Curative
Sorry about the long wait!
I needed a mental health break. I was writing so much I felt like when I started this chapter I wasn't writing as much as I really wanted to. Like I was blowing through it without fleshing scenes out.
So I paused, watched some shows, made some fancy dinners, and cuddled with my dog.
Now I feel pretty rejuvenated and we're about to move into more Lauryl moments with some scenes of the other group scattered in there. Enjoy! :)
Laura felt her arm being shaken, hearing her name in a hushed tone. She lazily lifted her hand to wave him off, too comfortable to move from her place. He relaxed under her, she felt him breath in deeply and she huffed in response.
"What?" She whined, stretching out her legs under the blanket.
"You don't sleep." He stated, his voice still gravely from having just woken up. He was concerned as he had woken up but she hadn't moved an inch. While she did look entirely relaxed, she also wasn't responding when he said good morning.
Laura lifted herself onto her elbow, barely opening her eyes to look at him. "I don't. But I do rest." She gave him a lopsided smirk, "Otherwise, laying here completely still for hours and hours would be a lot harder."
Daryl looked at her face, how she did look and act like she had woken up from a deep sleep. "What's the difference?"
Laura's eyes closed and she pursed her lips, "I'm still awake. Like a phone on power saving mode." She got another look from Daryl that told her he wasn't quite clear on what that meant. Laura shrugged, "I'm so comfortable and calm I'm almost sleeping I guess. I don't know a lot about it, only done it a few times since I turned."
Daryl frowned at that, he strongly disliked considering her dead even if that was technically correct. He still thought of her as no different than anyone else. Excluding her diet, but he wasn't going to touch on that yet. "What causes it?"
With a wide smile, Laura leaned down to him. "I don't know. Feeling safe, maybe." She laid her head back down in the crook of his neck.
While she wasn't looking, Daryl cracked a grin, bringing his arm around her a little tighter. "Come on, sun's up." As comfortable as they both were, there was still the threat outside the same as any other day. He would definitely have to deal with Rick again, he knew they had to do something.
The group was split, a few wanted to leave and a few wanted to fight. Daryl didn't think they would end up leaving any time soon. It seemed highly unlikely they would give up the prison after everything they survived on the road.
Still it was a point of contentious debate especially between Hershel and Rick. There was no way to tell which path was the right one, they could only do what they believed necessary to survive. Until then, they would be on watch constantly and continue these tense exchanges.
Laura knew he was right, it was time to face the day. So she pushed herself up, patting her hand on Daryl, before removing herself from the cot so he could get up.
She stood and stretched, languidly bending over to pick up her clothes. As she worked on turning her shirt back right side out, she failed to realize she was being watched.
Daryl didn't feel so awkward seeing her undressed anymore. Back on the farm they always slept in the tent without seeing each other indecently. He had seen her at times, but felt it was too much of a breach of privacy to intentionally keep looking. Save for once or twice where he had actually watched her.
It became so normal to see her like this the nervousness he had once felt began to fade away. Now it was just waking up to see her get dressed while he prepared for the day too. It didn't change that conflicted feeling he used to get on the farm.
The first time he had stopped and caught himself staring at her while she dressed was in their tent on the farm. She was undernourished and a mess of healing injuries. Those old bruises had long since healed and she was clearly no longer starving, her body having filled out healthily.
Then there was that attraction he had felt towards her. While she had always hated how she looked after she was cured, he never found an issue with it. Sure, she was strange, he didn't deny that and couldn't deny it if she asked. Yet he liked who she was and he liked how she looked just fine.
He knew she didn't like how her appearance changed and likely now even hated it. All those changes since they last saw each other. And still he was looking at her and her fit physique, the curve of her hips, the definition of her muscles, how the underwear she wore fit snugly to her body. As she pulled up her pants, thumbs straightening the waist band over her hips, he could see the muscle she had built flexing.
Daryl paused, realizing that her body was no longer emaciated likely due to Woodbury having fed her... that particular need she had. And her new strength was through extreme strain during the time they were apart. He wasn't sure how she felt knowing her physical health came from Woodbury...
He wasn't sure how to feel about that either. While he was glad she didn't starve and was stronger to better protect herself, it was still strange considering Woodbury was the source.
Without her shirt on he could see more of the marks Woodbury left on her. Scars, much like his own, streaking across her back, arms, and a few noticeably more surgical. To him Laura was so different than anyone else, though it could be his bias for her talking.
Despite her experiences at Woodbury, she was still the same person. Sure, that kind, sensitive girl he met outside Atlanta was now hiding behind some fairly solid walls. Walls he was familiar with and he could recognize in her.
And then he grew keenly aware of last night. Once the sleepy haze had gone away he remembered a very distinct moment before he passed out. He recalled Laura saying I love you and he reciprocated. A real admission of love, not just affection or adoration. Real love for another person, allowing that person to be that close.
The urge to hide was overwhelming. He felt embarrassed, his head just racing with old insecurities he couldn't shrug off. As he took up his crossbow, he felt a hand touch his arm. "Another day together?" Laura's tone was soft, not much more than a whisper with this low growl to it. He still figured the raspiness of her voice would eventually fade back to how it was before.
Daryl wanted to keep her close, still somewhat nervous about her leaving again. How he felt after the farm when Rick told them all Laura had left was still something of an open wound; only agitated by this consistent feeling that if he wasn't looking at Laura, she would be gone.
Yet this tension only he felt about last nights proclamation of love between them was making it difficult to even look at Laura. The conflict made it difficult to answer, but he knew he still wanted her near. Instead of voicing it, he gave her a short nod.
Laura smiled, turning back around to leave the cell. She didn't ask any questions and he was thankful. He wasn't good at explaining his feelings, especially when it was this complicated.
Following close behind, Daryl lifted the curtain to exit with her. Immediately greeted by a rather happy looking Braddock. "Morning Laura, Daryl." He was carrying a bowl of food and cup of water. "Breakfast's getting cold." He passed them by, heading towards Daisy's cell.
Daryl figured they must've slept in. Heading out of the cell block, he saw only a few people were left finishing their breakfasts. A dish of rice with a side of rice. Dry food stores from the prison as they weren't risking going outside to hunt or scavenge.
He took up a bowl, dishing the meal out for himself. As he went to grab a second bowl for Laura, he paused. Carefully recalling the details of yesterday's conflict. Laura neither needed or wanted the food they had. So he left the second bowl and went to eat his own food.
Laura took a seat at the nearest table joined by Daryl. She was taking note of the occasional looks she was getting from the others. A glance from Glenn told her he was watching her, a rather indeterminable look from Carl, and a shameless stare from Red across the room.
She knew it wouldn't go away without needing some work. It being her dietary requirement to eat meat with a particular favoring of human meat. She wondered if Rick talked to them all or if this was still stigma from Merle's outburst at lunch.
Whatever it was from, it was a problem. She wasn't sure if they found her situation deplorable. Which, at first, Laura did too. She didn't blame them for disliking it or being otherwise disgusted, she merely did not want to run the risk of getting shot on sight.
She tapped her fingers on the metal table top, remembering a similar feeling and thought in her head back on the farm. Another memory fairly vague, but the message was the same. Distinguish herself from the walkers so she doesn't risk getting shot for even the most mundane actions.
The problem would not be solved overnight. It took time before Laura adjusted herself... Now she just accepted it. An act once beyond vile and unimaginable became a day to day reality for her. The natural instinct to find another human being revolting to eat was no longer there. Replaced by the normality of eating food needed to live. Human meat now seeming no different to Laura than their rice was to them.
However, it could be considered an awkward situation when the food source she required to live was living with her. Unlike livestock that remained unaware humans were predators, these were people that had complex sentience that were very aware of the dead's desire to eat them. The dead including Laura.
Though she was not brainless like the walkers outside, that wouldn't stop them from being concerned about her company. From the Greene's farm to this prison, Laura was being watched. She could try to label it as a good thing or a bad thing, but at the end of the day there was no way to change it without evidence. Despite that, she did acknowledge their fears were valid.
The steady concern about how safe it was around Laura was a healthy one. She knew herself and the risks associated with being around her. On the road with Carol, Laura was adamant about those risks. Even though Carol protested against it, there was no refuting reality. Laura had the same drive to devour as the walkers surrounding them.
Flying off the handle and going full fledged walker wasn't happening anytime soon though. She didn't even know if it was even a possibility anymore. The cure in her brain had altered the virus her and the dead suffer with.
However, she did know if she went long enough without sufficient food bad things would happen. Rick asked her about that and she did not give him a complete answer. For a few reasons, not the least of which was concern that if he knew the danger he might not let her stay with complete freedom as she is now.
She heard Daryl putting up his bowl and figured the time to contemplate her most recent choices had ran out. They were to go on watch, cycle out with the next group, and continue to do what they could to protect the prison.
Daryl gave her a nod, gesturing to the door. Feeling a few eyes on her, Laura left with him happy to get out of sight for a while.
Braddock had finished his breakfast early and prepared a bowl of rice with a glass of water just for Daisy. While she was recovering well, Braddock was still caring for her as if she was mortally wounded. He insisted doing so every chance he got.
This was often going on between Red's visits with Daisy, as Braddock felt he shouldn't intrude on their private moments together. The newly formed couple went from celebrating being together to this, taking care of one another after pain and loss. It was hard for everyone, Braddock knew Red struggled the most out of them all though.
So he went to do his part, both for his own group and the people of this prison. He frequently took watch, kept track of their weapons and ammo, and cared for Daisy in between.
"Knock knock." He called through the curtain before peeking his head through. "Breakfast is here." He stepped inside, holding up the bowl and water as he took a seat beside Daisy's bed.
Daisy smiled sweetly at Braddock, "I told you I'm fine, I can get up now." She started to sit up, only slowing down once her body started to protest. Seeing her difficulty just leaning up, Braddock frowned. "I'm fine, don't worry. Stiff and sore, but who isn't these days?"
Unconvinced, Braddock still held the bowl and glass for her until she was ready. When she finally took the first bite, she hummed to herself. Pleased for the food as she remembered the long months struggling for even a scrap of expired cans.
Braddock dutifully held the glass of water, handing it to her whenever she reached for it. He continually provided whatever help and support she needed. Red and Braddock were not Daisy's only visitors. She had been seen by Carol, Maggie and Glenn, Hershel, Beth toting baby Judith along with her. Micheal had limped his way to see her as well. There were few moments Daisy spent alone during her downtime.
The two groups having come together, blending into each other as if they never were separate made Daisy happy. All the terrible things they had survived the last few days... she had been concerned that it would tear them apart.
Daisy knew that if she had left Red to his building rage they likely would've been in hot water. He was about ready to burst, his need for control and compliance was overtaking his sense. As much as she loved Red, he was his own worst enemy.
Her eyes rose from her bowl to meet Braddock's. "How's Red?"
Braddock reacted before he could catch himself. His smile twitched into a lopsided frown and he glanced away nervously. "Well, he's not... bad..." Braddock peered back to Daisy. He didn't want to lie but he also didn't want to worry her. When she rolled her wrist, signaling him to continue, Braddock sighed. "I mean, he'll get better. He just needs some time to think it over."
"By it I assume you mean about Markus?" Daisy filled in for the large man. He only nodded sadly. "I miss him too. I'm glad we could bury him properly. It was hard enough when Elizabeth passed and we had to leave her there."
Without answering, Braddock just gave her this sad smile. He was happy he could visit Markus, that they didn't have to leave him behind on the road like they were forced to do with Elizabeth. It was a small comfort being able to pay respects to their friend.
It didn't change that Markus died and Braddock was there, helplessly trying to save him. Despite Braddock's attempt to slow the bleeding he knew the moment he saw the wound there wasn't a chance he'd survive.
"Hey." Daisy's hand took gentle hold of his arm and broke Braddock free of that memory. "Markus was a good man. He was family. It'll be okay."
Braddock dropped his shoulders. "I've lost people before, Daisy. I know life moves on and all that. It's not really about him being gone-" He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling awkward. "I just want the fighting to be over already. I'm tired of fighting."
"Me too." Daisy gave him a trying smile. They had spent so much time struggling against the world that they had hoped the prison was their escape. A place to rest and build a life, to live and not just survive. It was a disappointment to see it was more of the same. "I don't know what's going to happen. I don't presume to know the future. I can only hope once we win this prison, we will get the chance to live like we wanted."
Braddock didn't get to reply as the curtain was lifted and another person entered the cell. He turned to see the figure. Maggie stood there and noticed both Braddock and Daisy looking at her.
"Sorry, did I interrupt?" Her eyes flicked between them, looking for permission to continue.
Daisy shook her head, "No, it's alright. Braddock and I were just sitting down for breakfast." She turned back to Braddock, "Would you mind, Braddock? Maggie and I like to talk privately."
Realizing what they would be discussing, Braddock stood up quickly. "Nope, absolutely. I'll go, it was nice talking." He struggled to squeeze passed Maggie on his way out, leaving the two to talk openly. He knew Maggie and Daisy spoke frequently about the events when Woodbury attacked. It was cathartic for them and he didn't want to intrude.
He headed back to the cafeteria, seeing a few people hanging around still. Heading towards the exit though was Laura and Daryl, both going on watch together.
Braddock couldn't help but look at Laura as Daryl opened the first gate. Laura... a cannibal like Troy and his gang? What did this mean for the group? Rick chose to keep Laura here knowing what they know and... he was conflicted.
After Troy and witnessing people butchering others for food he wasn't sure how to feel about Laura. His experiences drove him to recoil at the thought, but the visual was no longer as shocking as it would've been.
The gate closed, Laura and Daryl left the cell block. Braddock was left staring at the door, his happiness to see Laura back with the group in direct conflict with the knowledge she ate people. They were scared she was one of the dead in Atlanta and now she was? Had things changed so much?
Outside the cell block Glenn was standing with Micheal, the two having been posted on watch together. Micheal wasn't able to run, but he could shoot just fine. Rick and Red both trying to ensure their people don't miss a thing so the people on watch were switched out regularly.
Maggie had finished her morning watch with Carl only to be replaced by Daryl and Laura. The two were on the fences below while Glenn and Micheal overlooked the prison yard from the bridge. It was a boring job, but it had to be done.
Micheal was leaning back on an old chair, arms crossed and bouncing his good leg in his boredom. Nothing was moving but walkers and even worse, he and Glenn hadn't exchanged a single word.
He didn't know what to say to the man beside him. They had attacked Woodbury together without talking, returned, and dealt with the mess here... still, no words. Micheal withheld a sigh, trying not to bother Glenn. With everything going wrong, Glenn looked a little rough around the edges these days.
Micheal looked down over the edge of the bridge, spying down on Daryl and Laura. The hunter was definitely not someone Micheal wanted to mess with. When his group first arrived at the prison Daryl was the hardest to sell on the idea; he also doubted Red's story about Laura's self-sacrifice at the farm. Which caused all sorts of tension between the two.
He wondered if anyone really cared about that anymore. With the Governor breathing down their collective necks, what lead to Laura's capture really fell by the wayside. No one asked her especially after they had seen how broken she was.
Whatever was wrong with her, Micheal didn't know. He could guess, but he didn't really want to. The things that lead her here was her business, he wasn't about to pry.
... But eating people. Micheal resisted a gag. Cannibalism was well off the table to him. It separated them from the dead outside, he wasn't even sure what was happening about that.
They tried to kill her in Atlanta believing she was turning. Then they found out they were wrong, apologized, and moved on. Now they were told she does eat people and yet here she was, no arguments. Micheal couldn't tell what the right choice was, but he knew full well anyone who tried to mess with Laura would get two extremely volatile people to follow up.
The Dixon brothers. He understood Merle being here, especially considering Daryl is his brother. That just made sense to let him rejoin the group even if he was a giant ass to people.
Micheal looked back to Glenn, seeing him staring down at the duo below too. There was no strong expression one way or the other. Still, his curiosity got the better of him.
"What do you think about it?" Micheal asked rather bluntly catching Glenn of guard.
"What?" Glenn took his eyes off Laura and Daryl, facing Micheal.
Micheal nodded his head towards the two down below. "About her."
Glenn just set his jaw, giving them on watch a sideways glance. Neither one was looking up to them, they kept their eyes to the trees. They were doing what they needed to do to protect the prison. They stuck together since Laura came back to them and he understood why.
Even though he was glad to have Laura back, the revelation about devouring people was a lot to take in. He had fought so hard for their group and faced down dozens of walkers. He always associated Laura with someone with an illness. Now he couldn't help but see the jaws of a walker when he thought of her.
It was involuntary, the anxious feeling he got thinking about Laura. "I don't know." He muttered, not even feeling sure about answering.
Intrigued, Micheal leaned forward careful not to pressure his hurt leg. "... I don't know either." He and Glenn shared a mutual look. They were both still trying to form an opinion one way or the other. "I like Laura... And I'm scared of Daryl." He chuckled, earning a nod from Glenn. They agreed on that.
"He can be pretty intimidating." Glenn sighed, "I... don't think I mind. About Laura, I mean."
Hearing that, Micheal stood up from the chair, facing Glenn. "You don't mind her eating people?" Disbelief in his tone, that doubt all too clear for Glenn. Micheal meant nothing bad about it, but was interested to know how Glenn wasn't bothered.
In truth, Glenn hadn't decided one way or the other. Rick explained nothing, he gave them no chance to question it. Not that everyone would've jumped Laura as if she was a walker; they just wanted to understand why.
"Maybe I'm going crazy too." Glenn threw his hand up halfheartedly. "Desensitized to it all. We see walkers eat people we care about all the time. But Laura isn't eating anyone, she just... does. Or can... I don't know."
Quickly reassuring Glenn, Micheal held a hand up to him. "I get it. It's like she's clearly here, not doing anything wrong. But we know she eats people. Is it enough that she doesn't hurt anyone or is it a matter of time?" Micheal mused, trying to weigh their options.
"Yeah, right." Glenn's eyes fell downwards. There was a sharp pang of guilt when he recalled Shane saying the exact same thing. He couldn't decide about Laura. It was easy when someone was bitten, they all knew what had to happen. A walker was mindless and would kill anyone, no matter who they were to them before. "I guess if she's not hurting anyone, does it matter?"
Micheal was cautious responding. They all were picking sides right now, everyone here and elsewhere in the prison. They were either comfortable with Laura or not, there was no middle ground. "Does she have to eat people?"
Neither of them knew the answer. Since last night no one but Carol, Rick, Merle, and Daryl had actually been around Laura. So no person outside that small group were able to talk to Laura about it and the people who did know more, weren't talking.
"I guess we'll find out." Micheal shrugged. Without more information they couldn't choose confidently either way. They could only hope Rick was stable enough to make the right decision.
With a deep breath, Micheal wiped the sweat from his brow. "Thanks, by the way. For letting us stay here." He figured he managed to start the conversation that he should take the opportunity to get to know Glenn. He had so far been apprehensive, but supportive of the group staying.
"Wasn't my decision." Glenn was honest, though it came off a little standoffish. Sensing this, Glenn rectified it immediately. "I mean, I'm cool with you guys staying. You've really saved our asses, more than once."
"I'm flattered, but what are you talking about?" Micheal's face broke into a lopsided smile. He and his group fought Woodbury just the same as everyone at the prison. There was no more 'saving asses' on either side, only people trying to survive and protect one another.
Glenn gestured to the dead car in the field with the broken fence. "When they attacked the prison and you guys coming with us to attack them. You weren't forced to do anything, you just did. Daisy was assaulted, you got shot, Markus... well, least we can do is give you a place."
Micheal nodded solemnly when Daisy and Markus were mentioned. Fresh wounds still slowly stitching together. "You saved us." Micheal's admission made Glenn look up to him curious. "We couldn't find anything on the road. No food, no water, no place to sleep. It was only a matter of time. If anyone here saved anyone, you saved us."
Glenn sympathized after his own experiences on the road after the farm. They all fought so hard, unable to stop even more a full night before they had to run. A horde kept herding them around, terrified of shadows slowly creeping up behind them.
Their similar history created a bridge between the two groups, supported entirely by Carol. They all knew without her Glenn wouldn't have let them in. Things would've gone dramatically different if Carol wasn't there to mediate their meeting.
Now more integrated, the two groups didn't need more convincing. It was only a few days before they all settled in beside one another.
Carol was glad for it. As she worked hard to keep the prison functioning, she was frequently helped by people from both groups. Often Braddock would give her and Beth a hand between his watch, sometimes Micheal would so long as there wasn't any heavy lifting. Maggie came around regularly, Rick too especially for Judith, and Carl was never too far.
If it weren't for the ever encroaching fear of Woodbury the prison would be thriving right now. People were moving through hard times, but they came together.
As Carol hung out laundry with Sophia by her side, she got a glimpse of Laura and Daryl returning from their watch. They started a general routine of watch, clearing the tombs, and coming back for lunch.
Laura looked into the cell block and spotted Carol on the walkway above them. She waved to Carol and Sophia who waved back, then Laura disappeared into the tombs with Daryl. It would be some time before the two returned.
Carol ushered Sophia along the walk, moving to hang another line of clothes. The little girl all too happy to be with her mother. So many months apart had made Carol even more appreciative she still had Sophia around. She had feared that barn was the death of her daughter.
Looking at the pale skin and hair, Carol felt that fear again. Sophia didn't change as much as Laura did and yet... she still wasn't completely the same. She was worried for her daughter though she had not shown any significant changes that warranted that fear.
She hoped Sophia would stay as she is now. Carol would never say it to Laura, but she didn't want Sophia to turn like Laura did.
Carol turned to look at the gate deeper into the prison where Laura and Daryl had gone. Guilt crept in on her as she heard the gate to the tombs lock behind them.
Laura took the hatchet from her belt, keeping close behind Daryl as he lead her through the tombs. She had no idea where to go, the whole place a maze to her. Since they had been pushing the walkers back further in they had more room to move.
With Laura's sensitive senses she was able to catch walkers nearby before anyone else could. She only messed up a few times when she was distracted, but outside that she had kept Daryl fairly safe. Though she didn't say that out loud.
When they neared the walkers Daryl raised his crossbow and Laura switched to lead. It was safer so she could alert to any potential risk of being overwhelmed and can thin out any groups while Daryl shot from a distance. It kept them both safe and was fairly effective.
Daryl took the first walker down, an arrow pierced its skull as it came around the corner. Laura raised her hatchet, cutting down another right behind the collapsed corpse. Then the next beside it, dropping the rotted walker to the ground.
The numbers were thin this far in, giving them time to check cells and rooms they passed. No more than a handful shambling around quickly taken out by the duo. Each section cleared of walkers and pushing the herds back further and further.
Laura sunk the hatchet into another walkers head, doing her best not to get her only clothes soaked in blood and gore. She was much happier with clean clothes, no more shredded mess that she had to stick with. Plus, this was Daryl's shirt and she didn't really want to ruin something that belonged to someone else.
An arrow shot passed her to strike another walker down. As it started to fall, Laura reached out and grabbed the arrow yanking it back out. The crossbow was a valuable weapon on its own, even without someone as capable with it as Daryl.
Laura turned around and held it out to him which he used to reload the crossbow. She went in further through the tunnels, finding not a single walker wandering these tombs. It was a bit strange, but the herd was so thinly spread out she figured the rest were just much deeper in.
There was a breach somewhere on this side of the prison, though she was completely confused as to where it was. They had wandered through these halls for a while with only a few walkers between the cell block and these scattered rooms.
As they reached the end of another hall they were stopped by a gate, on the other side was an administrative room with a walker inside it. Laura grabbed the bars pushed and pulled, but the gate was locked.
The other side of the gate seemed fairly clean. Dust, cobwebs, and scattered trash; no unusual mess. That walker told them more were out there.
"Here." Daryl came from behind her with the prison keys. He kept trying one key after the next, working his way through the entire ring before he heard the lock release and the gate crack open. It swung open with a loud screech as the metal had started to rust.
The walker in the room became aware of their presence and started shambling out to them. Laura approached it and sunk the hatchet into the side of its skull. Checking the room for any others lounging around, but found nothing there.
All that was left inside was stacks of papers spread all across the table and floor, an old office car, and a few filing cabinets. The walker inside was not in a uniform or a prison jumper, rather an old tattered suit and tie. She wondered where it came from.
The second gate that lead to the offices and lobby was already unlocked and pushed right open. The hall painted with line markings meant for visitors and facility staff. They had made it to the administrative section of the prison which Laura distinctly recalled someone mentioning this area was breached.
"Daryl." She whispered lowly trying not to attract any hidden walkers. He acknowledged her but kept his eyes on the path ahead. "Didn't Glenn say there's a breach somewhere near the front entrance?"
He gave a quick nod as he checked around a corner. It lead to a small seating area, but was entirely empty. "More than one."
Disturbed, Laura hummed to herself. "We could stumble on a horde, we don't know this side of the prison. We should turn back, it's too dangerous for you."
Though her intentions were good hearing her say that only made him want to keep going. She was safe out here, there wasn't a single risk for her in the horde. He wanted to protect her and knew he couldn't. This only made him more frustrated than he already was. "I'll be fine." His words were spat a bit sharper than he wanted, but he left no room to argue.
Laura watched him pass her, her expression changed to faint surprise. She had not expected his reaction, there was no warning anything she was doing was bothering him. She blinked twice, then hurried to keep up with the hunter.
The tone of their work had swiftly flipped backwards. Instead of feeling secure in their partnership, Laura was stuck trying to imagine what had caused his tonal shift.
"It's not safe, we don't know what's down here." Laura's eyes scanned every corner before focusing back on Daryl. "If we find a horde somewhere you could be overwhelmed."
Dismissively, Daryl kept moving forward. "Just walk me through 'em then. Won't notice me if you're there."
Laura stared at Daryl, "I mean... It's still incredibly risky for you if there is a lot together." She tried to talk through the danger of it, especially in the small hallways of the prison. "You should head back. I can clear out this area if you want it clear today. That way you're safe and the prison gets a big push to the prison entrance."
"I said I'll be fine, girl." Again, that hard tone from Daryl. He emphasized the period giving the conversation a finality to it.
Confused and concerned, Laura kept close to his shoulder. She didn't understand why he was so cold about it, but she wouldn't force him to do anything. So she kept her eye on him a little more, continually checking on him every minute or two.
This area of the prison was entirely untouched. None of their group had made it this far in yet which meant it was more dangerous to traverse. Keeping that in mind they were both on high alert taking extra care heading deeper into the tunnel.
Considering there was a single walker earlier meant they were looking for more. As they continued the air grew stale, dusty. Laura ran her hand on the concrete wall only to come away with a pile of dirt and grime. She wiped it off on her pants, feeling all the more certain this area was largely untouched.
Down the hall there was a line of three long windows all frosted. The glass was etched with a pattern, but the filth down here had covered the details. All she could tell was light was coming through the window, but no idea what was on the other side.
Laura kept watch closely on any potential places for a walker to be concealed in. The hall just kept going before it split into three directions. It was an intersection for the prison administration. "Which way?" She looked down the halls but could not see any walkers so far.
Daryl stood in the intersection, checking the halls and the markings on the wall. He stepped closer and read the painted on signs. The path to the left lead to private offices, the one ahead of them to a visitor lobby, and the right hall went to the utility wing.
He decided quickly to go to the utility wing and find out if there was anything there worth saving. If the prison could function again with power and water, the prison would be infinitely better. He nodded towards the right hallway and Laura hesitated.
"Uh, that way...?" Laura spoke lowly in disbelief. "That doesn't really seem safe for you." Regardless of her warning, Daryl pushed on. Seeing he wasn't going to stop, Laura followed him down into the dark hall.
Laura took her place ahead of him, watching closely as the hall grew darker. "Hey, are you-" When she glanced to Daryl she saw him pulling out a flashlight and click it on. Still, it did mean more blind spots for him so she had to keep a closer watch on him. He heard her start to ask a question, but raised a brow when she stopped. "Well, fair." She shrugged, figuring he was fine.
The hall was completely dark and they took it slower as they had lost the advantage of light. Up ahead Laura could see a few rooms off to the side, so she took a closer look. One room was locked tight, they wouldn't need to worry about it for now. Daryl wanted to keep following the signs for the utilities.
Laura pushed on another locked door and received a response. A walker slammed itself against the door fruitlessly. It was not going to budge for it and they left it there to hiss and growl at the door.
As they pressed on, Daryl tapped her shoulder and pointed to a marker above another door. He shined his flashlight on it as is if to show it to her, though she saw it fine without. The letters were large and somewhat faded. Water Pump Station. This was the ticket to a step up for everyone in the prison. If, of course, they were still viable.
Laura nodded and reached for the door finding it locked like all the the people tried to evacuate the prison this section seemed entirely shut down. Daryl came up with the keys once more trying them one after the other while Laura watched his back.
The halls in here were fairly empty surprisingly. She remembered when they had cleared some section of the tombs before and there were a considerable amount of herds wandering. Since then a few other teams had pushed into the tombs, she knew Glenn, Carl, Red, and Braddock had all been in the tombs since yesterday. She was curious how many walkers they found.
This section of the prison was left undisturbed until now with Daryl and Laura stumbling right into a mess they weren't prepared for.
The second the door clicked it popped open on its own, the entire lock system was the only thing holding the door shut. Instantly, Laura and Daryl heard the growls and groans of a whole herd of walkers. They had been so close to the door only finally reaching it once Daryl unlocked the door.
Daryl reached for his crossbow, pulling it up as fast as he could before shooting an arrow through the neck of one of the oncoming walkers. It grabbed him, pushing him back from the doorway. Laura spun on her heel, whipping out her hatchet and cutting straight into the walker on Daryl.
Once he was freed he tried to backpedal away from the next five walkers trampling the corpse at their feet. Laura drew back, hacking another walker while Daryl went to reload his crossbow. She gave him some time, grabbed onto a walker and shoving it back into the herd.
Unfortunately, she was still one against an unknown number herding together. Laura couldn't hold them all off, they would just overwhelm her. "Get back, back!" She called to Daryl, trying to get away from the herd herself. He listened, retreating further into the hall.
She kept hacking away at more walkers. One fell, then two, three, four, but more kept coming. The room they had unlocked had been packed with a massive herd Laura had no chance to clear safely while Daryl was still here.
The only way to get through the herd was for Daryl to turn back. When he was safe, she could do the work clearing. Until then she had to do whatever was needed to protect him. The more walkers she cut down, the more she realized she wouldn't be able to keep them off Daryl.
Retreat was the only option for him and he didn't like it. As the walkers kept flooding the hall he kept getting pushed back. He loaded his crossbow taking note of how few bolts he had left. Once they were gone he would have to use his knife or run.
Then he saw Laura doing serious work on the herd. Walkers kept piling up under her feet as she headed towards him. She hooked the hatchet into a walker to pull it back, stumbling it into others. It was to buy Daryl more time.
"Daryl, go!" Laura could see Daryl hadn't left despite her pushing for it. She raised her leg and crushed one of the fallen walkers head. Swinging her hatchet around as she turned, cutting down another one of the many starting to pass by her. They kept coming and Laura was hacking them apart as fast as she could.
As she turned around she came to face a rather large walker. Easily a few inches over six feet tall with a large body. She couldn't just swing, she would undoubtedly miss. The walker was taking up a good portion of the hallway making it difficult to ignore. She had hoped to see a bolt fly into its head, but Daryl was busy with the few walkers that slipped passed her.
Laura backed up a few steps, bent her knees, then rushed forward and jumped. Her hatchet cracked into the walker's forehead easily as Laura's body weight was applied to force it deeper. As she came back down she attempted to withdraw the hatchet only to find the bottom hook of the blade had become lodged in the rest of the intact skull.
The walker fell backwards taking Laura's weapon with it. Realizing getting it out right now was significantly less important than protecting Daryl, Laura left the hatchet behind.
Quickly the walker with her hatchet was swallowed by the herd and they started to engulf her too in their efforts to reach Daryl. She cursed under her breath, reaching through the bodies of stumbling walkers to take one of Daryl's bolts from a dead walker propped up against the wall.
She used it as best she could to pierce soft spots in the skulls of the walkers she passed, leaving others too difficult to kill quickly behind. As she neared the edge of the herd another arrow struck the walker in front of her causing it to drop.
Backing away from the herd Daryl was doing his best to keep distance and still clear the walkers. He knew he could fight, he had to. Laura was in the herd and he spotted her breaking through the herd, stabbing as many walkers as she could.
She wasn't harmed and he knew she faced no threat surrounded by walkers. It didn't help him rationalize his protective need to be strong for her.
The same as before Daryl felt that deeply rooted need to be there for her. Not right now as she was in no immediate danger, but after hearing her advising him to retreat earlier... His pride was wounded. Not a narcissistic compulsion to be the strongest, he wasn't that vain. He wanted to prove he could protect her in a bad situation and that he could handle himself.
Her statement sparked something in him he couldn't put into words. All he knew it how he reacted, how involuntarily he snapped at her. It wasn't meant to be rude even though it came off negatively.
Daryl watched Laura using one of his bolts to stab the walkers herding to him. She bared her teeth, snarling as she applied all the force she could into embedding the arrow in walker after walker. He could see it was a struggle and recognized his own stubbornness to prove himself.
It had been a weakness of his for as long as he could remember. Always trying to prove himself to his family, his brother, to the group... and now he was doing it to Laura. All the while she was fighting to spare him the consequences of his foolishness.
Before the herd could make it to him, Daryl turned around to properly retreat. Laura had warned him about the dangers and he ignored them, that need to prove himself overshadowed his sense at that moment. He came to his senses and surrendered that pride for his life.
Laura watched Daryl leave the hall and she felt sharp relief. The walkers would keep pressing on until they lost track of Daryl, but for now he was a lot better off.
Now free to leave the herd, Laura shoved away the last of the front line walkers and ran to catch up to Daryl. She headed down the hallway, the light fading in as she neared the cross halls. Figuring he would've gone down the hall to return to the cell blocks, she turned to that path.
Instead of seeing Daryl continuing his retreat, Laura saw him standing at the mouth of the hallway. Curious, Laura approached him. "What is it? Are you alright?"
She followed his line of sight down the hall and noticed the frosted windows that lined the hall were now overshadowed with the hands and bodies of an innumerable amount of walkers. The light from behind them outlined every body, casting moving shadows onto the opposite wall. "Oh shit." Laura turned back to see the herd of walkers behind them getting close.
They had to get through the hall, the walkers behind them still could see them and weren't slowing down. The glass would not hold for long with so many walkers hitting it. The noise they made had brought too much heat and they were not prepared for it.
Laura stayed behind Daryl, placing a hand on his back to start pushing him forward. "Now or never." She was worried about this rush through and he didn't feel entirely confident either.
Not waiting on the glass to break, Daryl and Laura rushed down the hall still trying to be cautious for any missed walkers. Every footstep during their run agitated the walkers banging on the glass. As more on the other side started to hear the noise, the glass started to give.
There was a loud crack catching Laura's attention, she saw the hairline crack travel up the glass before it took out an entire section of the window. Rotted hands came through, desperately grasping at the air. When one glass window shattered, Laura grew increasingly more panicked.
The glass windows were shattering before them and walkers started to pulling themselves through, reaching for Daryl. He knew the moment the final two windows broke through they wouldn't make it to the end before the hall floor was layered in walkers.
Attempting to give them more time, Laura slipped passed Daryl bringing up her bolt and stabbing it through a walker. They were climbing through the windows, a few starting to stand back up inside the hall. Their growls and screeches filled the air surrounding them.
They just had to make it to the end of the hall, back through the gate, and they would be safe. She looked to Daryl, noting he was entirely out of bolts for his crossbow; he was the one in danger here. So far she tried to protect them both, but she didn't need to. It was a response to being scared.
She wasn't scared for herself and she hadn't taken a break to realize that. The walkers were trying to reach him. For once she wasn't the one being threatened.
Losing that sense of self preservation changed a lot about how she fought the walkers. Laura rammed her shoulder into a walker, not bothering to kill it. She stuck the bolt into her belt and hooked her nails through the weak flesh of another walker.
The walkers began to close the path through, their numbers overwhelming the tight space. Laura took the lead and lunged into a walker blocking their exit. She landed on the walkers body with a sickening crunch, bones had cracked under her weight incapacitating the walker.
Grabbing the leg of another walker she dragged it to the ground, giving Daryl the space needed to cut through the gathering walkers. She looked behind them to see the herds from the utility hall and from the windowed room merging into a complete horde. There was no chance for the people in the prison to clear this amalgam of ravenous walkers.
She turned away, rushing back down the hall. A few walkers nearly grabbed Daryl, but he used his knife to cut down those that got too close. A few walkers lost their hands while he managed to embed the blade into others. He was clearing them effectively and keeping good pace, yet more walkers came clambering out of the windows.
It was not possible for one person to make it out without help no matter how well they fought. Walker after walker fell, only emphasizing how many were still stumbling after him. Daryl could see the end of the hall as it was slowly swallowed by walkers. He wasn't going to stop pushing hard to get out even if the herd was overwhelming them.
Before he could reach the walkers blocking the exit, Laura passed him. Using all her strength she hit the middle walker, knocking it back into the others behind it. Bringing her boot down on the walkers head she crushed its head and moved onto the next. She used her long sharp nails to slash at the next walker and the one after it. They weren't dead, but they were on the ground unable to reach Daryl as he escaped through the line.
Laura grabbed onto the frayed clothing of the walkers near Daryl, pulling them back and shoving them to the floor. The gate was right there without a single walker around it. Daryl got through with Laura close behind.
As he pulled out the keys to lock the gate so the walkers couldn't get through, Laura pressed against the gate to keep it shut. He worked through the keys again, one by one trying to find the one that matched the lock.
Walkers started to hit the gate, their hands reaching out to grab Daryl through the bars. Laura grabbed a few she could reach, trying to keep them clear while he worked the lock. She leverage a few against the bars, snapping the bones in their wrists and arms to make the hands useless.
Then she heard the loud click of the lock and the gate was secure. Laura stepped away, watching the herd pushing uselessly against the bars. They were out of the fire for now.
Laura turned around with a sneer on her face and grabbed Daryl by his shirt. "What the hell was that?!" She yelled at him, pushing him against the wall. Unexpected, he hadn't made a move against her rough handling, just watched her outburst. "You could've been bit!"
"I can handle myself." He responded, shoving her hand off him. His immediate surprise when she grabbed him wore off and he became defensive.
"Not against a horde! They would've killed you if I wasn't here." Laura angrily pointed to the still hissing horde clinging to the bars. "I told you to go back, it was dangerous, you shouldn't've been there! What the hell were you thinking?"
Daryl hitched his crossbow on his shoulder, turning away from her as he started the long walk back to the cell block. He made no motion to respond to her incredulous anger and that only irritated her further. She glanced to the walkers then back to Daryl's retreating form.
With a groan, Laura followed him. "You can't be doing shit like that. That was way too much for us to handle." Still Daryl kept moving on, not offering a single sign he had heard her. Laura and her mounting frustration took Daryl's shoulder to stop him. When he looked at her, sharing her confrontational attitude, Laura pressed him. "Why didn't you listen to me?"
Pulling her hand off, Daryl stepped up to her. "Climb off my back." Daryl stood toe to toe with Laura, matching her glare. "We did fine an' I ain't bit. So stop ridin' me."
"If you listened to me none of that would've happened." Laura's tone was calm but firm. She wasn't going to let this go just because he was trying so hard to avoid it. She leaned in closer, her nose crinkled as she growled at him. "I saved your ungrateful ass."
Laura wanted to say that Merle would've listened to her. That if she warned him of the danger, Merle would've turned back and trusted her assessment. While it was true her and Merle's time together taught them to trust each other; Laura and Daryl had never survived together. That faith in each other was not there.
Clenching his jaw, Daryl fought between another curt reply and just walking away from her. She had kept him from leaving so far, but he knew he could walk if he wanted to. He was torn between refuting Laura's point and telling her how it affected him when she continually pressed for his safety.
It wasn't so much that she wanted him to be safe, that wasn't an issue. Her lack of faith in his strength was tearing at sensitive insecurity he struggled with for most of his life. His worth to others, his worthiness for Laura, and proving to others he wasn't weak.
Daryl needed to step back before the argument grew heated. Without giving her a response, Daryl turned to leave for the last time.
Instead of stopping him, Laura gritted her teeth and caught up to him. She reached into his pocket and took the prison keys from him. Startled by her hand stealing the keys, he turned around to see her glare. That look was daring him to test her.
When he didn't react, Laura took the bolt from her belt and threw it to him. "Don't wait for me." Laura left back down the hall towards the horde, not stopping for another second.
Daryl kicked the dust below his boot, looking at the bolt she had returned to him. The shaft was snapped, having been broken off in some walkers skull during their escape. He left towards the cell block, leaving the tombs behind.
Laura came back to the gate, seeing the walkers now just standing around. Since they had lost sight of their focus they went right back to wandering aimlessly. She tried the keys until it clicked, then tried to commit that key to memory.
Entering the administrative wing, Laura locked the gate behind her and started to work her way through the horde. She pushed each one, carefully stepping over a few laying on the ground. As she came to the windows, she paused to take a look through to the other side.
Sure enough, that side was a large area with ruined furniture... and a giant hole in the wall that lead outside. They had managed to pass by a breach in the prison reminding Laura exactly how lucky Daryl was to have made it out. Her warning were warranted, the light pouring into the room proof they should've turned back.
Laura scoffed in annoyance then headed down the hall. She came to the intersecting halls and went straight to the utility hall. It was flooded with walkers shambling upright and a number crawling at her feet. This place was incredibly dangerous to anyone in the prison. This horde could overrun them no matter how good they were.
She came to a pile of walkers near the Water Pump Station, searching through the bodies until she found that one giant walker. The hatchet was no longer stuck in its skull as the walker had been crushed, the herd having trampled it to parts.
With her hatchet in hand, she took her frustration out on the horde. Handfuls of walkers were cut down quickly, no threat to anyone's life holding her back. Laura went to work, the walkers covering the floor beneath her until she was walking across corpses.
She took the Water Pump Station first, clearing that room and closing the door, locking it shut. She recognized the value of having functioning utilities so she hoped that would help preserve whatever was still working inside.
The horde in the hallways grew thinner, entire sections being cleaned out. Laura was slowly becoming more and more covered in blood and gore from the herd. Eventually she knew she couldn't walk straight back into the cell block coated like this.
It would still be a while before she was done though. Laura checked the halls, double checking the walkers on the floor by cutting through each of their heads to ensure no crawling walkers survived. Each locked door, Laura unlocked and cleared. Most were empty already though a few had old walkers not capable of standing anymore.
She came to the large windowed room and lifted herself through one of the broken windows. With the horde in the halls all dead, she headed to the outside of the prison. Plenty more walkers were wandering around outside having never heard the noises within.
Laura just sighed and got back to work thinning out the next herd. But when she had cleared most of the area around the breach she looked up to see the sun starting to set. Annoyed, Laura returned to the breach and sat on a section of the broken concrete wall.
She watched the sun disappear behind the tall trees, not wanting to think about the day's events. Her argument with Daryl was her very first and she didn't understand why it even started.
"Boy problems?" A familiar voice in her head rang.
Laura huffed in lazy amusement. "The most human part of me." She sighed, watching the clouds pass overhead. "Where have you been?"
"Here." The simple answer from the Voice made Laura roll her eyes.
"Obviously you've been here. You're always here. It's not like you can just walk away." Laura brought her knees up to her chest, resting her arms across them. The clouds began to turn dark as the sunset to night, the peace and quiet outside the prison brought some comfort to Laura.
It was cool out, contrasting against the raging hot summer days. The trees began to wave in the wind as the breeze picked up, signaling an oncoming storm. Laura smiled, she loved the rain.
The Voice was calmer, not as intrusive as it had once been. Laura found this strange, but didn't complain. "They will be wondering where you are."
Laura shrugged nonchalantly. "Let 'em." Her eyes fell downward to the concrete scattered on the ground around her. Grass poking through the stone, vines overtaking the old structure. "I think I figured out what you are." Her voice was gentle, coming off weaker than she wanted.
"Oh?" The Voice did not react, just pressed her to continue.
"You're the virus in my brain, right?" Laura offered her conclusion without getting a response. She kicked out one leg to hang off the rocks. "You're not really real. I'm not crazy. I'm just sick, I have a virus in my brain and it talks to me."
Laura laughed, the sound so frail. "Well, I guess that is crazy."
Still, nothing. The silence wasn't oppressive though, she was comfortable with it. There had been so many points of contention between Laura and the Voice in her head that when she stopped fighting it things went a lot smoother.
Having relaxed to the idea since her time in Woodbury. "You don't sound like me. You're like... a voice from a movie or something. But that's not you, that's me giving you that voice. That's why you don't talk like me, because I couldn't accept that I was capable of those things."
"Why is it different now?" The Voice urged, making Laura grin.
Laura looked back up to the sky now dotted with stars, outlines of the clouds in the dark night sky. A few droplets of rain came trickling down, turning the concrete dark and glossy. "I can't be that 'Laura' from Atlanta training to be a doctor and be the 'Laura' that eats people and rose from the dead. You were always the second one, undead Laura. But now I'm undead Laura. I wonder if that makes you old Laura."
The Voice in her head hummed thoughtfully. "I guess we'll find out."
Enjoying the rain on her skin, the coolness in the air, it was a welcome break from the drama inside the prison. People angry at each other, people hurting, dying, hoping for a better life or to just survive the coming few days. She thought of the people she knew, the people that she grew attached to in the quarry outside Atlanta.
There was a considerable distance between the city and this prison. It wasn't impossibly far to go back to Atlanta, but it wasn't worth a trip. Laura wanted to see her old apartment, the neighbors apartment she was bit at, the streets she rushed down to reach her father's home. It wouldn't change anything and she knew that, but it didn't stop her from wishing she could.
The rain grew heavier, water rushing through gutters and down hills in waves. It was a welcome change from the hot and humid days. She felt stress being washed away with all the filth on her. "You want to go back in tonight?" The Voice questioned.
Reluctant, Laura looked back inside the prison. "I should... but he's mad at me and I don't even know why." She flicked away a small broken piece of concrete mindlessly. "I used to feel so useless. Every single time I tried to help something went wrong or... never changed anything. Now I can help and I am, or I'm trying... Instead I'm screwing something else up and I don't even know what it is."
There was no reply from the Voice, only the sharp whistle of wind as the storm sped up. It was a growing thunderstorm, the rumbling in the distance told her it was close. Laura just stayed to enjoy the weather, finding some peace on the edge of the prison.
"I felt so scared of being dead weight. Now I'm capable of doing more than them and I'm scared of doing it." Laura raked her fingers through her hair, careful with her nails not to cut herself. Recognizing the obstacle she brought her hand down to look at it.
Her nails were long, strong, and sharp. They were claws without the need of those gauntlets, though not as intimidating. A physical sign of her differences from the others. "I'm not like them anymore. If I do the things I know I can do... I'll could scare them." Laura dropped her hand back onto the concrete, liking how the stone cooled the palm of her hand.
She stayed out there for a long time, watching the storm come rolling over the prison. The starry sky entirely blanketed in thick grey clouds raining down on the prison. The heavy rain engulfed her and Laura felt her eyes getting heavy. She laid back on the concrete, her wet hair spreading out over the stony crags.
Laura closed her eyes, felt herself releasing all the tension of the day, and fell asleep.
Jomobabe45:
Thank you for thinking about us! I'm so happy my girl is okay. The surgeries cost a lot and it hurt, but yeah, same as you said. I'd rather her still be here with us. I can handle money, I can get that back. I couldn't get her back.
I'm glad you liked the "I think I love you" scene. It's very soft, like a whole admittance of being in love but so calmly. I felt like that's exactly how Lauryl would be. :)
AtlasNerd:
Eyyyyyyyy here's an extra long one I hope you enjooyyyyy
Guest:
Oh, a Beth scene? Definitely happening. I loved Beth, I was sad when she died.
Laura and Beth don't have a lot in common, but I can see the two being cool with each other. Laura will eventually be seen with every member of the group, though that will take a long time to get through them all lol
I do agree when Beth died it was very... strange. I couldn't see Beth doing what she did, not being she was scared or 'weak' as the writers said, but because I believe she would've seen it was stupid. Stabbing a woman with a gun in a hallway where more people were on the edge of shooting each other. Not a good plan. I've looked into why the writers say she did it and... I don't know. It just doesn't make any sense.
As for if Beth survives what's coming which is, as we know, in about 7-8 months the prison falls. Things won't be 100% the way the show did it, but I don't believe a single OC could change the course of the entire story.
So if Laura happens to have set off something or be in a position to change that aspect of TWD show, then we'll see how things work out.
So far Sophia lives, Oscar still died, but Axel lived though. Maggie and Glenn were never captured. So we do see how certain things can change.
We'll see what that means for Beth ;)