Full Time Job

It had been almost one month since the Governor attacked, and the cell blocks were slowly filling up with people who had survived and fled Woodbury, as well as a few scavengers that we had picked up on supply runs. We had sort of formed a community, the new strangers around us were all eager to help and each had different abilities to make us stronger and thrive.

Beth, Carol and I had sort of started a small school system with the children that had joined our group, which was a group of about twelve kids, Carl being the oldest and Carl absolutely hated everything about it. We really only had the material available to us in the library and Glenn had found some more books in the prison counselor’s office that helped us develop a sort of curriculum. Rick was determined to restart a civilization here… we would have a school, a doctor, a council of leaders… we had safety, now we would have to rebuild.

I was standing at the library counter in the prison with Carol, sorting through some new books that Rick had brought in from a recent supply run. Carol was tidying up the counter and looked up at me.
“I think that we should have Vinny and Judith in here, with the other kids, it gives them a chance to interact and play with the big kids, ya know?” she started and I nodded.

“I think it would be good for the big kids too. I heard Carl was so angry that Rick insists that he comes to class and we’re making him read…” I teased and she started chuckling. The door to the library swung open and Daryl, Rick and Hershel came in, ready for their weekly council meeting.

“Hey guys,” Carol greeted and we followed them over to the table and chairs set up in the library that was surrounded by shelves of books. I locked eyes with Daryl when he entered the room and he gave me a playful smirk that I returned. Carol and Hershel began discussing supplies that we’re going to need to stock Dr. S’s make-shift office that we had set up in the death row block, ironically. I started to turn back towards the front of the library, to continue sorting through books and Daryl pulled me between the bookshelves and kissed my lips roughly.

“Hey pretty girl,” he said quietly down to me, smirking before lightly tickling my sides and I giggled uncontrollably.

“Gia… Daryl… knock it off and get in here,” we heard Rick’s voice authoritatively, and I giggled more as I tried to escape from his grip around my sides that he was still tickling. I finally wriggled free and he followed me back into the opening between the shelves where the group was congregated around the table in the center. Daryl took the last open chair and pulled me down onto his lap and slung his arm around my waist and Rick continued the discussion about medical supplies.

“We need to finally check out that giant super store down the highway, I’m sure there’s a hoard of good stuff there…” Daryl started and Hershel nodded.

“We’re so low on antibiotics, sterile alcohol and peroxide,” Hershel started and Carol began scrawling a list as we spoke and added things to the list.

“What are we going to do about the fence situation, Rick?” Hershel started and Rick hesitantly returned Hershel’s gaze.

“We just keep clearing walkers, like we’ve been doing…” he answered and I saw Hershel’s eyebrows crinkle together in disagreement, but he didn’t voice it.

“Well, I’ll get a group together, ain’t no sense in wastin’ day light,” Daryl started and Rick nodded.

“I think that Josh guy from Woodbury would be a good help, Tyrese too…” Rick started and Daryl nodded in agreement. Carol wanted to go as well to get supplies for our new classroom, and as the meeting started to wrap up I had thought about how I’d like to go as well… I hadn’t left the prison in months and Vinny’s clothes were all getting to be too small. I started to think about different ways to bring it up to Daryl because I knew that he was immediately going to shoot me down, but, I had to try. I wanted to go.

I walked quietly next to Daryl and Carol while we made our way back to the cell block, the new people that had joined our group all eyed us curiously as we walked through their cell block to get to block C where we lived. When we reached our cell block, I spotted Vinny, Judith and Beth all napping, Judith in her little portable crib next to the bed that Vinny snuggling into Beth’s side in her cell. I smiled to myself and followed Daryl up to the perch, where our familiar home and things were all resting. Daryl started to clip his hunting knife to his belt and I walked in front of him and smiled sweetly at him before pulling his face down to mine and kissing him softly, my soft lips embraced his rough ones and I lightly ran my tongue along his top lip and he groaned, smirked into my lips and I felt his tight grip on my butt, pulling me closer to him. I pulled away from his lips and started placing soft, light kisses on his jawline brushing his ridiculous long hair that I hated to the side as I drug my tongue along his skin, lightly nipping and sucking at the spot that I knew drove him nuts.

“What are you tryin’ to do to me?” he chuckled, grinning my favorite smirk down to me.

“Hmmm, I’m trying to get you to take me with you today…” I said sweetly, looking up expectantly at him at my attempt at ‘puppy-dog eyes.’ He started chuckling and shaking his head.

“Come on babe, that ain’t even fair…” he said, still laughing as I continued giving him the same expression. “It ain’t safe for you out there…” he said, his voice a little gentler and still hesitant and trailed off as I started kissing on his neck again, he slipped his hand up the back of my shirt, running his rough hands up and down the smooth skin of my lower back.

“Please?” I asked sweetly in between kisses and he groaned lightly.

“Why don’t you just tell me what you need and I’ll pick it up for you…” he suggested, continuing his gentle tone. “I really don’t want you out there, Gianna…” he continued. I let my fingertips run down his exposed chest and over his shirt and over the waistband of his pants, tugging on them slightly, kissing down to his chest.

“I want to go with you Daryl, I haven’t left this damn prison in months…” I whined and he sighed sarcastically as I pulled my lips from his skin. “Are you really going to tell me no?” I asked sweetly, giggling and continuing my kisses again. He was quiet for a few seconds.

“Alright…” he finally reluctantly agreed. I smiled up at him and he laughed a little as he spoke. “But you better stay by me and if I tell you to run, to shoot, to hide, you gotta do it, Gia…” he warned and I smiled and nodded. “and I want you to wear two hunting knifes on your belt and have two extra mags for that glock… and you better change to your jeans, the material is tougher…” he continued rattling on and I nodded again, rolling my eyes a little.

“Fine… done…” I answered as I walked into the small office and pulled my clean jeans down from the shelf and slid the leggings I was wearing down my thighs, turning to the side and bending over slightly and heard him chuckle again as he watched me from the other side of the small perch area.
“You, little girl, are trouble…” he teased and I smirked as I pulled my jeans on over my black panties. I buttoned and zipped them and walked back out and sat down on the metal stairwell to pull on different shoes.

“I’m going to go get the rest of the group together, meet me in the inner yard, okay?” he said as he walked down the stairwell next to me, still smirking slightly.

“Hey!” I called out lightly to him as he passed me. He turned and looked down at me as I tied my shoes, stopping to return his gaze. He raised an eyebrow at me and I smiled up to him. “I love you…” I said simply and he returned my smile and leaned down to kiss the top of my head.

“I love you too, darlin’…” he responded, mirroring my quiet playful tone. I grabbed my gun and clipped the knives onto my belt, and the extra weight pulled them way down my hips, exposing a stripe of skin above the waistband of my jeans, the black tank top I was wearing I had to constantly pull down as to not expose my sides and tummy to everyone. I pushed the gun into the back of my waistband and walked down to the lower cell block and wrote out a note to Beth letting her know I was going on a run and that I’d be back soon. I knew she would keep a good eye on Vinny and Judith and I started to think about things I might be able to snag for her today. I made my way out to the sunny prison yard, pulling my hair into a loose side braid as I walked, tying it at the end and squinting out towards the pick-up truck that was parked next to Daryl’s obnoxious motorcycle.

“G!” I heard Maggie’s voice call out as I approached the inner gate. I looked over at her as she jogged up to me and she smiled hesitantly down to me.

“So, I heard your tagging along today and since I’m staying here, I was hoping you could uhm, grab something for me…” she started hesitantly and I nodded up to her as she was so much taller than me.

“Sure, Mags, what do you need?” I answered.

“Well, okay, so, I mean, can I trust you not to tell anyone?” she asked, her tone was slightly timid.
“Of course…” I answered, looking up at her quizzically.

“I need a uhm,” she started and leaned forward to whisper in my ear. “…a pregnancy test.” I leaned back and looked up at her with my eyebrows raised and she nodded and smirked a little.

“Oh, uh, yeah, I’ll see what I can find,” I answered and she nodded.

“Thanks, G, I owe ya one…” she responded and I shook my head.

“No big deal…but, we’re going to talk about this when I get back…” I said to her and she looked a little relieved as she walked with me towards the group that was going on the run.

“It feels good to actually tell someone, I don’t think I am, but I’m a little freaked out and I think Glenn knows…” she started and I nodded as she spoke as we walked.

“It’s going to be fine either way…” I answered and she looked down at me, a small look of fear in her eyes and I immediately knew that we both were thinking of Lori, and I watched her try to shake the thoughts from her head as we walked.

“Thanks G…” she said again, squeezing my hand lightly that she was holding as we walked. I smiled and nodded at her as we joined the semi-circle grouping of people standing outside of the truck, listening to Hershel’s instructions. I quickly glanced towards Daryl who was watching me, a slight smirk playing on his face as I pulled my shirt down that had ridden up slightly as we walked. After Hershel had finished speaking, Daryl walked over to me and grinned. Maggie smiled at me before saying goodbye and walked with Hershel towards the gate to slide it open when everyone was ready to drive through it.

“You going to ride with me on the bike, sweetheart?” he teased and I groaned, feeling butterflies in my stomach as I thought about the last terrible time I had on that death trap.

“I hate that fucking thing…” I answered and Daryl chuckled and shrugged.

“Well, the trucks full, so, if you wanna go… you gotta ride with me…” he teased again and I groaned and walked with him over to the bike where I climbed on behind him, clutching his middle tightly. I really wanted to wrap my legs around him too, like a spider monkey, because I was really terrified of the twist of metal and gas and oil that roared angrily to life when he had started it. I squeezed him even tighter when the loud rumbling deafened my ears and we started moving when the truck started to drive through the gate, Carol was driving with Josh and Tyrese, two newcomers to the prison.

I felt my entire body clench in anxiety and as soon as we had exited the gate, I heard the bike rumble louder than I had ever heard it and it lurched quickly forward and I yelped out in fear and surprise and buried my head into the back of Daryl’s shoulder, clutching him with every muscle I had as he continued to rev the engine, lurching us quickly forward. I saw him look back down at me, laughing hard and I immediately knew that he was doing this on purpose to scare me.

“I hate you right now,” I whined loudly, screaming actually over the rumble of the motorcycle and his shoulders that I was resting my head on shook with laughter again. He behaved for the rest of the ride to the store, which was a derelict building, the glass doors were shattered, but we didn’t see any walkers around as Daryl parked next to the truck outside the front of the store and he killed the engine on the bike. I climbed off of the bike after him, ignoring his chuckle at the sour expression on my face.

“Hey…” he called out to me as I walked over to join Carol who was looking over the list she and Hershel had written earlier. I turned to face him and he smirked again.

“Remember what I said, Princess… stay close to me, alright?” he said, his tone a little serious and I rolled my eyes, exhaled dramatically and nodded. I was reading over the list next to Carol after I approached her and the two newcomers were making a slight plan with Daryl as I stood next to Carol and I could feel this new guy, Josh’s intense stare over my midriff and body and I stood self-consciously, pulling my tank top down over my exposed hip bones and pulling up my jeans that were weighed down so much from the gear that Daryl insisted I wear. I looked over towards Daryl who was giving the typical Daryl scowl-stare when he saw something he didn’t like towards Josh as he blatantly was staring me down while Tyrese spoke to the two of them.

“Do you think you could help me in the Pharmacy? You have a better memory than I do as far as what Hershel said to look for…” she started and I nodded.

“Yeah, and then maybe we can look at some new clothing for Vin and Judy,” I added and her face lightened up into a small smile.

“Of course… I wanted to look at the art supplies too, I mean, who would possibly ransack the art supplies? They’ve probably got all kinds of good stuff that we can use in the classroom…” she continued and I smiled and nodded.

“Agreed…” I answered and Josh, Daryl and Tyrese approached us.

“Ready ladies?” Josh asked sweetly, and I could hear a small accent from the Midwestern North United States, maybe Wisconsin? Or Minnesota?

“Sure are,” Carol responded, matching his tone, which Daryl and I stifled a smile as we picked up on her sarcasm. If only Josh knew how rugged Carol actually is… she didn’t need any man to take care of her… not anymore. The five of us trekked into the dark store together, Carol and Tyrese leading the way and Josh and Daryl walking slightly behind them on either side of me.
“Carol and I need to stop by the Pharmacy first…” I said lightly and Daryl nodded, looking around and scanning the area intently that surrounded us. Tyrese and Carol both found a few abandoned shopping carts and pushed them in front of us, the familiar sound of the clattering metal as it rolled was the only sound in the building save the voices and footsteps in our group.

“So where are you guys from?” Josh asked, looking over towards me as he spoke.

“I grew up in Northern Georgia, unincorporated, in the mountains,” Daryl answered in his gruff Southern accent that I loved.

“I’m from St. Louis…” I answered and Josh nodded.

“I’m from Minneapolis,” he finished and I smirked a little, feeling his gaze on my face as I smiled.
“I thought you were from up north…” I said lightly and he chuckled.

“How could you tell?” he finished and I shrugged as we approached the Pharmacy inside of the large store.

“Just the way you talk is all. I watched a lot of hockey before, ya know, before the outbreak, and…” I started and he chuckled again.

“Oh, you’re not a Blues fan are you?” he teased and I nodded proudly to him.

“Well, at least they typically take the Wild out in the playoffs, so, I don’t know where your attitude is coming from…” I returned his banter as Daryl continued to walk silently next to me.

“Yeah, and how many times has St. Louie won the Stanley Cup?” he retorted and before I could answer, Tyrese shushed everyone as we heard the snarl of a walker locked inside of the small room that held most of the Pharmacy’s inventory. It was a male that still wore his tattered, blood stained white Pharmacist’s coat.

“Josh, Tyrese, why don’t ya’ll stand guard at the door, I’ll go in with the ladies and take this one,” Daryl instructed and used a metal piece of a nearby shelf to shatter the window and unlock the door from the inside. He walked in before the two of us and stabbed the creature in the forehead, the sickening sound of the skull cracking and tearing flesh made my stomach turn slightly after it landed on the floor with a thud.

“Okay, so the list says antibiotics, and oh God, I can’t even read his writing…” Carol complained and I felt the heat from Daryl’s body along my back as he looked at the list over my shoulder that Carol had handed to me.

“So were looking for anything ending in –cin or –cillin… those are antibiotics,” I started and Carol started pulling a few bottles from the shelf.

“and –cycline or –azole, we need those too, those are anti-fungals, I think…” I continued.

“What about atorvastatin?” Carol asked behind me, pronouncing every syllable. I shook my head and chuckled a little.

“That’s for like, high cholesterol, I think…” I responded again and heard Daryl’s chuckle as he searched next to me.

“Hey babe, this one’s called nadolol,” he started, smirking. “Is that for old dudes that can’t get it up?” he laughed and I shrugged and giggled a little

“Why? Are you having any problems getting and keeping an erection, Daryl?” I heard Carol tease, chuckling more, which I joined her when I saw the look on Daryl’s face.

“Not at all, Miss Carol… Gia, tell her…” he joked and I shook my head, still giggling as I felt my cheeks turn pink.

“You’re obnoxious…” I answered, still smiling as I found a whole collection of pain medication, local anesthetics, and topical steroids and antibiotics and dumped them all into the small shopping basket that Daryl was holding that was getting nearly full. After we took everything worth bringing back, we walked out to Tyrese and Josh, who had picked up a few bottles of rubbing alcohol and peroxide, and some gauze, which was also on Herhsel’s list. I also spotted shampoo bottles, toothpaste, and other supplies that were on the shelves nearby the Pharmacy. Carol started to push the baskets of medicine that we had collected into the cart and I snuck down a nearby aisle to try to find Maggie’s pregnancy test. I was reading over the box of one when I heard Daryl’s slightly annoyed voice ring out behind me.

“Gia, you can’t just scamper off like that,” he ordered and was quickly quiet when he saw what I was holding, a look of immediate fear and apprehension covering his face.

“Baby girl, is there something you need to tell me?” he said hesitantly and I smirked as I slung my backpack off my shoulders and stuffed a few of the tests inside of it. I didn’t say anything as I pulled the bag closed and returned it to my shoulders. “Gia?” he asked again.

“It’s not for me, Daryl,” I said in a voice just above a whisper and his eyebrows relaxed immediately. I walked passed him and he whispered behind me.

“Well, who’s it for then?” he said and I bit my lip and shook my head.

“I told her I wouldn’t tell…” I answered and he grabbed my arm and whirled me around to face him.

“Maggie, right?” he teased and I tried not to smile as I shook my head and pressed my lips together in a hard line and shrugged.

“You can’t tell anyone Daryl, I’m serious… I promised…”

“I’m just glad that it’s not you,” he said, a tone of relief obviously evident in his voice.

“I don’t know whether that is a good or bad thing…” I said hesitantly as we walked back over to join the others. His eyebrows knit together at my tone, but didn’t say anything further.

“Why don’t we split up? Carol and I can go look at the clothing and somethings for the kids in the classroom, and you guys can go check out camping and canned goods…” I started and Josh and Tyrese nodded.

“I’ll stay with you guys,” Daryl answered gruffly and I frowned slightly.

“I think Carol and I will be just fine, Daryl…” I answered and he shook his head playfully at me.

“Nope.”

“Alright, do you guys want to just meet us at the car when you are finished?” Josh suggested and Daryl nodded. They took off towards the other side of the store without another word. I don’t know why Daryl had upset me so much, but I wanted to talk with Carol, alone …she always made me feel better. So many thoughts were going through my head, I mean… when I was little I had always planned on having my own children, and when Vinny was born, those plans became set in stone. But, then the outbreak happened, and was this the kind of world that I wanted to bring children into? I knew that I was in love with Daryl, and I could never think about being without him… but what would he do if I did end up getting pregnant? It’s not like we ever took the proper precautions to prevent it from happening. Would we ever live in a world where it would be safe enough to have kids? Does Daryl even want children? He was so great with Vinny, and I knew he loved him, and I could see him being a good dad. My thoughts raced through my mind as I walked silently next to Carol and Daryl. I felt Daryl’s gaze on my face as we walked and I did not return it.

“What size has Vinny been wearing?” Carol asked and I shrugged.

“24 months, I think he’s ready for 2T…” I started as she started tossing little jeans into the shopping cart. “…and I know that he grew really fast and so will Judy so I think we should just clean out the sleepers,” I started, also tossing a few items here in there into the cart. We walked through the small infant and toddler section in the store and quickly filled up another cart. Daryl walked up to me with a smirk and tossed a mini-play crossbow toy and I smiled up at him.

“Well, he’s always wanting to play with mine…” he defended and I chuckled. Carol asked that we follow her down to the crafts and school stuff so we did and Daryl wrapped an arm around my shoulders as she pushed the heavy full cart in front of us. I spotted the stationary aisle and stopped to pick up a new journal for Beth, deciding on a pretty leather bound book that had dark purple stained leather and lavender pages, her favorite color and picked up a few of the expensive ink pens, and turned to toss each into the cart when I ran right into a tall man whose face I did not recognize whatsoever. I looked up at him in silent confusion and he returned my gaze before looking at me suggestively and he lunged for me, his arms had a strong grip around my neck and torso and I screamed, loud. I noticed a large S freshly branded onto his forearm that was wrapped around me. He had yanked me down the aisle and started sprinting towards the front of the store, and I continued to struggle against him and try and wrench myself free.

“Daryl!” I screamed out in hysterics, trying like hell to wriggle free of this man’s grasp as he tried to put his hand over my mouth to silence me, and I bit him hard.

“Ouch! You little bitch!” I heard him snarl out and he shoved me against an endcap in the store, squeezing his fingers hard around my neck and I involuntarily choked and tried to gasp for air.

“Let her go!” I heard in Daryl’s angry, rushed Southern drawl as he shoved his crossbow into this man’s face and the man quickly released his grip on my throat, but held me up in front of him towards Daryl and Carol as a human shield, which would have been more effective if I were a little taller. He was squeezing and pulling my wrists that were bent awkwardly behind me and I cried out in pain.

“Let her go!” Daryl repeated, staring the man that stood behind me down and dangerously aiming his crossbow at the two of us. I heard a gunshot and the grip on my wrists behind me abruptly relaxed as a loud thud echoed out around us and I saw Carol and Daryl’s gazes shift behind me but Daryl quickly pulled me to him and started inspecting my body carefully.

“I’m fine, Daryl,” I whispered shakily and looked up at Carol who started to speak in an angry tone towards Josh, who was standing behind the man and I, with his gun still raised. He had shot him in the back of the head.

“Why did you do that? We needed to know where this guy comes from and what he’s doing here, if he was with anyone…” Carol started scolding Josh who had lowered the pistol he was holding.

“He was hurting her and you guys just stood there…” Josh defended, looked over towards me as Daryl turned and gave him his typical Daryl scowl.

“I’m fine,” I answered, trying to diffuse the situation. “I just want to go home… Carol what else do we need to get?” I asked and Daryl shook his head.

“We’re leaving now,” he said, looking around us. “We don’t know how many that guy ran with or if he was alone… we need to get out of here…” he said anxiously, and we quickly took the carts that we had filled and made our way to the door. Daryl lingered behind everyone, walking slower next to me as I held my wrist instinctually towards my torso; it was aching terribly after I had been attacked. Daryl’s eyes crinkled together in concern.

“You’re not fine, G,” he said hesitantly and pulled my wrist towards him and as he pressed slightly on the bone that was sticking out slightly and I gasped out as it burned horribly up to my elbow.

“We’re going to have to have Hershel look at that,” he said angrily and I looked up apologetically towards him.

“I’m so sorry, Daryl,” I said smally and he looked down at me with a small concerned expression on his face. He stopped walking and pulled me into a small hug.

“Why, baby? You didn’t do anything wrong… I should have never agreed to bring you out here,” he said quietly and I shook my head.

“I just wanted to be with you,” I answered, my voice thick with emotion. “…and now you’re never going to let me come with you again…” I whined and he chuckled and lightly kissed my head.

“No… probably not…” he answered, smirking and I groaned again. We walked up and approached the group who was loading everything we had picked up into the back of the pick-up truck and Carol looked towards me as she placed the last shopping basket of items into the truck.

“Gia, sweetie, if you want to ride back in the truck, I’ll ride with Daryl, if you want…” she suggested and I smiled at her, loving how sweet she was to me.

“Are you sure?” I asked and she nodded. Daryl looked at me like he wasn’t particularly fond of that idea, but ultimately didn’t say anything.

“Alright then, let’s get out of here,” Tyrese announced and Daryl nodded towards me before I walked around the truck and climbed inside, Tyrese gave me a hand and I sat between him and Josh. Shortly after I heard Daryl’s motorcycle roar to life as he followed behind us and we started the drive back to the prison.

“Are you alright, Gianna?” I heard Josh ask as he drove and I gave him an awkward smile.

“Yes, I’m fine, thank you,” I answered quietly.

“So what happened?” Tyrese asked, looking towards my wrist that was aching still as I held cradled it in my other hand. I shrugged.

“I was just picking up something for Beth and I ran, like literally ran right into him…” I started, remembering the awkward look I had given him and he had returned. “…and then he just grabbed me, he didn’t say a word,” I answered and Josh shook his head.

“He called you a little bitch,” he said in a slight tone of frustration.

“Oh, well, that’s because I bit him,” I answered and Josh and Tyrese both started cracking up.

“You bit him? Damn…” Tyrese chuckled and I felt a small smile emerging on my lips.

“He tried to cover my mouth,” I defended and Tyrese shook his head, still chuckling lightly.

“Hey, you don’t have to explain,” he said, his voice was deep with natural bass. “I just didn’t expect you to be a biter…” he answered and I smiled at him as we drove back. We were all quiet for a few minutes.

“So how long have you been with Rick’s group?” Josh asked, breaking the non-awkward silence.

“Well, for almost a year and a half… he, Daryl, Glenn, and a few other guys in our group that uh, didn’t make it, rescued me and Vinny from an abandoned office building in Atlanta.” I explained, remembering the first time that I had seen Rick, stooped down as Vinny and I hid underneath a desk in the old haggard building.

“Wow, so it was just you and your son, alone?” Tyrese asked and I shook my head.

“Vinny isn’t my son, he is my nephew. I was on my way to Florida to try to find his parents when Rick found me…” I answered and Josh nodded his head, and I saw him studying my face from the corner of my eye as we drove.

“Yeah, I’m just lucky that Sasha and I have made it this far together… she’s my baby sister…” Tyrese answered and I smiled at him.

“Sasha is such a sweet person, and she’s tough… she’s definitely a good person to have around,” I responded and Tyrese nodded and thanked me for the compliment to his sister. We pulled into the prison yard, Carl opening the gate for us as we arrived and I slid over the seat that Josh had just vacated and he offered his hand to me as I climbed down and I walked to the back of the truck and pulled one of the baskets of medicine out and gritted my teeth at the pain in my wrist as I made my way inside.

“Carl, can you please grab that basket from Gia? She hurt her wrist today and shouldn’t be carrying that,” I heard Carol call out behind me and I whirled around before walking up the steps to the C cell block. I rolled my eyes at her and Carl approached me, holding his hand out expectantly, waiting for me to hand him the basket.

“I’m fine, Carl,” I teased and he shook his head and looked down at my wrist and stepped closer, pulling the basket from me and examining my wrist and forearm that was already starting to bruise and was swell.

“That looks pretty bad, G,” he said, opening up the door as we walked through it. “What happened?” he asked and I looked down at him as we walked through the silent prison halls towards our block.
“Some guy that we’ve never seen before attacked me in the store, he came out of nowhere…” I answered truthfully and Carl shook his head angrily.

“What happened to him?” he asked, looking up at me through his long hair that hung around his face.

“That new guy Josh shot him in the back of the head…” I answered and Carl nodded in approval.

“Did he say where he came from or anything like that?” Carl continued to probe and I shook my head.

“He didn’t have a chance to…” I answered and Carl nodded again. We walked into the cell block and Beth smiled at me as we walked in, and Hershel greeted us as he read from the bible, sitting on one of the stools that furnished the day room. Carl and I set the basket full of medicines on the rounded table that Hershel was posted up next to and his eyes lit up happily.

“Wow, you guys hit the jackpot,” he commended and I smiled at him.

“There’s way more where that came from,” I answered and he smiled again. Beth came over and hugged me lightly and I winced as I stretched my wrist a little too far as I returned her hug.

“Are you hurt?” she asked quickly and I nodded hesitantly, pulling my arms back from around her and Carl pulled my forearm gently and led me over to Hershel, who’s eyebrows crinkled in slight concentration as his cold hands started to examine my hurt wrist.

“It looks like this bone is dislocated, but you’d be in much worse pain than this, Gianna,” he mused, looking up at me and lightly touched the bony bump that was sticking out from my wrist. I winced again and he tutted. “That’s definitely your bone there… what happened?” he asked quizzically and I started explaining the story to him when he abruptly pushed hard on the bone that was jutting out from the side of my wrist. I heard the sound of bones clicking and crunching and involuntarily let out a blood curdling scream in pain and Hershel looked up at me apologetically and Beth scampered off to pick up Judith who had started crying because of my hollering.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart, I know that hurts,” Hershel said calmly and Daryl, Josh, Rick, Carol and Tyrese all ran into the room and immediately relaxed when they saw that everyone was fine, but tears were running down my face as Hershel’s soft, cold hands still held firm pressure on my wrist and he held my thumb with his other hand.

“It’s not all the way in place…” he said steadily and I was trying hard to pull it together but the pain that was coming from my wrist was almost unbearable. “Look at me, Gianna,” he instructed and I looked up at his blue eyes, the image slightly distorted through my blurry tears. He placed hard pressure again and I felt the same sickening bone crunching in my hand as I whined and yelped out in pain as Daryl approached the table, looking at me in intense apprehension as tears still were streaming down my face. Rick, Josh and the group that had ran out all dispersed after they realized that no one was in danger and continued to carry our supplies in. I started to shiver slightly from the intense pain that was still running through my wrist and Daryl sat down on the stool next to Hershel and pulled me down on to his lap, wrapping his arm around my hips and kissing my cheek.

“Bethy, can you get me a compression wrap, please?” he asked sweetly to Beth who was rocking Judith outside of Rick and Carl’s cell. She disappeared into the supply cell were we held most of our guns, ammo and medicine, and returned with an ace bandage which she gingerly placed in Hershel’s hands.

“I can’t believe that you went the whole jostling ride back here with a dislocated wrist and weren’t screaming out in pain like you just were the entire time…” Hershel mused and I felt Daryl squeeze my side gently as he held onto me, watching Hershel start to gently wrap my swollen and bruised wrist into the wrap.

“What you really need is ice,” Hershel complained, “but… ice doesn’t exist anymore,” he teased, smiling gently at me. “I’m sorry I had to hurt you like that, sweetie, trust me, that hurt me too, but we had to reset the bone or it would’ve never healed,” he said in a gentle voice to me. Hershel was such a loving, sweet man and I was truly lucky to have met him. He reminded me of my grandmother and I found his wise, kind attitude always refreshing. I did love Hershel, he was my family now.

“It’s okay, Hershel, thank you for helping me,” I answered and he nodded as he tucked the ace wrap tightly closed and released my hand.

“So, what did you guys bring me? Hopefully something to take care of that pain…” he mused, starting to rummage through the baskets that Carl and I brought in. Daryl was quiet as I sat on his thigh, close to him, and I was happy that he was there.

“The pharmacy was basically untouched… I couldn’t believe it,” I started and Hershel nodded.

“I can tell,” he answered. “These are great, exactly what we needed. Well done, guys,” he commended and pulled a bottle out and shook out two small white pills and handed them to me. I shook my head and pushed his arm back.

“I can’t take them, Hershel, I have to take care of Vinny,” I answered and Daryl finally spoke up.

“Take it, darlin’… Beth and I will take care of Vinny,” he said, tucking a hair behind my ear. “There’s no sense in you sitting here in pain.”

I reluctantly took the dose that Hershel handed to me and he told me he was going to start sorting through the supplies and if I needed him he’d be down in the supplies cell.

“C’mon, sweetheart, let’s go up and lay ya down for a little while,” Daryl said quietly and I stood up from his lap and slowly followed him up the metal stairwell and sat down on the mattresses that we made into our bed. I laid back, clutching my throbbing wrist to my torso and Daryl sat down next to me, running his fingertips up and down the exposed skin of my midriff as I laid there. I slipped out of my shoes and whined a little at the pain in my wrist.

“It hurts, Daryl,” I complained and he tucked more hair behind my ear.

“I know, baby, just try and get some sleep okay?” he said and I whined again.

“Why don’t you sleep here with me?” I said and he chuckled a little.

“Because, I have to watch the baby so you can get better… I’m not going anywhere today, darlin’. Vinny and I will probably just hang out outside with Carol, she’s going to barbeque that deer I brought in late last night, so we’ll come and wake you up when it’s time to eat,” he assured me, leaning forward and kissed my lips gently.

“I love you Daryl,” I said, starting to feel floaty from the pain meds and he smirked and kissed my lips again.

“I love you too, sweetheart. Get some sleep.”