Same Love

34: Plotting

Investigation. Sam was not too fond of investigation. He loved to charge in, all guns blazing yet Daryl had other ideas and Carol followed him like a lost puppy so Sam agreed to go with what they said. As they rounded a corner of a building they came across a walker pinned to the wall with an arrow. Quickly, Sam put it down with a stab to the skull.

"This is one of your arrows right Daryl?"

"Yeah, that kid must be nearby" 

Gunfire erupted and they turned to see Noah, the kid from before, being attacked by a walker. He had Sam's bow and quiver slung loosely over his back and Daryl's crossbow in his arms though he was struggling to use it well. Sam recalled a time where he had once attempted to use it.

Flashback...

"C'mon Daryl, one shot?"

"Ok, try hittin' that can tree over there" Daryl pointed to a rotting tree a few metres away which earned him a very indignant sigh as the archer glared at him, thinking this was going o be much too simple. With a sour expression he lifted the crossbow and released an arrow, impressed by the kickback of the bow and the difference between his own weapon and Daryl's. He then tried to load it again. Sam was equal to Daryl in terms of strength yet he had trouble reloading the weapon. He pulled the string back but there was simply too much resistance. Daryl chuckled at watching him trying to load it like a normal bow.

"Here, ya want some help?"

"How the fuck do you load it?" Sam asked incredulously as Daryl placed his hands on Sam's.

"Simple. Put your foot on here and pull back the string while pushing down with the foot" Daryl demonstrated with ease and Sam huffed.

"I'll stick to my bow thanks"

"This is a type of bow"

"Shut up"

End of flashback.......

Noah pushed the walker away with a force which sent it barrelling into Carol, teeth snapping together in hunger as it tried to taste her flesh. Daryl killed it as Sam ran after Noah, eventually finding him struggling with a shelf of books. In a moment of quick thinking he pulled the shelf down, pinning the young boy beneath it. The boy howled in pain but Sam paid no mind as he threw Daryl his crossbow and quiver. He replaced his own bow and quiver and then settled for staring at Noah, making him rather uncomfortable.

"Why? Why did you follow me? Help me Please!?" 

"We already helped you once" Sam started.

"And we ain't doin' it again" Daryl finished,  an air of finality in his words. He shuffled through the rubble and found a packet of cigarettes, lighting one and offering Sam a drag. Sam rolled his eyes, he had never been one for smoking tobacco. Weed yes, tobacco no yet he took the lit cigarette, taking a long breath in and handing it back to Daryl as he blew the smoke into the man's face with a small laugh. For a moment they forgot the situation they were in until Carol started to shout at them to help the boy. The shared an annoyed look yet helped anyway, pulling the shelves off of the boy with ease. With a nod of thanks he went to the window and stared out, starting to talk. Sam listened, something sparking his interest.

"You said you were at a hospital, did you see a small blonde girl there? Heavy accent?" Sam asked, taking the now limping Noah by surprise.

"You mean Beth? She helped me get away but she's still there" 

Carol noticed a van circling the building ominously. They ran, through the halls to a small exit. Noah fell and Sam stopped to help him up, Carol was ahead now and went outside first where she was hit by a station wagon. Daryl fought to follow her but Sam wrapped his arms tightly around him, struggling to keep him still. The archer buried his head in Daryl's chest, slowly succeeding at calming him down. When at last the van had picked up Carol he relaxed, still keeping an arm on Daryl's in comfort.