Full Time Job

I stared up at Daryl, fuming, after I had punched him, nursing my fist that was swelling largely as I held it gingerly in my other hand. He looked down at me, shocked, and the group was silently watching around us. The man behind Daryl and Rick started to chuckle, and I knew that it had to be Merle. I studied his face that was similar to Daryl’s as his eyes studied my entire body. Daryl tried to pull my shoulders closer to him, and I wrenched away from him, scooped up Vinny from Beth’s arms and walked quickly back into the prison.

“Ooh, I like her, little brother…” I heard an unfamiliar voice call out behind me and I shook my head angrily. Merle was exactly like everyone had described to me. Beth followed me inside and tears began rolling down my cheeks as I set Vinny down when we had reached the cell block. He ran over to his cars that he had been playing with on the table that sat nearby.

“Are you okay?” Beth asked and I nodded, holding my fist in front of me that was already swollen like an egg on top of my knuckle and was throbbing painfully. Beth’s eyes widened as she looked at my hand, and hurried off to the cell that housed all of our medical supplies, and attempted to wrap it with an ace bandage. I lightly pushed her hands away with my left hand, and shook my head.

“It’s alright, Beth… I’ll be okay,” I finished and she sighed and took a seat on the stool next to me. She laid her head on my shoulder and we sat quietly for a few seconds while I caught my breath and pulled myself together.

“At least he came back…” she said quietly and I shook my head angrily, fighting back the tears that were threatening to spill over again.

“Is Daryl back?” Carol asked, peeking her head out of her cell and Beth answered her as I stared angrily at the tiled floor underneath my feet. She approached us as we sat at the table and her eyebrows rose in surprise as she looked at my swollen hand.

“Gia, what happened to your hand?” she asked, staring at the lump on my knuckle with concern.

“She hit it on Daryl’s face!” Vinny called back from the table behind us. Carol held back the laughter that was escaping her eyes and I looked up at her, trying to hide the smile that was emerging on my angry face. She shook her head and stood quiet in thought for a few seconds.

“I’ve got to go out and talk to him,” she finished, but before she could make her way to the door that led outside, the group began to file in and Rick had placed Merle in one of the empty cells on the lower block. Before Daryl could come over to me, which he was staring in my direction, I pulled Vinny from the table he was playing at and climbed the metal stairwell and laid down in the bed that I had been sharing with Daryl. I could feel his eyes on me as I ascended the stairs. Vinny laid down next to me, and began looking at one of the comic books that we had found in the prison library. I exhaled dramatically, trying to shake out the anger, tears, and secret elation that he had come back from my mind. I heard Carol talking with Daryl, who was speaking quietly to her, apprehension coating his voice. Not long after, I heard footsteps coming up the metal stairwell and I knew it was Daryl because Vinny smiled sweetly up to him when he had reached the top.

“Daryl!” he squealed, tossing his comic book aside and running over to him. I continued to lay on my side, not bothering to acknowledge that Daryl was staring down at me, holding Vinny in his arms. A single tear evaded my eye, and I wiped it away hastily.

“Zia said you weren’t coming back,” Vinny said, and I turned to face the two of them, eager to hear his response. I hadn’t lied to him… Rick told me he wasn’t coming back, and I wanted him to look me in the eye when he answered for himself.

“I couldn’t stay away,” Daryl mumbled, and set Vinny down and sat on the bed next to me. I didn’t shove his hand that he rested on my thigh away from me like I wanted to.

“Gia, I’m sorry…” he started, and I stared angrily ahead of me. “…Will you please look at me?” he asked, and I sensed the sadness in his voice. Although I was angrier then I’ve ever been with him, the sadness that rang in his voice made my heart ache. I sat up in our bed and scooted towards the edge of the bed, next to him. I looked over at him and he tucked a loose hair behind my ear, and cradled my face in his strong, rough hand.

“Why don’t you come outside with me, so we could talk?” he asked hopefully, and I nodded. He stood up in front of me and cringed when he saw my swollen fist.

“That wouldn’t ‘ve happened if you had held your wrist straight, little girl,” he said, chuckling, and helped me to my feet. His hands lingered on my waist as he looked down at me before I picked up Vinny and descended the stairwell. My heart was racing. I set Vinny down at the table next to Beth, and asked her to watch him while I went to talk with Daryl. I could feel the heat radiating from his body as he stood next to me as Beth agreed, avoiding eye contact with Daryl. I could feel him gently guiding me by the small of my back as we walked out of the cell block as the entire group watched us curiously. When we walked past the cell that held Daryl’s brother, I ignored Merle’s obnoxious cat call whistle and we walked out of the security gates of the cell block.

As soon as we had entered the hallway outside of the door, Daryl’s hands were all over my body as he towered over me, my back pressed up against the concrete tiled wall. My head started swimming when his nose brushed along the rim of my ear and his lips pressed against my neck.

“Daryl…stop…” I said, trying to catch my breath, and winced as I tried to push him away with the hand that I had hurt when from hitting him hard in the face. I couldn’t forget how incredibly angry I was with him. He backed away and I avoided his intense glare as he stared down at me. I quickly began walking towards the exit to the prison grounds, angry at the nervous butterflies that had returned to my stomach.

He pulled the heavy door open and the setting sun blinded me as we descended the small concrete stairwell that led out to the empty prison yard. I sat on the bottom step and he sat next to me, and we sat in silence for a couple of minutes.

“Gia, I couldn’t leave him, he’s my brother…” he said softly and I stared straight ahead, avoiding his gaze that I could feel on my face.

“You left me…” I said quietly and he shook his head angrily.

“What would you have done if you were me?” he probed, and I sighed dramatically.

“My sister wouldn’t do the things that Merle has done,” I answered, nursing my throbbing hand. He gently pulled my wrist into his hand and pulled my chin up so that my eyes looked into his.

“I had to come back. I belong here, with you… I left Merle to come back to you…” I looked at him quizzically. He didn’t leave Merle; he brought Merle to the prison.

“Merle decided to follow me here,” he explained and I began to nervously chew on my lip as his close proximity was making it difficult for me to focus clearly.

“Bein’ away from you only made me realize that the only thing that I wanna do is come home to you every night… for as long as you’ll let me.” He said slowly, his thumb ran up and down my jawline as he spoke. His tone was gentle and I could feel my heart beating hard in my chest.

“You make me …better,” he whispered, bringing his face closer to mine. I lifted my lips up to his, and quickly pressed mine into his, finally satisfying the craving of his lips on mine that I couldn’t stop thinking about since he had left. His rough lips moved softly with mine and he cradled his hand around my head, while the other gently held my swollen hand in his lap. I pulled my hand out of his and climbed up onto his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck, and the familiar security of his arms wrapped tightly around me as he held me, placing small kisses on my cheek and forehead. I sat on his lap, our arms wrapped around each other in silence for a while, and I was finally letting it soak in that he was back, that he hadn’t left.

“I’m sorry I punched you,” I said sweetly and I heard him chuckle and he kissed the crook between my neck and shoulder, sending shivers that pleasantly traveled down my spine.

“You punch like a girl,” he teased and I rolled my eyes sarcastically at him. I couldn’t be angry with him any longer. We sat quietly together as the sun began to set, and he was kissing me sweetly on the neck when the security door behind us swung open. He didn’t stop kissing on my neck and I giggled and pushed his face away as I looked up at Carol, who had called us in for dinner. I felt his hands lightly squeeze my butt as I climbed the steps and walked back inside of the prison.

“You guys are disgusting,” Carol teased as we walked behind her, smirking and flirting with each other. We filed into the cell block behind Carol and joined our group as we sat around the institutional looking tables that furnished the day room. Rick had released Merle to eat with group, and he was eyeing Daryl, Vinny and I suspiciously. Vinny insisted to sit on Daryl’s lap as we ate, and was so adorably happy that he had returned. After Carol, Beth, and I cleared out and cleaned the dishes from dinner, Daryl approached me and asked me to come with him as we entered Merle’s cell and he reassuringly nudged me forward as he officially introduced me to his brother.

“Hello,” I said nervously, shaking Merle’s only hand. He was studying my every move as I sat down next to Daryl on the lower bunk across from the bed that Merle had been sitting on. Beth had Vinny nestled in her lap, and began singing for the group, like she commonly did after dinner and before bed.

“How old is your son?” Merle asked, watching the group who were congregated in the day room outside of the door.

“It’s her nephew,” Daryl added, and I nodded.

“He just turned three a week ago,” I answered, and saw a hint of a smile emerge from Merle’s lips as he watched him snuggling into Beth’s lap, watching her sing. Rick approached the cell, asking to speak with Daryl, who reluctantly left my side, and announcing that he would be right back. After he had left, I fidgeted with my hands nervously as Merle watched me from the side of his bunk.

“Gianna, I’m sure most of these people have told you that I’m not a good guy, and they’re not lying, I’ve done some bad things…” he started, and I watched him curiously as he spoke.

“…I’m not proud of the things that I’ve done, but I am proud of the man that Daryl has become without me around to fuck everything up more than I already have…” he finished solemnly, and I nodded.

“Now don’t you go tellin’ him that I said all of this… It’s a game we play with each other… he knows that he’s my blood and my baby brother, but that doesn’t mean that I let him off easy…” he mused and I looked at him, slightly confused.

“We never had it easy…” he said, and I was struggling to understand the point that he was trying to make, yet I still stared back into his intense eyes that reminded me so much of Daryl’s.

“The way everyone watches you, and cares for you… I can sense that you are good inside. Daryl isn’t used to good people, so I’m saying to be patient with him. If he’s lucky enough to have gotten love from a girl like you, I’d do anything to make sure that you stick around. I can only tell you to be patient with him,” Merle finished and I contemplated what he had told me for a few seconds. He seemed like he was trying to change and it made me happy for Daryl. I hoped that Merle was being sincere.

“Thank you, Merle,” I said quietly and he nodded before he started chuckling.

“Now, if for whatever reason, it doesn’t work out between you and Daryl, you’re always welcome to come and get your Dixon fix from me,” he said, chuckling and wiggling his eyebrows obnoxiously at me.

“Keep dreaming,” I sarcastically replied and he started laughing harder. Daryl returned to the room and sat down next to me, looking curiously at Merle, who was laughing on the bunk across from us.

“What’s so funny?” he asked and Merle shook his head.

“Nothin’” I answered when Daryl looked towards me questioningly. I slowly stood up and extended my hand towards Merle, who shook it as I spoke.

“I’m going to get ready for bed, guys. It was nice to meet you, officially, Merle.” I said, smiling genuinely, and left them in the cell together.

“I’ll be up,” Daryl called after me, and I nodded at him over my shoulder as I made my way to the steps that led to the perch that Daryl had claimed as our bedroom. I carefully sat down on our bed, wincing at the pain that still throbbed through my hand. I began pulling out my pajamas when Daryl walked up the steps, and stepped out of his shoes.

Beth had finished singing and had walked up and brought Vinny with her, helping me change him into his pajamas as Daryl left to go clean up a little in the cold showers that Glenn had rigged a pump system up to.

“How’s your hand?” Beth asked as she sat next to me on the bed, rocking Vinny who was resting his head on her shoulder.

“It hurts, but it’ll be fine,” I answered and she chuckled.

“That was pretty awesome, but I think you hurt your wrist more than you hurt Daryl’s face…” Beth answered, giggling, and I smiled and shook my head sarcastically.

“My sister told me about this man that they are calling The Governor, and he made her strip down naked in front of him, but didn’t … like, hurt her or violate her physically, but, she’s having a hard time and I was hoping maybe you could talk to her about it,” she said in a quiet whisper and I felt a lump growing in my throat.

“Yeah, I’ll try, but, sometimes it’s easier to not talk about it,” I answered truthfully and Beth nodded, frowning.

“G, I’m really afraid of what Merle was telling Rick about The Governor, and his people… he said he’s going to try and hurt us,” she confessed quietly and I wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

“Rick is going to figure and sort everything out. I need you to stay strong and be brave, Beth. We’re going to be just fine,” I said, trying to soothe her worries. In all actuality, I was just as scared as she was, but I knew how Beth looked up to me like she looked up to Maggie and I felt the strong need to protect and care for her. She nodded, laid Vinny, who had fallen asleep, onto the mattress between us and rested her head on my shoulder. We sat quietly for a couple minutes and Daryl had returned to our make-shift bedroom, and I squeezed Beth’s shoulder into a tight side hug before she got up and said good night before quietly descending the metal stairwell near our bed.

Daryl’s hair was damp and he climbed next to me on the mattresses that we had pushed together to make one huge bed. The prison around us was quiet as our little family began to wind down and get to sleep. I was so exhausted, as the anxiety of Daryl being gone had never allowed me to fully sleep and the warmth of his body close to my back and the warmth of Vinny’s body on the other side of me was the best feeling in the world. My boys were safely snuggling me and I finally felt the ability to rest. Daryl’s arms pulled me against him and I rested my head on his bicep that stretched out next to me as the other wound around my torso.

“I love you,” he whispered simply and quietly into my ear and an uncontrollable smile spread across my face.

“I love you, too,” I whispered quietly back, and we both relaxed into a deep sleep.

The next day, I was tidying up the cell block; Beth was outside with Judith and Carol, watching Glenn play with Carl and Vinny in the large open prison yard. Maggie had been in bed all morning and I remembered Beth’s conversation from the night before and thought that maybe I should try to talk with her. Maybe I could help her, although it made me feel sick to think or talk about the things that happened to me that allowed me to relate to how Maggie was feeling.

Daryl, Rick, and Hershel had gone to go have a meeting with The Governor, and although I hated that he had to leave again, I trusted that he would return to the prison and hopefully they could make nice with The Governor. I shook the anxiety of the guys being gone out of my hands and timidly approached Maggie and Glenn’s cell, lingering in front of the door.

“Hey, Maggie, can I get ya anything?” I asked quietly and she looked up at me with a touch of guilt in her eyes. I held out a bottle of water and she took it and gave me a small smile.

“You must think I’m acting ridiculous,” she said quietly, her southern drawl rang out around us. She sat up in her bed and patted the side, inviting me to come in and sit down. I sat down and watched as she took a drink from the water bottle and looked up at me.

“I don’t think you’re acting ridiculous... I know how you feel,” I answered and focused on my fidgeting fingers in my lap.

“I just had a man violate me with his eyes, nothing like what you went through, Gia…” she started and I shrugged.

“It doesn’t mean that what you went through isn’t real, or painful, but… we are still alive, Mags,” I started and gazed over at her.

“Can I ask you something personal?” she asked and I nodded, returning her gaze.

“How long after, ya know, what happened to you did you want to be with Daryl again?” she asked honestly and I thought about that for a few seconds. The memory of Daryl and I in his tent before we had found the prison raced through my mind, and how I couldn’t relax and let him touch me like he usually did.

“It was hard at first, but, it won’t take you long to realize that having Glenn there to hold onto you is the only thing that you could ever want. You’ll get there, but, it was hard at first. You can’t shut him out. I told Daryl the truth of what happened to me one time, and told him I didn’t want to talk about it again, and we went from there,” I advised truthfully. She nodded and looked up at me in concern.
“I should have been there for you. Like you are for my sister, and like you are for me now. I’m sorry, Gianna.” She said seriously and I shook my head and chuckled.

“It’s fine, we’re fine…” I answered and she smiled up at me. The group from outside had returned and began sorting through all of our ammunition and guns in the day room in our cell block. Vinny ran up to me and I picked him up and slung him onto my hip, listening to Merle try to reason with Glenn to go after Daryl and Rick and kill The Governor now, and the banter back and forth made me immediately annoyed with Merle and his attitude.

“Merle, we promised Rick and Daryl that we would stay put. If you go after him, it could put them in danger from the men that you used to work with. We can’t leave,” I said sternly and he shook his head.

“And this whole time, I thought you would be on my side to go save Daryl’s life, Princess,” he said sarcastically and I looked at him angrily.

“Don’t call me that,” I said, irritated, and Glenn’s voice rang out with authority around us.

“It’s my decision, and I can’t risk putting them in the crosshairs.” He said seriously, and I rolled my eyes at Beth who was standing next to me as Merle made to argue again. Before I knew it, Merle and Glenn had tumbled down the steps in the cell block and Maggie jumped on Merle’s back and put him in a head lock. Beth looked over at me, holding a pistol high above her head and I covered Vinny’s ears as she fired a warning shot.

Michonne and Glenn wrestled Merle into a cell block and I laid Vinny down for a nap before helping barricade the cell block with pallets and other materials that we had gathered around the prison. I was happy to see Carol back to her old self, smiling at all of us despite the looming anxiety that The Governor was coming to kill all of us.

It was nearing dusk when I heard the loud rumble of Daryl’s motorcycle ring through the grounds and immediate relief washed through me. Rick, Daryl and Hershel all trooped into our cell block a few minutes later, and Daryl immediately walked to me and stood next to me, looking down quickly at me before Rick started to speak.

“I met this Governor, and he’s not looking for peace.” His voice rung out around us and Daryl pulled my hand subtly into his.

“He wants to kill us all.” He said seriously and Daryl squeezed my hand gently.

“We’re going to war.”