Chapter 29

Goddamn Churchill

"Hey Sheila." Daryl waved at the cook as he poked his head into Emma's room. It was empty. "Didja see Emma this mornin'?"

"Yes," Sheila frowned. "She and that Roger fellow were headed off to the stable."

Daryl frowned "The fuck was he doin' up here so early?" He muttered.

Daryl and Sheila both darted outside when they heard the screaming. They spotted a horse running loose and bucking up a storm. Goddamn Churchill. Daryl thought. "Shit." He wasn't about to tangle with that cranky beast, he liked his fingers where they were. "Get Sal. Imma check the barn."

Sheila took off right away.

One of the other horses in the barn was screaming its head off. His heart sank. Somethin' ain't right and I'll bet Emma's in the thick of it.

Daryl skirted around the square staying clear of Churchill. When he got to the stable he saw Michael's tank rearing and kicking up a fuss in her stall.

"Settle down!" He ordered. The mare ignored him.

Roger's head popped out of an empty stall. "Goddamn fucking horse tried to kill me!" Daryl noticed Roger was cradling his arm, it didn't look broken and Daryl didn't see blood. Nut up, Roger. Not like ya got shot.

"Naw" Daryl drawled "Not ol' Churchill. He's a peach."

"I'm gonna fucking kill that horse for what he did."

"Where's Emma?"

Roger's eyes flicked to Churchill's empty stall. Shit. Daryl thought, he turned the corner and saw Emma sitting against the wall with her head lolled over. No no no no no….

"Emma?" Daryl knelt in front of her and cradled her head in his hands. "Emma?"

"Everyone ok?" It was Rick.

"In here," Daryl called his friend over. "She ain't right."

"What happened?" Rick asked, leaning over to check Emma's pulse.

"Th-The horse, it pushed her down." Roger stammered. "She must've hit her head."

"Stay with her and keep her still." Rick ordered. "I'll get Joel."

"That fucking horse is a menace." Roger continued. "We gotta kill him before he hurts someone else."

"You mean this fucking horse?" Daryl heard Sal lead Churchill back into the barn and Roger made himself scarce. "Good ol' Churchill here's nothing but a pussy cat."

"Put Churchill in one o' the empty stalls." Daryl advised the old farmer. "Emma's down. Rick's gone to get Joel."

He heard a stall door swing open and close. Daryl looked up and saw Churchill looking at him through the bars in the next stall.

"Let me by." Sal gently nudged him out of the way. The old farmer inspected Emma for head to toe. He ran calloused hands over her arms and legs. "I don't see scuff marks on her boots, no hoof prints either. Churchill would rip clothing if he bit her, in the least he'd leave a drool mark. I don't think he did this."

That was all Daryl needed to hear. He got up and headed over to where Roger sat at the back of the barn. He hauled pretty boy up by his collar. "The fuck you do t'her?"

"Daryl." Rick was back.

Daryl didn't take his eyes off Roger. "He did it. He did somethin' t'her."

"We'll get to the bottom of this, Daryl. But not like this." Rick put his hand on Daryl's shoulder. "Let him go."

Daryl's eyes stayed on Roger. "Not 'til this pussy answers my goddamn fuckin' question." He growled.

Roger's eyes flicked back towards the stall he'd been in. Daryl saw the blanket on the floor and knew what Roger'd planned to do with Emma.

"Daryl…" There was a warning in Rick's voice.

"Yeah, let 'im go." Daryl said. "Right after I deck him." Which he did.

Damn straight.

}.{

She blinked lazily, her body leaden with sleep. The ceiling was off. This isn't my room. "Where?" Her mouth was full of cotton.

"Emma?" Daryl was there, she could hear him pacing.

"Welcome back." Joel appeared over her.

She was in the infirmary. Crap, what did I do? "Why?"

"How do you feel?" Joel prompted, checking her pulse.

"Heavy." She closed her eyes, her lids were drooping. "Tired."

"Do you have any aches or pains?" Joel's doctor voice was so clinical, so soothing.

"Em." He shook her shoulder lightly. "Stay awake. Daryl, help me sit her up."

She felt strong arms pull her up and prop her against the head of the cot. She was having a hard time holding her head up, it was being wobbly.

"I'm fine, just a little numb." She said, feeling a bit tingly.

"Can you move your toes for me?" Emma frowned and obeyed. Joel asked her a series of other questions, which she responded to then promptly forgot.

"Can I talk to her?" Rick asked.

"She's not quite all there yet, but you can try." Joel advised.

"Daryl, you've got to step outside." Rick ordered.

"I ain't leavin'." He was pacing again, she couldn't turn her head to look at him but she could hear the familiar clacking of his stride on the stone floor.

"Daryl, just give us a minute." Rick's voice was stern. "You can wait outside the door."

"Fuck. This is bullshit."

"Go." Rick's voice was followed by the sound of a door closing.

"Gotta tell me how you do that." She mumbled.

"Do what?" Rick asked.

"Get him to listen."

"She's clearing up." Joel said. "That's a good sign."

"Emma, what's the last thing you remember?" Rick's voice was calm.

"I was on watch with Gordie." She remembered, she'd run out of mending. Gordie was being his usual unfriendly self.

"Do you remember leaving?"

She frowned. "I guess."

Rick and Joel exchanged glances. Rick prodded her. "Who relieved you from watch?"

"Cap. He took over at the end." Cap usually took second watch. He felt he could get more out of people when they were tired.

"Are you sure?"

She wasn't, not really. Emma told him so.

"That's okay." Rick was reassuring.

"Emma, do you feel sore?" Joel asked delicately.

She frowned. "No, should I?"

Joel's voice dropped low. "Emma, think very hard. Do you have any aches in your vagina?"

"Why are you asking that?" She was starting to worry.

"I want to know if you feel like maybe someone has been rough with you."

"Daryl's not like that Joel." She didn't understand what he was going for. "He wouldn't hurt me."

"It's okay, Emma. Daryl's not in trouble." Rick nodded to Joel "I think we got what we needed."

"Do you want to lie back down?" Joel asked, she nodded meekly and he helped her scoot down.

Rick raised his voice. "Daryl, you can come back in."

She heard the door open and Daryl's footsteps. "Well? That fucker hurt her?" He was so angry. Emma'd never heard him sound so cold.

"I didn't see any signs of it." Joel said.

"It's doubtful he had the chance," Rick added. "I relieved her from watch and Roger didn't leave until dawn. Sheila saw them leaving the kitchen and Emma was walking then. It's likely whatever he had planned got interrupted."

"Daryl?" She asked.

"Yeah?" He came over, all the anger dissipated from his voice.

"Can you sit with me?" She was tired and she really just wanted his arms around her.

"Yeah." He sighed, sitting on the bed he pulled her head over to his lap. He ran his fingers through her hair. "I'm sorry Em."

"Not your fault." She said. She didn't know what he was apologizing for, but she was sure he wasn't to blame.

Her stomach lurched. "Daryl?"

"Yeah."

"I think I'm gonna be sick."

"JOEL!"