The cell block had fallen into an eerie silence. Not a single survivor spoke to one another, all stood near the cell Rose was in, molding Johanna's severed hand into a stump to keep her from bleeding out, and to make sure the cut healed together nicely. Judith cooed every now and again, Beth bouncing the girl in her arms, trying to calm her while Daryl hovered near Rose, Logan by her side, his hand placed on Johanna's hot forehead, watching with red eyes as Rose pulled the red hot blade back, setting it down on the small metal table full of other surgical utensils all covered in Johanna's blood.
She had managed to pull herself together enough to help Johanna, but she still felt light headed, and her heart still ached, she was just trying to block everything out now, just not think about it, it was all she could do. Rose licked her lips, using her shoulder to brush some of the sweat from her brow as she wrapped the stub up in clean bandages, before pulling back.
"That's all I can do for now," Rose muttered grabbing the rag from the table as she leaned back in her chair, wiping the blood from her hands as she looked over to Logan as he patted the damp rag against Jo's face, trying to cool the unconscious girl down, "All we can do is wait for her to wake up on her own." Rose bit her lip, turning her head just a bit when she felt Daryl's hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently as he knelt down beside her.
"You did good Rosie," He whispered, running his thumb along her collarbone as she nods, placing her hand over his.
Logan moved around Rose carefully, picking Johanna's head up as he slid onto to bed, laying her head in his lap. He had never been so scared in his life. He had always been able to protect her, he couldn't save her family, he couldn't save his friends, but he had always been able to save her, and this time, this time he had to count on someone else to save her… to save the love of his life, his Johanna, and now he could possibly lose her. Logan closed his eyes, stroking Johanna's hair as he fought back crying, he had done enough of that.
Rose frowned as she stood up slowly, Daryl standing with her watching her carefully as she turned on her heel, and began to roll the towel up, the surgical tools inside of it, "I need to get washed up, and I need to sterilize these." She murmured, glancing towards the cell door as Rick came in, gripping onto the bar as he looked down at the kids in the bed, frowning.
"How'd it go?"
Rose gave a small shrug, as she turned to him, the towel in her arms, "Hershel's cut was clean, he didn't sever anything major, I was able to cauterize it and it should heal up on its own now," She glanced back at Johanna, "We'll have to change her bandages every few hours." She said nodding slowly, "I used our last bit of antibiotics, so we'll have to go on a run soon," She turned back to Rick, "Once it's safe."
Rick nods slowly, looking over to Logan, who was muttering something under his breath to Johanna, stroking her hair still, "Son… You know it may not work," Rick said sadly, Logan tensing a bit.
"I don't want to talk about that right now," He snapped, Rose frowning as she shook her head, muttering something to herself that Daryl couldn't quite make out.
"It's for the safety of the group, we have to take precautions" Rick understood what Logan was going through, he truly did, but he had to think about the group, about the children, about his family.
Logan closed his eyes for a moment, a tear slipping down his cheek as he nods before looking back up at Rick, his eyes glassy , "Then I'll kill her myself." He choked out, his jaw clenching as Rick nods slowly.
"Give them some space," Daryl said, nodding towards the exit, "Come on." His hand went on Rose's shoulder, "Let's go get you cleaned up." Rose nods, following after Rick as Daryl pushes her forward, the rest of the group watching her carefully as Daryl led her towards the showers in the back.
The news about what happened to Rose in Woodbury had gotten around, and what had just happened outside the prison, her beating the walker Ryder to a bloody pulp definitely had them worried. It wasn't like Rose to break down so easily, they all knew that, but of course she had been through a lot since being taken, and no one blamed her.
Rose hugged the towel closer to herself as Daryl squeezed her shoulder gently, guiding her through the empty halls of the prison. She had been quiet, but she had also been having to worry about making sure Johanna would live through the night, so Daryl couldn't quite pinpoint where her mind was. She had to have been suffering, he knew that much, he could see it whenever he tried to look her in the eyes and she averted her gaze… Rose was broken, but Daryl knew she was going to be okay, he was going to be sure of it.
"Come on Rosie," Daryl murmured, making her glance over at him as he gestured forward, having reached the shower rooms. Rose furrowed her eyebrows as she nods, pulling from his grip to walk ahead of him, setting the towel down on one of the benches on the side, sitting down herself.
"Daryl," She whispered his name, holding her hand out, Daryl walking over slowly kneeling in front of her, "Thank you." She said as he took her hand, "You really are… just so good to me, you're amazing." She brought his knuckles up to her lips, kissing them gently, "I'd be so lost without you, I love you so much."
Daryl licked his bottom lip, not really sure what to say considering he wasn't ever one to take compliments very well, let alone a heartfelt confession, "I love you too Rosie." Was all he could think of, and all he thought was important, and it seemed to be all Rose needed, because she smiled through her teary eyes, leaning her cheek against the hand she held, his other hand moving to stroke her hair gently as he pressed his lips to her head, "I ain't gonna let anything else happen to you," He murmured against her hair, gripping it a bit, "to Jamie, to us…"He kissed her hair again, "We're a family now, you, me, and your girl."
Rose nods, her eyes closing as a few tears slipped past them, moving to wrap her arms around Daryl's neck, hugging him just as tight as he held back, burying her face in his neck. He was all she needed, as long as she had him, as long as she had Jamie, she was going to be okay, she was sure of it.
xXx
Logan had finally left Johanna's side at Rick's request. Her breathing was normal, her pulse was normal, she seemed to be fine, but she just wasn't waking up, and Logan was worried. But he had to have faith, it was Johanna, and he knew that no matter what that the girl he loved wasn't going to give up so easily, not after everything that had been through.
Logan stood off to the side, close to Daryl and close to the cell Johanna was in listening carefully as Hershel said they should leave, Logan looking towards the man for a moment, before back at Rick as he cocked his gun.
"We're not leaving," Rick's voice was very serious, Logan nodding a little. They couldn't leave, Johanna wasn't in a condition where they could leave, and they really had nowhere else to go.
"We can't stay here," Hershel obviously was just as worried as the rest of them for the safety of the group, Logan knew he was right, but he was with Rick, there was no leaving, and they needed to stand their ground.
"What if there's another sniper?" Logan looked over to Maggie, "A wood pallet won't stop one of those rounds."
"We can't even go outside," Logan looked towards Beth, feeling like he was watching a tennis match, each survivor throwing in a useless thought, it wasn't like none of them were unaware of all these things… he closed his eyes as the drabble went on shaking his head.
"This is our home," He threw in quickly after Glenn, getting the rest of them to look at him as he tried to clear his throat from lack of talking, "We can't put Rose out there right now either, out where the Governor could find her, find us easily, and Jo… Jo isn't in any condition to be moved."
"No, it's better to live like rats," Logan slowly turned to look at Merle, Daryl's brother, who had his arms through the barred door, looking in at the group.
"You got any better idea?"
Logan shook his head again, crossing his arms over his chest as Glenn began to argue about Merle being there, Hershel on Daryl's side, it was all pointless, he didn't want to be part of this right now, he just needed to make sure Johanna was going to be okay.
When Hershel shouted at Rick it brought Logan back to senses, making him look at the crippled elder, frowning a bit, "You're slippin' Rick, we've all seen it, we understand why," Logan heard footsteps, and he looked up, seeing Rose slowly coming from her cell, leaning against the door some as she looked down at Rick sympathetically, "but now is not the time. You once that this isn't a democracy, now you have to own up to that." Logan tore his eyes away from Rose, looking back at Rick and Hershel, "I put my family's life in your hands, so get your head clear and do something."
"Don't," Everyone turned at the sound of Rose's voice, "Don't lose yourself Rick," She said, taking a few steps forward, "You're not in this alone," Her voice was a little shaky, and distant making Logan wonder if she was directing this just at Rick, if she was directing it at him, at herself as well, "and let's not put all of this on him." She finished looking at Hershel, and at the others, "He may of said this isn't a democracy, but we all know as fucking well he's just one man, he can't do all the hard stuff for us." Her voice was harsh, and it seemed to sting a few people as she shook her head before disappearing back into her cell, Logan seeing Daryl smiling just a bit because of it.
"She's back," Logan found himself saying, drawing out the words like the little girl in 'Poltergeist' before he chuckled, the others looking at him strangely.
xXx
Jamie stood outside of Johanna's cell watching as Logan checked her pulse again, before sitting down in the chair beside her bed, stretching his long lanky legs out, looking over at the little girl.
"How is Joey?" She asks, clutching her tattered stuffed animal to her side, Logan smile just a bit.
"She's going to be okay," He muttered, motioning her over, and Jamie quickly walked into the cell, stopping right beside Johanna's bed, staring down at the sleeping woman.
"My momma told me she's just like sleeping beauty," Jamie whispered, looking over at Logan, "She said that all she needs is for you to be there, kissin' her every now and again she'd wake up," Jamie looked at him expectantly, "You're not kissin' her enough Logan."
Logan couldn't help but to laugh, his hand going over his mouth to stifle his chuckles just a bit, before Jamie gave him another look, making him jump into action and lean over, pressing a chaste kiss to Jo's lips, before looking over at Jamie as she stared at Johanna, smiling, "Her eyelashes twitched," She said, her smile bright, almost contagious.
"Must be working then," He said, taking Jamie's elbow in his hand, bring her closer, "But what she really needs is the kiss of a princess, not just me, I'm only a measly prince," He said, holding Jamie as she leaned forward, and kissed Johanna's cheek, "Now she should wake up even sooner." He laughed, hugging Jamie a bit as she settled on his lap, both of them looking down at Johanna.
"How's your mom doing?" Logan asked now, tilting his head some as Jamie turned in his lap to face him, shrugging a tiny bit.
"She's asleep right now, Mr. Daryl's with her, he told me that I should go find someone to play with while she rests," Jamie frowns, rubbing at her eyes, "Everyone's busy though."
Logan nods slowly, "Bad stuff happened the other day," He muttered, Jamie nodding in agreement.
"There's only bad stuff now," She mumbled, pulling at her curls a little, "Momma's really sad, cause she had to kill my daddy, and before that she was really sad too… because of the Governor." Jamie closed her eyes, trying really hard not to cry, "Joey got bit… Glenn and Maggie are mad at Merle." Jamie sighed, leaning her head on Logan's shoulder as she wiped her eyes again, "I just wish this would all stop."
Logan frowns, wrapping his arms tighter around Jamie when she started to cry softly, placing his chin on the top of her head, "It's all going to be okay Jamie," He whispered, closing his own eyes, "Everything will be okay in the end, if it's not okay, it's not the end."
Carol glanced inside of Johanna's cell, frowning some when she met eyes with Logan, who was holding Jamie, the little girl trembling in his arms as she let out the tears she had been holding back. She couldn't begin to fathom how much that little girl had gone through in the past few weeks, it was heart breaking. She glanced at Johanna for a moment, Logan simply nodding, his way of telling her she was okay before she made her way towards the stairs, where Daryl had gone after storming away in anger from the Glenn and the rest of them.
She peeked her head in the cell, looking at Daryl who was cleaning his arrows, one leg on ground, the other resting on the bed, Rose beside him curled up facing the wall. Carol looked to him, watching as he pressed a finger to his lips, Carol nodding as she leaned against the door way.
"I haven't had a chance to say I'm glad you came back," She said quietly, both them glancing at Rose who squirmed in her sleep, before falling still again.
"To what… all this?" He whispered, playing with the arrow in his hand, glancing back at Carol as she moved into the room, sitting down on the chair near the bed.
"This is our home," She shrugged a little, and Daryl pursed his lips thinking about it for a moment.
"This is a tomb," Carol stared at him, before turning her head, looking up at the ceiling.
"That's what T-Dog called it, "Thought he was right, till you found me." Carol looked back over at him, smiling a little, and Daryl smiling back some before looking away again, going back to distracting himself with his arrow, before she began speaking again, "He's your brother, but he's not good for you, he's not good for your girls," Daryl looked back down at Rose, his eyebrows creasing together, "Don't let him bring you down, after all," He glanced back up at her, noticing her nod towards Rose, "Look how far you've come." Daryl looked around the cell, before chuckling, Carol laughing with him for a moment, before she stood slowly, "I'm sure you know how much Rose is going to need you right now," She said, looking at Rose, not knowing that the girl's eyes were wide open, have been listening to everything the two shared, "Jamie too, the both of them, they've been abused far too much." Carol smiled again, "You're exactly what they need."
xXx
Rose had gotten up, thought she still hadn't left her cell, she managed to get on a pair of new clothes, and was currently brushing Jamie's hair. She heard the ruckus that was going on, but Daryl instructed that she and Jamie stay inside the cell, and she really wasn't in the defiant mood, she just wanted to stay, and braid her girl's hair. Jamie seemed rather content too, and it was going to stay like that she hoped, completely unaware to what was going on in the visiting room just outside the cellblock for the moment.
Daryl stared at Andrea, she looked completely fine, but of course she was, she was the Governor's girl. The fact of how clueless she was to the type of man he was pissed him off more than he thought, and having to listen to her go on about all the lies he had told her, how he hadn't told her a single thing about coming to prison, what he had done to Michonne, Glenn, Maggie… Rose, it had him tipping over the edge.
"He didn't tell you what he done?" He spat out, shaking his head as she turned to look at him, still a bit shaken up and confused by the way they all treated her, so untrusting, "What he did to Rose? To Jamie?"
Andrea shook her head slowly, "I… I don't know.." She said her eyebrows creasing together, "What happened? What did he do?" She whispered, looking around the group, taking in all the expressions.
Daryl shook his head, looking away from her now, chewing on the inside of his cheek. It wasn't his business to tell, it was Rose's… and God knows she needed to talk to someone about it, and Andrea may have been the perfect person. Though, Andrea wanted nothing more than to make peace, a peace that Daryl was sure was never going to be achieved, and Rick saying that they planned on killing him, no matter what, just proved his point.
"We can settle this," Andrea said looking to Rick, "There is room at Woodbury, for… for all of you." Andrea exclaimed, her arms moving at her sides as she spoke, Merle chuckling.
"You know better than that."
Hershel pursed his lips, looking towards her, "What makes you think this man wants to negotiated, did he say that?"
Andrea stayed silent, before shaking her head, "No"
"Then why'd you come here?" Rick asked, Andrea turning back to him.
"Cause he's gearing up for war, the people are terrified, the see you as killers, they're training to attack." Andrea looked around the room, at all the faces, the people she loved, the people she had been lying to the governor to about their whereabouts all this time, she wanted them to be in Woodbury with her, she wanted them to be at peace finally.
"I'll tell you what," Daryl spoke, getting her attention again, noticing the scowl on his face, "next time you see Phillip," He practically spat out the governor's name, the venom in his words clear as day, "tell him I'm gonna take his other eye, because there's no way in hell I'd ever take Rose and Jamie back into that hell hole."
"We've taken to much shit for too long, he wants a war he's got one." Andrea swallowed when Glenn spoke, they were all so dead set on going to war, not a single one seemed to want to try to work it out with the Governor.
"Rick," Andrea turned to him, taking a few steps towards him, "If you don't sit down and try to work this out, I don't know what's going to happen. He has a whole town." Andrea shook her head, turning around the room again, "Look at you, you've lost so much already, you can't stand alone anymore."
Rose had heard the shouting getting louder, and had recognized Andrea's voice, and so did Jamie. When Rose spotted the blonde, her heart broke, and she was so happy that she felt like she was going to start crying again… but them she remembered the way that Andrea had looked at the Governor, and how she called his name… she was with him, with that monster…
"You wanna make this right," Rick quickly approached her, Daryl turning when he heard footsteps, seeing Rose walking further into the room, Jamie at her side, both of them looking at Andrea, "Get us inside."
"No,"
"Then we got nothing to talk about,"
"There are innocent people,"
Rose watched Rick as he walked past her, Andrea seeing her now, a smile growing on her face, "Rose… talk to them, please, you know that this is the right thing."
Rose narrowed her eyes, "No." She said shaking her head, "That man, your governor, I want him dead…. I want to do it myself." She spat out, Andrea's jaw falling open some, "He's getting' what's coming to him, that bastard is going to suffer." Her voice shook, and Andrea stepped towards her but Rose quickly shook her head, and walked away, Andrea stopping in her movements at loss for words as she looked over to Daryl, who watched Rose storm off.
"You're gonna have to work that out with her," He muttered, Jamie running over, going to Andrea, Logan looking at the two girls as Andrea stared at Daryl's retreating figure, Jamie's arms wrapping around Andrea's legs.
"Rose obviously doesn't approve of your choice in men," Andrea looked at him, not having met him at all before, and he just gave her a small sad smile, before going back into the cell block to check on Johanna.
xXx
Rose sat on her bunk, lacing up her combat boots, Daryl sitting on the bed beside her, screwing around with one of his arrows again as she tucked her skinny jeans into the shoes, before leaning back sighing a little.
"You mad at her?" Daryl asked Rose turning to look at him, pursing her lips as she shook her head.
"No," She leaned her head against his shoulder, "No I'm not mad at her…" She said, resting her hands on his thigh, "I just… Don't think I can stand to be around her…"
Daryl nods slowly, "You know… Rose, if you tell her," Rose pulled away already shaking her head, "I'm not saying you have to Rosie, but if you did, she'd know how much of a bastard he is, and why we can't go to Woodbury, she ain't gonna understand unless she knows." Rose nods.
"I know that," She whispers, her eyes closing, "I know but I… I don't think I can talk about it," She said squeezing her eyes shut tighter, "I don't think I can… I can find the…" Daryl shushed her, placing his arrow on the bed as he placed his hand on hers that were balling up into fists on her thighs, "It's okay Rose," He muttered, leaning his forehead against hers when she turned to look at him, brushing his lips to hers gently, "You don't have to do anything you don't want to, ." He placed his hand on her cheek, pulling back just a bit when she leaned into his touch, "You're in control now," He said squeezing her hand gently with his other one, "You ain't got nothing to worry about." Rose nods, taking in a steady breath before opening her eyes again, Daryl wiping away the tear that was about to fall, "You're okay."
Rose nods, "I'm okay." She mumbled back, smiling weakling before pressing her lips to his, her hand going to his neck, "I'm okay."
Daryl kissed her back slowly, not wanting her to have any chances to think back to the Governor, he only wanted her to think of him, for her to know that he was touching her, not the Governor, not him ever again.
He slid his hand up her bare arm slowly, feeling the goosebumps raising on her skin as she slid her fingers into his hair, deepening their kiss some, before pulling back suddenly, Daryl knowing why when he heard Andrea mumble out a sorry.
"Sorry guys," Andrea said sheepishly, Daryl turning to look at her as Rose stood up, "I… I just wanted to talk to you, Rose, before I left." She said, Daryl standing now to, looking over to Rose to make sure it was okay.
Rose nods, and Daryl lips twitched with a small smile, leaning down to brush a chaste kiss to her cheek before leaving Andrea alone with Rose.
They stared at each other for a few moments, Rose keeping her arms close to herself, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth as Andrea held her arms to her sides, trying to think about the best way to approach this was. She had no idea what had happened to Rose, in fact, she had thought Rose was dead since Jamie and Ryder showed up in Woodburry. But here she was, alive as can be… well, there was something about her eyes that weren't quite the same, Rose wasn't the same… The Governor… Phillip, he had done something to her.
"I'm sorry Rose," She whispered, taking a step forward, I'm sorry If I upset you before… I just, I just want to be able to keep everyone alive." Rose nods, she understood, that's what she wanted too, apart from the Governor, she wanted him dead more than anything.
"There won't ever be peace between this group and your's Andrea."
"You guys are my group," Andrea defended quickly, "I want you safe, I can't let him attack you, you… you guys won't be able to win."
"Then help us win," Rose sounded almost desperate as she stepped towards Andrea, pleading with her, "Help us, please, please he's a horrible person Andrea, he's… cruel, and vile… he's a monster." Her voice cracked and Andrea felt tears forming in her own eyes as she looked at Rose.
"What happened to you Rosie?" She whispered, and Rose shook her head, moving to sit on the bed, her hands going into her hair, "Wh-What did he do to you?"
Rose shook her head slowly, sniffling as she looked up at Andrea, wiping at her nose, "He… He killed Ryder," She mumbled, closing her eyes, "He beat him… he tortured him, he chained him up the floor, and shot him, left him to bleed out." Andrea felt her heart drop as she slowly sat beside Rose, "He fucked with Maggie's head, had her take her clothes off in front of him, made her think… think he was going to rape her…" Rose felt a few tears slipping from her eyes, and down her cheeks, but kept going, "He was going to kill Glenn and Maggie, He locked Jamie up in a cage with a walker, a little girl her age, his own daughter…. You saw what he did to Michonne…. To Daryl, to Merle." She opened her eyes, letting out a breath, "He… he raped me." Andrea remained silent, Rose noticing her hands tremble, "He left me in the room with Ryder, he… he was gonna let him kill me in there I think…." Rose shook her head as she remembered, "He told Merle 'That's my girl now, and if I want her to die… she dies."
Andrea's eyes closed, her heart aching as Rose placed her hand on hers, trying to comfort her, and it only made it worse… a man that she slept with, a man she opened her heart up to did all those horrible things to her friends, her best friend, "He's not a good person Andrea," Rose said quietly, "He's a monster… he doesn't need your help, he doesn't need convincing, he needs stopped."
Andrea looked over at Rose, her jaw set as she nods, "Then we make a plan…"
**Dun, dun, DUUUUN. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, more to come in the next, sorry for the very late update I'm horrible I know. But I got a new computer, widows 8 is a bit of a bitch but im getting used to it! Don't forget to review! And also, if you guys want me to do any oneshots you should let me know give me some ideas, like AUs with Rose and Daryl in a word where walkers aren't trying to kill them 24/7 anything really to get me back into action! I love you all so much!