Instincts (Daryl Dixon FF)

t h r e e

[Season 4, before Internment]

No P.o.V

There indeed was someone, at the right doorpost, constantly shifting his weight from foot to foot. Probably trying to keep himself awake. Since Margo could almost figure out where exactly the person was standing, she very discreetly pushed her foot until there was an oh so little crack just enough to sneak her hand right through it. Within seconds Sasha lay on the ground, unconscious. Margo hat pinched the nerve at the back of her neck, right next to her spine, exactly like Dad had shown her a few weeks ago on a corpse. Some corpse who once had a life, maybe had a wife, children, maybe not. Maybe he was just a corpse helping a young women to improve her survival skills in an apocalypse.

Before the world fell apart, Dad was a successfull surgeon, working at many different Atlanta hospitals, saving lives every single day. They didn't exist anymore, but he was still saving lives, not only helping injured people they stumbled across but also teaching her everything he knew. Together they would sit in the small tent eating a few bites for dinner as Dad had her learn on an animal cadaver. But only if Nico was already curled up in the old moss green sleeping bag, deeply swimming in his dreams. Margo thought it was gross, the first times even popping her head out the tent-zipper throwing up. He didn't care. But time went on and all her fears and feelings started to fade away the longer they stayed alive. A man is a creature of habit and so was she.

Both of the towers were occupied like yesterday, but the field was completely dark in order to prevent walkers from coming to the location. Margo was gonna have an easy game. She lay down on her stomach, the grass tickling her sensitive skin as she started to creep towards the entrance. The old jeans she wore rolled up, uncomfortably crampling together right under her knees. It didn't matter, it couldn't, nothing did, except not having her brain blown out by the two snipers up there. There were some walkers pressing their faces into the fence, bony arms reaching for the women crawling over the ground. Their snarles and growls rang through her ears, like an alarm system she couldn't listen to. When Margo finally got to the ladder of the first tower, she quickly stood up and grabbed the first step, using the small room on top to cover herself while she climbed. The steps were cold, her palms burning up more the further she got. Before opening the trap door she once again tried to foccus on her senses, figuring out a tactic to overwhelm whoever was inside of there.

Shit, there were two of them.

She could hear their voices, talking, giggling, laughing, sounding way too happy for this world. If Margo wasn't as concentrated on planing how to take them out, she would have vomited over their disgusting, positive attitude. After a few more minutes all the happy noises turned into moans and high pitched whimpers. She didn't care about their love act, as soon as their heads were behind the hinge, she slammed her right hand into the trap door, the other one gripping a step to stabalize herself. It hurt, her knuckles stang but the plan did work, the door was heavy enough to knock them out cold. Margo scrunched up her nose at the sight of the two naked bodies. God how stupid could you be? Fucking, probably even producing a baby under these circumstances. Was there every spark of intelligence gone in this group?

In the corner of the small lookout point were two beautiful guns leaned against the wall, she grabbed them, slipping the black M82 Barretts over her shoulders. The bands carved into her fragile skin, leaving red marks under her old shirt. Then she got down the tower and ran right to the small shelter where Carl had brought Giro a few hours ago. For a brief second Margo thought about taking the sorrel next to Giro with her but she decided against it. They didn't need them to get even angrier about all of this.

She bridled her horse, the movements burnt into her mind since she was a little child.

Age five Mom would take her two the nearby barn owned by an old couple. The women was cute, she always gave her some freshly baked cookies and a jar of milk after her lesson. She enjoyed that, talking to them, seeing them smile when she would tell all the storys of her friends and primary school. Age 10 Mom would take her to the first competitions, cheering like crazy everytime she jumped a fence but also clenching her hands in fists, hoping that her daughter wouldn't fall off. Margo used to be so nervous, trembling with fear as she got the saddle out of their trailer. The moment the bell rang her brain switched off, only the horse and her body working in perfect symbiosis. Age 15 Mom would cry as she saw her daughter holding the gold medal for winning the national juniors cup of the USA. Dad was never there. Not to look, not to support, not to cheer.

Margo slipped the last piece of leather into its buckle, stood on the fence post and hopped on his back. She guided him over to the gate, searching for the shabby rope with which Carl had opened it to let Daryl bring her in. Once she'd found it, dangeling from the fence, she adjusted the weapons on her back to pull it down with all her force. She had to be fast, really damn fast, the gates creaked like crazy and were not only waking up probably everyone at the prison but also attract all the walkers stumbling around the woods. "Pull, c'mon Margo get your fucking shit together", she spoke to herself. Her biceps was burning but the space still wasn't big enough to get through because within the three seconds it would take her to ride out of the fence, it woul've been halfway closed again, crushing her. "C'moooon".

Ricks eyes snapped open. His reflexes kicking in before he could even think about what had woken him up. Spending the whole winter outside until they found the prison had his brain alarmed by every little noise. It has been a rough time, running around the country without any shelter.

He jumped out of the bed, grabbed his hand gun and the walkie-talkie from the nightstand and ran out of his cell. "Everybody, wake up!", his voice echoed through the room, "something's happening out there". People groaned, the guns chattered. When the first members came running towards Rick he began heading to the door where Sasha should have been guarding the C-Block for that night. Daryl showed up behind him, his crossbow raised so he could shoot right over Ricks shoulder if required. "Sasha..Hey Sasha you there", Rick whispered, his ear pressed against the cold material. Nothing, there was no Sasha answering to his request, no walker groaning to the sound of his clear voice. Daryl glanced back only to see Tyreese already storming forwards, slamming his weight against the door. The handle crashed into the outside concrete wall, releasing a loud bang.

Margo winced at the sound. She had to go, now!

While Tyreese kneeled beside his unconscious sister, Daryl quickly passed him and Rick, storming towards the field. "She's just blacked out", Hershel stated, his fingers pressing into the skin right under her soft jawline, checking her pulse. Tyreese exhaled, his hands gripping his own face in relief as the elderly man put a comforting hand on his back. "That bitch's escaping", Daryl shouted from down the hill, locking eyes with Rick as he tried to persuade them to run after her with him. But when Rick stood up and started to race towards the fence with Daryl, Margo let go of the string, gallopping through the gate. It was a close call, Giros tail almost got caught up in the two red doors. A bullet of Ricks gun hit the closed gate.

"Where the hell are Glenn n' Maggie", Daryl growled, stomping towards Rick to snap the walkie-talkie out of his hands. "Maggie, Glenn?". No answer. "the hell", he muttered, his blue eyes darting to the two towers. The light was still flickering, but he couldn't see anyone standing up there. Rick got back to Sasha, asking Hershel about what must have happened while Daryl jogged over to the silver buildings.

(Back in the prison)
"Someone's gotta help me, they're both passed out", "What?", Carol looked over to Daryl in disbelief. "How could she-?", Beth started. "Knock'em out cold with the trap door". "This girl literally disabled three of our best people, alone", the blond girl looked over to Rick, her eyes glistening with fear and anger. He was chewing on his bottom lip, his mind wandering, considering all they're left over options. She seemed to be strong, intelligent, independent but how could she not see the chance this group was offering her? What was holding her off? Why would this girl, Margo, stay rather out there without any safety, risking the lives of her dad and brother instead of accepting his request?

Rick sighed before saying, "We gotta find her".

Margo felt blind. All the trees mixing into a black nothingness, eating her up, infiltrating her mind with dark thoughts as she speeded through the forest. The night was foggy. She had to find the road where she came from, she had to find her way back, back to Nico and Dad. If they were still there. Hopefully.