I was basically sleep walking when I made it back to the prison.
"Thea!" Daryl shouts waking me up.
"Where have you been?! You were supposed to be back before dark!" He shouts walking up to me.
"I was hunting and I went too far" I say looking at the ground.
"Glenn!" He shouts and I watch as he runs up behind Daryl.
"Can you take this?" Daryl asks passing him the deer.
"Sure?" He says awkwardly putting the deer on his back.
"I'm carrying this" he says pointing at me as my knees feel weak.
"Alright" Glenn grumbles carrying himself away.
"Jump on" Daryl says turning his back to me and crouching down.
"Are you sure?" I ask looking in his eyes.
"Serious. Jump on" he says and I hop onto his back wrapping my arms around his neck.
"Don't fall" he says seriously before walking towards the prison.
"Night" I whisper as sleep sets in.
I wake up to heat. I don't have a blanket I mentally note as I turn to the source behind me.
"Daryl?" I ask as I look at his sleeping features.
"Go ta sleep" he grumbles rubbing his head into my hair.
I feel myself untense under his arm around my waist and quietly go back to sleep.
"Hey thea! Come on wake up" I hear carols voice.
"Morning" I mumble and look around to see I'm still in Daryl's room but he's gone.
"They went to meet the governor" carol explained to my confused face.
"What?"
"Andreas alive. She came here yesterday and told us of a place and time... rick Daryl and hershel have gone to see if we can make a deal" she explains as I take in the new info.
"That's one way to wake up" I say rubbing my head.
"Anyway I woke you up for lunch" she says jumping up and giving me a hand up.
"Can't believe it's lunch time" I mumble shoving the spoon into my mouth.
"Hey where's merle?" Glenn asks before storming off.
I follow him and soon find merle packing a bag of guns.
"Hey, your not going" Glenn says closing the gate behind me.
"I don't need your permission"
"I can't let you go"
"You can't stop me" Merle says still packing.
"You're gonna live here with us, it's gonna be on our terms, if michonne can do it why can't you?" Maggie steps in.
"Cuz it's my brother out their. That's why. What's the matter with you all" he shouts walking up to Glenn.
"I'm not gonna let you put them all in danger" I hear Glenn whisper.
"Nut up already boy" is all I hear till merle moves closer and says something that triggers Glenn.
"No" Glenn's says sternly before merle shoves him and Glenn ruby tackles him down the stairs.
I watch silently as merle holds Glenn down and michonne and Maggie jump in.
I glance up to see beth grab a gun and shoot the roof stopping everyone in their tracks.
"Let me go!" Merle demands letting go off Glenn.
Slowly michonne and Maggie back off and I watch Glenn sort himself out as Merle walks past me, shoving my shoulder on the way out.
"Why didn't you move?" Maggie asks me.
"You had it covered" I say simply walking over and helping Glenn up.
"I'm gonna go on a run. I'll be back in an hour" I tell them as I walk out.
"As good of place as any" I mumble to myself looking over the rotten gas station.
Ting! Echos though the building as I try to draw out any walkers.
After a couple seconds I move in clearing out rooms as I go.
In the end I manage to find a couple cans, a shotgun and a couple bullets.
Shortly after I stick them in the car, groans fill my ears.
I turn and see over a dozen walkers travelling towards me.
"Shit" I mumble throwing my bow on my back and jumping under the car I brought.
In a minute the groans surround me. Slowly clearing the area of anything living.
I watch as they walk past and suddenly notice the pressure growing on my back. I glance around and see a Alan key sticking out my tire as it slowly deflated onto me.
By the time I noticed it was too late. I was stuck.
Fear kicks in as I look out and realise the walkers have gone. Slowly and painfully I move a couple inches till I could reach the end of a broken down sign and use it as a way out.
I glance around to check for walkers before crouching down and felling for broken ribs.
Not broken I mentally sigh in relief.
I glance over the car and feel a headache come on from the idea of having to find a new car.
Grabbing my bags I begin my march to the nearest car park.
"This seem okay" I say opening the car and checking the fuel before hot wiring the wheel.
"All aboard" I joke to myself plainly as I jump in.
As I approach the prison, I signal for them to let me in and seconds later Carl runs down and opens the gate for me.
"What happened to the car?" Carl asks looking at the upgrade I brought home.
"I had some technical issues with the other one" I explain grabbing my bags.
"Oh I should warn you... Daryl's not happy you left alone and didn't tell anyone where you we're going" he says seriously.
"Oh god. What did he do?" I ask as we begin are walk up.
"We said a few words before snapping at everyone and snapping a couple objects" he says smiling.
"I'm dead then" I say as I see Daryl emerge from the door.
"What the hell do you think your doing? We're on the edge of war and you went out with no one to protect you!" He shouts and I flinch a bit as he waves his arms around.
I watch as his eyes melt from my action.
"I'm sorry I just wanted to get away. Even for a minute" I say looking at the floor.
He snorts.
"Look I'm fine!" I say stubbornly.
"Just don't do it again" he says sternly as he turns and walks away.
"I pissed of the archer"I say remembering the farm.
"Yeah, come on we should get some food" Carl chuckles.
"I'm actually gonna go to bed now. It's been a long day" I say smiling as I don't move.
"Okay sleep well" he sings.
"Stay safe" I shout after him before making my way to the cafe to hand in my findings.
"Night guys" I shout walking up the stairs and see people waving in the corner of my eye.
"Time to bandage up" I whisper to myself grabbing a roll of bandages and running to my room.
"Hey, I gu-" I hear Daryl start before he sees my lifted top and bruises.
"what happened!" He questions jumping over and gently rubs my skin making me flinch.
"What did you do?" He asks pulling his hands away and looking down into my eyes.
"Theirs was a small horde so I hid under the car. But it turns out I ran over an Alan key on the way their and my tyre gave way" I say looking away and grabbing the bandages.
"Ya got crushed by a car?" he says shocked.
"Basically" I say Carmly.
"Thea, why didn't you tell me when you first came in?" He asks hurt.
"Because I don't want you to see me as weak" I say after a minute.
"I would never do that" he says pulling me in and holding me to his chest.
"I love you" I confess into his chest.
After a couple seconds I begin to panic.
What if he doesn't feel the same? Why hasn't he reacted? Atleast he hasn't pushed me away yet.
"I love ya too" he finally says making my heart skip a beat.
"Come on" he finally says moving from our hug.
"What are you doing?" I ask as he jumps onto my bed and starts petting lucky.
"I'm tired" he says simply before patting the side next to him for me to sit.
Gently I lie down carful not to put too much pressure on my bruises.
"Does it hurt?" He asks placing a hand on my tummy.
"No, it's more annoying" I joke and watch him move closer before wrapping me in his arms.
"Night Thea" he whisper into my ear, sending chills down my spine.
"Night boo" I chuckle before passing out.
"Daryl we need your help" wakes me up from my slumber.
"Not today rick. Just give me an extra hour" I hear Daryl grumble back.
"Alright then, meet us down their and bring Thea with you" rick says and I feel Daryl tighten his grip just a little.
"I can't. She got hurt yesterday. Today she's staying here in bed" he says and I feel him looking at me.
"How was she hurt?" I hear ricks concern.
"Got bruises up bad" he says with sadness evident in his voice.
"I'll send hershel up later. Thanks for telling me daryl"I hear him chuckle.
"I don't think she would have told me otherwise" he says after a second.
"She didn't tell me either. Found her trying to bandage up" he grumbles.
"Alright, I should let you sleep. Cya in a bit Daryl" he says and I hear footsteps leaving.
"You can go back ta sleep now" I hear him whisper as he manages to pull me closer to his chest.
"Night" he whispers as darkness consumes me again.
"Come on, we should get up" I say after a minute of trying to wake Daryl up.
He shushes me and makes his grip tightens in an attempt to keep me next to him.
"Daryl I need to pee and rick needs your help" I moan as I finally get out of his hold.
"Fine" he moans sitting up and walking out the door.
I gently pet lucky Before remenber Daryl saying that today is a bed day and jumping out so he couldn't lock me in my room.
"I can't tell if you eating that or inhaling it" carol commented as I eat my breakfast as fast as possible.
"Daryl's gone to help rick but he said I have to have a bed day. I don't wanna to, sooo I'm gonna escape before he returns" I say quickly as I put the bowl down and whistle for lucky.
"You know he'll track you down, right?"
"Yeah that why I have keys. I can lock him out of my room" I say smiling.
"Alright but be safe" she says as I walk off.
"Little flame? You in their?" I hear merle call though the door.
"Your tracks lead here, so I know you are" he comments and I walk over to unlock the door.
"Has Daryl seen I'm gone?" I ask letting him in.
"No, why you hiding from him?" He asks smiling.
"Long story short, I got hurt yesterday and he mentioned to rick about me having a bed day. I'm against it" I say and watch merle chuckle.
"Ya certainly a Dixon" he laughs out.
"I left a letter so he should be cool with me being here"
"You hid from him and told him where you were?"
"No I hid from him and told him I'm safe in the prison so he won't go searching for a bit anyway... beside when he gets here he'll have to try opening this" I say locking the door.
"I wanted to apologies for yesterday. I shouldn't have done that to Glenn" he says looking at the ground.
"It's fine. To be honest I think he's used to it at this point" I joke putting the keys on my waist next to my quiver.
"Daryl gave me these" he said pulling out my box of cigarettes.
"Oh course he did" I chuckle leaning back.
"Want one?" He says nudging the box to me.
"Thanks" I say taking one of the last two.
"Here" he says pulling out a lighter and lighting it for me.
"Cheers" I say taking in a deep breath.
"So how did you injure yourself?"
"Stupid accident. Kinda wrong place wrong time sernario" I chuckle.
"Sounds about right" he says bring in the smoke.
"THEA!" Shouts a southern accent thought he door.
"And he caught up" I joke as I finish clean my arrows.
"Don't worry little brother. She's fine" Merle shouts though.
"Why you in their?" He asks merle.
"I came to babysit her. Considering she was supposed to be babysitting me" he shouts through and I shake my head.
"Open the door" Daryl shouts.
"Only if you promise not to lock me in my room" I shout though and wait for a couple seconds before earning my replie.
"I promise" he shouts and I unlock the door allowing the angry Daryl in.
"Ya smell of smoke" he says glaring at his brother.
"Sorry" Merle says putting his hands up in surrender.
"I'm fine Daryl" I say holding his hand.
"Yeah that's what ya said yesterday when you came back" he says pissed.
"Touché " I say looking at the ground.
"Don't worry little brother I wouldn't do nothing to ya girl. Other then giving her the protective brother talk"
"Come on Thea" Daryl says not giving his brother a second glance.
"Where we going?" I ask confused.
"With me. If you want rest you'll stay by my side" he says pulling out a pair of handcuff and sticking us together.
"I'm surprised these still exist" I laugh as he takes me outside.