Complicated ✔

Ch. 41 - Cell Block C

KATHRYN'S POV

I was up early with the rest of the group. Dad had chosen the few who were going in for the hand to hand fighting that'd be needed to clear out the rest of the prison. It was him, Daryl, Maggie, Glenn, and T-Dog while the rest of us stayed by the fences and called out to the stragglers that hadn't noticed our group inside the fence with them. It was our job to keep it that way while they continued on further into the prison. When no more walkers were coming towards us at the fence, I watched our group push on further before they disappeared from sight for a moment as they went on. I put the crowbar I had in my hands down and leaned it against the fence before I fixed Daryl's poncho I had decided to put on this morning after we'd woken up. I looked to Carl at the same time he seemed to look to me. "And now we wait," I said causing him to nod.

I stood by the fence watching with the others, waiting for Dad or one of the others that were in that yard to come and tell us it was safe and secure. I let out a breath of relief when I spotted Glenn running back towards where we stood, only for him to stop and look back at Dad when he shouted from him to stop. From where I stood, I couldn't hear what was being said but from the looks of them talking, they were about to push on into the prison. The moment they disappeared through the doors to the building they were near, I walked away from the fence. Pulling Daryl's poncho off as I went, I sat down by our little camp site that we had set up. I had his poncho resting in my lap but I wasn't left to my thoughts for long before I heard footsteps making their way down the hill.

When I looked up, I inwardly groaned when I saw that it was none other than Lori making her way down towards where I sat. "Go away please," I said as I looked back down to my hands that were resting in my lap over Daryl's poncho. "How long are you two planning on sneaking around behind you father's back," she asked, obviously ignoring my request for her to go away. "What delusion have you stepped into this time," I groaned out as I looked up at her, "sneak around with who?" "You and Daryl," she said glaring at me, "how long are you going to keep that away from your father?" "I don't know what the hell you're talking about," I said, "and apparently neither do you. There's nothing to tell Dad because there's nothing going on. Now leave me alone!"

I continued to glare at her when she didn't make a move to leave, but my attention went over her shoulder when I spotted Glenn walking down the hill with the others that stayed behind. "C'mon," he said when he grew closer, "get your stuff." "Finally," I said as I stood to my feet, grabbing my things and the little bit of stuff Daryl had left behind when he went in with the others to clean it of walking corpses. When I stood up with mine and Daryl's things, ignoring the look Lori was giving me, I spotted Maggie walking down the hill next to her father and sister. I took that as meaning Dad, T-Dog, and Daryl stayed inside to clean out any walkers they'd killed. After everyone grabbed their things, Glenn grabbing my dad's stuff as well since Lori couldn't really get it and someone else grabbing T-Dog's, we followed behind him as he led the way into the prison block they'd cleared.

"What do you think," Dad said as we walking into the cell block, him coming down the stairs from the second landing. "Home sweet home," Glenn said with a smart remark as he moved to one of the lower cells, Maggie following behind him. "For the time being," Dad said looking at him before glancing at me as I walked past him towards the stairs he'd just walk down from. "It's secure," I heard Lori asked as I began making my way up the steps, taking notice of where Daryl stood on the upper landing. "This cell block is," Dad said as I finally reached the top. Ignoring the rest of the discussion, I handed Daryl his stuff before I moved on to look through the now empty cells. Some had blood splatter in them, probably from when this place fell with the outbreak.

"We sleep in the cells," I heard Beth ask as I glanced back towards the rest of the group as she looked to my dad unsure. I had no qualms about it, hell it was a bed to sleep in instead of the ground we've been sleeping on. "I ain't sleeping in no cage," Daryl said as I looked over to him when he started talking, "I'll take the perch." I smiled and shook my head, watching as Daryl glanced over at me. I noticed Lori and Carol walking up the steps and moving to the opposite side of where I was still standing. Looking back to the cells in front of me, I moved to the farthest one away from where everybody else decided to hunker down. Before walking into the cell, I caught sight of Daryl grabbing a mattress out of one of the unoccupied cells and placing it on the perch he said he'd sleep on.

Looking away, I stepped inside my chosen cell and looked around. It was pretty standard, a bunk bed, a ledge bolted to the wall to make a desk with a seat that was set up and bolted down underneath it, and a single toilet the inmates had to use. Grimacing at the sight of the toilet, I turned and placed my things on the top bunk of the bunk bed before looking to the bottom bunk. "You settling in alright," a voice said startling me out of my thoughts and causing me to jump. When I looked over to the cell door, I spotted Dad standing there with a small smile on his face. "Yeah," I said nodding as he walked in and sat down beside me. "Figured you'd share with Carl like you've been doing lately," he said causing me to shrug. "I think he'd like his own space now," I said, "it's safe enough we don't really have to buddy up like before."

"Is that why you chose the furthest cell away from everyone else," he asked eyeing me while I felt my cheeks heat up with unneeded embarrassment. "Kind of," I said looking down, "I haven't had privacy in months and this is the best I can get." "It's okay," he said wrapping his arm around my shoulders and pulling me into his side. I missed moments like this, between me and Dad, especially when I was younger. "Get some rest," he said kissing the top of my head before standing to his feet. "Am I going out with you and some others tomorrow if you decide to clean more of the prison out," I asked causing him to stop at the cell door once again. "No," he said looking back and shaking his head, "I'd rather you didn't. I'd be happier knowing you were safe behind these bars okay?" "Okay," I said nodding before he walked out of the cell and down the walkway.

DARYL'S POV

I watched Rick walk by me on the perch, heading back downstairs to the main level after disappearing into the cell Kathryn had chosen to pick as her own. Watching Rick, I waited until he disappeared into a cell down below before I stood to my feet and made my way over towards the cell Kathryn was in. When I reached the doorway, she was stretched out on the bottom bunk with an arm over her eyes. I leaned against the frame to the cell, watching as she seemed to be oblivious to me standing there. Clearing my throat, I watched as she seemed to jump up from the sudden sound. I smirked as she seemed to send me a glare when her eyes landed on me where I stood. "Any particular reason why you chose the cell furthest away from everyone else," I asked, watching her cheeks immediately turn a shade darker than their natural color.

"No," she said and looked away, not meeting my eyes. I looked back over my shoulder before turning back to face her and walking into her room. "You sure about that," I asked causing her eyes to snap up to look at me once again. She seemed to have this knowing look in her eyes as she glared up at me. "Is there anything you need Mr. Dixon," she asked, sending me a smirk when it was my turn to send her a glare. "Everyone knows Beth just turned 17," I said as her eyes narrowed in confusion. "Your point is," she said. "My point is," I said still peering down at her, "I have yet to learn when your birthday is. Or if it's even passed yet." "My birthday has not passed yet," she said standing to her feet, "I think my dad would've said something much like Hershel did had it arrived."

"Maybe when it does come," I said looking at her, "you and me could do something. Alone. Maybe go out into the woods and spend some time together. Grant it we'll have to bring something back to ease any suspicions about what's really going on." "I didn't peg you as the type to be romantic," she said peering up at me as she placed her hand on my chest and started pushing me out of her cell, "and my birthday is in a few days. Now go before Lori sees you in my cell and tries to start something again." "Alright," I said laughing and stepping out of her cell. "But I'm holding you to that going out into the woods on my birthday part," she said as she poked her head out of her cell. Before I could say anything more, she disappeared back into her cell and all I could do was shake my head before going back to my spot on the perch.

Well the end didn't come out like I'd hoped it would but I got it finished.
And who saw last night's episode? Like holy fuck! But now I'm scared to see what will happen when those walkers reach Alexandria.
- Kenz