A Survivor's Diary of the Apocalypse (TWD/Daryl Dixon)

S3Pt13 - A Familiar Face

It was late next morning by the time we reached the outskirts of the prison. We heard a whole bunch of gunfire and then everything went quiet.
"Oh my god.." I said. "Judith, Carl.."
The gunfire resumed and soon stopped again and we heard a couple vehicles drive away. I ran out of the woods towards the fence and saw Rick surrounded by walkers. Daryl loaded his crossbow and I grabbed my knife and we started killing the walkers. Merle.. well Merle just charged in and beat a walker with his metal cast. I grabbed a walker that lunged for Rick and stabbed it. All the walkers we dead and me and Daryl looked at Rick and nodded. I then saw the front gates of the prison, and they were torn apart. The Governor drove a truck into the yard, destroyed the fences, and unleashed a whole group of walkers. Luckily the cellblocks were unharmed, but the grass yard was ruined.
We all followed Rick back to the cellblock, and Maggie opened the gate for us. Merle kept his distance and everyone reunited. Glenn and Daryl shook hands. Carl ran up to Rick and I smiled. Rick pulled me into a group hug with Carl and a few tears escaped my eyes. Rick kissed my forehead then let me go, but Carl refused.
I knelt down in front of him and I saw his eyes were red. I held his face and lifted his chin so he would look at me.
"Hey kid." I smiled and tried not to cry. "How's your sister?"
"She's good." Carl said and smiled. "I'm glad you're back."
"Me too Carl." I said and hugged him. "I won't ever leave you again."
Everyone smiled at us and I stood up. We quickly ran inside the cellblock and didn't leave. We were afraid that the Governor would come back, and we didn't dare to step foot outside. The Governor killed the last two remaining prisoners, but everyone else was okay. Daryl led Merle to a cell and locked him behind bars. We gathered around outside the cells and waited for Rick to talk. He was pacing but finally stopped.
"We aren't leaving." Rick said.
"We can't stay here." Hershel said.
"What if there's another sniper out there?" Maggie asked.
"We can't even go outside." Beth said, agreeing with her dad.
"Not in daylight." Carol said.
"If Rick says we're not running, we're aren't running." Glenn said.
"No." Merle said sarcastically. "It's better to live like rats."
"You have a better idea?" Rick asked.
"Yeah. We should've slid out of here right away. Live to fight another day." Merle said. "I'm sure he has a scout on every road out of here now."
"We ain't scared of that prick." Daryl said.
"Y'all should be. That truck through the fence thing, that's just him ringing the doorbell. You may have some thick walls to hide behind, but he has the guns and the numbers. If he takes the high ground around this place, hell, he could starve us out if he wanted to." Merle said.
"Let's put him in another cellblock." Maggie said and crossed her arms.
"He has a point." I said, defending him.
"This is all you. You started this." Maggie said and pointed at Merle.
"What's the difference?" Beth said. "What should we do?"
"I say we should leave." Hershel said. "We can't just sit here."
I saw Rick was struggling to keep calm and couldn't think. He began walking away.
"Get back here!" Hershel yelled.
Everyone looked at him and Rick turned around.
"You're slipping Rick, we've all seen it. We understand why. But now is not the time. You once said this isn't a democracy, now you have to own up to that. I put my family's life in your hands. So get your head clear and do something." Hershel ordered.
Rick nodded his head, but Hershel was right, and I needed to take time to think too. I left to my cell, and stayed there for the rest of the day, trying to come up with a plan.

~~~~~~~~~~

It was the next day, and I was taking watch with Carl. So far we didn't see any threats, but Carl saw something running to us from the road.
"Someone's out there." He said.
Carl gave me the binoculars and I watched as this person got close, and I was shocked.
"Andrea." I whispered to him.
Carl nodded and ran to go get his dad and I watched Andrea run through the front gates of the prison.
Rick, Daryl, Merle, and Michonne met me at the front gates. Andrea got closer and had a walker on a leash with its mouth and arms cut off.
"Are you alone?" Rick asked.
"Open the gates." Andrea said.
The walkers were gathering around her and starting to figure out her trick.
"Are you alone?" Rick asked again.
"Rick!" Andrea yelled and panicked.
Rick gave me the keys and I opened the gate. Andrea pushed away the walker and ran in. I closed the gate and Rick grabbed her.
"Hands up. Turn around. Now." Rick said.
She stood in shock so he pushed her against the fence and frisked her. He took her bag and tossed it away.
"I asked if you were alone." He growled.
"I am." She said.
"Welcome back." Rick snarled at her.
He grabbed her arm and we followed him as he dragged her into the cellblock. Everyone gathered around and Carol was the first to hug her. I kept my distance because I was upset with her, and how she sided with the Governor. She looked around and noticed that Hershel was missing his leg.
"Oh my god.. I can't believe this." She said. "Where's Shane?" She asked.
Rick shook his head.
"T-Dog?" She then asked.
Carol shook her head.
"Lori?" She asked.
Rick shook his head and backed away from Andrea.
"She had a baby girl. Lori didn't survive." I told her.
"I'm so sorry.." She said and looked at Carl. "Carl.."
Carl walked away from her and stood by my side.
"Rick, I-" She couldn't finish. "You all live here?"
"Here and the cell block." Glenn said.
"There?" She asked and pointed to the cells. "Can I go in?"
She started walking forwards but Rick blocked her path to the cells, and she looked confused.
"I can't allow that." Rick said.
"Rick, I'm not the enemy here." She said.
"Well, you're sleeping with him." I said.
She glared at me and I shrugged. She's no better than him if that's what she's choosing to do.
"We had that field, the entire courtyard, until your boyfriend tore down our gates and shot us up." Rick said, pissed off.
"He said you guys shot first." Andrea said.
"Then he lied to you." I said.
"He killed the inmates that lived here." Hershel said.
"We liked them. They became one of us." Daryl said.
"I didn't know anything about that. As soon as I found out I came. I didn't even know you were in Woodbury until after the shoot out." Andrea said.
"That was days ago." Glenn said.
"As I said, I came here as quickly as I could." Andrea pleaded.
Everyone looked around but tensions were high. She then looked at Michonne all pissed off.
"What have you told them?" She asked.
"Nothing." Michonne said.
"I don't get it." Andrea said and threw her hands up. "I left Atlanta with you people, and now I'm the odd man out."
"He almost killed Michonne and Glenn, terrorized Maggie, made Daryl fight his own brother, and tried to kill us." I said angrily.
"With his finger on the trigger. Isn't he the one who kidnapped Glenn, who beat him?" Andrea asked and pointed at Merle. "Look, I can't excuse or explain what Phillip has done. But I'm trying to bring us together. We have to work this out."
"There is nothing to work out!" Rick raised his voice at her. "We're going to kill him. I don't know how or when, but we will."
"We can settle this." Andrea said, trying to stay calm.
"There is nothing to settle out!" I yelled. "We are going to kill him, and anyone in our way."
Daryl laid a hand on my back, and I sighed and crossed my arms.
"There's room in Woodbury for all of you." She continued.
"You know better than that." Merle said to Andrea.
"What makes you think this man wants to negotiate?" Hershel asked. "Did he say that?"
"Well, no-" She said.
"Then why did you come here?" I asked, anger still in my voice.
"Because he's gearing up for war Kelley. He has child soldiers. The people are terrified." She said. "They think you're killers."
"We are." I said bluntly.
Everyone looked at me and didn't know what to say. Andrea was clearly upset and I saw the group was upset at what I said.
"Oh, my bad." I said sarcastically. "Sorry for telling the truth that everyone refuses to accept. We've all killed something, or someone."
Judith woke up from her nap, heard my voice, and she started crying. I glared at Andrea and walked past her into the cells. I was done trying to negotiate with a traitor.
"Kell." Daryl called.
"Screw off. All of you." I said. "I have better things to do right now."
I made Judith a bottle and started feeding her. I sat on the stairs and rocked her in my arms. The group dispersed when Andrea left and Rick walked over to me.
"If you're here to scold me, save it." I said.
"Actually I'm not." Rick said and sat down. "I just wanted to see you two." He said.
I nodded and handed him Judith, who he finished feeding. I walked over to Daryl who grabbed my hand and I rested my head on his shoulder. Rick walked over with Judith and stood by us.
"Some reunion huh?" Daryl said.
"She's in a jam." Rick said and shrugged.
"We all are." Hershel said. "But, Andrea's persuasive. This fella's armed to the teeth, bent on destruction."
"So what do you wanna do?" Daryl asked.
"We'll match it. I'll go on a run tomorrow." Rick said and looked at the group. "I'll take Carl and Michonne."
"You sure that's a good idea?" I asked.
"We'll find out." Rick sighed.
"I can go on one too." Daryl offered.
"No. I need you to stay here. Keep an eye on your brother." Rick said. "I'm glad you're back, both of you guys, but if he causes any problems, it's on you." He told us.
"I got him." Daryl nodded.
I nodded in agreement and left to my cell. Daryl followed me and we got ready for bed. We laid down and Daryl spooned me. He ran his hands down my side and stopped at my hips. I sighed and held his hand.
"Do you think we should leave?" I asked Daryl.
"I think we should wait for the right time. See how things play out." He said.
I nodded, rolled over, and faced Daryl.
"I love you." I whispered and felt his lips.
He caressed my face and tucked my hair behind my ear.
"I love you too Kell." He whispered back.
I smiled and cuddled closer to him. I then fell asleep is his warm embrace.