Cherokee Roses {Daryl Dixon's Daughter}

t w e n t y t w o

Whatever short amount of peace I had is gone at the news that Maggie and Glenn were captured. Apparently, a woman showed up at our gates with formula not too long before Carol and I were found. At the moment, Dad, Rick and Hershel are dealing with her but she doesn't seem to willing to cooperate. At least, that's what it sounds like from inside the cells. 

"How do you know we can trust her?" Oscar says once two of the three men come back into the cell blocks. I sit at Carol's feet right next to my dad, one of my small hands tucked into his larger one. 

"This is Maggie and Glenn." Beth says frustrated. "Why are we even debating?" 

"We ain't." Dad says volunteering himself. "I'll go after them."

"Well this place sounds pretty secure, you can't go alone." Rick tells him and I agree. It's too dangerous and I don't even know that 'this place' is.

"I'll go." Beth volunteers stepping forward along with Axel who does the same. I admire Beth willing to do anything that it takes to get her big sister back. I start to stand up and volunteer myself but dad shoots me a glare suggesting that I should sit back down. Should have known, he won't risk my life after he just found me. 

 When everything is said and done, the people going on the rescue mission are Rick, my dad, Oscar, and the woman who showed up at our gates, Michonne. There's really no time to waste so as soon as it's decided, the cars are already being packed up. Walking next to Carl, we bring the items that might be needed into one of our cars. Dad takes the heaviest from Carl and throws it into the trunk. 

"Don't worry about your old man," He tells him. "I'm gonna keep my eye on him." Carl just nods and my dad begins walking away with me following. 

"You're gonna be careful right?" I ask stupidly. 

"You know that I always am." He says grabbing my shoulder and pulling me into his side. 

"I know, but that don't mean that I don't worry." I mutter to keep my voice from cracking as tears well up in my eyes. I know that my dad is perfectly capable of protecting himself and others, but just yesterday I thought I was going to die and never see him again. What happens if he leaves and doesn't come back?

"Hey Cheri," He says gently while kneeling down to my level, pulling out his handkerchief and placing the square cloth in my hand. "I'm not gonna go anywhere okay?" 

I quickly wipe away the stray tear that escaped my eyes and nod before hugging my father like I'll never see him again. It lasts almost a minute before it's time for him to leave. 

"I love you daddy." I whisper in his ear as he places a light kiss on my forehead. 

"and I love you little rose." He says before standing up and telling Carol to stay safe before getting into the car and heading out leaving Carl, Hershel, Beth, Carol, Axel, and I at the prison.

It isn't long before I search for something to keep me busy. I find Beth in a cell with a newly named Judith, Axel and Carl. Little baby Judith is cooing as Beth rocks her. 

 "You are good with her, you got lil' sisters?" Axel asks Beth watching her creepily.

"No, but Cherokee might as well be one." She says with a small smile as she notices me stepping into the room.

"How old are you anyway?" Axel continues asking questions and I watch as Carl crosses his arms almost impatiently. 

"17." Beth answers politely, keeping her answers short and sweet.

"17, interesting." Axel responds and I almost gag out of disgust before Carol pulls him out of the room for a chat. Now it's just us 'kids' and we awkwardly stare at each other before bursting out in a fit of giggles. 

"That was weird." I mutter sitting next to Beth and staring at Judith. 

"You wanna hold her?" Beth asks and I look at Carl waiting for his approval. It is his baby sister after all. He nods and I look at Beth eagerly. 

Gently she hands over the newborn and I cradle her tiny body. She's a beautiful child, definitely taking after her parents. I can tell that Carl already has an unconditional amount of love for her too.

As night falls Hershel takes her from my arms to put her to bed. Now all I can focus on is how worried I am about the rescue mission. By the looks of us, we all are. 

"How are we with formula?" Carl asks from his place next to me on the stairwell. We moved out here in order to get the little light the moon provides.

"We have enough to last us another month." Hershel responds.

"I'll take Carol for some more at the end of the week." Carl responds. He sounds so much like an adult and it reminds me just how much we've grown up in this world since the beginning. 

"I'll go too." I nod.

"Your dads and the others will be back by then." Beth tells us cheerfully. 

"We don't know that." Carl says solemnly. As much as I hate to agree with him I can't help it. "Right now, Judith is the only family I got."

In the distance a woman's screams interrupt our peaceful night.

"What was that?" I ask. 

"That came from inside," Hershel responds.

"Was it Carol?" Beth asks on edge. 

"She's out keeping watch with Axel in the guard tower." He says, everything in my body is racing as I stand up and grab my crossbow. 

"What if they came back inside for something, what if they need help?" 

Carl stands up with me grabbing his gun. "I'm going."

"I can't let you guys go down there." Hershel says blocking us with one of his crutches. 

"My father would go." Carl says with a sense of confidence and I nod. 

"Mine too." I tell the old man and reluctantly he nods before another scream rips through the air.

We race to the tombs, Carl leading the way with a flashlight in hand. Following the screams, we slow down I notice Carl look at the boiler room in despair. That's when I realize he lost his mom in that room. 

Out of no where, a walker starts to roam towards us making me jump before Carl shoots it in the brain. Hearing more cries we make our way to the right of the boiler room where there are 5 people fighting a group of walkers. 

I shoot one that gets a little too close for comfort before yanking the arrow out as Carl shoots another. "Come on! Hurry" he yells at the group and hesitantly they follow. 

One of the women in the small group of five is bit and slowing us down. "You have to leave her!" I yell.

"No way!" The big burly black man says punching a walker straight in the face while carrying the woman who was bit. Badass.

By the time we make it back to the cell block, the woman who has now been named Donna is dead. As Carl aims his gun at her forehead, he's stopped by the badass. 

Then we're bombarded with questions, most of which I let Carl answer. When it comes time for Donna to 'stay dead' Carl and I lock the door to the cells.

"Hey, what are you doing?" A woman with a shovel asks.

"Kid, did you just lock us in here?" Badass asks us.

"Open the door." Shovel girl demands. 

"You guys are safe, the room is secure- but we have to make sure our group is safe too." I say. "We don't know you."

After that, I back away and head to my cell as the woman screams for us to let them in. Hanging my crossbow on the bunk I lean against the wall and close my eyes. 

How the hell are we gonna explain this to Rick and my dad when they get back?

Word Count: 1378

Is that foreshadowing I sense?? anyways hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a like and comment if you did!