A/N A filler chapter, explaining a little more about Eleanor's frame of mind and giving Daryl a chance to recover a bit.

Chapter 14

They sat her down in the kitchen and heated some water, before gently cleaning her blood covered face and arms. Beth went to the shower area and found some shampoo and they leant her back and rinsed the blood, leaves and other debris out of her hair. Once they were done Carol took her to her own cell and found some clean clothes to fit her.

"When you're changed and ready come to the kitchen, we'll get some food in you. Everyone's already looking forward to the venison you bought in. Can't believe you did that on your own"

Carol left her to change her clothes, knowing exactly where she would go next. Once she was ready she went to see Daryl. Herschel was in the room, checking him over. His smile turned to shock when he saw Eleanor in the doorway. She was pale, with shadows under her red rimmed eyes and she had lost weight. She stood looking for a second before coming towards the bed.

"How's he doin?" she asked

"Very well. See how well his back is healing, there's no sign of fever or infection and the blow to his head has gone down. He should be right as rain in a few weeks. Should be able to start reducing the sedatives in a few days, start to wake him up." He rose and took her hands in his, leading her over to the bed. "You just sit there a minute and let me check up on you. You haven't let anyone see your back since Bob patched you up " she didn't resist as he gently lifted her top and checked her wounds.

"You need a clean dressing and some antibiotics to be on the safe side. Carrying a deer back over your shoulders wasn't the smartest thing you could do" his eyes twinkled as he looked at her "Although I have to say I'm looking forward to a venison steak for dinner tonight" she managed a small smile at him as he fussed over her.

"Go get something to eat. You have to take care of yourself. He's going to need a lot of help to fully recover and I think you're about the only one he allows to help him. I know you two are close, I've heard the gossip, but I always thought you were more like brother and sister. The way you two fight and disagree is like Maggie and my son Shawn before he died. Always fighting but always there for each other."

"That's just how it is" she spoke quietly "Though we don't mind what other people think." She smiled "it means men don't hit on me 'cos they're scared of him and the woman leave him alone, which he likes 'cos he's scared of them" Hershel laughed out loud at that.

"Yes, he's not the most social of people is he?" he commented, as he collected up his supplies. "Don't forget to go and eat" he reminded her as he left the room, closing the door behind him.

Eleanor sat on the bed next to Daryl and told him all about how she'd managed to track the deer, against all the odds and then used Carl's silenced gun to take it down.

"I had to gut it, to get rid of the weight" she told him "Never done it before on my own, it was gross, I got covered in blood and muck. You're gonna have to show me how to do it right." She stood, "I'll come back later, gotta get something to eat."

She left the room and slipped unnoticed into the common area. She froze as she heard the shrill tones of one of the woman bought back from Woodbury, she wasn't sure of her name but found her rude and unpleasant.

"So they say it's going to be weeks before he's going to be able to go out and hunt again. I don't know what we are supposed to do in the meantime. " She took a bite out of a piece of venison jerky before continuing " maybe if he hadn't been cavorting around in the woods with that damn slut of a woman, he'd of been paying attention and not got hurt. Downright irresponsible if you ask me" Her eyes widened as Eleanor appeared by her side.

"Hi" Eleanor said coldly as she kicked the chair next to the woman out from under the table. She sat on the table and rested her feet on the back of the chair. "Enjoying the jerky?" The woman swallowed and opened her mouth to speak, but Eleanor interrupted her.

"I remember the day we bought that deer in. We left at first light, 'bout 4.30 in the morning I think it was. It was raining real hard, the day of that big rain storm. Walked miles in the wet before we found the tracks then followed them for hours. Finally found the deer 'bout lunch time. After we killed it we gutted it and then Daryl carried it back on his shoulders. Must have been 7 or 8 miles. Course the smell of the fresh meat drew walkers from all over, had to keep stopping to fight them off. It was dark before we got back here, and still raining. Don't remember ever getting so wet before, both soaked through to the skin. Once we got back had to deal with the meat, can't leave it too long in this heat. Chopped the thing up, then sliced and diced bits, salted them and hung them to dry, to make that jerky you're stuffing your face with. Carol said she'd left us some stew but by the time we'd got to the kitchen someone had helped themselves to it. We ended up with a tin of peaches between us. Daryl then went and did his shift on watch and I got a couple of hours before going out on a run with Glenn the next day." She stood and towered over the now silent woman, aware the whole room had fallen silent and was watching them. She heard Glenn say something to Beth and the young woman left the room quickly. She reached down and grabbed the woman's shirt and pulled her to her feet, leaning into her scared face "Don't you ever sit there and say he's irresponsible, he does more for this group than anyone, risking himself almost every day to keep ungrateful bitches like you fed and safe. Say what you want about me, even though I'm no damn slut, but you ever bad mouth him again, I will kill you. You got me?"

The woman squirmed in her grasp, twisting herself free, she raised her hand and tried to slap Eleanor but before she could make contact Eleanor caught her wrist and twisted her arm behind her, forcing her onto her knees, whimpering in pain and fear.

"Eleanor, let her go, she's not worth it" Glenn's voice came from behind her. Glancing over her shoulder she saw him holding his hand out "Come on, let's go take a walk" She shook her head

"This piece of shit needs to learn her manners. I don't see her doin' runs or taking watch duty. I aint ever seen her on the fence, killin'walkers. I never seen her helpin' Carol in the kitchen or with the laundry or even helping care for Judith, while Rick busy runnin' things. All she does is eat and complain. What damn use is she?" she twisted the woman's arm again, making her cry out.

"Eleanor, please let her go" She saw Rick and Carol come into the room at a run, Beth following.

Rick approached her "Let her go" he repeated firmly. Eleanor looked up at him, then down at the cowering woman. Finally she let go of the woman's arm with a shove that sent her to the floor. She looked at Carol, a hopeless, lost look on her face. Quickly Carol and Beth moved forward, taking her hands and pulling her from the room.

Rick spoke to Glenn for a few moments before turning to the woman. She scrambled to her feet, trying to regain some dignity.

"That was unacceptable behaviour. I insist you do something about it" she demanded.

"You're right it was unacceptable. When Eleanor has calmed down I fully expect you to apologise to her for what you have said today and from what I gather you have said on many other occasions as well. Her and Daryl are out in all weathers for many hours, at great risk, trying and succeeding to find fresh meat for all of us. Eleanor spent last night outside the prison alone to bring us a deer, despite being badly hurt herself. I expect all of you to treat her with respect and gratitude. If any of you are not happy with things here no one is forcing you to stay." He stared around the room, no one met his eye. "I also expect you to stop gossiping about their personal lives. It is nothing to do with any of us." He turned to the speechless woman beside him.

"Tomorrow you will go to the fence and take your turn at clearing the build-up of walkers. It's about time everybody here pulled their weight" With that he turned and stalked out of the room, followed by Glenn.

"Damn that felt good" he exclaimed as he and Glenn looked for Eleanor and the other women. Glenn laughed out loud.

"Did you see the look on her face when you said she had to apologise? Always thought she was an awful woman. She was so unpleasant to Maggie when she realised we were together and not married." The two men finally found the women outside. Carol was rocking Eleanor in her arms as she sobbed heartbreakingly. Beth stood to the side, helplessly. She ran to Rick and Glenn.

"It's best if you don't come out. She's just let everything go, she still really troubled by what she did to escape, she thinks it's her fault Daryl got hurt. She says if she wasn't with him he'd of got away, he got caught 'cos he tried to save her. She's been storing it all up and now it's just burst out. " Beth looked over at her, tears in her own eyes.

"It's best to let her get it out, hopefully she'll start feeling better" Rick agreed with Beth. They went back through the door leaving the women to it.

"Damn" Glenn muttered, running his fingers through his hair "never thought I'd see her lose it like that"

Rick was shaken as well. He felt bad that he hadn't spotted how bad she really was. He knew from experience what it was like to lose it. He'd been through it himself when he'd lost Lori.

"We need to take better care of her, need to get her right for when Daryl wakes, he's gonna be a handful while he recovers. We're gonna need her. She's the only one he listens to"

Glenn looked thoughtful "I've heard the rumours and gossip and not believed it, but what do you think. Are they just friends or is it something more?"

Rick shook his head with a smile "If I'm honest, I haven't got a clue. They're both so closed I can't work it out. I like to think they're together 'cos they'd be good for each other, but I think they're most likely just friends."