My Damaged Protector

Chapter Twenty-Six ~ 30 Days without an incident

It had been a few months since the people of Woodbury came to live with us. With all the new help, we were able to rebuild a gate for the first fence, adding spikes for extra protection. Rick and Daryl were able to find horses and a few pigs while out on runs, bringing them back and keeping them out in the field. Michonne had taken to searching every town that neighbored us, looking for the Governor who had gotten away from us by killing his own people.

Once I had healed, I helped Hershel build a garden in the fiends, growing our own food with the help of a new water system that one of the Woodbury people had taught us. We even managed to get the showers working, it wasn't hot water, but if we left it in the sun long enough, we were blessed with warmer than room temperature, and the use of a shower was something we all cherished.

Daryl had taken me out and taught me a little about hunting, bringing meat back for the now very large group that we had living with is. We were even slowly bringing in people we found along the way, asking them a series of questions before we even mention having a group.

Daryl now shared the cell with Jasper and I, even though most nights Jasper would stay with Carl down on the lower level. Merle had taken the free cell next door, and more than half the time I would wake up with Jasper on the top bunk with Merle passed out down below.

Today was routine, I had heard Judith start to squirm a few hours after sunrise, managing to grab her before she could wake the sleeping hunter beside me, or the two boys next door. Rick was awake down below, walking around quietly with Carl as they headed out to check on the animals. I was quick to make a bottle and grab a blanket to hold around Judith as I followed them out, only stopping beside Carol as she cooked on our new outdoor grill Merle and Daryl built.

"Thank god you're here to help." Carol smiled dramatically as I joined her.

I rolled my eyes. "You're so dramatic sometimes." A small baby chair was sat near us, and I placed Judith down, handing her bottle over to her as she smiled. A screech left her lips when I stepped away. "What's wrong baby? You wanna help us cook?" I waved a wooden spoon at her before handing it over, the little girl laughing as she drank her bottle.

"Can you hand me the cutting board?" Carol asked, her arms full of herbs. I quickly stepped away from the laughing baby to grab the board and set it down on the prep table behind her. Carol and I did this most mornings, we would get up early and start food for the day, before I was wished away by either Daryl or Merle or Jasper for something they had to do.

"Mornin' Daryl." I heard someone greet my hunter, making me turn around.

"Morning Doctor S." Daryl said back, followed by a chorus of other people greeting him.

"Hello, Mister Popular." I joked and bumped my shoulder with his while handing him a bowl of food.

"Shut up." He laughed and picked up some of the meat with his fingers before sticking it in his mouth.

"Carol asked me to show you something, mind following?" I jerked my head towards the fences, knowing Carol would watch Judith. He nodded and followed but I stopped in my tracks before we got too far. "Patrick, mind helping Carol with the last of the food?" I asked. The boy was barely twenty years old and was so eager to learn anything we could offer.

He stood and pushed his glasses up his nose. "Mister Dixon." Patrick caught Daryl's attention. "I just wanted to thank you, for bringing that deer back yesterday. It was a real treat sir, and I'd be honored to shake your hand." Daryl glanced over at me as Patrick held out his hand. It took everything I had to look at Daryl seriously and not laugh at the properness from the young man. Daryl simply shrugged, licked each finger clean, and shook Patrick's hand stiffly.