(1) Wolf in Me (D. Dixon)

Chapter Twelve

It is almost silent in the city as Daryl takes the ladder to the alley first, to cover Glenn and Diana with his crossbow as they take the ladder behind him. Daryl glances along one side of the alley, before the other and then motions for Glenn to join him.

"You got some balls for a Chinaman" Daryl states to Glenn as he reaches the bottom of the ladder, behind him, Diana makes her way down.

"I'm Korean" Glenn corrects him. Daryl blinks a little and then shrugs it off. Diana reaches them and lets out a breath, sensing the tension, and hearing exactly what was said between them.

"Whatever" He mumbles as he leads them onward. Glenn and Diana share a look. Daryl ain't as bad as his brother when it comes to certain phrases that might breach into racism. Daryl skirts the line. Though he hasn't been anywhere near as bad without Merle around him. Almost as if he plays up for his brother or it might actually be a pack mentality. Daryl holds open the gate and checks that the way is pretty clear before he nods to Glenn and Diana. Diana pulls her knife from her boot and holds it tightly in her hand. Glenn takes a deep breath before he nods, psyching himself up for this before he moves, Diana right behind him.

....

On the street, Glenn takes the lead with Diana following after him, she is literally up his ass, her hand clasped to the back of his shirt and his hand behind him and wrapped around her arm. The two of them keep themselves attached. The walkers aren't paying that much attention to them, which works in their favor here. If they keep quiet, and move slowly but surely then this can work for them. The bag of guns is just ahead of them, just over the sandbag barricade set up. Glenn lets out a breath and releases Diana's arm, tapping it for her to release him. He needs the space for movement over the barricade. He climbs over, slowly before Diana follows him, the two of them taking up their previous position as soon as they are able. A few more steps and they have the bag. They are about to win here. To get one win under the belt, which they need after losing Merle. Glenn releases Diana to lean over and pick up the guns. She keeps her hand on him though. Her eyes scatter around to check on the location of the walkers. They are being quiet enough that they haven't really drawn that much attention. So far so good. They are literally on the home stretch. Suddenly, they hear shouting from behind them. Alarmed shouting, but it is not Daryl doing the shouting. It is a Hispanic accent that is echoing around them. And drawing in walkers to Diana and Glenn. Glenn holds the bag close to his chest and nods to Diana. He's ready to flee back to the alley now. She pulls at the back of his shirt, tugging him along with her as she backs up, before they switch. Diana taking the lead and Glenn behind her, his hand reaching out to grab her shirt to keep himself close to her. She walks with her knife held out in front of her in a defensive position as Glenn looks around, checking their back and flank to keep them safe. It is a good system.

..........

As they near the gate where Daryl is supposed to be waiting for them, Glenn turns back to look at where he failed to pick up Rick's hat. He groans and gives Diana a look.

"The hat" He informs her and she sighs, tuning to look back down the road they've just run. She turns back to Glenn and gives him an annoyed look. She is annoyed. Bag of guns and sheriff's hat, that was it. That was all they had to do. But with the stress of the situation and the threat of the walkers, Glenn forgot. Diana did too but honestly, that wasn't her role. She is there as a protector, not a gatherer.

"Just go, get to Daryl" She tells him, nodding to the gate. "I'll get the hat..." Glenn goes to argue but she gives him a sharp look. "Go" She pushes him and then turns, heading back towards the tank and the hat. Glenn lets out a noise of complaint but does as he is told, rushing back towards the alley.

.....

The situation is different as Diana makes her way through the streets back to the hat, there are more walkers, and they are more responsive. But she is quick on her feet, nimble and agile as she moves, weaving through the walkers. Diana slides across the ground and grabs the hat, setting it on her own head for safe keeping as she then pushes herself up to her feet. She nods to herself. Feeling like that would have actually looked pretty cool in any other circumstance. She suddenly turns and lashes out quickly, sliding her knife into a walker's head, making sure that it goes down before she retrieves her knife again. She flicks it out, black blood splattering the ground at her feet and then pulls a disgusted face. She doesn't have the time to think or worry, she has to get back before she is totally overrun by the walking dead around her.

......

Daryl grabs the gate as Diana manages to slip through the walkers to get back, and Daryl quickly shuts the gate behind her before the walkers can follow her.

"Where's Glenn?" She asks and Daryl lets out a breath through his nose before he races towards the downed Mexican and starts kicking at him. "Daryl!" Diana scolds, hurrying after him. Rick and T-dog race through the other end of the alley, T-Dog pulling the gate there closed. Sealing them into the alley.

"Whoa whoa whoa. Stop it" Rick races towards Daryl and his 'victim'.

"I'm gonna kick your nuts up in your throat!" Daryl warns and pulls his leg back to kick again, with more force now. Really threatening to do as he asks. Diana grabs Daryl's arm and yanks him back before he can do some real damage with that kick.

"Let me go!" Daryl scolds her and then turns to face her when she releases him. "They took Glenn. That little bastard and his little bastard homie friends" He turns back to continue wailing on the poor boy. "I'm gonna stomp your ass!"

"Guys! Guys! We're cut off!" T-Dog warns them, both gates are rattling as the walkers try to get through to them.

"Get back inside. Go." Rick pushes and Daryl leans down to grab the boy by his shirt, yanking him up to pull him along with them. Right now, they need to get out of here, and this boy is their own hope of getting Glenn back.