My Redneck (Sequel to That Redneck/ Daryl Dixon Fanfic)

Chapter 35- Small Talk

Awesome edit by @partypoisonx3 ! Love it! Its the bomb diggity :) Love you and thanks!

************************************

I sat at the table with Taylor, her baby bump becoming more and more visible as her pregnancy lagged on.

The jealousy I held for her made me feel guilty as hell, but I couldn't help it.

"Here." Allison growled, setting two lumpy bowls of oatmeal down in front of us.

"Thanks." I mumbled, not even wanting to eat the lump filled dish in front of me. All we ate hear was oatmeal, and wild animals. It was getting very old, very fast.

Allison plopped down beside Taylor, taking a big spoonful of Taylors oatmeal.

"Yum..." I muttered, watching her chew the nasty substance. I pushed the bowl towards her and stood up, my appetite gone now thanks to the nasty looking food.

"Where are you going?" Taylor asked cautiously, looking up at me tiredly.

"I'm going to help with the fences and bodies. I'm useless just sitting around a table doing nothing." I mumbled.

Taylor sighed and pushed the oatmeal around in her bowl, looking down at the table sadly.

"What?" I asked, looking at her saddened state.

"Nothing." She sighed, still lazily pushing the spoon around in her bowl.

"Taylor, what's wrong?" I said, loosing my patience with her.

"You can't just sit for a minute?" She mumbled.

I rolled my eyes at her, angered at how she could ask me to sit here and do nothing, while there were walls to rebuild, bodies to burn and many other things to do.

"No, Taylor. I can't just let them do the work." I replied coldly.

Taylor poked the inside of her cheek with her tongue, something she did often when she was angry.

I turned and left without another word, leaving Allison and Taylor to sit back and relax as usual.

I pushed open the heavy doors, and headed outside towards Daryl, who was trying to put the fence back up with Tyreese.

"That should do it." Tyreese mumbled in approval, nodding happily at his hard work.

Daryl also let out some kinda grunt, signaling that he too agreed. "Hey." I greeted, smiling at them toothlessly.

Daryl slid an arm around me, resting his hand on my hip lovingly. I was enjoying the affectionate Daryl very much. Just the knowledge of him being here, of his dirt plastered palm resting on my side made me happy.

"Rick came by earlier, wanted to talk to me about somethin'." He mumbled into my ear.

I nibbled on my lower lip, curious as to what Rick wanted to speak about with Daryl. It must be important, if Rick was wanting to speak privately.

"Come on," Daryl urged, moving his hand to my lower back.

"Bye Tyreese, see you soon." I smiled, and waved good bye as we strolled towards the Prison.

I sighed happily, feeling like I could finally be happy, finally feel safe.

We walked into the Prison, cold and dark. People milled about, some still coughing from the illness, while others just drifted by.

We walked to cell block C, the whole block almost completely empty except for one unmistakable figure leaning against the railing.

Ricks pose was anxious, nervous almost, as if he had to get something completely off his chest, something bad.

Daryl seemed to have sensed it as well, since he too had slowed down, and removed his hand from my back.

Rick turned his head towards us, his eyes flickering to Daryl, then me, then the floor. "You want her here for this?" Rick asked, looking at the floor intensly.

Daryl looked down at me, then nodded, "Anythin' you gotta say to me, she can hear."

Rick nodded his head slightly, his gaze falling back on Daryl. "It was Carol." Rick began. "She killed them, to protect the rest of us I guess. I don't know why, but I sent her away. I couldn't have her here."

Daryl remained alarmingly still, barely breathing as he took in Ricks solemn words.

My heart sank, and I put the palms of my hands on my forehead, remembering that Rick had "banished" Carol. I had been so caught up with not dying, I had totally forgotten about Carol, and everything that had happened.

"You couldn't wait till we got back?" Daryl hissed, suddenly pacing back and fourth.

I originally had assumed Carol had the hots for Daryl, but I was dead wrong. Carol had only been developing a friendship, she needed a friend after she lost her only child. I had been a total bitch to the pour lady, I can see that now. But Daryl looks to Carol more as a close friend, than anything.

Rick frowned, looking sadly at Daryl. "Until Tyreese got back?"

Daryl turned on his heel, pacing again. "We coulda handled that."

"Hey, hey." Rick said, making Daryl turn again. "She killed two of our own. She couldn't be here. It's gonna be alright. She has a car, supplies, weapons. Shes a survivor."

"Stop sayin' that like you don't believe it." Daryl spat, pointing an angry finger in Ricks face.

I rested my hand on his side, slowly bringing him back a few inches from Rick.

Daryls furious gaze fell onto me, "Were you in on this?" He snapped.

I looked dumbfounded at Daryl, wondering how he could possibly think that I would banish Carol?

"I told her when I got back, she didn't have anything to do with it." Rick interrupted, cocking his head to the side. "She did it, she said it was for us. Thats how it was in her head. She wasn't sorry."

Daryl looked almost disgusted with Rick. A stare so angry that it made me cringe. "Its her, but that ain't her." He snapped. "What are we supposed to do about those two girls?"

"I told her we'd look after them." Rick sighed, raising his damaged hand.

Daryl exhaled from his nose, almost like he let out a snort of laughter. He rested his head on the railing, his arms supporting his head as he looked down.

"We will take care of them," I added, "They're gonna be okay."

"Glad somebody thinks so." Daryl
Grunted.

"Hey," I snapped, looking at him in his saddened state. "Everything's gonna be just fine, alright? It'll be rough. Everything will be. But, we'll deal with it, like we always do. We'll deal with it like a family."

That seemed to shut the dynamic duo up, both of them looking downwards to the ground. Ricks face was still swollen, gauze still tied around his hand carefully.

"I still haven't told Tyreese." Rick mumbled quietly.

Daryl looked up, his gaze falling straight a head.

Rick looked back down at his feet, "I don't know how he's gonna take it."

Daryl pushed away from the railing, his hands slapping against his sides. "Lets go find out." He muttered, pushing past Rick, and I.

He began to walk down the rusty staircase, and I stalked after him, Ricks soft footsteps echoing from behind me.