A/N: Thanks to everyone who favorited/followed since the last chapter! Welcome aboard! I have no concept of time in the summer, what day even is it?! Just kidding, I know know that it's Thursday, day late, but not too bad!
-snowflake2410: First, I hate Lori, sorry to everyone who likes her, but I hated her from the day one. Just everything about her displeases me, so I agree with you there 100%. I thought of her conversation with Carl more along the lines of 'nice work, but don't be stupid.' At this point in time Carl is kind of doing everything guns blazing, and Anna is trying to compromise with him because getting shit done is all well and good, but if you do it without a plan and people die you haven't helped at all. That was how I viewed it at least. Glad you enjoyed the rest of the chapter and I hope you like this one too!
-Micky-Moo: I used to write chapters on my way home from work while I was on the train, but that died when I had to start writing the sex parts because I would keep looking around like a crazy, paranoid person, haha! I was always worried someone would be reading over my shoulder and judge me, so I totally understand! Glad you loved it and there should be another one up next week!
-HermioneandMarcus: Thanks, hopefully a new chapter next Wednesday!
-Guest: Thanks so much! I can totally understand about the dialogue. I don't like constantly saying "said blank", or something similar because I find it boring to read and so I try to avoid it, especially when it's a direct line from the show, but I will definitely try to make that more clear in the future! I will work on that in this chapter and please let me know if this is less confusing! I think I have only ever switched POV's in one chapter and it was when Anna was separated from the rest of the group. I think I separated the POV's with a line break and nothing else because I liked the flow, but I will definitely keep that in mind for the future if I ever switch again!
-MatriachMage: Thanks! Here's another one, sort of sad though…..
T-dog and I finally followed the group while Rick pointed up at the vehicles.
"Nice work, moving the cars, but we want them pointed out in case we need to bail. Easy to reposition them. Daryl get your motorcycle inside" He hung back and walked between me and T-dog. "We'll give the prisoners one week's worth of supplies."
"It might not last." I kept quiet, while they spoke.
"It's their choice."
"Did they really have one?"
"Hey, hey…" Rick stopped and grabbed T-dog's arm, so I stopped too, watching them carefully. "Whose blood would you rather have on your hands? Maggie's, Glenn's, or theirs?"
"Neither." T-dog shrugged and walked off, so I followed behind him still quiet and went to help turn the cars around.
My mom, Maggie and I drove while T-dog directed us. We took a break when We saw Hershel outside and moving on crutches. We all laughed as Carl challenged Hershel to a race and really lost it when Hershel said he could take him on. My smile dropped when I saw the straggling walkers coming up from behind the group and heard Carl yelling. I pulled the handgun from the back of my pants and started shooting at the closest walkers, as quickly as I could. I felt the fear rise in my stomach as walkers just kept flooding in, no matter how many we took down. I tried not to panic, with everyone yelling and turned briefly when I heard Daryl calling my name. He and Rick were running through the space between the fences and shouting for us to get out of the yard. I turned back to the walkers and tried to keep firing as calmly as I could.
I dropped my arms when I saw Beth and Hershel trying to get back inside, since neither had a gun. I raced over and pulled a walker of off Hershel and throwing it to the ground. I shot it once in the face before turning and helping Hershel up the stairs at a quicker pace. I shut the gate behind me and stood in the fenced in entrance picking off walkers.
"That gate is open!" I heard T-dog yell and start for the gate that lead to the other cell blocks. I felt my stomach sink and swallowed hard.
"Oh, shit." I heard rattling and turned to see Hershel shoving a crutch under the handle to lock the door. I turned and saw Lori and Carl still firing and looked back into the yard.
"Maggie, get Lori and Carl inside!" She glanced around seeing the entrance to the cell block and pulled the door open quickly.
"Lori, here!" Maggie held open the gate while the other two ran over Lori, shoving Carl ahead of her.
I watched all three of them make it in before I turned back to start on the walkers again. I sighed when I saw T-dog make it to the gate and manage to get it closed. I barely managed to kill the walker headed straight for him and the body fell against him before falling to the ground. He turned stunned and I raised a hand to him and he shook his head, a wary smile on his face. I watched my mom and T-dog disappear into one of the side doors and sighed. I turned quickly out to the yard and watched Daryl, Glenn and Rick sprinting up the path.
"What the hell happened?" Rick grabbed onto the fence in front of us, while Daryl and Glenn took out walkers.
"The gate was opened." Beth gripped my arm tightly while she spoke.
"What about Lori, Carl, everyone…"
"Maggie led Lori and Carl into C block." Hershel pointed to the other gate.
"Mom and T-dog, went in over there." I pointed the opposite way.
"Stay put!" Rick pointed sharply at us before running over to the other two. They all huddled and spoke, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. I followed Rick's gaze and saw the two inmates standing near the gate. I looked up when a blaring alarm filled the air. I watched as walkers started pouring out of the woods.
"You've got to be kidding me!" I heard Glenn yell, and watched Rick shooting at the loudspeakers.
"Kill it!" I heard Hershel shout from behind me and Beth clung to me tighter, gripping my arm burying her face in my arm. Rick ran up to us and pointed at the speaker behind us.
"Move!" I pressed Beth and I against the fence and closed my eyes while he shot. When I opened them again RIck was across the yard gun pointed at the inmates and once more I couldn't hear anything that was being said. Suddenly he grabbed the big guy by the shirt and pulled him as he ran. I watched the group disappear into the prison and sighed, turning back to see Beth and Hershel's worried faces.
I stood, back pressed against the fence for who knows how long. The alarm had stopped, but no one had come out of the prison yet. We stood in the yard, which was once again cleared of walkers and I sighed. This morning this entire area had been clear now it was covered in bodies again. I sat up quickly when I heard footsteps I raced forward into Daryl's arms and he held me tightly against his chest. I pressed my face into his neck and I felt him put his face in my hair and I smiled a bit.
"You didn't find them?" I heard Hershel in the background, but didn't move away.
"We thought maybe they came back."
I opened my eyes and saw Beth shake her head at Rick. I pulled back and looked down, sighing. I froze when I saw the fabric hanging out of Daryl's pocket. I grabbed it pulling it out slowly. I wrapped it around my hand and I knew it was the scarf Mom had been wearing around her head. I looked up and saw Daryl's expression. I felt the tears well up in my eyes and dropped my head into my hands. I stumbled a bit as Daryl pulled me into his chest and his voice was muffled.
"I'm sorry, baby, I'm so sorry."
"We're going back! Daryl, Glenn, you come with me…" We all froze at the sound of a baby crying. Dayrl pulled back a bit as we all turned to the other door. Maggie pushed the door open with her shoulder and stumbled out holding a bundle to her chest. Her arms were covered in blood and she looked terrified. Her lip shook as Rick approached her.
"Where...where is she, where is she." We all stood quietly as Rick walked forward.
"No..Rick, no." Maggie grabbed at his arm and tried to hand him the baby, but he walked past. She began to sob harder and no one else spoke as Rick stumbled around, screamed and collapsed on the ground. Carl stood still looking at the ground, unmoving. Maggie looked around frantically before she walked quickly over to me. She shoved the small bundle into my chest.
"Please take her, please, please!" I could barely understand her through her sobs, but I had no choice but to take the baby.
I held the wriggling mass against my chest and watched Maggie run off. I looked down and pulled Carl's jacket down some around the face. The baby was pink skinned and if nothing else, had a healthy set of lungs. I glanced up when I felt hands on my shoulders. Daryl looked over my shoulder and down at the baby. My lip quivered and he glanced at my face, tightening his grip. I glanced up at the scuffling and saw Rick slowly right himself into a kneeling position. I frowned at the way he stared off into nothing. Daryl let go of my shoulders and walked over to him kneeling in front of Rick. I walked behind him slowly and watched Daryl wave a hand in front of his face before he spoke.
"Rick, ya with me?" Rick didn't move. "Rick?" I felt someone beside me and turned to see Carl resting a hand on the baby's head.
"Is she ok?" He looked up at me after asking and I shook my head a bit.
"I don't know." I turned and walked towards Hershel and he balanced himself on a his crutches.
"What are we going to feed her?" I turned at Daryl's voice and saw him walking over. "We got anything a baby can eat?" Hershel pulled back carl's vest and looked the baby over.
"The good news is she looks healthy, but she needs formula." Hershel looked over at Daryl and I repositioned the baby up against my chest. "And soon or she won't survive."
"No. No way, not her." Daryl put his crossbow over his head while he spoke. "We ain't losin' anybody else. I'm goin' on a run."
"I'll back you up." Maggie's voice was weak, but she had a hard look on her face.
"I'll go, too." Daryl nodded at Glenn.
"Ok, think where we're goin'. Beth. " Daryl took a couple steps and Beth followed. He whispered something her her before she nodded. Daryl walked up to me pointing at the two inmates. "You two get the fence. Too many pile up, we got ourselves a problem." He reached down and kissed me hard and I grabbed his shirt.
"Come back to me?" He nodded before backing away again.
"Glenn, Maggie, vamonos." I watched the three of the m walk away and sighed heavily. I turned at a sharp scraping noise and saw Rick grabbing the machete from the ground before turning back to the prison.
"Rick!" He ignored me and I watched him disappear into the cell block.
"Somebody, get the gate. Come on, we're losin' light!" I turned back towards Daryl and watched Glenn and Maggie slowly follow him out. They spoke at the car before Maggie climbed on the back of Daryl's motocycle and they rode out of the yard.