Title - Bodies And Souls Collide
Chapter title - Little While Lies
Author - OblivionsGarden
Genre - Hurt/Comfort/Romance/Family/Horror
Disclaimer - I do not own The Walking Dead in anyway shape or form. I only own the plot points surrounding my oc's, not recognized from the show or comics.
Chapter Word Count - 2675 words.

Teddy managed to get herself hidden before anyone else could see her. When the noise died down just enough, she rushed to the wall and let out a short sharp whistle to catch Rick's eye. She beckoned him back over before taking cover again.

"What's going on? Where's Daryl?" Rick asked as he arrived with Maggie.

"Someone grabbed him, had a bag over his head." She explained, breathless as she gestured down the street. "Everyone headed that way."

"Let's go. Stay close."

The trio followed the sounds of chanting to a make shift arena, Daryl and Merle in the centre. Merle was above Daryl, holding him down but Teddy couldn't see much more than that from their vantage point. Maggie took aim, took down a walker before Rick threw in another smoke bomb.

It was difficult to see and everything seemed to be speeding up but eventually the group were heading back to the cars where Glenn and the mystery woman, Michonne, would be waiting.

"Ri-" Teddy cut herself off. She'd made a promise to herself that after everything that had happened since they arrived at the prison, life was too short to be hell bent on pushing Rick away for something he had no control over. The least she could do was call him how she should. "Hey, dad?"

He stopped walking for just a second, the name catching him off guard, before falling into step with her. "It's dad now?" He murmured just loud enough for her.

"You are my dad aren't you?" She shrugged, mirroring the small smile that graced his light in the midst of hectic situation. "Perhaps one of us should go ahead, try and make sure Glenn doesn't try to wail on Merle as soon as he sees him."

"Shit, Glenn." Rick glanced over his shoulder at Merle who had a funny sort of frown on his face. "I'll talk to Glenn, you talk to him. You did say you were the one who could get through to the Dixon's right?"

Teddy nodded and slipped back to walk with Merle, who was smirking down at her now. She tilted her head to the side, waiting for the smart ass remark that he was bound to make.

"Dad? You and Officer friendly into some kinky shit? You never struck me as the type."

"No! He's my dad." She grimaced. "Like actually blood related, Carl is my half brother."

"Well how about that?" Merle chuckled. "You didn't grow up with him."

"No."

"That's obvious. You don't have a stick up your ass."

"Listen, when we get back to the car Glenn's gonna be there and chances are he's gonna want your head on a pike."

"Let him try."

"Dixon, I'm asking you nicely to just stay at the back and let us handle him."

"What about the negro girl? She's pretty damn handy with that sword."

"I'm pretty handy with my gun."

"Well look at you! Old Merle disappears for a little while and suddenly you're a bad ass." Merle laughed loudly and draped his arm over her shoulder. "I'm almost proud."

Teddy hid a laugh and hurried to catch up with the others, already hearing Glenn's protests from up ahead. Whilst Rick and Daryl were preoccupied with Glenn and Maggie, Teddy pulled her gun on Michonne who had immediately pulled out her katana.

"He tried to kill me!" Michonne's eyes were wide, flicking back and forth between Teddy and Merle who was behind her.

"Now's not the time. For all we know they're right behind us." Teddy tried to reason but there was too much commotion for anyone to take notice.

It wasn't long until Merle was unconscious on the floor, Rick having knocked him out after learning that Andrea was back in Woodbury. They left him to wake up on his own, moving off the side to have a much calmer discussion about what to do. Rick, Glenn and Maggie were hell bent on leaving Merle out here alone. Daryl, of course, wanted Merle to come back with them. Teddy? She was Merle's friend but she wasn't an idiot. She could see what he had done to Glenn, saw how he had the personality that rubbed people the wrong way. She knew taking Merle back would only spell trouble.

"Do you really want him sleeping in the same cell block as Carol or Beth?" Glenn demanded of both Daryl and Teddy.

"He ain't a rapist." Daryl sounded disgusted at the suggestion and even Teddy felt a twinge of anger at the remark.

"Well, his buddy is."

"They ain't buddies no more. Not after last night."

Teddy glanced at Maggie, wondering if Glenn was right. Had this Governor really done that? Making a mental note to talk to her later, when they were safe, she focused back on the discussion.

"There's no way Merle's gonna live there without putting everyone at each other's throats."

"So we put him in a different cell block." She suggested. "Axel's gonna be alone now. That way we're not leaving him out here alone but he's not in with everyone else."

"It won't work!" Glenn reiterated, frustrated that anyone would even entertain the idea of bringing back Merle Dixon.

"So you're gonna cut Merle loose and bring the last samurai home with us?"

Teddy muttered to herself, stepping back a little to try and think of some way to settle this. She watched Michonne for a moment. She needed medical help before she could be sent on her way, that much was clear. Teddy still wasn't sure if she could be trusted. Sure, she had helped them this time but that doesn't prove her loyalty.

She turned, watching as Merle leaned his back against the tree, rubbing at the skin of his arm where the metal touched it. She cursed herself, wishing she had been quicker back to that rooftop back in Atlanta. Then they never would've been having this conversation.

"No him, no me."

"What?" Teddy turned back upon hearing Daryl's words. "What do you mean?"

"It was always Merle and I before this-"

"You're kidding, right?" Teddy scoffed but Daryl just shrugged.

"You serious? You're just gonna leave like that?"

"You'd do the same thing."

"What do you want us to tell Carol?"

"She'll understand. Say good-bye to your pop for me."

Teddy was stunned, watching him and her dad walk to the car. She tried to think about it rationally, think about how she would react in his shoes. It hurt, of course it did, that he could leave so easily. But she knew why.

"Teddy!" Rick called her over. "Would you talk to him?"

"No." She shook her head and Rick balked. Daryl looked hurt for the briefest of moments but quickly covered it up. "Of course I want him to stay but I get it... We're never gonna agree on how to handle this and Merle is family. I'd do the same damn thing."

"Thanks." Daryl murmured.

"Just don't forget that there's always a home for you with us." She smiled a little, looking again to Merle who had his usual shit eating grin on his face. "Do me a favor and tell your brother I said sorry."

"What do you need to apologize to him for?" Rick scoffed but Daryl ignored him, instead inclining his head for an answer.

"Could've got on that roof quicker. Saved his arm. Saved us from this shitty situation."

"Nah." Daryl shook his head, shouldering his crossbow. "That was his own dumb ass fault."

"Just tell him anyway. And be safe."

Rick was stood between the two, trying desperately to think of a way to talk Daryl out of leaving. Daryl opened his mouth to speak but closed it again. Instead he tilted his head, just slightly, a silent question that only Teddy knew had been asked. She nodded once and Daryl was on his way, leading his brother off into the woods.

"Let me talk to Carol." Teddy said when they finally reached the prison. She wasn't sure why, she just felt like he news would sound better coming from her. She and Carol were the two who had become closest to Daryl. She and Rick climbed out of the car, instructing the others to continue on.

"Where's Hershel?" Rick asked after checking on Carl.

"He's in the cell block."

"Where's Daryl?" Carol asked, clearly having noticed he wasn't in the car. Teddy gently took her hand and pulled her along with her.

"He ok... Merle was there."

"Merle's alive?"

"Yeah. One hand less than the last time we saw him but he's alive. Daryl went with him."

"He left?" Carol looked away, the shock bringing tears to her eyes. "Daryl left? He's gone?"

"Hey, hey... He's ok, ok? Merle's tough and so is Daryl. It's family."

"Is he coming back?" Carol asked and this time, Teddy felt the all too familiar sting at the back of her eyes. She willed the ache in her chest away and shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know."

Teddy watched Rick as he held Judith. Beth was talking to him, but he wasn't listening. His eyes had glazed over with that far away look he had the first time he emerged from the tombs after Lori died. She walked into Maggie and Glenn's cell where Hershel was holding his eldest daughter close. He offered a warm smile and a discreet glance at Maggie, a signal that the woman could use a friend right now.

"How are you?" He asked, alerting Maggie to her presence.

"Fine." She sighed. "I'm worried about my dad. He keeps spacing out, looking at thin air like there's something there."

"He just lost his wife." Maggie murmured. "Just give him some time."

Once Hershel had left Teddy took his place beside Maggie, giving a soft smile. She asked outright, what the Governor had done. Sometimes that hardest questions had to be treated like a band aid. Do it quick, it'll hurt less. The rush of relief when Maggie told her that he hadn't actually raped her was almost overwhelming.

The two talked for a little while. Maggie was angry at Glenn. She needed him, wanted his comfort and here he was making the whole thing about himself and how he felt. Teddy offered to talk some sense into him but Maggie asked her not to. She could handle it herself. She assured her that she was ok, just needed to lay down for a while and so Teddy left her to herself.

Just outside of the cells Carol and Beth were putting together a make shift bed for Judith. Just a box with some blankets but it was enough for now.

"Sophia used to wake the neighbors. 3:00 AM. Like clockwork. Ed stayed at a friend's most nights till she calmed down."

"I always wanted a child."

"Ditto." Teddy moved over, brushing her fingers over her baby sisters head.

"I didn't know that." Beth said.

"Yeah, ever since I was little. I remember my fifth birthday, my dad got me this baby doll. It was brand new and super expensive, I didn't think I'd get it. But I begged and I prayed and sure enough, he brought it over first thing in the morning. Of course, it was one of those animatronics ones that laughs and cries and moves it's arms. Let me tell you, one hour straight of robot baby crying, I didn't want it anymore." The three of them shared a laugh, dying down into silence. "Maybe one day, things will be easier. We'll be safe enough for people to be able to have children again."

"If Daryl was here I'd put money on him being the dad."

"Shut up!"

"Is there something I don't know about?" Carol was smirking at the two younger girls, pulling childish faces at each other.

"Teddy has a crush on Daryl."

"No, Bethy is a deluded hopeless romantic. You show the slightest bit of kindness to anyone and she's writing your names in hearts. Besides, he ain't here anymore."

The laughter stopped in an instant. And again, Teddy's heart ached. She wished she could take this moment and show it to Daryl. Show him just how much he means to this group. The fact that Judith's box was emblazoned with 'Lil Asskicker' said everything.

" Judith wouldn't have made it if Daryl hadn't been here. He couldn't stand to lose anyone else."

"Sounds like him."

It was later in the evening when the group finally went in to talk to the people that Carl had brought in.

"You got these people up here safely?" She asked Carl who nodded as though it was no big deal. "Proud of you." She tapped the front of his hat so it fell over his eyes, giggling and running ahead. She noticed Rick's smile at their antics, and returned it.

It wasn't a long discussion with the other group. Rick wasn't trusting of them and Teddy didn't blame him. But they deserved a chance. Hershel tried to speak to him, talk him into letting the new group stay. But Rick was looking above them, at thin air again. Teddy frowned, watching as he started to question whatever he was looking at.

"Why are you here? What do you want from me?" Carl called out to him, everyone tried to calm him but it was no use. "I can't help you. Get out! You don't belong here! Get out! Please!" He pulled his gun from his holster, aiming it around the room. The other group left, leaving the rest of them to deal with Rick.

"Hey, dad!" Teddy stepped in front of him, in front of his gun. She held her hands up, waiting for his eyes to meet hers. "It's just me now, ok? Just me..." She stepped closer, watching as his eyes repeatedly flicked up above her, to the walkway. "I'm just gonna, take this for a second ok?" She slowly placed her hands on either side of his gun, easing it from his finger tips. She held it out behind her until someone, presumably Glenn, took it from her. "Why don't we go sit down for a while? It's been a long day."

Rick closed his eyes, rubbing at them with the heels of his hand before he finally looked his daughter in the eye. He nodded, mumbling something in agreement as he numbly allowed her to guide him back to his cell. She lay him down and waited until he was fully asleep before returning to the cafeteria.

"You're dad's just been through alot lately. He'll be alright." Carol was talking quietly to Carl and Teddy smiled gratefully at her.

"He's sleeping." She said lifting the hat from Carl's head. "And you should be too, it's late."

"But-"

"I'm going to bed. I bet everyone else is soon too." Teddy glanced around and everyone nodded. "See? C'mon."

She helped Carl into bed, leaving a kiss on his cheek and a promise that Rick would be fine. Once he was settled she went to her and Beth's shared cell, shedding her boots and jeans so she could settle down in her tank top and underwear.

"Hey." Beth's head popped over the side of the bunk, peering down at Teddy. Judith's box was on the floor beside her, the baby sleeping peacefully inside. "You alright?"

"I'm good."

"You sure? I know I like to tease but you and Daryl were close."

"Yeah we were. But I'm a big girl. I'll be fine."

"You don't have to pretend you know."

"I know, Bethy." Teddy laughed a little. "I promise you I am and I will be fine."

"Alright. Night."

"Night."

Teddy rolled onto her side, letting her hand rest beside Judith. She hated lying to Beth but she still didn't want Beth to loose that hope she had. She'd seen her diary she'd started keeping, she hoped that they could live here forever. Teddy wasn't gonna be the one to take that from her and if that meant pretending that everything was ok even when it wasn't then so be it.