quietly, keeping one vigilant eye on the kids playing their game of Uno. She was amused to see Carl leading the others in his forced enthusiasm about the game, which gradually turned to real enthusiasm.

"Hey, Daisy?" She snapped her head to the side, and saw Shane standing behind her with an expectant look on his face.

"Uh, yeah, Shane? What's up?" Daisy asked with confusion.

"Can I talk to you?" His eyes narrowed against the glaring sun as he glanced sideways at Daryl, "In private?" He clarified. Daisy's confusion increased, but she nodded and stood from her seat. She followed Shane, stopping with him as they reached the tents.

"You know Rick?" He said suddenly, Daisy huffed a small laugh at the abruptness.

"Uh, yeah?" Daisy said lightly, "I do." She said with more certainty, brow furrowing in a silent request for elaboration.

"What do you think? 'Bout all this CDC business?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Daisy's gaze dropped to the ground and she shuffled her feet, feeling an impending sense of trepidation.

"Look, I don't wanna get in between—" She tried to protest.

"It's not—" Shane interrupted her, cutting himself off with a wry smile, "You're not...it's fine, just wanna know your opinion." He looked meaningfully at her, catching her eyes. Daisy hummed in understanding, but the feeling didn't dissipate.

"Well...I, don't see any other option. Might as well try the CDC, for Jim." Daisy told him honestly, he immediately nodded his head, mouth set in a firm line. "Sorry?" She tried to apologise, wincing.

"It's fine." Shane dismissed her with a huff, "It's all fine." He seemed to mutter to himself, leaving her standing there alone and feeling confused. Daisy remained still for a moment, entirely uncertain as to what had just happened, then she just shook her head to dismiss all the drama that seemed to be happening around her.

Later, after a day of lazing around and not much progression, Daisy was to be found curled up on a folding chair in front of a fire which burned low, the remainder of the group collected around the fire with her. She glanced cautiously at Amy who was similarly curled up on a camp chair, a soft blue blanket cuddled to her chest as she rested her head. Daisy's eyes drifted to look across the fire, there were no smiles to be found—each face as maudlin as the last, even those of the children. Her eyes dropped to stare at the fire, then her stare drifted to the dirt listlessly. The silence was pervaded by the sound of three sets of feet approaching the camp, each of the heads looked up to see Dale, Shane and Rick approach.

"I've, uh, I've been thinkin' about Rick's plan." Shane started, "Now look," He stopped, one foot resting on the chair beside Daisy's as he ducked his head to address the group. "There are no, uh, no guarantees...either way, I'll be the first one to admit that. I've known this man a long time. I trust his instincts." Daisy thought to herself that it didn't seem that way earlier, when he was asking her for her opinion. In fact, he seemed downright doubtful of Rick, she thought mockingly, before remembering that she had made an effort to not include herself in the drama.

"I say the most important thing here is we need to stay together." Shane continued, "So, those of you that agree, we leave first thing in the morning, okay?"

Shane finished, nodding once then taking his leave. Daisy looked around and saw that the group wasn't any happier than before, though they did look thoughtful. She scrubbed a hand through her hair and stood from her seat, and turned to see Merle standing off the side looking hostile as always, arms crossed tightly over his chest.

Daisy approached him, "You leaving with them?" She asked warily. He glanced down at her for a second, then his eyes wandered back to the campfire.

"Mmm." He hummed shortly, looking pensive, though his hardened eyes undercut said pensiveness. "You?" Merle countered. Daisy stared at him for a moment, eyes narrowed.

"Yes." Daisy said simply, "I think that there's strength in numbers. Are you going too?" She repeated. Merle glanced at her again, taking in her expectant look.

"Yeah, I reckon me'n Daryl'll stick around a bit longer." Merle relented, Daisy smiled up at him and nodded her head once, she had thought, even hoped, that would be the answer. For better or worse, Daisy had becomes fond of the Dixon brothers.

"That's good." She reassured him, and he stalked off without another word. Daisy stared after him in amusement, he obviously wasn't fond of showing perceived weakness.

"Alright over here?" Rick's drawling voice suddenly asked. Daisy startled and looked toward him, he was standing beside her with a concerned furrow to his brow.

"Hmm?"

"Everything good with Merle?" Rick clarified, "He didn't look too happy." Daisy stared at him with confusion.

"What? No, Merle's fine." Daisy smiled at her friend. "He and Daryl are on board for the CDC plan." She informed him happily.

"Huh." Rick's brow furrowed further, "I wouldn't'a guessed." He turned and glanced at Merle's retreating form, Daisy chuckled.

"Yeah, he's a surly bastard, alright." She admitted, "He's cool, though." Rick nodded distractedly, one hand fidgeting the walkie talkie on his belt.

"I'm gonna...uh...try to contact Morgan, tell 'em where we're goin'." He said, Daisy's eyes brightened in remembrance of their friends.

"Hey, tell Morgan to tell Duane that my candy supply is dwindling...and that they better catch up real soon, or he'll miss out." Daisy told him seriously, eyes widened with expectation. Rick chuckled and nodded lightly.

"I'll do that." He promised, backing away and heading towards the hill. Daisy supposed there was better reception, but Daisy also knew absolutely nothing about radios. She looked around at the camp and saw that everyone seemed occupied with each other; she might as well join her fellow outcasts in solitary.

Daisy trekked off in the direction that Merle had gone, and promptly arrived at Camp Dixon. She nodded in hello to Daryl and sat on the vacant tree stump.

"Shit, girl, you're like a bad smell." Merle muttered upon looking up.

"Hey, I'm pretty sure you're the one who gave me a bad reputation Merle...I saved your sorry ass, and this is the thanks I get?" Daisy joked, causing Merle to scoff and return to focusing on sharpening his knife. Daisy liked to think that he felt guilty, but it was more likely that he just enjoyed the company of his knife over hers.

Day 63

Daisy threw her backpack into the bed of Merle's truck, squinting her eyes against the sun and pulling her Rebel Alliance hat further down to cover them. She began to walk back towards her tent when a solid projectile punted her right in the shoulder.

"What the fuck." She yelled quietly to herself, mindful of the children within hearing distance. Daisy looked down to see her backpack lying innocently on the dirt beside her feet. She picked it up by one strap with a frustrated groan, one hand massaging her assaulted shoulder.

There was a distinct chuckle that sounded from the bed of the truck, she shuffled towards it and narrowed her eyes at the source. Merle was laid up in the back of his truck, shit-eating grin directed towards her angry face.

"What the actual fuck, Merle?" Daisy asked with false calmness, setting her backpack where it belonged, right next to him.

"No room." He said shortly in between his chuckles, reaching to take her backpack once again.

"Yes," Daisy ground out, "there is room, you waste of space."

"Hey, there is no need for that kind of language!" Merle said mockingly, scooting forward and dropping his feet onto the ground.

"I'm in your truck, deal with it." Daisy said shortly, backing away from the truck again. Merle made a move to get her backpack but stopped in his tracks once he saw her warning glare.

"Psh." Merle scoffed, moving around to the cab of the truck, "You are no fun at all."