Chapter Thirteen
Daryl lay in the bed, again. A week passed since the incident with the claimers. A week for them to settle into their new home. A week for things to change. Like growing accustomed to the feel of someone lying next to him in bed. Her scent greeting him in the morning as he opened his eyes to see the small blonde curled on her side facing him.
Daryl continued staring down at her for a moment, despite needing to get up and relieve Glenn and Maggie from their watch. Still, he remained there watching Beth sleep. His hand twitching, wanting to run his fingers through her hair. Wanting to feel how soft it was, and memorize the feeling for a later date. When things like this wouldn't be possible. He stopped himself, though. Knowing that if he did it one time, he would do it again. Just like the sharing a bed. He allowed it once, and now it was almost a nightly routine. Even when they were stuck in the living room by the fire, she managed to find away to his side.
Even with the pondering glances, and narrowed eyes, Beth continued sleeping next to him, and Daryl wasn't one to tell her no. Found that he couldn't deny this girl anything. No matter how bad the idea was. With a sigh, he heaved himself up on his elbow, moving to get off the bed when he felt her stir.
Her head turning slightly before he stopped for a moment and brushed a few strands back behind her ears. Liking how they nearly felt like silk as he tucked them away and then brushed them back again as he looked at her barely opened eyes. "Go back to sleep. I'm heading out for watch."
Beth nodded, her eyes closing back again and Daryl brushed his fingers through her hair a few more times before he decided the girl was content and sat up. Tugging on his boots and heading out the door. As soon as he reached the bottom of the stairs, he spotted Carol going to the front door. One eyebrow raised up when she spotted him, and Daryl narrowed his gaze at her. The woman merely smiled as she exited, whispering something to Maggie and Glenn.
The two came back inside just as Daryl reached the door. He stepped to the side, allowing the couple through when Maggie stopped. Her eyes narrowing on him, though she didn't get to say anything as Glenn pulled her away. Daryl swallowed, his gaze lingering on the older Greene sister for only a moment before heading outside with Carol. She sat on one of the fold out chairs they managed to drag back from the old grocery store. Her face turned in the direction of the fencing, though she gave him a sidelong glance when he exited. Not caring to have a discussion at the moment, he settled himself on top of the railing and pulled a cigarette out of his pocket. The nicotine hitting him the moment he sucked it in and allowing him to relax a little.
It's not like he and Carol were at odds with each other. They'd always been there for one another. Something of an understanding having passed between them as they realized that they'd come from similar backgrounds. That they both survived a situation that neither of them should have been in.
Still, he couldn't help but feel she was weighing him. Looking for his measure the longer they sat there, and finally she spoke. "You gonna tell me what's goin on between you and Beth?"
Daryl sucked on his cigarette again. Taking his time to let the question linger before he blew out another puff of smoke and replied, "S'nothin. Girl just get's cold."
"Hmm," Carol hummed, leaning her head back like the conversation was done. Daryl stared at her. Waiting for something else to come from her, because he knew that wasn't all she had to say. That she didn't believe that for a minute, but it was the truth.
When she closed her eyes, pretending to rest, Daryl took another puff of his cigarette. "What's her old man sayin?"
Carol shrugged. "Just worried about his baby is all."
"Humph," Daryl breathed out, looking away from the woman. Cause that was something that they needed to be concerned about. Like he would actually try anything with Hershel's little girl.
"You know she's turning seventeen soon, right?" Carol asked, her question innocent enough that Daryl swung his head around to look at her. The question in his eyes before she nodded toward the yard. "Hershel said it normally fell around the first snowfall, so he's guessing its going to be soon, or already passed."
The grass outside was white, not quite snowed over, but icy enough to leave the grass coated in white and make the sky look a little like the dark blue. Daryl swallowed, and looked back at Carol. "How come Beth hasn't said anything?"
Carol shrugged. "Probably doesn't think it's important."
He nodded at that, his gazing going to the yard and taking in the winter cold. The first winter since this outbreak. Going to be a rough one at that. Having to worry about feeding everyone, and keeping them safe and warm. The only good thing about it is that there was hope the snowfall would slow the walkers down. Maybe even freeze most of them in their spots. It would help kill them faster. Help them get away faster.
They still needed to fortify the place. Make it safer for all of them and that included heading out on a run to the nearest town. Hoping to find a hardware store where they could find some barbed wire, and long poles to secure the fencing in case a heard came through. It was a long shot, but anything would be better than sitting and waiting for something to happen. The sooner they got that out of the way, the better off they would be.
Taking the last drag of his cigarette, he thought more about how they were making this place a home. How women turned out two meals a day with what little they had. Thinking about the flowers that they picked and placed around the house, making it smell better. Even lighting the scented candles for a while, and opened the windows. Getting the musty scent out of the house so it would smell like a place they would all want to be.
How Lori suggested to Rick that they find a way to get the water going in the place, the half smile that accompanied the words that sent Rick outside, pulling the rest of the guys along with him, so that they could figure out how to get the water running. How to get that wheel in the back moving so that they could have more electricity in the place aside from running the generator just a couple of hours each day. The small improvements that were slowly starting to add up and he looked back into the window. Noticing T-dog stepping to the fire to warm the place up before everyone else ventured out from under their blankets.
Making the place, the home that it needed to be.
"We should do somethin for her," he said. The words out of his mouth before he could stop them, and looking away from the smile that spread across Carol's face as she looked up at him.
"Like what?"
Dary shrugged. Unsure of where he was going with his idea. Hoping that Carol would have some clue as to how one would celebrate a girl's seventeenth birthday. Cause he sure as hell didn't. Never even got a birthday party himself, unless you counted how Merle would drag him to a bar and pay some woman to spend the night with him. Not what he counted as a birthday in his book, but it was Merle and what else did he expect
"Hell if I know," he mumbled, picking at his shoe. The conversation became awkward as Carol continued staring at him.
"Guess we'll figure it out," she murmured, resting her head against the back of the chair again, and Daryl turned his attention back to the front yard. Still picking at his boot as he thought about what he could do for Beth on her birthday.
The morning came faster than he believed possible. Allowing T-dog to come outside and take Carol's place so the woman could do what she wanted. Really, she could have gone to bed for all anyone cared, but once again, Daryl found in her in the kitchen as they huddled around the kitchen island. Maggie, Glenn and Merle joined them this morning as they took their bowls of oatmeal to slowly eat it.
Beth joined them a little while later. Still looking exhausted with her eyes half closed and her hair thrown up in some haphazard bun. As she moved onto a stool, she managed to grunt out a small, "mornin" to everyone present before Carol shoved a bowl her way and she swirled it around a few times.
"We still goin on that run to the nearest town?" Daryl asked as he finished up his bowl, looking to Rick for the answer.
The man nodded, his own eyes red from what little sleep he managed to get. "Yeah, gotta get as much supplies as we can before the snow really falls down."
They all glanced out the window, noting how it was steadily coming down though none of it was sticking to the ground. More like lingering for a bit before it turned into a puddle but it was only going to be a matter of time before the snow had them stuck inside for who really knew how long.
"We leave as soon as everyone is done eating," he said, rubbing at his face as he stood up.
Daryl took a quick drink from the bottle of water that was handed to him before passing it on to the person next to him and saying "done. I'll start loading things up."
"Get the SUV ready. It'll carry more," Rick said while Daryl nodded, already heading out the kitchen when he noticed a small blonde moving to follow along with him.
"Eat, Beth," he said, pointing back at the stool that she just vacated, and the abandoned bowl.
"I've eaten, and now I'm coming to help." Both eyes went wide as she stared him down.
Daryl shifted, his gaze narrowing on her because he knew she didn't eat nearly enough. The girl barely weighed a thing, and still the only words he managed to spew out was, "why? you ain't comin."
If Beth Greene's eyes were wide before, they were nothing compared to how wide they got the moment the words were out before they zeroed in on him. Daryl shifted his weight again. Already knowing it was the wrong thing to say even before the girl crossed her arms and pierced her lips.
"So, what I can't help just because I ain't comin?" she asked, her head dipping low as she continued staring at him. "And who says I can't come? You? When did you start making those decisions for me?"
Daryl sighed, looking to the others at the kitchen to see if there was going to be any help, and only received a few amused stares and a couple of more raised eyebrows. "Beth, c'mon. I didn't mean it like that."
"Oh?" Her eyebrows went higher as she waited for more. Daryl again looked to the group, and only received more stares. Rubbing his hands down his face, he looked to remain calm. He didn't want to be having this conversation in front of a bunch of prying eyes. Especially the glowering ones of Hershel Greene as he realized that, again, he managed to step over some invisible boundary. One that would have been left well enough alone if he just kept his mouth shut about her needing to eat, and let the girl follow him out.
"Whatever, do what ya damn well please," he mumbled, turning back around to stalk out of the kitchen. He didn't think the situation could get any worse. In fact, he prayed it wouldn't as he drove the SUV closer to the house, and together the two of them loaded the truck up with what food and weapons they deemed necessary for the trip. When Beth started loading up some blankets as well, he stopped to look at the blankets and then her.
"You might get stopped by walkers, this is, just in case," she explained, shrugging her shoulders as she shoved the blankets inside. With everything loaded up and the small group ready to head out soon, they both paused at the back of the SUV. Beth standing there with her arms crossed, holding her jacket tight around her while Daryl chewed on his nails, staring at her.
When it was clear, she wasn't going to say anything else, and he sure as hell didn't have anything to say in that moment, he moved to head back inside out of the cold. Her hand only popping out to grab a hold of his arm to stop him at the last minute.
"You be careful out there," she said, giving him a slight smile.
Daryl's own lips slightly turned up as well. "What? You ain't comin?"
Beth laughed, the sound echoing in the quiet of the early morning as her features lit up and she shook her head. "No, I just said that cause you were bein bossy."
Daryl chuckled himself, shaking his head at his own antics inside before giving her a slight nod. "Yeah, sorry about that."
"Don't worry about it." Her smile grew wider as she met his gaze. Both of them stood there for a second before she reached out to wrap her arms around his chest, and pull him into a tight hug. Daryl hesitated for only a moment, before wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "Just come back, ya hear, I need you to keep me warm at night."
His breathing hitched for a split second as his arms tightened around her. The statement was innocent, he knew that. Knew she didn't really mean anything by it, still his stomach tightened, and he found himself rubbing her back and pulling away, mumbling, "yeah, got it."
He met her gaze, wide blue eyes staring up at him with a smile on her face, telling him that if she noticed anything different in his behavior, she hid it well. The door could be heard opening from the other side of the truck and Daryl shifted again, turning his gaze to the ground for a moment before looking back up at her.
A stray hair managed to pull away from her bun and his hand was out, brushing it back into place before she could as he muttered, "You should get back inside, before you get a chill."
Beth smiled at him, and headed back inside just Rick rounded the other side of the SUV. His gaze met his before he closed the hatch on the back of the SUV and headed to the drivers side. Merle, and T-Dog climbed into the car as well while Daryl rubbed at the back of his neck. Wishing the weather was warmer so he could climb onto his bike, and avoid this upcoming road trip.
Daryl, Rick, T-Dog and Merle stood at the top of the hill. A pair of binoculars being passed between them as they surveyed the town. Looking for possible and dangers and escape routes, while also seeing if the place was worth the risk.
"There's a hardware store toward the center." Rick pointed out as he handed the binoculars over to T-Dog, who took them and looked for himself before handing them over to Daryl. Together the four of them memorized the lay of the land, Rick led them back enough to huddle them down into a circle with a quick drawing of the town from their vantage point.
"We'll leave the cars a mile or so up the road. Ensure the place is quiet as we walk in. Two of us will head to the hardware store. Take stock of the supplies, grab what you can. Daryl you and Merle head that way, you know what we need." He waited for Daryl to nod before giving his own short one and pointing back at his drawing. "T-Dog and I will head to the pharmacy. See what's left over from there and we'll meet up at the grocery store."
T-Dog and Daryl nodded, ready for this plan to follow through and be done with so that they could be headed home already.
"What if we make a pit stop at that bar," Merle said, nodding in the direction of the town. Daryl rolled his eyes, acknowledging that it would be his brother to notice the only liquor stop in town. "Wouldn't hurt to grab a few bottles."
Rick glanced at Daryl's first, giving him this "is he for real?" look before shaking his head. "Nah, we're just here for the necessities. Anything else can wait."
Merle let out a low whistle as he stood up. "Damn shame."
Daryl glared at him, his hands curling into fists as he mumbled, "just shut the hell up and stick the plan."
"Yes, ma'am. I'll do whatever officer friendly says." He chuckled at his own joke, leaving Rick and Daryl to glance at each other for a moment. Both of them wondering why the hell they agreed to bring Merle along.
Oh, right. Because lord knew what chaos would ensue should he have been left back at the cabin with the Greene's and Glenn. Though Merle did help them out. Glenn was still sore about the walker incident, and the whole kidnapping business. Not that Daryl could blame him, but at least Merle helped. Kind of.
With a heavy sigh, he ran a hand down his face and stood. "Let's go."
The others followed suit, jumping back into the SUV as they headed closer to the town. Stopping just as the town came into sight up the road and jumped out. Daryl could feel the adrenaline rushing through his veins. Pumping him up, and getting him ready with that fight or flight sense that always came when they were doing something risky. Something that could mean none of them would be going home tonight.
Yeah, the town looked empty. Safe even, but that wasn't reason not to stay alert. The entire population could have locked themselves up in a building and one small noise would rile them up and bust them free. Sending them all scattering. His brother could even decide to be a dumbass again and take off on his own. Hell, more people could roll through. It was no secret that the mountains were a good place to be if you wanted to get away from people.
There was a good amount of hunting cabins up in this area, and those who were smart enough would head this way to get away from the hoard of the undead. Much like Rick and the others did. Shifting his bow back around on his back, he picked up his pace. Doing his best to keep a look out for anything out of place.
Stepping into the town itself was a bit surreal. You expected people to be bustling about. Businesses to be open, and just general life moving about, but it was a ghost town. Much like the vast majority of the earth, straight up ghost town. Eerie and silent with their footsteps echoing on the pavement. Calling attention to them even as they slowed down and peered around the place. Listening for the tattle tale groans of walkers.
Nothing.
Daryl swallowed to relieve his dry throat and turned to Rick. The man nodded as he and T-Dog took off toward the pharmacy and Daryl signaled for his brother to follow him. Together the two of them ran to the store. Stopping at the front door to bang on it. Waiting for anything to come up against the window.
"Wastin your time baby brother," Merle started, already heading toward the door. "This place was probably abandoned at the very beginning of the outbreak."
Daryl snorted. "Right, cause you know so goddamn much," Daryl snapped, walking up behind his brother with his crossbow ready to fire. It didn't look like there was anything in there, but then again, Merle was being impatient today as he swung the door open and rushed inside. Immediately a walker came rushing toward them. His teeth snapping as Merle swung out with his metal arm. Slamming it's head into a shelf and effectively killing it.
"You were sayin?"
Merle shrugged. "You always got your stubborn asses that won't leave for shit."
Daryl made a small "Hmph" noise in the back of his throat, but otherwise ignored his brother as he picked up a couple of bags from the registers and headed toward the back. Looking for the small things they would need to fix the fence. Screws, and drill bits and the like while also noting the larger stuff that would come in handy. The stuff that they would have to risk pulling the SUV in for, or coming back at a later time to pack up.
As he headed toward the back, he turned to note Merle strolling through the aisles. Picking up items slowly, like it was just another day in the store. Never could get his brother to hurry up and hustle unless Merle wanted to. Couldn't get Merle to do much of anything unless he wanted to. One of the drawbacks to having his brother around. He was going to be forced to tolerate his ass.
"So, you and Blondie got a thing goin on?" Merle hollered over the shelves, causing Daryl to flinch. He knew the conversation would come up eventually. One of the reasons he made sure to steer clear of his brother unless they were in a large group. Merle could mess with him all he wanted in front of the others, but he couldn't really rile him up unless they were alone. He hoped that the run would be distracting enough to keep Merle from saying anything, but that obviously wasn't going to happen.
"She seems real sweet on you. Always smilin and curlin up next to ya," he continued, sucking on his teeth as he made his way down where Daryl was looking at some barbed wire. Debating on rather or not he should heft it up and haul it with them or come back.
"She's a kid," Daryl snapped, deciding to come back for the barbed wire, but did manage to grab some wire cutters while he was standing there.
"Don't look like much of a kid to me."
Daryl turned to meet his brother's smiling face. His own features flat as he stared his brother down. His fists tightening around the wire cutters as he forced himself to calm down and spit out, "don't ever look at her like that again."
Merle chuckled, holding his hands up in surrender. "Ease up, baby brother. She's not even my type. You know how I like'em." The mirth in Merle's own eyes grated on Daryl even more and he whirled away from his brother.
Knowing the Merle only meant to mess with him. Get inside his mind and rattle around until he managed to get Daryl into a full blown fist fight. He was probably itching for one, having been locked up with the 'Robinson Crew' as he put it the other day. Didn't mean he was going to get one. Not from Daryl anyways as the younger brother picked through the store. Loading up what he could and realizing that he wasn't going to be getting any help from big brother.
When the bags were full, and he managed to hand one off to Merle while shoving the other into his backpack, the two brother's headed out. Looking toward the pharmacy to see Rick and T-dog already making their way to the general store. The four of them meeting up at the front door.
"Walkers?" Rick asked, not even needing to clarify as he nodded to the hardware store.
"One," Daryl replied, already knocking on the window to the general door. Looking in time to see Merle rolling his eyes at the movement.
"Yeah, found two at the pharmacy." They glanced at each other and then around the town. Maybe Merle was right. Maybe the citizens abandoned their homes at the onset. Looking to the bigger cities to keep them safe. Stupid ass move in Daryl's opinion. Should have stayed home. Maybe they would all still be alive. Maybe over half the earth's population wouldn't be walking corpses if they'd stayed in their small time towns and cut themselves off from the world.
In hindsight, that sounded like the best option. Too late now, though. Should have's, could have's and all that.
Nothing came slamming into the window, or made any noise from the inside so they took that as their cue to head in. Still keeping their weapons drawn and ready for the inevitable as they spread out to search the place. Daryl headed straight for the back. Looking for winter clothes and what not for the group while T-dog took off toward the food and Rick once again headed toward the pharmacy aisle. Making Daryl wonder what he was looking for, but remaining silent as he grabbed a few more bags and loaded them up. Merle came strolling up behind him, smirking at something and Daryl swung a full bag at him.
"Here, make yourself useful," he muttered, turning back to the clothes. Merle grabbed the bag, swinging it onto his shoulder as he continued looking around the place. Grabbing one or two items that would be useful to him, but otherwise ignoring the rest until he went down another aisle with a huge grin on his face.
"Hey, Daryl," he hollered, catching not only Daryl's attention, but also T-Dog's as he held up a skimpy pink bra and panties set. "Think Blondie would look good in this?"
Daryl fumed, storming toward his brother and knocking the underwear out of his hands. "Thought I told you stop that shit?" he asked, shoving at Merle.
Merle laughed, shoving his brother back only with only a portion of the force Daryl used. "Just askin a simple question."
"Being a dumbass is what you're doin," Daryl snapped back, shoving past him to go for the packs of underwear and socks. Because, yes, the lot of them could use some fresh clothing all around. Though he could feel his face heating up even more as he picked up the woman's underwear and could still see Merle laughing at him out of the corner of his eye.
Giving Merle another long glare, he shoved past him a second time and headed back to T-Dog and Rick, knowing they had more than enough to load up and still had to come back for the stuff they couldn't carry to the SUV. Luckily, there was still plenty of daylight out so they could make it to the vehicle and back. Maybe even home before nightfall. A pretty uneventful day, as far as Daryl was concerned.
As he made his way up to Rick, the old officer lifted an eyebrow in his direction and asked, "everything okay?"
"S'fine," Daryl barked, not wanting to go into explanation on what Merle was on about. It was a shame Merle didn't have anything else to mess with him about at the moment. Shuffling toward the door, he checked to make sure the coast was still clear before nodding his head for them all to head out. Their track back to the SUV just as quiet as when they came in, and Daryl felt a stone rest in the pit of his stomach. Thinking this was easy. Too damn easy for them anyways, and that made him double his watch. His eyes darting this way and that twice as fast as he climbed into the back seat with Merle, and Rick and T-Dog took the front again.
Slowly driving into town, back to the hardware store where A walker managed to find its way into town. It's shuffling gate, slowly coming up the street and the four of them looked at it. Almost asking if they should bother taking it down before Rick waved it off. "Leave it."
Daryl nodded, bringing his crossbow down as they headed into the store. Rick and him grabbing the table saw first, and T-Dog and Merle taking a couple of chainsaws as well. This time when they came out to load up the supplies, they noticed another couple walkers heading into the space. Daryl glanced at the rest of them, an eyebrow raised at the slow but steady trickle of walkers setting in a place that was once empty.
"C'mon," Daryl said, nodding toward the walkers. The others followed suit, taking Daryl's lead as he shot the first one down with his crossbow. Merle smashed the other in the head and T-Dog and went after the last one. Stabbing it in the head and looking up in time to see a few more coming from the other side of town.
"Daryl, let's get the last of that stuff, fast." Rick nodded toward the hardware store and Daryl backed off. Looking to Merle to ensure he was fine before following Rick inside. His adrenaline steadily filling his veins again as that stone felt heavier.
"Something's not right, man," he muttered, loading up a couple of four by fours onto a small cart. Rick did the same until they had a small stack and together they made their way back outside.
"I know," Rick replied, barely glancing at him as they rushed outside to shove the boards in to their vehicle. Again, as they looked there was more walkers at the edge of town, a large herd steadily coming toward them and Merle and T-Dog looking behind to see what to do. Rick moved to the front of the car, waving for them to start making their way back.
"Just gotta get that barbed wire," Daryl said, rushing back in with the sound of Rick hollering his name and something that sounded like "we gotta go." Daryl knew exactly where he was going, though, and he hurriedly picked up the wire, cursing as it sliced his palms and arms up only to step outside and find that the walkers managed to make it halfway up the street. Merle stood at the front of it, nearly surrounded, swinging his arm left and right with a knife in his other hand. Rick attempted to push through to T-Dog, to help that man that was steadily losing momentum against the geeks.
Daryl dropped the barbed wire to rush forward and help, his bow already aimed to take out the head of a walker looking to take a chunk out of his brother before leaning down to reload. Standing, he took out another walker surrounding T-Dog as gunfire echoed off the buildings. The sound coming from Rick as he clenched his jaw and aimed at another walker coming at him, and then to the others surrounding T-Dog. Doing his best to get to the man, but finding himself blocked from all angles.
"Behind you!" he shouted at the two men, aiming for the area behind them to make a way to one of the buildings, and looking over in time to see that Rick got the message as well. His gun already aiming for the area he needed to clear for T-Dog to make his way through.
The two men pushed through, doing more dodging than hitting, but still managed to make it to the building at the same time Rick and Daryl did. Merle yanked the door open, and stepped to the side for Rick, Daryl and T-Dog to step in. Fingers curled around T-Dog's shoulder and before he could yank away from a female walker biting into his shoulder. Sending a shower of blood up and out onto him and the other walkers, causing them to go into a frenzy as his screams echoed into the building.
More shuffling could be heard behind them, and as Rick stabbed at the walker ripping away T-Dog's flesh, Daryl flung around. His crossbow slamming into the head of another walker inside the building. Knocking it down so that he could smash its head in with his foot before pulling his knife out to take out the walker behind him.
When he looked back it was to see T-Dog leaning against the wall, his breathing labored as his hand came back to look at the blood smeared across it and then to the three other guys standing in the room. A look of fear crossing over his features before he grimaced and fell to the floor.
Rick closed the door, latching it shut with some plastic ties he had in his pocket before moving to help Merle shove a shelf in front of the glass windows. Hoping that would be enough to keep the walkers out for the moment as the four of them sat back to catch their breaths. Knowing full well that getting home before night fall was completely out of the question now.
"Our supplies are in the damn car," T-Dog muttered, his head slamming into the wall behind him as he let out a sigh of frustration.
Daryl looked to Rick, a silent question passing between them before Rick shook his head. Letting it fall as he hid the pain that Daryl was feeling as well. "We don't kill the living," Rick had said once and Daryl closed his eyes, looking at his brother, who for once stood with a sober expression on his face as he stared back.
"Might as well get comfortable," he muttered, looking at the floor before lying down on it.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter and once again thanks for the reads and reviews.