WITH YOU | TWD

[37] BACK

Everything had changed in the past six months.

The prison became a different version of the farm they lost in the past. They had their own vegetables and animals, thanks to people from the Woodbury the place became like a happy land. Everyone had their own tasks and chores, and everyone worked in a perfect harmony. Their group wasn't afraid of others anymore, which brought a breath of fresh air to their lives.

People also changed.

Rick came back to his senses. He was the one Rick she met in the quarry and she would dare to say that he was even better. He started smiling more, cracking jokes here and there, which confused Charlie at first. She always saw him as a leader, strong personality, but under this tough act was hiding a goofy. He seemed to enjoy his new role so she started calling him Farmer Rick.

Carl also became calmer. In the Woodbury were people around his age, so he wasn't stuck with adults all the time, which clearly did good to him. He found a new passion and it was reading comics - he was doing it all the time no matter what time it was. Michonne was finding them every time she was gone, so he could later tell Charlie everything. He finally got to experience the childhood again with no running, deaths, and guns - as the council (Hershel, Rick, Glenn, Maggie, Michonne, Daryl, Carol, and Charlie) decided that it would be the best for everyone to keep guns around just in case, but use it outside of the fences.

Charlie felt finally at peace. Demons of the past seemed to go away and leave her be. She was trying to create a new life, under new circumstances.

"Hi, Charlie," she turned around as she heard the male voice.

Daryl....

If anything could change more it was Daryl Dixon. He has become a member of the Prison Council, being responsible for the prison administration as he was one of the key members of the group. He was becoming less aggressive and deeply liking the attention he was receiving from the newcomers. As to the relations with Charlie he was very careful and after those six months he still wasn't sure if he could treat her like before. The closest they got to each other was back in the Woodbury when he was trying to comfort her. Being so distant and sharing just business conversations before going on the runs - which didn't happen often, was the only factor stopping them from truly enjoying the peace of the prison.

"Hi," she gave him a tight smile, like many she gave him recently.

"We brought you some food, sweet thing," Carol smiled and gave her a bowl.

"Thanks," she smiled but placed it away, feeling too troubled to eat.

"How's it going?" Daryl asked.

"Not good," she shook her head. "We had a pretty big buildup overnight. Dozens more towards tower three," she reported. "It's getting as bad as last month. Or even worse...They don't spread out anymore."

"With more of us here, we're drawing more of them out," Daryl commented. "You get enough of those damn fence-clingers, they start to herd up."

"So we get ahead of it, not for long," Carol sighed and then she looked at Daryl. "Sorry, Pookie."

He scoffed and pushed Carol lightly before walking away. Charlie followed him until he disappeared completely and turned to the woman who was smiling like a cheshire cat. "Can you really take over my chores?" she asked.

"Yeah. I got Patrick to change me in the kitchen," she smiled. "Don't worry and go."

He was so close to her yet so far away - that's how she felt during all of their supplies runs. They weren't too frequent. Reed wasn't a part of the Supply Group, she felt comfortable as the protector of the prison - mostly sitting on the watch tower or killing the build ups of Walkers. This time, however, the supply run was supposed to be big one. Big Spot was a store located not so far away from the prison. There were rumors that it was used by the military as a base. The group took boombox and used the music to lure the Walkers out, preparing the store for a later sweep. Charlie was in, the moment she heard about it and she moved everything aside to be a part of this.