Panacea - {Daryl Dixon Fanfiction}

Day 231 - Lessons Learned

Merle was still having a hard time swallowing the story Gabry had strung him. There was no way in hell that she had just waltzed up and gotten those knives back without the Governor putting up some sort of fight. She claimed that he had not only given them back, but had actually been the one to suggest she start going out on runs. This was rather out of character for the Governor to be sending a woman out on a run, but maybe Gabry had been right about him seeing her as an asset.

Whatever Merle thought, it did not change the fact that the three of them (along with Martinez in the bed of the truck) were now heading out. He was apprehensive about taking her out without any prior "training", and although she said that she couldn't be bit by the biters, there was more to what they did on the road than killing the undead. He wasn't one to question the Governor too often, but once he had heard she was coming along he confronted him and asked, "What are you thinking?"

Once the Governor had realized what Merle was on about, he merely sneered, "she's tough."

"Yeah, but not like that." Merle had argued, but the Governor simply brushed his concern aside.

It was quiet in the cab of that truck. The Governor had said they were going to be making a supply run, and Merle had his fingers crossed this would be a simple in-and-out operation.

On their way along the road they came across a horde of walkers. Small enough that they could have easily pushed through, but the Governor had other ideas. He ordered Merle to get into the bed of the pick-up with Martinez, and of course Gabry followed before he could stop her. The three of them picked up baseball bats, and the creeper's heads were the intended t-balls.

"Lesson one," Merle said, swinging at the nearest geek, "Aim."

Gabry had only every played backyard baseball, but how hard could hitting one of these things be?

She soon got her answer as she swung at one nearest her. The force of the hit with the speed of the truck threw her off balance, and her knees buckled into the side and she felt fingers quickly latch onto the back of her shirt before she could fall out.

"Easy there, new meat." It was Martinez who had caught her. He told her to stand with most of her weight on her back foot centered in the bed of the truck and to brace her knee on the side if she had to. Although it was easier balance, she couldn't get much power out of a swing. She swung at the next one, doing more damage to the side of the truck than the creeper, itself. The next few she really only knocked over, until she felt the burning gaze of him.

She caught him staring at her from the side mirror, judging her skill, and that violation she had felt fueled her rage, and when they next creeper came, she put all the force she could into it, bashing it's head nearly clean off and splattering blood all over the back window.

She would show him that she meant business. He couldn't touch her here, not with Merle around.

Or so she thought.

* * *

The party eventually rolled up to the backside of a food-mart, and Merle was quick to put down the two biters that lurked outside the door. 

"Martinez, you keep watch outside the door," the Governor ordered as he climbed out of the truck.  "Merle, Gabrielle and I will scout the inside. We're here for rations, nothing else." He turned his eyes towards Gabry, "You ready?"

She clutched the knife that she had held against his throat the night before, and she looked him dead in the eyes. "Ready when you are."

He chuckled, and threw the back door open. Gabry followed behind him, and Merle followed behind her. He hadn't missed the glare she'd given him; it was more than a simple "I-don't-like-you" glare...there was a story behind it.