cassette tapes |d. dixon| [1]

21

RICK CAME BACK IN minutes later, aiming his gun at Oscar's head, "We didn't have nothing to do with that." Oscar stated, 

"You didn't know? You knew!" Rick accused, "Daryl, let's end this now!" Rick turned to aim his gun at Axel's face and Daryl put his knife to Oscar's neck,

"Sir, please, please listen to me! It was them that was bad! It wasn't us!" Axel begged,

"Oh, that's convenient!" Rick hissed,

"You saw what he did to Tiny! He was my friend! Please! We ain't like that!" He exclaimed, "I like my pharmaceuticals, but I'm no killer! Oscar here, he's a B and E and he ain't very good at it neither! We ain't the violent kind, they were! Please! Please, I swear to god! I wanna live!"

Caroline raised her eyebrows,

"You'd think in your final moments, you'd go out fighting and not begging on your knees. I guess it shows who's really cut out for this world or not."

Rick went back to threatening Oscar by pointing his gun at his head, "What about you?"

Oscar held Rick's gaze, "I ain't never pleaded for my life. And I ain't about to start now. So you do what you gotta do."

Rick stared at him for a moment before lowering his gun and motioned for everyone to lower their weapons, "Let's go." He growled, grabbing Axel and forcing him to his feet.  T-Dog grabbed Oscar and they led the prisoners down the corridor.

Daryl led the group and Caroline kept up the rear, making sure to look behind her every few moments to make sure they weren't being followed.

Once Daryl opened the doors to the other cell block, Rick and T-Dog pushed Axel and Oscar inside.

Caroline leaned against the door and grimaced. There were sure a hell of a lot more bodies in this cell block than there were in their own.

"Oh man!" Axel gasped, "I knew these guys, they were good men."

Caroline furrowed her eyebrows, "You realise we're in a prison, right? None of these guys were 'good men'."

"Let's go." Rick stated, motioning for the three of them to follow,

"So you're just gonna leave us in here?" Oscar asked, "Man, this is sick!"

Rick paused, "We're locking down the cell block. From now on, this part of the prison is yours. Take it or leave it, that was the deal."

He left the cell block and stood outside the doors and Caroline began to follow.

"You think this is sick? You don't wanna know what's outside." Daryl commented,

"Consider yourselves the lucky ones." Rick stated through the bars before walking away,

"Good luck." Caroline told the two men before following her leader back down the corridor.

They soon followed the arrows back to their own cell block where Caroline walked towards the cell where Hershel was sleeping and Rick trailed behind her,

"Hershel stopped breathing, mom saved him." Carl stated, looking from her to his dad,

"It's true." Glenn confirmed,

Caroline went into the cell and wrapped her arms around Maggie and Beth, showing them that she was there for them, "You okay?" Caroline asked the Greene and she nodded,

"I should've stayed back to help Maggie and Beth. This was their father, and I was too busy trying to be a stronger member of the group to realise my friend needed me there."

Rick walked inside and glanced over at Lori, who sat by the wall, "Still no fever." She commented, 

Hershel opened his mouth and Maggie moved to sit next to him. Everybody watched as the older man opened his eyes,

"Daddy?" Maggie smiled,

Beth grinned and moved to sit by her sister, "Daddy!" The two girls laughed and Rick moved to take the cuffs off of Hershel's wrist. Hershel grabbed Rick's hand and he kneeled next to the bed.

Lori left the cell and Rick moved Hershel's hand to Beth's before following.

Caroline smiled at Hershel, giving him a pat on the shoulder before squeezing Maggie's. She soon left, wanting to give the family some space.

She sat in her cell, taking off her flannel to reveal the black tank top underneath. She rubbed her ear gently, still hearing the ringing from the gun shot.

Footsteps approached her cell and she looked up to see Daryl holding a bottle of water. He took out a rag as he sat down next to her on her bed.

"You coming here to scold me again?" Caroline asked.

"Nah." He poured some water onto the rag and piked up her arm, rubbing away the dried blood on her skin.

"Then what?" She questioned, watching him curiously,

"Just wanna make sure you're alrigh'." Daryl answered,

"I'm fine." She grumbled, trying to pull away.

Daryl held onto her arm, reaching over to brush away her blonde hair, "He get you at all?"

She pulled back her hand to reveal some blood, "Nah, just busted my ear drum a bit. I'll be fine."

He nodded, standing up and began making his way towards the door, "Daryl?" He paused, "Thanks... for having my back."

"Without him, I doubt I would've been able to take Tomas out. He saved me. He's always saving me."