DarylDixon'sLover - Wonderful! Thanks for the review!
MollyMayhem84 - Creepy coffin guy is perhaps my favourite description of anyone ever. Thanks for that.
songbird1313 - I hope not to make you wait too long.
SilverWolf84 - Women have a certain way of utilizing what they've been blessed with, huh?
Merle's Right Hand - Yeah, death be not proud, honey. I hate to get graphic on you, but the plugs are due to leakage. Yup. Leakage.
Supfan - It's sad. On the one hand I feel for Carl, on the other I can see him thinking he'd be in charge with his daddy gone. So...torn between having Merle smack some sense into him and having Carol give the boy hugs and the ZA equivalent of cookies.
HGRHfan35 - Ah, a horse enthusiast, eh? Yes, that is the breed I was thinking of, very good!
Whooptiedoo - Oh my, I hope you can handle it, because here's another chapter of this story you love so much. ^_^
Brazen Hussy - Hehe, I love your Rickhatership. I really do.
Lilone1776 - Yeah, Carl better hope Daryl doesn't hear what he said to Carol, that man would pound that boy into the ground like a wooden stake.
itsi3 - I miss Rick too.
Ms Q - I agree. They need something good. I too dislike just calling them by their domicile.
Surplus Imagination - I don't enjoy making anyone squirm, but what I do enjoy is Caryl moments, as many as I can cram into the story without ruining the plot...or maybe I am. Meh, my story my rules. Mwaaahahaha.
GG - Let's hope that place remains decent. For all Tyreese knows they could be cannibals.
Chapter Five: Marassa
**Carol**
Lying on the grass under the peach tree, tickling Judith's bare belly and watching over Annie and the little girl practiced her spelling, Carol laughed as Judith squealed, kicking her chubby little legs into the air.
Through the open door of the infirmary the soft, strong tenor of the Lieutenant's voice drifted out, caressing the late spring day with song. It was an old Buddy Holly song and seemed appropriate for the sunny, warm day.
Sighing peacefully, Carol continued to play with Judith, occupying the little girl's attentions, soaking in her giggling laughter.
"There's a classic," Mrs. Douglas remarked, making her way towards them, Herschel at her side.
Carol smiled at them. "It's a sweet song, isn't it?"
"-it's getting closer, going faster than a rollercoaster," the old woman sung along softly, coming to a stop by Annie. "And how are you, precious?"
"Good, I'm spelling HOUSE," Annie replied.
"How'd the peace talks go?" Carol asked, shielding her eyes as she gazed up at the two standing.
"The food offering went over well, but they're still reluctant, a lot of them still think you're terrorists."
"Well, they only get one shipment of food," Carol said. "We can't spare anymore."
"I agree," Mrs. Douglas replied. "It's hard, but if they can't see reason we can't do much else. But we'll keep trying, it's rough to say, but thankfully there's not many of them left and those remaining are too weak and infirm to cause your people too much trouble."
"It's a horrible situation," Carol agreed, scooping up Judith and climbing to her feet. "Are you heading in to check on the boys?"
"We thought we would, Beth sent them both a package of outdated cake treats that Glenn and Merle found on their last scavenging trip, she says they should be fine," Herschel said.
Carol smiled, following them to the infirmary, motioning for Annie to follow her.
The little girl stayed a few steps behind, carrying her doll and the chalkboard, she stopped short at the doorway, however, dropping the chalkboard into the grass to tuck a finger into her mouth.
Standing with her, Carol peered in to watch as the Lieutenant gave Mrs. Douglas a hard time and charming grin, while Daryl replied to her inquiries about his health softly, with simple nods of his head.
Beaming as Mrs. Douglas gave both men a motherly kiss on the forehead, Carol noted that Daryl didn't flinch as badly as he had done with her the first time she kissed him and she assumed it was because at nearly eighty, Mrs. Douglas was hardly a threat.
As the old woman and Herschel walked back towards her, Carol heard the Lieutenant remark to Daryl in a staged whisper, "I think I've got a chance with that one," and she laughed.
As Herschel and Mrs. Douglas passed her by, she stepped inside the building, heading across the infirmary floor, knowing Annie would linger obediently at the door, but glancing back just to be sure.
Sure enough the little girl was standing there, finger still stuck in her mouth, eyes warily on the Lieutenant in his bed.
"You know, ange," the Lieutenant greeted. "I don't believe I've ever had the chance to hold that petit pistache, may I?"
Carol eyed him for a moment with a grin. "Are you sure?"
"Mais, yeah," he replied.
Handing off Judith, mindful of his ribs, she laughed as the Lieutenant sniffed the baby tentatively. "Huh, thought she'd smell more like a new car."
Easing onto Daryl's bedside, Carol watched as the Cajun used the hand of the arm in the sling to press his middle fingers to his thumb and perked his outer fingers, making a jackal-looking creature and proceeded to playfully bark at the baby as he held her in his good arm.
Judith squealed happily and tried to grasp the creature.
"Kon-kon," the Lieutenant cooed to the infant.
As she watched the soldier, she felt Daryl's hand running up and down her back and eased back further on the bed until she was pressed against him. He wrapped his hand around her, resting it over her stomach.
At the doorway Annie watched them quietly.
And then Carol noticed the little girl take one very important step inside, finger still in her mouth, her other hand gripping her doll.
"I like this one," the Lieutenant exclaimed, unaware of Annie's movement, or at least appearing unaware, "she's easily amused."
"Yeah, you two should get along fine," Daryl growled from behind Carol. "Both have about the same IQ."
She rested her hand over his and laughed, still watching Annie near the door. Glancing behind her to Daryl, she noticed he was watching Annie as well, wolf-like eyes narrowed as Annie took another important step deeper into the infirmary.
"So, what do you think, Lieutenant?" Carol asked. "Going to have one of your own someday?"
"Never gave it any thought," he replied.
Annie took another step closer, her eyes never once leaving the Lieutenant and Judith. This went on for a few minutes, until Annie was at the very foot of the Lieutenant's bed, eyeing him with wide, unreadable hazel eyes.
She held her breath as Annie, without taking her eyes off the Lieutenant, removed her finger from her mouth and reaching out, touched the Lieutenant's foot, before pulling it away just as quickly.
Annie paused, gauging his reaction to her touch.
The Lieutenant stilled, but didn't take his eyes off Judith. Instead he wriggled his toes at Annie and smiled.
Quietly, Annie turned and hurried out of the building.
Carol was about to go after her, but Daryl tightened his arm around her.
"Hold on," he whispered gruffly. "Let's just wait."
As the Lieutenant went back to playing with Judith, Carol turned to smile at Daryl, finding him smiling back in that barely there, almost shy way of his.
"Sitting in the morning sun," the Lieutenant cooed to the baby, "I'll be sitting when the evening comes. Watching the ships roll in, then I'll watch them roll away again. I'm sitting on the dock of the bay, watching the tide roll away, just sitting on the dock of the bay wasting time. I left my home in Georgia, headed for the 'frisco bay. 'Cause I've had nothing to life for, and looks like nothing's going to come my way."
"He's been doing this for an hour," Daryl growled softly.
Carol beamed at him. "At least he's not half bad. Could be worse."
Behind her Daryl scoffed.
"Laugh all you want, couyon," the Lieutenant said, breaking away from his singing to the baby, "but this kid is finally going to be raised the way children outta be; on the classics and nothing else."
Annie appeared in the doorway again, eyes on the Lieutenant.
"So I'm just going to sit on the dock of the bay, watching the tide roll away. I'm sitting on the dock of the bay, wasting time. Look like nothing's going to change, everything still remains the same."
This time it didn't Annie half as long to make her way across the infirmary floor, stopping again at the foot of the Lieutenant's bed, watching him quietly.
Her finger came out and poked the pad of his bare foot again, this time staying there for a moment, before her small hand gripped his big toe and she blinked up at him as though waiting for a response.
"I believe that's the little piggy that went to market, yeah?" The Lieutenant asked, not once looking up from Judith, but beaming anyways.
Annie took her hand back, but remained in her spot, eyes darting over to Carol and Daryl and back to the Lieutenant. The little girl took one step around the foot of the bed, approaching the Lieutenant on the side Carol and Daryl were on, eyes wide.
And then, as though checking on Judith, the little girl pushed up onto her tiptoes, stretching her neck to peer over at the baby in the Lieutenant's arms.
No one said a single thing, as the Lieutenant finally looked over and up at the little girl standing at his bedside.
He offered her a kind grin, but she backed away, not as frightened as she had been, but still suspicious, her little hand going for Daryl's which was resting by Carol's thigh.
Pulling Daryl's arm around her protectively, Annie continued to watch the Lieutenant, not saying anything, just watching as he went back to playing with Judith.
Deciding to try something, Carol pushed up from the bed. Releasing Daryl's other hand and moved to sit on the bed beside the Lieutenant's hip, holding out her hands for Judith.
The soldier handed her over as best he could with one hand, Carol doing most of the work.
Playing with Daryl's large, rough hand, Annie shifted on her feet, blinking her wide, curious eyes.
Carol couldn't help the wide grin that came to her face at the sight of Daryl quietly letting the little girl manhandle his hand. He was smiling that small, cat-like smile of his at Annie's behaviour.
"Are you angry, Lieutenant?" Annie asked finally.
"Not in the least, boo." He replied sincerely.
The little girl seemed to contemplate this, hand dropping her doll on the infirmary floor to twist in the hem of her dress, other hand still gripping Daryl's.
For the longest time she just stood there, considering his words, before she spoke again, "are you going to hurt us?"
"Never, honeychild."
Annie was silent again, eyes darting over to check over Judith again, watching the baby garble happily in Carol's arms, before turning her head to look at Daryl for a cue on what to do.
He offered her a small smile.
Turning back, Annie seemed to think some more on the situation, before carefully dropping Daryl's hand and stepping away from his bed.
Slowly, cautiously, she climbed up onto the bed beside Carol, beside the Lieutenant, and eyed him, before reaching out a hand to touch his cheek.
She blinked.
"Are you mad now?" She asked.
"Nope," he replied.
Carol beamed.
"I love you," Annie whispered cautiously, as though those words would make him angry.
Tears welled up in the Cajun's eyes and he smiled broadly. "I know, boo."
"Okay," Annie said, sliding off the bed again. "Okay," she repeated before padding off back towards the infirmary door.
This time Carol followed her, curious.
She watched as Annie marched purposefully across the lawns, heading straight for Grace who was watching the gate.
Standing under the peach tree with Judith in her arms, Carol watched as Annie tugged on Grace's shirt to get her attention, saying something up at the woman.
Grace said something back and then Annie turned and began walking back towards them.
Following the little girl as she marched past, Carol stepped back into the infirmary and watched as Annie moved towards the Lieutenant, hopping up onto the bed on his good side boldly.
"Don't hurt me, okay?" Annie asked, still eyeing him a little suspiciously.
The Lieutenant smiled. "Never, baby girl."
"Alright," Annie said, laying her head carefully against the Lieutenant's chest, playing with the bandages of his neck wound idly. "Carol, you have to stay there, okay?" The little girl commanded, pointing to where she was just easing down beside Daryl again.
"Alright, sweetheart, I'm not going anywhere," she assured the little girl as the Lieutenant carefully wrapped his good arm around Annie.
Feeling Daryl shifting carefully behind her, she felt his hand on her arm, urging her to lie down at his side, Judith carefully tucked onto the bed before her as he wrapped his arm around the both of them. Thankfully the infirmary beds were wider than the cots in the dorms and they could all fit.
At the doorway Grace appeared, moving towards them with wide, curious eyes that softened when she spied Annie and the Lieutenant.
"I was wondering why Annie would come to ask me if the Lieutenant would hurt her," she explained with a small grin. "I see you made up your mind about him," she addressed Annie.
The little girl didn't say anything, just continued to play with the bandages at the Lieutenant's throat.
"She hasn't been sleeping right for a few days," Grace said.
"I know, I can always tell," the Lieutenant replied. "Want me to sing that song you like, boo?"
Annie nodded against his chest.
"Carol, I have to return to the gate, Sister Joan is watching it for me, and I just wanted to check in. May I have a quick word with you first, before I return?"
Carol nodded. "Of course," she said. Behind her Daryl pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder and she felt him smile against her skin there, his scruff tickling her.
Getting up to her feet, she turned back and handed Judith off to Daryl. "I'll be right back." She said.
He was already giving Judith his full attention, so she shrugged and headed off with Grace.
Annie started to sit up, but Carol gave her a gentle smile. "Daryl's right there, honey."
The little girl nodded and flopped back against the Lieutenant, looking like in a few hours she wouldn't care at all if she was left alone with the Cajun again.
Outside the infirmary door the two women huddled together.
"Merle and the others are still out following that trail he found, but it's getting dark," Grace began. "I already asked Father O'Rourke and Sister Mary Claire to walk the wall tonight, Sister Mary Agnes volunteered to take the gate, but it's Carl I want to talk to you about."
The two women glanced towards the bell tower of the church where the sullen young man had taken to hiding out from the world
"Sister Mary Agnes found him packing up his things earlier today. I'm worried he might try to leave."
Carol swallowed thickly. If Carl left he would most certainly insist on taking Judith and Merle had found a trail he thought could be Rick or someone from the mall heading north from the sight of the explosion.
"Maybe I'll talk to him, see where his head's at."
"I'd hate for him to go off angry on his own with that baby sister of his, not when we're unsure if his daddy is alive or dead yet, not when we're unsure if the Governor is."
Carol nodded. "I'll talk to him." Smiling, she reached out and touched a hand to Grace's arm. "Did you see the look on his face?"
Grace smiled, knowing just what Carol was talking about. "I did. That girl getting over whatever caused her panic is one less thing for me to worry about. Now if we can gather our flock back under our wings and start worrying about storing up for winter I'll be infinitely happier."
"That makes two of us." Hesitating, Carol nodded. "We'll get by regardless. We always do."
The Voodoo Dialect
Marassa – Marassa (also called the Marassa Dossou Dossa) are considered the sacred twins of the spirits of Vodou. The Marassa represent love, justice and the purity of childhood innocence. The Marassa are very different than the rest of the Loas, in their concept of one plus one equal three: One male and one female together equal three for their abilities to give birth. They are often called upon for matters of conceiving children or bringing family together. While benevolent loas, they can also be quite malicious when forgotten about, often times causing sickness and strife when they've gone neglected or feel slighted.
The Cajun Dialect
Petit pistache – Little peanut