Chapter 7
Bad Timing
...
"The first time I got drunk?" Daryl scratched his stubble, pensively.
"Don't tell me you don't remember," Barbara said raising an eyebrow, as she raised the string and placed it in place.
"Well, not much anyway. I think I was ten."
The girl straightened and looked at him shocked.
"Ten? Who gave you a freaking drink at ten?"
"Merle was a bad influence. And he was an idiot. He thought it was funny," Daryl said shrugging and smirking. But the girl caught something else; a sparkle in his eyes, like he found that memory not only funny but good to remember. He also had a nostalgic look in his face.
"Merle?" The girl asked carefully, smiling softly. She knew Daryl could shut down at any moment as he had been doing whenever the topic became too personal. He watched her a little bit before looking away.
"My brother."
The girl placed the arrow and the crossbow as to give him a bit space and lifted it.
"What happened to him?"
"You know. Shit."
He felt her eyes on him and he sighed, turning to her.
"Before Rick joined the group, he went to a run to Atlanta with Glenn, T-Dog and Andrea," he told her.
"He died?"
"Nah. He was an asshole with everyone as usual. They met Rick there. He handcuffed in a roof and left him there."
"What?"
She got distracted by this and shot by mistake going more to the right. It didn't pass him that close but still he jumped in his chair and they watched the arrow getting lost between the trees.
"Watch it! You wanna kill someone?!" He snapped at her.
"I'm sorry, but... they just left him there?" The girl frowned thinking of Rick. She would never think he would be capable to just to do that. "Atlanta must be filled with those things. What if they got him?"
Daryl shook his head, twirling the arrow on his hand.
"Nah. He's a tough son of a bitch. We came back for him. He cut his own hand and fled. He stole our truck and left us stranded. Haven't seen him since."
Barbara put down the crossbow, looking at him a bit confused. He clearly missed his brother, but there was also a bit of relief in his face.
"And you're not mad at Rick?"
"At first. But he risked his life going back for my brother and he didn't just because. Merle would have gotten them killed. Besides Rick has always protected the group. He has honor and I respect that," Daryl said shrugging, tapping the chair with the point of the arrow he was holding.
Barbie didn't say anything else, just thinking about what he had said. About his lost brother Merle. She knew Daryl had been abused as a kid. She had seen the scars in his back and they looked too old and too deep to be recent. And it was obvious that, besides him being a good man, he hadn't had the best life. His father had probably been some drunken redneck who hit his kids and wife. A boy growing up like that could be really messed up. And at first sight, Daryl looked like that, but he wasn't. He had his heart in the right place. He was loyal and honest. And Barbara guessed that Merle wasn't like that. Merle had indeed grown up to be that messed up. That's why he had been left in that roof.
"What was yours?"
"What?" She turned to him confused. She had been lost in thought and hadn't heard him.
"First time drunk?" Daryl clarified. "Probably on a yacht with champagne and expensive shit."
"Ha-ha," Barbara replied putting down the crossbow.
"I was sixteen at a party and it was vodka."
"With juice?" Daryl sneered and she made a face to him.
"At first. Then we ran out of juice and started taking shots. Then someone brought whisky and tequila..."
"And you were done for," Daryl guessed, his smirk growing.
"Pretty much," Barbara replied smirking back. She didn't remember much of that night and she would never know how she did manage to not twist an ankle with the heels she was wearing.
"The worst part is that I fell asleep on my way home and they just left me bending over. So by the time we arrived I woke up and I was so sick... well, never mind it's gross," she said scrunching up her nose and Daryl chuckled, shaking his head.
"Huh... who would have thought it of you princess?" He teased her.
"It was just that time," she lied shamelessly.
"Sure." His big tomcat smirk just grew.
"Well, I got better at holding my liquor," Barbara said chuckling. "I became a pro."
"I'll have to see that someday," he smirked at her.
Two months ago...
Barbara was too weak to throw up but if she could she would have. During med school she had clandestinely entered surgery procedures. Only to see of course, and passed some instrument to the surgeon. And she had handled them all with professionalism and grace. But she had just cut off a leg with only local anesthesia and the guy had been screaming the whole time. He had even had to be tied down and they had done it on a high school infirmary that ended up looking more like a slaughterhouse. And that had been the last surgery she had performed with Doctor Stevens. The other too had been gruesome too but she was sure she would never forget those screams, as long as she lived. She sat down now on what had been an office, pressing a can of coke to her head.
"I know it's horrible the first time," Doctor Steven told her and she looked up at him. "You probably had only seen surgeries from a far."
The girl shook her head.
"Not quite. I... I attended a few."
The man raised his eyebrows and the girl shrugged. The world had ended. It wasn't like they were going to arrest the doctors that had let her in.
"I pulled a few strings and attended a few surgeries."
"A few?"
"Seven, to be exact," the girl clarified and gulped. "But it had never been like this... That guy's screams..."
"I know," Stevens replied walking to her and sitting on the desk just in front of her. "But just think he saved that man's life."
The girl nodded.
"He fainted at the end."
"Probably the impression. The anesthesia must have kept him from feeling that much pain."
In that moment a couple of soldiers walked in, each carrying a box. They left them in the desk next to the man and he thanked them. The doctor stood up and picking a box he passed it to the girl.
"Here."
She took it a bit surprised.
"What's this?"
"You're ration," Stevens said picking up the other box. "Some perks for breaking our asses the whole day. Now eat up something. We still need to check up on the patients and there's always more coming in."
With that he left her alone and the girl opened the box. There were five packets of jerky, some peach and tuna can, granola bars, apples, more soup and cream cans and even some chocolate pudding. And she had a spoon, a fork, a plastic knife and a can opener. She was surprised but in a good way. Maybe it hadn't been that they had dragged her here. She grabbed her backpack and put half of the supplies in there. She was going to sneak into the gym to take them some more food to his family.
"Barbie!" The girl stopped before she could shoot the arrow and both she and Daryl turned to see Hershel walking to them. He stopped a few yards away, clearly wanting the girl to come and talk to her away from Daryl.
The girl sighed and put the safety on the crossbow.
"Hold on a sec, I'm going to see what he wants."
Daryl raised an eyebrow as she hung the crossbow on her back.
"You're still pissed?" He asked her.
"No, but if he wants to apologize I'm not going to stop him," Barbara replied, turning to him with a smile. Daryl smirked and watched at the man, while scratching his jaw.
"I have a feeling for the way he's glaring at me, that's not his intention. He wouldn't shoot me, would he?" He looked up to Barbie and she smirked at him.
"I'm not sure."
"Great."
She giggled and walked away, to Hershel. The girl raised her eyebrows but she wasn't angry or upset anymore. Actually, she was in a very good mood.
"Yes, Hershel. You're not going to scold me are you?" She asked him, placing her hands in her back pockets. The man shook his head.
"I won't. I'm sorry I made you feel like I don't trust you. I do. I just don't trust the others."
Barbie smiled softly but sighed a bit exasperated.
"It's kinda the same thing."
"It's not. But I also know you're a capable woman. I've seen you shoot. And Daryl can't walk so I'm not worried about that."
The girl frowned confused.
"Why are you worried then?"
"That Asian kid-"
"Glenn," she corrected him and he nodded his head.
"Glenn. He knows about the people in the barn. And so is Dale."
"What? How?"
"He was sneaking around with Maggie and she didn't stop him before he saw them. Now they know," Hershel mouth was set on a thin line. He was really upset about that.
"Do they all know?" She asked him. She figured no, or they would already say something.
"I'm not sure but I don't think so. So don't tell Daryl anything," Hershel warned her and then raised an eyebrow. "I saw you a bit chatty with him over there."
Barbara rolled her eyes and smiled.
"It is called being social."
"I'm not sure Blake is going to like you being social with that guy."
His comment wiped the smile of her face.
"He's my boyfriend, not my owner. He can't tell me what to do. And I'm just being friendly. There's nothing wrong about that," Barbara defended herself.
Hershel didn't seem too convinced but he nodded.
"Well, anyway don't get too attached. They're leaving. Soon."
Two months ago...
"Where are you going?" A soldier in the gym's door stopped Barbara and she raised her eyebrows. She tried to look as confident as possible.
"I'm just going to have dinner with my family. Then I have to go back."
The soldier stared at her hardly and then nodded.
"You got twenty minutes."
She let the girl in, but unlike the first time, more people turned to her, looking actually surprised. Barbara was spotted a few yards away. And all ran to her, Isabelle and her father hugging her tightly. But Blake and Brett weren't far behind.
"Are you okay?"
"Where did they take you?"
"Did they do something to you?"
"Is that blood?!"
"I'm fine," she assured them stepping out their bear hug and then nodded at their cots, noticing people were staring. "I'll tell you there."
Her dad insisted that she sat on the cot and Michael and his son Christopher were there too. Blake sat next to her, looking at her face intensively, as he thought she would disappear in thin air. The girl quickly opened her backpack.
"I only had twenty minutes but I thought I could have dinner with you," she passed them the apples and the cans of soup and cream for her ration. She also pulled out the pudding, Christopher eyes going wide at the sight. The girl chuckled.
"You can share it with Ellie, Christopher."
They sat and ate, happily now that they had more food. She told them about her job as the doctor assistant and that it wasn't bad. She was helping people even if it was a lot of work. She assumed that's why she had received more food.
Will looked up from his cream can to see if anyone was looking or eavesdropping at him and then leaned to her eldest daughter.
"We have a plan to escape."
He whispered to her. She stopped mid bite and looked at him surprised.
"What?"
Her dad nodded.
"We're leaving the day after tomorrow."
The girl bit her lip, thinking about the injured people on the infirmary corridor.
"Maybe... maybe we could stay a bit more."
They all turned to her and Brett frowned angrily.
"No fucking way!"
"Hey!" His father scolded him. "Don't speak that way to your sister!"
"Did they brainwash you over there?"
Barbara glared at him.
"There are a lot hurt people, Brett. And I think I can help them."
"Yeah, you know which hurt people you can help?" Her brother replied angrily. "Why don't you check Dad's black eye, or Blake's rib or my busted lip after those assholes beat us, huh?"
She looked down at her fruit can and sighed. After the three traumatic surgeries she had forgotten how her dad, brother and boyfriend had been beaten and threatened by the soldiers. They were right.
She turned to her father and nodded.
"Okay. Let's do it."
"Oh my God! Seriously, how stubborn are you?"
"Look who's talking," Daryl snapped back glaring at Barbara.
The girl just crossed her arms, not intimidated by him.
"Daryl, let me see," she said, rolling her eyes.
They were done with the crossbow training and were late. They were going to come back to the house but she wanted to check his stitches first. He had made much more movements that she had anticipated because he couldn't stay sit and she was sure he had hurt himself. But he was being a stubborn big baby, not letting her checking on him.
"I'm telling you I'm fine, woman!" He said gruffly again, snapping her hand off his middle.
"Dixon, I'm warning you!"
She gave him a look and he glared at her for a few moments, before huffing and pulling his shirt up, revealing his bandage.
"There! You're so annoying!" He complained grumbled but Barbie just rolled her eyes.
"Shut up."
She took the bandage off carefully enough to see the wound. The stitches hadn't popped up and they hadn't stretch but his skin looked a bit irritated around them for moving so much.
"Well, you'll be glad to know you despite your efforts didn't hurt yourself," she informed him, starting to put the bandage back where it was.
"See?" He huffed, shaking his head.
"But the skin around the stitches is irritated," Barbara scolded him, looking at him a raised eyebrow. "So you're going straight to that tent and you're not leaving it until tomorrow. Am I clear? And if you do as I say, you'll be on your feet tomorrow. You won't be able to pull anything though but you'll be able to walk normally."
When she was done with the bandage he pulled down his shirt.
"Are you sure?"
She glared at him and Daryl raised his hands and smirked.
"I'm not questioning your expertise, Doc. I just want to be sure. I want to walk normally again someday, you know?"
She raised her chin indignantly.
"Well, you can trust me."
"Alright," he said looking at her and chuckling. She looked up and cracked a smile, shaking her head.
"Hey!" They turned around and Barbie saw Blake coming to them. Her smile faltered when she saw his face. He wasn't happy.
"Hi," Barbie responded forcing her smile in place and crossing her arms.
Blake looked at her and then at Daryl, his face forming a bit nasty smile. Barbie had seen rarely on him. It reminded her of the douches of his fraternity.
"Where you hunting any chupacabra?" He asked mockingly and the girl frowned confused.
"A cheephuh-what?"
"They're bloodsucking dogs. Daryl says he had seen a few," Blake replied, burying his hand on the front pockets of his jeans and looked at Daryl.
"What?"
The girl looked up at Daryl and she saw him glaring at her boyfriend before meeting her eyes.
"There are walking corpses eating people. I don't think a blood-sucking dog it's too farfetched," he defended himself aggressively and the girl shrugged looking at Blake with a little smile.
"Well, he's got a point."
He didn't smile back.
"You missed gun training," he told Barbara and the girl shrugged again, placing her hands in the back of her shorts.
"I know how to shoot a gun... and a rifle," she said matter-of-factly raising an eyebrow. He knew her shooting skills were fine enough. She had even taught him how to use a rifle.
"So what you were doing?"
Blake's question came out a little bit aggressive and the girl raised her eyebrows confused. What the hell was wrong with him?
"Daryl was teaching me how to use the crossbow."
Barbara looked up at Daryl who was passed being annoyed. He was getting pissed. This kid was looking down on him. He was mocking him. And if the guy didn't back off he was going to knock him out, even if he upset Barbara.
"I didn't know you still have that," Blake responded a little bit surprised watching the weapon peeking behind her.
"My dad gave it to me."
"I know but I didn't know you wanted to use it."
"I don't think a few extra skills on our current situation are something bad."
Blake again looked at Daryl with that annoying smirk and then at his girlfriend.
"Really? What did he teach you? Skin rats? Prepare possum? Do some crack?"
Barbara opened her mouth shocked but Daryl had enough. He stepped and threw a punch. Blake barely moved out of the way and Barbara quickly stopped Daryl by trying to push him back.
"Did you just try to punch me?!" Blake yelled.
"Come closer and I'll stop trying, you asshole!" Daryl snapped trying to grab him but Barbara was stopping him and he didn't want to hit her by accident.
"Please! Come on, let's see what you have!" Blake snapped back, stepping to them but it was Barbara who pushed him back. Then she turned to Daryl.
"Stop it! You're going to pop open your stitches!" The girl told Daryl who stopped and glared at her too.
"Then tell your fucking cousin to shut it or I will!" He growled at her but Blake buffed.
"Cousin? She's my girlfriend!" Blake said angrily not only glaring at him but at her. "I know you rednecks can't tell the difference but...!"
"STOP IT!" Barbara yelled at him, catching Daryl before he threw himself at Blake. He almost knocked the girl down but he caught her by her waist. Once Barbara regained her balance, she raised her hands to his shoulders and looked at him.
"Daryl, please just go."
"Dude, don't touch her...!"
"Can you just shut up?!" The girl turned to him angrily stepping away from Daryl. The man glared at Blake. His chest moving up and down violently. He was itching to punch the idiot but he was aware that Barbara wasn't going to move out of the way and he couldn't risk hitting her. No. He would let this guy being the ass here, at least in front of the girl.
"Yeah. It's not worthy," Daryl spat. "See you tomorrow," he told the girl for good measure, rubbing it in Blake's face before walking away.
"Tomorrow?" Blake asked angrily but Barbara just glared at him, crossing her arms.
"What the hell was that?!"
"He's an ass."
"No, you are the ass here!"
Her boyfriend buffed.
"I saw you giggling with him over there. You were looking at his freaking abdomen and touching him all over!"
"I was checking on his stitches!" She snapped at him, just as angry.
"Why don't you let Hershel do that?"
"Because I'm perfectly capable to do it without supervision!"
"You didn't see how he was looking at you," the guy insisted, his voice raising. "He was leering at you. And he could be your fucking father...!"
"We're just friends!"
"Friends? I didn't even know you knew each other!"
"We met a few days ago. We were looking for Sophia."
"And why are you going with him?" Blake lowered his voice considerably but was still upset.
"I'm learning how to track and hunt better from him."
Blake made a noise and forced a smiled, shaking his head.
"What?" Barbara asked him angrily.
"I think there are other reasons," he snapped back.
"Like what?"
"You've been missing lately," he responded squinting at her and crossing his arms.
"Well, you've been kinda M.I.A. yourself."
"I'm doing stuff around the farm! In case you don't notice Otis is not here anymore!" His voice got higher again.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I don't think you give a shit he's gone!"
Barbara saw red and pushed him with all her strength. She made him trip but he didn't fall, he just glared at her.
"Don't talk to me like that. What's wrong with you?!" She yelled at him.
"Oh, I don't know! My girlfriend is spending time with a redneck...!"
"Don't call him that!"
He ran a hand through his hair.
"Oh geez. Are you cheating on me?"
"Screw you."
She tried to walk away but he stopped her, grabbing her by the wrist.
"No, I mean it. Just tell me."
"You want me tell you? Really?" She stepped to him, looking at him threateningly and Blake had the impulse to step back but he managed not do it. Barbara may be shorter than him and skinny but she was so angry at the moment that she seemed capable to knock him down.
"Yeah."
"I'm telling you're an idiot. There's nothing going on there and if you keep acting this way there's nothing going on here either. Now leave me alone and don't talk to me again until you have an apology and a good one. Douche!" And glaring at him for the last time, she turned around and stomped away.
Two months ago...
"When are you coming back?" Blake asked her, not wanting to let go of her hand. They were by the gym's door and the soldiers just had come in for her.
Barbara shook her head.
"I don't know. Whenever I have a break. There are a lot of injured people."
"Come on!" The soldier told her and they turned to him, glaring a bit.
"I'll see you later," the girl quickly stepped to him and kissing him softly, not wanting to go. When they stepped back Blake cupped her cheek with his hand and she smiled softly at him before leaving the gym.
She walked to the infirmary's corridor heavily, wanting to be with Blake, and her family.
Barbara went to the bathroom to wash her hands and as she was exiting she bumped into the gym's soldier.
"Sorry," she said and moved away but then he blocked his way quickly.
"Don't worry, honey. Did you have a nice dinner?" The soldier smirked at her and there was something about it that chilled her blood. She felt the urge to run away. But this man was not only taller but probably stronger.
"Yes, I guess."
She looked around and to her dismay, she realized they were alone.
"Mmm... that's good. You guys even had pudding, am I right?"
"Look... I need to go, Doctor Stevens must be looking for me," Barbara said quickly trying to surround him but his hand closed around her wrist and he pulled her to him.
"Yeah, you have a nice meal while comfy in here and we're risking our necks outside and what do we get? Nothing."
"Let me go!" The girl snapped at him trying to pull herself free but he just laughed. He pulled her closer and sniffed her neck, fear running through her. Still she moved away and slapped him.
"Get away from me!" She yelled but despite the slap he didn't let her go. His eyes were glowering dangerously as he glared at her.
"Gregory!" A voice rang across the corridor and she saw Doctor Stevens walking to them quickly. The soldier freed her hand immediately and she stepped away from him. "Major Schwartz is looking for you."
The soldier glared at Stevens but walked away. The doctor waited until the other man had left before turning to her. Barbara was looking at the door, while rubbing the wrist he had been holding.
"Are you okay Barbara?"
The girl nodded and walked ahead not wanting to talk about what had just happened.
"Hey! We got your stuff!"
Maggie's voice startled Barbara and she stopped, hiding behind the RV. She peeked around and saw Maggie and Glenn walking to Lori. Well, actually more like Maggie stomping to Lori and Glenn running after her.
"Maggie, hang on, please," Glenn begged her but the girl ignored her.
"Come on in here," Lori said startled, pointing at the tent behind her but Maggie stayed where she was, her voice getting higher because of her anger.
"Why? Nothing to hide. We got your special delivery right here! We got your lotion, got your conditioner, your Soap Opera Digest...!" Maggie said throwing the things at Lori.
"Maggie," Glenn placed a hand on her shoulder but Maggie shrugged it off.
"Next time you want something, get it your damn self! We're not your errand boys!"
"Honey, I-" Lori stepped to her, trying to calm her down but Maggie just took the last box in the plastic bag and threw it at her.
"And here's your abortion pills!"
Maggie stomped away with Glenn looking at Lori apologetically before going after the young woman. Barbara quickly surrounded the RV as silently as possible and walked away looking for Maggie.
...
"Maggie? Are you okay?"
Maggie looked up and saw Barbara leaving the living room and going to her.
"I'm fine," she responded a bit aggressively, still agitated because of Lori and Glenn.
Barbara crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah. You don't sound fine. And the way you were yelling at Lori..."
"She almost got me and Glenn killed," Maggie replied, not even asking how she knew about that.
"What?" Barbara opened her eyes shocked.
"We went into town to fetch... well..."
"Abortion pills?"
Maggie gave her a look and Barbara shrugged.
"I heard. And lucky nobody else."
"Anyway, in the pharmacy there was one of those things," Maggie said swallowing. "He attacked me... Almost bite me. And Glenn he hit him with a shelf or something and separated his head almost completely... and that thing just stood up and kept coming. Gosh, his head was hanging almost cut off his neck. Those things are not alive."
Maggie looked at her with a desperate and hopeless look in her eyes. She knew what she meant. Barbie nodded.
"I know. I tried to tell you remember? That guy explained everything to my dad that day. The brain makes the body move, but it's not alive. They're not alive."
"My dad think they are," Maggie said hugging her torso. "He thinks... they just sick. My mom and Shawn..." Her voice broke at the end and she looked down, swallowing.
"I'm sorry. They're not."
Maggie looked up.
"That's how Aunt Claire died?"
Barbara didn't expect Maggie to ask her that so she just nodded.
"She was bit... I stitched her up. Stop the bleeding... but it was too late."
"I'm sorry too."
"At least you know now."
Two months ago...
Barbara checked on the people, especially those who had been on surgery or were still sick. She finally entered the room where Doctor Steven was. It was a small classroom with only a few people in it. He was checking on a man on a bed next to a window. He looked incredibly pale and had dark circles under his eyes. He then checked his pulse and nodded.
"Stay here. I'll be right back," he told Barbara barely turning to her.
He then left the room and the girl stepped closer. She placed her hand in his forehead and indeed the man was burning. She stepped back looking at him and stared at him. Suddenly he opened his eyes. But they were milky and Barbara recognized that look just moments before the man threw at her with a deep growl.
The girl scream, barely stopping him before he could bite her face off. Just then Major Schwartz and another man entered the room and pulled him away from her. The doctor was right behind them. Doctor Stevens lifted up a nail gun and placing it into his forehead he shot. The walker stopped fighting and then the soldiers dragged him away. And Barbara just stood there, unable to move and she started hyperventilating.
Doctor Stevens noticed it and she took her out of the room.
"Come on, breath. In and out. Are you okay? Were you bit?"
He figured she would be freaking out if she had but he had to be sure.
The girl shook her head, finally calmed down and looked up at the doctor upset.
"Why you have him in there if he was bitten?!" She snapped angrily. Good God it was common sense!
"He wasn't bit," the doctor replied.
"He was! He turn, didn't he?"
The doctor looked her over, frowning as if he was pondering something. Then he sighed.
"You don't have to be bitten to turn."
The girl froze and looked up.
"What? Then..."
"We are all infected," the doctor told her and he sighed, suddenly looking very tired and old. "It doesn't matter if you're bit. If you die... you turn."
Barbara read the same sentence a third time and she sighed, closing the book and giving up. She couldn't concentrate because she was still so mad at Blake. Luckily in that moment Isabelle entered the house groaning and moving her right shoulder.
"Hey, how it did go?" Barbara asked her sister, rising from the couch where she had been sitting. Elle sighed again and walked to her, falling to the couch next to the brunette.
"I suck, big time. Even Patricia is a better shot and she has never fired a gun," Ellie threw her arms up and pouted. Barbara smiled.
"Don't worry; you'll get the hang of it."
"The whole time I just thought about the times Dad took us to hunt. How I didn't even try. I didn't do anything even. I should've listened to him. I should've tried."
Barbara looked at her little sister and she noticed the sadness and nostalgic in her face. She wasn't only upset because of her shooting skills.
"Hey, you're trying now," Barbie tried to cheer her up. "And you understand you need to learn how to defend yourself, that's the most important thing."
"How can you be so good at this?" Ellie turned her head to look at her, frowning. Barbara shrugged and smiled lightly.
"Motivation."
"Is it a guy?"
Barbie sighed and rolled her eyes.
"No and don't start. It's for you. You're my motivation. And Brett. And Blake. Hershel, Maggie, Patricia... even Otis. I want to keep you safe. All of you. That's my motivation."
Ellie stared at her sister frowning lightly as she didn't understand what she just had said.
"You don't need to. You're always looking after me but..."
"I have to," Barbara assured her, smiling at her and taking her hand. "I'm your big sister. That's what I've always done and always will."
Ellie smiled back and squeezed her sister's hand.
"Love you, B. Sometimes," the blonde teased her sister lightly. Barbara chuckled.
"Love you, Ellie. Sometimes."
"And I love you guys so much," Brett mocked them a bit, passing next to them, going to the kitchen. Isabelle giggled and Barbara smirked, shaking her head.
Two months ago...
Barbara went to sleep way past midnight and had to wake up in the early morning. They had to cut a leg and an arm because from two women because they were bitten. But even then they would have to stay on observation because they weren't sure it had stopped the infection.
After that the girl checked on the patients to see that they didn't have fever or other dangerous symptoms when a man, whose leg they had cut off yesterday stopped her.
"Doctor," he said grabbing her arm.
"Yes, what is it?" Barbara asked him checking him over. He looked fine actually.
"I wanna die."
The girl straightened up, looking him with shock.
"What?"
"Look at me. I'm a cripple."
"No, sir. You are..."
"I'm a damn cripple!" The man yelled at her. "And I'm useless... Those things would eat me up in seconds... Don't wanna go that way... You have to help me."
Barbara stared at him in shock and shook her head.
"I... I cannot do that," she replied.
"Please. You must have something, a pill, maybe. Something painless."
"I won't let you kill yourself. I just can't. Excuse me," the girl quickly left the room but the man yelled after her.
"WAIT! WAIT! PLEASE!"
It was late in the night and Barbara was sitting on the porch rail reading with the light coming out of the living room window. By the corner of the eye she saw the front door opening and closing. She knew exactly who it was but she didn't acknowledge him or looked up.
"Hey," Blake said standing next to her a bit shyly. He had cooled off and he immediately regretted it. But Barbara had been avoiding the rest of the afternoon.
"Have an apology yet?" The girl said matter-of-factly turning the page in her book even when she wasn't reading anymore. "Or you plan on yell me some more?"
Blake sighed, burying his hands on his jeans pockets and nodded.
"I deserve that. I was a douche, big time. And I was unfair to Daryl."
Barbara at that closed the book and turned to him but her face was blank.
"I didn't even mean the things I said," Blake continued running a hand through his hair. "I just... I just feel like you been pulling away from me. Since we came here. And I mean... I don't blame you. I get it. But I just... And then this guy shows up, and you spent all your time with him..."
Barbara sighed a bit exasperated and leaned back on the post.
"It's not like that. I'm learning to defend myself."
"I know. I saw you with crossbow."
The girl nodded and looked at him. He was being sincere.
"Yep. I suck."
"No way. Maybe you're not as good as that guy..."
"Daryl," she corrected him just as she had corrected Hershel hours ago.
"Yeah, Daryl. But I'm pretty sure you can handle that bow just fine. And I'm proud. You're trying to protect us and it's more than I've done..."
Barbara turned to him, staring at him a little bit. She saw he was sorry. And that he really admired her decision but there was also this desperation in his eyes. She frowned at the last part and shook her head.
"You've done plenty. You're helping with the farm... without complaining or asking anything in return. You helped looking for Sophia and you didn't have to."
The girl sighed and nodded.
"I'm sorry too. You're right. I've been like disconnected the past month. I've been pulling away from you and Ellie, and Brett but... I'm trying. It's hard after everything that happened in the high school."
Blake nodded and tentatively reached for her hand. She didn't hold it back but didn't pull away either.
"I know. I... To be honest I wasn't jealous of you spending time with that guy."
Barbara raised her eyebrows, not believing him and he nodded.
"Yeah. I know my douche bag display looks like I was but... I think I bottled up everything you know. Your dad... and then Otis... And I just couldn't reach you. But you were laughing with that... with Daryl. You were at ease. You were relaxed. I don't remember the last time you laughed. Hell, you haven't smiled that much either."
Barbara understood then then. She didn't condone his words or how he yelled at her but she got it. She had also bottled up everything inside. And if she was being honest, it was still there. Yeah, she had released some of the pressure by training with Daryl but she could still feel it and if she wondered someday she would explode like Blake did. Or maybe she would break.
The girl looked up at Blake and smiled lightly, squeezing his hand.
"He's a friend. And he's a good guy. You don't have any reason to be jealous of him," she assured him.
"Are you sure?" He asked smiling back but he knew. Barbie nodded, running a hand through his lightly curly hair.
"Yes."
He leaned forward and kissed her softly and she pulled him closer. But she didn't feel that relieved feeling she was hoping for.
It was already dark outside but through the window of the tent they had left them when he was shot, Daryl could saw the farm house perfectly. He could also see when Barbara came out a bit after dinner and sat on the railing reading. She glanced a couple times to the camp but he doubted he could see him in the dark. He guessed she was just watching the rest of the group next to the fire. He watched until the dusk ended and the night fell. He couldn't believe the day he just had had. It felt too long but in a weird way. It wasn't bad. Not all of it anyway. He had to admit he had enjoyed spending time with her, getting to know her. He even had opened a bit to her. And they had gotten along just fine. He thought his age would be a problem for the conversation. That they wouldn't find a common ground but surprisingly she did know a lot of things he did.
Daryl pulled out the candy bar he hid in the tent while he had been away and started eating it as he stared at Barbara in the porch. Soon after the door opened again and Daryl couldn't see who it was because it was a bit too far and too dark. But he saw the figure it was tall and it was male. Yeah, he could guess who he was. His blood boiled thinking about that idiot and the things he had said about him. He hadn't heard rednecks jokes thrown at him in a while and it threw him off a bit. He would have knock his teeth if Barbara had been there stopping him. What was his fucking problem anyway? There was nothing going on with him and Barbara. She was just too different to him and even if she was an adult he was twice her age.
He kept watching them but they were almost silhouettes. He didn't hear any yelling and after a while he saw them kissing. He looked away halfway through the candy bar and pulled it away. Suddenly he wasn't so hungry anymore and his anger returned.
Two months ago...
Barbara had just exited the gym in the night after having a quick dinner with her family and walked to the bathroom again to wash her hands. But this time she was aware of Gregory following her. There was no way she was entering the bathroom now. He could easily lock her in and take advantage of her. She walked quickly, passing the bathrooms and turning on the corner.
"Hey!" He called her and then she started running. She found the stairs and quickly went there. The second floor was empty but she could hear his footsteps just behind her. Barbara heart pumped as crazy as she ran through the corridor until she found a door that led to the roof. She opened it and closed it behind her without making noise. She could wait there until he had left and if he tried to follow her she just would hide on the roof. There were snipers up there, and she could ask for help.
The girl heard Gregory walking outside, approaching quickly the door. She didn't stay and waited for him to find her. She turned around, going to hide behind a pipe. It was already dark and that would make it harder to find her. But as the door opened and she hidden the snipers started shooting. Apparently the walkers on the side of the school had gathered... but the girl didn't realize how much until they started to curse. Gregory, forgetting about her ran to them.
"What the fuck is going on?"
But nobody answered and he just stared shooting next to them. The girl realized if he had started to shoot too it had to be serious.
"Shit, Sergeant, Gregory hear. It's a heard! We need backup now!"
The girl realized he must be talking on a radio. There was a pause when nothing but shots could be heard, then a male voice yelled: "There's no back up! They're on the fence! If we don't control it now..."
But she didn't hear the rest because the transmission was cut off. Barbara came out of her hiding place and walked to the three men. They were all turned to her and she was sure they wouldn't notice, but still she tried to remain quiet and hidden. She approached the edge of the building and looked down.
Her heart fell to her knees and she froze out of fear.
There was hundreds of those things piling up on the fence. There was more than she had ever seen. All the soldiers were shooting down on the parking lot but the fence was giving up. And Barbara knew it wouldn't hold for much longer.