A/N Hello, and thank you again! Today's the day we finally go inside the prison, but first, let's have a little Bethyl sweetness.
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Daryl's awake long before daylight. He's anxious to get this done, to finally get inside the prison walls and see if it really is possible to make a home here. It seems kind of perfect and maybe that's what scares him. There have been so many disappointments in his life, he's reluctant to be too hopeful.
If by some kind of miracle it does works out, then they should be much better protected from both the living and the dead than they would be any place else he can think of. Maybe they can have a decent life. Like Beth says, not the kind they would have had in the old world, but maybe just as good.
Beth's got a lot of good ideas, like growing their own food. They'll be new world farmers, shit, he's not sure he's cut out to farm, but he'll give it a try, at least he will when he's not being the new world hunter-gatherer.
They'll have other things here that will make life a little easier too. Things they haven't had in a while, like real bathrooms that work, a kitchen, a place to do the laundry, and hopefully a break from this constant battle with the living and the dead.
Daryl tries to focus on all the positives. He knows from listening to Merle's endless stories that the prison has a big library, that'll be good for the kids now that they can't go to school. There will be room to spread out a little too, while still staying close. Yeah, if it could work out this would be good.
If it doesn't, if the whole thing's a bust, then so be it. He's moved from one place to another plenty of times in his life, he'll just do it again. As long as Beth is all right then everything else will be okay, and Daryl has every intention of making sure Beth is all right.
She's laying next to him and snuggled into his side, sleeping soundly with her head resting on his chest and her slim arm laying across his middle. He begins to softly glide his hand up and down the smooth skin of her arm and soon, just touching her in this innocent way has him wanting more.
She begins to wake, burrowing into him more tightly as her sleepy voice whispers, "Daryl?"
"It better be Daryl, were ya expectin' someone else?"
She lifts her head, bops his nose and answers, "You know better," and burrows back into his side.
His touching becomes more intimate, she's soft and warm and welcoming and he's strong and fiery and wanting her. They make a slow, quiet, and easy kind of love, the kind that says they're comfortable with each other. Each knows the other's needs and wants and is anxious to give what is desired. Neither could ever be this open with anyone else. Neither will ever desire this much closeness with anyone else.
They come together, grateful afterward that there's no rush to jump up and hurry off anywhere. They've got at least an hour before first light.
His arm circles her and Beth nestles back into his side, her head once again resting on his chest and her arm across his middle. It's a tender and peaceful moment, until the spell is broken a few minutes later. That's when Beth feels the tension return to his body. She's not surprised, they have a huge day ahead of them and she knows he worries, and he always feels so responsible for everyone.
She's worried too, frightened. There's so much risk and so much at stake, how could she not be filled with anxiety? Still, she doesn't voice that too him now, she whispers encouragement instead, "It's going to be all right Daryl. We'll be good."
He wants to believe those words from her. He draws her closer, kisses her curls and mutters, "You're right." Kisses her again and says, "I'll make us some coffee."
"I can help."
He's already on his feet, standing there in nothing but his boxer briefs as he reaches for the jar of coffee. He glances over his shoulder at her, and with the slightest of smiles says, "Nah, I'd rather look at ya layin' in bed."
When the coffee's ready she scoots herself up, sitting now as he hands her a cup and sits himself next to her. She takes a taste of the brew and smiles, "Thank you, it's delicious," and then finally admits, "I'm anxious about today too. I think this waiting is making it harder. I want to just get started, do what we have to do, and have it be over."
"Yeah, me too." He pats her leg, "It'll be soon now, daylight's in a half hour. Finish your coffee and we'll suit up in our battle armor." She laughs at his little joke, battle armor. Ha, they'll be putting on the same clothes they wore yesterday, and the day before. If the prison really does have a laundry that's going to be so wonderful.
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The group assembles in front of the big metal entry door, that's when Daryl calls out, "Hold up." He's found another breach and walkers have filled the inner courtyard. They consider just trapping the walkers there, but why keep a threat around? They put the dead down and secure the gate.
At first only Daryl and Rick enter the prison. They want some guarantee the place is safe enough for their family before they let them in, and both men breathe a deep sigh when, after checking every cell and any possible hiding places, they find the block is clear.
The eager family can't wait to see their new home and as they enter Daryl takes Beth by the elbow and warns, "Our new home sweet home's gonna need a maid service."
He's not wrong. The cell doors are all open and mattresses, bed pillows, blankets, clothing, personal items, discarded food items and trash are strewn everywhere, but the family members don't care about all that. The cellblock is big, there's room for all of them to be together, and how could this place be anything but safe?
Rick calls out, "Be careful now, take your time, stay together," but the group are too excited.
Merle issues a different kind of warning, "Be careful handlin' them mattresses and pillows. Them's the places inmates like ta hide sharp objects, shanks and needles." It's not the first time Carol's looked at him and thought, my God, this man really was a criminal. It doesn't matter though, that was a different life. This is a new day and Merle's a new man.
Family members, even the children, are already beginning to straighten the place up, Carol has a thought, "I don't think we have to worry about all this nasty bedding, let's just get it out of the cells and in a pile. I'm sure there's a big linen storage room somewhere with fresh sheets, towels and blankets." Yes, yes of course there would be.
Amy's so happy she almost squeals, "Oh my gosh, clean bedding. This isn't prison, it's heaven!" That has everyone in the group smiling as they get back to work.
There are questions though, where is the linen storage? Where is the cafeteria? Where are all the offices? Rick proposes that Daryl, T-Dog, Merle and himself go in search. Daryl balks, "Merle, can ya stay behind n make sure everyone here is safe?"
Merle knows exactly who Daryl's concerned about, "Yeah, sure brother, I can do that." He's fine being left out this time. He's not so sure everything is as good as it looks, and he'd like to keep an eye on Carol, Sophia and the rest of them too.
It's Herschel who's determined not to be left behind, "I'll go, I'm the closest thing you people have to a doctor, and I'm anxious to see the infirmary."
Beth mildly scolds him, "Daddy, we're not 'you people' we're family." Then she looks at Daryl and says, "I want to go too."
"Nah, please Beth, please, stay here."
He seems so agitated she agrees, "Okay, but next time."
Her agreement means he can breathe again, "Yeah, next time."
Hershel is not taking no for an answer and Rick warns, "Okay, but you know you're risking your life, right? There could still be some violent people and walkers around."
"I've got a weapon, I'll be fine." And the contingent grows when Maggie and Glenn insist on coming too.
The group most want to find the cafeteria, the armory and the infirmary. It's dark and eerie as they enter the corridor, although there is some light, the lights aren't working everywhere. The generator must not be working properly. Daryl speaks up, "As soon as we find that damn generator I'm pretty sure I can fix it."
Herschel volunteers, "I'll be able to help you with that. I've been managing that temperamental old piece of junk back at the farm for 40 years."
He is Beth's Daddy and Daryl's polite, "I'll be happy for the help."
As they move along through the corridor everyone remains hopeful, but they're also nervous. At any moment they could encounter a dangerous prisoner or more walkers.
Soon they're smiling as they come upon the library. It appears unscathed by the trouble that obviously took place here. It's bigger than they expected too and there are so many books. They can't really check it out right now though, they only clear it. They'll come back, right now they need to keep going. Just a few more steps down the hall is another room. It leads to what appears to be a breakroom for the guards, again, they only stay long enough to clear it. Next to it, instead of a regular entry door, there's a heavy gauge steel door and instead of a doorknob there's a keypad type combination lock. Daryl and Rick simultaneously utter the word, "armory."
Again they agree there are more pressing things for now, they'll come back to the armory later. They do have a huge cache of weapons they took from the walker guards, and a few they got off dead prisoners. Hopefully there's more inside the armory and plenty of ammunition too. For now they press on, and as they walk past the secure door Daryl casually notes, "Merle or me, one of us will be able ta crack the lock." The others give him a look, but shit, he's just telling the truth.
The next space is a true blessing, the infirmary. Like a lot of prison hospitals it appears decades out of date, but Hershel's eyes sparkle. He can make this place work, maybe they can do some scavenging and find more medicine and equipment. The important thing is, they now have a hospital. Like the other rooms, there's no time to really check it out, they just clear and move on.
They continue down the corridor and it happens, the undead seem to come from out of the shadows and the group are overrun. Things get worse when during the battle they become separated from Maggie and Glenn. Herschel doesn't handle the situation well; he's worried about his daughter. Once the walkers have been put down he panics a little and decides to go back and search for the missing pair.
Hershel backtracks in the direction he last saw them, and unable to just let the old man run off by himself the group follows him. He hears Maggie's voice echoing in the empty hall and calls out her name as he hurries toward the sound, and once again he's overcome by the walkers. Fortunately, Rick and the group are right there, and now so are Maggie and Glenn.
The fight is brutal and bloody, the walkers are hungry and they nearly lose T-Dog when a walker comes within inches of biting his shoulder. It's Daryl's arrow that pierces it's skull in the nick of time. There are a couple of other close calls but Maggie's quick with her newly discovered knife skills, Daryl rapidly fires arrows at the dead, and Glenn fights valiantly with a crowbar and a handgun.
Rick notes how Glenn has become a far more aggressive fighter, but then so have the other members of the family. Shit, for that matter so has he. He's not just a small-town cop anymore. They've turned into a force, an army. Maybe this really can work, they just need to grow their group. Can they? There have to be some decent people left out there who would be a good addition to the family.
Not everyone escapes the battle unscathed. One member of their family does not avoid a serious injury. Herschel Greene is wounded, his leg badly broken when he fell awkwardly to the ground.
Herschel's in pain but he wants to keep moving forward. Maggie insists no, he has to be taken back to the infirmary. The group is in agreement that Maggie and Glenn will return to the infirmary with him, and Maggie voices her concern, "But Daddy's the only doctor we have, who's going to set his leg?"
Daryl's very matter of fact when he states, "Get Merle, he can take care of it. He's set broken bones before, even one a mine."
Maggie shudders at the thought and the others are stunned as they wonder for a minute if Daryl's joking, but no, his look says he's 100% serious. Glenn knows they have no other choice and responds, "Okay, let's do this Maggie," The pair each hold one of Herschel's arms across their shoulders, carrying him along as they hurry to the infirmary. Glenn looks back at the family and calls, "You guys be careful."
The group continues down the dimly lit corridor more wary than ever. Who knows what could be ahead, more walkers, survivors? It seems like another small victory when they find the cafeteria. But something isn't right. Why is the entry door locked from the outside, with handcuffs?
Rick's feeling the weight of leadership as more decisions must be made. The door had to have been locked up this way for a reason, do they take a risk and break into the cafeteria? T-Dog encourages, "There's sure ta be food in there, and we're going to need that til we get that garden growing. I say we go on." Daryl nods in agreement and Rick busts the handcuffs.
Daryl hears the sounds first, there's movement coming from the kitchen, yeah, this sound is not walkers shuffling, these are footfalls. People. He raises his bow, he's at the ready to do whatever he has to do, and as he waits and watches they begin to emerge, five prisoners.
The meeting between the family and the prisoners is adversarial from the start. With guns and a menacing crossbow pointed at them, one of the prisoners explains there was an uprising. The storyteller is a long-haired fellow with a ponytail and shitload of attitude. Rick listens, he's more patient with these guys than Daryl would or could be. Daryl distrusts all of them and never lowers his bow.
The pony-tailed inmate explains that when prisoners first began getting sick the uprising, or rebellion, escalated into a full-scale prison riot. Guards and inmates were killing each other, but the dead didn't stay down, "They kept coming back like, I don't know man, with weird eyes and growling and wanting to eat everyone that was still alive."
He goes on to tell how the prison became total chaos as the dead took control of the place. They attacked prisoners and guards alike; the corridors were full of combatants both alive and dead. In the chaos a guard helped the five out, he locked the group in the cafeteria, but he failed to return for them. "We been locked in there since the start, months ago. There was food and water and that's the only reason we survived."
Although the prisoners know something of what was happening, they don't seem to understand that it happened on a much bigger scale than just at the prison. The family attempts to explain it to them, but they simply don't get how the whole world has changed. That's abundantly clear when one of the prisoners asks if anyone has a cellphone he can borrow.
Rick, Daryl and T-Dog lead them into the yard so they can see for themselves. There are walkers growling at the fence, and there are the walkers bodies in the inner courtyard. One of the prisoners, a guy named Axel asks, "What? Is this like aids or sumthin'?"
Daryl explains, "Nah. We all got this. If I shoot a arrow in your chest, kill ya, you're gonna come back as one a them."
It's then that the pony-tailed prisoner, Tomas, who seems to be "in charge" of this group, begins to make demands. He claims the prison belongs to the prisoners and Rick scoffs, "No, I don't think so. It's ours, we cleared it."
Tomas points to the field and says, "You can have that spot down by the water."
Rick shakes his head, "I don't think so, that's where we're going to be planting our crops."
After much back and forth they reach an uneasy agreement. In exchange for the prisoners giving half the remaining food to Rick and his group, the family will help the prisoners clear their own cellblock. All agree the two groups will not interact, and Rick warns Tomas, "If I see you out here, see you anywhere near our people, if I even so much as catch a whiff of your scent, I will kill you."
The prisoners and family make their way back inside and enter the corridor to the new cellblock area. They clear a couple of dead but in the process they lose one prisoner to a walker and another to one of the other prisoners. It's obvious to the family members, the prisoners don't even like each other much.
They creep through the dark corridor, T-Dog in the lead and Daryl and Rick bringing up the rear, right behind Tomas. Daryl once again voices his distrust of Tomas to Rick, and Rick agrees, "One false move."
Daryl's itching to eliminate the guy, he damn sure doesn't want him anywhere near Beth. He encourages Rick, "Just give me a signal."
They reach the large laundry room adjacent to the kitchen and clear it. There's a double door entry to something beyond and Rick warns Tomas to be careful, to open the big doors slowly in case there's trouble on the other side. Instead, Tomas throws the doors wide open and a hoard of walkers emerge, rushing toward them.
The battle is on again, and in the midst of it Tomas makes an attempt to slash Rick with a long knife. When Rick successfully avoids the attempt, Tomas grabs a walker and throws it against Rick. Rick and the walker both go down, the creature's body covering Rick's as it lunges to bite his neck. Daryl rushes over, stabbing the walker through the skull and throwing it off Rick, then giving Rick a hand up.
As quickly as it began the battle is over and the walkers are all dead. That's when Rick confronts Tomas, but not with words. He's staring at him with the cold dead eyes of a man who will never forgive or forget what happened. An obviously scared Tomas shrugs his shoulders and tries to explain the incident away as if it's no big deal, "He was comin' at me bro."
Rick responds, "Yeah I get it, I get it. Shit happens," and shocks the entire group when he raises his knife and the long blade comes crashing down on top of Tomas, splitting his head in half.
Eventually they enter and clear what will be the prisoner's cellblock, and Rick informs the only two surviving inmates, Axel and Oscar, that the area is now theirs and that it's going to stay sealed off from the rest of the building. He shrugs, "You can do whatever you want with it, I don't care, as long as you don't move any closer to our family. This prison is ours now, understand?"
Oscar and Axel appear timid, not inclined to argue. Axel nods, "Yessir boss, we ain't gonna bother you or anyone else."
It's Daryl who thinks to ask, "Either of ya know where the generator is?"
Oscar nods, "Yeah, there's a big utility room where the generator, the boiler and a system for recycling the gray water are. I used ta work on that kinda stuff on the outside. I could help ya with it."
"Ya know how ta get there?"
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I can get ya there."
"Well think real hard cuz I'm comin' ta get ya tomorrow n we're goin'."
The prisoner nods, "Yeah, alright, I will." And Daryl closes the heavy doors separating the prisoners from the family.
Rick, Daryl and T-Dog make the decision to go back to the infirmary to see how Herschel's doing, and then back to the cellblock to check on the rest of the family. T-Dog chuckles when he reminds them, "We better stop at that linen room by the laundry too. Carol's gonna be mad if we don't bring clean sheets and blankets to her."
They fill a huge metal rolling laundry cart with sheets and plenty of blankets and pillows. Daryl's wondering though, where the hell are him and Beth going to sleep. They need to talk about this shit, he's more convinced than ever he doesn't want them living in a cell.
There are a few rooms they passed but didn't even go in, the guard's break room, half the infirmary, the library. Maybe one of those would work. Whatever, they'll either find something or they'll be staying in the van.
They reach the infirmary and Daryl sees her, she's leaning over Herschel's bed and he hears that sweet voice whisper, "Now Daddy, it doesn't matter whether you want to or not, you're going to have to take it easy for a while, you won't be any good to yourself or anyone else if you don't get better."
Daryl finds himself smiling, it's kind of funny how she can be so sweet while she's getting on someone.
She sees him there and steps away from the bed as they fight the urge to run toward each other. They won't be doing that kind of thing in front of all these people. Instead, they keep their pace normal as they move toward one another. Daryl's chewing his lip when they get close, he asks, "Ya okay?"
She smiles shyly and nods, "Yes, you?"
"Yeah, I'm good." But he looks like he's been to war and she can't stop herself from wrapping her arms around his waist and saying, "Thank God, I've been so worried."
That's her Daddy's cue to grumble, "Speaking of God, I'd say it's about time my daughters and I had some prayer time."
The group who stayed behind have managed to do a great job of transforming what was a huge mess, into a place they can live. Some more cleaning and plenty of other jobs may need to be done, but they have all the time they'll need to take care of that stuff.
The returning group is surprised to know some of their new living arrangements have already been decided. Morgan smiles when he tells Rick, "I was outvoted man, I thought I'd stay with my boy and you'd stay with yours, but they had other plans. They want to stay together, like an every night slumber party. They flipped my last coin and Duane got top bunk, Carl bottom bunk. I thought you could stay in the cell on one side of them, and I'd stay on the other side."
Rick smiles, shaking his head, and with hands on his hips says, "All right, I'll go along, right up to the point where you boys get too noisy and don't get to sleep. If that happens, the party's over. Got it?"
The boys jump in the air as they give each other a high five, scream "Yes!" and agree to the terms.
Amy and Sophia have a similar agreement. Amy smiles, "Me and Sophia are going to be roommates too, neither one of us really wants to sleep in one of these cells alone, and we have some big decorating plans too. Sometime when we go on a run we're getting paint and all kinds of stuff to really fix the place up."
Sophia smiles, "And we're getting nail polish too, we really need to give ourselves a mani-pedi."
Carol laughs and asks Amy, "What in the world have you done to my girl?"
Amy and Sophia will be in a cell with Rick on one side of them and Merle and Carol on the other side. Merle smiles, "I don't mind a nice cozy cell, it feels like old home week for me." He wraps an arm across Carol's shoulders and smiles even more broadly, "And it's gonna be a lot more fun havin' Carol as a cellmate than the fella they stuck me with last time I stayed here."
Carol just shakes her head and smiles, "Gee thanks Merle, that's so romantic." She's pretty sure it will get romantic later. Merle has already dismantled the bunks in their cell and set them side by side, making them into a double bed.
T-Dog is going to sleep in the cell on the other side of Morgan, and he's not joking when he says, "I agree with Amy, I'm gonna need to do some decorating in here, it's too damn depressing the way it is."
Maggie and Glenn are going to stay in the cell on the other side of T-Dog, and Merle's already offered to help Glenn with the beds. Glenn happily took him up on the offer. These arrangements will have the family close together, except for a few exceptions.
There are three beds in the infirmary and tonight one of those beds will be occupied by Hershel and the other by Dale, who has promised, "I won't let him get up and start dancing or anything." The infirmary's entry door can be locked from the inside and they all agree that will be the plan.
The only two people who haven't made a sleeping arrangement are Daryl and Beth. Merle throws in his two-cents, "don't ya think the two a you would do better ta stick with the group? If it's privacy ya want, me n Carol got that figured out. We're gonna hang sheets up like big ass curtains in fronta the bars. We can draw em open in the daytime." He smiles at Carol, winks and says, "We're gonna have it cozy."
Rick agrees, "Seriously Daryl, don't you think it's better if we're all close?"
He shrugs, "We'll be close, but I ain't sleepin' in one a them things, I just can't." Then he thinks to ask her, "Unless that's what Beth wants. Is that what ya want?"
She shrugs too, "I…I want…I don't want to stay in a cell if I don't have to. I'd like to check out the possibility of using one of those other rooms."
Daryl agrees, "They ain't that far. For tonight we'll bed down in the van, tomorrow we'll decide." He nods at no one and ads, "For now I'm starvin', let's eat."
Not everyone knows the story of the prisoners yet, and they discuss it over their meal, glossing over a few aspects the children don't need to hear. They also make plans for the next day, there's a lot to do. Sophia provides some much needed comic relief when she says, "And you guys have to start planning to make a supply run pretty soon cuz me n Amy need nail polish and stuff."
Rick nods, "You're right Sophia, I wouldn't want you ladies to go without." And then he smiles over at Amy and she can see it in his eyes, a look that means he's getting there. She smiles back, hopeful that some night soon he might invite her to visit his cell.
Once they're in the van Daryl and Beth can speak more freely, "Shit Beth, I feel like an asshole, like I don't wanna be part a the group or sumthin, but it ain't that, it really ain't. I just can't take that feelin' ya, know, like I'm trapped. Like I'm sleepin' in a cage. Shit, I wouldn't sleep, I'd just be pacin' like a cat." Then he gets even more honest, "And I want our privacy. I'm used ta that now. I don't wanna feel like everyone can hear what we're up to every time the bed squeaks."
Her eyebrows raise, "Oh my gosh, well me either." She takes his hand and says, "I don't think anyone's mad or disappointed with you Daryl, they all understand you better than you think they do. It'll be alright. Let's check out that guard's breakroom and a couple of the other rooms tomorrow."
"Yeah, okay, we'll find sumthin'."
He's chewing his lip again and his forehead is wrinkled in concern, Beth hates to see him struggle with his thoughts this way. She thinks maybe she can help him with that. She gently caresses his face in her hands, gets on her tiptoes and kisses him softly, and when she's got his full attention she smiles and asks, "Do you want to see if we can make this bed squeak?"
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A/N Gee, I wonder if he does. Please leave a comment. The chapter photo is on my tumblr blogs gneebee and bethylmethbrick, please have a look. I'll be back next week with more of Love's Long Road, I hope you'll be here too. Until then remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee