I was standing by the gates, soaking up the morning sun. It was cold outside, but the blanket I had draped around my shoulders kept me warm. My jacket was thick, snug. The only thing that the cold air nipped at, was my face, though the sun was warm on my skin. Feeling weary, I kept my eye on the woods surrounding us, watching for any movement. The Governor hadn't shown up yet, but I knew he would come eventually.
Daryl, Rick, and Hershel were talking in the distance, and when I started walking toward them, Rick stalked off toward the prison door. Hershel gave Daryl a sympathetic look, before heading back inside. Daryl turned to look at me, his face torn. His expression seemed to be caught somewhere between guilt, confusion, and worry. Tilting my head in question, I stepped toward him, touching his face.
"Hey, what's wrong?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Nothin'." Daryl smirked, raising his arm up to cover my hand with his own. "Got some work to do on the outer gate, wanna help?"
"Ain't even gotta ask." I grinned, leaning up to kiss him. I was expecting a long, lingering kiss, but I just got a peck instead, before he let go of my hand and stepped back.
"Come on, girl." He mumbled, turning toward the fences. Slipping off my blanket, I laid it on the crate beside me and started to walk after him. Suddenly he stopped, turning back toward me. Stepping back to me, he kissed the side of my head before grabbing my hand. Fingers intertwined, we walked down to the gates, meeting up with Glenn and Michonne.
"Ready to get these defenses set up?" Michonne asked.
"It's not much, but it could come in handy when we really need it to." Glenn said, looking at the thick barbed wire nailed onto a plank.
"Looks like it could do some damage." I observed. "Maybe a sucker'll get separated if they attack. Run into this thing.." I shrugged.
"Violent, aren't you?" Glenn teased, and I offered a half smile.
"Just don't like Phillip." I replied, shielding my eyes from the sun. "Nor his little wannabe militia group."
"That's my girl." Daryl said gruffly, jumping into the back of the truck. Slipping on my gloves, I helped Michonne hoist the plank up to Daryl, who slid it into the back of the truck. We loaded one more, and I jumped up into the bed of the truck, avoiding the barbed wire. Daryl grabbed my arm to steady me around the planks of razor sharp wire, pulling me over to where he stood. We sat down on the edge of the side of the bed, and Daryl gave the back window a little slap.
Beth drove down the dirt road, rocks crunching and flying. Carl and Maggie, were running down to the gates to let us out into the walker infested yard. Once the gate was open, Beth drove through, and they shut it behind us. I had my gun and my knife, but I was sure I wouldn't need it, once the yelling began.
Maggie and Carl were hollering loudly, banging metal together, hitting the fences. They had pots and spoons from the prison's kitchen, and it sounded like a rock band gone wrong. I grinned at them, as they kept screaming and banging the pots. The walkers seemed far more interested in what they were doing than what we were doing quietly. When the truck lurched to a stop, I jumped up, grabbing the side of the truck.
Jumping over the side of the vehicle, I landed with a small thud. Daryl was already walking toward the back of the truck, and I saw Michonne jump out of the passenger seat, Glenn jumping out with her. Beth stayed in the driver's seat, waiting for us to get the barbed wire planks out of the bed. Daryl grabbed the first plank, pulling it off of the bed of the truck.
Glenn hammered it into the ground quickly, and then we jumped back into the back, Dixon slapping the side. Beth drove us down a little further, and this time, I stayed in the bed of the truck when Daryl held his hand up. Walkers were starting to notice us, and heading our way slowly. Glenn and Daryl quickly hammered the last plank, before jumping back into the back of the truck with me. Michonne was walking towards one, and with the swing of her sword, it dropped to the ground.
"Come on, let's go!" Daryl growled, and I gave Michonne a grin as she walked over to the truck. She opened the passenger side door and jumped in. Maggie and Carl were still yelling and screaming at the walkers, as we drove up the dirt path. Rick and Sam opened the gates for us, and Beth drove through, parking just ahead of the fence.
Standing, I walked over to the tail gate, about to jump down. Daryl was in front of me, holding out his hand. Taking it, I jumped off the back of the truck, him steadying my land. I gave him a thankful smile and Michonne made a face at us, which made me giggle. Glenn glanced at us, his face back serious again, as he walked over to Rick.
"Try to drive up to the gate again, maybe some blown tires will stop them." Glenn said surely.
"That's a good idea." Rick nodded, his voice sincere.
"It was Michonne's." Daryl said gruffly, and something about the way he said those three words didn't sit right with me. His tone... Something was on his mind. Rick looked at him, his face changing slightly, before he looked away. What's up with the two of you?
"We don't have to win." Michonne walked up, looking at Rick. "We just have to make their getting at us more trouble than it's worth." Rick stared at her for a moment, before the sound of gates closing made us all look over. Maggie and Carl were walking over to us, both looking quite happy with themselves.
"Hey, you." Maggie greeted Glenn quietly, and I shot her a quick smirk. She stuck out her tongue, before cutting her eyes toward Daryl. I giggled again, in a great mood for some reason. Despite Katherine's words getting me down for a brief moment, I was trying to forget about it. Nothing she said mattered to me anymore, nor would it ever have to matter to me again. I wasn't worried about it that much. Or tried not to, anyway.
"Well, let's go." Rick mumbled, walking away. I glanced at him, and then at Daryl, who locked eyes with me for a moment. He turned to follow him, and I knew something was definitely up.
"Spencer?" Sam's voice pulled my attention away from the tension I had noticed.
"Wassup?" I asked, walking over to him.
"Somethin's up, you ain't noticed?" He asked, looking at the others, who were walking away.
"Yea, you're right." I agreed. "Just don't know what.. Daryl and Rick..." I trailed off, unsure of what I wanted to say.
"Actin' strange?" Sam raised an eyebrow, and I smiled. "That earns a smile?"
"We look so much alike, it's ridiculous." I said quietly, huffing out a laugh.
"Be glad you got blessed with these good looks." Sam winked, and I really let out a laugh at that comment.
"Big head." I mumbled, gathering myself back together into a serious mode. "But you're right, and I'm worried.."
"Me, too. Dunno what's goin' on, but it can't be good by the looks of their faces. Think the Governor's really got everyone scared." He said, looking out at the walkers in the field. "Seems like there ain't much he can't do."
"He ain't invincible, no one is." I followed his gaze. "Even those things ain't. We just gotta keep it together, stay on alert. I'm thinkin' about goin' up to the guard tower, just take watch for a while."
"I'll stay down here, keep an eye on things. See anything, holler?" Sam asked, walking over to the pallet fortress fence.
"Do the same!" I called, walking over to the tower door. Opening it, I shut it quietly behind me, and climbed up the stairs. Once to the top, I rested my arms on the railing, looking out over the prison yards. Walkers were in the big yard, stumbling about. I could see Glenn by the cages again, working on them.
The air was crisp and cold, the sky blue as I'd ever seen. Despite everything, I was feeling good. I still wondered what was going on between Rick and Daryl, even Hershel had looked bothered. Probably just worried about Phillip attackin'.. Understand that, guys. We're all worried. Don't wanna get into a war, but looks like we ain't gotta choice in the matter... Sighing, I shifted my weight, looking out at the prison yard.
The walkers stumbled about, walking around lost. For a moment, I almost pitied them. It wasn't really their fault that they were trying to kill everything they saw. More like eat everything they saw.. Somehow, each of those people got turned into a walker. Every one of them had a life before the world went to shit.
And sure, we were at a prison. But how many of those people were truly bad? Some of them were prison guards, officers. Maybe even receptionists for the prison office. Then, there were the people that had come to the prison for security and were met by an awful fate. But even so, even knowing that they may have been good before... They weren't those people anymore. Cheyenne popped into my head, and I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to forget about it.
Opening my eyes, I took a deep breath, when something caught my eye. Squinting, I saw a figure walking out toward the woods. It looked like.. Daryl? Hell's goin' on? My body tensed up, and dread flooded through me. Why's he leavin'? Goin' out by himself? Worried and confused, I scanned the area, before turning away from the railing.
THUNK, THUNK! "Spencer!" Sam's voice followed his hand hitting the tower door.
"Yea?" I called down to him, but I couldn't see him.
"Rick wants to talk to us!" He called back, and I bounded down the steps. Opening the door, Sam gave me a confused look.
"I know, I know. What the hell's goin' on? Saw Daryl leavin' on foot.." I explained. "Ain't gotta clue what the fuck's goin' on."
"Well then, let's find out." Sam walked beside me toward the exercise yard. Everyone was gathered around, Rick standing there looking at the ground.
"When I met with the Governor, he offered me a deal." Rick said, his face torn. "He said, he said, he would leave us alone if I gave him Michonne." Carol looked over at me, Judith asleep in her arms. I saw Carl hang his head in sadness, or maybe disappointment. "And I was gonna do that... To keep us safe... Well, I changed my mind. But now Merle took Michonne to fullfill the deal, and Daryl went to stop him, and I don't know if it's too late... I was wrong not to tell you...and I'm sorry. What I said last year, that first night after the farm... It can't be like that, it can't. What we do, what we're willin' to do, who we are..it's not my call. It can't be. I couldn't sacrifice one of us for the greater good, because, because we are the greater good. We're the reason we're still here, not me. This's life and death. How you live, how you die, it isn't up to me. I'm not your governor. We choose to go, we choose to stay. We stick together... We vote. We can stay and we can fight. Or we can go." With that, Rick walked away, leaving us all in a state of shock.
"I need a minute.." I mumbled to Sam, following behind Rick. "Hey!"
"Spencer, I know you're mad-" Rick turned toward me, and I cut him off.
"We stay." I said surely. "My vote's stayin'. Fightin' like we always do."
"Figured as much." Rick had the hint of a smile in his voice, and I started forward to walk beside him.
"Think Daryl's all right?" I asked, looking over at him.
"Hope he can get to Merle before Merle gets to the Governor." Rick said quietly, as we walked out onto one of the prison bridge areas. I said nothing, just looked out over the prison yard. Everything was quiet, like the calm before the storm, and that worried me. I didn't know what to expect, and when Rick lifted his gun, I jerked my head over to see what he was pointing at. I could barely make out a figure walking towards the prison.
"Looks like he did.." I mumbled, jogging away from Rick. I put on a burst of speed, running toward the gates. Carl was right behind me, calling for me to wait up. I slowed a moment, allowing him to catch up, and we ran down to the fence.
"Dad just told us!" Carl yelped, helping me open the gate.
"Didn't know, Michonne." I said, and she offered a light smile.
"I know, don't worry. I understand." She said. "Merle let me go."
"Where's Daryl? Merle?" I asked, a sick feeling hitting me in the stomach.
"I saw Daryl on the way back here, he went to look for Merle. I don't know where Merle went, but I have an idea.. I think he went to try and find the Governor." Michonne said, looking up as Rick walked toward us.
"What? And Daryl's lookin' for him?" I grabbed my gun from my jeans, making sure it was loaded and ready to go.
"Spencer, what are you doing?" Glenn asked, glancing at Rick.
"Goin' after him." I said surely.
"No, you can't-" Rick started.
"Don't!" I growled. "Remember? You don't get to make decisions for me. I'm goin'." I started toward the gate.
"At least let me come with you!" Michonne began walking toward me.
"No, I gotta go alone. Ain't draggin' no one else into this shit." I held up my hand. "Just let me go, okay?" I opened the gate, and Carl was at my side, helping me. "Thanks."
"Be careful." Carl warned, and I nodded, before running down through the tall grass. Once past the walkers, I made my way to the outer fence, and into the woods. Ignoring the few walkers I saw here and there, I headed off into the direction I saw Daryl leaving.
I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I didn't know how to track for shit, and I certainly didn't know if Daryl had kept in this direction or if he had cut into another part of the woods. Feeling stupid for running off on a whim, I stopped for a moment, trying to think. Looking around, I saw something a few yards ahead of me. Stepping lightly, I made my way towards it.
It was a downed walker. There was a jagged hole in the back of its head, and I knew that had to be Dixon's arrow that caused it. Hopeful, I jogged as quietly as possible in that direction. What the hell am I doin'? Daryl's gonna be pissed if he gets back and I ain't there... But what if he's in trouble? Naw, not Daryl.. Arguing with myself, I kept walking. A slight breeze blew through the trees as I came to a clearing, and I nearly yelled for joy.
I could see a figure coming across the clearing, and I knew that walk. Fighting the urge to yell, I took off toward him. He had stopped walking, just looking at me, probably wondering what the hell was going on. I was sure that an earful was coming, but when I got closer, I realized something was wrong. Where's.. Merle? Slowing down to a walk, I stood a few feet away from him. He made no move toward me.
"Daryl?" I tilted my head in question, and when he glanced up at me, I could see his face was flushed. His eyes were a little red. "Daryl? Where's Merle?"
"What are you doin' out here?" He asked, ignoring my question. His voice was gruff, but sounded strained.
"Rick told us... About the deal. Michonne made it back, said Merle let her go and left. Said you went off after him. Couldn't sit there and wait for the worst, I had to come look for you." I explained softly, taking a small step toward him.
"Can't track, what if you wouldn't'a found me?" Daryl asked, looking at the ground.
"I did." I replied, stepping forward. "Daryl..?" I grabbed the sides of his face, looking up into his eyes.
"Spencer-" Daryl grabbed my hands roughly, pushing them away. Confused, I knew something was very wrong.
"No," I said, grabbing his face again, "what's wrong? Daryl, talk to me.." I was beginning to feel dread in the pit of my stomach, the same feeling I had gotten earlier that day.
"Merle.." The way Daryl said his name, I knew. His voice cracked and he hung his head in my hands. A tear fell from his eye, landing on my hand, and I suddenly didn't know what to say. "Was a walker..when I, I found him."
"Daryl, I..." I grabbed him, pulling him close to me. His forehead was resting on top of my shoulder, his body leaned into mine. "I'm so sorry.." I whispered, my hand instinctively going to the back of his neck. His body was shaking slightly against mine, and I held onto him tight. My vision of the clearing around me blurred, and I felt my own tears spill from my eyes. "So sorry."
"He was shot, missin' two, two fingers." Daryl said, backing away from me. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve, looking back down at the ground.
"That bastard.." I growled, not bothering to wipe my face.
"Merle killed a few of 'em.. He tried to kill Phillip." Daryl said flatly. His voice was so hollow... So emotionless, as if that moment of weakness had tired him of any further breakdown.
"He loved you, you know that, Daryl." I grabbed his hand. "Come on, walkers are close by.."
"Dunno how to feel." Daryl mumbled, as we walked back toward the prison.
"Feel however you wanna feel." I glanced over at him, his face breaking my heart.
"Sorry 'bout that." He said quietly, and I stopped walking, grabbing his face again gently.
"Don't ever say you're sorry, Daryl. You don't have be sorry for hurtin'.. I'm here." I forced him to look at me, his blue eyes watery and sad. "I'm here."
And that's how the cookie crumbled..
That's all I have to say about this chapter.
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~Kaila