-Four-
"How old are you?" A slimy man named Axel asked Beth.
"Too fucking young for you." Lake growled and the man threw up his hands in surrender.
"Can I speak with you in private for a moment?" Carol asked Axel.
After they left Lake looked to Beth, "That guy freaks me out. You'd be best to stay away from him." Beth shrunk her face up in disgust.
"You don't have to worry about that." As she said it, Lake caught Beth glance in Carl's direction. She mentally kicked herself for not catching that sooner.
When Carol and Axel returned, Axel took one look in Lake's direction before mumbling something about watching from the tower.
Carol sat next to Lake and took Judith into her arms. "She looks like her mother." Carol stated. Lake leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes. "He is attracted to you, you know."
Lake cracked one eye to see Carol watching her. "Huh?" she muttered.
"Daryl. I've noticed since you've come how he watches you." Carol adjusted Judith before continuing, "I think he may even love you," Lake's jaw dropped. "In his own way of course." Carol added when she saw Lake's shocked face.
"See?" Beth drew out. Lake glared speechless.
"It makes me happy to see him happy. You are good for him." Carol's voice was sad but her eyes sincere.
Unable to handle it any longer, Lake jumped up and ran from the cell. As she exited, she grabbed a pistol and her hunting knife. She frowned at the fact that it had been so long since she actually used it. Anger threatened to boil over as she kicked the dirt beneath her feet.
A rustle revealed a walker as it made its way out from the trees. What appeared to be a nurse, drug itself as its breath labored rapidly.
"You are good for him." Carol's words echoed through Lake's mind. "He is attracted to you, you know."
Lake didn't ask for any of this. She wanted protection not a protector. She needed…she didn't need Daryl. She…
With a shout, Lake threw her blade as hard as she could. The thud of the walker hitting dirt subdued her frustrations.
Upon the retrieval of her knife, she smiled to herself. Her aim found home directly in the walker's head. She still had it, rusty her ass. Shielding her eyes against the setting sun she hoped the others were safe. That Daryl was safe. The regret was overwhelming.
A scream sent Lake scurrying back towards the prison. A gunshot sounded and Lake picked up speed. She reached the cell and Hershel shook his head. "Carl went after the screams." He pointed in the direction.
Lake cursed and took off running. "Carl!" She shouted.
"Lake!" Carl's voice echoed down the hallways. Lake rounded a corner just as Carl appeared at the other end.
"Carl, what the fuck?!" She yelled until she saw they weren't alone. Holding her gun up, she froze. "Don't move."
"Lake we don't have time!" Carl was frantic. Lake craned to see a man holding someone.
"She bit?" She asked tightening her grip on the pistol.
"Lake!" Carl was pulling her in the direction of the common room. "Please."
Lake struggled with the indecision. Finally lowering her gun, she cursed and took off after Carl.
Once everyone was within the safety of the common room, Carl impressed Lake by being the one to say, "You have to kill her." The man holding her protested. The woman was his wife. The teenage boy behind them was quiet.
"We take care of our own." A large, burly man replied. A woman stood next to him, silent, as he killed the infected woman. The husband wept as he held his son. Carl motioned for Lake to follow and she didn't object. They closed the group into the holding room and locked the door.
The silent woman rushed the bars, "You can't lock us in here!" The large man stopped her.
"This is the best we've had in weeks." He looked to Carl. "Thank you." Carl nodded and they left the group to mourn the loss of one of their own.
"You're all grown up." Lake stated as they walked back to the cell. "You were born to be a leader." She ruffled his hair and Carl pushed her hand away playfully.
As a group, they discussed their new additions. The large man, Tyreese, was the apparent leader. His sister Sasha was the one to protest being locked up and the other two were Ben and Allen. Carl had found them in the boiler room fighting for their lives.
"I think we should be able to trust them." Carl informed them.
"We don't know them." Lake argued.
With a stern look Carl stated, "We didn't know you either when you first showed up."
Lake threw up her hands. "Touché."
"I think we should leave them locked up. Just until the men get back." Carol suggested.
"I agree." Hershel added.
"Then they stay locked up until my dad gets back." Carl walked over to Beth and ran a finger over Judith's small hand. "We should feed them." He glanced over his shoulder and Lake stood.
"I'll do it." She left without another word. As she handed the food to the other group, she sat on the edge of a nearby table.
"So, you guys been on your own long?" Tyreese nodded as he stuffed a handful of rice in his mouth. In the corner, the other two men sat silent. Lake frowned. "Sorry about your loss."
The man looked straight at her, "Donna, her name was Donna…and thank you." Lake shrugged before reverting her attention to Sasha.
"How old are you?" Lake asked.
"What's it to you?" Sasha asked. Her brother kicked her.
"She is twenty four." He answered for his sister.
"Yeah?" Lake stood. "I figured you were close to me. I'm twenty five."
The woman only stared at her so Lake made her way to the stairs. "Ya'll holler out if you need anything. The guys should be back by tomorrow."
That night, Lake struggled to fall asleep. Something was wrong. She felt it in everything she was. Judith cried and Lake climbed from bed with a groan.
"They're back!" Axel shouted from his place up in the watch tower.
Everyone made their way out into the prison yard as the vehicle approached. Rick climbed out of the driver's seat as the back doors opened.
Lake's heart began to pound unforgivably as she watched an extremely wounded Glenn step out from behind a distressed Maggie. Placing his weight against her, they made their way towards us. Hershel and Beth hurried forward as Maggie began to cry. They embraced her as well as Glenn. Rick laid a hand on Carl shoulder as he stopped before them.
"Daryl?" Carol asked with a shaky voice. She turned away with a hand over her mouth when Rick shook his head.
"We went under fire. Oscar…he didn't make it. We waited for Daryl, but he never showed." Rick informed them. Michonne approached slowly.
Lake could feel her eyes on her. "We're going back for him." Michonne stated causing Lake to jerk her head up.
Looking to Rick, "You're going back?" He nodded.
"Daryl is a member of this group. We owe him the same courtesy we would any other." Rick took Judith and held her close. "Merle is alive."
Lake stepped back. "Merle? Daryl's asshole brother that you left stranded on a roof where he sawed off his own hand? That Merle?" Rick shot her a frustrated look. "Damn…"
When the others were in the safety of the prison, Rick addressed Tyreese. After a long discussion, the two shook hands and Rick unlocked the door.
Lake walked out of the weapons hold as she pulled her hair up into a ponytail.
Michonne stepped into her path. "What do you think you are doing?" She asked. Lake threw on the shoulder holster and then sheathed her knife on her thigh.
"If Daryl's in trouble, I'm going to help rescue him. There is not a chance in hell I'm being left behind." Lake struggled to keep her anger in check. She wasn't upset with anyone but herself. That last day with Daryl replaying in her mind over and over again.
"You think you have what it takes?" Michonne crossed her arms over her chest and smirked.
"Ask me that after I save your ass, K?" Michonne laughed. Lake pushed past her and continued towards the prison yard.
"Not a chance in hell girlie, not a chance." Michonne called after her and Lake only smiled.
Lake leaned against the SUV as Rick stepped out from inside the prison. Michonne followed closely, a long sword attached to her back.
"Bring him back." Lake jumped as Carol appeared from nowhere. "Please, he tried so hard to find my little girl." This was the first time Lake had heard Carol talk of Sophia.
"I want him back just as bad as you do. I won't come back without him, whether he's dead or alive." As she spoke, her stomach plummeted at the thought of Daryl being dead. Pushing it from her mind, she accepted a quick hug from Carol before climbing into the back seat.
Rick and Michonne climbed in the front and they set off on yet again another rescue mission. Looking out the window at the trees that flew by, Lake prayed to whatever God existed that she'd find Daryl. She vowed that when she did, she would tell him just how much he meant to her. She owed it to him after all.
"You ready Lake?" Rick asked from the driver's seat.
"I'm going to fucking tear them apart. Oh yeah, I'm ready." Michonne chuckled and Lake shifted in her seat.
"Just remember there are innocents there. We don't kill the living." Rick reminded. Lake scoffed.
"If they have harmed one hair on his stupid head, I'll kill every person responsible." Rick sighed and Lake continued, "Don't forget boss, you put me in Daryl's care when I first showed up. It goes both ways." Looking back out the window, Lake ran a hand over the hair of her ponytail. "He's mine." She muttered.
Parking far enough away from the compound, they took off on foot. Michonne led the way, saber drawn. Nightfall made the risk double if not triple but they knew they were on borrowed time. An assault of their magnitude wouldn't go unpunished.
Michonne turned back with a finger held up to her lips. Crouching near a pile of metal, they scouted out their best possible entrance. Orange light flickered over the wall of Woodbury. Shouting and chants sent Lake's blood cold.
"We have to get in there now." She whispered harshly. "We don't have time for technicalities."
Michonne motioned for them to follow and soon unveiled an entrance that was undiscovered by those of Woodbury. Once inside, they followed the commotion until they reached what looked to be a large arena. They climbed until the center ring was visible.
Lake cursed. Daryl stood in the center surrounded by a large group of people. A man with one eye addressed the crowd. Chants rose throughout the arena. Kill! Kill them! Kill!
Lake struggled to stay hidden as she watched Daryl frantically look about. Across from him stood a big man with a knife for a hand; in that moment it clicked.
"Merle." Rick whispered in confirmation.
Michonne pointed to the man with one eye, "The Governor." She tapped a finger under her eye. "I did that." She looked to Rick as if to answer some question.
Lake nodded curtly in approval. Just then, the Governor's voice rose above the crowd.
"You wanted your brother, well now you got him." The crowd erupted in cheers of approval. A blonde woman fought against the hold of someone in the crowd as she yelled for the Governor. Once free, she grabbed him by the arm and pointed towards Daryl. The Governor shook his head and held out his arms. The cheers were deafening.
Daryl circled the ring as his brother spoke. He shook his head and Lake knew he wouldn't fight. Couldn't fight. Not his own brother. Merle lunged forward thrashing out with his makeshift arm. Daryl jumped to the side narrowly missing the blade.
Lake sent a worry look towards Rick. He tossed her something and Lake caught it reflexively. Opening her hand, she grinned at a grenade. Rick nodded, and disappeared. Lake made her way to the far end of the arena and place the grenade at the base of the wall.
As she made her way back to meet the others, voices caused her to slip into the shadows.
"I hope they fucking gut him like the pig he is. I mean, who does he think he is to attack Woodbury. He deserves whatever is coming to him." The two men rounded the corner, disappearing into the arena.
Lake stood silent as she fought the urge to follow and kill the idiots who wished death upon Daryl. A roar erupted from inside, Lake climbed up the side of the wall and pulled on Rick's pant leg. He twisted to look down at her and shook his head.
Lake would be damned if she would sit by and not help Daryl if he needed her. She pushed up next to Rick, despite his protests, to see Daryl being shoved to the dirt. Someone within the crowd threw a weapon at Daryl's feet. Lake silently urged Daryl to pick up whatever weapon he was being given.
"Where the hell is Michonne?" Lake asked. Rick pushed Lake into the crowd and due to the entertainment; no one found them out of place. Seeing this, Lake broke from Rick and pushed through to the opposite end of the arena.
There she wrapped her hands around her mouth and shouted, "Pick up the weapon you dirty redneck!" She ducked and ran back the way she came just as the people in front of her cheered her comment.
She delighted as she watched Daryl's head swing around and search the crowd she had just been in. He crawled and took hold of the machete and stood on shaky legs. He shouted something to his brother but Lake couldn't hear.
Someone grabbed her and Lake froze. "Come on." Michonne's voice was in her ear as she dragged Lake through the crowd. They made it to the front of the crowd just as the back of the arena blew.
People began screaming and running in all different directions. "Where is Rick?" Lake shouted over the frantic cries of the crowd.
"Who do you think set off the grenades?" Just as she said that, a second explosion erupted. Michonne pushed Lake towards the direction Daryl was. "Go get your man."
Lake took off running, pushing against the herd of terrified bystanders. She broke through to the center of the ring to find it empty. Her head shot back and forth as she searched for Daryl. The last explosion was the grenade Lake set at the far end. She was running out of time. Debris floated down from the sky in a rain of ash. People pushed at Lake from behind and she found herself being carried with the crowd. She elbowed someone roughly in the ribs just before someone slammed into her from behind. Wrapping their arms around her body, the person dragged Lake as they fought their way out of the arena.
Lake struggled against a steel grip until the hold loosened. Taking advantage of that mistake, Lake slammed her head back into her captor's face.
"Fuck!" A man shouted. Lake turned to see Daryl rubbing his eye. "Ya had to fucking head butt me in the damn eye?"
Lake threw her arms around his neck and refused to let go.
"Ain't that sweet." An unfamiliar voice stated. "As much as I love a good porno, we need ta get our asses out of here baby brother." Merle Dixon tilted his head towards the woods.
Daryl grabbed Lake's hand and followed his brother. Lake glanced over her shoulder to see the arena's blaze reaching far up into the night. Satisfied, she followed the one person she trusted most in this world; the one following his stupid brother. Great…