Jayden and Rick sat in the common room ironing out details of her temporary absence. He would come check on her every few days until she was ready to return, bringing her enough food and water. Jayden stood up to go check on Herschel. She had heard that Lori had to revive him, she couldn't stand Lori but she also could not ignore her bravery at that time. She was grateful to her for saving him.
Jayden walked into Herschel's cell where Beth and Maggie sat by his bedside. He was awake but not fully tuned into reality. He looked at Jayden and smiled. She went to his side and kissed him softly on the cheek. She pulled back his blanket and inspected his leg. Nodding in approval she put a mental note to commend Carol on cleaning and dressing his leg.
"Hey, papa Hersc..." Jayden kneeled by his head smiling softly at the old man. "Don't be mad. I got bit again, You need these antibiotics more than me. I'll keep it clean but you won't be seeing much of me for a while. You know my paranoid ass can't be close to y'all during this fever. I'll be fine I promise and Rick will be checking in on me." Jayden could see his nervousness show through his eyes, but he was too weak and tired to argue with her. He knew he would get nowhere anyway.
"Promise me you'll be safe." He whispered.
Jayden looked at him, his old eyes were full of love. The way he looked at her reminded her of Gibbs. She needed to find him soon... If he's still alive.
"I will, I promise." She pushed one of his long hairs from his face and stood up leaving the cell.
She waited outside of his cell block waiting for Maggie and Beth to make their way out. They stopped in front of her. She motioned her head towards the common room and began making her way there.
"Look, I'm not telling anyone where I am staying. It won't be safe for anyone besides Rick, Daryl, and me to be wandering the prison. Especially with other survivors here. Right now the dead aren't our only problem so keep that in mind. I'm leaving Tony with you." She nodded her head towards Beth. Tony was always around her anyway so it wouldn't be much of a change.
Jayden stood up and left the girls at their table, heading for the stairs she made her way up to her cell to pack. Once she had reached her cell door she noticed Daryl sitting on a chair inside.
"You here to snap at me again?" She leaned up against the door with her arms crossed in front of her.
Daryl looked right into her eyes and shook his head. He brought his attention to the knife in his hand that he was currently sharpening. Jayden furrowed her eyebrows and shook her head walking over to her bunk and pulling out her duffel from under the bed. She started to put clothing in the bag and went over to the corner to grab some of her weapons. She couldn't find one of her knives and began searching all over the room for it. She felt something hit her thigh and turned to see Daryl holding out her knife for her to take. Just then Jayden realized the knife he had been sharpening was hers.
"So you're gonna tell me what's going on or..." Jayden trailed off as she plopped down on the bunk bed. Daryl took a deep breath.
"Carol said I should apologize for what I said the other day." He looked down at his hands slightly picking at the cuticles that lined his fingers. Jayden laughed, snatching his attention away from his hands. He looked up to see her full smile as she threw her head back.
"Carol said huh. So this isn't your apology, it's hers right?" She smiled and shook her head at him. "Daryl I don't need you to apologize for snapping at me. That shit bounces off of me. Hell, I had worse from the corpse."
A little smile formed on his lips as she spoke. He of course felt bad for snapping at her but hearing her talk about her past in an upbeat manner made him feel ... safe.
"You gonna be ok by yourself with Axel and Oscar?" He asked, wanting to change the subject.
"Yeah I'll be fine, I'm sure I'll barely see them. I'll mostly be up in that guard tower." She zipped up her duffle bag and put it on her shoulder.
Daryl didn't know why but he instinctively reached out and grabbed the bag off of her shoulder and put on his own. He began walking out when he realized she hadn't followed him. He turned around and met her confused gaze before motioning towards the door and turning back around.
Jayden couldn't help the small smile that found its way to her lips. Something is up with him. He's been so hot and cold lately that Jayden felt like she had whiplash. She wouldn't complain though it was nice to see this side of him. She followed behind him joining Rick at the bottom of the stairs.
"You ready?" Rick asked solemnly.
Jayden gave him a confused look as he and Daryl looked nervous. Jayden was just going to be gone for a few days. There was no need for the melodramatics.
"You guys are acting like you're walking me to my death. Jeez lighten up a bit will ya? I'll only be gone a few days and remember I am still in the same building as you guys." She pulled her eyebrows together and gave them a look signaling them to relax.
Daryl smiled at this remark again stunning Jayden as for some reason Daryl had decided to unearth the sweet side of his personality. She didn't even know he had one. The walk toward cell block D was quiet. Jayden's bite on her shoulder was throbbing and every movement of her arm sent shockwaves through her.
After walking for a while through the dark cold hallways, they finally made it to cell block D where Axel and Oscar were waiting. They looked tired and sad as they had been trying to clean out their cell block. The sight and smell of their former inmates and friends seemed to be getting to them. Once they noticed Jayden, Daryl, and Rick standing at the entrance, they looked relieved.
"We were trying to get this place cleaned up a bit before we had any visitors. What brings you back here." Axel smiled, hoping that this group would take in himself and Oscar.
"Long story short I am going to be staying up in that guard tower on the roof. I'll be there a few days and you'll see very little of me. Rick and Daryl will be here sporadically. The door locks from the outside and only the keys we have can open it from the inside so if you need me you'll have to just knock and wait." Jayden left out any important information she could not trust these newcomers with. Leaving out anything that would jeopardize her life or her group's lives.
Axel and Oscar didn't question her answer. They knew they wouldn't get an answer from them anyway. Instead, they used this as an opportunity to get to know someone from Rick's group and maybe earn some trust so they could join their group.
Jayden began walking up the steps towards the door unlocking it and entering inside. Once she stepped through the barrier the inside of the guard tower was revealed. It was more spacious than the ones they had already visited to which she was grateful. She put down her weapons and turned to grab her bags from Daryl and Rick. She put them down next to her weapons and slowly turned in a circle examining her temporary home.
Daryl watched Jayden look around the guard tower. This one was nicer than the others, basically untouched since the fall of the prison. He could tell she was in pain as she ever so slightly held her arm close to her body. He knew something had bothered her in the laundry room. She had been different towards him since her initial skirmish with Rick. Before he felt as if they had formed some sort of trust but now she was distant and didn't show much emotion.
"You think you'll be ok up here?" Rick questioned.
Jayden looked around the guard tower once more before she noticed how hot she had started to feel. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and looked back at them.
"Yea, no I'll be fine!" She tried to sound enthusiastic but by now she could tell how quickly the fever was starting to set in.
Jayden wanted to pull Rick aside to speak with him alone so she tried to think of a way to get rid of him.
"Daryl I think I left one of my bags downstairs by the door. Could you check for me real quick?" Jayden was nonchalant about the exchange.
Daryl gave an annoyed huff before nodding his head and descending the staircase. Once he was out of earshot, Jayden turned towards Rick easily catching his attention.
"Rick I want to be honest with you okay, I do so I need you to listen. I'll be okay up here but at the same time, I won't. The fevers lately have been getting strong. It does not last as long now but it hits me harder. I might start to hallucinate back to when I was serving. When someone comes up to check on me, please try to make it yourself. I don't need other people worrying for no reason." Jayden nodded towards him to show she had finished speaking.
"Not even Daryl? I mean you have already discussed this with him in the past." Rick questioned.
"I need to know there is someone besides Herschel that will back me up and keep necessary things quiet. I have given Daryl chances and he always seems to run to you about it. I'm hoping you'll be different. And I don't know how he would handle seeing me in that state. He has been acting a little strange lately." Jayden was firm on her decision.
Rick simply nodded in understanding. When they heard the familiar thumping of boots making their way up the steps, they quickly hushed their voices and waited for Daryl to appear.
"I didn't see no bag." He grunted.
"My mistake then. You two should get going, I can handle it from here. I'll see you in a few days." Jayden gave them a tight-lipped smile.
"See you in a few days." Rick nodded as he and Daryl began going down the staircase.
Daryl took a second to look back up at Jayden, he chewed his lip for a moment before nodding and returning to Rick's side. Jayden hoped that the next few days would pass by quickly so she could get back to the group but little did she know she would have more than a fever to worry about.
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Hey Guys! I'm back! Life has been a completely crazy journey as of late. I am now officially medically retired from College Basketball due to my hip and ankle injuries. My body is now allowed to rest and have more time to write. My emotions are super mixed with the whole situation as I would love to stay in my sport but I know it is time for my body to be done. Hopefully, this story will become the perfect outlet for my emotions haha. I hope you guys are enjoying it so far and please let me know what you think in the comments. And as always leave a vote for this chapter and others if you are enjoying them. Love you all!
XOXO - Jordan