aaaaand a new chapter! More flashbacks, more Connaryl (god I love writing them so much) and they're finally inside the prison! (well the yard)

setting: episode 1 "Seed"

Damnation

Chapter 3 - Secret

a couple of days after the farm incident...

"Why the hell are ye doing all this?"

Daryl looked at the man next to him. Connor was a shivering and coughing mess, his body was still fighting the fever and inflammations on his arm and shoulder after all. The Irishman was lying on a filthy mattress they had found downstairs, and he was wrapped in a whole bunch of blankets. The hunter snorted and turned his head to let his gaze wander. He shrugged and got back to gutting the few squirrels he had caught. When his friend wouldn't answer Connor turned his head and looked at him.

"Daryl."

The hunter growled and threw some of the bloody guts away.

"Cos I thought yah were dead" Daryl murmured and still wouldn't look at Connor. The Irishman sighed.

"That's cos I was."

They didn't speak for a while. Too many things had happened at once. Things they had absolutely no explanation for.
Connor coughed and stared at his wounded arm.

"I mean you said so yerself, my heart stopped beating. I was fuckin done, yah were about ta shoot me in the head and then.."

He sighed and shook his head.
Daryl finally had the guts to look at his friend.

"'m glad I didn't have to."

The Irishman wouldn't say anything, because he didn't feel the same way about it. He had accepted his death already, had forgiven himself.
Now that he thought about it, he'd been looking forward to being reunited with Murphy. And here he was.

"Any idea what the fuck's going on?" his friend asked after a while and looked at him with a frown.

Connor shrugged and coughed once more.

" I got no clue. Something's wrong with me blood. Or more like not wrong. Maybe I'm immune or some sorta shit like that."

He sighed and stared at the ceiling.

"Murph told me that I've still got a purpose here, that there's still a path fer me. When I saved you fram that walker a couple of days ago I thought that he meant me saving yer life, but maybe he meant something else….Mysterious ways, mysterious ways."

Daryl chuckled and looked at his friend again. All these months he had tried to be pissed off all the time. He had tried to hate Connor, yell at him, hurt him. But those times were over. The couple of minutes he had spent screaming for him to wake up and when he had begged him not to be dead had brainwashed him. Not to mention how he had taken care of his friend for the past couple of days, healing his wounds, feeding him, keeping him alive. He had learned how much he really appreciated their friendship, and he would no longer hide that. For him it was a sign. That there was still hope. Not only because his friend had done the impossible and survived a bite, but also because if his blood really was different, then maybe there was a cure. Connor suddenly groaned and put a hand on his forehead.

"Jesus Christ, I feel like shit" he murmured and Daryl snorted once more.

"Yer gonna live."

He offered his friend a couple of bloody pieces of squirrel meat.

"Here."

Connor raised an eyebrow after another coughing fit.

"Are ye fucking disgusting? I ain't gonna eat that shit."

"Shut up and don't be such a fucking pussy. You gotta eat. Besides, now that yah carry their stuff after that geek took a mouthful of your leprechaun flesh you gotta be craving for bloody raw meat, right?"

The Irishman narrowed his eyes at him.

"Fuck you" he growled and tried to grab some of the food, but his hands were so shaky that he couldn't hold it and let it drop to the ground.

Daryl looked at the meat on the ground, then he gave his friend a death glare.

"Perfect."

two weeks after the farm incident...

"What the hell are yah doing out here on yer own?" Connor heard Daryl say and snorted.

The Irishman took a long drag on his cigarette and stared at the opposite house. It had been over two weeks since he had been bitten, and he was feeling better every day. It was getting cold outside and it was still early morning, which was why he could see the first signs of frost.

"Needed some fresh air" he murmured and Daryl came to a halt right next to him.

He snatched the cigarette from his friend's hand and looked at it.

"Look like fresh air t'you?"

Connor raised an eyebrow and looked at Daryl.

"What are ye, my mother? What's it gonna do, kill me?"

The hunter snorted and tried to take a drag from the cigarette, but Connor grabbed his wrist.

"Are ye fucking stupid?!"

Daryl frowned.

"What? Yah can share one stupid cigarette, egoistic bastard."

The Irishman took it back and threw it away.

"You fucking know what 'm talking about" he growled and put his hands in his pockets. Daryl looked at his friend.

"You're not seriously telling me that yah still believe in that shit."

"Well, we don't have ta strain our luck, do we?"

Daryl rolled his eyes and hit Connor's shoulder hard. The Irishman winced because it was the one with the healing bullet wound.

"How many times do I have t'tell yah? I already came in direct contact with your snot and I'm doing fine. You ain't one of them, man."

Connor turned around and glared at the hunter.

"Oh, ye think so? Then how come this fucking chick over there didn't attack me?"

Daryl turned his head to see who his friend was pointing at.
He could see the body of an elderly woman lying there face down on the pavement just a couple of meters down the road.
It made him frown.

"That's cos she's dead, dumbass."

"Aye, cos I fuckin killed her" Connor growled and turned around to start walking in circles.

"I was out here having a cig when she walked by. And I mean fucking by. She just looked at me, turned around again and walked off.
So I followed her, but she didn't seem bothered at all. It was so ridiculously easy t'stab the back of her head, like I was fucking invisible or some shit."

He put a hand on his hip and rubbed his chin nervously. Daryl just stared at his friend through narrowed eyes.

"Yah lying" he growled and Connor glared at him.

He wanted to shove Daryl, punch his face for calling him a liar, but right now he didn't even want to be near him.
He snorted and shook his head.

"I ain't lying, why should I? It's te fucking truth."

He sighed and rubbed his forehead tiredly.

"Maybe you should go back t'the group on yer own."

Daryl frowned.

"What?"

"Just think about it, it would freak 'em out. Hell, it freaks me out."

The hunter shoved him once more.

"Stop talking bullshit. We promised we'd get back t'them. You're obviously back on yer feet, so there's no need t'stay back and lie low anymore."

"But.."

Daryl growled and grabbed Connor by his new leather jacket.

"I said yah ain't going nowhere. You owe them. You owe me."

The Irishman glared back at him and bit his lower lip. Daryl snorted and let go of him.

"Besides, what they don't know won't hurt 'em."

now...

Connor watched Rick with a frown. Their leader was cutting a hole in the fence, which he thought was a pretty stupid idea. He had suggested that they should look for another entrance but , being the stubborn leader that the former policeman was, Rick had insisted on his version. They could hear how the growling and snarling got louder as more and more walkers came to surround them. The Irishman looked up every once in a while to check on the group behind him. He could tell that especially the women were scared, but whenever a walker came closer Glenn and Maggie were there to kill them with their hatchets and sticks.

"Watch the backside!" Rick demanded and they changed position.

"Got it" Lori answered and checked her small gun, which made Connor shake his head. He approached her to help her through the hole Rick had cut in the fence, but not without giving him an angry head shake. T-Dog was the last to get in, and as soon as everyone was inside the small fenced-in area that the former prison guards had used for their patrols Glenn and Daryl used binders to close the hole.

"Hurry" Connor growled when he saw a whole bunch of walkers heading for the fence. He shoved Glenn away to help Daryl, and they closed the hole just in time. A female walker threw herself against the fence and tried to attack the hunter, which forced the whole group to keep moving as fast as they could. Connor checked the binders once more just to make sure, then he rushed after them.

"Fucking stupid idea" he growled and Daryl turned his head to look at him with a grin.

"Why, yah scared? It was your idea t'tell em."

"Yeah, well, my plan didn't involve any fucking holes in the fences, might as well give the walkers an invitation. Free food! Nice and easy ta get!" he yelled because the walkers were getting louder and louder. Countless of imprisoned walkers were piling up on the fences around them and even he had to admit that the prison didn't seem so inviting and safe anymore. How the fuck were they gonna clean the whole thing out? Strange immunity side effects aside, even he didn't want to step in there and kill them, despite their obvious lack of interest in him.

They kept running and circling the field in front of the prison until they reached a massive gate, which was not only closed but also blocked by a bus which had been turned over and lay on its side right in front of it.

"It's perfect" Rick panted when they came to a halt. Once again Connor tried to keep his distance from everyone, especially now that he was sweating. He still didn't know if he could infect any of them or how, and although it had become pretty clear that it was unlikely to happen he still stayed out of their reach. He rubbed his leg because it was aching again. Ever since the car accident last year he could still feel it, where the glass had cut his flesh and muscles. It had healed and now there was nothing but a scar, but he could still tell that it had caused some permanent damage. Rick suddenly pointed at another gate on the other side of the fenced-in yard.

"If we can shut that gate, prevent more from filling the yard, we can pick of these walkers. We'll take the field by tonight."

Everyone looked at Rick with a frown, obviously not liking the idea at all.

"But how do we shut the gate?" Herschel asked the question which everyone seemed to think about.

"I'll do it. You guys cover me" Glenn spoke up and everyone looked at him. Maggie shook her head.

"No. It's a suicide run" she tried to reason with her boyfriend, but Glenn ignored her.

"I'm the fastest."

Rick shook his head.

"No, you, Maggie and Beth draw as many as you can over there" he said and pointed at the fence behind them. "Pop them through the fence. Daryl go back to the other tower. Carol, you've become a pretty good shot. Take your time. We don't have a lot of ammo to waste" their leader went on and pointed at one of the many prison guard towers. " Herschel, you and Carl take this tower. Connor, you join them."

The Irishman shook his head.

"No."

Rick froze and everyone stared at him.

"Listen, now is not the time..."

Connor shook his head.

"I ain't questioning yer authority or any of that crap. I just wanted t'tell ye that I'm going in. You stay here with yer kid and yer pregnant wife.
Got a whole lot more t'lose than me."

"This is not up for any debate. I appreciate your concern, but I'll run for the gate."

Connor wanted to answer, but Daryl suddenly grabbed him by his arm and pulled him back.

"Are yah fucking insane?" he whispered and his friend raised an eyebrow.

"What? 's a good idea, they won't come after me, I stand a pretty good chance out there, Rick can't really say that about himself, can he?"

"Do yah want everyone t'know, dumbass?"

Connor got rid of his friend's hand and growled.

"Fuck you, I ain't getting anyone killed just so I can keep me secrets. Just like Maggie said, it's a fucking suicide run!"

Daryl glared at him.

"As soon as yah heard her say it you were all for this stupid plan!" the hunter hissed but Connor walked away from him.

"Screw ye."

"Connor!"

The Irishman went back to Rick who had been watching them with a frown.

"I'm going in" Connor repeated and the other man looked at him for a while. He turned his head to look at his wife, then he sighed.

"No, we are going in."

No matter how relieved he was that walkers seemed no longer interested in him ever since the bite, even that knowledge couldn't really keep him calm right now. He grabbed both his guns tight and took a deep breath, being well aware of all the walkers that were piling up on the fences to their right. The road in front of them was clear, but only god knew how many walkers were on the other side of that bus. He looked at Rick and nodded. The other man nodded as well and looked at his wife to give her the sign to open the door. Connor turned his head to look at Lori as well, and before she opened the gate she placed her hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle reassuring squeeze. The Irishman nodded and looked back at the gate in front of him, feeling awkward all of a sudden. He wasn't the one who was supposed to get that sort of reassurance, especially not from a woman whose husband was standing right next to him. Rick didn't seem to mind though, he was concentrating on the walkers in front of them. They could hear Beth, Maggie, T-Dog and Glenn shouting at the walkers and shaking the fences. Then, without a warning, Lori pulled the gate open. Rick nodded and stepped out at first, Connor followed him a second later.

Being on the other side of the fence made it real and dangerous. The last time they had come across so many walkers had been back at the farm, and he knew how that had ended. Rick and Connor started running as soon as they had made their way around the bus. A white gravel road led straight up to the next gate, which separated the field from the prison yard. About a dozen walkers were staggering in their direction, and Connor was surprised to see one of them coming right at him. He took aim and shot the former prisoner right in the head. Maybe this is way harder than I thought he thought and shot another walker which was coming dangerously close to Rick. Their leader was the one with the lock for the gate, so he had to be protected, no matter what. Connor cheered when they were getting closer to the gate, but a loud zap startled him. He came to an abrupt halt when a walker fell to his feet just a couple of inches away from him, with an arrow stuck in the back of his head.

"Jesus" he gasped and looked up to search the towers for Daryl. He was standing on top of the next closest tower with his crossbow pointed right at him. Connor snorted and shook his head. "Fucker" he murmured and ran after Rick who had almost made it up the hill.

As soon as they reached the next section of the prison they had to realize that there were even more walkers inside, way more than they could kill. They didn't have much ammo left, and after running around and fighting all day they were beginning to feel exhausted. Connor shot another five walkers that were coming too close to the gate, which Rick was closing as quickly as possible. The Irishman soon put his guns back in his leg holsters and grabbed his bowie-knife instead, so he could stab some of the walkers through the fence while their leader was busy with the lock. They eventually managed to close the gate, but when they turned around they had to realize that they were completely surrounded by walkers. No matter how many of them got shot by the other members of the group, there was no way out. Connor put his knife away and grabbed both his guns to shoot a few of them.

"Shit! What do we do?" he yelled and looked at Rick.

Although most of the walkers were heading for the former policeman, he didn't feel safe at all right now.
Daryl had told him after all. You shouldn't rely on that shit, he remembered him saying and growled.

"What do we do?" he yelled once more and Rick turned his head to look at him.

His eyes widened in surprise and he pointed at something behind Connor.

"The tower! Quick!"

The Irishman turned around in surprise and saw a door right in front of him. He shot another walker and started running. When they reached the very top of the tower they saw that the other members of the group were already busy shooting the rest of the walkers. The never-ending banging downstairs wouldn't stop, so Connor leaned over the rails to shoot the walkers that were still knocking on the door to the tower he and Rick were standing on. Rick had taken his rifle by now and wouldn't stop laughing, whereas Connor was still busy shooting walkers.

"What's so funny?" he shouted over his shoulder and looked at the other man with a frown.
Rick took aim and chuckled once more. He shot a walker on the road to their left.

"Nothing. We just did it."

Connor snorted and reloaded his guns.

"Aye, but yer plan's still batshit crazy" he murmured and shook his head. He couldn't fight a smile though.

"But we did it" Rick said once more and smirked as well.

More and more of the remaining walkers in the yard were falling to the ground. It made Connor snort, but at the same time he felt sick.
All he could think about was that he could have been one of those poor bastards back then, and he sure as hell wouldn't have wanted anyone to laugh about that.