Crossbow Hearts

“Hey…” I said as I walked back to Daryl’s cell, feeling cleaner, refreshed and calmer.
“The fuck you want?” Daryl snapped, I guess he’d wound himself up after I went to shower. I smiled at him before pushing him down on to his bunk and kissing him as I straddled his waist. His hands went straight to my hips digging in before slipping a hand up my shirt. “You are crazy.”
“Yeah, but I’m your kinda crazy.” I smirked. He laughed pulling me back down to him.
“Whoa princess is riding the fag.” Merle laughed wheezily. I sat up grabbing a pillow and throwing it at him.
“Merle you’re a fucking perv!” I growled out playfully.
“Says the girl bout ready to screw my baby brother for all to see.” I gave him the finger.
“Douche bag.” Daryl muttered, but it just made Merle laugh harder.
“Any way looks like some of them are heading out.” Merle said leaning against the cell door.
“Heading out where? There’s nowhere to go. And we don’t need any supplies for a while after the run me and Glenn did.”
“Well they were going to syphon off some gas from some of the cars to fill that generator up, but they apparently saw a copter looked like it was crash landing. They wanna see if they can find it and maybe some survivors.” Daryl stood grabbing his crossbow.
“Where are you going?” I asked as Merle watched bemused.
“They’ll need help. So I’m going.”
“That’s great Daryl I was hoping you’d come. Michonne and Glenn are coming with me too. And before you ask Jamie no, you aren’t coming I need you and Tyreese to stay make sure things keep running smoothly.” Rick said standing behind Merle.
“Why’s that pig? Think I’ll try and take over? Think Jamie can keep me under control?” I laughed at Merle.
“Merle I’d kick your ass. Fine Rick.” I nodded as he turned away Merle shaking his head.
“When the cops away the crooks will play.” I threw another pillow at him laughing as he walked off.
“Daryl…just be careful.” I said quietly. He leaned down and kissed me softly to my surprise.
“You just keep everyone in line, especially my brother. He’ll run rings round you if you let him.” I smiled kissing him again before he took off after them.
I walked into the cafeteria seeing Lori sat playing with her food.
“Lori you ok?” She looked up at me her eyes puffy.
“Why does he keep doing this to me? He didn’t even say good bye. I found out through Tyreese.” I hugged her.
“Ok he should have told you he was leaving, but Rick’s really a good man he wants to save everyone. Make everyone’s lives better. And I guess, well I would have liked to go to. Being cooped up here all day every day even with the exorcise yard well it’s a little much. But don’t worry I’m in the same boat as you. Daryl’s gone too.” She looked at me confused.
“Caleb said you and Daryl were his parents now, but I didn’t think he meant you were together.” I nodded a small smile on my face.
“Yeah since the day Dexter and Andrew tried to kick us out. We talked up in the guard tower and well, we’re together now much to Merle’s amusement.” She frowned at Merle’s name.
“How can you get on with him? He’s a pig and a racist.” I smiled again.
“I dunno, the sugar tits and being called princess is a little annoying, but I think it’s just the way he is. And he’s great with Caleb believe it or not. And anyone that Caleb can get on with is ok in my book. Hey Andrea.” She made towards us.
“So is it true?” I looked at Lori and then we both looked at Andrea.
“Is what true?” Lori asked.
“That you’re screwing Daryl?” She sat down waiting expectantly. I flushed pink.
“Yeah I am.” Though we’d yet to do more than kiss.
“Oh my god, I knew you liked him, but I never guessed he liked you back. I mean not that there’s anything wrong with you, just that Daryl’s pretty quiet cept for that damn temper of his and he keeps to himself.” I nodded.
“It’s ok I got what you meant. What do you have there?” I asked referring to the sheet she had in her hand.
“Oh well I figured with winter and everything we’d need warmer clothes and in summer we could do with shorts and vests. We don’t have much as we never stopped at clothes store. More important things to get. So I raided the store cupboards. There’s tonnes of jumpsuits I know they’re orange, but we’ll have clean clothes. And I’m pretty good at sewing so I figured, you know seen as everyone’s getting their own jobs to do here that I could be the seamstress. Make clothes for everyone. And let’s face it the kids, they’re going to grow so they’ll definitely need more clothes and then there’s your baby Lori.” I looked at her in surprise, she’d only just got back to us and already she was busying herself and helping to make life here tolerable.
“That’s a great idea Andrea.” Lori smiled.
“Hell yeah it is, if I could sew I’d offer to help, but I haven’t a clue. I figure I’m more use to helping tutor the kids and stuff like that. And well I can cook and I’ve been helping and learning to farm.” I said plus the idea of sewing didn’t fill me with happy thoughts.
“Well if you’d be willing to teach me, I could always help you out Andrea.” Lori offered.
“Ok that sounds great.”
As I said I would I went to tutor Caleb and Carl, Maggie offering to tutor her sister and the twins Ben and Billy with Dale’s help. I didn’t mind it at all. I went over basic equations with Caleb and more complicated ones for Carl. Not that any of this would help them in the world we were in right now, but a little normality was good for them. After super I went out to Tyreese and Axel.
“They not back yet? No radio contact?” I asked pulling up a chair and sitting by them.
“No, but don’t worry Jamie, Daryl and Michonne are more than capable of handling themselves and Rick is Rick, a tough son of a bitch if I ever did see one.” I smiled.
“I know, but still Rick said they’d be back by night fall. That copter couldn’t have fallen more than 10 klicks away wouldn’t have taken this long. All they needed to do was look see if anyone was alive scavenge anything worth salvaging and then hightail it back here.” I was worrying over nothing. And they knew it so they let me be. “Come get me if you hear or see anything. I’m going in.” I got up and walked back into the cell block Susie needed to be bathed. As I walked into to her cell Susie turned looking up at me.
“Susie! Oh god you’re awake.” I stepped back out quickly. “Hershel!” I shouted then ducked back in crouching down beside the bed so I was level with her. “Hey Susie…do you remember me?” She blinked at me and that was it. “I’m Jamie…friends of your mom and dad.” She blinked again. Hershel walked in just then with Maggie just behind him. I could see looking at Maggie that she was concerned that the others hadn’t returned yet.
“Well Susie it’s nice to see you’re awake. Has she said anything Jamie?”
“No she just stares and blinks.” I said a little worried.
“Ok Susie, well I’m Hershel, if you remember me blink twice for yes and once for no.” She blinked twice. “I was afraid of this, when I was patching her up I was fairly certain that her vocal cords had been destroyed, but I had hoped they weren’t too bad and that perhaps they might still work. But it seems she won’t ever be able to speak again.” I took her little hand in mine and began to wonder how we would tell her all her family was dead now.
“Well looky here, little princess is awake.” Merle smirked as he walked past being nosy. Susie looked up at him a smile on her face. It seemed she remembered Merle was the one that saved her. “Well looks like I got this just in time.” He pulled out a sucker and passed it Susie who grasped it in her hand her smile getting broader. Hershel and Maggie looked at Merle shocked at his kindness. “The fuck you looking at? Ain’t a guy allowed to be nice? Fucking assholes.” He grumbled stalking off, Susie’s smile slipping ever so slightly.
“Don’t worry about Merle, it’s just the way he is. He’s a little touchy may have to start calling him princess since they’re oh so delicate and touchy too.” I smirked making Maggie laugh.
“Hey I heard that!” Merle shouted from his cell.
“You were meant to Princess Merla.” I laughed harder as Merle cursed. “I’ll leave you to check her over okay?” Hershel nodded and I got up and left.
It had been two days now since the guys had left. Susie was up and about playing with Carl and Caleb, she’d taken a liking to Merle and tried to follow him when possible. And although Merle grumbled and complained, he never went anywhere she couldn’t find him. I do believe he had a soft spot for the little girl. But as much as I tried to dwell on how cute it was I couldn’t get past the fact that Tyreese had left earlier to see if he could see them and now we we’re hoping he was ok. He’d gone out in one of the riot gear uniforms which we knew worked well as protection against the walkers, but still I had to worry. Which was what I was doing as I started to get stuff together for tonight’s dinner. I knew the others were talking about starting the generator up later and I figured that would occupy my mind with other things for a little while.
“Jamie we need you outside now! Get your gun!” T-dog shouted as he careened into the cafeteria. I always carried my gun so I vaulted over the table and ran out after him.
“T, what’s going on?”
“I dunno Andrea said to get everyone to help with the gate, someone must be coming back!” I raced ahead of T-dog and to the gate Andrea, Axel and Hershel trying to get the gate open. I joined Andrea and started pulling.
“Where is Dale going?” Hershel asked breathing heavy.
“I don’t know keep pulling!” Andrea shouted.
“Why we…ungh…leaving all three gates open?! One will do.” Axel huffed.
“Andrea who is it? Is it all of them?” I asked hope in my voice.
“It’s just one…we just saw one of them. We don’t know anything yet so don’t panic.” I knew it meant that it was Tyreese and not anybody else.
“You guys hear that?” Hershel asked. We all turned seeing Dale careening towards us in a prisoner transporter.
“Here he comes…we’ve gotta get this last gate open now!! HURRY!” I barked out. We got it open just in time for Dale to blast past us. He pulled up someone getting in wearing full riot gear then he raced back. Andrea and I snapping straight into action.
“We gotta get these gates closed!” She screamed.
“We’ve gotta fight these Walkers back and close these gates or we’re done for!” I shouted.
“Where the hell is everyone?!” Axel shouted just as T-Dog, Merle, Maggie and the twins came running towards us. Lori, Carl, Caleb and Susie stood near the doors Tyreese and Dale running back towards us. We started shooting, but there was just too many of them.
“Andrea! We got to get back! Ain’t no way we can fight off this many!” I shouted pulling her out of them way as a walker lunged at her.
“Hate to say it but sugar tits is right.” Merle huffed. There seemed to be a sudden surge of Walkers and the next thing I knew I was separated from everyone.
“JAMIE!” I turned to Merle’s voice. He was crowded by walkers trying to back them all off. I started shooting and grabbed his arm pulling him towards the guard tower. “You can’t be serious?”
“Merle get you lazy fat ass up there!” I barked out fighting off the walkers. When Merle was up so far I scrambled up the ladder after him.
“Merle!” I shouted. He poked his head over the hatch. “Can you see where everyone else is?”
“No I think Andrea and Dale made it into the prison van and it looks like the rest might be back in the prison, the doors closed.” I pushed up and on to the landing. I quickly waked over to the railing looking down at the mess below.
“Man we are so fucked…” I just hoped Caleb was safe inside and that the others would come back soon and we could begin to take care of this mess.