Here is Chapter 7! Thank you dear friends and readers. I love each and every word of encouragement you all give me. I also own nothing of TWD, comic or t.v. show, though if I did, it would obviously follow like this:
Andrea and Michonne squinted in the sunlight, watching the helicopter go down from where they stood on the highway, farther back from the country road Daryl and Carol had stopped on.
"Come on." Michonne urged tugging at the tattered beige blanket Andrea was wrapped in, noticing the goose bumps dotting both of her arms. "By the time we get over there, the flames will have died down and maybe there'll be somethin' we can use to fix up your arm."
Andrea gave her a weak smile. "You've so been good to me. I'm sorry we left the group. This wouldn't have happened if I hadn't lost my temper with Daryl."
Michonne watched Andrea through stormy eyes. "We'll get what supplies we can from the crash and head on back to them. He needs to know his brother's alive."
Andrea clutched her right arm and gave Michonne a firm nod. Her stomach rumbled and she felt sick all at the same time. She needed antibiotics before the knife wound turned into a full blown blood infection. That smarmy, one-handed bastard had gotten what he deserved when Michonne had knocked him out cold with the large rock she'd thrown at his head. "Lucky if he's still alive the way we left him there." That'd been the only thing keeping her from letting Michonne kill Merle, the guilt she still felt for being party to leaving him on that roof in Atlanta.
"Naw, he'll be fine. That one's a fighter. It's you I'm worried about." Michonne said scanning the tree line again. "Let's go." She commanded, yanking on the chains of her two undead pack mules.
I'd been so long since they'd seen any sign of life and the first they saw, it ended in eminent death. There was no way anyone had survived that crash and if they had, they'd become monsters, no longer people.
"In the truck." Daryl yelled, amazed that she didn't argue. He started down the road ramming through gears like they were in a demo derby but he wanted as far away from the mess as he could get.
"You don't think - " She started, her eyes narrowing on his.
"No." He snapped, assuming what she was gonna say, but no they weren't going back to see if they could help.
"I wasn't suggesting we go back." She glared at him, crossing her arms.
He felt his cheeks flame just a little. "What were ya gonna say then?"
"Were they military?" She asked quickly, as if she were afraid he'd interrupt again, which made him feel even worse.
"Looked like they could be. Happened so fast it's hard to tell."
It didn't matter to him; he wanted to get back to the group. A feeling of foreboding came over him. Where had the helicopter come from? And if anyone responded to the crash, it was close enough to the area where they were hidin' out – who was to say they wouldn't find the prison, which lay only miles ahead?
A half an hour later they arrived back at the cabin. On the way through the yard, Daryl noticed all the trampled weeds, the scuffled tracks, a few torn tatters of old clothing caught on branches.
"Herd's come through." He hollered, hopping out of the truck getting over to her side before she could get the door open. "Grab the bat." He reached past her for his crossbow, loading it quickly. She approached the front door first, much to his dismay. "Can ya just stay behind me?" He snapped at her. She gave him a look, distracting him as the front door flew open.
Rick stood there his dark gaze on the two of them. Daryl returned the look. "Are ya'll alright?"
"Fine." Rick growled, obviously exhausted. "Good to see you two back." He moved off to the side, letting them in.
"We got everything on the list, got trapped in JcPenny's though." Carol told everyone. They were all huddled together in pairs. She went right to Lori and the baby as soon as she spotted them. He took the opportunity to let out a whistle getting Rick's attention and called him out on the porch, wasting no time telling him they needed to get a move on.
"Bout twenty miles from here, helicopter flew over and crashed."
"Military?" Rick asked, his brow knitted tight. He scrubbed both his hands over his face.
"No way of tellin'." Daryl said. "We also got company in between. There's a trail that leads east, it's fresh. More than just two people too."
"Herd came through last night." Rick said, looking off into the yard. "Almost lost Glenn. He was the furthest out when they started comin'. One of the biggest we've had since winter ended. We're gonna need to make a run for the prison as soon as we can. We'll start packin' up today."
Daryl agreed. If they didn't get there first someone would lay claim to it. He didn't like the idea of bein' behind bars or walls, but with the way things had changed in the world it seemed their best option. First way of order was fightin' the dead. Ready or not, they were going.
Emptying the cabin of everything they'd scavenged in the past six months proved to be an unending task. They only had the truck, the Prius, Daryl's bike and the Suburban.
It was clear that everyone wasn't thrilled about the sudden change in plans but there wasn't much they could do. They were sitting ducks here as much as anywhere, and at least getting closer to the prison they'd be doing something proactive. Daryl was all for that.
Once most everything was packed away, Lori came out with the baby in the sling they'd picked up on one of their runs while they'd been waiting for her to pop. Daryl gave her a sideways glance wondering if she was gonna piss and moan about goin' or if Rick had whipped her into submission. She narrowed her eyes back at him.
"If ya wanna talk to him just say so." He said seething with sarcasm.
She let out a breath and patted the protruding area of the sling. "Please."
Daryl grumbled but before he was up the steps to get back into the cabin she was complainin' or so he thought.
"I know we're packed up, but just one more night? That herd can't be too far off, and there were some that were still going through just before Carol and Daryl got back."
Daryl paused at the door. She had a point. He turned around eyeing Rick. "She's right. One more night here, let that herd get out a little further. Then we can make camp at that place we picked on the map close to the prison."
Lori snapped around to look at him, stunned that he agreed. Rick held out his hands to the two of them. It was usually Daryl or his wife he ended up listening to the most. Daryl couldn't believe he found himself siding with Lori because the two of them were usually at odds.
"And what if that wasn't the entire herd? Do you really want to spend another night here trying to keep the baby quiet, prayin' they don't bust down the door?" He asked, his voice strained with concern.
"I'd say having 4 walls around us is a hell of a lot safer tonight than driving off in a similar direction that they went and sleeping in tents. You're askin' for us to get ambushed."
Daryl backtracked down the steps. "One more night here. I'll pull watch with Carol. We got to sleep late, but wound up with enough for us manage it. We go out there today, half ass set up in the shape you're all in, it's our asses. She's right."
Lori gave him one of her awkward looks. "Thank you." She said, and spun on her heels, going back inside.
Rick put his hands on his hips pacing, bordering on losing his temper. "We need to get goin' on this."
Daryl shrugged. "We'll be packed and ready to leave at first light. Hey, we brought back a shit ton of coffee. Looks like you could use some." He offered.
They got by on what juice the generator had left, but it was just about to die. It seemed they'd walked back into a changed group of people. Each one on edge, twiddling their thumbs now that most everything other than the essentials were packed. No one was talkin'. Finally Rick broke the thick silence.
"We leave at first light. Carol, you'll take watch out front, Daryl, you out back. Point is we won't be campin' long before we make a break into the prison." He looked to Daryl waiting for him to explain what they'd seen on their way back from their run, but it was Carol who stepped out into the group.
"I know you all went through hell last night. Rick's gotten us a lot further than I ever thought he would." She started, shyly admitting something that he knew was tough for her to say. "Let's just hold tight for one more night."
Daryl took a step closer to her and she turned her head waiting for something, maybe for his approval, he couldn't be sure. He tipped his head to her slightly, but all he wanted to do was put his hand on the small of her back because he was so proud for her speaking up, more proud than he was when she blasted that geek in the face when they were trapped in the vent, more proud than when she called him out on being a bastard and he'd hauled her back to bed last night. She was finally speaking up, unafraid of what the others would think of her opinions.
He flashed her an unsettled look after she'd said her peace to the group and there'd been something in his eyes, gratitude perhaps? She couldn't be sure. She was just as anxious to get to the prison as any of them but not to go wandering out into the midst of a herd that'd just come through.
It surprised her that she'd been volunteered for watch later that night. No one had ever asked her or volunteered her in the past, much less trusted her to be one of the few who did take watch. She was nervous but just knowing that Daryl would be up with her most of the night quelled some of the worry. They hadn't seen a single walker since they'd gotten back but the stench of them sure hadn't gone away.
Dinner was simple and quiet. Rice, canned turkey from one of Daryl's kills over the winter, canned beets and pickled relish, and fresh strawberries they'd picked only two days ago from the edge of the yard.
"I managed to grab a few things for the kids while at the mall." Carol said, after she, Maggie and Lori had cleared the table. She figured she'd show the two before passing the toys along to the kids, since Beth was Maggie's sister and Lori, Carl's mom.
"We appreciate it Carol. There's not much in this world left for them to cling when it comes to their childhood." Lori said.
Maggie wiped her hands on a dishtowel and agreed. "Beth's sixteen, but when all this started she still had dolls she was playin' with. With all she's been through – let's see what'cha got."
Lori took Judith from Rick who was perched on the arm of the couch huddled with Daryl, T-Dog and Glenn and the women followed Carol into the bedroom. She didn't miss the look of curiosity in Daryl's eyes as she picked up her huge hand bag and went around the corner.
"Gawd, you could fit a small person in your bag Carol." Maggie joked. "I always see ya carryin' it but it's never that full."
"That's because I only carried enough for me and - " Sophia's name died in her throat before it made it past her lips. "Anyhow," She recovered quickly. "Here are a few zoo animals." She brought out a stuffed zebra, a horse, an elephant, and a tiger.
"Beth'll want the horse." Maggie mused, picking it up.
"Carl can have the tiger, if he wants it. I worry about him sometimes, you know with everything he's been through. He's harder now. Just like a little man." Lori sighed. "He might not even want it."
"You can always try." Carol insisted. "Here, Judith can have the elephant."
"What else?" Maggie asked.
Carol smiled, reached in and pulled out a thick, wooden backboard with a basket ball hoop folded up against it. "I figured we could use it at the prison."
Lori bounced the baby, patting her tiny back and laughed. "How did that fit in there?"
And then Carol pulled out the basket ball and they all laughed. "I also brought back a few board games, but I'll save them for when we get there."
"This was good of you, with all you and Daryl had to go through." Maggie told her, giving her arm a squeeze. "He told Glenn you did real well."
"He did?" She asked a little too loudly when Lori cleared her throat and she turned to see Daryl and Rick standing in the doorway.
"Carol got the kids some things. We were just going through them." Lori told them.
Daryl side stepped Carl as he dodged through he and Rick to get in the bedroom. "She what?" He asked excitedly and started pawing through the bag, not seeing the things on the bed. "Whoa, Monopoly! Mom we used to play this at home." His smile said it all. "Can we play now?"
Lori gazed down at the sleeping baby in her arms. "Carol?"
Carol brought it the rest of the way out of the bag and laid it on the bed. "It's up to you." She gathered up the rest of the things and put them back in the bag, leaving the plush animals out, except for the zebra. "I have watch soon. I might get some rest before." She heaved the bag over her shoulder like Santa Clause and brushed past Daryl as she left the room. Maggie followed close behind her calling out for Beth to go on in.
The bag hit her mattress with a thud and she sagged back on the couch wishing Sophia were there to give that extra stuffed toy an owner. She hadn't been fond of zebras in particular, but she would've liked it. She never took to any toy the way she had her rag doll. Carol had sewed it for from a pattern she'd ordered when Sophia was just barely pulling herself up on furniture.
All of a sudden there was a large, calloused hand in front of her face. Her eyes followed the arm all the way up to the concerned look in Daryl's eyes. "Come on. Let's get some air before we take our turn."
They passed by Herschel who sat on the back steps. He mumbled something about not wanderin' off too far and Daryl snapped back that he didn't need to worry about nothin' but what he was 'sposed to be doin'.
"It's fine Herschel." Carol called trying to pacify the old man and then bumped Daryl's shoulder. "You should've been nicer. He's just doin' his job. Protecting the group."
"And he doesn't think I can keep you safe?" He snapped.
"I can keep myself safe." She argued back rounding the corner of the cabin. That's when he backed her up against the wall unexpectedly and moved in to kiss her. His hands hit the siding near each of her shoulders as his mouth met hers not quite gently, but not so rough that it hurt. And although it was unexpected, his advances weren't unwelcome; in fact she knew he'd brought her out there with him to distract her. It was something he could sense from all the way back when he'd brought her the Cherokee rose. He'd somehow tapped into her feelings when it came to Sophia. They'd shared more grief over losing her than any of the others in the group. It brought her back to the night he'd screamed that Sophia hadn't been his – anger being the overriding emotion – the only he'd been able to express. He grieved over her baby girl like she had been his own. And as his lips covered hers and his tongue flicked against her own, she realized all of this. It went rushing through her mind and she didn't feel so alone anymore.
Between kisses, he backed away briefly for her to catch her breath and finally she said his name, "Daryl." Stopping him as he was coming in for more. "No don't stop." She whispered. "I just wanted to say thanks."
He did stop then. "For what?"
"Distracting me."
"So it's workin' then?"
She bit her lip and nodded.
"Good." He told her without hesitating and angled his face just so. A slice of moon hung above them, but it gave off enough light to expose more than he realized was comin' through. A smoldering look, lust of course, but more than that, something she didn't feel quite ready to pin point. She wouldn't know anyway. She had no clue when it came to this. Pulling him back to her was easy and he didn't fight it. She squeezed the leather of his vest in her fists and with it rose the arousing scent of his body underneath from the collar of his shirt. His hands ran down the length of her back to the curve of her ass, cupping it and bringing it flush with his pelvis, pressing her back against the wall. She found her foot lifting off the ground and her leg automatically curling around the back of his knees pulling him into her more so she could feel the entire length of his dick right where she wanted it to be – but the problem was, they had their clothes on, and a lot of them.
He seemed to figure that out at the same time and his hands moved to the button on her jeans when they heard footsteps heading in their direction. Her arms were around Daryl's shoulders, leg still tangled behind his knees and there stood Herschel. Daryl groaned and released her instantly stepping back about two feet.
"Everyone alright?" He asked, straining to see, although Carol was sure he knew what they'd been up to.
"Fine." Daryl snapped, kicking at some stray leaves at his feet.
"Heard some shuffling out here and other noises, just thought I'd investigate, with all the walkers goin' through last night."
"You sayin' we sounded like walkers old man?" Daryl snarled.
Carol held her hand up, the other one was across her mouth to keep from laughing. "We're fine Herschel." She said finally, a giggle escaped from her throat when she said his name.
"Alright then, I'd like to get some shut eye. Which one of you's relieving my post?" He asked already walking away.
Daryl fell into step beside her. "He knew what the fuck we were up to." He whispered out of the corner of his mouth.
"Ah that'd be Daryl, I believe." She said, ignoring Daryl.
Herschel walked in the back door without a word and brought out Daryl's crossbow. When he didn't leave the doorway, Carol stared up at him from the steps. "I'll relieve Glenn in just a second."
She breathed a sigh of relief when Herschel finally retreated into the cabin. "Guess I'd better get out there." She said, still a bit unsteady on her feet. Daryl sat down without giving her a glance and began cleaning his bow. "Okay." She said with a touch of sarcasm and started up the steps, hesitating when his strong hand hugged her calf.
"I'll keep the door open. Holler if you need me." He told her softly.
She held herself in place long enough to lean down and kiss the top of his head, noticing he didn't pull away. "I will."
From her vantage point on the front she could see him directly behind her on the back steps. Not only had she brought the bat and the pistol Lori had given her out on the porch but she also lugged her bag out there too. As she listened to the quietness surrounding the cabin, she picked up the zebra and picked at its tufts of fur for a bit before bringing out the basket ball. She didn't know what possessed her to do it, but with a clear path back to Daryl, she set it next to her, gave it a shove and rolled it across the space between them. Her view of him was a bit obscured but she thought it hit his hip and she definitely saw him jump and look back at her. Nothing happened for awhile and she was almost certain he'd keep the ball right next to him the rest of their shift but soon she heard the unmistakable sound of the rubber hitting the cabin floor, the ball rolling across the rug and finally out onto the front porch back to her. It went on for a half an hour more until Lori got up to feed the baby and almost tripped on it going through. At that point he kept it with him and the shift grew boring again, but she was on watch she had to remember. The group trusted her enough with the task and that boost of confidence – along with what'd transpired with Daryl earlier had been just what she needed.