❝last man standing doesn't matter when it's a pile of bodies you're standing on. so you fight but you be good.❞
[twd seasons 1-?]
Ⓒ 2019║asgxrdians i own nothing except lindsey and her plot
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chapter thirty: i see you 8919 words
When Shane had opened the gates to the barn and unleashed all the walkers within, Beth had, somewhat reasonably, gone into shock soon after. Daryl hadn't seen all of it, just heard it in passing by the house. But Lin's continued silence was beginning to worry him. It hadn't really even been a full day yet so he couldn't really call it continued but she hadn't spoken to him at all since she told him it had been her that stopped Lori from turning. She never gave up the chance to talk to him, to whisper those dumb sweet nothings that made him squirm away from her. It was something he expected of course, but he just wasn't sure he was prepared for it.
Breakfast was entirely silent as well, broken only by plastic forks tapping against plastic bowls. Daryl had asked Lin to come down and though the mattress seemed far more appealing than going down and seeing everyone's pitiful looks, she knew she had to eat something, even if it was just the scraps of Daryl's meal. She feared she'd just vomit it right back up if she ate too much and then it was just a waste of food that could have gone to someone else, to Carl or Rick.
Daryl picked a spot on the stairs up to the outside door. Lin sat on the step beneath him between his legs, her cheek against his thigh, arm wrapped around it to prop under her cheek. Beth had the baby, something Lin was torn about. She was in good hands with Beth but Lin knew that it should have been her, should have been Lori. She couldn't give that baby what she needed, the familial comfort she deserved. She could barely keep herself on the beaten path as it was, trudging along only with Carl and Daryl holding her hands.
Every so often, after two bites of his own, Daryl would nudge her with his elbow and when she turned, he'd offer her a spoonful of the oatmeal he had. The first few times she refused, silently pushing it back his way, and he'd let her. But when she couldn't hide how her stomach growled against his calf, he insisted on her eating, practically pushing the spoon into her mouth for her. To avoid looking like a child being forcefed her food, Lin took the bowl, ate as much as she could, which wasn't much at all, then handed it back. It was only slightly embarrassing when Carl looked up and caught Daryl shoving the oatmeal in his Aunt's face.
"Everybody okay?" The silence cracked like glass. Lin's eyes darted up from Daryl's pantleg to Rick, standing the cell block door and peering inside.
"Yeah, we are," Maggie answered. That was relative, of course.
Rick looked alright, if not better than he did when he disappeared. Lin's grip on Daryl's leg tightened, fingernails scratching against the ripped canvas. She shut her eyes, pressed her cheek tighter to his thigh.
"What about you?" Hershel questioned Rick carefully, ever the wise vet-turned-doctor he was. Rick didn't answer at first. Daryl inched his hand closer to her, fingertips in her hair.
"I cleared out the boiler block." Rick stood beside his son, deflecting the question entirely.
"How many were there?" Daryl asked then, his worry disguised as curiosity. Lin didn't open her eyes, hoping that if she pretended everything was alright it would be.
