AN#1: so I thought I should let you know where my title comes from. Pretty simple actually, I feel like the chemistry between Carol and Daryl is the big grey elephant in the room, waiting to be acknowledged.i did something at the end of this chapter I'm nervous about( biting my nails). Also the lieutenant is based off Paul Monroe in the comics, I'm sure he is ooc, like I said never read the comics. I find Beth difficult to write please excuse me if she seems ooc. Also if anyone is an expert on train cars reading this please suspended your disbelief. I'm too lazy to do research. Oops I wrote a book for an AN-sorry I do not own or profit from The Walking Dead in any way.
Chapter 5
When an Elephant steps on a trap, no more trap~ African Proverb
Judith's happy squeals reverberated throughout the kitchen as Lieutenant Paul and his men competed in an attempt to see who could make her laugh. The happy baby had always been easy to laugh but Carol and Beth kept that to themselves not wanting to spoil their fun.
The group was gathered waiting for Reynolds. The lieutenant had sent Anderson to Terminus to relieve him and he was expected back any minute. The only other member of the group missing was Wong on watch. Reynolds burst threw the door suddenly,
"Sorry boss, ran into a small herd on my way back" he said to the Lieutenant as he entered. "
"How many?" The lieutenant asked
" Just nine of them" he responded settling down at the table . Carol got up to get Reynolds some food settling it in front of him" thank you ma"am" he said smiling
"Any trouble out there Reynold's?" Perez asked.
"Nah, other than bringing them some food, they left them alone, got close enough to some dumbasses to hear them talking though, there planning on taking someone tomorrow. A women, apparently they like the taste better" he shuddered disgustedly.
"Well that isn't happening, is it boys?" The lieutenant said.
A loud chorus of Booyah's startled Carol. Beth seemed to be taking it all in stride, Judith laughed at her new hysterical playmates.
Perez stood up to begin speaking " All right, listen up Blondie.., "
"I told you guys my name is Beth!" Beth interrupted sternly.
Perez grinned and continued on "like I said Blondie, you're going to be guarding our vehicles. Judith should be sleepin by then right? No safer place for her then our armored truck" the group had to large 4x4's that had been modified to suit there needs.
"Fine" Beth pouted" but I don't understand why I can't help too"
"Blondie, I'm entrusting you with all our gear and equipment. If I didn't trust you believe me I would leave one of the guys with you." The lieutenant said. Carol shot the lieutenant a grateful look. She didn't want Beth anywhere near what was going to happen.
The lieutenant continued on "Perez, Anderson, Thomas, and Gallant are going in and will take out the snipers silently. Gallant, Thomas, Perez will map out their locations for you, and I mean quietly we don't want them to know were there until we are right on top of them. Wong will be with me. We're heading to the train car. Perez and Anderson says there's a hatch on the car that's been welded shut, stupid fuckers don't have surveillance on all sides of the car, were going to open that hatch up with the plasma cutter".
"Told you that portable plasma cutter would come in handy. " Miller said proudly
"Yes Miller, we all know the plasma cutter was your idea, you were right" Reynolds quipped rolling his eyes.
"The lieutenant continued" Anyway once we're in the train car Wong will rendezvous with you guys here( he pointed to a diagram on the table) snipers should be taken care of by then, were gonna block off all the exits, bottle neck'em out one door and have a little fireworks display ready for them when they get out there".
"fireworks?" Beth asked confused
"Bomb, Blondie, Bomb keep up" Perez said
The lieutenant continued " I'm gonna be packing some weapons to arm the train car, cause although they were dumb as fuck enough to walk into a trap, Blondie tells me they are good fighters"the guys snickered.
" Don't be mean" Carol and Beth snapped simultaneously.
The lieutenant grinned" once I get them out we will rendezvous with Wong's group and help take the rest out.
" what about me and Miller?" Carol asked
"Miller will be in this area on the fence over here were sniping. ( pointing to diagram)Blue Eyes, Blondie says you're a good shot, you'll be on this side doin the same thing, and before you say anything, you ain't coming in, this ain't a sexist thing either, my guys got skills you don't simple as that." Carol sighed nodding her head in agreement.
"You better not screw this up then" Carol said.
"Yeah or we might cut your throats in your sleep." Beth said winking at Carol.
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10pm
Carol sat in the bedroom of the farmhouse staring at the wall, she had been trying to nap a little, but her mind refused to shut down. She had checked and rechecked her gear, she was considering getting up and cleaning the house just to occupy her mind, when there was a knock at the door.
"Come in" she said smiling at the lieutenant as he entered.
" Hey Blue Eyes, wanted to check on you after our little meeting, make sure you really were on the same page as us. I'm mighty partial to my throat don't want it cut and all" he teased
Carol laughed"Sorry about that, inside joke"
" oh I know you're matching set' s brother, Blondie was telling us all about it after you left."
" Matching set?"
" Matching set of Blue Eyes, you should hear Blondie talk about you two." He raised his voice to a high pitch comic impression of Beth "oh they are just so sweet together, even there eye color matches, they are a match made in Heaven just like some kind of Twilight bullshit"
Carol laughed "she did not say that"
"Well maybe not the twilight stuff, but everything else yeah" he responded.
"A match made in heaven huh? The apocalypse don't seem like a heaven on earth, maybe it should be a match made in hell" she said softly
" What ever it is, don't let go of it or you'll regret it" the lieutenant responded intently.
" I can never thank you enough for what you're doing for us, what you did for Beth..."
" Aww Blondie's no trouble, hell Miller's half in love with her, she's got the rest of them thinking of her like a little sister. Only been with us just over a week. She reminds me of my kid" he continued on quickly" as for your friends we woulda helped no matter what, Blondie's sister and your Mr. Twilight being in that tin can just seals the deal. Speaking of which I had a thought, your group probably have gotten a clue and stopped trusting strangers. Any message I can give'em so they know they can trust me?"
Carol was quiet for a moment
" Tell Daryl I said-Stay safe, and Nine lives- he'll understand"
9 months ago
Carol was alone in her cell still reeling over the loss of Lori. Just this morning she thought she was the one fighting a losing battle. That she was going to die in that closet but then Daryl had found her. It seemed cosmically cruel that fate would see fit to take Lori when her baby needed her so much. She didn't even have a name yet and Rick was already leaving in the morning to go find Maggie and Glenn. She turned her head as she heard heavy boots entering her cell. She was sitting up in bed and smiled as Daryl perched on the side of the bed.
"How are you feelin?" He asked hoarsely.
"Better,Hershal's been pouring water down my throat it seems like every time my mouth's open" she said
He motioned to the bottle of water beside her bed" Well go on, your mouth's open" She grinned and took a long drink.
Daryl reached over and grabbed her hand squeezing it lightly, and said in a gravelly voice " I'm sorry ...we didn't look harder for you, we thought you were a goner and..." He stopped looking at Carol in confusion when she chuckled softly"What so funny?"
"Sorry you just reminded me of a silly little kids song Sophia liked when she was young. It was about a cat the kept getting lost and the refrain goes- we thought he was goner, but the cat came back, he just couldn't stay away... Guess that makes me a cat"
"Well cat's got nine lives remember? So yeah that sounds about right for you" he smiled in reply.
"I wish Sophia could have been a cat" she whispered
Daryl squeezed her hand and looked at the floor. "I don't think...I don't think Sophia was a cat, I think she was a bird, and she flew away,cause she was free."
He looked up at Carol seeing her tears quickly added" I'm sorry, I'm an idiot..."
"No, don't apologize, that means more to me than you know, thank you" she choked out wiping her eyes.
"Stay out of trouble when I'm gone alright, stay safe"
"Hey, I'm a cat remember? Nine lives"
AN#2: I hope my the meeting didn't come out stupid, it was hard to write.
The Cat came Back is a song by children's artist Fred Penner. Twilight is obviously a book by Stephanie Meyer.