Daryl knelt down on the floor in front of the motorbike that he had just gotten back; his wife was asleep in the house and he was glad that she was resting because along with Carol and Maggie she had been acting strangely since her kidnap and wouldn't say anything about it.
"Didn't even notice." Carols voice rang out as she sat down on the porch. "You got your bike back."
He nodded and took notice of the cigarette in her hand. "You got another one of those?"
"Should you be smoking if Katy can't?" She joked with a small smile as she passed it over to him.
"I don't even know if she ever has."
"Definitely." She decided. "She was a trouble maker in her school days, you can tell."
He chuckled. "I can see that." Putting the cigarette into his mouth, he lit it casually.
"Those people you met in the forest." She asked looking at the bike. "They took it from you?"
"Yeah."
"You saved them right?"
At the question, Daryl looked down to the floor. It was hard to be a good guy in their world and you could never be sure if it was worth giving somebody a chance or not.
"It's who you are." She said. "I'm still stuck with that."
"No, we ain't." He shook his head. "I should have killed them."
"Maybe." She shrugged standing up to walk away.
He shouted. "The ones that took you, Maggie and Katy. What did they do?"
"To us, they didn't do anything."
➳
Katy walked onto the porch squinting as the sun hit her eyes but smiling when she saw Daryl sitting on the steps looking seriously at his bike. He had a cigarette in his hand which brought back nostalgia for the woman as she sat down and put her head on his shoulder.
"I haven't smoked since High School."
"That's what Carol thought you'd say."
"Carol's been here?" She asked. "Is she okay?"
"She seems fine." He shrugged. "Why won't you tell me what happened when you were taken?"
"They didn't hurt us so what does it matter?"
"It just does." He mumbled.
"They said some stuff about having babies nowadays." She gave him a snippet of the time. "It made me think but it could have been a lot worse. Besides, I made friends with Carol so you should be happy."
"I am." He grumbled.
"Good." She kissed his cheek lightly before looking at the bike. "You should give me a go on that."
"You could break it." He shook his head. "Or it could break you."
"At least let me get on the back." She told him truthfully. "I think it's cool."
"Not while you're pregnant." He said firmly before pressing his lips against her forehead and mumbling. "I just wanna keep you safe."
She smiled as she sat Denise and Rosita coming towards them. "We have company."
The couple stood up as the two woman stopped in front of them, Katy sat down again when their eyes stopped on Daryl. "Eddison's Apothecary and Boutique. It's just this little gift shop in a strip mall but if it's an apothecary it has drugs. I think we should go."
Daryl stepped forwards. "How do you know they've still got 'em?"
"It's not far out. I just wanna check and you and Rosita aren't out scavenging or pulling shifts." Denise explained her logic.
"Neither am I." Katy raised her hand.
Denise smiled at the woman. "If we go, I didn't think you'd come."
"She wouldn't," Daryl said casually before his voice turned slightly harsher. "How much time have you spent out there?"
"None." Denise admitted.
"Forget it."
"Daryl." Katy grasped his arm hoping that he'd be nicer.
"I can I.D the meds. I know how to use a machete now." Denise pleaded.
"You good with this?" Daryl asked Rosita.
"No." She said obviously.
"I'll go alone if I have to." Denise tried to be strong.
"You'll die." Daryl told her bluntly -- Katy could not believe his version of 'less mean'.
"I'm asking you to make sure I don't."
"I'm not babysitting her by myself." Rosita said.
"Fine."
"Good luck." Katy smiled at the woman before looking at her husband who knelt down in front of her. "Stay safe."
"I will."
"Don't be hard on Denise. She's nice."
"Exactly."
➳
Katy's day had been uneventful and everybody else seemed to be busy; she had been walking around with Judith in her arms until she saw Carl and sat down across from him.
"I was wondering where she was." He looked at his little sister.
"I took her on a walk. I guess it's good practice." She passed the baby over to Carl. "It's been a boring day although she does talk more than Daryl."
"That's true." Carl laughed.
"I'm surprised you're here." Katy told him. "You're usually with that girl."
"Enid?" She nodded. "No, I'm not."
"You like her right?" Katy teased. "Have you kissed yet?"
"Katy." He grumbled.
"You're growing up."
"I was already grown up."
"Should we play a game, Judith?"
The little girl began to giggle. The three sat down on the floor and let Judith crawl around before Katy made a Cat noise and Carl roared even though he clearly didn't want to but Judith seemed to be having a lot of fun.
"What are you doing?" They both turned as they heard Ricks voice and saw his confused expression.
"Playing a game." She informed him. "Can you do a Dog impression?"
"No." Rick shook his head.
"Come on, live a little."
"No."
"Just let out a woof, for Judith."
Rick sighed. "Woof." He said in a really unemotive voice that made everybody laugh loudly until Abraham burst in with a frantic look.
"Denise is dead and Eugene's been shot."
It was typical for their happy moment to be destroyed by death and sadness. Katy stood up quickly grabbing onto Rick with wide eyes as they made their way out of the house. Carl stayed with Judith in the house and watched as the grown-ups ran out. When they got to the hospital Eugene was on a bed with Rosita and Abraham next to him while Daryl stood by the window. Katy spoke quickly to Eugene before going over to her husband.
"Are you hurt?" He grunted in reply and she knew that he wasn't. "How did she die?"
"It was one of the guys I met in the forest. He got her right in the eye." He looked down. "I should have killed him before."
"You were trying to be good." She told him sadly.
"It didn't work." He shook his head. "I'm gonna dig her a grave."
"I'll help. Don't even try to stop me."
They left the house together and began digging in the usual place they buried their people. They had only done a few digs when a voice sounded from behind them.
"Katy, let me do that." Carol said.
"I can manage."
Carol didn't listen to Katy instead she took the shovel from the woman who sat down and watched the digging instead. Once it was done they put Denise's body in it and he threw in a keyring that must have meant something to her. She didn't want the death to hold Daryl back like some other things did.
"You were right." Carol told him as they dug -- Katy didn't know what she meant but she wrapped her arms around herself and just hoped that the man she loved would be okay.
• Edited •