A/N hey everyone so here it is chapter 19, so sorry it took so long but as I've explained I am so busy with uni and visiting my family and my boyfriend breaking up with me....so basically my life is a rollercoaster at the moment.
Anyways leave you comments and let me know what you all think :)
Chapter 19
Daryl's POV
"They seemed nice enough, but I was ready to go. We just got here, but, damn, it was time to go. When I told them about DC, a wink and a nod from the head asshole in charge, they pulled their guns and it was right back to our regularly scheduled shitstorm," Abraham spoke.
"Before they put you in here, you didn't see Tyreese?" Sasha asked.
"No," Michonne spoke.
"Good," Sasha spoke.
"Char?" I asked, "Anyone seen her?"
"Not since the prison," Glenn spoke.
"What about Beth?" Maggie asked.
"I was with her, she was taken," I replied, "Black car with a white cross painted on it. I tried to follow it. I tried."
"But she's alive?" Maggie asked.
"She's alive."
We were all gearing up with whatever we had on us, shoe laces, belt buckles, anything.
"All right, got four of them pricks coming our way," I spoke looking out the gap in the cart.
"Y'all know what to do," Rick spoke, "Go for their eyes first. Then their throats."
"Put your backs to the walls on either side of the car. Now!" a guy spoke and then the roof opened up and a canister of some sort was dropped in. Smoke was everywhere, filling the cart. Rick, Bob, me and Glenn were taken bound and gagged. A bag was on my head and was pulled of when we reached some sort of room. Looking around I was glad that Char wasn't here.
We were thrown in front of an animal feedin' trough, still bound and gagged. I didn't know what would happen next but they hit some guy on the back of the head with a baseball bat and then slit his throat, they went along the line of men they had and continued to do so. I looked away, countin' my blessin's now that Char wasn't here.
Gareth then walked into the room, "Hey, guys. What were your shot counts?"
He wrote something down as they moved over to Glenn but Gareth stopped them.
"Hey! Your shot count?" he asked.
"Crap, man, I'm sorry," one of the guys spoke, "It was my first roundup."
"After you're done here, go back to your point and count the shells," Gareth spoke, "Kaylee won't be gathering them until tomorrow."
"Hey," Bob yelled muffled, "Hey, let me talk to you."
"Four from A, four from D?" Gareth asked.
"Yeah," one of the guys spoke.
"Hey, let me talk to you for a minute," Bob spoke again, "Let me talk to you for a minute. Let me talk to you for a minute."
"What?" Gareth spoke pulling down Bob's gag, "What?"
"Don't do this. We can fix this," Bob spoke.
"No, you can't," Gareth spoke.
"You don't have to do this," Bob yelled when Gareth wanted to put his gag back up, "We told you there's a way out of all this. You just have to take a chance. We have a man who knows how to stop it. He has a cure. We just have to get him to Washington. You don't have to do this, man. We can put the world back to how it was."
"Can't go back, Bob," Gareth replied.
"We can!" Bob spoke just as his gag was put back up, "You don't have to do this!"
"We saw you go into the woods with a bag and come out without it," Gareth spoke to Rick lowering his gag, "Had to pull my spotters back before we could go look for it. What was in it? You hid it, right? In case things went bad? Smart. Still, we'll find it. But it's too dangerous to go out there right now," Gareth pulled a knife and then pulled down Bob, "What was in it? I'm curious. And it was a big bag. You really gonna let me do this?"
"Well, let me take you out there," Rick spoke, "I'll show you."
"Not gonna happen," Gareth spoke as he lowered Bob closer to the knife, "This might."
"There's guns in it," Rick spoke, "AK-47. 44 Magnum. Automatic weapons. Nightscope. There's a compound bow and a machete with a red handle. That's what I'm gonna use to kill you."
"Thanks," Gareth chuckled and then he put Rick's gag back on, "You have two hours to get them on the driers. I'm gonna go back to public face. Now's the time we can get messy, but we need to dial it all in by sundown."
"Got it."
"Yes, sir."
Then gunshots started, what the hell was that?
"Hey, Chuck?" Gareth spoke into a walkie. Then the whole compound started to shake.
Charlotte's POV
"We're close," Carol spoke, "I'm gonna get you both there. Make sure you're safe. But I'm not gonna stay."
Then snarling started and I looked at Tyreese and Carol when a walker appeared out of the forest.
"I can't," Tyreese explained, "Not yet."
I handed the baby too him and grabbed my knife as I approached the ugly whore, I stabbed my knife through its skull and it dropped to the ground.
"You're going to have to be able to," Carol spoke.
I looked up and a million more walkers were coming.
"More," I spoke and we started running into the forest. The walkers were headed our way when a bunch of gunshots turned them the other way. We sat there in silence as we watched the walkers head towards the noise.
When the coast was clear we headed back onto the tracks.
"That gunfire, it could have been from Terminus," Tyreese spoke.
"Someone was attacking them," I suggested.
"Or they were attacking someone," Carol spoke.
"Do we even want to find out?" Tyreese spoke.
"Yeah. There's another track due east. It'll get us there. We'll be real careful. We're gonna get answers," Carol spoke as we headed off.
We kept walking and came across a cabin in the woods that just reminds me of that lame ass horror movie.
"Alex didn't get it. See, I knew the chick with the sword was bad news. Bitch looked like a weapon with a weapon," a guy spoke into a walkie.
"He was always a sloppy-ass mother," the voice from the other side spoke.
"Yeah, I told Albert I want the kid's hat after they bleed him out."
I raised my gun at his head and clocked it to let him know I was there, "Keep your finger off the button and drop it."
"They're only doing eight before public face," the voice spoke.
"Listen, y'all don't have to do this," the guy spoke raising his hands after dropping the walkie, "Whatever you want, we got a place where everyone's welcome."
"Shut up, man," Tyreese spoke.
"Okay," he guy agreed.
"We're friends of the chick with the sword and the kid in the hat," I explained, we then tied him up and brought him inside. We were trying to figure out where to go from here.
"They attacked us. We're just holding them," the guy explained.
"I don't believe you," Carol spoke from behind me.
"Who else do you have? Do you know their names?" Tyreese asked.
"We just have the boy and the samurai, that's it," the guy explained, I didn't believe him, "We were just protecting ourselves."
"I don't think I believe you either," I spoke.
"There's a bunch of us out there in six different directions," the guy spoke, "There was a lot of gunfire back home. We need to set off our charges all at the same time to confuse the dead ones away. That's good for you, too."
"No, it isn't," Carol spoke packing a bag, "There's a herd heading toward Terminus right now. We don't want to confuse them away. We're gonna need their help."
"It's a compound. They'll see you coming. If you even make it that far with all the cold bodies heading over."
"Carol," I spoke, "How are you gonna do this?"
"I'm gonna kill people," Carol explained, "You three stay here."
Carol walked out and I followed.
"Carol," I spoke and she turned around, "I wanna come."
Carol shook her head, "Charlie you can't, you have to stay safe, for you and the baby."
"Daryl could be there," I pointed out.
"If he is I'll bring him straight here but I'm not taking you, if something happened, I'd never forgive myself and Daryl wouldn't either."
I walked back into the cabin and closed the door behind me. Judith started to get a bit restless so I grabbed her off of Tyreese to change her nappy.
"She got a name?" the guy asked, "Hey, she got a name?"
"Judith," I replied as I laid her down.
"She your daughter or something?" the guy asked me.
"She's a friend," I spoke sitting beside her and grabbing the stuff I needed out of her bag.
"Huh," the guy spoke, "I don't have any friends. I mean, I know people. They're just assholes I stay alive with. The other one your friend? The woman? I used to have them. Used to watch football on Sundays. Went to church. I know I did. But I can't picture it anymore. It's funny how you don't even notice the time go by. Horrible shit just stacks up day after day. You get used to it."
"I haven't gotten used to it," Tyreese spoke as I put on a clean nappy and rubbed Judith's belly which made her laugh.
"Of course you haven't. You're the kind of guy who saves babies. It's kind of like saving an anchor when you're stuck without a boat in the middle of the ocean. Been behind some kind of walls, right? You're still around, but you haven't had to get your hands dirty. I can tell. See, you're a good guy and you're a good chick."
"You have no idea about the things I've done," Tyreese replied.
"Things we've done," I corrected as I finished and packed the bag back up.
"You're a good guy. You're a good chick. That's why you're gonna die today. It's why the baby is going to die. Or you can get in that car, get out of here. Keep on being lucky."
"You think you're gonna kill us?" I asked standing up.
"Why haven't you killed me? How does having me alive help you? Why the hell are you even talking to me? Take her, take the car, and go," the guy suggested, "I don't want to do this today."
We all went quiet and I sat back down next to Judith, after a little while I heard an explosion go off and Tyreese shot to the window.
"Is that Terminus?" the guy asked.
"Yeah," Tyreese replied, "Probably."
"Maybe you're gonna win this," the guy spoke, "Maybe your friend, I mean, maybe that woman just got capped. Maybe I'm gonna be the one who gets capped when she comes back."
"Nobody's got to die today," Tyreese spoke.
"Man, if you believe that then it's definitely gonna be you and the kid," the guy spoke, "Even if that place is burning to the ground."
I was so busy looking at Tyreese and didn't realise the guy had gotten free till his arm was around my neck. Tyreese turned around and saw.
"Back off!" the guy spoke when Tyreese wanted to run towards me, "Back off! Put your weapons on the ground. Kick them over right now. Right now!"
"Please. Please, don't. Don't hurt her," Tyreese spoke and the guy wrapped tighter to the point where I could barely breathe.
"Go outside. Go outside! Just one twist, man. Don't! Don't make me! Go outside."
"All right," Tyreese agreed and he walked out the door. Judith was crying from behind me and the guy pulled me back.
"Untie my hands," he spoke, he got tighter so I did the best I could. He then ran over and picked up Tyreese's weapon and his walkie while I walked over to Judith and picked her up.
"It's ok," I spoke to her softly as I rocked her.
"Cynthia, do you copy? Cynthia, do you copy?" the guy spoke but all he was getting was static. The grunting outside suddenly stopped and Tyreese went quiet. The guy walked closer to the door and suddenly Tyreese burst through and pinned the guy to the ground and then he got out his knife and held it to the guy's throat. Tyreese then beat the guy unconscious.
"Charlie take Judith and wait outside," I nodded and walked out onto the porch with Judith in my arms. I looked around, scanning the area.
Daryl's POV
"Right here," I spoke when I saw the marking for the buried bag.
"The hell are we still around here for?" Abraham asked.
"Guns, some supplies. Go along the fences. Use the rifles. Take out the rest of 'em."
We had just escaped Terminus but barely, why the hell don't we just leave.
"What?" Bob asked.
"They don't get to live," Rick replied.
"Rick, we got out," Glenn spoke, "It's over."
"It's not over till they're all dead," Rick replied.
"The hell it isn't," one of the chick spoke, "That place is on fire. Full of walkers."
"I'm not dicking around with this crap," Abraham said, "We just made it out."
"The fences are down," Maggie spoke, "They'll run or die."
I heard something behind me and when I snapped around I saw Carol, had to adjust, make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me. I didn't hesitate to run over and wrap my arms around her. She was alive.
"Did you do that?" Rick asked as I pulled back..
"You have to come with me," Carol replied, looking at Rick then she looked at me, "I have something you need to see."
We followed behind her and kept walking until a cabin came into view. Again I had to blink to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me but the minute I saw I ran as fast as I could.
Charlotte's POV
Tyreese soon joined me out front of the porch and closed the door behind him. I had no idea what he had done and I didn't want to ask either. I handed Judith to him and kept on look.
After a while, figures appeared in the distance but one in particular stood out. I paused for a second before I ran as fast as I could.
"Daryl," I spoke softly before tears filled my eyes.
"Char," he yelled and he started running.
When I reached him I threw my arms around him and I started cry.
"You're ok," I cried. He pulled out slightly and placed his forehead on mine. He didn't say anything before wrapping his arms around me tighter.
"You found me," I cried.
"I will always find you," he cried back.
I pulled back and didn't break my gaze with him. He placed his hands either side of my face and placed his lips on mine. I never thought I'd ever get to see him again, let alone feel his lips on mine.
He pulled back and wrapped his arms around me again. We stayed like that for a moment before we pulled out due to a cough. It was Rick, he was holding Judith and he smiled at me, I didn't say anything I just nodded before I looked around, everyone was here, well almost everyone and even some new faces. I wiped away the tears that were still falling and went over to hug Maggie, Glenn, even Carl gave me a hug.
"I don't know if the fire is still burning," Rick spoke.
"It is," Carol spoke.
"Yeah. We need to go."
"Yeah, but where?" Daryl asked walking over to me again.
"Somewhere far away from there," Rick replied.
Daryl intertwined our fingers as we walked along the train tracks away from Terminus. He never let go either, he kept holding on. No matter how long we were walking for he never let go, he wanted to hold on to me.
We would stop eventually but I just sat in Daryl's arms, I was safe again, but how was I going to tell him, was he going to like it, not like it but accept it.
We kept walking along the road, just walking, no actually destination in mind but we just had to keep walking. We would eventually stop and build a camp, I laid in between Daryl's legs and he was lent up against a tree.
"I never lost hope," I spoke.
"I did," he replied as he pushed a strand of hair out of my face, "I knew you were alive though, never gave up hope on that."
"Nothing can kill a Dixon but a Dixon right," Glenn laughed.
"Damn straight," Daryl spoke.
I moved a little on Daryl's lap and saw something poked out of his vest when I looked up at him. I reached up and took the paper out, but it wasn't paper, it was one the Polaroids that we took.
"How did you?" I asked.
"Grabbed em that morning," he took em off me, "Knew you'd destroy them if you got the chance."
I laughed, and I reached into my pocket and took out my photo and showed it to him.
"Only thing that kept me going," I spoke.
Daryl grabbed my photo and threw two on the fire but he kept the one of me.
"Why'd you do that?" I asked sitting up.
"You don't need em," he spoke putting the photo of me into his vest pocket again.
"But you get to keep that one?" I asked and he nodded, "Why?"
"Cause, I like it," he smirked.
"Not fair, I liked those ones," I pouted.
"And you don't need em, not when I ain't ever leavin' ya side again."
I looked at him and moved in closer, I placed my lips on his and then he pulled me into his arms, where I would fall asleep. I woke up the next morning when it was time to make a move, well Daryl and I anyways, he wanted to go hunting, also said that he heard something last night he wanted to check out. We found a few squirrels and I found a rabbit but we didn't find any track to where he said something would be.
"Dare," I spoke and he looked at me when I stopped, "There's something....."
"It can wait," he spoke walking towards me.
I shook my head, "No."
"We have time," he spoke as he placed a hand on my cheek, "Tell me later."
And then he walked off, I knew what happened with him and Beth, he told me about it and I know he took the blame, he blamed himself. We found the group and everyone pointed their weapons at us.
"We surrender," Daryl spoke holding up our kill.
The weapons were lowered and we walked over to Rick and we all got walking.
"No tracks. No nothing," Daryl explained.
"So whatever you heard last night..." Rick started.
"It's more what I felt. If someone was watching us, there would have been something," Daryl explained and he and I walked up ahead. Should I tell him now?
"Ya ok?" he asked.
I snapped my head towards him and nodded as I kept walking, "Yeah just deep in thought I guess."
"Ya guess?" he looked skeptical, fuck what excuse can I come up with? "Char?"
"Yeah just with everything," I spoke, "I mean finding you and all."
"We found each other," he corrected, "Ain't nothin' else matter."
"I need to tell you...."
"Help!" I was cut off by a man screaming, "Help, anybody! Help!"
I didn't hesitate to run towards the screams.
"Char!" I heard behind me but I didn't stop running towards the screams. I reached the origin of the screams from a man on top of a rock surrounded by geeks. I raised my bow and shot at the first walker, I dropped my bow and unsheathed my knife holding it up and stabbing the next one that was approaching me. I then pulled the next one off the rock and stabbed my knife through its skull. I heard a shot behind me and turned to find a walker on the ground, I turned to see Carl with his gun up. I nodded at him and he smiled back. Group's way of saying thank you now a days.
"We're clear," Rick spoke, "Keep watch."
I turned to the man on the rock, "It's ok, you can come down."
"You okay?" Rick asked and the man held up a finger and hurled over and threw up.
"Sorry," the man spoke, "Yes. Thank you. I'm Gabriel."
"Do you have any weapons on you?" I asked as I picked up my bow.
He let out a chuckle, "Do I look like I would have any weapons?"
"We don't give two short and curlies what it looks like," Abraham spoke.
"I have no weapons of any kind. The word of God is the only protection I need," Gabriel explained.
"Sure didn't look like it," Daryl replied.
"I called for help. Help came," Gabriel explained, "Do you have....have any food? Whatever I....I had left, it just hit the ground."
"We've got some pecans," Carl held out some.
"Thank you," Gabriel spoke and Judith started to talk, "That's a beautiful child. Do you have a camp?"
"No. Do you?" Rick asked.
"I have a church," Gabriel spoke.
"Hold your hands above your head," Rick replied quickly and Gabriel did as Rick said and Rick started to check him. "How many walkers have you killed?"
"Not any, actually," Gabriel replied.
"Turn around," Rick ordered, "How many people have you killed?"
"None."
"Why?" Rick asked.
"Because the Lord abhors violence," Gabriel explained.
"What have you done?" I asked and Gabriel went silent.
"We've all done something," Rick added.
"I'm a sinner. I sin almost every day. But those sins, I confess them to God, not strangers," Gabriel confessed.
"You said you had a church?" Michonne asked.
"Yeah, follow me," Gabriel spoke and we all moved off.
As we were walking I was pulled to the side, and I came face to face with a fuming Daryl.
"What was that for?" I asked pulling my arm out of his grib.
"What was that you runnin' off like that?"
"He needed help," I explained.
"Ya had no idea what he could have been facin'."
I went silent guess in a way he was right.
"It could have been a herd," Daryl added.
"Dare I had to help," I explained.
"Don't do it again," Dare spoke as he turned to walk away.
"I will."
Daryl turned around, "What you say?"
"I said I will, I will always go help someone in need, no matter what you say. It's who am I," I spoke walking forwards, "I disappointed you would think otherwise."
I left him there and kept walking to catch up with the group. When I finally reached them I walked towards the middle but off to the side so I could have some space.
"Why'd you run off?" I snapped my head to the side and it was Carol.
"To help," I snapped.
"It could have been dangerous," Carol replied.
"I didn't think," I explained.
"I know, it was reckless," Carol replied and I stopped dead in my tracks.
"Who are you to tell me what to do, I'm getting pretty sick and tired of people telling me what I should be doing," I whispered yelled.
"This isn't about you anymore," Carol snapped, "You're pregnant, you have another life to worry about."
"I know," I snapped, "Hell I'm the one dealing with this, but I ain't gonna stop helping people till the day I die."
I walked past her and caught up with the rest of the group, I knew Carol was right and I had to look after myself and this baby but I didn't want to admit that I didn't even think about it. I was focused on helping the poor sucker who was calling for help.
Soon I was walking behind Rick, with Daryl to the side of me avoiding me with a vengeance, guess I deserved it. I think I over reacted.
"Hey, earlier, were you watching us?" Rick asked Gabriel.
"I keep to myself," Gabriel spoke, "Nowadays, people are just as dangerous as the dead, don't you think?"
"No, people are worse," Daryl replied looking back at me then snapped his head to the front. Ouch that hurt a little.
"Well, I wasn't watching you," Gabriel explained, "I haven't been beyond the stream near my church more than a few times since it all started. That was the furthest I've gone before today. Or maybe I'm lying. Maybe I'm lying about everything and there's no church ahead at all. Maybe I'm leading you into a trap so I can steal all your squirrels."
We all started to slow down, if that was a joke, it weren't funny. Gabriel turned around to face us.
"Members of my flock had often told me that my sense of humour leaves much to be desired," Gabriel spoke.
"Yeah, it does," I said and we kept walking till we reached an old run down looking church in the middle of nowhere.
"Hold up," Rick spoke when Gabriel reached to open the door, "Can we take a look around first? We just want to hold on to our squirrels."
Rick reached the front door and held out his hand to get the key off of Gabriel, who quickly handed it over. Rick unlocked the door and we all marched in, checking the coast was clear first before we all released the breathe we were holding that this could actually be a trap.
I entered a room that looked like an old office or something. I started to look around at all the old painting on the wall of the important biblical event.
"You a believer," I turned around to see Carol entering the room.
I shook my head, "Was when I was a kid, think every kid does, but then I grew up."
"I believe," Carol spoke.
I let out a groan, "I'm sorry Carol, I didn't mean..."
"I know," she smiled, "Everyone is entitled to their opinions."
I smiled at her and took a deep breathe, "I'm sorry about snapping at you before."
"I forgive you," Carol spoke, "I understand you have a lot to deal with but Char....you know you aren't alone. We're all here for you."
I nodded turning around to face one of the paintings again, "I know, just have to find the courage to tell him first."
"You haven't told Daryl yet?" she asked.
"Told me what?" I turned around to see Daryl standing in the doorway, I looked at Carol who was looking at me with absolute regret and guilt painted on her face. I just smiled at her.
"I'll leave you two alone," Carol quickly ran out of the room.
"What to tell me what's going on?" Daryl asked, he sounded pissed.
"Close the door please," I begged as I saw a couch to sit on and lowered my head. Tears started to form in my eyes, if I tell him then it's real, no turning back.
"Char," I felt hands on mine and lifted my head to see him crouched down in front of me, "Char your scaring me."
He raised his hand and wiped away the tears that were spilling.
"I'm so sorry Dare," I cried.
He wrapped his arms around me and moved in as close as he could.
"Whatever it is we'll figure it out," he spoke.
"You'll hate me," I whispered.
"Hey," he spoke pulling out and placing his hands on my cheeks, "We both know that ain't ever possible."
"Dare," I took a deep breathe, here goes nothing, "I'm pregnant."