Papá's Girl

Awaken

©JRF2016

Rick had been in and out of touch with reality since he lost Lori but this new situation with the Governor seemed to bring him back, little by little. He, Shane, and Daryl had developed a plan for the Governor's impending attack after papa had taken so many of them out. I, along with Hershel, Beth, Judith and Carl took papa out into the woods and waited as the rest carried out the ambush for the Governor and his men. I sat in the car with Papá's head in my lap. Hershel was keeping close tabs on Papábut I couldn't help but wonder if moving him around like this was going to make him worse. I heard Hershel's voice outside the car along with another that I didn't recognize. I looked out the window to see Carl holding a kid at gunpoint as he looked like he was handing him a shotgun. Hershel looked concerned and Carl just looked pissed. After a minute I saw Carl's pistol kick back and the boy fell to the ground.

Hershel hopped into the car after he heard the signal that it was all clear and drove us back to the prison. When we pulled in Shane and Daryl carried papa back into his cell and laid him on the bed. Hershel pulled Rick to the side, no doubt to tell him about the kid that Carl shot. I walked by Carl who was now just sitting on the bench and staring at the ground. The look of anger that had been on his face out in the woods gone now and he was just blank. The kid had actually scared me but as a Dixon I can't admit that to anybody. Dixon's don't get scared. I saw Rick squat down in front of his son to talk to him before I followed my uncle and Shane inside the prison. Uncle Daryl had pulled up the stool beside his bed again and leaned against it as he pointed to the stool telling me to have a seat.

I grabbed Uncle Daryl's hand as we both looked at Papá, waiting for some kind of response but getting nothing. "Uncle Daryl, he's gonna be okay, right?" He looked at me and pulled me into his side. "Of course, he'll be fine. Nobody can kill Merle but Merle." I smiled as he started to leave. "We're going to Woodbury to finish this, you should try to get some sleep while we're gone." I nodded to him but made no effort to get up. Daryl left the room and I climbed onto the bed next to Papá. He still hasn't moved but I knew that he was going to wake up soon and I wanted to be here when he did. I rested my head on his chest the way I did when I was little and listened to the sound of his heart beating. It didn't take long at all before it lulled me to sleep.

"Bella Rose, I think's it's past your bedtime baby girl." Papá said as she lay coloring on the floor in front of him. "But Papá," she whined, "I don't wanna go to bed! I wanna stay here with you." He laughed as he stood to his feet and scooped his little girl up in his arms. "How bout I read you a story and tuck you in. I'll even stay with ya til ya fall asleep." She shook her head violently up and down. He glanced over at his Cat who sat there with a big smile on her face. He winked at her, "I'll be back baby." He flipped Isabella onto her stomach in her arms and made an airplane sound as he flew her to her bedroom and landed her in the bed. He pulled out 'Where the Wild Things Are' and started reading to her. As always she lay her tiny head on his chest as he read to her and her favorite story had her little eyes drooping. In no time flat she was sound asleep. He laid the book on the nightstand beside her bed and slid down and fell asleep himself. He could feel that little girl laying her head on his chest right now making him want so bad to put his arm around her and let her know that he was going to be alright, to tell her that he loved her.

When they returned Shane started toward Isabella's cell and as he walked by Merle's cell he saw her sleeping next to him. "So, I see you didn't listen to your uncle and go try to get some sleep." He spoke with no response from her. He walked closer being extra quiet and noticed her snoring. He listened a little longer and started laughing because not only was she snoring but she was matching her dad snore for snore. He reached out and gently shook her trying to get her to wake up and go sleep in her own bed where she had some room to actually get a good rest. "Izzy, you really are your father's daughter. Wake up baby." She groaned as he rolled her over toward himself and lifted her up. She groaned again, "Five more minutes, mama." Shane laughed as he tried to get her to wake up enough to walk to her cell. He finally gave up and just cradled her in his arms and carried her to her own bed. Shane tucked her into the bed and left to go back to his own room. As he walked back by Merle's room he heard a moan and stopped in his tracks. He pulled his knife from its sheath and stood in the doorway watching and listening. Merle moaned again. Shane slowly crept over to the bed raising his knife. All he could think was how glad he was that he had gotten Isabella out of here when he did. She could have gotten bit and she didn't need to see this anyway. He stood over this man dreading the moment he had to put him out of his misery. What happened to him? Merle Dixon was a doucebag. He couldn't stand this guy, putting him down should be easy but it was turning into the hardest thing he ever had to do. As he stared at Merle he saw Isabella in his features. He pictured her strong jaw line, her crystal blue eyes, and even that loud mouth. All those features that she shared with her father. His knife was raised all the way up as he prepared himself to drop it right into Merle Dixon's skull. Merle's eyes fluttered open as he looked up at Shane who was just about to end him. Merle's eyes were open now revealing those blue eyes that matched his daughter's and he spoke. "Easy there deputy."