NATE
"I hereby declare....that we have spaghetti Tuesday every Wednesday!" Hershel announced to all and sundry as I pumped.
He convened a meeting of the prison committee. Doesn't have himself a quorum plus Sash and I aren't even members. Yet those small facts don't seem to bother him a single jot.
"Would you care to join me on my rounds, sweetheart?"
I looked up to see he's now addressing me. Before we departed he insisted we all have another drink of his home-brew tea.
We left Sasha and Glenn taking turns at pushing air into Henry's lungs.
He's another guy Daryl found and brought home with him.
When he stopped breathing? I held him down while Hershel inserted a tracheal tube. That's the only thing keeping him alive now.
The cell block is mostly in darkness. An eerie silence is only punctuated by a rasping cough every now and then.
I'd already disposed of the un-dead who were locked in the cells. As their groans were freaking everyone out.
There's a fresh body lying on the ground floor now though and my heart sank even further.
I manned up and went to put my knife through Mr Jacobsen's skull. Except Hershel stopped me.
"Not here, Nate" He whispered, bringing a gurney around.
"People don't need to see it, sweetheart. And I don't want them to."
We placed his body on top of the trolley and covered him with a sheet.
"What're you doing?"
Oh, fuck no!
It's Lizzie....can't let her see this. But Hershel was quick off the mark.
"Go get my copy of Tom Sawyer from my room. I want you to start reading. I'll be asking you some questions about it later, young lady."
He gently ordered her away before we took the body to another room. Far away from the main part of the block.
He recited a quiet prayer while I slid my knife in the man's temple, holding back the tears by force. He was such a kindly old gent, and he was my friend.
"Sleep now....no more pain" I whispered in his ear.
"A sad soul can kill quicker than a germ. That's why I don't want anyone to witness this. They all know the score, Nate. But they don't need to see it."
He stood in the doorway and I can clearly see his weariness rapidly turning into defeat. Went and put my arms around his waist. Hugged him tight as I lay my head against his back.
"I love you, Hershel Greene."
"Why? For making tea while people die?" He cried out in frustration.
"That tea has kept most of us breathing for a lot longer than we would have without it. But you, Hershel? You've kept us....and our souls alive. Me, Sasha, Lizzie, Glenn and all the others."
"You're my Dad, and I love you Hershel."
I feel so powerless. All I seem to have done since yesterday is tell my family how much I love them. But I can't stop now. Don't ever want to stop to be honest.
I'm terrified that the moment I do? I'll never see them again.
"You gave me a family, both you and Maggie. You're the mentor, father and friend Daryl's never had but always deserved. For just being....you. That's why I love you."
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Home is You ('Home Is' Book One - Daryl Dixon)
FanfictionSemi-mature. Completed. Nate's a teenage Aussie tomboy. Who grew up in a country town with 4 big brothers and parents who adore her as much as she does them. She's strong, resourceful, smart and a bit of a smart-ass. But still just a girl. One who f...
