I walked out of the room and took off the bloody gloves. The Governor walked with me out of the building quite calmly. "I'm surprised you came here." "I don't leave anyone who needs help. No matter who it is." 'I appreciate it. I'll be sure to give you a call if we need you again." I shook my head and leaned against the building. "Look at all this. Are you ready to give it all up for a fight? There won't be any electricity, hot water, or enough food to keep your hunger away. It will all be gone."
"Are you ready to lose your life to protect those men?" "I would do anything to protect them. We're more than just a group." I was about to leave when I went back and punched him. "That's for mentioning the baby." I got on the motorcycle and went to the gate. The Governor nodded and they let me through.
It was almost dawn when I got back. I opened the gate myself and shut it behind me. I walked inside and went to my cell. It didn't take me long to fall asleep.
"There she is." I walked over to everyone and sat on the stairs. Rick walked in looking nervous. "How was it?" "He's a psychopath but this time showed it in front of everyone." "Anything different?" "They're preparing for war. They've got military equipment, children carrying guns. It's not sane."
It wasn't easy walking around today. It felt like I was walking through cement. Merle tried cracking a few jokes but it didn't help. I stood up at the guard tower and looked down. Daryl and Merle were talking near the gate. I sighed and looked through my scope trying to find anything off. "Princess!" "What Merle?" He waved me down and I shook my head. "I'm on watch." "Glenn is taking your post now come on." I walked down and met them at the gate. "What now?" "We're going hunting. Want to come?"
I walked through the woods next to Daryl. Merle was a little farther up in front of us. "I'm sorry." "About what?" He looked up at Merle and shook his head. "Yelling at you about the baby." "It's fine Daryl." We were both looking at the ground when we ran into Merle. I fell back and he looked around. "Hell Merle what's wrong?" "Someone's out here with us." Everything was dead silent. There weren't any animals making a sound just us slightly breathing. "Daryl.. I think we're surrounded." "Come on." I followed Merle and started running. Daryl followed close behind. We came to a bridge and looked at both sides. The Governors men stood on both sides with walkers stumbling around the woods.
Daryl grabbed my hand and Merle nodded. "Only one way out." "You've got to be kidding me." "Sorry Princess." Daryl put his other arm around my waist. "I won't let you go." He jumped and we hit the water hard. I stayed under trying to find them but it was way too muddy. I grabbed the cement of the bridge and pulled myself up. I looked around and saw someone floating not too far down. I dove back into the water and swam under the surface trying to not get shot. I flipped the body over and it wasn't Daryl. I screamed and moved back. "Not Daryl.. Not Daryl.."
"Sunshine!" I swam over to Merle and grabbed onto the tree. "Another name?" "Of course. It's how I bond. You look like you about drowned."
"Why don't you?" "I once swam six miles when I was kicked off a boat. This doesn't bother me." The tree broke sending me under the water again. He grabbed my hand and pulled me onto another tree. "Morning darlin'." I looked up at the voice and everything stopped. I reached out a shaky hand but it went through him. "Shane?" "The one and only. What are you doing out here?"
"We were out hunting. Have you seen Merle or Daryl?" "The Dixons? I'd check the bottom." He looked over at another part of the water and I just barely saw Merle's shirt. I held onto the ground trying to get over to him. I pulled him up and looked back. Shane was gone. I pushed Merle onto the shore and got up. He wasn't breathing. "Damn it Merle.." I started doing chest compressions and heard Shane talking in my ear telling me Merle was gone and I should just give up. It's bad enough Rick was seeing things and now I'm seeing someone I barely knew.
The sound of coughing up water hit my ears and Merle was back. I threw my arms around him grateful he was alive. I don't think I could kill him if he was a walker. Same goes for Daryl. I don't know how people look at him like he's an evil person. He's just like the rest of us only he acts when we're afraid to. "Have we met before?" "Not now. You know you are the most stubborn man I ever met." "I'm fine now." I pulled him up against the tree and grabbed my gun. I looked out through the scope hoping to see Daryl. "That's a nice ass you got there sunshine." "Thanks but take your eyes off it before I pull them out of your skull." "I like your attitude." Fantastic..
After a few hours we got moving. I helped him walk through the woods looking for Daryl. "We always seem to get into trouble together. Ever since day one." "Eh.. I can tell he loves you. I haven't quite decided if I should kill you yet for it." "He's alone and he's good like that. I'll just slow him down."
"Let him decide that. I know you will but he doesn't care. He'll die for anyone that's the heart he has." "It's a good thing Merle. You have a good heart as well. You treat me like I'm an old friend you've known your whole life." He shook his head and I continued looking for Daryl.
"Who's that?" "I think it's him." "I'll go." I pushed him back and jumped into the water. I pulled myself onto the rocks and this time I was happy to see it was Daryl. "Randy.." "You have no idea how hard you are to find. Are you hurt?" "No. Where's Merle?" "I've got him."
It took us a while to get back to Merle. We were all exhausted and knew we weren't making it back for a while. Merle and Daryl rested against the tree and I went off to try and hunt. We needed to come back with something. I was walking through watching for any movement. I shot at a rabbit and tied it to my belt. I was about to step into a clearing when I saw a buck not too far away. I pulled back on my bow and let go. I loaded another one and shot. It went running and I followed it.
It finally fell after a few miles. I smiled happily walking over. I haven't shot a deer in forever. I pulled my arrows from it and heard a click behind me. "Out of all.." Slowly I turned to see a few people staring at me. "Who are you?" "Does it matter? I feel like I'm getting shot either away." I heard a scream from in their camp and stepped to the side. "What's going on?" "One of our men are hurt." It's a good thing that a light bulb doesn't actually appear when you have a plan or he would've shot me down.
"I'm a doctor. If I help him you let me go and give me a four wheeler you got over there." "You fix it and you can have it. You fix him, you get your life." I shook his hand and he helped me move my deer. I opened the tent and saw his bone popping out his leg. "What happened?" "He fell out of a tree." I rolled my eyes and walked over. I popped his bone back in and he screamed.
I wrapped up his leg and wiped off my hands. He tossed me the keys to the four wheeler and started looking at it. How the hell are people still alive? They are so stupid. You say you're a doctor and they think you won't harm them. I laughed when I saw the problem. I put the battery back in and started it. I put the deer on the back and took off. Looks like someone wanted them to stay there for a reason.
"Let's go before it gets dark." "Where did you get that?" "Some idiot." They got on and I drove up to the bridge. No one was around so we went across. It was a simple ride home but the whole time I wondered how many of them were watching and waiting for the right moment to strike.
Daryl and Merle started messing with the deer and I took a moment by myself. I walked up to the gate and looked down at the graves. It's almost like we're killing everyone ourselves. If you don't do anything to stop it you're guilty as well. Daryl stood next to me and put his hand on my back but moved it just as soon as he placed it. "I don't know what to do." "That makes two of us." I couldn't help but hug him. I needed him right then. I put my face into his chest and inhaled. I smelled like the river and dead animals but he was just Daryl. He didn't change. Everyone walked inside leaving us alone. He put his arms around me and we just stood there. I was holding my whole world in my arms. My first and last love. He was here with me.
"We should head back." "If you want." It seemed simple but so damn complicated. We were hard to love and we both knew it. I knew it wasn't going to be easy to be with him but I've heard its a good price to pay. I laid down in my cell and was almost asleep when the light from the moon was blocked. I opened my eyes and saw Daryl. I sat up and he sat next to me.
"Carol is having fun with this." "Yeah so is everyone else." He didn't break eye contact with the floor making me nervous. "Thanks for today." "You don't need to thank me. I save you, you save me remember?" He left and I just watched him. He walked out of the cell block so I went down to talk to Merle.
"What's wrong with my brother?" "No idea. He just left my cell." I laid back on the table and stared at the ceiling. "Should I go after him?" "Nah.. he can take care of himself. Toughest guy I know, my brother." I nodded hoping Daryl would tell me what was bothering him so much. "Love sucks Merle." "Preaching to the choir sweetheart..."