Ms Q - Honestly, I'm having a blast researching Cajun culture and Voodoo loas (deities). I love this kind of stuff and to have a reason to do it is like the cherry on top of the frothy ice cream float. ^_^ Glad to see you're back!
peonies01 - Thank you! And nice to see you again too!
MollyMayhem84 - I love Rick. Seriously, he's a cutie pie, doesn't get enough credit as being a babe of TWD. Nice to see you too!
HGRHfan35 - Seriously, Grace wasn't fooling, they will probably have to be separated. Nothing but sitting there in the infirmary, staring at the four walls, for two active men that'll be hell. Also, nice to see you as well! ^_^
DarylDixon'sLover - And it loves you. Hi again!
itsi3 - I love the idea of the Lt. chained to a bed too. *pervy grin* If you were worried about Annie before, this chapter might break your heart. You have been warned. Also nice to see you reviewing this story as well!
Surplus Imagination - Hehe! Honestly though, I think Grace is learning to swallow some of her 'blasphemy' speak (largely due to Merle going off even worse after she warns him). Although the idea of someone swatting Daryl with a ruler is delightful...probably not in the way you meant though. *pervy grin...again* Hi! Welcome back!
amber24-03 - I know, a lot of people were miffed about lack of Daryl, but I learned something about halfway through this story, while it's mainly a Caryl fic (I am nothing if not a hardcore Caryl shipper), it's become a huge ensemble piece. At least you got Daryl in the first chapter, yeah? Good to see a new comer! Thanks a lot for the review!
Merle's Right Hand - I seriously think Fay being chained to a bed is a lovely thing, now to get Daryl chained up, a double dose of deliciousness! I'm writing these replies late a night obviously, I'm not usually this pervy.
Whooptiedoo - When I read that YEEEEAAAAHHHH I totally heard The Who and CSI: Miami popped into mind. (I really wished I was good at puns to put a good one in there a la Horatio...but alas I am not because puns are stupid and should be hated, etc). Welcome back!
Brazen Hussy - Haha! What about Rick? He's adorable. But yeah, all of the important ones.
ImOrca - Me...confused...just sayin'... :S
Jack And Honey - I honestly think Merle would be the type that would have to see it with his own eyes (and maybe actually poke something with a stick) before he believed anything. Maybe I just like the image of Merle squatting down by a dead thing poking it with a stick 'just to be sure'. I don't know what I'm talking about either.
Supfan - Oh my, didn't mean to make you very mad. Turrrrribly sorry.
BanannaFlvdSnow - Everytime I read your screen name I start craving banana flavoured snowcones. Just sayin'.
eieball326 - Yeah, things will be sort of cliffie for a bit, sorry.
GG - Whatchu talkin' 'bout? Carol is always bad ass. But yes I see your point, I'm going to try my hardest, but only because I want to see that happen too.
Alright kids, here's the thing, I wanted to thank the loyal reviewers from GD&S, but I was too lazy to PM you all individually, so I posted a lovely thank you post to my tumblr blog and I'll reblog it now so that you don't have to dig to find your own personalized thanks. Because I wanted to show you all just how much your support meant.
Also, also, someone once asked me during GD&S who I'd dream cast as the Lt. and after much consideration I decided on Richard Armitage. Because he's the only man who even came close to how I picture the Lt. in my mind. So there you go whoever asked that question originally. If you don't know who he is, google that shit, you'll thank me for it.
Chapter Two: Ayezan
Five Days Earlier
**Little Missy**
The sun was sparkling the dust motes in the air as Annie woke and she noticed that it looked like it was going to be a beautiful day out with a small, but sleep grin.
At her feet Boo the dog slept, keeping her toes warm in the lumpy cot of Mother Mena's and Annie stretched, feeling Boo licking her toes with a giggle. Fumbling for her doll, she grasped it and slipped out of the blankets, placing her bare feet on the cold stone floor.
Behind her Boo hopped down and the two of them set off to find someone. There was always someone nearby.
In the hall, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and kept a lookout for someone.
Peeking into rooms as she passed by them, she eventually came to Sister Gertrude's room.
The door was half open, which was unusual. Since Sister Gertrude went away the door was always kept closed.
Pushing open the door quietly, she spied a lump in the bed and padded into the room to inspect.
Walking around the foot of the bed, she spied a familiar face and beamed, but her smile immediately died when she noticed how pale he looked, how still he was.
Remembering how still her mama was after she hurt herself, how pale she looked, Annie fell still, eyes scanning over the Lieutenant's form. Noticing a white, blood stained bandage on his neck, she blinked.
When her mama hurt herself she was still, but when she woke up she wasn't the same.
Her child-like mind put two and two together and it terrified her.
The pain from where her mama had gripped her wrist tight surfaced, the memories of the gnashing teeth and the scary way her mama's eyes had sort of blurred came back, slamming into Annie, freezing her up in absolute terror.
All she could do was stare at the red spot in the middle of the bandage on the Lieutenant's pale neck as though mesmerized by the vibrant colour. The colour of pain, the colour that had painted her mama's face, trickling down from the gash to the side of her head, that meant that the Lieutenant was hurt too, that he'd wake up mean and hungry.
Annie barely registered someone scooping her up, until she was being set down again in a different place, the pale Lieutenant out of sight.
Someone was changing her soaking wet underwear, drying her off with something, a low thrumming noise vibrating against her ears, but all she could see was her mama and the Lieutenant and they were both lunging at her.
Then she was redressed and found herself cradled against someone who was rocking her gently.
Annie clung tightly to her doll, it seemed all she could do.
..-~-..
..-~-..
She was screaming.
Blinking, Annie stopped screaming long enough to register the fact that she was bundled up in a pile of blankets, sitting on top of Mother Mena's lap as she rocked her gently, her arms around Annie tightly.
Her neck hurt and she didn't know why, but it was achy.
Mother Mena was softly singing that song that she sang, the one the Lieutenant used to tease her for singing, but it was the only one Mother Mena knew – at least that's what she had said.
"Annie?" Mother Mena had stopped singing as soon as she had stopped screaming. "Are you okay, sweetie?"
Burying her face into Mother Mena's neck, Annie sobbed quietly, still scared, but not sure what she was scared of yet.
"Oh, honey, he's okay, he's okay," Mother Mena whispered, stroking Annie's hair. "Come on, he'll probably want to see you."
Finding herself scooped up and carried out of Mother Mena's room, Annie didn't really understand what she was talking about.
At least she didn't until they reached Sister Gertrude's room nearest the outside door, that's when Mother Mena set her down and opened the door for them.
Annie anxiously eyed the room.
The Lieutenant was sitting up in the bed, propped up by a stack of fluffy white pillows.
He smiled at her, but she took a step back, hiding behind Mother Mena.
She wasn't going to get close enough for him to grab her like her mama did. She didn't want him to hurt her like that.
"It's okay, honey," Mother Mena urged.
"Hey, boo," the Lieutenant said from the bed.
Annie stuck her finger in her mouth and chewed on her nail, shaking her head and backing even further away.
"Annie?" Mother Mena asked in shock.
But she was already running out the door, running for safety from the Lieutenant who had woken from his wound, he'd be mean, he'd try to hurt her like her mama. She ran and ran, heading for her safe spot behind the church in the abandoned flower garden, where the statue of St. Francis would keep her safe.
Colliding against someone's leg as she tore around the church, she clung to it tightly, hoping they'd protect her.
"Don't let him get me," she pleaded. "Don't let him hurt me!"
"Annie!" Mother Mena exclaimed, pulling to a stop just beside the corner of the church. "It's okay, honey. He's okay. No one's going to hurt you."
Annie fell silent, Mother Mena wouldn't understand. She didn't see how mean her mama was. Peering up she found that new man with the glasses looking down at her and hugged his leg tighter.
"Don't let her take me back there, Mr. Mamet," she pleaded softly. "Please?"
"What's going on?" He asked Mother Mena.
"I don't know, I found her in Lafayette's room, she'd wet herself, she was screaming and crying and, I'd never seen her like that."
"What scared you, little girl?" The man asked in a nervous voice.
Annie liked the sound of his voice though, it was soft and sounded like a daddy's voice.
"He's going to be mean, he's going to be mean like mama was mean and he's going to hurt me, because when you get hurt you go to sleep and then wake up mean, and he's going to be mean and hurt me, don't let him hurt me, okay? Just don't, okay?"
"Annie," Mother Mena began.
"No!" She screamed. They didn't understand. "No! Leave me alone! Don't let him hurt me, okay?" She pleaded to her newfound saviour. "Just don't, okay?"
"O-okay," he promised. "No one will hurt you."
"Annie, honey—"
"No!" She shrieked. "You go away, okay? Just go away!"
Mother Mena looked suddenly tired, but she nodded. "Okay, honey. Mr. Milton, do you mind?"
"I, uh, actually—"
"Please? I'm just upsetting her further."
"I…guess so. Just find someone else to take her though, I don't understand children, their behaviour is often irrational."
"Thank you. I'll find someone to take her from you."
Annie watched as Mother Mena disappeared, still holding tightly to Mr. Mamet's leg. "Don't let him get me," she whispered, repeating it softly, until he began to move away. She tightened her grip on his leg.
"I can't feel anything beneath my knee, little girl," he said.
"Annie," she replied softly.
"Annie, is that Anna or Anne?"
"Anne, but I hate that, don't call me that."
"Alright. So, can I get my leg back, Annie?"
"Don't leave me," she said.
"I'm not going anywhere."
Carefully releasing Mr. Mamet's leg, she blinked up at him. He had a nice face, it looked like he'd be a good hugger.
She offered him a shy smile. "Thank you for saving me."
He knelt to face her, adjusting his glasses. "Why do you think Lieutenant Vancoughnett is going to hurt you?"
"My mama got hurt like him and then she went to sleep and came back from her nap angry," Annie held up her arm. "She hurt my arm, there," she pointed to her wrist. "And then she tried to bite me, but she wasn't my mom, she was scary and had an angry face."
The man blinked, his kind face taking on a sad look. "I think I understand. I'm sorry that happened. How long do you think she was napping for?"
"I don't know." Annie reached out and shyly touched the side of his glasses. "Can I see your glasses?"
He angled his head. "I suppose, just don't drop them."
Annie took them from him after he removed the glasses and tried them on.
"You know, Lieutenant Vancoughnett is healthy, though, don't you?" Mr. Mamet asked.
"No, he's going to get mean, you'll see." She replied, trying to walk with his glasses on, smiling because the ground was all hilly and when she tried to take a step up the hill she staggered. Stopping, she removed his glasses and eyed him. "Don't let them take me, okay?" She repeated, handing his glasses back.
"I'll do my best."
Suddenly aware of what was happening, Annie began to cry.
Mr. Mamet stood up. "Ah, don't…"
She'd have to leave the Lieutenant like she had to leave her mama. She had tried to find her way back home, but she couldn't and then when she did it was nighttime and her mama had left her and then the other mean people came out and chased her and the Lieutenant would do that too.
Smearing her tears into the snot that was running from her nose, Annie wailed loudly and collapsed on the ground.
"Oh, um…don't cry, it's okay. No one will take you away." Mr. Mamet offered.
Annie held her arms out to him, she wanted to feel safe.
"I don't think that's entirely appropriate," he stated.
She wailed louder and harder.
"Oh-kay, alright, a hug is appropriate I suppose, proficient enough for comfort," Mr. Mamet knelt down and leaned in to hug her.
Throwing her arms around his neck, she held on tightly. "Don't get mean too." She sobbed into his neck. "Don't leave me behind."
"I won't. Just stop crying, please?"
"Annie, sweetheart, what's wrong?"
Sniffling and rubbing her eyes to clear her tears, she looked up to find Carol standing behind them, Mr. Daryl's dog at her side.
Leaving Mr. Mamet for what she knew to be comforting arms, Annie raced towards Carol, leaping at her. She peeked back to find Mr. Mamet walking off rather quickly and sniffed.
She decided she liked him, even though his hugs weren't as good as she thought they'd be.
..-~-..
..-~-..
"You just left him?" Mr. Merle demanded.
It was later that morning and Annie was sitting close to Carol, tucked in against her side, watching with wide eyes as Mr. Merle and Glenn yelled at each other.
No one would tell her what was going on, but she didn't like it. Everyone was shouting and angry.
"Beth was in rough shape, I made the decision to bring her back first! We looked, okay? We looked and we honked our horn, if he was still alive he would have heard us!" Glenn argued.
"Hell I didn't like the man, but shit, turning tail like that—"
"I had no choice!" Glenn snarled.
"What about the others?"
"Walkers," Miss Sasha provided, "maybe, hell I don't know, couldn't find them either."
"Yeah well, our mission was successful," Mr. Merle pointed out. "Came back one Cajun heavier."
"Yeah, and three more mouths we can barely feed," Glenn replied sharply.
"What are you saying little man?" Mr. Merle demanded, pushing in close to the Asian man, getting in his personal space.
"I'm saying you did too good in your mission, notice a few more of your Woodbury pals are with us here, while we wipe their noses and feed them our food rations."
Pressing in closer to Carol, Annie noticed she was quieter than normal, sitting on the stoop of the infirmary so that she could keep one eye on the group arguing and the other on Mr. Daryl.
Spying the Lieutenant stepping out of the dorms on shaky legs, left arm holding his ribs tightly, Annie gasped and pressed her face against Carol's ribs, wrapping her arms tightly around her. She knew he would get up eventually and he looked pretty angry.
"What is everybody shouting about? I'm trying to regenerate blood in here," he barked, his voice trembling.
Peeking, Annie kept her eyes on the Lieutenant just in case Carol didn't see when he got mad.
"Get back in here," Mother Mena scolded coming up behind him, "we don't need you dropping on us!"
The Lieutenant ignored Mother Mena, glaring at Mr. Merle and Glenn as they continued to shout at one another, resting against the door frame of the dorms. "What's going on?"
"I'll tell you if you get back inside," Mother Mena stated.
"Tell me now," he commanded in a tone Annie had never heard from him.
Whimpering, Annie pressed her face back into Carol's ribs.
Carol finally scooped her off the cement stoop and pulled Annie into her lap, holding her tightly. Annie found she had no place to hide her eyes, so she watched once more, keeping her attention entirely on the Lieutenant.
"Merle thinks Rick may still be alive, he thinks Glenn left him at the mall," Mother Mena supplied.
"The boy pussied out, tucked tail and ran," Mr. Merle stated.
"Fuck you, Merle!" Glenn shouted. "I was looking out for our people the best I could!"
"You two are going to give me an aneurysm in my brain." The Lieutenant pointed out, rubbing the area between his eyes with the hand that was holding his ribs, before it returned to keeping them tightly in place.
"Please go and lie down," Mother Mena pleaded with him, touching his right arm. He had it tucked up into a piece of cloth for some reason.
The Lieutenant ignored her, taking a weak step out from the dorms. "Okay, we're going to go back, if Rick's still alive and has no transport, if he can he'll be heading this way, we'll come across him or we won't, simple."
"He's dead," Glenn whispered. "Okay? We looked, I circled that mall three maybe four times making as much noise as I could, but Beth was bad and we had no real choice but to leave."
Miss Sasha, who looked like she had an accident, her face was scratched and bruised, looked up from where she was sitting on the front steps of the nearby church.
"We looked." She offered softly.
The Lieutenant eyed them, before he sort of slumped back a little, Mother Mena catching him.
"Lafayette, please?"
"Merle, Glenn you two know what to do, yeah?" The Lieutenant said. "Semper fi, no man gets left behind. Glenn you did the right thing, Beth is in bad shape, but she'll be fine because you got her here in time. But you have to be sure. I'm going to throw up right here and forgive me if…okay—"
Annie cringed as the man did just that, before Mother Mena helped him back into the dorms.
"We'll go back," Mr. Merle said.
Glenn nodded.
"I'll go with you," Miss Sasha offered.
"You're in bad shape—"
"That's my brother still out there too, alive or dead, he's mine and I'll either save him or put that bullet in him myself," she stated firmly.
"Whatever, your choice."
Annie didn't know what was happening, but she knew one thing, she would keep her eyes on the Lieutenant as much as she could. She didn't want him getting angry and hurting someone else.
The Voodoo Dialect
Ayezan – Ayezan (also spelled Aizan or Ayizan) is the wife of Legba. She protects markets, public places, doors and barriers and because she has many children and cares for them greatly some consider her a protector of children and will often call upon her to protect a child in need. She often punishes people who make mistakes, not because she is a severe or cruel deity, but because she desires for them to learn from their mistakes for future reference, although she has often been known to swiftly and vengefully punish adults for abusing children, the rich for abusing the poor, the strong for abusing the weak and the husband for abusing the wife.