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Julia clutches her swords tightly thankful Rick got them off one of the guards that had been transporting them. Although a gun would be more preferable considering they were up shits creek. Having a life jacket without a paddle didn't really help with getting out of a sticky situation.
But Julia also knew the chances of her shooting well while this loopy were low. Very very low.
Julia didn't even know if she could focus enough to fight someone close up. She would try though.... She needed to make sure her group got out of there and back to the prison.
If she didn't make it she would consider it a fine way to go out in this shït world. It was better then being a walker or being eaten alive anyway.
As Rick throws the smoke grenades out Julia and the rest of their group go using the cover to make their way to one of the walls. Taking out people as they run through the minimum cover, Julia was falling behind but Daryl was close ready to drag her if he had to.
The gun fire really drones out all the surrounding noise but-
Julia could have sworn she heard a small child yelling and it made her body lock up and for Daryl to run into her back which hurt beyond belief. He began pushing the woman but she fought against him and even shushed him as he cussed for her to move.
"Your hallucinating let's go." He seethed and Julia is about to listen to him when she hears the child more distinctly, closer.
"MS JULIA!" Julia felt a lump form in her throat and knew she was either dead, dying or crazy. But looking at Daryl he looked surprised too..... he heard it.
Raya Carson.
"MS JULIA DONT LEAVE WITH OUT ME!" Raya screams and a little girl comes running up from behind them through the fog.
Everything felt like it moved in slow motion as a small figures shape slowly appeared in the fog. The closer it got the more features visible showing the familiar short haired blonde child.
There wasn't enough time for a proper reunion considering they were in the middle of a shoot out but Julia grabs Raya roughly and begins dragging her along. Daryl taking the rear behind the both of them while still looking like he too had seen a ghost by seeing Raya.
Her little hand felt unreal but Julia didn't care if this really was some giant delusion and she was still being tortured in the governors evil dungeon. Because this was better then the reoccurring dream she had of the small child being ripped to pieces by the dead.
Plus- maybe she did know it was real if the wound on her back wasn't there she probably could think clearer but right now..... everything was blurry and overly stimulating.
Julia made it to a bus and she climbed up it before dragging Raya behind her. She nearly toppled off it because of her adrenaline and energy dispersing. But she landed into someone's arms and looking up she saw Rick before a exhausted yet proud smile graced her lips.
"I got my kid back." She mumbles before her eyes rolled into her head a bit and she fell into him. Rick had no time to react as he spotted Raya and told her to run ahead of them. He wrapped an arm around Julia's waist and put one of her arms around his neck and began dragging her away.
Not noticing at first the lack of Daryl.
They didn't have time to escape so they all hid behind a car, Raya was confused why Julia passed out. Her little hand touching Julia's hand as Rick also tries to slap her cheek to wake her up.
If the guards started coming to hunt on foot they'd surely get shot trying to run. And they were already low on ammo as is.
"Come on Daryl." Rick whispers with confusion wondering if the hunter went to hunt for his brother despite agreeing to wait earlier. Someone approached from behind and everyone whipped around ready for a fight but it was Michonne.
"Where the hell were you? Put your hands up. Turn around. Turn around." Rick demands with a gun to her head before stealing her sword.
"Get what you came for?" Rick asks bitterly as little Rayas eyes watched him in surprise. He seemed...... scarier then before. "Where are the rest of your people?" Michonne asks and Glenn holding a gun tells her of Oscar's death.
Julia who was somewhat waking up let out a snort and mumbled something about prisoners but nobody cared for her crude words just the fact she was waking up.
"Daryl is missing did you see him?" Maggie asks desperately as Michonne shakes her head. Her eyes slowly go to Raya who sits beside a pale yet slowly coming to consciousness Julia.
"If anything happens to him-" Rick begins to threaten once again scaring the child as Michonne meets his gaze. "I brought you here to save them." Michonne says making Rick thank her look a little appreciative but he didn't trust strangers easily.
"You'll need help to get them back to the prison. Or to go back in there for Daryl. Either way you need me." She explains and Rick looks annoyed with how right she is but- he agrees to have her help again.
Slowly his gaze goes to Julia and he goes and crouches in front of her. "Who did that to you?" He asks gravely and Julia slowly glances to Raya before him a little confused at first.
"What the fuck." She mumbles as she shifts to sit up straight but a searing pain stops her completely.
Then the memories must have returned because her face went tight with anger and her body shakes lightly.
"Merle....... It was Merle." She whispers so only he could hear as Glenn and Maggie glance to each other. They wanted to ask but- if Julia didn't want to tell everyone she wasn't exactly one to open up.
___________________________________
Dean watches with a look of both disgust and anger as Merle kicks Daryl around. It's his own flesh and blood yet here he is beating the crap out of him.
He was also angry because he hadn't only lost Julia but Raya. He saw her round the corner towards the explosion and lost her in the smoke. Her group must have recognized her and took her with them, which he understood but he still felt a small pang.
He hated how they left things.
And as soon as he saw Raya he'd apologize profusely and beg forgiveness. He would even do something totally humiliating in front of her whole group if that's what her forgiveness took.
As he went running after her trying to stop her he saw one of Julia's group and grabbed him. Merle's brother then elbowed him in the face harshly to fight him off but others came and helped Dean grab him.
The governor claimed that Merle had betrayed Woodbury to help his brother. Dean didn't know if he believed it, but if it was true he didn't exactly blame Merle either. He would've done the same if he had a chance to get to Julia and now Raya.
As the two rednecks roll around fighting Deans jaw is clenched tight as he glared at the two brothers. The dried blood on Merle's hand made him suspicious.... Was it Julia's?
Someone had cut her open yet again...... how could he let this happen to her not once but twice?
Deans eyes kept glancing around to see if Julia's group was returning yet to save their member. Surely they would considering how much trouble they went through to get Julia and the two others back the first time.
Yes Dean knew the governor had been torturing 3 survivors for information, it wasn't exactly a new thing for him. He just didn't know the trio also contained two females. Usually the governor took the women for the group and made some claim to them and Woodbury that they found them and saved them but the rest of their group was dead.
The other women who had come before were either stupid or desperate never seeing what the governor truly did as bad. They wanted to survive and Woodbury had the supplies.
Dean was kind of disgusted with the governors mentality for only wanting the women alive. Sure if a guy was useful in some way he would keep them too but it was more rare.
As the two brothers continue to fight the walkers surrounding them are brought closer. Instantly Daryl and Merle go back to back trying to fight them off, but with no weapons it proved difficult. But Merle continued to use his metal stump that no longer had a knife to hit the monsters in the head and somewhat immobilize them.
Daryl even grabbed one of the walkers and pushed it towards the cheering crowd that surrounded them.
Of course the bystanders immediately screamed in fear since they were pretty sheltered behind Woodburys walls. Dean kind of found it pathetic.
With arms crossed in annoyance Dean takes in the scene when a gunshot rings out and snipes one of the walkers. Immediately Dean knew it was Julia's group.
The lights are soon shot out as a smoke grenade is laying promptly on the ground beginning to once again help Julia's group move discreetly. Dean knowing if they saw him they'd shoot him thinking he was one of the bad guys hid and watched the group.
Yes at first they were just shapes and the crowd dispersing made everything a jumble bit Sean kept his eyes on Merle and his brother that went running out of the smoke.
The group came back for Daryl.
So that was who he had to follow in order to get led back to Raya and Julia.
Dean followed at a much slower pace one almost unnoticeable and it appeared no one noticed him. He slowly followed their group to a different wall then they originally escaped from the first time. He could also hear Merle shouting for them as he led the way but the leader of the group was also yelling.
"They're all at the arena. This way." Merle calls running as the man in charge doesn't take his word for it and continues to look around. Dean stays hidden well enough though and watches them intently.
"You're not going anywhere with us." The leader spat with a clear hatred for Merle. Dean wondered if this was officer friendly, if it was..... the guy definitely no longer looked like a cop if it was.
"You really want to do this now?" Merle asks incredulously while helping them escape by taking the fence apart. It loudly bangs making the group look around again, even Dean had to make sure no one in his old group was approaching him.
It would be hard to explain why he wasn't immediately killing them.
When the panel finally open the group is quick to hurry out it and Dean gives them a bit of lead way before following them out of the fence. He can faintly see their forms moving towards the trees and slowly follows. Using cover so if they glanced back they wouldn't immediately snipe him before he could explain he knew Julia.
___________________________________
Julia could hardly keep her eyes open she was exhausted, maybe it was blood loss but she couldn't remember when she lay slept. It was probably at the prison, which was now no longer safe.
"Ms Julia are you okay?" Raya asks the woman who is sat on the road look g extremely pale with drooping eyes.
"I am fine kid. How about you? Did those assholes do anything to you?" She asks wondering if she'd have to stomp her way back right now and kill every single person in that town with her bare hands.
"I'm okay. Dean was taking care of me." Raya says the name casually but Julia narrows her eyes hearing it. Before she can ask more about this Dean guy approaching foot steps have her standing up swords at the ready.
Every muscle in her back screamed at the movement but- if they were about to be attacked she needed to help.
But Rick calling to Glenn and Julia in a whisper has them relax and look for him. They immediately go to him Julia much slower then the others but smiling none the less.
They all made it out.
"Now we got a problem here. I need you two to back up." Rick states and that makes Julia go rigid before her eyes slowly land on Merle Dixon. Her look of confusion morphs to one of anger and disbelief as she charges the red neck.
"What the hell is he doing here!?" Glenn asks raising his voice as Michonne pulls out her katana. Julia didn't pull out her swords, she wanted to beta Merle's face in first before she killed him.
But that didn't stop her yelling.
"What the fuck is he doing here? Are we torturing him too?!" Julia asks with some hidden excitement but Ricks pleasing expression told her that wasn't it.
Immediately everyone is face to face with someone in the group besides the person they want to hit. Rick stopping Michonne, Maggie stopping Glenn and Daryl stopping Julia.
Julia didn't exclaim of the man's practices like the other two, no she kept her murderous gaze on him as she slowly pulled her swords out.
"He helped us get out of there." Daryl tries to explain to the group as his eyes stay locked on Julia. He wanted her to believe him but Julia's eyes narrow at him with disgust shaking her head.
"Yeah right after he beat the shit out of you." Rick exclaims making Julia flick her eyes to him and could see he didn't want Merle here either.
So why was he? Because of Daryl.
"Hey we both took our licks man." Merle says with some amusement making Julia look to him again with a heated glare. "Jackass." Daryl says to Merle briefly showing maybe it wasn't as even as a fight as Merle tried to make it seem.
"Hey man shut up." Merle says with annoyance for his brother and Julia once again tried to go around Daryl but he stopped her and kept eye contact with her as she looked to him.
He almost looked pleading but Julia's eyes looked dead and cold.
"Enough!" Rick yells at Merle who antagonizes the group once again making the trio step towards him before their respected guess stop them. Glenn had his gun trained on Merle but Daryl was between them and he wasn't moving.
"Get that thing out of my face!" Daryl yells and briefly leaves an opening that Julia tries to squeeze through but the redneck grabs her and brings her around him making Merle laugh.
"Control your bitch man. I'm startin to see who wears the pants in that relationship." Merle laughs teasingly and again Julia thrashes to get to him but Daryl holds her in place.
"Don't fucking touch me." Julia spat pulling from his grasp as she glared at him and his brother.
One shared look with Rick and Julia walked away with a wide eyed Raya who had been perched behind a tree watching the adults fight. The small child followed Julia back to the roads edge so they were still near Merle but no longer in his face.
"Ms Julia?" Raya asks noticing some blood on the back of Julia's arm near her back. "What?" Julia asks softly despite wanting to snap she wouldn't take it out on Raya. "Are you hurt? There's blood on your arm near your back?" Raya asks softly also noting Julia was wearing Daryl's vest but she wouldn't mention that for now.
"I'll be fine kid." Julia says is a raspy whisper that makes Raya look unsure but nod slowly.
As the group was preoccupied talking aka more like fighting with Merle and his big mouth a man slowly approaches Julia from a distance away.
Dean talking to himself on how to greet her after not seeing her for so long while also thinking of how to properly apologize to Raya. As he approaches them Rayas eyes go beyond Julia and she looks a little sad before slowly going to pass Julia who had her eyes glued to the fighting group.
You could definitely tell Julia was out of it as she didn't even sense his approach but she did notice Raya passing her and turned to see what she was doing. Julia stilled at the man in front of her.
"What are you doing here?" Raya asks softly and Dean crouches in front of her as Julia slowly walks forward eyes glued to him.
"I came to say I'm sorry. And- you were right Ray those men back there were bad guys. We should have just left with your group, and we can keep them all safe now by getting them to move camp. I'm really sorry Ray can you forgive me?" Deana asks solely keeping his on her and the small blonde child stares him down before she slowly nods with a faint smile.
Plus she was secretly excited to see Dean and Julia reunite. Would Julia actually be happy to see him? Would she cry happy tears?
Dean looks unsure and awkward but takes one small step towards Julia but her narrowing her eyes in warning stops him. "...... Hey Julia. Long time no see huh?" Dean asks and his eyes flick to Rick and them who are still busy.
Julia tilts her head eyes narrowing more as he smiles awkwardly once again before sighing and glancing at the ground before her again.
"Look- I know it's been almost ten years but.... I just wanted to say I was sorry. Did not helping you when we were in church or when they gave you your punishment. Also for this if I knew you were here I wouldn't have let them...... I wouldn't have let them do this again." He says with disappointment in himself as Julia continues to just stare at him.
"You all worried about me when Deany boy over there's talkin up Daryl's bitch." Merle spat and Rick and the others immediately spin around to see Julia and some random man standing with Raya between them.
Almost instantly Merle said something to run his mouth so Rick knocked him out to shut him up for a second.
Everyone took off running to the road as Julia still stared at Dean who glanced at her approaching group. "Put your hands up!" Rick yells and Dean does as told while glancing at Julia repeatedly but she just continues staring at him.
"NO MR RICK HES NICE!" Raya yells clinging to Dean as Rick gives her a mere look but he obviously didn't trust a child instincts and kept his gun trained on Dean. Daryl had his bow lifted and aimed at Dean as he slowly goes to fan out.
"Julia.... Please. I swear I want to be on your guys side okay. You know me I- I know not well but....." he stares at her pleadingly and everyone glances to Julia who slowly places her sword under Deans chin.
"Who the fuck are you?" She spat.