Complicated ✔

Ch. 46 - T-Dog

KATHRYN'S POV

I spent most of my time the following week with Hershel. Other than that day I went hunting with Daryl and then our night in the tower the night before, I didn't spend much time with him as I tried to help care for the old man who was injured. We'd give each other passing glances, no one paid any mind to them, but that was all we ever did since that night. Now here I stood, up at the edge of the main prison courtyard, watching as Dad and the others moved the bus and then the cars we'd been traveling in since we'd left the farm months ago. I stood in the opened gate, my arms crossed just under my chest as I watched them. I could hear them talking, but from where I stood I couldn't make out what they were saying. At one point, they all were looking in the direction I stood, Daryl pointing this way before suddenly he started shouting out.

"Glenn," he shouted, "Maggie!" "Hey," I heard Glenn's nervous voice from above me, "what's up guys?" I looked up to the upper part of the tower, instantly remembering what happened between me and Daryl when we'd been up there ourselves. "You coming," Daryl called out and even where I stood I could hear the laughter from the others in the group that were down there. "What," I heard Glenn asked. Maybe I was just a hormonal teenager, or a dirty minded one, but when Daryl asked that my head went where it shouldn't have. "You comin'," Daryl repeated as I covered my mouth with my hand to muffle my laughter since Glenn didn't realize I was down there. I glanced back up again and watched as Glenn seemed to have a confused look on his face from Daryl's question. All I could think while I was trying to keep from laughing was poor Glenn.

"C'mon we could use a hand," Daryl said as he and the others slowly turned away from the tower, obviously laughing as their shoulders shook. "Yeah we'll be right down," Glenn hastily replied before I heard the door to the upper section of the tower close. I smiled and shook my head, knowing Daryl probably enjoyed that way too much. I watched Dad, Carol, and Daryl walk away but T-Dog was watching something behind me. At that second I heard movement just behind me and when I looked back, there were two of the prisoners who'd been with that group of survivors that had been locked in the cafeteria. Freaking out slightly as they drew closer, I quickly ran down the path to T-Dog just as I heard him call out to my Dad. I stopped just behind T-Dog as I watched Dad turn to face us before looking up towards where I had been standing, the smile on his face falling instantly.

We walked up the hill towards the prisoners, me behind Daryl enough where I'd be out of harm's way if something were to happen cause a fight between them and the people I was with. I could hear Dad talking with them, those two trying to plead their case with the living arrangements they had, but I wasn't listening. Just like on the farm the night we lost it, I found my hand in Daryl's as I waited to see what was going to happen with these prisoners. Daryl gave my hand a squeeze before he dropped it, just as my dad turned around to look at the both of us, more or less at Daryl. I watched as Daryl shook his head no to answer an unvoiced question from Dad. As our group turned to walk away from those men, to discuss what I hadn't been paying attention to, I felt Daryl's hand on the upper part of my back around my shoulders.

DARYL'S POV

I shut those men in the search area for the cars that'd enter the prison grounds before walking back to the others as they discussed what to do with them. I found myself next to Kathryn who stood next to her Dad. She stayed quiet, as everyone else spoke what they thought about the prisoners. Eventually it was decided, we'd give them enough provisions for a week, after that they were on their own. After it was decided, we began to move the cars. Maggie, T-Dog, and Carol began moving to the cars while Rick, Glenn and myself headed towards the fence to get firewood. "Dad I'm going to help move the cars," Kat said looking to Rick. She smiled as he nodded before she made her way towards the others and climbed into the driver seat of one of the vehicles.

I stood watch outside of the fence, keeping an eye on the walkers nearby, as Glenn and Rick gathered the firewood to burn the corpses in the field so that we could begin to plant the crops there like Hershel had suggested. As I held the fence open where we'd first entered into the prison open for Glenn and Rick as they had arms full of timber each, I couldn't help but glance back and watch as T-Dog helped Kathryn back up the truck that belonged to Hershel. I glanced away from the truck long enough to see Hershel walking out with Lori, Carl, and Beth by his side. "Looky here," I said as my attention stayed up to where they were at. Off to the side, I could just make out Kat getting out of the truck and walking around to the front of it, her hands in the butt pockets to the jeans she was wearing as she watched the people ahead of her as well.

"He is one tough son of a bitch," Glenn said smiling back at me as he threw down his pile of wood before looking back to the prison, "alright Hershel!" "Shh," I whispered harshly before pointing back behind us, "keep your cheers down." "Man," he groaned, "can't we have just one good day?" I watched as Rick stared at his wife before suddenly, something caught my attention that shouldn't have been there. "No," Rick shouted, the both of us running towards the gate that led out of the dog run we were in. More walkers were pouring into the yard as we ran, Glenn trailing behind me as he had to stop and fix the gate before he could move on with us. "Lori," Rick shouted as he ran as fast as he could, "Carl! Kathryn!" As I ran, keeping pace with Rick, I could see Kat pulling out the gun she'd found back on the farm and began helping to fire at the onslaught of walkers.

"The lock," Rick shouted as he and I skidded to a halt to wait for Glenn to catch up with the keys. I dropped my crossbow as Glenn tossed them to me, then I moved on to toss them to Rick before picking up my crossbow once more and running after him. Glenn ran around me, catching up to Rick as we reached the first lock. By the time we reached the second, Rick's hands seemed to be shaking badly as he tried to find the key to that lock. "C'mon," I said as I watched Kat, T-Dog, and Carol disappear into the prison after T-Dog got bit trying to close the opened gate. I was bouncing on my toes, anxious to get to Kat before a walker did. Running up the hill once we were through the gate, we began to take down the walkers that were now swarming the courtyard.

KATHRYN'S POV

"T-Dog your arm," I said once we were inside the tombs, no sign of anymore walkers and we were taking a moment to catch our breaths. "I'm alright," he said before pushing off the wall he'd been leaning against, "there's a set of double doors that'll lead to a corridor. That'll get you two back to our cell block." "You should stop," Carol said as she reached for T-Dog. "I'm getting you both there," he said ignoring her. "Stop," I said as I felt tears welling up in my eyes. "Why," he asked leaning against a wall again and looking at the two of us, "sit here and wait to die? Uh-uh." I walked after the two of them, the blaring alarms that started moments ago already giving me a headache.

I could hear Carol barely as she tried to tell T-Dog that she wouldn't let him become a walker. "This is God's plan," he said holding his shoulder where the bite was, "He'll take care of me. Always has. He's gonna help me lead you and Kathryn out of these tunnels." I followed behind, eventually Carol having to help keep T-Dog on his feet. I kept up, keeping my eyes open as I held my gun in my hand in case we found more walkers ahead. "We're almost there," T-Dog said as we rounded another corner but were met with a couple more walkers. I stepped forwards, aiming my gun and pulling the trigger, but all that happened was it making a clicking sound. "Fuck," I whispered out harshly. "T-Dog go back," Carol said trying to push him back.

"No," he said fighting her, "we're close. We're close!" "No," I screamed out as he pulled away from Carol, running straight for the two walkers and body slamming them against the wall as he held them there. "Go," he shouted looking back at us, "go!" I grabbed Carol's arm, dragging her around T-Dog and the walkers before we stopped at the double doors and looked back at him. "Go," he shouted again, "I'm already dead!" With tears falling down my cheeks, I grabbed her hand and pulled her through the doors. We made it to a second of corridor that went off in two different directions before we heard the growls behind us. Freaked out too much to think properly, I let go of Carol's hand, running the opposite direction as her. All I heard were the growls from the walkers, and Carol's shouting that I was going the wrong way.

Hmm what'll happen to Kathryn after going the wrong way? Any predictions? Also, just how mad would you be with me if I put a short pause on this so I could work on Dixon's Claim some?
- Kenz