Beauty and Her Beast (Daryl Dixon Fanfic)

45

"Rick! Come down here! We need to talk!"

"It's not up to me! There's a council now! They run this place!"

"Is Hershel on the council?" I put a hand over my mouth as Hershel was pulled out of a car and pushed to his knees. "What about Michonne?" She was pulled out of the car, pushed down a little more forcefully. "Is she on the council too?"

"I don't make decisions anymore!"

"You're making the decisions today, Rick. Come down here. Let's have that talk."

Rick looked to Daryl, who nodded. Rick removed his gun and talked to Carl and made his way towards the Governor. "We can't take 'em all on. We'll go through the admin building, through the woods like we planned. We ain't got the numbers no more. When's the last time someone checked the stash on the bus?" Daryl whispered.

"Day before we hit the Big Spot. We were running low on rations then. We're lower now." Sasha answered.

Daryl nodded. "Yeah, we'll manage. Things go south, everyone heads for that bus. Let everybody know. That includes you, Charlie. Go pack a bag for Faith just in case."

I nodded kissing Daryl, then resting my forehead against his. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He leaned over, kissing Faith's forehead. "Now go."

I walked over to Luke. "Listen to me. If you're gonna defend this place with the others, if you're gonna fight, when things go south, if these fences go down, you run. You do not try to keep fighting. If it gets really bad, you run. Promise me you'll run."

Luke nodded. "I promise I'll run." I sighed, kissing his forehead. I turned and walked back inside casually, hoping not to alarm the Governor. I packed as quickly as I could, stuffing it with baby clothes, diapers, wipes, formula, baby bottles and water. I went back outside, hushing Faith as she fussed. When I looked up, I saw the Governor holding Michonne's sword to Hershel's throat.

Rick started trying to talk him down. I could just barely hear him talking. Slowly, the Governor started pulling the sword away from Hershel's throat. I smiled, thinking that maybe he was getting through to him. But he wasn't. The Governor brought the sword down on Hershel's neck, blood spurting from the gaping hole.

Maggie and Beth started screaming. I was about to pull a gun out until I remembered Faith strapped to my chest. Rick shouted, firing his gun. I took cover quickly behind a cabinet, curling over Faith to shield her. I leaned my head out, watching as the tank plowed through the fences, the people following on foot and by car.

I pulled out one of my guns, holding Faith's head to my chest to cover her ears. I started firing, hitting one guy in the chest and another in his stomach. Walkers were pouring in as well, so I fired at the ones close to our people. When my clip was empty, I holstered it, hushing Faith as she wailed.

When the gunfire and explosions had ceased for the most part, I came out from my hiding place, stabbing walkers that got in my way. I picked up the bag that I dropped. "Carl! Carl!" I heard Rick calling for his son. I followed his voice, finding them by the tank. Rick was a bloody mess. "Judith, where is she?" He asked Carl.

Carl shook his head. "I don't know."

We started walking, Carl having to help Rick. We saw her car seat and walked over. The sight made me sick to my stomach. The inside was soaked with blood. Rick started sobbing. I jumped when Carl shot a walker, over and over, even when his gun was empty. Rick had to stop him. I felt like I was going to throw up, tears falling down my face.

"Guys...we-we have to go." I said as I bounced Faith in an attempt to get her to stop crying. Carl walked on one side of Rick and I walked on the other. The walkers didn't notice us, too busy eating to care.

When we got outside the fences, Carl tried to turn around. "Don't look back, Carl. Just keep walking."