I waited patiently for Carol to say whatever it was she had to say. I wasn't too eager to leave the prison, but somehow, the whole mess seemed so forced, so insane, that it almost made me regret following my dogs in the first place.
Carol paced for a few minutes, like a lion trapped in a cage. I felt helpless, like I was about to get scolded by an angry teacher. Riley cocked his head, watching us from across the room. He seemed to sense the tension between us.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Carol finally asked, her voice dripping with venom. "Going around planting seeds of doubt in everyone's heads, especially Daryl's!"
"Excuse me?" I asked, stunned. What on earth was this woman going on about? What doubts have I given anyone?
"You come here, looking like a train wreck, spewing a sob story about how awful Woodbury was, how much you hated those people, how much they hurt you and that little girl, then you get reunited with the man o' the hour and suddenly you're playing wild card? You're siding with Merle and letting Daryl do the same! You haven't even been here a month! Who are you to get a vote? To get an opinion? You're nothing but a bottom feeding whore who likes to suck the life outta this entire group!" she shouted. I flinched. Her words stung. But she was wrong. So truly and utterly wrong.
"What's your deal, Carol? Jealous Daryl has a heart and you're not the only person he saved? Jealous that my little girl took a shining to him? Jealous that I'm woman enough to own my past, own my scars and carry my weight, rather than needing someone to take care of me all the goddamned time?" I let the anger pour into my words as I took a step towards her. "Wake up, Carol, Daryl's not your little puppy dog to boss around and demand attention from. He's a grown ass man. And his brother? Merle? The man you swear to hate so much? He's more of a man than most. And he's not afraid to do what needs to be done!"
"You're such a hypocrite Harleigh! You come in talking about peace and unity, and here ya are splitting this group up! Daryl's family! We need him here! I need him here!" she screamed. She blinked, realizing the words she just said.
"So that's what this is about," I said, my face twitching with amusement. "News flash, Carol, you're creepy. You're so overbearing, it's sickening. Fuck, I don't even hover over my child like you do with him. He's not a little broken boy that needs a mother to coddle him, Carol. He doesn't need you!"
"You're just pissed because I'm right," Carol scolded. "Open your eyes, Harleigh, you're an outsider here. No one gives a rats ass if you drop off the face of the planet. You and Merle? You're two of the same. Cold, heartless people who deserve nothing but the worst in life. And Daryl will never care about you like he cares about me. He's not capable of caring that much."
Her words cut me like a knife. I would have clobbered her, had it not been for my strong sense of self control. Instead, I glared at her until I could even out my breathing.
"You know what, Carol? Go to hell," I spat. I turned on my heel, but not before she could grab my arm and pull me towards her.
"Been ta hell and back," she hissed in my ear. "At least I've got a guardian angel watching my back. Who's watching yours?"
I needed air. I felt like I was back in Woodbury, only ten times worse. Disgusting men who needed a quick fix? I could handle that. Being beaten and raped in an ally? I could live with that. Having to turn my back on people I cared about? I could handle that too. But being point blank threatened and not having the will to put an end to it? That was the cowardly way out and it pissed me off beyond belief. Where I should have been packing my things, I instead found myself taking all my pent up anger out on the walkers, no regards to the danger looming overhead.
I heard a familiar pair of footfalls approaching, but it didn't break my rhythm. I kept plunging my knife into the skulls of the walkers, the crack, the crunch almost comforting. Riley walked at my side, his eyes glancing behind us at the approaching steps.
I was about the plunge the knife into another head when something caught my eye. I looked at this walker for a moment, trying to figure out why it looked familiar. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. It was Mary-Jane, one of the younger women from Woodbury – one of the few people I really spoke with while I was there. I felt all the wind get knocked out of me as my knees gave way, everything finally catching up with me all at once. I struggled to try and recover from the shock, but it wasn't as easy as it once was. This prison, these people, they'd managed to break down the walls I built around myself, just to tear me up like some sort of savaged monster.
"Whoa, easy there Leigh," Daryl's soft voice broke through the haze. I blinked, fighting back tears as his arms wrapped protectively around me. He pulled me away from the fence and didn't let go until he had us behind the overturned bus. He knelt in front of me, his blue eyes full of concern.
"C'mon, can't have you fallin' apart of us now," he chided softly. "What's wrong?"
"What isn't wrong?" I asked him, my voice cracking.
"Merle overheard what Carol said to you," he said gently. "She's wrong, ya know that, right? She's wrong, Harleigh."
"Maybe," I shrugged. I wasn't really taking in what he was saying anymore.
"Harleigh, look at me," he ordered, his tone firm, but gentle. His hand reached up, cupping my chin in rough, calloused hand. I met his eyes, seeing nothing but compassion and concern behind those beautiful blue hues. "She's wrong."
I was about to pull away when the next thing I knew, his lips were pressed firmly against mine, his hand now at the back of my head. I felt my heart skip a beat. I returned the kiss, guarding every move. When we broke away, I felt heat rush up my face. Daryl smirked at me, the sideways, half smile that could stop hearts. I looked at him with wide eyes, not entirely sure what to make of the whole situation.
"Harleigh, she's wrong," he repeated again.
I wanted to believe him. Deep in my heart, I knew he was right. But I couldn't bring myself to believe a word he said. It was his actions that left me believing him. The way his lips were pressed so tightly against mine, the way his warmth radiated off his body, sending a shiver up my spine. His strong, protective hands gripping at the back of my head, keeping me in place. That's what made me believe him.
It was there, behind an overturned bus, in the middle of the zombie apocalypse, with the threat of the unknown looming overhead, that I finally admitted my feelings for the crossbow wielding redneck, if only to myself.
"C'mon kiddies, let's get this show on the road," Merle's snide tone rang across the field, causing Daryl and I both to scramble to our feet. I saw him carrying a small bag, Alana following behind him. "Got all the stuff in the car. Who's riding with who?" he laughed at the looks on mine and Daryl's face. We exchanged a look before following after the older Dixon. Riley and Blade trotted over, eager to finally be out of the confines of the prison. With one final look at the prison and the people we were leaving behind, I buckled Alana in the back seat of the old van before nodding at the dogs to get in.
"I'll take the bike for the first leg, we'll switch off every couple hours," I suggested. "This way if things get hairy, I can lead the walkers away with the dogs." As soon as I said it, Riley jumped out of the van, eager to be part of this journey.
"Fine with me," Merle nodded, surprising me with his lack of argument. "I don't mind this kid, she's pretty tough," he added, looking at Alana.
"I trust you not to get her killed," I chuckled. "Sides, my dogs'll tear you a new asshole if you hurt her." Riley growled softly to back up my statement, which earned a chuckle from the older man.
"Don't get your panties in a jumble," he chuckled. "Lead the way, baby brother."
Daryl got into the driver's side of the van, Merle beside him as I mounted the bike. I kicked it to life, content with the loud roar it made. I looked around, sparing one last glance over my shoulder. Carol was glaring at me, her arms crossed across her chest. I couldn't help but smile as we tore off through the gates. It was bitter sweet. As much as I wanted to stay, I wanted to leave all the same. These people, the ones we were leaving behind, they weren't the people I thought they were. But the two brothers, one of which had protected me when I needed protecting, the other, who cared from day one, were all the human company I needed. Fuck Rick. Fuck his group. The six of us were better off on our own anyway.
Ya can't trust no one these days, I thought to myself as we drove down the dust covered road, weaving around walkers and debris. Riley ran beside the bike just as he had the day we arrived at the prison. Though this time, I wasn't riding on a rundown motorcycle. This was where it all was meant to end. Or begin, depending on how you looked at it.