You know that feeling when you wake up some mornings and you just know that it isn't going to be a good day? You just know that there is bound to be one, more than likely more, things that's going to go drastically wrong, like a feeling of being cursed for the day before you've even done anything?
Well that is exactly how I felt when I woke just before the sun had risen, inside a one man tent with another person next to me and one light blanket covering my body. Yes I remembered exactly what had happened the night before, but how it got to me actually sleeping in the tent instead of going back to the house I was a little fuzzy on, particularly in my still half asleep state. In fact, I'm not even 100% sure how we managed to even make it back to the tent, but anyway.
Discovering that Daryl was still asleep, thankfully, I quietly shuffled out from under the blanket, finding all my clothes except the oversized hoodie that appeared to have vanished (and by vanish I mean it was somewhere in the woods, but I wasn't going searching at this hour and I really just wanted to get back to the house before anyone else woke up).
On the way back down to the house I decided that I wouldn't go through the camp and instead found myself going the long way around, circling the house to enter through the back door to avoid any possibly awake people.
My hair was a mess, my clothes were crinkled something awful, a felt lightheaded due to a lack of a full nights sleep and an early rise and I was walking on my tiptoes.
I was doing the god damn walk of shame in the middle of the bloody apocalypse... on my own freaking property.
Thankfully there were very few floorboards in the house that creaked and I knew where they were so I got to my bathroom quietly where I would find a packet of morning after pills in the top draw. Unfortunately, my bathroom was actually a shared connecting bathroom between mine and Maggie's rooms and after I had taken the pill my still clumsy and groggy 4am-self knocked over the bottle of Listerine and caused a loud enough crashing sound to wake my sleeping sister.
"Kat?" A sleepy Maggie called from the other side of the closed door.
"Shit." I whispered, quickly picking up the bottle and placing it back on the table and then throwing the pill packet back in the draw and slamming it shut just as Maggie came into the bathroom. "Hey." I smiled casually.
"What are you doing?"
"Woke up early, was going to have a shower." I shrugged.
Her eyes flicked to the top draw and then back at me, obviously having seen me shut it as she was opening the door and I had slammed it pretty loud as well. Her eyes then scanned my clothes that were obviously the same ones I had worn yesterday. Well this was going splendidly.
"Carol said she sent you to try and convince Daryl to come back down to the camp." Maggie stated carefully and slowly with an almost half raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, she did last night. I, ah, couldn't convince him though."
"Right... well Shane brought Lori back, she took my car and crashed it." Maggie explained, not saying anything more of the Daryl matter.
"What?!" I quickly readjusted my tone, realizing that that was probably a little too loud. "Are you kidding me?!" I whispered yelled this time.
"Nope. And Rick, Glenn and dad aren't back yet." This was when my stomach turned and knotted. I hadn't really thought anything of it earlier. That's why I had agreed to go and talk to Daryl in the first place. Beth was recovering and Rick had gone to fetch dad. Nothing bad ever happened in town, nothing three men couldn't have handled anyway. I honestly thought if I went up to talk to him by the time I came back down they would be back and that was when I had just thought I'd be going up there for half an hour tops.
"Oh god." I breathed.
"I'm sure they're okay." Maggie nodded. "They might have had to take up camp somewhere is all."
"We should..."
"We can't, not until the sun comes up at least and everyone else is awake."
I nodded in agreement. "Right... well I guess I'll take that shower now then."
"Mmhmm." She hummed and I gave her a curiously look as an almost smug smile came to her lips. "Kat... I waited up for you last night." She stated. "But, ah... kinda gave up after three hours, though... we both know what's in the top draw." She then concluded with a slight smirked before backing out of the bathroom quickly and closing the door as I threw a hand towel after her.
Wonderful.
I had a longer shower than planned, slightly drifting off halfway through washing my hair, and then got changed into a pair of ripped jeans and a khaki singlet. I didn't check on Beth, not wanting to risk waking her up and instead went downstairs and prepared some breakfast as I waited for everyone else.
In another hour the sun was bright and I was about ready to march around the house and pull everyone out of their beds to discuss a plan, but I didn't have to.
When I went outside to see if I could talk to Shane or someone about going after them I discovered that Shane, Andrea, T-Dog and Daryl were loading up a car and getting ready to go.
"You comin'?" Shane yelled over to me as I began to make my way over, avoiding as much eye contact with Daryl as I could. Shane had decided to ignore the fact that I had pointed a gun at him and that he knew I hated him and I was glad of it. It was probably better this way. I guess there's only so long you can tip tow around a subject, but now was not the time to bring up what happened at the barn, me almost shooting him or the fact that I knew he killed Otis.
I nodded as a reply once I was close enough and Shane held out a handgun for me to take.
"You weren't at training, you know how it works?" He asked, again ignoring the fact that I had pointed that very same gun at him not 24 hours ago.
My only reply was checking to see if there was a bullet in the barrel before ejecting the mag, checking the rounds and slamming it back in. Shane nodded in approval.
"Don't suppose you have anything bigger?" I asked, looking down at the 9mm.
"Let's see how you shoot with that first." Shane responded, turning back to the trunk of the car as I rolled my eyes. I knew how to shoot. Dad had taught me how to use a shot gun and I figured that a rifle would be the same principals and as for the 9mm... well remember how I said Mike had taught me a lot? Well, He didn't just teach me a few things about bikes.
I could feel Daryl giving me a side glance from where he stood next to the vehicle, but I refused to look up. In fact I wasn't 100% sure he was watching me, it was probably just because I was suddenly very aware of his presence and felt somewhat awkward and nervous, having no idea how to handle this.
I was probably staring at the gun in my hand a little longer than I should have and was only snapped out of it when T-Dog spoke up.
"Hey, they're back." He announced. I looked up and sure enough, in the distance, I could make out a car coming up to the house and felt a rush of relief over my body as I shoved the gun into my belt and started making my way over to the stopping vehicle at a fast paced walk that turned into a jog with everyone behind me.
"Dad!" Carl called as he sprinted forward into Rick's arms and I made my way around the vehicle, running straight to my dad and giving him a hug just as Maggie ran past him and to Glenn.
"Patricia!" My dad called once I'd let go. "Prepare the shed for surgery."
"Surgery?" I muttered to myself.
"Who the hell is that?" T-Dog asked, pointing into the back of the car as we all looked to see a blind folded boy sitting in the back seat. The poor kid looked unconscious.
"That's Randall." Glenn answered.
I was about to ask when I was suddenly called away. "Katherine!" My dad's voice yelled from the deck. "I need your help." I jumped up the stairs to meet him. "His people left him after he fell off a roof a skewered his leg on spiked fence pole. I'm going up to Beth, I want you to stitch him up. There's a lot of muscle and nerve damage, but considering the injury it's quite clean. We have some painkillers, but nothing to knock him out so you'll have to get someone to hold him down." I nodded along, taking in my orders. I wanted to ask about last night and yes, yell at him for leaving, but that could wait. In all honesty I didn't blame him for going, I just wish he had told someone. "Patricia will help." He added before turning to go see Beth just as Patricia came out of the house with all the necessary equipment. "He stays in the barn!" My dad yelled from inside, just in case as he began to head upstairs.
Patricia handed me the gear before we walked down the stairs.
"You." She turned to Daryl. "We'll need you." Daryl just stared back at her directness for a moment. "To hold him down." She clarified. Daryl glanced over to Shane and Rick, but they were to deep in conversation, probably about Randall, to volunteer to take his place. So, grudgingly, Daryl complied and got in the car with Patricia, Randall and I as Trish drove us to the barn.
Daryl helped get the semi unconscious kid, who was actually about Maggie's age, out of the car and pull him into the barn. When Daryl loosened his grip, Randall almost collapsed to the ground, lying on his back.
Patricia went to his side with some painkillers and water as I began to set out the equipment.
"Here, take this." She said to him after she had removed the blindfold and slapped his cheek to grab his attention.
He took the pill, but not the water. "Drink it, it'll help dissolve the pain killers faster and they'll kick in sooner." I explained sternly.
Randall complied, too weak to argue, and took a few gulps of water, apparently discovering he was actually quite thirsty, as soon the bottle was empty.
Once I was ready I nodded for Daryl and Patricia to hold him down. With Daryl pinning down his shoulder, shoving a cloth in his mouth to bite down on, and Patricia basically sitting on his upper leg to keep it steady, I felt like I was in some horror movie or in the middle of a war, but either way my breath was hitching in my throat as I hesitated for a split second, closing my eyes, before finally getting to work.
The surgery was actually quite basic and I had done things similar to it before which was why my dad had trusted me with it. Thankfully Randall had passed out not long after I had started from the pain and I could relax after that, knowing he couldn't feel it anymore, but Patricia and Daryl remained where they were just in case.
Once I was done, Patricia dressed and bandaged it as I packed up the gear.
"He should be tied up." Daryl said as Trish got to her feet.
I nodded in agreement and gestured towards the back of the barn. "There should be some rope back there and we can lock the barn door." There was a part of me, deep down, that was thankful for the distractions as it made any encounter with Daryl less awkward.
Once he was tied up we left the barn, driving up to the house in the car, deciding that he probably didn't need anyone watching him for the minute.
We came inside and followed the sound of Rick's voice into the dining room where everyone had gathered around the table.
"We couldn't just leave him behind. He would have bled out, if he lived that long." Rick was explained. I was surprised that they weren't already finished with this conversation.
"It's gotten bad in town." Glenn added, referring to the Walkers.
"What do we do with him?" Andrea asked.
It was silent for a moment, no-one really having any idea, before my dad turned to me. "How'd it go?"
"His calf muscle was torn up pretty bad. I did what I could, but he'll more than likely have nerve damage. It'll be at least a week before he can even try to stand." I explained.
"When he is we'll give him a canteen, take him out to the main road and send him on his way." Rick explained.
"Isn't that the same as leaving him for the Walkers?" Andrea asked.
I wasn't sure how I felt about leaving him. He was just a kid, an injured one at that, and if his people had abandoned him he probably didn't have anywhere to go. Plus we had saved and patched him up, if anything he might even become useful, loyal, but that being said we didn't know how far his loyalties ran with his old group and he may sneak out to try and find them, bring them back here.
"He'll have a fighting chance." Rick said.
"Just gonna let him go?" Shane asked, unsure of the plan. "He knows where we are."
"He was blindfolded the whole way here, he's not a threat."
"Not a threat. How many of them were there?" Shane asked, obviously referring to the group he was with. I was yet to hear the whole story, but I was willing to bet they had attacked my dad, Rick and Glenn, maybe for supplies or weapons. "You kill three of their men, you took one of them hostage, but they just ain't gonna come looking?" Shane added, giving me some more information.
"They left him for dead. No one is looking."
"We should still post a guard." T-Dog cut in.
"He's unconscious now." I spoke up. "Shouldn't be awake for another couple of hours."
"You know what." Shane started. "I'm gonna go get him some flowers and candy." Shane joked with a scoff, heading for the door. "Look at this, folks... we back in fantasy land." God I hated him.
"You know, we haven't even dealt with what you did at my barn yet." My dad called after him. "Let me make this perfectly clear, once and for all... this is my farm. Now I wanted you gone. Rick talked me out of it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. So do us both a favor... keep your mouth shut." I didn't particularly like my dad provoking Shane, but that didn't stop the smile that spread across my face as Shane slowly backed away and stormed out.
"Look... we're not going to do anything about it today, let's just cool off." Rick said once Shane had left. Andrea walked out next, following Shane and if I had to guess she was on his side. Everyone began to clear out after that and I went straight upstairs to Beth's room.
Beth was still in the same state she had been, but was looking somewhat better. I had given her a sedative last night and now that she was awake I could see there was some colour back in her cheeks and her temperature had gone down.
"Has she eaten?" Dad asked me as he joined me in the room.
"No, but she's looking better than she was." I replied half-heartedly as I walked further into the room and stood beside the bed just as Maggie came in behind and stopped in the doorway.
"You were drinking." Maggie spoke up, both disappointed and upset.
"That was the least of my worries." Dad responded.
"You left and I didn't know what to do!" Maggie yelled back, letting her words linger for a moment before turning and leaving.
My father looked up at me, perhaps expecting me to add something. I remained silent, just returning his guilty look with an unwavering and clearly unimpressed one.
"You knew." He finally spoke. "You saw how things were before the barn, you knew there was no hope." He said shaking his head and looking to Beth.
"I knew they couldn't be brought back." I whispered, my gaze now softening as I took in my defeated father. "But there's always hope, Daddy. You just have to find it. Annette and Shawn are gone but... We're still here. Me, Beth, Maggie... you can't do this. Don't check out on us."
"You're strong, Kat. Just like your mother. Maybe you will survive this new world." He stated, looking back up at me.
"I'm strong for you and for Beth and for Maggie. After everything we've been through I have to be, but I can't be without you and them. Don't do this, Daddy... please." I only registered the tears after they began to fall silently. I couldn't remember the last time he saw me cry.
Slowly he stood and made his way over to me, taking my hands in is. "It won't happen again. I'm not going anywhere, I promise." He stated with utter surety, a promise I knew he wouldn't brake, before placing a kiss on my forehead.
Okay, so I know Kat hates Shane and most of the WD fanbase does, but i actually kind of like him. My character won't because it wouldn't work, but my first idea for a WD fanfic was to have an OC that was Rick's younger sister who was dating/engaged to Shane who then gradually got closer to Daryl the more insane and hostile Shane got etc. But anyway, just seeing how many of you out there are like me and for some reason unknown to you, you like Shane?