𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐒.
chapter twenty-seven; The Price Of Safety
" I think if we hand her over we're no better than him. "
VEX WAS GOING over a map of the prison for what felt like the millionth time. She continued her additions while shoveling her portion of breakfast into her mouth, and listening to Zeppelin argue with Merle Dixon.
"Trust me," Dean said between bites, "You won't win against this kid."
"Oh yeah?" Merle laughed, "Takin' any bets, little brother?'
Daryl smiled, shaking his head.
"Bet a Twinkie on Zep," Vex mumbled, pushing the map to Daryl as she wiped her mouth.
"Alright," Daryl said, looking at the map, "I'll bet one on Merle."
"That really hurts my feelings, but you better be ready to pay up," Zeppelin informed.
See, the only people that had the energy to talk at their table that morning had been Zeppelin Williams and Merle Dixon. Zeppelin had started by asking Merle a handful of questions, in complete denial that he may know more than Daryl about hunting.
And their disagreement spun into an argument, which somehow spun into Zeppelin challenging Merle to an arm wrestling contest.
Zeppelin rested an elbow on the table, pushing her empty plate out of the way.
Merle laughed, doing the same, grabbing her hand with his.
"Ready?" Zeppelin said, "Mom, count us down!"
"Three," Vex said dramatically, leaning forward, "Two. . . one!"
Zeppelin Williams moved so quickly, Merle had no chance to notice before her right hand met his left forearm, right above his elbow.
The man let out a shout of pain, followed by his hand hitting the table, and a triumphant Zeppelin throwing her arms in the air in celebration.
"What the fuck was that?!"
"Zep took Krav Maga classes," Vex informed, taking another bite of her food, "She's a beast for remembering all the pressure points. Never lost an arm wrestle."
"You're lucky she didn't use one of the knockout ones," Dean said, shivering, "I thought I had vertigo for half an hour after that one."
"That's cheating!"
"There were no rules laid out," Zeppelin bragged, "So, technically, I didn't."
"The rules are implied--!"
"Can't believe a kid beat you," Daryl mumbled, the corner of his lip tugging up.
"Pay up, Dixon," Vex grinned.
"Yeah, yeah, I will," He waved, pushing the map so it was between them, "This breach still there?"
"Yeah," Vex sighed, "We fortified over here, but--"
Vex stopped her sentence as a hand fell on her shoulder, the woman turning her head slightly only to see Rick Grimes standing over her and Daryl.
"Got a second?"
"Yeah," Vex said, "Our entertainment ended pretty quickly."
"She cheated!" Merle yelled.
Vex only grinned, standing in unison with Daryl, the woman ruffling her daughter's hair.
"Fightin' fair is for the man with an advantage," Vex whispered, looking to Merle, "Underdog's gotta pull out the ace."
"Advantage?!" Merle scoffed, "She's got both her hands!"
"She knows how to slip cuffs," Vex said, raising a brow before turning on her heel and following Rick's lead.
Daryl let out a quiet laugh as Merle cursed Vex, the woman herself grinning as he did.
"Gettin' along better than I thought," Rick admitted, leading the two outside.
"Yeah, me too," Daryl mumbled.
"Kind of an asshole," Vex admitted, "Kind of like a couple of guys I knew when I enlisted. Figured if we're living with him, might as well give him a chance."
Vex shut the door behind them, her smile falling slightly when she spotted Hershel waiting for them.
It wasn't time for joking, she remembered.
"So," Vex sighed, "What's the plan?"
The plan was not exactly as Rick had made it seem the night prior. There was no declaration of war from the Governor. He didn't claim to want the prison.
He only asked for one thing.
"It's the only way. No one else knows."
"You gonna tell 'em?"
"Not till after. We have to do it today. It has to be quiet."
"You got a plan?"
"We tell her we need to talk. Away from the others."
"So, that's it, the decision is made, the Governor gets one of our people?" Vex scoffed, "Michonne brought formula for your baby, she lead us to where Glenn and Maggie were-- she doesn't deserve this."
Rick stared at her, squinting in the blistering sun.
"I know going to war with the whole town isn't ideal," She continued, "But giving up someone who has helped us isn't either."
Vex was appalled. The idea of even entertaining the request had her anger boiling; giving Michonne to the Governor promised her death, at least. And while Vex hadn't become best friends with the woman overnight, she wasn't in favor of handing someone who had so quickly earned a place with her people over to a man who wanted her dead.
"And you two, you're on board with it?" Vex questioned, looking between Daryl and Hershel, "Handing a good person over, knowing they'll be executed, or worse?"
She scoffed, shaking her head.
"Just ain't us, man," Daryl spoke up after a long moment.
"No," Hershel said, "No, it isn't."
Vex watched as the man walked away.
"We do this," Rick said, "We avoid a fight. No one else dies."
"Rick--"
"You want to put us at risk for her?" He asked, "Maggie, Beth, Dean, Zeppelin?"
Vex breathed deeply, meeting the man's eyes.
"I think if we hand her over we're no better than him. So count me out."
Vex started back inside, halted by Rick's hand on her arm.
"Grimes. . ."
"This needs to stay quiet, Vex."
She turned back, pulling her arm out of his grasp.
"You said this wasn't a democracy, and I chose to stay," Vex said, "You make the choice that's best for the group, go for it, but I'm not going to turn into someone else just because you say so. I'll keep my mouth shut, but only because I'm still holding out hope you change your mind."
Vex left without another word.
After helping clean up from breakfast, Vex was very quickly swept up by Dean and Michonne who had their own ideas of fortifying the prison from Woodbury.
Zeppelin rode out in the truck with them, remaining in the bed as Michonne, Glenn, Daryl, and Vex set out barbed wire traps in the yard.
Vex ducked as an arrow whizzed past her head, looking at her daughter who had hardly put the bow down.
"I lost balance," Zeppelin said sheepishly.
"Yeah, yeah," Vex mumbled, grabbing the arrow before jogging back to the truck, "Stay steady, kid."
Zeppelin nodded, focusing harder as she shot walkers around her mother, Glenn, or Daryl, while Michonne picked off any remainder with her sword.
The group piled back into the truck once the traps had been set, taking off toward the inner courtyard.
"You're good with that," Michonne pointed to Zeppelin, "Must have a good teacher."
"Well, I have alright aim; my mom's been taking me to the range since I was old enough," Zeppelin grinned, "But I'm still getting used to a bow."
"I think you're a natural," Michonne informed, smiling at Vex briefly.
And Vex smiled back, watching Zeppelin tell Michonne all about the bow and Vex had never felt so horrible in her entire life.
She'd never been an overwhelmingly welcoming or friendly person, but Vex had never gone as far as to betray someone who had done no harm to her.
"They try to drive up to the gate again, maybe some blown tires will stop them," Glenn said as Rick approached the group.
Vex hopped out of the truck bed, helping Zeppelin down after.
"Good idea," Rick said.
"Yeah, it was Michonne's," Daryl informed.
Rick fell silent as Vex, Zeppelin, and Michonne approached the group.
"We don't have to win," Michonne spoke up, "We just have to make their getting at us more trouble than it's worth."
Maggie and Carl joined the group, and Zeppelin quickly departed from her mother to meet her friend.
"Did you see?" Zeppelin grinned, joining Carl's side, "I got four, how many did you get?"
"Five."
"You're lying," Zeppelin narrowed her eyes, following Carl as he began walking after his father.
"Am not."
"I bet you have more total than me," Zeppelin assured, "Hey, do you think your dad would let us take watch? My mom's pretty good at it, I might be, too."
"Maybe," Carl dared to crack a smile.
"Hey, I bet if we get to take watch, we can--"
"Zep!"
The girl's eyes widened, looking for her mother who was at the front of the crowd.
"C'mere," Vex nodded, "We're taking watch."
Zeppelin grinned to Carl, who grinned right back, before taking off toward her mother.
Vex wrapped an arm around her daughter, pulling the girl into her side.
"Where's Uncle Dean?" Zeppelin questioned.
"He's prayin' with Hershel and the girls," Vex informed.
They made their way toward the last watchtower attached to the courtyard, but Vex heard the footsteps following them. She let out a quiet sigh of acceptance, squeezing her daughter's shoulder.
"Get set up, I'll be there in a second," Vex sighed, urging her daughter forward.
Zeppelin obeyed, but not before peeking over her shoulder to spot Daryl Dixon.
Daryl did not speak until Zeppelin disappeared into the watch tower.
"I 'on't agree with him."
"Yeah, I know," Vex sighed, turning to face the man, "But you'd follow him off the edge of a cliff."
Daryl sighed, looking away from her for a moment.
"He got us this far."
"I am not denying that, or questioning his leadership," Vex admitted, "But this is the wrong choice."
"I know," Daryl said quietly, nodding once, "I just wanted to let you know I knew."
Vex nodded, unsure of what to say in response.
"He'll change his mind," She said after a moment, "He will."
"Hope so."
Vex gave him a tight smile, patting the man's arm before joining her daughter in the watchtower.
They sat for a long while, talking about Zeppelin's homework, her ongoing walker count with Carl, and the hope for a sword like Michonne's one day.
"Hey, Mom?"
"Yes ma'am?" Vex hummed, looking at her daughter with a lazy grin.
"Are you and Daryl friends again?"
Vex laughed.
"Yeah, honey, we're friends again."
"I just wasn't sure. You seemed really upset with him."
"Hmm, upset isn't the right word," Vex said, looking out to the forest, "He made a choice that hurt my feelings. But he apologized, and he's trying to fix it."
"Well, that's what you're supposed to do."
"It sure is," Vex smiled, nudging the girl, "So, you're a fan of the guy?"
"Yeah," Zeppelin nodded, "He's nice to me. Not a lot of adults really are. They just pretend to be. It did hurt my feelings that he bet against me."
Vex laughed, shaking her head.
"He was betting on his brother," Vex said, "It's like, an unspoken law. I'd have to bet on Dean if he was up against someone else."
"Even me?"
"No way," Vex scoffed, "Daughter law totally beats brother law."
Zeppelin smiled, leaning her head on her mother's shoulder.
"I'm really glad we stayed with them, Mom."
Vex let out a breath, wrapping an arm around her daughter.
"You know what," Vex said, "I am, too."
Zeppelin peered up at her mother, and Vex realized how much she'd grown up. Sure, Vex had noticed as time ticked by, as her daughter began to walk and talk, she noticed when Zeppelin started forming her own opinions, likes, and dislikes.
But looking at her now, Vex knew Zeppelin had grown far beyond her years in the year since they'd left the bunker. Despite what she'd seen, the walkers, the bodies, the empty world she was set to inherit, despite the hungry days and cold nights, the weeks that felt like months, and a life that had turned into survival, Zeppelin Williams chose to look for the light.
She stayed kind, she told jokes, she made grown men arm wrestle her, and told stories over campfires.
Zeppelin Williams had so quickly become everything Vex Williams had ever hoped for.
So Vex held her a little tighter, and stayed a little longer, to appreciate the greatest thing that she had ever been given.
"Hey, look, that's Daryl."
The hours had ticked by, hours without incident until Zeppelin spoke up.
"Where's he goin'?" Vex mumbled, pulling herself to her feet.
Zeppelin stood quickly, leaning on the railing to get a better view of Daryl Dixon exiting the prison. She peered over to her mother, who only stared at the man.
Zeppelin put her fingers between her lips, before letting out a loud whistle.
Vex dared to smile as Daryl's head whipped toward them.
He lifted a hand, wagging his fingers in beckoning.
"Be right back, baby," Vex said, pressing a kiss to her daughter's head.
The woman hurried down the tower, jogging out to meet Daryl who stood, looking rather stressed by the fenceline.
"Everything alright?"
"Rick changed his mind," Daryl began, "But Merle took Michonne."
Vex hardly got to feel relief before it was replaced again with dread.
"You're going after them alone?"
Daryl nodded once.
"No," Vex said simply, shaking her head, "Let me go grab my gun, I'll--"
"It's my brother, it's my problem."
"Daryl, just let me come with you," She scoffed, "Rick's here, Dean, Glenn, Carol-- they have enough manpower, you don't have to do this alone."
"I do."
Vex twisted her lips, staring at the unmoving man who stared back, squinting in the Georgia sun.
"I know you think it's your burden because he's your brother," Vex finally said, "And if you have to do it alone, then I won't stop you. But you already had my back, Dixon. Eventually, you're gonna have to let me have yours."
Of course, Daryl knew she didn't mean having his back in the heat of a fight. She'd done this, time and time again, so much so that Daryl had joked Vex lived permanently at his six o'clock.
He knew Vex was referring to something far more terrifying.
She'd opened up about Paul, and now Vex waited patiently to return to favor.
"Go," She said after his silence, "But come back."
Daryl nodded, hiking his crossbow onto his shoulder.
"I will."
Vex stood still, watching Daryl duck out through the fence, fastening it behind himself. He walked out, avoiding conflict with the lingering walkers.
The woman turned, starting back toward the watchtower, missing something as it happened.
But Zeppelin Williams had watched the entire thing from her perch, clearly seeing Daryl Dixon turn around, and watch her mother for a moment, before continuing out into the forest.
🗡
Maggie had come to relieve the Williams girls from their post, sending them back into the prison. Zeppelin quickly sought out Carl, while Vex accepted the dreaded task of laundry.
Carol was already hard at work, working through the seemingly endless pile of clothing when Vex joined her.
"You're the real hero here, and I hope everyone else sees that," Vex said in greeting, joining Carol's side.
The woman laughed, watching Vex grab a basket of clean laundry and begin to lay them out over the railing.
"Nobody ever sees this kind of thing as heroic."
"Well, they should," Vex scoffed, "Homemakers never get enough credit."
"Oh yeah? How about you, then?"
"How about me?"
"Well, you weren't a homemaker, now, were you?"
"Not in the sense that it was all I did," Vex laughed, shaking her head, "But, cleaning, laundry, dinner, homework, taking Zep to after-school activities. . . all me."
Carol gave Vex a look of recognition.
"I'm sure it was the same for you," Vex shrugged, "You know it ain't easy work."
"Sure as hell isn't."
Vex snickered again, taking down dry laundry as she replaced it with wet items.
She never felt like a mother or a wife in the world before. Vex felt as though she was a ghost stuck in her own body, shoved into PTA meetings and the afterschool pickup line, never quite finding kinship with the other parents that juggled it all.
But something about Carol made Vex feel alright.
Like being a mother was something that transcended all other things; it wasn't contingent on your child's grades or how much they brought in for a fundraiser. Motherhood wasn't something that could be graded or judged, because all it truly meant, was creating a person and filling them with love, walking hand in hand until they found their own stride, then cheering them on from behind.
"She's a good kid, you know?"
Vex took a seat beside Carol, beginning the task of folding the clean and now dry laundry.
"Against all odds," Vex breathed out, shaking her head.
"That says even more about her," Carol said lightly, "To go through everything she has, and still be kind. Hearts like that aren't made, they just. . . are."
Vex smiled softly, before resting a head on Carol's shoulder.
And the woman let her because a part of Carol needed it too.
"So, how'd it go?"
Vex groaned, knowing what Carol was referring to the meeting with the Governor without having to ask.
"Well, he was there," Vex admitted, sitting tall to continue folding, "He looks the same as he did before."
Carol frowned, watching Vex as they both worked.
"What'd he say?"
"Just. . . trying to get me to go with him," Vex sighed, "He couldn't force me, not with so many people watching. . . but I knew he wanted to."
They sat in silence for a moment, Vex picking up a flannel she recognized as Dean's, and folding it neatly.
"Nobody here will let anything happen to you two."
"You know how it is, though," Vex admitted with a small shrug, "No matter how many people you have, or how strong you are. . . he's the monster in my closet. The thing that makes me scared to turn off the light. He's the nightmare, the villain. I mean, shit, you spend 15 years with one person, they know all your secrets, your fears, know what buttons to press. . . just his voice made me feel like I was 13 again."
Carol buried her surprise at this revelation.
"You met at 13?"
"Started dating, too," Vex nodded, "He's 12 years my senior. I had Zep at 19-- he was the same age I am now back then."
Carol looked to the woman then, finding Vex staring blankly at the wall ahead, her hands still working quickly to finsh the laundry in front of her.
"Vex. . ."
"I can't imagine it," Vex whispered, "31 and 19. . . I can't imagine it."
Carol lifted her hands, gently resting them atop Vex's. The woman jolted, turning to Carol quickly.
"How sick is that? I was hardly out of highschool, having a child with a full-grown man."
Vex let go of the laundry as Carol held tightly onto her hands.
"You don't have to be strong right now."
Vex stared, shaking her head slightly.
"Put your strength down. It's just us here."
And then Carol pulled Vex into a tight embrace, the latter melting into it after only a moment.
Perhaps this was what it was like to hug a mother, Vex thought as Carol held her, it had been so long, Vex couldn't remember.
WORD COUNT : 3268