Lilly Watkins has always been the strong one compared to her twin. That doesn't change when the dead start walking. Taking care of her family during the apocalypse, she never relied on anyone else. When she meets Daryl Dixon, a more temperamental pe...
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Daryl hands me a bowl of food, sitting down next to me. I can't tell if this is an apology for him leaving after hearing the news.
"Eat," he orders, his gaze falling down to my abdomen briefly before going back to my face. Rolling my eyes, I dig into the food, periodically glaring at the man beside me.
"Everyone okay?" Rick asks, coming into the cellblock, no longer covered in blood. We stare stunned at him.
"Yeah, we are," Hershel speaks up. "What about you?"
He gives a half-nod. "I cleared out the boiler block."
"How many were there?" Glenn asks.
"I don't know, a dozen, maybe two dozen. I have to get back. I just wanted to check on Carl." He pats his son on the shoulder.
"Wait, Rick." I stand up, taking a few steps towards him.
He turns towards me, glaring. "What, Lilly? Wanting to take something else I care about away from me?"
I shrink inside myself. "I didn't—Rick it wasn't like that. She was already dying."
"Whatever. I've got to get back."
I stand stunned, confused by his reaction. A hand goes into mine, pulling me towards them.
"Don't listen to him, Lil. He's grieving," the rough voice of Daryl washes over me, pulling me out of my pity party. "Give him time. In the meantime, eat." He thrusts the bowl back into my lap.
Daryl has me stay behind with Beth, Hershel, Milly, and the baby. To add to the insult, he takes Carl with him to help clear out cellblocks.
"Your pacing is making me nervous," Hershel says from where he's sitting watching me.
"Yeah, well, I can't believe he gets to just decide that I stay here, just because..." I trail off, almost letting slip my secret.
"Because?" he presses further. I walk over, whispering it in his ear, confirming what he told me already. He nods in understanding. "I figured he would become protective once finding out."
"I'm not helpless," I say defeatedly, sitting down.
"He just wants to keep you safe. I'm sure with everything that happened, he's worried out of his mind."
I nod, hoping everything is going okay with him and clearing out the cellblocks. Doesn't he know I worry about him, too, and want to be there to protect him.
Maggie comes into the cellblock then, coming over to me. "I know you just went on a run, but do you want to come with Glenn and I to watch our backs?"
I look over to Milly. "I've got Ashley. Go ahead," she responds without me asking.
I nod thankfully, turning back to the brunette. "Thanks. Lead the way."
Keeping watch, I survey the area. Except for a few Walkers, everything is fairly quiet. That is, except for Maggie and Glenn's giggling as if they're on a date. It's cute and sickening at the same time.
"It's a straight shot to the prison from here. Probably make it back in time for dinner," Glenn says as he loads up.
"I like the quiet," Maggie says, helping him out. "Back there, back home, you can always hear them outside the fence no matter where you are."
"And where's it ya'll good people are calling home?" a Southern accent asks and I whip around, wondering how he slipped through my surveillance. Probably because my focus is on what I thought was a woman.
"Merle?" Glenn breathes out as the man in question puts his weapon down. I'm not ready to put my guard down just yet. Neither do the other two as he comes closer.
"Back the hell up!" I say lowly, my aim going to his head.
"Okay, honey. Jesus."
"You made it," Glenn says, his expression grim.
"Can you tell me, is my brother alive?" he asks.
"Who is your brother?" I question and Glenn glances at me, hesitant to respond.
Finally, he says, "Yes," to Merle who won't take his eyes off of my chest.
"Who is your brother," I repeat, though from the icy blue eyes, I already know.
"Daryl. Look, you can just take me to him and I'll just call it even on everything that happened back in Atlanta. No hard feelings."
Even for what? I want to ask but I remain quiet.
Glenn eyes his right hand and I realize that might be what they did to him in Atlanta as there's a stump with a sword at the end.
"You like that? I found it at a Medical facility. Fixed it up myself."
"We'll tell Daryl you're here and he'll come out to meet you," Glenn finally says.
"Hold on, just hold up—"
"Whoa," Glenn puts his hand out to create distance between himself and Merle. I still couldn't believe that this was my Daryl's brother.
"Hey, the fact that we found each other is a miracle. Come on, now. You can trust me."
"You stay here," Glenn says firmly. In the next instant, there's a shot whizzing past my ear, and Maggie is held in a headlock, a gun pressed to her head.
"Let go of her!" Glenn screams, pointing a gun at him. I have my own pointed from an angle.
"Tell me to shoot, Glenn. I think I'll get it off before he does," I say slowly, glaring at the man.
"Daryl's bitch, you over-estimate yourself. Would you really risk her life? Now put both your guns in that car."
Glenn puts his in the car we came in but I don't budge. "Please, Lilly!" Glenn begs, prying the weapon from my hand and placing it into the backseat as well.
"There we go. Now, we're going to go for a little drive."
