Curative

Sorry it took so long. I was a little conflicted about this chapter. I tried to force it to be more dramatically angsty, but found every time I tried everyone felt too ridiculously OOC.

I just don't personally think a lot of these characters are overdramatic angst-addled kids who get angry at nothing or fly off the handle. It didn't feel right, so instead this chapter is a lot brighter than I expected.

I hope you guys like this chapter, if not always feel free to tell me what you would've liked to see!

(while rereading this chapter I found an instance where I wrote "their" instead of "there" and got so upset with myself I had to go cook dinner to relax lol)

"Laura!" Carol hurried after her friend deeper into the cell block. She had no idea what just happened and why, but she knows what she heard. She had a million questions and didn't know if she'd get the chance to ask any.

Laura paused in the cell block, turning to face Carol who nearly ran into her. While Laura had simply walked into the cell block Carol had chased her, being caught by Laura's hands when she came to a sudden stop. Carol could feel her heart starting to race as she looked over Laura. "Laura, I don't understand."

"I know." Laura answered, her hands releasing the woman. Nothing could truly compare to this revelation for them. They had hammered in to the best of their ability that despite Laura's appearance, she was no different than anyone else.

But the night after the farm was taken Rick had told them what Laura told him. She was losing herself to the infection, the virus in her brain was slowly taking over... They were losing her, losing the assurance that Laura was not one of the dead.

Carol looked down, knowing Laura was waiting for something. They both wanted answers for different sides of the same problem. Laura wanted to be here... but could she be if she really wasn't one of the living? The virus in her brain had taken her long before they ever met. Carol didn't even know she existed when she woke up from being bit.

Then Carol recalled Jenner in the CDC. Rick told them that everyone here lived with the virus in them. It wasn't like a blood infection that spread when the afflicted bit them. It was dormant virus that existed in them, spread like an aerosol.

No matter what they did, if they died with their brain intact they would turn. It wouldn't matter if a walker was around them or not; they were all infected. Every single person was a carrier.

Laura died before she met them, she died in a basement in Atlanta having run for her life back to her father. She suffered even more just because she was scared and hurt. Carol never forgot what she told them. She imagined Sophia being bit and running home to her father and begging for help, seeking protection from someone who is meant to protect her.

Taking a deep breath, Carol met Laura's black and white eyes. "I don't care." She smiled, releasing that deep breath. She felt relieved when she thought about Laura's position, an actual maneater. "I'm with you."

Laura's eye widened in surprise. She had expected a conversation, argument, a desperate attempt to plea against Laura's... needs. But Carol didn't even ask a question before she accepted it. There was no doubt in her face; Carol was confident in her choice to trust Laura.

For as long as she could, Carol would be Laura's closest friend. The two had survived together, fought together. After the struggles on the road, Laura trying her damnest to keep herself together; Carol decided she wouldn't abandon her now.

"Remember, what I said on the road?" Carol watched Laura glance to the side, trying to shift through foggy memories. So she took the blue skinned woman's hand and squeezed it. "We'll figure this out. You won't be alone again. I won't let you go without a fight."

Laura grinned, she didn't remember but it was nice to hear it. She didn't have to convince Carol of anything, she didn't have to make a case for herself. Carol knew for a fact Laura never would hurt them willingly, she was always trying to help even when it got her hurt.

While Carol assured Laura, Daryl had neared them.

It didn't matter what Merle did, his loud mouth always caused problems. Daryl had dealt with it for as long as he could remember, a life of trying to handle the damage following Merle. He learned everything from his older brother which also meant he learned that standoffish attitude with a hateful tongue.

But Daryl never was like that, he was simply a boy who followed his older brother. Until he got older too and Merle wasn't around. Daryl quickly learned people weren't so bad, not like Merle made them out to be. In a matter of days after Merle was separated from the group Daryl had gotten along with people better than ever before.

It was with some significant trial and error, but he quickly established himself as the opposite of Merle. To the groups collective surprise, Daryl Dixon was nothing like his brother.

Now he had to handle himself, the new Daryl that came out when his brother was gone. Did that mean he was no longer staunchly devoted to his brother, blood before anyone else? He would never turn on Merle because for all the man's faults, he was still the brother that raised him when his parents failed them.

He also had a new person in his life that meant more to him than he ever expected. Laura, that strange dead and alive woman from Atlanta. She was beyond complicated when it came to how she was still here, but such a simple person underneath it all.

Laura caught onto his approach, how he let the two talk. "Hey." She greeted him, giving him an opportunity to butt in. Carol turned, seeing him, and stepped off to the side. They both knew Daryl was caught between a rock and a hard place right now.

Daryl wasn't sure what to say, he wanted to ask more and wondered if he'd get the same answer. Merle said she... like any walker outside. He didn't know how to ask without sounding like he was singling her out as a problem.

Seeing his reluctance to say anything at all, Carol spoke for him. Or tried to at least. "Do you... need two need to be alone?" Carol could see how this new information could prove difficult in their relationship. Their life together was hard enough, but adding this to the mix...

"Nah, s'alright." Daryl didn't want to kick Carol away. She was always good to them, one of the few people that managed to get that close to Daryl. This wasn't a private conversation to be had behind closed doors; this was about to be a whole group discussion.

He had to know, now. "Is't true?"

Laura withheld a straight answer. On paper the answer is yes, of course, but for them... how to explain all the problems that created this need in the first place? Would that change the aftermath at all or only serve to hammer the final nail in her coffin?

"It's... difficult to explain. Like you said, Rick told you I was worried about turning." Laura started, feeling that all too familiar fear creep in on her. She knew this would be a problem, she knew it was coming eventually, but now with Merle being the one to out that secret. Daryl... she could see him visibly trying to work through this. "I did."

Daryl paced side to side, taking a few strides and running his hand through his short hair. He took a deep breath, then another. This wasn't good, this was a problem bigger than he could control. Merle was a problem, he could keep a leash on his brother. Laura returning, when she attacked, was a problem but they managed it.

Now Laura was different in the worst possible way. She was still the same person, she just had a certain preference that...

"Daryl, stop pacing." Carol reprimanded him, grabbing his arm to force him to stop. He pulled back, intent on telling her off when Carol pointed to Laura.

Laura stood there, eyes glued to the floor, her arms wrapped around her waist. She was scared, he could see that same girl from Atlanta stuck with a leg brace and an ex-cop that hounded her. She looked alone, but that was the opposite of the truth.

He distinctly recalled something he said at the quarry, something even Shane repeated after the CDC.

"Zero tolerance for walkers or them to be."

She was so alone after the farm, after she separated from Red's group and Carol. The only person she had was Merle and that... wasn't saying much. As it stands that man was emotionally unavailable, even for a strained friendship. They were companions, family due to their situation, but questionable outside that.

Just like Daryl would adamantly refuse Merle being removed from the group, Laura would to. Not for the same reasons of course, they both had their own.

He wasn't sure how to take this in. He would have to go to Rick when he returned, there would undoubtedly be another meeting about it. Who would be involved, if not everyone. How could he possibly make a case for this woman when she confesses herself as a walker.

"Rick'll understand." Daryl started, trying to think through the issue. "He's gotta'."

"I'm less concerned about Rick, Daryl." He was thinking about what comes next while Laura just wanted to know what he thought. She knew it wasn't good, how could it be? Didn't change that she wanted to know if he considered that an end to them.

Daryl wasn't blind, he knew he had a choice to make. Again, those words rung in his mind. They had survived so much to finally make it to this prison. They lost even more when the prisoners showed up. These people died though, they were lost forever. Laura was right in front of him, dead and alive.

Carol, stuck in the middle, just moved aside and lightly shoved Daryl towards Laura. When he gave her a sharp look, she returned it. Her choice was made, she was with Laura to the bitter end. She had to insist Daryl make the same choice, since he was the one she relied on most.

So Daryl asked, "Why didn't ya' say anythin'?"

"I'm not-" Laura pinched the bridge of her nose, dropping her arm with a sigh. "I wasn't hiding it. This isn't some scheme."

"I didn't mean-" Daryl hesitated before he was interrupted by the noise behind them. It appeared people were getting restless. He wouldn't let anyone near her, they had to wait this out until Rick got back. What could he do alone if the group caused problems.

"No, I know you didn't." Though it was hard to try and keep calm, Laura did not think it fair to press any blame to Daryl. She stepped forward, watching his reaction when she neared him. "We'll talk. Right now, I think it's best we wait for Rick."

He agreed completely. "Should get outta' here, maybe put some distance between you an' them." He gestured loosely to the group still chatting in the cafeteria. They're were talks going on, but no arguing.

"I think I'll hide out in a cell for a bit, 'til Rick gets back. Then I'm sure he'll want another sit down like we did after the CDC." Laura still was less interested in the others, she didn't need them to tell her what they thought. She needed Daryl most of all. Carol's support was a welcome protection against the blow back.

Daryl figured it was for the best, but he had something he needed to do. "Stay in mine, watch her." He pointed to Carol, tasking her with guarding the door as it were. There was no sign of the group in there reacting violently currently. Experience told them that can change quickly.

Carol nodded and headed towards his cell, Laura faintly brushing passed him as well. The two would take cover for a while, it wouldn't be long before Rick was back and then this... could get sorted out. Daryl wasn't sure how well it would go. All he knew is he had to know more and face his brother.

Whatever the reason, Merle just created a sizable issue in front of the group and it put Laura at risk. Something Daryl could not ignore like most of Merle's snide comments.

He saw Laura and Carol head into his cell, drawing the curtain to keep some privacy between the two. He marched his way back into the main room to see some of the group had actually left. Of the missing were Maggie, Braddock, Red, and Micheal.

There was also a distinct lack of Merle, he had left right after Daryl did. He looked through the faces before finding Glenn standing beside Hershel, talking quietly. "Where'd he go?" Daryl's question broke their focus, causing them both to look up and see an notably bothered hunter.

Glenn glanced to Hershel, before pointing to the gate heading deeper into the prison. "He went into the tombs."

With a nod, Daryl was back to chasing down Merle. A chore he was constantly given before they separated. Always looking for him, always finding him doing something he shouldn't be doing.

When Laura dropped onto the cot, Carol joined her. Neither of them could see how this would end, it wasn't good news. All the could do is wait for the next step once Rick was back and someone told him what was going on.

Laura rested her elbows on her knees and leaned forward on them. She felt mixed up, the fog not just obscuring her memories but her future too.

Carol placed a hand on her back. Laura flinched again, but didn't mind Carol's hand. She rubbed her back mindlessly, hoping to comfort her. It wasn't a simple thing they could just explain away, not like her condition when they left the CDC.

This was different, this was exactly what they feared in her when they didn't understand her. She was more than they ever thought possible. When she assured them her hunger was natural, no different than their own, that was a lie.

She didn't want to admit it, that she lied to them the entire time she was with them. But she did and she knew it then as much as she does now. There was no way to explain it all away.

Before all this she lied and told them nothing was wrong. She looked different but that was as far as the virus went. All the while she was holding onto the reality she refused to acknowledge. A deeper, darker truth that hid itself in the back of her brain.

Her hunger, her nails turned claws, her voice; everything a shell to hide the dark underbelly. She tried to keep it away from the others, to hide herself away as she grew more and more terrified she was turning while she was still alive.

So much of it was this desire to be accepted within the group. An acceptance that never truly came all around. People were fine with her, but she was never one of them. And not because they didn't let her into the fold. There was never a chance she could belong to people still living the old way.

Survival was paramount, their way of life had to change. They grew as survivors together, growing into one family not just a group of people.

"Can I ask you something?" Carol broke Laura's train of thought. Likely for the best, it was only telling Laura to doubt this group.

Figuring there was nothing better to do, Laura shrugged nonchalantly.

Taking that as at least partial approval, Carol continued. "Is Sophia...?"

Laura paused, thinking of the little girl on the second level of the cell block. She was still undoubtedly up there with Melanie, Beth, and Judith. Sophia and Melanie always seemed to be near one another, never venturing far from the other.

But this was a real problem. That little girl was brought back like Laura was, though she hadn't been a walker for long. Sophia had less of a hard time about it when she came back to them, it took her a small fraction of the time to come back and recover. Laura's memories of the girl weren't the best, but there was some intact.

With or without those memories though, Laura couldn't be certain. It took such a short time for Sophia to recover, there was no way to compare that to the length of time Laura spent as a walker, uncured.

She offered a trying look to Carol, "I don't know."

Carol did her best to withhold her disappointment. It was not directed at Laura, it was more just general disappointment that they had no way to know. Sophia was such a shy small girl, she didn't toughen up like Carl did on the road. She remained as sweet and naive as ever; something that would have to change if she were to survive.

"I'm sorry. I wish I had a better answer." Laura reached over her shoulder to take Carol's hand from her back. The apology wasn't needed to Carol. She held no blame for Laura bringing her back, with or without knowing everything about Laura's condition.

"It's alright. We'll work through it, we've got each other. And Daryl, of course." Carol smiled, taking her hand back and instead wrapping her arm around Laura's shoulders for a side hug. "We'll always be together."

Daryl tilted his crossbow around the corner, looking through the darkened halls of the prison. He had gone through a few old rooms that hadn't been touched since they cleared them. No walkers in sight, but he didn't slack of just in case.

When he heard the clang of metal on hollow metal, Daryl followed it. He checked every corner on his way down, every possible spot for a walker to have hidden in.

The door was cracked, light shining through it. He had followed the tunnels around to room facing the courtyard. Once the door was opened and he cleared the entrance, he went in deeper.

It appeared to be a laundry room. Large lockers lined the outside walls, a few rows inside blocking his sight. These weren't some personal lockers, they held sizable loads of sheets and other clothing. A few were dented, but otherwise the room looked remarkably untouched.

Then he heard it again, the loud bang of metal on hollow metal. This time Daryl was certain he found Merle. The sound was accompanied by footsteps just ahead of him and a large sheet being tossed aside. Yes, this was Merle rummaging through the laundry.

He lowered his crossbow and slung it back over his shoulder. The room was clear and the tombs didn't appear to have any walkers clamoring through just yet.

Merle tapped on another locker with his metal arm, breaking open the old rusted lock. He pulled it open and continued his search, shifting through the bed sheets and covers.

Daryl didn't ask, he didn't care to know. He was bothered and had enough to deal with, he didn't need to know why Merle was digging through laundry. "Merle." The mentioned older brother leaned back up, turning around to see Daryl.

With a mirthless grin on his face, Merle greeted him. "Hey there, little brother. What're you doin' down here?" The grin fell from his face, replaced with a tired look. "Shouldn't you be with your girlfriend like some lovesick prick, huh?" He leaned back, taking a breath from breaking into the lockers.

"I ain't the bossy girlfriend, I'm just sayin' things."

"'Girlfriend.'"

"Oh dear god."

"Relax, girl. I ain't sayin' I don't like the sound of it. Feel like a kid again, worrin' 'bout girls an' shit."

Daryl shook that off as fast as it hit him. Confused as to why it came up just now, that awkward conversation back on the Greene's farm. "I came lookin' for you."

"Yeah, well, ya' found me." Merle held his arms around lazily, "Now what, ya' gonna' whine about your girl problems? That your little girlfriend eats folk, I told ya' little brother, that one's a biter. In more ways than one, am I right?" He chuckled to himself, his taunting of Daryl wasn't doing what he thought it would.

While Merle wanted to drive that wedge between Laura and Daryl, he was failing miserably. The more he talked the more defensive Daryl became of Laura. He wouldn't do anything against his brother, but he wanted to know why Merle was doing this.

From what he gathered from Laura, she liked Merle. At least enough to survive with him, escape Woodbury with him, and not kill him as if he was just another Woodbury soldier.

"What does that mean?" Daryl prodded, getting a look from Merle that told him nothing. He watched his older brother throw aside another stack of the sheets, finding nothing inside. "You said 'In more ways than one.' What do ya' mean?"

Merle ran his hand over his jaw, scratching at the stubble there. He stayed there for a moment, not doing really anything but thinking about Daryl's question. The sarcastic response actually dug himself a deeper hole. He wouldn't show that he gave a shit though, of course not. "Y'know man, she bit people. What'd ya' think it means?"

Daryl nodded, reluctant to accept she just... did that. Like a brain dead walker outside, she wasn't like that. She had sense, she was still Laura. "She ate 'em like a biter?" He scuffed the ground beneath his boot, contemplating on the implications of it all.

Though he was spiteful to Daryl and Laura's relationship, he still liked the girl. She had been there to save him from more than a couple bullets. Some part of him felt a bit of guilt gnawing at him. "She didn't- I don't know man! When the Governor's boys had a go at her, she bit 'em. So they nailed that thing on her face. No more questions about their boys comin' back with bite marks. Had to handle a few of 'em myself months ago."

Daryl understood what he meant, he knew enough to piece together the rest. They hurt her, they forced themselves on her, and to defend herself she would bite them. That's where the muzzle came from.

Pushing those thoughts out of his head, Daryl focused on the issue at hand. "You said she ate 'em."

"They fed her folk." Merle clarified. He could remember the early days of them having to feed her. She earned her food, she wasn't just given it to survive.

Nervous as this information came out, Daryl wasn't entirely sure what to do. He had a problem, a big problem, and Laura was on the receiving end. "Then they made her, no choice."

Merle scoffed exaggeratedly. "Ain't no one forced her to eat, she was fine with that part. I've seen that girl hunt a man." He whistled, implying how impressed he was when he saw it. "That biter can hunt better than us, baby brother. When she's hungry, there ain't no gettin' away."

"Then why'd you stick around her?" Daryl's brow furrowed in thought. A walker was a walker, no one wanted to be around one willingly. If Laura was just a walker then why did Merle opt to defect from Woodbury with her? "Why'd you say all that stuff back there?"

For all their time together, Merle was still a reclusive man. He wasn't capable of expressing himself, of being the agreeable type. Daryl was asking him why, why in the world would Merle stay with Laura and be at her side? When Red got in her face about Markus, Merle stepped in.

This meant that Merle was still on her side, walker or not. But he was here trying to push his brother and Laura away from each other.

Merle huffed, stuck between some sarcastic response and an insulting one. He didn't know what to say or where to go. "Y'know what, brother. You go back to your biter, ya' spend your nights fuckin' her. Ain't no care for your brother, Ol' Merle here. Been back just as long an' ya' ain't said shit. Neither one of ya'!"

That moment of hurt rage caught both of them unexpectedly. Merle yelled with all he had pent up the last few days. "Been lookin' for you an' finally found you an' ya' can't even talk to your own brother! Where's my baby brother, man? Did he lose his balls to that fuckin' cop?"

Daryl hung his head, knowing fine well he had been avoiding Merle. He didn't go out of his way to evade his brother, but he was worried. Laura was his woman and he cared for her more than he could put into words. Merle had a tendency to ruin relationship and scare people off.

He knew that's why he kept away from Merle. He didn't want to lose Laura, so he neglected his brother. This complicated family was only getting more complicated by the day. Every minute he spent with Laura, purposefully not speaking to Merle was building up that jealousy.

"I'm sorry."

Merle's expression dropped entirely. He was completely taken by surprise. Daryl was apologizing for avoiding him; an beyond rare expression of his love for his brother. The Dixon's never were ones for emotional bonding, they weren't raised in a loving home. So when that love is shown, it meant something.

Looking away, Merle tried to gather himself. He felt his jaw clench and release. Affection, honesty, something pure between the brothers. Merle's one weakness, his brother's adoration of him.

Daryl saw he wasn't handling that well. "I asked Laura 'bout you." Merle glanced up, interested but not willing to show it. "She said ya' helped her an' they burned her for it. But she don't blame you; she called you family."

He didn't get a response from Merle. He knew his brother well enough to know he didn't handle his emotions well, he can see the hurt. "We're family, Merle. You, me, and Laura. Ain't nothin' changin' that." His assurance went a long way, but Merle still didn't show him any reaction.

What he needed was time and Daryl needed to see Laura. He didn't know what it all meant, but he had a better understanding of what she and Merle went through at Woodbury.

They both survived a veritable hell there and came out different on the other side. Daryl didn't care how different, they were still his family.

By the time Rick, Michonne, and Carl returned the prison had returned to normal. They knew nothing would happen until Rick was back so they kept to their watch duties, reserving their opinion on the matter.

Things were tense and Rick saw it immediately. As he was getting out of the car, Glenn approached him. Michonne and Carl both looked on curiously before Rick headed inside following Glenn. Axel and Braddock came to help unloading the car as Rick disappeared into the cell block.

Inside Merle remained secluded in the laundry room. He wasn't looking for anything anymore, he was just... there. Nothing and everything running through his head at once.

Too much to think about with his family, this group, Woodbury... He didn't know how to handle this kind of pressure, the connection he shared now with more than only his brother.

In the cell block Laura sat on Daryl's cot with Carol comforting her. The curtain was pulled back revealing Daryl on the other side. He stepped in and knelt in front of Laura.

Confused, Laura leaned up to give him space in this small cell. Daryl took Laura's hand and pulled her towards him, holding her in his arms. He knew a little more about her time in Woodbury from Merle, the pain she suffered with. She might not say it, but he knew it was there.

Carol just crossed her hands in her lap, smiling at the two. She was always happy for them even if things always seemed to go wrong around them.

Outside the cell and back into the cafeteria Michonne and Axel dropped off a bag of looted guns and ammo. Michonne was watching Rick and Glenn talk just under the gate to the cells. It looked like something was wrong so she grew more curious.

Maggie neared the two, before she was stopped by Hershel. Before she could ask why, Hershel continued towards Rick and Glenn. She looked conflicted yet she did not press the issue; she waited.

Rick acknowledged Hershel before leaving with the older man into the cells. Glenn stayed where he was before he was joined by Maggie.

Finally Carl and Braddock brought in the last bags, both getting to work on cataloging all the new stock. It was a lot, definitely enough to take up some time.

Michonne, left unaccompanied, didn't know where they would be fine with her going. She didn't want to wander around and them mistake her as doing something nefarious. So she took a seat in the cafeteria in full view of the others, just to be safe.

Something was happening in this group and though she wasn't privy to it, she still wanted to find out. Just like Maggie and Glenn, she waited to learn more about these survivors hiding in a prison.

Inside the cell block, Rick pulled back the curtain to Daryl's cell. He was met with Carol looking up at him, Daryl kneeling on the ground facing Laura. They were saying something, but stopped when they all saw Rick. They were readying themselves for what comes next.

Daryl stood up, giving Rick a nod to let him know they were ready. It wasn't going to be easy, but they had to do it.

Rick lead the small group to the back of the cell block, out of earshot of the cafeteria. It was only Rick, Daryl, Hershel, Laura, and Carol. The last by insistence from Laura really as Carol was not initially invited. Laura would not let them remove her from the conversation.

In the back of the cell block, Rick's eyes met Laura's own. He wasn't sure where to take this, he only knew what Glenn mentioned. It was urgent and Laura... He didn't want to believe he heard it right. He needed to hear her say it.

"Start from the top." Rick urged. This wasn't something they could shrug off like when she lashed out. She didn't remember them then, it wasn't a problem. But this was a different creature altogether. "Glenn said you- Something happened between the farm and now. Tell us."

Laura got encouragement from Carol who placed her hand on her arm. She took a deep breath to begin. "I died in Atlanta. I was brought back, but I was weak. Then on the farm, I died again."

Rick's eyes narrowed, many questions already evident. He waited, knowing she was going to answer a lot without him needed to ask.

"That day we took Randall out, when Shane tried to kill you and we all got into a fight." She met Rick's heavy gaze. How badly she didn't want to confess these secrets. "I wasn't a good fighter, I just wanted to stop him from getting that gun. So he wouldn't kill you and Randall... but I didn't come out the other side."

Slow realization and doubt spread across Rick's face. Laura tried to offer a soft expression to show her sympathies. "Shane killed me."

Silence, a painful silence between them all. The group in front of her reluctant to respond. It took a good minute before Rick's voice broke through the tension. "Hershel said you were fine. They looked you over, couldn't find anything."

"Funny thing a bout being partially dead. Everything was so slow. Bleeding, bruising. A blood clot formed in a major artery that took hours to actually reach my heart." Laura took a moment to breath in deep again. "Shane hit me up against a truck, it caused internal bleeding. My body was so frail back then, all it took was the slightest clot and-" She snapped her fingers. "Gone. Technically, Shane beat me to death."

Hershel looked saddened by the news. They had gone through a lot when they learned about Shane's death, that Rick killed him. With Rick already teetering on a dangerous mental ledge this news was pushing him just that much closer. "There's no way we could've seen that kind of minute damage. Not without the right equipment."

"And for most people it wouldn't kill them. Complications, sure. Sometimes it can kill. But I was a unique case. Had the clot not hit my heart first, I would've bled out internally anyways." She didn't mind the complication with her condition. She blamed no one for not catching her health deteriorating. "With the virus, and the augmented virus I was given, I came back as me anyways. The only real difference is..."

"You're dead." Rick finished for her. "That's why you look like that. That's why you changed. Because Shane-" His voice cracked, his words failed him. He had always thought that she had fallen victim to her condition, not because of anything anyone did to her.

Laura looked down, feeling guilty for even telling him. "Because I died, my needs changed. The virus itself and the cured version my father gave me were now the only things keeping me moving. Without the virus and the cure virus, I can't be... here." She desperately wished she could explain it all, to show them every change she experienced to now.

Then came the issue that brought them here. Laura's appearance, her non-beating heart, none of it was a problem. They had grown accustomed to her unusual existence.

"I appreciate y'all sharing your food with me, but it doesn't do anything for me. It's like eating water. When I died, what I needed to survive was reliant on the virus." Laura carefully broached the subject at hand, gauging Rick's expression as she continued. "There's only one thing the dead want. I'm entirely carnivorous. I need meat to live, any kind helps, but only one is a requirement to my survival."

"Us." Rick stated, his expression during dark. "You said you were scared of turning. That you were changing... You did change, we can already see that."

Laura nodded her agreement, hoping to keep her head down. She tried to be patient despite her nerves. She had only just gotten back to them, she would hate to be forced to leave. But lying to them wasn't an option, she was at their mercy.

Rick ran a hand across his face, unbelievably tense. Laura was his friend, the girl with a leg brace and a black eye. She was good person with a kind soul, he knew she never meant anyone harm. This wasn't about what Laura would do, it was about what Laura couldn't control.

"Tell me, and I need you to be truthful with me." Rick came close to her, staring eye to eye. Laura nodded, accepting. "Are you in control of yourself?"

That was an easy answer. She wasn't going off the rails wild, she had restraint. Before she answered, Rick held a hand up to stop her. "Be sure. If you're not completely in control, then... We'll have to discuss it." They all knew that 'it' meant Laura living here with them.

"She leaves, I leave." Daryl planted himself with her without missing a beat. He wasn't leaving her alone, not after the farm and Woodbury. This was not an idle threat. They all knew he meant it which only created those butterflies in Laura's stomach again.

Laura couldn't really resist her smile. "I am." Laura assured him, not taking her eyes off Rick. "I don't go crazy and just maul people, Rick. That's not what this is."

Nodding, Rick gestured for her to keep talking. "Tell me, then. Make me understand."

Laura glanced to the faces around her, still noting the support she received from Daryl and Carol. "I'm more a walker than I am one of you. I know it's not great and I don't mind it, but I know y'all do. A little goes a long way."

"Why do you need the living?" Hershel interjected his own curiosity. "There's plenty of cadavers and plenty of animals. Why humans specifically?"

Laura glanced to Rick, seeing him encourage her to answer Hershel's question. "There's a protein call a prion. Every living thing with a brain will have prions. When you eat a deer, it's safe to eat. If you ate another human you could ingest prions from the human body which can infect you with a neurodegenerative disease. You would die, no cure even before all this. It's called kuru."

Hershel listened, noting this new information down. "So you need that to stay as you are?"

"Yes, all the time. Without those prions the cure I was given will die out and I'll revert to a walker. I can't be infected, kuru doesn't attach to the dead." She returned to Rick, giving him a pointed look. "And no, I still cannot kill anyone with a bite or a scratch. Regardless of what I do or do not eat." Laura didn't want any confusion around her ability to infect others. That was still not possible.

Rick stood there leaning back for a moment. He thought of all the implications and problems that could arise. A walker living with them, this time it was real. Shane would've lost his mind if he hadn't already then subsequently died for it.

He saw behind Laura was Carol, supporting Laura through it all. She showed no signs of doubt or disgust. The woman had strengthened from her time on the road, there was no question for her.

Then beside them stood Daryl. The man that used to ignore them, that threatened Rick and Shane more than once. At the end of any confrontation Daryl was always on Rick's side, ready to fight by him. He showed them the loyalty he showed his brother and it changed this group for the better.

Rick turned to Hershel and before he could speak, Hershel gave him a short nod. This older man was entirely unfazed by Laura's condition. He didn't understand it entirely back on the farm and it only got more complicated here. Still, he held no ill will to the woman.

It appeared to him they didn't mind Laura's odd position. She was stranger than ever now, yet it didn't seem to detract from her. The Laura he remembered and the person he saw in front of him.

"You can't infect people, you're not at risk of attacking anyone..." Rick was biased in excusing Laura's condition, he knew that. He still needed to know one final thing. "If you don't eat, what happens?"

Laura frowned, her eyes narrowed. "If y'all starve me for about a month without eating anything. No food at all, human, deer, rabbit, squirrel even. None." She had to be honest, though she couldn't see a situation where she wouldn't be able to eat at all. "Something very bad happens."

Rick met her darkened eyes, interested but finding it irrelevant. "Can't see us starving you."

"Then there's really nothing to worry about." Carol finally spoke up, relieved to see how things were working out in Laura's favor. It did appear that the panic that started was all for nothing.

"We can lay out ground rules, but yeah... Shouldn't be a problem. So long as none of ours are at risk." Rick gave Laura an exhausted lopsided grin. "You'll be fine here. I'm not gonna' give you the boot just for that. Everyone will just have to calm down."

Laura felt that weight off her shoulders. "You had me on the ropes that's for sure."

Rick chuckled weakly, tired from their run. The day had been full of stressors, now he really wanted something to eat and turn in. "I told you on the farm we'll figure something out, there's always a way. You just got here, I'm not letting you go so soon."

With that, Rick headed back to the cafeteria. The 'issue' wasn't really that terrible at the end of it all. Laura had failed to realize all those distorted memories were hiding a tight bond with the group, especially Rick and Daryl. While Rick still lead the group, Laura wasn't going anywhere.

She heard Carol release a deep breath she had been holding. She was so worried for her friend she didn't notice she had been frozen in place the entire time.

Once it was explained, they believed her. No doubt between them, not even a shred of suspicion. They trusted her so completely they didn't even bother trying to dig for information. There was no interrogation or chair with leather straps.

Just a question, support, and trust. She didn't have to defend herself anymore. She was accepted as is; scars, claws, diet, and all. Laura was here to stay.

When night came around, Laura was all too happy to return to Daryl's cell. The day passed quietly with some sideways looks from other people, but ultimately no one made a scene. The best case scenario for sure, though she knew eventually some people were going to ask.

She was fine with explaining it again, it didn't bother her. It was the not knowing if it would get her exiled from the group. Or dead. Either one was a problem.

When she entered the cell, Daryl was already there laid back on the cot. She gave him a half smile while making sure the curtain closed. Immediately she stripped of her boots and clothing, ready to end the day. It had started out so smooth and just got worse and worse until finally, she could rest.

Daryl seeing her strip so suddenly, moved back to open the quilt up, and Laura slid comfortably against him. The way they always were, shamelessly cuddled up on an old prison cot.

Laura, feeling perhaps a bit extra happy with the day, leaned up to his face. When he noticed her, she didn't waste a second going in for a passionate kiss. Surprised, but not unwilling, Daryl returned the kiss. Quite pleased with his reaction time. When she broke the kiss, she placed another on his cheek, then nestled back to his side.

There was a grand comfort here, not just in this cot with Daryl but with everyone in the prison. It would take time adjusting to everything and everyone as expected. Yet they didn't outright reject her when Merle shined a light on her closely guarded secret.

Here, in this cell, she was still accepted without a doubt. There wasn't an ounce of doubt in Daryl about Laura and her situation. He never thought of her as a walker, not like the others did. She couldn't imagine him ever thinking ill of her in any way.

Through everything, Daryl was always by her side. He was rough around the edges certainly, his abrasive attitude often scaring folk off. Even though their meeting was... less than ideal, what followed was a relationship neither one was expecting.

That lead them to this prison, this cot, both laying comfortably in each others arms. Months apart had not weakened their bond, but rather strengthened it once they were together again.

They laid in silence as Daryl drifted to sleep. Laura feeling better than she had in a long time. Her fears proven wrong, that she was never in danger of losing her place with them. For the first time since well before the dead started walking; Laura felt secure. "Daryl?"

"Trynna' sleep, girl." He mumbled his response, already partly asleep. She didn't respond so he could rest, which he appreciated. But the longer the silence stretched on the more he wanted her to say what's on her mind. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to sleep at all. "What'd ya' want?"

"I think I love you."

Daryl's eyes opened, looking down to see Laura laying still as before. She didn't move, just rested. He grew a bit nervous, considering her admittance of love. That was a big deal, it meant something to her and to him.

He laid there and thought to himself. He heard those words in his head over and over, until he settled down and realized. "Yeah, I love ya' too." Though he spoke quietly, Laura heard him and smiled. "Now let me sleep."

She held in a laugh, her face practically straining with her smile. Everything she was worried about had melted away. These people were her people and she belonged with them, despite her obvious differences.

Laura was finally home.

AtlasNerd:
Yesss, I hoped people might like that one. The significance of Daryl turning away from Merle is an important action between the brothers. Here, we see that Daryl has matured beyond his brother's taunts. Merle is explosive, he says things to hurt people intentionally, but finds himself struggling when it's about Laura.
I'm excited to do more! :D

Gemini's Revenge:

No worries! I'm glad to hear from you and thrilled to hear you've liked everything out so far! And yeah, the group individually will be explored. For now we dealt with the biased parties like Carol, Daryl, and Rick. All people extremely close to Laura, so they all have a preference for her well being.
Aww, poor sweetheart! I hope they're okay, that's such a stressful experience for a dog. I admit I'm a helicopter dog mom as weird as that sounds. She had complications from her surgery and I was up for like 48 hours so worried!
I've slept since then, but I'm still tired lol and hoping to write a lot more!
I hope you like this chapter to, feel free to request anything from me on my tumblr too! I've been trying to do smaller things there so I can keep my flow in writing. Plus, I love doing little bits for this story there lol
I'm lining up some snippets from this story that aren't in the story. Some stuff canon some stuff non-canonical. Some stuff just for fun, I'm so excited to be writing again!