Crossbow Hearts

~Daryl~
I was lying on the damn prison bed after she’d gone with that lame excuse of helping Lori with the tutoring. My wound itched like crazy, I was damn sure the thing had got infected all cos that son of a bitch shanked me. Merle would blow the roof if he found some black guy had stabbed me. And something I didn’t get was why she cared so damn much. I’d been a complete jerk to her, yeah I’d saved her crazy ass on three separate occasions. But it wasn’t that. We almost kissed when I saved her from Carol. Then she almost kissed me after she woke up crying. Which for some reason angered me. What could have happened to her to upset her so much? And then as I lay bleeding on the floor she actually kissed me. I blew her off when she tried to bring it up and she hadn’t broached it since. We spent the past few days talking about what happened before she was in the group and before this shit storm hit us. I told her things that made me sound crazy and she just accepted them. She even said that she knows I may act like a badass but that I’m really a good guy. How would she know? I broke from my thoughts when I heard someone come in.
“Who the fucks that?” Axel stuck his head into my cell.
“Sorry brother didn’t mean to startle you. I was just coming to get some paper so Jamie can write down everything we need.” I glared at him.
“What the fuck you talking about?”
“Jamie and Glenn are going scavenging Hershel has a long list of medication he needs getting.” Why was she fucking doing this?
“Right.” Axel just left, he was a decent man, but I had more on my mind. She was going to get her damn-self killed. I wouldn’t be there to make sure she gets back and Glenn? Ha Glenn would freeze or hightail it the second things got bad. Damn it why did I give a crap about what happened to her? Sure she was pretty and feisty and smart and damn could she kick ass when she wanted to. Fuck so I liked her, but who wouldn’t?
I heard someone in the cell next to me. They’d tried to be quiet, but going through the bag they’d made a little too much noise.
“Jamie?” She walked in stuffing ammo clips into her back pack and trying to look all innocent. “Where the fuck do you think you are going?” She looked at me amusedly.
“Scavenging with Glenn we’ve ran out of a few things.” I knew blowing my top with her would make her do it without thinking things through. And I also knew she was bullshitting me. I knew it was infected, but I’d pull through without the damn antibiotics.
“No you’re not, I know why you’re going, but I’ll be fine.” She crossed her arms raising her brow. Even then she looked…beautiful.
“No you won’t and like I said we’ve ran out of things I have a list of things me and Glenn need to get. I’ll be back tonight or early in the morning. Later Daryl.” She walked away.
“Jamie, think about Caleb! You’re going to get yourself killed you crazy fucking bitch!” But it was no good she just walked away. Well I’d be damned if I let her go with just Glenn. I tried to sit up, but felt my stitches pull. I’d rip them if I moved much more. And the pain in my side was excruciating I had to lie back down. About an hour later Caleb came in.
“What’s up little man?” He just stood looking me for a while before he spoke.
“Jamie’s going to bring me some stuff back her and Glenn are bringing stuff for everyone. Is she bringing you something?” The kid reminded me of me when I was his age. But this kid was a lot tougher. He knew his mom and dad where dead, from what she, Jamie had told me she found him hidden in his bedroom as his parents tried to get in, they were walkers. And instead of the kid being a wreck he was surviving. Hell Jamie had taught him how to fight with a knife, how to drive a truck. The only time this kid really got upset was when he thought she was dead or hurt.
“Yeah she’s bringing me some medication.” I told him quietly. He looked at me for a long time. I had a feeling this kid could read people. I saw him and the way he people watched when he wasn’t playing with Rick’s kid.
“You know Jamie will be ok? We were ok before we found you. And she always comes back, always. She says she always comes back for me.” I patted his head smiling, this kid was good. And she would come back for him.
“Yeah little man she will come back. Like you said she’ll come back for you.” But for me too, I remember how she sounded when I got stabbed the absolute terror in her voice. All because I’d been stabbed. Caleb left to go play with Carl again. Lori had been by and Dale to see if I needed anything, but no one else. I guess it was going dark as they put all the kids to bed. But then I heard raised voices. Glenn’s and he was hysterical.
“Oh man, I haven’t even got the antibiotics!”
“Glenn just stop and tell us what happened.” Rick demanded.
“We got everything. Then Jamie went into a hunting store. Someone had been through the town killing walkers. She went in made me wait and keep a look out. Then she came running out telling me to get in the car. I pushed her door open as I started the engine.” He wailed. What had happened to her? I needed to know I slid out of bed and pulled myself up. I made my way to the doors to the hallway.
“Then what Glenn? What the hell happened?” Rick again.
“Some guy grabbed her she struggled. She kicked the door closed screaming for me to drive. They fell. I couldn’t see they were everywhere. So I drove. I drove like a mad man. Oh shit what am I going to do?” I hobbled through the doors.
“You’re going to take me there.” I demanded. She had been taken because of me.
“I don’t think so Daryl. You’re in no fit state. Glenn I need numbers how many?” Rick said stating the obvious. But I needed to help her, I’d promised the damn kid I’d get her back safe.
“I don’t know it all happened so fast.” His little girlfriend hugged him trying to calm him down. “I’m sorry Daryl. I should have helped her…”
“Glenn there was nothing you could have done. You’d have got caught yourself and we never would have known what had happened to her.” Rick tried to assure him. Part of me agreed, but the rest just wanted to beat him to a pulp, he left her because he hasn’t got the balls. The door opened again and Caleb stepped out tears running down his face.
“Jamie’s gone? She isn’t coming back?” He choked out then wrapped his arms round my leg hugging it tightly. I wasn’t sure what to do so I just put my hand on top of his head.
“We don’t know that Caleb, they could let her go.”
“NO they’ll hurt her just like the other group! I saw her Cherry wouldn’t let me help. Garth was on top of her, hurting her. She cried, but didn’t scream. But she got away, she…she bashed his head in. Cherry told me not to look. Then Jamie grabbed her clothes and found her gun. She shot him right here.” He pointed between his eyes. “But if there’s so many she won’t get away again. I’m not there to help.” Rick and the others looked shocked, but I knew. I knew from when I asked her about Randall. She never out right said, but I could see it. And I’d be damned if this group would do that to her.
“I think we should go look for her. “ Tyreese said.
“I know, but it’s dark out they’ll see us coming if they’re still there. We’ll go in the morning.” Rick stated.
“Like hell, we’ll go now!”
“You can’t go anywhere Daryl. You’ll get in the way. You’re still hurt.” I growled in frustration.
“Rick’s right Daryl you’re in no condition to even be out of bed. You getting hurt even more is not going to help Jamie.” I knew Hershel was right, but I needed to help her. Hershel and Tyreese helped support me back into my cell. Caleb following behind us all.
“Can I sleep in here with you? I don’t want to be alone.” I nodded and pointed to the top bunk, he quickly climbed up and got under the covers as I got in my bed. She best be ok, they had best bring her back. First Merle and now Jamie, someone needed to pay.