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rfsak2 · 10 months

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This one is long- almost ten pages longer than last post. It was a bit more difficult to write due to some of the things that happen in Season 3. Let know what you think of my characterization of Daryl. Feedback is much appreciated!

Also, prison/guard tower smut has been requested and, while I feel like I definitely delivered in prison smut, guard tower smut will be in the next chapter as I have plans.

And we’re off!

Spitfire, Pt. 4

Everyone always thought Daryl was the rough one. DarylxOC

Warnings: violence, lots of bad language words (including Merle’s backward views on people of color and women), smut under the cut, character death (Merle)

Part 3

Mitzi smiled at Carol. “Don't worry too much about any walkers goin’ after Rick. Me and Daryl will keep ‘em clear. Try to focus mid-field.”

Carol nodded. “Alright.”

“Good.” Mitzi squeezed her shoulder. “And try to keep your shoulder loose. The kick-back will hurt less.”

Mitzi lifted her M110 and switched it to automatic. She set to picking off walkers on the far side of the yard, a rhythmic thwump, thwump, thwump filling the air alongside the other guns firing unsuppressed. Occasionally, she shifted to shoot down one getting too close to Rick for comfort, then back to thwump, thwump, thwump.

She chuckled when Carol shot into the ground near Rick’s feet.

Carol winced. “Sorry!”

Mitzi turned and took out the walker before it could get closer to Rick. Through her scope, she saw Rick look down at the walker and give her a thumbs up.

She turned to Carol, smiling gently. “Breathe in. Aim. Shoot. Try to do it quick so you’re not holding your breath too long. Makes your heart rate jump and your hands shake.”

Carol muttered the pattern under her breath to herself.

“Keep loose.”

Carol nodded, adjusting her stance nervously. Mitzi moved to stand near her, mimicking and correcting her stance.

They raised their rifles at once. “Breathe in. Aim. Shoot.”

Carol hit her next walker through his cheek, right under the eye.

“There ya go, Miss Thing! Good shot!”

Carol blushed under her praise.

Mitzi inspected the yard through her scope and went down on one knee, using the railing as a bipod to steady her rifle. She started to pick off walkers lining up against the fence to a courtyard within the prison.

“Light it up!”

She grinned. Twump. Twump. Twump.

“You wanna mess around?”

“That for me or D?” Mitzi grinned over her shoulder at Daryl.

He pointed down at her where she sat, legs dangling over the chassis of the bus. “Stop.”

Carol giggled. “Both.”

Daryl let out a sound of frustration.

Mitzi blew a kiss at her. “I think that can be arranged.”

They both looked over at Daryl. He blew a raspberry, blushing.

Carol moved to get down off the overturned bus and Daryl held his hand up. “I’ll go down first.”

Carol caught Mitzi’s eyes. “Even better.”

Daryl huffed out a laugh.

“He’s fuckin’ good at it too.” Mitzi watched as he shot her an exasperated look. She stuck her tongue out at him.

“Oh I know. We are all well aware of his prowess.” Carol mused, grinning.

He grunted. “Stop. Both’a ya.” He swung his legs over the side of the bus, and popped down. He held his hand up, steadying Carol as she jumped down.

He turned back to her and wrapped his arms around her calves. She put her hands on his shoulders and he supported her as she straightened against him. As he relaxed, letting her slowly slide down his body, she cupped his face in her hands.

She saw Carol dip around the corner of the bus, moving back towards the campfire.

He paused, holding her against him. “Yer a menace.”

She smiled and kissed him. “You like that I’m a menace.”

He set her on her feet, making a face and shrugging. “Eh.”

Leaning in to kiss him again, she laughed. “You keep tellin’ yourself that, baby.”

He backed her up against the undercarriage of the bus, but thought better of it. He cast a look around, hand still holding him tight to him. “Take my poncho off.”

She tilted her head. “What for? It’s still chilly-“

He pressed his lips to hers. “Take it off and throw it on the ground.”

Still obviously confused, she pushed him back far enough to pull it out from between them and threw it behind her.

He pecked at her lips, before pulling away. Leaning over, he spread his poncho out and motioned to it.

“My, my… you are romantic.” She fingered at his collar and pulled him to her, groaning when he slipped his tongue into her mouth.

He pulled away. “You’ve been windin’ me up all day. Touching my thighs, pressing your tits up against m’back. Getcha ass on that poncho, now.”

“Don’t need to threaten me with a good time, Dixon.” She grinned, leaning back in to kiss him, and moaned into his mouth.

He reached down and undid her belt and fly. Grunting into her mouth, he slipped his hand into her jeans and petted at her clothed core roughly.

She moved to mouth at his jaw, gasping when he rubbed the rough pad of his finger over her clit through her rapidly soaking underwear.

“Jeans n’panties off. Poncho, now.”

She nipped at his ear before moving back, pushing her jeans down past her hips. He licked at his lip, holding a hand out to steady her as she yanked at the laces of her boots and toed them off. She giggled triumphantly when she successfully removed her jeans and underwear and sat back on the poncho, making grabby hands at him.

He shouldered off his bag and passed it to her. Head tilted in confusion, she accepted it.

He chuckled. “For y’head. Lay back.”

She smiled up at him. “That’s sweet of ya, baby.”

He rolled his eyes and undid his belt buckle with quick, efficient motions. He started on the button of his fly when she shifted to her knees and took over.

She popped the button and lowered his zipper with one hand as she pushed the hem of his shirt up with the other. Maintaining eye contact to the best of her ability, she nibbled at the skin under his belly button.

He hissed and she dropped to press wet kisses to the head of his cock through his briefs.

He groaned. “Fuck, baby.”

She smiled a siren smile and tugged his briefs and jeans down his thighs. One hand bracing herself on his thigh, she mouthed at the base of his cock, lifting her free hand to squeeze gently around the tip.

His head rolled back on his neck and he groaned, fingers blindly finding the back of her neck.

She pinched his thigh and smiled when he rolled his head forward to look at her. She licked up his shaft and took as much of him into her mouth as she could, relaxing her jaw and throat.

He grunted, fighting the urge to pull her even closer. She started a gentle bobbing motion, teasing at his head with her tongue with every retreat.

“Baby-“

She met his eyes again and twisted her hand around the base of his shaft.

“Fuck!” He petted at her face, pushing loose red spirals out of her face with slightly clumsy movements.

“Wanna go down on ya.” He hissed again, tugging on her hair. “Gotta stop or this’ll be over too soon.”

She smiled and pressed a chaste kiss to the tip of his cock. “Spoil sport.”

An uncharacteristically cocky smile curled his lips. “You like sucking m’off, Mitz?”

She licked up the underside of his shaft, eyes locked to his. “I do.”

He exerted gentle pressure on the back of her head, coaxing her to stand. He kissed her deeply, his hands smoothing down her back to grab at her bare ass.

“Jump.”

He lifted her against him and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He knelt as gingerly as possible and laid her out under him.

He kissed her briefly before pushing her oversized Metallica shirt up over her sports bra. He groaned and pressed his face into her sternum.

He hooked a finger in the stretchy material and pulled it down enough to get her breasts out over the top of it.

He licked over the nearest nipple before taking it into his mouth. When he was satisfied with his work, he leaned up to kiss her again and moved to cup and squeeze at her other breast.

She moaned into his mouth and he smiled, pinching and pulling lightly at her nipple.

“Love your tits.”

He shifted to suck a mark into the skin of her breast. She gasped and raked her fingers through his hair, arching into his mouth when bit lightly at her breast.

He arched an eyebrow and pushed her breasts together, licking at the seam between them and then attempting to take both nipples into his mouth.

He succeeded and she threw her head back and laughed.

He smiled shyly. “Been wanting t’do that since I met ya.”

She giggled. “There are times I think you’re definitely an ass man and then you do shit like that.”

He shook his head and moved down, littering kisses over the sniper rifle tattooed on her side. “Just you.”

She pulled him back to her mouth. “What do you mean?”

He blushed, pressing his lips hard to hers. “Just you. Don’t care what I’m touchin’, ‘long as it’s you.”

She smiled brilliantly. “Daryl Dixon, that is easily the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.”

He ducked his head, avoiding her eyes. “Turn over.”

She laughed and turned over. He directed her up on her knees, before squeezing and lightly slapping her ass.

“Love your ass too.”

She reached over and pulled his bag under her face, moaning loudly when he touched his lips to her clit. One hand on her shoulder, he pushed her shoulder down lower, lifting her ass up higher.

He licked up her slit, dipping his tongue into her.

She gasped. “Fuck!”

He went to work in earnest, alternating with broad swipes along the length of her slit, sucking her lips into his mouth and spearing her on his tongue. She dug her forehead into his bag, panting into canvas that smelled like him.

Her head swam.

He grunted against her and she had the thought that he might be jerking off behind her. It felt almost impossible to shift up enough to open her eyes and look between her legs.

She saw his hand, big and veiny, wrapped around his cock and moaned.

When his thumb made contact with her clit, her back arched so hard she could swear her back cracked.

“C’mon, Spitfire, gotta cum so I can get inside ya.” He rasped against her, the deep timbre of his voice vibrating against her.

Her feet arched. Her toes curled.

He attached his mouth to her clit and pushed two fingers into her.

She came with a whimper.

Not a second later, the blunt head of his cock was pushing against her entrance. “Y’okay?”

She nodded and lifted herself up on her elbows. Turning over her shoulder, she smiled at him. “So fuckin’ okay.”

He grinned back and entered her in a smooth thrust. He set a brutal pace, hips meeting hers with an arousingly wet sound.

Letting her head fall back against his backpack, she reached back and covered the hand on her hip.

“Fuckin’ pretty little thing, ain’t ya?” He grunted, free hand dipping around to circle her clit. “Y’gonna cum again? Squeeze me so hard, you’ll take me wit’ya?”

She nodded. “Fuck, D. Please.”

He sped up, the pace even more brutal and exquisite.

He stopped and she bit back a scream as he pulled out and the burning in her belly receded.

“Flip over.” He grunted. “Need’ta see ya.”

She nodded with a slightly frantic edge and did as he bid. As soon as she was settled, he pressed himself back into her.

After a few hard thrusts, he laid over her, groaning at the feel of her chest against his. She wound her arms around him, under his arms, and clutched him to her.

She arched up and caught his mouth. Moaning, she dug her fingers into his shoulder blades and met each grinding thrust with her hips.

“Pretty baby.” He chuckled into her mouth. “Gonna give me another? Gonna whimper f’me again?”

“I did not whimper.”

He grinned. “The fuck y’didnt.” He pressed an open-mouthed kiss to her lips. “Whimpered like m’pretty, little girl.”

She shook her head and one hand dropped to squeeze his ass under his jeans. “Y’heard wrong.”

“No, I didn’t.” He shifted his weight to one elbow and captured her chin with his free hand. “Cum, pretty girl.” He pressed his forehead to hers. “C’mon baby.”

She nodded and moaned into his mouth, his fingers capturing one of her nipples and pinching.

He sped up as she reached her high, reaching his own shortly after.

“Holy shit. Where did that come from?”

He chuckled into her sternum.

She lifted a lazy hand and carded her fingers through his hair.

“I wish you’d stay in there, Mitz.” T-Dog leaned in, whispering into her ear as they followed Rick and the prisoners down into the yard.

Daryl, in front of her, nodded. “These men ain’t seen a woman in a while.”

She shrugged. “They only have one gun. I ain’t worried.”

“One gun in the hand of someone who’s unknown crimes got him locked up in the first place.”

She made a face. “Fair point.”

“This could get outta hand.” Daryl cast a look back at her.

“In which case, you need more guns in hands. Am I right or am I right?” She reached forward to squeeze his shoulder. “Unless, you thinkin’ my feminine charms are gonna overwhelm their good sense.”

Daryl snorted and let her out of the stairwell ahead of him. “Overwhelmed mine.”

She pinched his side as she passed him. “I’m the best damn thing to ever happen to you and you damn well know it, Dixon.”

T-Dog passed Daryl and moved so she was continually between him and Daryl. “There's always a chance that they… lose control.”

She smiled up at him. “It is far more likely that their anger will cause them to lose control than lil ol’me.”

“Jus’ the same, stay behind me.” Daryl stepped in front of her, partially blocking the inmates’ view of her.

“You never said, how the hell did you get in here in the first place?”

Daryl pointed out at the guard tower. “Cut a hole in that fence over there by that guard tower.”

The smaller inmate nodded. “That easy, huh?”

“Where there’s a will there’s a way.”

“Easy for you to say.” Andrew muttered.

Mitzi kept her eyes on the de facto leader, who seemed unphased by the carnage around them. Rick caught her eyes and nodded.

The bigger inmate- Tiny- poked at a corpse with a stick. “So what is this? Like a disease?”

“Yeah,” Rick supplied, “and we’re all infected.”

The blond inmate stepped forward. “What do you mean ‘infected’? Like AIDS or something?”

“Sorta, I guess.” Mitzi shrugged, propping her chin on Daryl’s shoulder. “Don’t know how it spread or anything.”

“If I were to kill you, shoot an arrow in your chest,” Daryl pointed down at the nearest corpse. “You’d come back as one of these things. It’s gonna happen to all’a us.”

The inmates were silent until Tomas stepped forward. “Ain’t no way these Robin Hood cats are responsible for killing all these freaks.”

“Must be 50 bodies out here.”

“We have a lot of practice.” Mitzi shifted her weight to her other foot. “We’ve gotten pretty good at it. Efficient.”

Tomas laughed condescendingly, focusing immediately on her. “You tellin’ me you were a part of this, baby?”

She arched an eyebrow and Rick cut her off before she could instigate, shooting a look at her over his shoulder. “Most of the walkers in that courtyard were put down by her. She’s an excellent shot.”

“That so? You got a name, baby girl?”

Daryl shifted and she hooked her arm around his waist, allowing him to keep her firmly behind him. “Not one you need to use.”

“You sure, baby?” He grinned a grin she was sure he thought was charming. “I can show you a good time.”

Daryl moved to step forward and she caught his arm. “Nah, I’m not interested, dude. I have a man.”

“He here?”

Daryl rasped. “You’re lookin’ at ‘em.”

He leered at her for a moment longer, dismissing Daryl. “Where’d you come from?”

Rick shot her a look and she could’ve sworn she heard T-Dog mutter, “I told you so,” under his breath.

Rick stepped into his line of sight. “Atlanta.”

Tomas strutted toward Rick. “Where you headed?”

Rick met him head on. “For now, nowhere.”

Tomas brushed him off. “I guess you can take that area down by the water, should be comfortable.”

“We’re using that field for crops.”

The negotiations broke down after that, if they ever started to begin in earnest. Tomas kept glancing at her and she fought the urge to make it worse by making a face at him. Instead, she ignored him and moved to press against Daryl’s right side so her gun hand would be free.

“What did I tell ya?”

She shrugged, kissing his bicep. “I see your point, just- I can handle myself.”

He nodded. “You can. Ain’t no one arguing with that, but also no reason to start shit.”

She smiled up at him. “I didn’t, not anything that wasn’t already brewing anyways. Tomas is exactly who he seems t’be. Would be regardless of my presence. He’s not gonna last tonight.”

T-Dog ran his hand over his face. “She’s gotta point. He’s been aggressive since we found them.”

“You ain’t comin’ to clear a block for them with us.” He leveled his crossbow at them. “There's already gonna be too many people, too much noise.”

“D-“

“No.” He glanced down at her. “He’s gonna try something. We know that. No need to add extra wood to the fire.”

She sighed. “Fine.”

When Rick had secured half of the grocery for them, they moved back into the cell block. Rick pulled her aside.

“Go back to the cell block. Tomas doesn’t seem to be entirely stable.”

She held her hands in mock-surrender. “I have already been informed. I’m goin’.”

“Aren’t you going to tell me about your mom?”

She settled against the railing, feet dangling over the second floor landing. She shook her head. “No… I didn't know my mom.”

“At all?” Carl looked shocked. “Did she die?”

Mitzi shrugged. “Not as far as I know. She.. she left me with my grandfather not long after I was born.”

He nodded. “Her dad?”

She shook her head again. “No, my dad’s dad. I have never met my mother’s family. She didn’t really want to be a mom so I guess she got her wish.”

“That sucks.”

Reaching out to ruffle his hair, she smiled. “It did, but it was okay for the most part.”

“So what are we gonna talk about?”

“We don’t have to talk.” She leaned her forearms on the bar. “Sometimes it’s good to just sit.”

Carl looked at her and she smiled back.

They were silent for a while, maybe ten minutes. Mitzi leaned over and pulled the mattress her and Daryl had been using over. She laid back, head on the mattress. Carl followed suit, setting his hat on his chest.

“Have you ever lost someone you cared about?”

She nodded. “Yeah, I was really close to my aunt. She died when I was 18.”

“What happened?”

Mitzi winced. “My dad used to use certain substances… uh, recreationally and the man he bought them from showed up at my aunt’s house. He was lookin’ for my dad. He hadn’t paid him, owed him money. My dad wasn’t there, he was at one of his lady friend’s house.”

She sighed deeply. “The man was not in his right mind and he shot her. She died before the paramedics got there.”

Carl stared down at his lap and pondered. “What happened to your dad?”

“How do you mean?”

“When he found out… was he okay?” He turned childlike eyes on her.

Shame building in her chest, she shrugged, lied. “I don’t know. My dad and I didn’t get along.”

Carl nodded. “I killed my mom.”

Mitzi sighed. “You shouldn’t a’hadta.”

“No, it had to be me.” Carl was adamant. “It had to be someone who loved her.”

“That’s true.” She nodded. “But I had to learn this lesson when my aunt died, so I’m gonna pass it along to you too. Just because it can be you, doesn’t mean it needs to be you.”

“There was no one else.” He was starting to sound defensive, shrinking into himself.

“You didn’t do anything wrong, Carl. You’re just not meant t’have seen all this shit at your age. It’s our job as adults to protect you as much as we can. We shoulda helped you, darlin’.” Mitzi reached over and squeezed his shoulder. “The way I wished I had been helped.”

He nodded and they fell silent again.

“Were you angry when your aunt died?”

She smiled. “You know me pretty well at this point, kiddo. What do you think?”

He nodded. “I’m not talking about being angry just then but… like after. I’m still angry.”

“And you will be, but yes, also that too. I didn’t speak to my father for years after that.” She sighed. “The key to this, I have learned, is to talk about it, not to try and shove it down.”

“With who?” Carl made a dismissive noise. “My dad is-“

“I’m talking to your dad soon as, but you can always talk to me.” She squeezed at his shoulder again. “You have every right to be angry, kiddo. About your mom, about Shane.”

“You didn’t like Shane.”

“The feeling was mutual, but no, I didn’t like Shane.”

“You beat him up.” There was amusement in his voice.

“To be fair, he started it.” She chuckled. “It’s true that I didn't like Shane but I didn’t want him to die either. You did the right thing then, too. I just hate that you had to.”

Carl sighed. “I just don’t understand why my dad did that. I think I hate him for hurting Shane.”

She nodded. “Sometimes, the relationship between two adults is more complicated than it appears on the outside. I can see why it must be difficult to trust your dad after that, but I have every faith that, while I believe it was the right decision, it was the only decision he felt he could make and I know that it tore him up.”

He bobbed his head absently.

“Take it from me, hun, you can’t keep holdin’ on to this anger. It will eat you alive. Gotta talk about it, not take it out on everyone.”

“I’ll try.”

“That’s all I ask.”

“You okay, boss?” She set her gun and knife kit on the desk and boosted herself up onto the desk, sitting across from where Rick sat slumped.

He looked dazed and not particularly present. To the side of the boiler room, down by the boilers, was an absolutely eviscerated walker.

She sighed, and crossed her legs under her. She started cleaning and sharpening her hunting knife, pausing periodically to check on him.

When her knife was cleaned and sharpened to her satisfaction, she holstered it and approached Rick quietly.

Squatting by his side, she spoke in a soft, quiet tone. “Can I clean your knife and gun for’ya, chief?”

He looked at her like he didn’t know who she was.

Slowly, she pulled his knife and gun from their holsters. She set them down as quietly as possible and hoisted herself back on the desk. She set to cleaning his knife with quick, smooth movements.

“She’s…” He sucked in a breath. “She’s gone.”

She paused, giving him her full attention.

“She’s just gone.” His face screwed up like he was in pain. “I’ve not… I wasn’t there.”

She nodded. “Can’t be everywhere.”

“But I wasn’t there… and I haven’t been there, not recently.”

She sighed and set his knife down, moving off the desk to sit next to him.

“I’ve been blaming her. I should’ve been kinder.”

“Blame was going both ways I’m sure.”

He shook his head. “No, she was tryin’ to heal, to bring us back together. I wouldn’t let her.

“You don’t sound like you were ready to, brother.” She patted his knee. “You didn’t know what was gonna happen. Don’t know if it would’ve changed much if you did.“

“I should’ve let her know. Tell her what I was goin’ through. I should’ve talked to her.”

“Sure, but botha ya should’ve. It’s a two way street and healing takes time.” She smiled. “If you coulda done something, if you had known, you would’ve.”

He shook his head. “I wouldn’t… I wouldn’t talk to her. I didn’t.”

“You couldn’t. There was something that made it too difficult, too painful.”

He sighed and nodded. “She slept with Shane and then, it wasn’t her fault, but Shane became… fixated on her. That night he took me out there to kill me.”

She nodded. “I figured. I was with Daryl and Glenn when they found the kid.”

“She looked at me like I was the crazy one, like I should’ve let him live.”

She sighed. “I’m gonna tell you something my therapist told me-“

He huffed out a laugh. “You had a therapist?”

She shoved him with her elbow, smiling softly. “For a while, yeah. The military fucked me up.”

“What did she tell you?”

“We are not responsible for other people’s emotional responses to us, just doing what we can to be as healthy as we can be.”

“I’m not sure that applies here.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “I don’t think that was the healthiest thing that could’ve been done. By any standard.”

She shrugged. “What were your options? Kill Shane, let him kill you, keep him alive after he killed Otis, Randall and tried to kill you?”

He digested that. “Maybe Shane should’ve led us from the beginning. He was already doin’ it.”

“No he wasn’t. Not effectively anyways. He went and got water, stood around with his hands on his hips while other people made decisions, acted as the welcome party. But never really led anything.”

“Other people thought he should lead.”

“Aside from Andrea, who was suckin’ his dick, literally and metaphorically, the only people who thought that, thought that when they were scared. I doubt any of them think that now.” She grinned. “He couldn’t lead himself out of a wet paper bag. That’s why I was willing to follow you when you got to the Quarry. You listened and you considered and you put yourself in danger. Didn’t just make knee-jerk reactionary, self-serving decisions. That would’ve never happened with Shane.”

He chuckled quietly. “So you think I did the right thing? With Shane, I mean.”

“I think you did the only thing. Shane would’ve had to die regardless. Once it became common knowledge that he killed Randall and tried to kill you, it would have been decided and your hand would’ve been forced anyways.”

He nodded, biting at his lip and she stood to grab his knife and gun.

She settled back next to him. “Or we would’ve been distracted by the herd and would’ve spent the last eight months stewing in that tension, watching the two of you battling it out constantly. Lori being stuck in the constant anxiety of Shane’s fixation on her. Our energy and focus constantly split. We would’ve never made it here.”

He smiled sadly. “Or you would’ve killed him.”

She shook her head. “Me n’Daryl would’ve left long before that happened.”

They lapsed into silence and she went back to cleaning his knife and gun.

“Mitzi.”

She hummed.

He rested his head back against the wall, watching her out of the corner of his eye. “What does ‘sucking his dick literally and metaphorically’ mean? How do you suck someone’s dick metaphorically?”

She shrugged. “Y’know what?”

He smiled back, sadly. “What?”

“I don't actually know what I meant by that.” She smiled. “Sometimes I just say shit.”

He chuckled, reaching up to pat her head affectionately. “That tracks.”

She grinned and glanced at Daryl, who shook his head at her.

“What? She has a sword! She’s fuckin’ cool.” She turned back and kept watch as Hershel finished stitching her up.

Rick sighed. “We don’t know her.”

“We know she’s cool.” Mitzi shrugged. “We know she did the hard thing, not the easy thing. Injured. Safe only because she was covered in walker blood. That takes guts.”

“That’s fair.” Rick raked his fingers through his hair.

“How do we know we can trust her?” Oscar, quickly becoming a voice of reason, pondered.

“She wouldn’t have brought the formula if she had ill intentions.” Mitzi leaned against the door, casting a look over her shoulder. “Woulda been easier to keep on marchin’, vengeance or no.”

He nodded. “Could be tryin’ to lure us-“

“She’s one person, despite whatever mad ninja skills she has- she’s one person.”

Axel stepped forward, eager to flatter and please. “The way they talk about you, you coulda taken this place by yourself.”

She snorted. “I’m just one person, too.”

Beth, on edge and tense, shot forward. “This is Maggie and Glenn. Why are we even debating?”

Daryl nodded. “We ain’t. I’ll go after them.”

Mitzi nodded, eyes back on the woman and Hershel. “Me too.”

“Well.. This place sounds pretty secure. You two can’t go alone.”

Beth nodded. “I’ll go.”

Axel was next. “Me too.”

“I’m in.” Oscar rounded out the troop.

Rick took a deep breath in and looked over at Mitzi. “Exfil.”

She nodded, grinning. “And now you got exfil experience too, might make this easier, Officer Friendly.”

“Exfil?” Oscar looked between them.

Rick smirked, nodding sarcastically. “Exfiltration, otherwise known as an extraction. Mitzi has done hundreds of extractions.”

“Hundreds of hundreds.” She corrected, pushing off the doorway. “Let’s get this party started.”

“Okay, we gotta do this fast and smart.”

Rick nodded. “What’s the plan?”

Mitzi turned over her shoulder. “Where did she go?”

Rick followed her eyes and grit his teeth when he didn’t see Michonne. “Damn it!”

She sighed. “Alright, we need to pick the buildings most likely to be where they’re kept.”

Daryl checked his clip. “How? Ain’t no way we’re gonna check in all them buildings. Not with all them guards there.”

She nodded. “It’s not likely to be this close to the gate, I reckon.”

“Right…” Rick pondered. “Too much noise.”

A twig snapped and they turned, guns leveled.

Michonne pointed in another direction, mouthing ‘this way’ at them. Rick nodded and they followed her to a section of fence in a blind spot.

They scaled it quickly and snuck into a dark building.

“This is where you were held?” Rick continued to clear the room, gun held up until Mitzi held her thumb up, indicating that the far side of the room was clear.

“I was questioned.” She corrected him flatly.

He moved to the front facing windows. “Any idea where else they could be?” He peeked out behind the sheets hanging over the windows.

Daryl followed, looking out next to him. He scoffed. “I thought you said there was a curfew.”

Michonne shrugged, anxious and jumpy. “The street is packed during the day. Those are stragglers.”

Rick grimaced. “If anyone comes in here, we’re sitting ducks. We gotta move.”

Mitzi caught Michonne’s eyes, motioning her closer so she could keep her voice low. “You were questioned in here?”

She nodded.

Mitzi stepped closer to her. “Somethin’ minor?”

“I guess.” Michonne shrugged. “I broke into the Governor’s apartment to get my sword. Took out some walkers they had locked up in some sort of arena space.”

“Arena space?” Mitzi looked at Daryl and Rick. “Dollars to donuts.”

Michonne nodded. “They could be there.”

“What if they ain’t?” Daryl moved back towards the back of the room.

Michonne met Daryl’s eyes unflinchingly. “Then we’ll look somewhere else.”

Rick followed Daryl, passing by Michonne with a dismissive: “You said you could help us.”

She bit back. “I'm doing what I can.”

Oscar huffed. “Then where the hell are they?”

Rick motioned to Mitzi and Oscar. They turned and paced back into the pantry space after him.

“If this goes south, we’re cutting her loose.”

They all turned to consider Michonne. Oscar spoke up. “You think she’s leading us into a trap?”

Mitzi sucked on her teeth. “I suppose an arena with walkers would be the place t’do it. But that don’t square, if she wanted to lead us into a trap, she coulda just done it at the gate. No reason to wait and get us inside.”

Daryl nodded his head. “More like the blind leading the blind. Let’s split up.”

There was a knock at the door, keys in the lock, and they all dove for cover behind shelves of canned goods. Mitzi looked over and saw Michonne crouched behind the table.

The man entered casually, like all he expected to find were teenagers up to some mischief.

Mitzi caught Daryl’s eyes. He nodded.

“I know you’re in here. I saw you moving from outside.” He moved deeper into the room. “Alright now. You’re not supposed to be here and you know it. Who’s in here?”

Rick rushed him, holding him at gunpoint and forcing him into his knees. Daryl leaned over and zip-tied his hands behind his back.

“Where are our people?”

The man shook his head. “I don’t know.”

“You’re holding two of our people. Where the hell are they?”

The man stuttered. “I don’t know.”

Rick gagged him and Daryl knocked him out with the butt of his crossbow.

“He’s tellin’ the truth.” Mitzi glanced at Rick. “They’re being kept someplace the normal people don’t know about.

“Gotta be this arena area.” Daryl nodded at Michonne. “It far enough away that people wouldn’t know?”

She nodded. Rick stared her down before nodding.

“Let’s go.”

They snuck out the way they came and followed Michonne to the arena.

Mitzi cast a look around. “Some mad max shit.”

Oscar nodded beside her.

“Mitzi, you got point.”

She nodded and moved in front of Rick as they entered a building made of corrugated metal. They cleared corners at a steady pace until they came up to a window and could hear movement and voices.

They plastered themselves to the wall, waiting a short moment. As soon as it seemed that the people inside the room were about to leave the room, Mitzi signaled them back, nodding to Daryl and Rick.

Rick and Daryl popped the tops on a flash bang and smoke bomb respectively, before tossing them into the small atrium area.

There was a flash and a pop. Smoke filled the room and the men, disoriented and blind, reared back.

Mitzi advanced and while she covered them, Daryl and Rick moved in to get Maggie and Glenn, pulling them back toward the entrance.

One of the men in the smoke popped off a few rounds and Mitzi returned fire, seeing one man hit the ground through the smoke. Rick patted her shoulder and Mitzi backed out behind them.

They backtracked and ducked into another dark building.

“Didn’t think you’d still be running’ with my brother, Lil Bit.”

Mitzi sucked her teeth. “That’s because you ain’t very smart, Merle.”

He laid his arm over her shoulder and she shrugged him off. “Don’t be like that, Mitzi. I helped get Daryl outta there. Returned your man safe and sound.”

She scoffed. “Youre the fuckin’ reason we were there at all. You don’t get to play hero.”

He hummed. “That’s true. Say, you think I can have my turn now, after all’a this time? Think my baby brother would-“

Daryl turned on his heel and shoved at Merle’s shoulder. “Give it a rest.” He put his hand on her shoulder and pushed her forward toward Rick.

Merle cackled. “You ain’t willin’ to share, brother? Ain’t that some shit.”

Daryl grunted and motioned her forward when she turned back to glare at Merle. “This ain’t gonna work if you start fuckin’ with her.”

“Damn, son. Her pussy must be-“

Daryl shoved at him again. “Stop it. You ain’t gonna-“

“Ain’t gonna what?” Merle pressed into his space. “You gonna start telling me what t’do?”

Daryl didn’t back down. “She ain’t some truck stop hooker. You ain’t gonna talk t’her that way.”

“Or else what? What’s gonna happen?”

“She’s gonna kick your ass. Again.” Daryl poked his chest with an aggressive finger. “But it ain’t just about what she’s gonna do. She’s m’girl. I won’t have y’talkin’ ‘bout her that way.”

Daryl paused and looked down at Mitzi, who had pressed her hand to his chest, standing between them.

“Let’s just get back home. We can hash it out there.”

Daryl nodded. She glared at Merle and then moved back toward Rick.

Rick leaned into her. “This ain’t gonna work.”

She sighed. “I know it. And Glenn’s gonna go ballistic when he sees him.”

“Do you think Daryl will leave him?”

She shrugged, casting a look back at Daryl. He caught her eyes, head tilting as if asking her what they were talking about. “I don’t know.”

Rick nodded, calling out for Glenn as they approached the road.

Glenn seemed to zero in on Merle the minute he cleared the car. He leveled his gun at Merle and chaos erupted.

She stepped up to him as Maggie leveled her gun at Michonne, trying to ease them into lowering their weapons. “C’mon, guys.”

Glenn turned on her. “You’re okay with this?”

Mitzi shook her head. “No, but we gotta discuss it and we can’t discuss it here. Not safe.”

Daryl swatted at the gun in Glenn’s hand. “Get that thing outta my face.”

Merle chuckled. “Looks like you gone native, brother.”

Daryl turned and paced back at Merle. “No more than you, hangin’ out with that psycho back there.”

Merle nodded, amused. “Oh yeah man, he is a charmer, gotta tell you that.” He turned to Michonne. “Been putting the wood to your girlfriend, Andrea, back there. Big time, baby.” He moaned lewdly.

“What?” Glenn lowered his handgun. “Andrea’s in Woodbury?”

Daryl nodded. “Right next to the Governor.”

Mitzi put a hand on Glenn’s shoulder. “I doubt she knew y’all were there. Seemed pretty distressed when she saw Daryl.”

Michonne attempted to get at Merle again and Rick cut her off. “I told you to drop that!” She did and he lowered his Python. “You know Andrea?”

She ignored him, focusing on glaring at Merle. Rick stepped into her line of sight. “Hey! Do you know Andrea?”

Merle grinned. “Yep, she does. Her and Blondie spent all winter, cuddling up in the forest. Mhmm… yeah. My Nubian Queen here had two pet walkers. No arms. Cut off the jaws. Kept ‘em in chains. Kinda ironic now that I think about it.”

Mitzi turned over her shoulder. “You are fuckin’ dumb, Merle. You are outnumbered and outclassed and you still don’t have the sense to keep the shit you talk to yourself.”

He spat to the side. “Shut up, Mitzi.”

“Always gotta ruin everything-“

“Spitfire.” Daryl set his hand on her shoulder and she quieted. He pointed back at Merle. “Stop it.”

Merle chuckled, dismissing Daryl with a wave. “Hey man, we snatched them outta the woods. Andrea was close to dying.”

Maggie sighed. “Is that why she’s with him?”

Merle nodded. “Yeah.. snug as two little bugs. So what are you gonna do now, sheriff? Surrounded by a buncha liars, thugs and cowards?”

Rick snarled. “Shut up!”

“Oh man, lookit this? Pathetic. All these guns and no bullets in ‘em.”

Daryl got in his face. “Merle, shut up!”

Merle responded in kind and there was a brief bout of chaos, Glenn attempting to push past her.

She focused on gently keeping Glenn back and jumped when Merle’s voice ceased suddenly. His body hit the forest floor and she turned to look up at Rick, Python held up, butt first.

She glanced at Daryl, who nodded at Rick. Slipping her rifle over her head and off her shoulder, she passed it to Daryl and moved to help Glenn down the small incline toward the car.

When Merle was conscious and everyone was back near the car, Rick spoke.

“It won’t work.”

Daryl sighed. “It’s gotta.”

“It’ll stir things up.”

She rubbed at her neck as Daryl made his case, adamant that his brother wasn’t a rapist.

Mitzi sighed. “He doesn’t have to be a rapist to be dangerous. He tortured Glenn. They were clearly about to execute them. He was okay with that, led the men that did that.”

Daryl huffed and ignored her, shaking her off when she reached for him. He focused on Rick. “You gonna cut Merle loose and bring the last samurai home with us?”

Rick shook his head. “She’s not coming back.”

Maggie shook her head. “She’s not in a state to be on her own.”

Glenn nodded. “She did bring you guys to us.”

“And ditched us.”

“At least let my dad stitch her up.”

Rick shocked his head. ”She’s too unpredictable.”

Mitzi kicked at a piece of gravel, looking down. “She doesn’t say enough and I don’t think any of us feel comfortable trusting what she does say.”

“That’s right,” Daryl nodded, staring out at Michonne. “We don’t know who she is. But Merle- Merle’s blood.”

Glenn grunted. “No. Merle is your blood. My blood, my family, is standing right here and waiting for us back at the prison.”

Rick leaned in. “And you’re part of that family. But he’s not. He’s not.”

Daryl glanced down at her then back at Rick and shrugged. “Man, y’all don’t know.” He paused. “Fine. We’ll fend for ourselves.” He reached out for Mitzi.

Glenn shook his head. “That’s not what I was saying.”

“No him. No us.” He squeezed Mitzi’s shoulder and she seemed to snap back to reality.

She rested back. “What?”

Daryl stared down at her, willing her to agree with him. “We’ll go. Fend for ourselves.”

She stepped out of the circle, shaking her head. “We just started a war with a psychopath to get Glenn and Maggie back. You want to leave?”

Daryl frowned. “Mitz-“

Mitzi stalked a couple feet away, still fighting to believe this was real. She turned toward the car and Merle caught her eye, grinning.

Daryl moved closer to her. “Baby, I can’t stay where m’brother-“

“D. Stop.” She cut him off. “I need to think.”

“No time.” He shook his head. “You gotta make a decision.”

“A decision?” She gaped at him. “Between your brother and the people I just risked my ass to save?”

“Between me-“

“Don’t do this. Don’t make this personal.”

“How is this not personal?”

“Because it’s not you, baby, it’s him. He is not you.” She gestured at Merle. “He’s the one who kidnapped and tortured Glenn and Maggie. The one who started windin’ you up the minute he saw ya.”

“Windin’ me up?” His face colored. “He's an asshole but he ain’t manipulative.”

“Yes, he is. If he wanted to come back with you, why did he start instigating shit?”

He made a frustrated motion with his hand. “That’s just who he is.”

“Yes! A manipulative asshole.” She threw her hands up. “That’s beside the point. D, we have been with these people for nearly a year.”

“So? I’ve known Merle my entire life.”

“They are family, baby. I won’t leave them.”

“What ‘bout me?” He locked his jaw. “You’ll leave me, but not them.”

“I'm not leaving, you are.” She deflated. “You're making the decision to leave. What am I supposed t’do?”

“Come with me!” He fought to keep his voice down.

She sucked in a breath. “Daryl, I can’t… I need to think.”

“I ain't leavin’ my brother again.” He reached out for her. She sidestepped him. “He’s m’blood.”

She shook her head, trying to clear it enough to see a way out of this.

Daryl scoffed and moved away, back towards Rick. “Well, guess that decides it. It’s always been me and Merle before this.”

She fought to breathe, chest clenching up. “Just give me time to think.”

“You made your choice.” He threw over his shoulder.

She squatted, ignoring whatever further discussion was being had and focusing on breathing normally. Maggie joined her, hand rubbing at her back.

Mitzi’s eyes caught Daryl’s. She could see him visibly react, sucking in air like she had forced it from his lungs.

“Where’s Mitzi?”

Glenn nodded at the window. “‘Main Guard tower.”

Daryl squinted at him. “She went back out there?”

“Never left.” Hershel kept his eye on Merle. “Hasn’t stepped out of the guard tower since she got back. Hasn’t spoken a word.”

“The attack was the first we’ve seen of her since we got back.” Glenn supplied, cutting his eyes to glare at Merle. “Maggie tried to go up there, check on her. Mitzi wouldn’t open the door.”

“I doubt she’s eaten.” Maggie nodded. “The only way we knew she’s still alive is the sound of her rifle. Those walkers out past the field were all her. She was picking them off yesterday.”

“I don’t want her to be upset, but she might’ve solved a problem for us.” Carol crossed her arms over her chest. “I bet she’s already cleared the field.”

Hershel nodded. “That’s true.”

Daryl sucked in a breath and nodded. “Right. I’ll go get her.”

Glenn made a face. “Good luck and godspeed. She’s pretty angry.”

“You chasing’ after your girl, brother?” Merle cackled. “Just let her untwist her panties, she’ll come ‘round.“

Daryl shook his head. “Shut up, Merle.”

“So that lil bit of redhead cooze is worth your dignity? Thought I raised you better.” He sucked on his tongue. “Gotcha all pussy-whipped. What a shame.”

Daryl rotated his shoulder, agitated. “I said, ‘Shut the fuck up, Merle’.”

Merle opened his mouth to speak, Glenn cut him off, grinning maliciously. “You don’t remember Mitzi that well, d’ya Merle?”

“Course I remember her.” Merle made a face. “What does that have t’do with anythin’?”

“You know what they say about redheads.” Glenn glanced up at Merle. “And she’s fuckin’ pissed at you. But telling you what to do, but I would be, at the very least, nervous.”

Merle glanced at Daryl, who shrugged. Glenn continued. “Pretty sure the rumor was that she had kicked your ass back at the old camp. If she didn’t then…” he whistled. “I’m sure she’s up for it now.”

Merle dismissed him with a wave. “Got a couple pot shots off. I ain’t worried. I outweigh-“

“So did Shane and she beat the holy shit out of Shane.”

Maggie nodded. “Shane couldn’t even put up a fight.”

Merle ignored them.

“I know you’re pissed. Y’got every right.”

She didn’t look at him, didn’t react.

“Spitfire.”

She huddled down deeper into herself, pressing into the corner, knees to her chest.

He sighed and sat next to her. She crossed her arms across her chest, effectively hugging her M110.

He rubbed a hand over his face. “He’s my brother.”

“He’s blood.”

He nodded.

“So fuck me then.”

He sucked in a breath. “I didn’t say that.”

“Didn’t need to.” She started picking at her cuticles.

“Look.. I know, I fucked up.”

She shook her head, twisting her lips in a dismissive moue. “Nah, that’s just how it is.”

“How what is?”

“It. Life.”

“Baby-“

“Fuck off.” Her thumb bled. “Go find your brother.”

He reached over to cover her fidgeting hands. She jerked away.

He let his head hang, rubbing over the back of his head. “Mitz-“

“What do you want?” She still wasn’t looking at him, still picking at her cuticles.

“You t’talk t’me.” He shifted so he was looking at her more fully.

She grunted, eyes on her now-bleeding ring finger. “For what purpose?”

“What purpose?” He dropped his head against the wall behind him. “Baby, I… I fuckin’ suck at this. I don’t know how t’explain what-“ he made a frustrated noise. “I know I hurt ya, I ain’t never seen you look that way, like I had just sucker punched ya.”

He looked up and caught her eyes. “M’sorry.”

She didn’t look the way he expected. No stormy anger, no piercing glare. She looked frightened, eyes wide, pupils darting around the small room. Daryl felt his chest tighten.

She stood and shouldered her rifle. “I need to shoot somethin’.”

She walked onto the balcony, spending the next ten minutes popping off walkers. When the magazine was empty, she turned and sucked in a shaky breath.

“I don’t generally assume people like me. My parents didn't even like me.” She gestured at the prison. “I’m just now starting to not struggle to believe that they might give a fuck about me. I am not dumb enough to do that generally.”

He stood, approaching her with quiet, cautious steps like she was a frightened animal.

“But… I think I was-“ She squeezed her eyes shut and sucked in a harsh breath. “I was dumb enough to believe you did.”

She rubbed at her face, shielding her eyes from his. “I know we’ve never really talked ‘bout it so maybe this is partially my fault. I should’ve known, shouldn’t ‘ve assumed but-“

He shook his head. “Baby, stop. Look at me.”

She wouldn’t, eyes focusing down at the floor. She shook her head, stepping away from him as he reached for her. “I just thought you’d at least consider me, but maybe that’s an overstatement of what this is.”

He cupped her shoulders slowly, gently, pressing his forehead to her temple.

He could feel the tension in her body, the occasional heaving convulsion, like her body wanted to sob but she wasn’t letting it. “Baby-“

She shook her head, biting her lip hard enough to bleed.

“Mitzi.” He grabbed the rifle from her limp hand, setting it against the wall behind him. “Baby, you ain’t overstatin’ nothin’.”

She scoffed, tears starting fall despite her attempts to control it, and tried to pull away.

He tutted, hand sliding from her shoulder to her jaw. “Don’t leave. We ain’t done.”

“You walked away, D. You looked me in my eye, threw down an impossible ultimatum and walked away. Didn’t even give me time to process, to understand, to make any kinda decision.” She shrugged powerlessly. “That kinda feels done.”

“Well, we ain’t.” His voice was adamant. “You said you were dumb enough to believe I gave a fuck about ya. I do. Don’t hafta believe anythin’, it’s true.”

She rolled her eyes. “Okay, I’ll bite. You give a fuck. What happened then? I don’t get it so you’re gonna hafta explain it. It sure doesn’t square with you givin’ even an iota of a fuck ‘bout me.”

He sighed, frustrated with his own lack of verbosity. “I know why I did it.” She shook her head and tried to pull away. He held her fast and squeezed her shoulders. “I’m not sayin’ it was the right call, but I know why I did it. I hate that I hurt’ya, but I did th’only thing I could think of. He’s m’brother.”

She breathed deep. “I appreciate that, I do. But Glenn is my brother, Maggie is my sister. They are part of our family.” She pointed between them. “Part of our family that Merle hurt.”

He nodded absently, squinting at her.

“Every day we chose to help them- and us -survive to the next day, we were choosing them.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “We talked about leavin’, I know that, but we didn’t. We stayed. That choice made them our family. They are our family now.”

He looked hurt. “So if I had given ya time t’think you wouldn’t a’left with me?”

She rubbed at her sternum and shrugged. “I don’t know. It woulda been difficult but we coulda talked about it. Preferably, here, where we are safe. Not out there in the middle’a nowhere with Glenn unable to walk.”

Daryl shook his head. “They wouldn’t a’let him come back.”

“Baby, what did ya expect? Your brother tortured them. If we had taken time to think, we coulda worked somethin’ out.”

He nodded. “A’ight. Say we had, what could we have done?”

She shrugged. “I dunno. Keep him close? Set him up in a guard tower until amends could be made. He woulda needed to be part of that, though, woulda needed to want to make amends.”

He rubbed his hands over the back of his head. “Wasn’t too keen on that. Still isn’t.”

She nodded. “And what I said stands. Merle started windin’ you up the minute he laid eyes on ya. Didn’t want to follow the rules. Maybe he didn’t want to be under Rick’s thumb. I dunno, but Merle wants things his way.”

He sighed. “Yeah, you were right. Merle’s a stubborn suma’bitch. Started talking’ shit the minute we left. M’sorry.”

She breathed deep. “I’m sorry too. I know you weren’t tryin’ to force my hand, just lookin’ for support-“

He shook his head. “Ain’t no reason to apologize. I saw that look on your face every time I blinked while I was out there. Probably see it in my sleep tonight.”

She rubbed at her forehead and his hand shifted, massaging at the back of her neck. Stepping fully against him, she pressed her face into his chest.

“And y’gotta know that everyone down there loves the shit outta ya. You’re their family, too.”

She shrugged. “I’m convenient.”

He wrapped himself around her, shaking his head into her hair.

“Ain’t nuthin’ convenient ‘bout you, woman.”

She was silent for a spell and Daryl wanted to knock his own teeth in when she started shaking against him.

He pushed her lightly away only to realize she was laughing.

“I don’t know if that was a compliment or not.”

He shrugged and she reached up to brush the hair out of his eyes. He knocked his forehead against hers.

“Let’s go back.”

She nodded and leaned over to pick up her rifle.

“I am sorry.”

She looked up and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “You are forgiven.”

She set her cleaning kits down and set to cleaning the group’s cache of weaponry. She was breaking down a pistol when she saw Merle sit down across from her.

“Spitfire-”

She didn’t look at him. “Daryl calls me that. No one else.”

“Now, now…” He hummed. “Y’still angry with me?”

“Yeah.” She fed a barrel brush through the pistol’s barrel with staccato movements that bordered on violent. She glanced at Merle. “How’d ya know?”

He seemed to hesitate. She smiled sharply. “You rememberin’ the day you met me?”

He made a face, shaking his head. “No… no, I just think that… seein’ as you’re with m’brother and I’m not leavin’ him any time soon, we should come to some sorta agreement.”

“Like what?” She set down the barrel with an echoing click.

“Like you stay outta m’way, I stay outta yours.”

She grinned. “You in my way right now, though.” She reassembled the gun and reached for another one. She checked the clip and pulled back the slider. Catching his eye and holding it, she test-fired the empty weapon, pointing it at the ground.

He shifted. “How so?”

“This is my home, these people are my family, your brother is my partner. Anythin’ or anyone who thinks t’get between me n’them is in my way.”

He held up his hands. “I ain’t tryin’ to get in between you n’my brother.”

“Coulda fooled me.” She broke down the gun, maintaining eye contact. “Daryl told me what y’all talked about while you were out there. I know you care for him, I do, but your way of caring fuckin’ sucks.”

He nodded vaguely, rubbing a hand over his neck.

“Daryl is not the same little brother you knew a year ago.” She cleaned the barrel. “He has grown and changed. He’s stronger, more confident, happier. And I’ll be damned if you ruin it, if you start breakin’ him down the way your father broke you two down. Makin’ him doubt himself, doubt his decisions.”

Merle sighed. “So how do we do this? Can’t imagine you wanna be at odds until the end of time.”

“You can start by treating Daryl with some respect. Treat him like a man, not some broken, little boy you can boss around.”

He nodded.

“And you can stop bein’ an asshole.” She grinned. “Tall ask, I know, but stop antagonizing people for no good reason.”

He winced comically. “You don’t ask a lot, do’ya, Lil Bit?”

“Nothin’ a big, strong, tough man like yourself can’t handle.”

“Must not have been many walkers.”

Andrea looked up at her and shook her head. “Daryl and Martinez are comparing dicks.”

“Ah…” Mitzi chuckled. “Men, amiright?”

“You would think that with the end of the world, people would shake some old habits.”

“That ain’t ever gonna change, hun. I think it’s ingrained in them. In us too… though it looks different.”

Andrea considered her quietly. “What looks different?”

“Competition. I think it’s instinctual. Keeps the whole race goin’ forward.”

“Maybe so.”

“Speakin’ of men…” Mitzi sighed and sat on the bench next to Andrea. “You sure know how to pick ‘em.”

Andrea sucked in a breath, gearing up for an argument.

“I’m teasing, chill. You obviously didn’t know he was bat-shit.” Mitzi grinned. “Though I would think someone as smart as you would be better at seeing the signs, it’s still not your fault.”

Andrea nodded. “Thank you for that. I’m having a hard time remembering that it’s not my fault.”

Mitzi sighed. “That’s hard to do sometimes.”

“Michonne knew. She tried to tell me.” Andrea rubbed a hand over her face.

“She seems like a very intuitive person. Why didn’t you listen?”

“I…” Andrea stuttered. “I was tired. I wanted what he offered. The safety, the rest.”

“He preyed on your weaknesses.” Mitzi nodded. “I knew someone like him when I was in the military. Charming suma’bitch but I could smell crazy on ‘em.”

“Did you ever date him?”

Mitzi barked out a laugh. “Nah, he wouldn’t a’wanted me. Being heavily tattooed and mouthy is usually a pretty good deterrent for his type.” She fiddled with her scope. “He went after this pretty little Air Force liaison.”

Andrea hummed. “What happened?”

“She was married. He got her pregnant while on tour, when her husband couldn’t have. Pretended like he didn’t know she was married. Had connections that kept him outta hot water. They prosecuted her for adultery.”

Andrea looked uncomfortable. “I didn’t know there were laws like that still on the books.”

“Military does what it wants.”

“Do you know what happened after that?”

Mitzi sighed. “Nope. Had to keep my nose outta it. Woulda killed him.”

They were silent for a while, until Daryl and Martinez returned, the former holding out a fresh cigarette to her.

She smiled up at him, accepting his chaste kiss. “Thank you, baby.”

Nodding, he eyed them and lit the cigarette for her, moving back towards the door to check the perimeter.

Mitzi turned her head to blow the smoke away from Andrea. “He’s gonna kill ya, y’know that right?”

Andrea shook her head. “Phillip wouldn’t-“

“Don’t be dumb.” Mitzi caught her eyes. “Phillip is gonna do whatever it takes to get whatever it is he wants.”

Andrea sighed heavily. “Carol told me to kill him after sleeping with him.”

“A little Black Widow action.” Mitzi nodded. “Not a bad idea.”

“I don’t know if I can… do that.”

The doors started opening and Mitzi nodded at Daryl, standing up. “Better figure it out, princess. Clock’s a’tickin’.”

They entered into the carnage with quick, quiet steps, dispatching walkers here and there as quietly as they could.

She turned to check their blind spot, stepping backwards and nearly running into Daryl’s back when he pulled up short.

Looking around him, she bit at her lip. Merle’s corpse lifted his head.

His shoulders started to shake and she pressed her forehead against his shoulder. “I’m sorry, baby.”

He sucked a deep breath in as Merle’s corpse stood, still chewing on the man laying on the ground beneath him.

He passed her his crossbow and pulled his knife, starting to sob in earnest. Shouldering her rifle, she wrapped her arms around the crossbow.

Daryl knocked Merle’s corpse back, the walker immediately coming back again. Merle snarled as Daryl stabbed him in the shoulder, using the knife to gain control of the bigger body. He shoved the walker over and followed it down, stabbing the knife into its head and chest repeatedly.

She stayed silent, allowing him to vent his grief and frustration without comment or judgment. She kept an eye on the other walkers, hand on her knife in case one of them caught wind of their presence.

Body racked with heavy sobs, he stayed hunched over Merle’s body. After a few moments, she walked over and squeezed his shoulder.

“C’mon, baby. Let’s get him in the barn. Can’t bury him but we can at least get him out of the sun.”

Daryl pulled his bandana out of his pocket and wiped his face. He nodded and stood, taking his bow back from her and throwing the shoulder strap over his shoulder. Together, they dragged Merle’s body into the barn.

Once they cleared the room of any potential threat, Mitzi knelt to arrange his body respectfully and ensure that his eyes were closed.

“Bye, Merle.”

She looked up at him and he nodded, blinking away tears. He reached over and tapped at Merle’s chest. He turned and she followed him out.

They left and were silent for a long while as they worked their way back to the prison.

“I’m glad ya came with me.” Daryl breathed deep. “You didn’t hafta.”

She nodded and reached over to squeeze his side. “Course I did. You’re my man. Not gonna let you do that by yourself.”

Daryl leaned over briefly to kiss her head, muttering something into her hair.

She wrapped her arm around his waist. “What was that?”

He shook his head. “You ain’t gonna wanna hear it.”

She made a face at him. “You don’t know that.”

He muttered something under his breath, turning away from her to check the horizon.

“D, say it to my fuckin’ face.” She smiled, taking the sting out of her words.

He sucked in a breath and turned back. “Love ya.” He cleared his throat. “I love you.”

She gaped at him.

Daryl looked uncomfortable, making to move ahead. She grabbed his hand and pulled him back.

“Caught me off guard, s’all.” She pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “I love you too.”

Part 5

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