Never Wake The Dead (TWD Fanfic)

**Chapter 39-Loyalties**

I wake up once again in a hospital bed with 2 guys standing guard. This time Phillip is here, sitting in a chair at the end of the bed, "Ah, she's awake" he says, I lay there and close my eyes, I don't want to deal with this right now. "I have a little surprise for you" he says, "Oh joy" I mumble sitting up, all the blood rushes to my head and I hunch over holding my stomach to refrain from throwing up all over the floor. "Come on" he demands and I stand up and throw my boots on, he walks in front of me with the 2 guys behind me.
Its getting dark outside and we walk through town till get to this arena, I've been in this town for 2 days and I can't wait go leave, slowly people fill in and the more people that come the more confused I get. "Bring them out!" the governor yells, several guys bring out a bunch of Walkers and chain them up to posts, what the hell is going on?
Then they bring 2 people with sacks on their heads out. "What the hell?" I say out loud this time, "Your in for a big surprise" the guy next to me says, suddenly the 2 sacks are removed and my heart drops to my stomach and then to my toes, "No!" I yell and jump out over the 3 lower risers, Daryl looks around breathing heavily, his eyes land right on me as I'm tackled to the ground, I wrestle with the guy on top of me and he lands a fist right into my jaw causing me to cry out in pain.

I spin him around so I'm on him, I throw punches left and right until I'm dragged off of him by 2 other guys. "Let me go!" I scream and frantically jerk my body around, they tie my hands behind my back and sit my back on the bleachers. I try to get my wrists loose, a guy grabs a hold of them and squeezes tightly, "Stop or I'll break em" he warns, "fuck you" I say and spit in his face, he wipes it off and glares at me, "You'd better knock it off, little miss" he says, I look back at Daryl with tears streaming down my face, his eyes don't leave mine, "2 brothers shall fight.... Till the death. One may win" the governor says, the crowds goes nuts yelling Traitors and Kill them both and much, much more "I want to see where your loyalties lie!" the governor yells at Merle.

Merle walks up to Daryl and punches him in the gut, Daryl hunches over with a pained expression on his face, "My loyalties lie here!" Merle yells and knees Daryl in the stomach, he falls to the ground, Merle kicks him in the stomach, he rolls on his side hugging his stomach, "Stop! Your gonna kill him!" I scream.
"That's the point" someone behind me says, "Your sick" I say to the governor, "We have to keep them entertained somehow, don't we?" he asks, tears slip my eyes, "Take me instead, please. Let him go" I plead, he ignores me and looks back at the arena, they loosen the Walkers and now they are inches from both guys, "Fight back, Daryl" I say to myself, he punches Merle in the face.
Suddenly Merle and Daryl are back to back and smoke grenades are thrown into the middle of the arena and I'm dragged backwards off the bleachers behind a dumpster. I try to fight back, "Jade, stop it's me. We're getting you guys out of here" someone says, "Rick?" I ask, "Yes" he says and he cuts my hands free, "I'm going to get Daryl" I say, "Be careful" he says and I leave, I walk through the smoke and screaming people, I take a gun from one of the guys and I grab Daryl pulling him up and putting his arm on my shoulder, "Get Merle" Daryl says, "He tried to kill you" I say.
"He had it set up. He wasn't going to do anything" he says, I can't help but smile, "Yeah, but this asshole is saving your ass" Merle's voice echoes in my head, I shake it out and we run to catch up with the group, "I'm ok. Jade. I have to go get Merle" he says, "Be careful" I say and I run over to Rick, "Daryl had to go get Merle" I say.
We all catch up to each other, "Go guys. I'll cover you" me and Axel say at the same time, "Go fast guys" Rick says and I climb on the bus to help people up, I cover everyone as they jump over, "Axel!" I scream but it's too late a bullet hits him in his temple and he falls onto the roof of the bus, I shoot the guy who shot him.
I feel this stinging in my left ankle and I let out an agonizing scream, I throw myself over the side of the fence not caring where I land, I land on my back knocking the wind out of myself, I lay there and gasp for air. "Jade!" Maggie screams and runs over to me, "That son of a bitch shot me" I say and laugh, the adrenaline is pumping but I know I will feel it later, "Help me up" I ask Maggie, she gives me her hand and I get up, Daryl comes over and scoops me up into his arms, "I got you" he says, I smile weakly.
We get to the train and Glenn pulls a gun on Merle, "Woah" I say as Daryl sets me down, "Glenn put the gun down" I say, "He did this" he says. "Don't shoot ma brother" Daryl warns drawing his bow on Glenn, I step in Glenn's line of fire, "Put the gun down" I say, "Move, Jade" he says, "Put the gun down Glenn!" I warn, "He did this! He was part of all of this. He tried to kill me" he yells furiously, Merle jumps in to make matters worse, "Shoot me" he says being an asshole. He goes over and begins to pee on a tree.
Before I can help the situation it escalates, everyone is screaming, I look at Daryl, who is furious. Glenn, Maggie, and Rick go over to talk about what were doing with Merle, "Were gonna leave him in the woods here with what little supplies we have" Rick says, "We could put him in a cell, Rick, we don't have to leave him here" I say, "I'd rather take my chances out here. If I'm not welcome there" Merle says, "Shut up and stop making matters worse" I spit at him pinching the bridge of my nose, my head is pounding, "If he goes I go" I hear Daryl say just before my head gets fuzzy and I collapse.
When I come to my senses I'm back in the prison and Hershel is wrapping my ankle. I wince and he looks at me, "You broke it in 3 places, you need to stay off of it for a while" he says, "Ok" I say, he points to a pair of crutches, "Thanks" I say and sit up, "I mean it Jade" he says and heads out I grab the crutches and go out to the main room to talk to Daryl.
I hobble in and everyone looks at me sadly, "Where's Daryl?" I ask, no one answers me, "Rick, where's Daryl?" I ask, "I'm sorry Jade. Daryl stayed behind with Merle" Rick says, "No" I say, "No?" Rick asks, "I'm dreaming. I've hit my head and now I'm dreaming and I'm going to wake up and Daryl is going to be right next to me" I mumble to myself, "Jade. You need rest, why don't you go lay back down for a bit? We'll talk when you get up" he offers, "No. I need to go get Daryl" I say hobbling back to my cell,
"Jade, I can't let you go out there" Rick says, "Who are you to stop me?" I ask, "Jade, look at yourself, your in no position to go back out there. If Daryl were here you know he would do the same" he says, "But he's not here, Rick. Is he?" I ask full of rage. Rick looks at the floor.
I sit on my bed staring at the blood splatter on the wall as I attempt to sort my thoughts, "Jade? I brought you some soup. Are you hungry?" Carol asks. I ignore her, she lays the bowl on the sink and leaves.
I don't have any emotions in my mind right now, I'm so empty and numb inside to care. Why couldn't they just let Merle come here so Daryl would still be here? "Jade, are you ok?" Lori says and the bed dips as she sits down, "He'll be back I'm sure. But if not your gonna have to face the facts and accept it" she says. I sit there stunned, If you only understood I think to myself.
* * *
"One more bolt" I say screwing the last bolt into place on the old rusted shower head, "I need a screwdriver and maybe some vice grips" I say to myself before I walk into the main room, "Glenn. Do you know where the Philips head screwdriver and the vice grips are? I looked in the tool bag in the garage and they're not there" I ask quietly, "You know what? I think I might have left them in the watch tower up on the hill. Do you want me to go get them?" he asks, I shake my head and walk down the hall.
It's been 3 weeks since Daryl left and I'm starting to think he's never coming back. Part of me is sad but the other part is happy because he finally got out of here, and he is with Merle. I still feel so empty without him here. I've done a lot to the prison, went out on runs to get stuff to decorate and make it seem more like a home, but it doesn't without Daryl.
I'm laying in bed when Carl comes running in, "Jade, he's here!" he yells and jumps on my bed, "Who's here?" I ask sitting up, "Daryl!" he squeals, I sit there in shock for a moment and then immediately I'm on my feet and sprinting out the door.
I run outside and see him and Merle both walking up the gravel path, I sprint down trying to ignore the throbbing in my ankle, and throw myself into his arms, he wraps his arms around me and pulls up, I wrap my legs around his waist and kiss him. "Don't you ever leave me like that again" I say, "I could never" he says smirking and kisses my face.