Spider Monkey

Chapter Thirty - Eight - Storm

( Notes: TW Homophobia slurs and a surprise :3 ) 

They made it to the barn and settled in for the night around a small dim fire.

Carl and Hedley were huddled together for warmth and comfort with Hedley on his back, headphones on, an arm wrapped tightly around Carl - who was using Hedley's chest as a pillow. Judith was in Hedley's other arm, her tiny body curled around his bicep as she was tucked into his armpit.

Rick, Daryl, Michonne, Carol and Merle were the only ones awake, keeping a close eye on the three kids as they slept.

Rick sighed almost sadly at his kids.

"They're gonna be okay." Carol voiced, a small smile on her lips, "They bounce back more than any of us do."

"I used to feel sorry for kids that have to grow up now. In this. But I think I got it wrong." Rick said, "Growing up is getting used to the world. This is easier for them."

Daryl frowned, "Would you still be sayin' that if your kid had a face like mine? That wasn't easy. The world did that to him."

"This isn't the world." Michonne butt in, "This isn't it."

"It might be. It might." Rick sighed again.

"That's giving up."

"It's reality." Merle said and poked the fire with a small twig, "Until we see otherwise, this is the shit we have ta live with."

Rick then decided to tell a story, "When I was a kid I asked my grandpa once if he ever killed any Germans in the war. He wouldn't answer. He said that was grown-up stuff, so I asked if the Germans ever tried to kill him. But he got real quiet. He said he was dead the minute he stepped into enemy territory. Every day he woke up and told himself, "Rest in peace. Now get up and go to war." And then after a few years of pretending he was dead he made it out alive. That's the trick of it, I think. We do what we need to do and then we get to live. But no matter what we find in DC, I know we'll be okay. Because this is how we survive. We tell ourselves that we are the walking dead."

Silence. No one dared to say anything until Daryl-

"We ain't them."

Merle agreed, ruffling his brother's hair, "Damn straight."

Carl made a noise in his sleep and everyone turned to see the boy curl deeper into the embrace. Hedley pulled him closer instinctively.

Carol smirked, "You think those two are best friends or soulmates?"

Daryl and Merle scoffed at that which made Michonne and Rick chuckle lightly.

"What if they do fall in love?" Michonne said, serious.

Daryl looked at his kid, those markings on his face were healing but flashes of finding him covered in his own blood was still fresh in his mind. "It wouldn't be so bad." He said.

Merle raised an eyebrow, "You'd be good with him being a -"

"Finish that sentence and you'll have a bullet in your ass." Carol warned, narrowing her eyes.

Merle raised his hand up in surrender, "Woah, honey bunch. Easy. All I'm sayin' is that where we grew up, they used to hang queers in the trees for fun. Our piece of shit dad would be one of them fuckers hurting faggots outside of bars."

"Every single day is a dark struggle with very little reward." Said Rick, "If Carl managed to find love in this world, no matter who it's with, I'd consider that nothing but amazing."

Daryl shared a look with Rick. They nodded at each other and Merle sighed, "Fine, I guess there are worse things than being a fairy."

Daryl punched his brother in the shoulder, hard, "Knock it off. If Hedley and Carl become more than friends, I don't want you sayin' that shit."

"Okay! Okay!" The older Dixon said, making a cross over his heart with his finger, "I promise to be nothin' but supportive of ma nephew."

Thunder rumbled from above as the storm grew.

"This storm isn't lettin' up." Merle commented.

Daryl stood, "I'll take watch. You all get some sleep."

They all went to lay down. Rick let the fire go out then laid beside the three kids, watching them for a moment before closing his eyes.

***

For hours, Daryl paced the front doors, crossbow in hand as lightning struck the sky. The doors banged as the wind got more blew harder and a sound made Daryl peek from between them.

What he saw made his heart stop. Walkers. Hundreds. Making their way towards the barn.

Daryl forced the doors closed, slamming his body weight against them as the walkers began to push in.

Maggie saw this and ran to help, her hands on the door as her feet dug in the dirt.

Sasha was next and soon Rick, Michonne, Carol and Merle came through too. No one said a word, just pushed against the door and hoped it was enough. Carl woke up and saw the commotion, shaking Hedley awake. The boys had to leave Judith laying on a blanket before rushing to help. Hedley wormed his way in between Daryl and Carol, his back against the door as he used his legs to force his weight back. He looked over and saw Carl doing the same on the other door. They locked eyes, a silent communication.

Glenn, Abraham, Rosita, Eugene, Noah, Gabriel and Tara ran up and the entire group pushed and pushed. The grunts and groans of the dead were muted by the storm, the rain falling between the cracks of the roof and soaking the group below.

Hedley looked up and saw Daryl. Father and son. Brought together by the end of the world.

Hedley's throat begged for escape and something happened that has never happened before.

He spoke.

"D-Dad."

Daryl's eyes widened. The voice music to his ears.

Merle chuckled softly beside him and the Dixon's smiled at one another. And it brought a new found strength in everyone. They pushed with all their might, adrenaline and hope flooding their blood as they pushed until their strength was done, the night faded and soon, the pushing stopped and one by one, the group went down to rest.

All except Daryl who kept watching the doors. Hedley was asleep beside him, using the archer's thigh to rest his head. Daryl was running his fingers through his sweaty hair.

Maggie went over and sat next to Daryl, a small thin smile on her face. "Hey."

"Hm."

"You should get some sleep."

"Yeah."

"It's okay to rest now."

Daryl didn't reply for a moment. Instead he caught sight of Sasha. She was laying down, staring at nothing, lost in her own world. "He was tough."

Knowing what he was on about, she sighed sadly, following his eyes, "He was."

"So was she." He said, talking about Beth. Maggie turned to him, smiling with tears in her eyes. "She didn't know it, but she was." He then got the music box he had stored in his bag and gave it to Maggie, "The gearbox had some grit in it."

"Thank you." She cradled it. After a pause of silence, she looked down at a sleeping Hedley and said, "He spoke."

"Yeah." Daryl smiled at the kid in his lap, "Never thought I'd hear his voice."

"I don't think any of us did." She stood up to head over to check on Sasha but before she did, she said one last thing to Daryl. "You're a good dad, Daryl."

He watched her and Sasha walk towards the front of the barn before getting himself comfortable and allowing his eyes to close.