Hi! I have to say that the trailer had my brain scrambled for a bit! Here is Chapter 2. I had fun with it in the end, though I struggled with it in the beginning. :D Enjoy and review, and thank you for all the positive responses to the 1st Chapter. I just love these two. Kat
By morning Lori's struggle had ended. Carol sat next to the exhausted woman cradling little Judith in her arms. Rick sat on her right, letting her lean into his shoulder while Herschel and Maggie worked on cleaning her up.
It'd been a long night but her labor had been quick compared to Carl's from what both she and Rick had said.
"Second babies usually come quicker, especially when they're little darlings like her. Here you go." Carol said, envious and happy for the Grimes family all at the same time. Judith coo'd, sucking on her fingers as she put her in Lori's arms. "She'll probably nurse right away when you get the energy to try. She's calm enough."
A quiet smile played on Lori's lips and she glanced up at Rick who was beaming. Gone were the thoughts that the baby might be Shane's. It would become obvious in the future, but it appeared that regardless of who fathered her biologically, Rick would be her real daddy.
She felt greasy, sweaty and her hands needed a good washing, though they couldn't afford to shower daily. It wouldn't be long before they ran out of fuel for the generator again. They were always running low on everything it seemed. Eyes were on her as she left the bedroom and walked out of the small, dark hallway.
"Well?" Beth asked; her arms around a sleepy Carl.
Carol let out a deep breath. "It's a girl, a healthy baby girl." She tried mustering a smile, but she found she was too exhausted.
Carl asked if he could go in and Carol nodded, ruffling his hair on his way by. Looking around the room she saw Daryl perched on the arm of the sofa, watching her in his quiet way. T-Dog was putting on more coffee and Glenn was lying on his mattress but he wasn't sleeping. Suddenly the awful feeling of claustrophobia came over her and she rubbed her arms with her grimy hands.
She felt Daryl's eyes following her as she made her way to her area behind the couch and picked up the baseball bat and a bottle of water. In order to avoid walking around him, she squeezed through the narrow passage way between the wall and the other arm of the couch and pushed out the back door. She wasn't intending on going far, but with the last step she took off the back stairway, she thought about how Rick would be distracted with the baby and with Lori. Maybe she could actually slip away for a little bit. She'd done it before when she'd gone off to read or practice some of the strange moves in that self defense book. She felt ridiculous when she had, but she knew she needed to get stronger, be braver.
The leaves of last fall crunched beneath the heels of her boots and new life was stirring in the exposed soil. She saw earth worms and sprouts of clover and foxglove forming. About twenty feet out she heard him behind her. She listened for that distinctive sound, the shuffling, the groaning, but she knew it was Daryl when all she heard was the steady track of his footsteps and the clicky noise of his crossbow on his shoulder.
It both eased her mind to have him there and angered her all at once. She wanted to be alone. Why did he feel the need to protect her? Because she was little ol' Carol who couldn't defend herself or anyone else for that matter if her life depended on it, that's why. Even with how well she'd handled things at the mall, it would take more than that to prove herself to him and the group and she knew it.
And why did she want to prove herself so badly? Was it because she knew Andrea or Michonne would win him over sooner or later? Or was it more because she belonged in the group and wanted to contribute more than just being the person who kept their clothing and dishes washed, and their bellies full? She didn't know. Holding the Judith had rattled her. The whole six hours that Lori was in labor, she'd re-lived the twenty-seven it'd taken for her to have Sophia.
She walked on for a good ten minutes more before she came to the clearing and the same small pond she'd gone to before. Tall cattails partially blocked her view but she moved off to the side where they weren't so plenty and stood until he caught up to her.
Barely giving him the chance to reach her, she spun around. "What do you want?"
He stopped a few feet away, appearing to be surprised by her tone. Then he squinted and she knew he'd seen her tears. "Can't go wanderin' off on yer own. You know that." His voice was gruff, almost angry.
"I don't need you griping at me." She held her head high, but kept her eyes on his feet, looking at the same brown boots he'd worn since she'd first met him.
"Can't go wanderin' off on yer own when you're ready to fall asleep on yer feet. How's that?" He asked; his voice softer.
"I'm fine." She told him holding up the bat, showing him she would be.
Daryl watched her for a minute looking antsy, narrowing his eyes again, even though the sun was blinding her from the east.
"Daryl just go!" She yelled; surprised at the volume and the emotion that erupted from her but she was ready to burst into tears and didn't want him to see. With that she turned around because the burning in her throat and nose became too much. She heard him step back and then stop. The tears came shortly after that and she prayed he would at least stay where he was until she got herself under control. She felt horrible for yelling at him. Taking a deep breath she wiped her tears and quickly glanced back to see him, his back to her.
"Daryl" She started out so quiet she wasn't sure he heard her but he was watching something too far off for her to see from where she stood.
She'd yelled at him. He was stunned. She looked so pained and pissed off that he had no choice but to give her a minute, then he spotted Andrea and Michonne heading their way. Exactly what none of them needed right now.
He set off away from Carol, not wanting to get too far away from her but wanting to warn them off before they got any closer. Carol was tired and helping Lori go through havin' the baby most likely brought back memories Sophia and the fact that she wasn't with them.
Daryl met the girls looking from one to the other, square in the eyes. "Go back. If you wanna meet up later I'll meet up with ya, but not now. She doesn't need it." He didn't know what he was saying, anything to ward them off. His plan had been to stay away from her but he couldn't let her walk off alone in the state she was in.
"She can't go taking off like that on her own. She knows Rick would have a fit." Andrea snarled.
Daryl felt his lips curling back. "She didn't. I came out here with her." He brought his finger up and pointed. "I told ya last night stay away from her."
"She doesn't need to stay away from me Daryl." Carol's voice came from behind him.
He blew out a frustrated breath and moved aside. It was obvious she wanted to deal with this now, regardless of whether he thought she was ready to or not.
"Andrea, I apologized the day you came back for leaving you. I know things haven't been great between us since you came back but I don't think I deserve all the resentment. That was a horrible night. I'd like to put it behind us."
Andrea shook her head, her steel blue eyes set on Carol's. "You'll never get it, will you? Not as long as you have him around to protect you."
Carol's chin came up. "Seems to me you have your own savior." She said, eyeing Michonne.
Daryl backed up closer to where Carol stood sensing the tension in the air all while he - and Michonne, he noticed, watched the area around the pond.
"I pull my own weight." Andrea muttered.
"Who just spent the last seven hours helping one of our people who was in labor when it wasn't really somethin' that – you know what? Never mind. I came out here to be alone."
He noticed the angry look in her eyes and the way she was squeezing the bat so tight, the tiny bones in her knuckles were showing.
"One of our people." Andrea repeated, nodding. "I don't owe any of you anything."
"Why the hell'd you come out here then?" Daryl yelled, flinging his arm out. "To start shit? It ain't what the group needs. I told ya that last night."
With that she stalked off with Michonne on her heels. He'd been in the middle of conflict most of his life. This had been mild compared to most of what he'd seen. Still, at the moment he had no clue what to do. Andrea knew there was no getting at Carol and Carol didn't want him near her either. So he had no idea why he stuck around after the other two left. She crossed her arms and walked back to the pond, gazing out across the water and he stood back watching the area.
"You know Daryl, maybe what this group doesn't need is me." She said when she walked back to where he stood.
"What?" He snapped, not believing it'd come out of her mouth.
"Maybe she's right." She held up her hand. "Not in the sense you're thinkin'."
She must've recognized the look of disgust on his face. One thing he wouldn't put up with from anyone in the group was the thought of opting out.
"I only meant me as I am right now. I need some work. I'm tryin' but it's not enough."
"There's some things I could show ya." He offered, biting his tongue immediately after wondering what the hell he was thinkin'. What about hangin' back and stayin' away from her? Real great job he was doin' of that. He almost laughed and was pissed off all at the same time.
She shook her head. "No, you don't have to. We should get back before they tell on us."
"I reckon." He figured.
It took a good fifteen minutes to walk back and she was quiet the whole way creating an uneasy silence that he couldn't stand so he finally broke it when they neared the back steps. "Sorry ya didn't get the chance to think out there. I wasn't about to let somethin' happen. I know it wasn't easy whatcha did last night."
Carol hesitated, and then reached out with a slender hand. He pulled his one shoulder back, but she met his eyes with determination and he realized she was only going to touch his arm.
Her hand connected with his skin and she gave his bicep a squeeze, and then walked up the steps and through the door.
Rick came around the corner. Daryl could hear the mewling baby inside and he was beginning to get the feeling that no one was gonna get any sleep for awhile.
"Where the hell were you?"
Daryl didn't get why he was so angry, then it dawned on him. The girls – mainly Andrea had probably snitched. "Took Carol down to the pond to clear her head."
Rick put his hands on his hips, shaking his head. "Michonne and Andrea took off. Any idea why?"
Now that was a shocker. Daryl was in no mood to get into specifics. "What do you mean took off?" He was hoping Andrea just needed to blow off steam.
"I mean gathered up their stuff, threw their bags on Michonne's walkers and left."
"You know she hasn't had her head together since she got back. Michonne won't let nothin' happen to her."
"I don't know what the hell is goin' on, but if they get back I expect you to get it taken care of."
Daryl nodded. "Fair enough." He mumbled, knowing it was partly his fault for takin' off drinkin' with them one too many times in the past week. "And if they don't?"
"We can't risk anyone to go and fetch them. Not with the prison run this close."
"You still thinkin' of leavin' so quick?" Though it didn't surprise Daryl none.
Rick nodded. "As soon as Lori's able, I wanna move. That prison is ours. Our resources are runnin' low here."
Daryl gave him a nod back. "Alright."
Inside he found Carol at the sink rinsing the dishes, everyone's eyes on her, no one knowing what was going on. T-Dog cornered him near the front door. "Man what the hell happened?"
Daryl shrugged. "Not sure. Rick said we can't risk goin' after them and I don't think he's too off on that decision."
"I know Andrea hasn't been herself, not since she's been back."
"Tell me somethin' I don't know. She's pissed off." Daryl decided to admit. "She'll either come to her senses or she won't, but she knows the risk she's takin' right now by leavin'."
Truth was none of them were safe. She might not have any better luck if she'd stayed. They had a huge prison full of walkers to deal with in the next few weeks. Who knew if anyone would make it in or out of there alive? They had to prepare for this. He glanced at Carol again. She had to prepare for this. Regardless of her putting his offer to help off, he would push to do so. He'd seen what she could do when they made the run the mall. Somewhere inside her there was more than an ounce of courage. It'd just been suppressed all these years by what she'd been through, by being controlled by someone. It was dyin' to come out.
T-Dog caught him watching her and gave him a chuckle.
"What'cha brayin' at?"
"If I didn't know better - "
Daryl cut him off. "If you didn't know better what?"
T-Dog held his hands up. "Nothin' man, if you can't see it, you'll figure it out eventually."
He gave him a dirty look and walked over to the sink to wash his hands.
"Don't use the hot." She told him.
"I ain't." He said, grabbing the Comet and a sponge, scrubbing off his callused hands.
"What is everyone whispering about?"
He didn't wanna tell her. It was one more thing she'd feel a guilty party to. But as he glanced around the room, he noticed the way everyone looked away as soon as he caught their eye. "Andrea and Michonne left."
"Left?" She asked, alarmed, rubbing her hands on a dishtowel. "I gotta go bring them back."
He grabbed her at the elbow as she tried to leave, ignoring the looks from everyone else as he did. That was the negative to living in such close quarters. He vowed as soon as they cleared a big cell block he'd find a way to get some space.
"We aren't riskin' goin' after them."
"Well we can't just let them walk away." She told him, angry and shocked.
"Their choice." He said firmly. "Now I want you to at least try and take a nap."
She protested but he hadn't let go of her elbow yet and he started to lead her over to the couch. He took about two steps with her when he felt her bony arm sink into his stomach. Several gasps – Maggie and Glenn's rang clear in the quiet, open space. And with the wind knocked out of him she managed to make it out the front door.
"Carol!" He yelled, hearin' the baby start her wailing up again. "Shit." He cursed and went banging out the door after her, past Herschel who was sitting on the front step. "God Damnit get back here." He roared.
She was already off the beaten path in the yard out onto the dirt road. Holding his stomach he ran catching up to her before they got out of sight of the cabin.
This time he locked his hand around her elbow tight and spun her around. "Jesus Carol, ya ain't gonna get them to come back."
"This is my fault." She argued, struggling.
"It's not. Damnit, it's not. It's more mine than yours. If I hadn'ta been out with them those few nights, then it wouldn'ta built up to this."
She stopped trying to wiggle out of his grip. "Did you see yourself in there? Ya got me good, ya know? Put on quite a show for everyone. That's all ya need is the gumption to do somethin'."
Her breathing slowed down, the dark circles under her eyes so much more apparent now that the sun had risen higher through the trees.
"Come on. Ya need sleep. And not to elbow me again."
Slowly she started moving with him back towards the cabin, but to be safe, he kept his hand around her elbow. "I don't let anyone get away with what you just did. There's gonna be talk."
"About us?" She asked meekly.
"Yeah." He admitted looking straight ahead.
"There already has been." She said.
He didn't wanna know anymore. They walked back the rest of the way without so much as a word and just to be sure she slept, he stayed put on the side of the couch, until her breathing slowed, and her eyes stayed shut. She was curled up on her side, looking way too thin under the light blanket. Near the mattress lay the self-defense book she'd been readin' lately. He wanted to know more about what she'd been up to when she'd been takin' off and how they could build on that before it came time to hit the prison.