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The stirring of the body beneath had woken me up, but I didn't want to get up for the day just yet. Instead, I made it my mission to keep my eyes closed, just begging for sleep to come my way.

But it didn't happen.

I just looked ahead, trying to ignore Dixon as he continued one motion to pull the hair out of my face each time I tried to fall back asleep. And finally he chuckled as he knew I gave up. "Sleep aight?" 

"Better after you came." I yawned, blinking my eyes the smallest to allow the sunlight to my pupils. But even then I groaned out, making his body chuckle.

What soothed me even more was the motions he had drew on my back. His memory of my tattoo, making me smile even further. 

"Think we needa get up soon?" I shook my head and allowed him to stretch as I rolled off. And he took that to go straight to my stomach to plop down on. 
Even then he didn't allow himself that much, he rose back up. Sitting in the center of the bed as he tried to wake up. "Feelin' better?" 

"Dixon..." I warned, making his gaze faulted down from there. So he nodded along, making me rise up as well. Nicking my head to the side as we needed to get going.

I'm excited to get food, even if it's prison graded.

"Thought I was dreamin' when I saw this lil guy." He said, holding onto Snowball and laughing at it, he's the one who found it. And I didn't have the heart in me to leave it behind, even now.

"Helps me sleep sometimes..." I said, taking it back. Stuffing it into my backpack as my legs pull over to the side of the bed. Pulling my socks up and into my boots. I was ready for the day.

But taking the good look at Dixon I smiled again, his hair longer than what I've known him to have. "Would've told you to grow your hair out..." 

"Why, ya like it like this?" He grumbled back, and I nodded along as I couldn't help but see him refuse to take my compliment.
"Guess I gotta keep it then." Rising to my feet entirely did I grab my belt, both holsters already prepared. Yet he took his time, looking around and keeping a steady pace. I just want to eat something...

"Go on, see if there's a plan or somethin'." He couldn't stall any longer for whatever he wanted to do, so he kicked me out. And as I came slowly down the stares, completely surprised that there was no one else awake just yet. 
Even Rick was just slumped at the side, looking into the rooms across from him, or so I thought.

Instead, as I drew closed, I realized he was sleeping.

"Hey...Rick?...Rick?" I whispered, pushing his head up straight so he can be issued in not having a not cramp when he wakes. Or be moody at that, and he just waved me off. Blowing air in confusion on how to take care of this situation did I offer the given sip of water to his lips, and in the instant did he take it. 
But only two. He didn't take any more than that. 


"How long was I out for?" He asked, but I shrugged as I pulled the bottle cap over once more. It's late morning, and as I gestured to my watch he just let out a good laugh into his hands. 

"Even you slept in." I hummed, offering the water once more and he took it.

Guess who both have a knack for not refusing one another for a drink. And as he took this one, he rose up to his feet. Helping me on up as well as he had me follow. "Was thinking, most of these guys have weapons on them. Gather up a few, see what we see." He handed the water back and I took the slug as well.

Today would be a long one.

A long and rewarding.

It didn't take long for the duffle bag to fill with everything useful, on the guards, inmates and even some civilians that made it within the given area. With each searched body did we drag them into yet another pile. Hopefully, we can spare the fuel to just drive the given ways.

Don't think my arms could take much more dragging.

"Not bad," Dixon said, testing the given flashlight in hand. Even with lights on is this place still not exactly humane in terms of cleanliness. "Flash bangs, CS triple-Chasers. Not sure how they'd work on walkers, but we'll take them." Rick said, clipping one to his belt as I strapped my new one onto my own.

It felt like shopping, but not even leaving the comfort of our new home made it worth the while. Looking over towards Dixon, seeing him mock up the given clumps of slime did he scoff. 

"I ain't wearin' this shit." He uttered, and T offered to boil them. 

"Ain't 'nough firewood in the whole forest. No...We made it this far without 'em right?" He questioned, but the second he handed me a swat suit I shook my head.

"No," I stated, and he pushed it further into my hold. Not even reacting to my glare as he didn't necessarily care for my opinion.

"Ya ain't comin' 'less ya got 'em on." He urged, and I laughed. Knowing full well they need me to navigate, and with Rick about to step into the ring I just took it for another spin. Grabbing past him did I see my actual size, throwing it over my shoulders as I knew I wouldn't win.

"I hate wearing them." T laughed it off as he saw me in it. 

"Course you had one on before." He joked, and my glare silently went off towards him as he threw the white flag in the air. And although I tried to do the straps myself, Dixon came around me to help. 
"Yeah, well ya can hate me while ya wearin' it." 

"Believe me. I do." My eyes looked right towards him in anger as he couldn't get the strap on, so I felt new hands around my back tightening it correctly, peering over toward Rick did he just shake his head. "Don't know Blake, wore one and it saved my life..." He offered, but I shook my head.

"If a walker learns how to use a gun, then we're all screwed." I mocked, and neither one of the men before me questioned it. But I didn't feel too bad in seeing Maggie in one as well.

"...Hey Hershel, Blake?" Taking my holster a much more comfortable position, and trying to breath correctly wasn't a bit of a challenge. But I miss my FBI issued one, that and because it fit to my body.

Keeping my head down as I tapped Daryl side for a moment, passing Rick and following the doctor as quickly as I could. Trying to look distracted as I didn't know what to do in this situation.
 Carl's right, even I can't chose between the two.

"Everything all right?" Rick questioned, and Carol witnessed my frown as I continued through the threshold from the little eating area to the cell block. 

"Yeah. Nothing to worry about." She stated, but her calling both myself and Hershel at a time like this worries me beyond belief.

Hurrying into the room did I see a panic Lori just sitting on the bottom bunk, holding onto her stomach in sheer shock. "What's wrong?" I asked, trying to bend down beside her. 

"It's...It's the baby. I think I lost it." Looking to Hershel did he nod for me to feel her stomach, my ear right on her swollen skin as I tried to listen. 


"There's a stethoscope in my bag upstairs, I'll go—" 

"I'll get it." Carol offered, running up the steps into the room. Where she'll find the complete evidence that Daryl moved in with me last night if it wasn't clear enough as is.


"You haven't felt it move?" He questioned, and as the approaching steps had me hold out my hand. I was quick to hold it close to where the breached baby would be staying. 

"Nothing. And no Braxton-Hicks. At first I thought it was exhaustion or malnutrition." Hershel dictated that she might be anemic, but her mind in a far worse direction in a matter of seconds. 

"If we're all infected, then so' the baby. So what if it's stillborn? What if it's dead inside me right now? What if it rips me apart?" I shook my head as Hershel ordered her to stop.

I heard the baby's heart, and I smiled in relief.
"You can't let your fear take control...Besides, she can hear you. Mother's voice echoes and right now your's is the one she's listening to so heavy. You can't let her hear you be like this." As I held the dial in place, I removed the earpieces to hand to her. Pressing further did she feel the relief as well.

"...My son can't stand me...And my husband, after what I put him through..." My hands fell down to hers as I shook my head at her crying motive. She's having one of her little meltdown, I remember them, vividly. 

But enough to know they exist.

"We've all been carrying that weight. All winter." 

"Blake...I-I tried to talk to him. He..." She couldn't finish the sentence, and I said the thing I must've admitted a thousand times to her, pre-baby, pre-cheating, pre Carl even. "He'll come around." 

"...He hates me. He's too good a man to say it, but I know..." I shook my head in the instant, he may hate her, but he has more stress on his shoulders than the rest of us.

He thinks he's alone, and why he continues to talk to me is above question, one I need to figure out. "...I put him and Shane at odds. I put that knife in his hand." She continued to break down, and nothing I say would matter to her mind. 
And I looked desperately toward Hershel as he rose his head up the given bit, alerting me that he knows exactly what to say. 


"You know who doesn't give a shit about that?... This baby..."

 Checking everything we possibly could to test the baby's health went flawlessly, and in any case she made her way outside the cell to see everyone gearing up for war. And the smiling little boy over across from me came running over. 

"Blake check this out!" I smiled I helped him put it on, but the look on Rick's face meant that he wasn't coming with us.

And I sighed at that. This is his son, and I can't make these choices.

"You don't need that...I need you to stay put." 

"You're kidding." The boy brought up, and he called my name for help I just shook my head and went through the threshold once more back to gear up. These hallways are going to be dark as hell, and I'm not about to be caught with no flashlight. 


"Everythin' aight with the baby?" I nodded, my teeth shinning towards him as he cared so much for this child. Even if the prior night he called her Shane. 

"I still got my deer set on it bein' a boy." 

"I'm going to enjoy that deer." I challenged, and he smirked with his nose high in the air as he shook his head.

The bow pointing way up high as he was waiting on them, and I just took a seat. Knowing Carl would be pushing him coming along with us further than anticipated. "I want ya to stick close, ya hear?" I started rubbing my eyes before laughing internally. "

Come again?" I mocked.

"I need ya to stick close." My gaze just look towards him completely entertained at his worrying standpoint towards me. "What happened to not babying?" 

"This ain't babyin'. This is keepin' ya safe." I sarcastically tried to fix my shirt as the bulletproof vest will somehow protect me from walker bites. 
This made him frown.

"I can handle myself...Most of the time." His head tilting to the sign had me fix my own stance on the matter, until I remember something from way back when. Making me laugh behind my hand. 

"What?" He pressed, and I shook my head, still holding my widening smirk.

"Hmm, better tell me before they come," 

"Remember tweaker?" I questioned, standing as the group was coming through the door and as I was making my way to pass through towards the rest of our members. He stopped me. 

"I remember what happened before tweaker came..." He teased. Once again alluding to the idea of sex. 
But my giggle allowed him to play it off.


As Rick unlocked the door, where we were admitted to the darkness that was this hallway. The loud huffs of breath coming from each individual at different increments had it echo for the longest time.

We turned the first corner, overlooking the dead bodies and open cells that lingered through. This was just depressing. But the sheik that sounded behind me had Daryl act quicker than I would've thought, his body standing before me in the sense of a shield.

"We're talking about this later..." I growled in his ear, shifting back into place as he pushed into my bad side. Throughly enraging the stiff muscles and bleeding that commenced.
 As Maggie returned back to stance, did we push through. The lights just made this outline more like a horror movie, and the sound of the spray paint didn't do too good a job to continue with that regard.

"Which way?" 

"Right." I mumbled at the intersection, even if we make it around in a circle was it favorable in checking everywhere. I just hope the cafeteria is where it says it is. 
Walking in the direction I stated, did I just peek around the given corner with my flashlight hanging out. 

"Not right. Not right." I hissed, making everyone fall back to the given ways. Completely missing our marked territories as a dozen walkers stomped towards us.

The glaring flashlights went each and every way. And as Hershel stumbled into the corner, I pulled him out. Helping him as we proceeded down the hall, and as we hunkered down for a rest in waiting them out. 
I realized we're down two. 
"Where's Glenn and Maggie?" 

"I think we lost them at the intersection, I heard a door. Think maintenance is down—Shit I don't know...This is part of the reconstructed part." I grumbled, my hands casting over my eyes as I tried to picture what this place looked like in present times...

"You know, not many people take this position..." The warden mustered, his hands firmly behind him as he walked the given ways through the crusted halls. Ever so often would a guard and an inmate come strolling down, and every time would a small bit of me panic in thinking it could be him.

My heart was beating steadily as I tried to keep up, and the clacking of my one inch heals to the cement floor was surely giving him a hard time in concentrating. "I've been asking the state to donate more funds, but they're stingy every since the accident." My eyebrows furred together as I couldn't make up what the accident was, or why my professor didn't warn me before taking this job.

"Sure the gossip will reach you soon...Don't worry, our offices are much more suitable." He gloated, and I let out a bright smile. Only to soon go down once I saw the given cafeteria. The men sitting anything but on their bottoms. Complete animals, but it was the shooting glances towards me that sparked interest. 

"Most of our female staff members have a hard time...Er...Embracing the fact that these men haven't seen a woman in a few years." He stated. 
And I frowned at the excuse. As we continued further, I felt the catcall going off behind. Sure enough, there was another door for them to gawk through.

"Here we have the library, donations from goodwill and other facilities more or less. The older men have fun tending to this place. Younger ones feel more lively, energetic. We put them to work on our cars, others in the gym." He pointed across to see the full pledge gym, and game of basketball going about as we speak.
  Stepping out the back door to the ministration building felt like an entirely different world, the floors weren't concrete. They were wooden, modern and completely well renovated.

"Ah yes, you're office is this way." 

"Office?" I questioned, following further as I couldn't take the time to consider I'd get anything more than a cubical. Instead, did he unlock the door down the given hallway I will forget in a dull moment. And once he opened it, I was astonished to see where all the money had gone to.

The wooden desk, the finishings. The nice couch all seem to be high price and a luxury item. "The bed pulls out, some of us get caught up in work...We'll find you a computer, Steve will set you up in a minute. Make yourself at home..." He proceeded to walk the given distance out of my large office, and as the door clicked I looked to the ceiling.

"Should've taken the police stations office instead..." I said, regretting my choice entirely.

Trying to think became difficult as the groaning sounds had me fix my position so uncomfortable, and in Daryl's eyes it must've looked like I was falling. Considering he went to steady myself with his entire arm. 

"Ya got a direction?" I shook my head and frowned, I don't even know when we lost them. so much so that I feel disoriented into trying to think so far back into the past. 
I've walked the halls probably a good dozen times. Nothing more than that.

As the groaning stopped I proceeded out and everyone soon followed, my flashlight well in hand as it lit up the given section of the hallway before us all. Steadying our pace with one another I heard Hershel yelling out for them. But nothing responded. My heart was thumping so loudly in my ear that I missed the initial scream, and instead, it was the gunshot that threw me off balance. Trailing back as the shot beckoned all walkers to come to this area.

Shit.

Shit.
 Shit.

What happened?!
 

As I went to the scene, I saw Glenn and Rick begin to pick up Hershel as he was bleeding from the foot. Seeing Maggie did I race on over to her, grabbing her arm and dragging the ways to follow us. 
We need to get to the cafeteria. Twisting the ways did I swear loudly at the fact that the door was locked, telling Rick and in response did T bust it open. Allowing us entry as we couldn't go anywhere else.

"Blake! Blake?!" I dropped my flashlight and my machete in hand as I went beside Hershel, he was screaming in agony. Rolling up the bottom ends of his pants did I see the large bite. 

I have an idea. A theory.

"Rick...I need your ax." I said, closing my eyes and letting out a controlled breath on what I am about to do. Searching through my pack did I find a lighter, and the second my hand gripped the handle of the ax I looked for guidance in each one of my members.

I need Hershel to stay alive. We need him to stay alive, for the baby, for Maggie and Beth. We need him. Pulling the light, and burning the sharp edge of the weapon did I prepare myself. 

"I need a belt," I ordered, and single-handedly two of the men began undressing themselves to follow through. Thought Rick was faster, handing it to me and moving his leg in order to ready it.

Hershel' whimpering was making it pretty difficult to think. He's alive. That's something I have to remember. He's alive. 
"Blake we have to move! Just do it!" 

"If I hit an artery we won't--" 

"NOW!" With my hand measuring out I did a hopeful pray for the religious man before me that God willing will allow me to do this.

"1...2...3—" My aim was close to what I intend, but it didn't puncture the bone. With something clearer to aim for did I go again. And again. Until it finally became detached.

My hands shaking as ever at the amount of blood just laying on my entire body. Did I fail to recognize Daryl handing my pistol. 

"12 o'clock." He stated, and looking behind Rick did I see the given bunch of people just behind the wall. The yells of Hershel ceased and I couldn't feel anything more in my mind.

"Now." Was all Dixon said when I sprung up and aimed my gun to one of the five men just standing them. Completely witnessing what I had done to our friend, as I stayed in my position. Did everyone take refuge behind Daryl's questions. 
"We need to move him...Glenn, anything we can use?" I questioned, and he looked quickly around. But nothing prevailed. 

"Who the hell are ya?" Daryl ordered and they just repeated the question right on back.

"He's bleeding out, we need to get back. Put pressure on the stomp. Harder. Glenn come on." I urged, and so he fell towards the stump, carding it with a shirt or something in the sort.

"Why don't ya come on out of there?... Slow and steady..." Daryl pressed, and I soon stood beside him. My pistol following so closely to whomever would be first in line. The first thing I witnessed was the pistol in his pants, and I eyed balled it.

He's the leader, and when my eyes met his face. My gun pressed further.

"No," I growled, deeper than I would've imagined. My eyes beginning to sting as I couldn't believe my ray of sight. Angry pumping through with me as I was just ready to fire, but the risk of walkers is already high. Even with no gunfire.

"What happened to him?" He questioned, the man I so thoroughly despised. 

"He got bit." Daryl answered for me. But the second he went for his gun I pulled pushed further. 

"Don't." Another gun went into gear as T was stepping into the ring. "

Whoa whoa, easy now." He aimed it directly at me.
 My father aimed a gun towards me.

"Ain't nobody needs to get hurt." But Glenn went straight through the line of fire into the back, questioning if they have any medical supplies. But seeing the table before him with wheels, did I order for him to get that. He cleared it quick off of everything, running it through and presenting it Rick off behind me.

And my father soon found the gun in the face yet again.

"Who that hell are you people anyway?" He questioned, his eyes still connecting to my own. He's identifying, that or he's gawking. I can't tell the difference in his eyes.

As they loaded Hershel onto the metal platform, Daryl was yelling my name to continue through. But my eyes wouldn't move from my father, and instead walked backwards for a given moment before I turned my gaze.

I was going to kill him.

I'm going to kill him if it's the last thing I fucking do.

_____

Date Posted: 10-26-18

Time: 7:20

Word-Count: 4068

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I know it's a bit cheesy for her father to still be alive, but it'll be satisfying for that part of her life to come to a proper closure.  Don't worry! :D