Chapter Text
May was pushed up on one elbow, gently carding her hand through Daryl’s hair, who was still asleep.
He pushed into her touch, deeply inhaling and slowly exhaling. May smiled as she looked down at him, his hand slightly spasming as he stretched, blinking his eyes open.
“morning,” May said and after a short pause, “your hair is getting longer,” she whispered and Daryl nodded, closing his eyes again and turning onto his side, hiding himself in her naked body.
She wrapped her arms around him and allowed him to press his face into the hollow of her throat.
She could feel his gentle breaths on her collarbones, yawning against her, his lips tightly pressed against her skin.
Then Judith started crying and Daryl grumbled, whining as May went to get up. She stood and walked over to the crib in their cell, her panties low on her hips as she gently picked her up, shushing her as she crawled back into bed, beside Daryl.
She sat Judith down in between the two of them, the baby immediately distracted with Daryl’s hair.
Daryl smiled as he laid on his stomach, pushing himself up on his elbows, “hi baby, hi little baby,” he cooed as he kissed her chubby cheek.
Judith laughed, grabbing at his nose and Daryl wrinkled his nose, May chuckling.
“you like my nose?” Daryl asked with a smile, getting a hand in his mouth in return. He laughed as he leaned forward, blowing a raspberry on her neck. Judith squealed, laughing loudly while May got up to get dressed.
“no not yet,” Daryl whined as she put on her bra and pulled on a tank top. Judith imitated the tone of voice Daryl said it in and Daryl smiled, “see Judy agrees.”
“Judy, is a baby,” May said, but got back into bed.
“let’s go back to sleep. Just for half an hour or so,” Daryl said and May sighed, laying down, Judith in between the two.
“fine.”
[…]
She was walking back to the prison with the laundry, yawning, when Merle came to her.
“here let me take that, looks heavy,” he said and took the basket from her.
“thank you,” May said, walking with him, Merle was quiet for a while before he looked at her. “I, I’m really sorry.”
May nodded, “I know. I know you are. You’re Daryl’s brother, I’m his girlfriend, we’re family now. We should get along.”
Merle chuckled, “right. I’m sorry I didn’t.. cover you up, or anything, when you were with the governor,” Merle said and May shook her head, “don’t, don’t start about that. I’m willing to forgive you, for everything, just don’t talk to me about that.”
Merle quickly nodded, “yes, yes sorry.”
May nodded back at him, “I appreciate your apology.”
Merle smiled politely and continued helping May with the laundry and her chores overall, being sweet and what not.
May pretended the spoon was an airplane, making a wooshing sound as Judith finally took the bite, having refused it and cried at least twenty times now.
Glenn walked by and May called out for him, “hey Glenn!”
The man turned around, eyebrows raised, an inviting look on his face, “yes?” he asked.
“have you seen Daryl?” she asked and he nodded, “yeah, when I was out in the yard. Securing the doors. Asking about Merle, he’s probably looking for him.”
May hummed, “thanks.”
When she’d handed Judith over to Carol, she went to find Daryl, but instead found Rick and the man she was initially looking for together in the tombs, panicking about Michonne and Merle.
“what? What is it?” May asked and Rick looked at her, “sorry we didn’t tell you. The governor wants Michonne and if he gets her, he calls the whole thing off but, I- I made the wrong decision and now we can’t find them.”
May sighed, “right. So track him.”
“Okay I’ll go,” Rick said.
“You can’t track for shit,” May and Daryl both said and smirked at each other.
he scoffed, “okay so you go.”
May shook her head, “Daryl, can you go alone? You think you’ll be okay? You’ll be quicker, I know,” May said and Daryl nodded, walking over and kissing her. “I’ll be okay. See you soon.”
May and Daryl said goodbye and soon Daryl was out the door.
Rick and May walked back to the cellblock, May rubbing her arms, shivering.
“it’s getting colder,” she said and Rick nodded, “just today, I think. We’re supposed to be going on summer,” he said and May nodded.
“here, take my jacket,” Rick took off his gun and handed it to May, taking off his jacket and taking his gun back, giving May his jacket.
She smiled as she put it on, it was way too big, “thank you.”
Rick smiled back at her and wrapped his arm around her, kissing her temple as they walked together.
Then May sighed, “oh fuck I forgot. I have watch ‘till sunset today.”
Rick nodded, kissing her forehead, “go, keep us safe,” he joked and May smiled at him, “see you soon.”
She walked away, going into the guard tower and climbing up into it, taking a seat in her rocking chair.
-
She was casually sitting, rocking herself, rifle in hand when she saw someone walking. She pointed her gun, looking through the scope, when she saw it was Daryl. He seemed in distress, almost walker like, but he was holding his hair so she knew he hadn’t turned.
She frowned as she quickly went down to open the gate for him. He was stumbling passed the walkers, refusing to kill the ones that got too close, just pushing them away while he kept his eyes firmly on the ground.
Rick was watching from a distance, confused as he watched Daryl stop in front of May and then crumble to the floor, desperately grabbing onto May’s back as his loud wails echoed through the courtyard. Soon curious heads popped up, people coming to look, wondering what was wrong.
“ssh, ssh. I’m right here, it’s okay, it’s okay,” she murmured as she kicked the gate shut, the walkers in the yard starting to crowd against it, May struggling to keep it shut.
Carl rushed over and closed the fence, May pulling her leg back under herself, sitting on her knees.
Daryl took shaky, wheezing breaths, sobbing into her shoulder.
After about twenty minutes maybe, he calmed down a little, reduced to soft cries, heavy breathing and sniffles.
His knees were scratched open and bleeding, his leather vest hanging off of his shoulder one one side while his hair was wild, going all ways.
“what happened?” May softly asked and Daryl laid his chin on her shoulder, “Merle’s dead,” he said and May closed her eyes, rubbing his back.
“I’m sorry sugar, I’m so sorry,” she whispered, “let’s get back to the cells. We can lay down,” May said and Daryl nodded, getting up and walking with May.
He was still crying by the time they reached the cells, Daryl taking a breather before they went up the stairs.
May laid down in her bunk and Daryl collapsed on top of her, his hands shaking as May rubbed the back of it with her thumb.
“I got you,” May softly said and continued shushing him, humming a song to him.
Daryl’s head laid on her shoulder, his eyes open, blankly staring at the wall as he choked up, taking shaky breaths.
A few hours later, Daryl finally fell asleep.
“hey,” Glenn whispered, standing in the doorway, “is he asleep? What happened?”
May looked at him, nodding, “it’s Merle,” May whispered back at him, “he died.”
Glenn bit his lip, nodding and he walked away again.
[…]
The next day, it was an early morning and everyone was packing. They were gonna leave. Carl was pissed and didn’t want to talk to anyone, while Daryl silently sat by his bike, getting his stuff sorted out.
Carol helped him stand up and they had a short conversation before she walked away, May watching her boyfriend move about until she was interrupted by Maggie. She came to stand next to her, “May.”
May looked at her and Maggie smiled, taking her hand and May looked down at them, seeing the ring on Maggie’s finger.
May’s eyes widened and she smiled wildly at Maggie, taking her into a big hug.
“Congratulations,” she said, Maggie chuckling as the air was squeezed out of her.
Rick walked up, “come on, let’s go,” he said, getting into the car and Maggie smiled, releasing May and getting in herself.
May walked over to Daryl, who was waiting for her on his motorcycle, she kissed him deeply before she got on the back, and off they were.
To hide the cars.
What Rick had planned, had made May laugh out loud in the moment, clapping her hands together in excitement. Daryl and her had been the only ones who approved of the plan, really. Her father still wanted to leave but Carl, Glenn and Maggie had taken a liking to the idea over time.
Rick wanted her to go with, defend the prison inside, but Carl had begged her to stay with Hershel, Beth and himself on a safe distance.
May had sighed and tried to tell Carl no, but the boy had asked so nicely, so ultimately, she stayed with Carl.
The shooting started, but it was over quite soon, the cars fleeting.
May got up and was walking, looking at the prison, trying to see passed the trees, when someone ran into her, knocking them both down.
“woah woah woah, don’t shoot!” the boy shouted as he looked at May, Hershel and Carl standing over her with guns.
“put it down,” Hershel said, gesturing to the shotgun the boy was holding, he nodded, “okay, okay, here take it,” he said, holding it out to Carl, who shot him.
May stared at the boy dropping down, her eyes wide as she flung herself around, “why did you do that? Why did you do that? Are you out of your mind? He was gonna give you the gun!” she shouted at Carl, who was frozen by May’s outburst. He ran off.
“Carl!” May shouted after him.
Soon they were back inside the prison, Carl had ran there before them, but at least he hadn’t ran off.
May walked in with Judith, “hey,” Daryl said, walking over and kissing her, holding onto her waist. Then he leaned down and kissed Judith’s forehead too.
“here,” May said, handing Judith over to him, Daryl happily taking her.
May smiled as Carol called for her, May walking off to go help her with whatever.
She looked back, seeing Hershel talking to Rick who looked very concerned.
[…]
They’d decided they had to take the fight to Woodbury.
“Rick, we’re staying,” Glenn said, “we don’t know where the governor is, if he comes back we’ll hold him off,” he told him, gesturing to Maggie and himself.
“just the four of us?” Daryl asked, implying just four people were going to Woodbury. ”Sure.” “I appreciate you staying,” Rick said, nodding as he walked away.
May walked over to Daryl, “I’ll go with Rick. I love you,” she said and Daryl chuckled, “this having to say a formal goodbye anytime one of us goes outside of these walls, is getting exhausting,” he muttered as he kissed her. “You’re gonna be in a car behind me, not across the country,” he chuckled.
“I don’t want to die without having told you I loved you at least three times that day,” May said and Daryl held her face in his hands, “you’re not gonna die. We’re gonna live forever.”
May smiled at him, kissing him again.
Rick whistled and May looked at him, “coming!” She kissed Daryl again and then she was off.
While they were driving, they stopped by a few trucks stranded by the road, confused as how they’d gotten there.
They walked over, rifles in hand. This was a freshly made cemetery.
May killed some of the left over walkers, while Michonne got the rest and she scared away from the truck she was standing in front of, something behind her loudly banging against the door.
She turned around and saw a woman, looking really scared.
She opened the door and the woman stumbled out, “oh thank god!” she hugged onto May, May nearly dropping her rifle as she hugged the woman back with one hand.
“careful now,” Rick said, gesturing to the woman’s hand close to the knife in May’s belt.
“I won’t try anything, I won’t!” the woman said, releasing May. “I’m so glad to see you.”
May smiled uncomfortably, “yeah.. no problem.”
It was pitch dark when they arrived at the gates of Woodbury.
Someone shot at Michonne and May quickly fired back at the guards, “Tyreese! It’s me! Don’t-“ the woman started and Rick pulled her back behind the car, “get down,” he sneered.
“Karen!” the man shouted back, “Karen, are you okay?” he shouted and Karen stood.
“I’m fine!” she said as she stepped back while Rick tried to grab her.
“where’s the governor?” he shouted back at her, “he fired on everyone. He killed them all.”
“Why are you with them?”
“they saved me!”
“we’re coming out!” Rick shouted and got up, his hands up in the air. May did the same, her rifle on her back, while Daryl kept his pointed, but eventually everyone had their hands in sight.
The gate opened, revealing Tyreese and Sasha, the same people who had been at the prison when Rick was.. going berserk.
“what are you doing here?” Tyreese asked Rick, “we were coming to finish this. Until we saw what the governor did.”
Tyreese sighed, “he.. he killed them?”
“yeah,” Rick softly said, nodding. “Karen told us Andrea hopped the wall, going for the prison. She never made it. She might be here,” Rick said and Tyreese let them in.
They were walking through the same hallway May and Glenn had walked through.
“this is where he held Glenn and May,” Rick told Tyreese, Daryl’s arm brushing May’s, “are you okay?” he softly asked her and May nodded, “fine.”
“the governor held people here?!” Tyreese asked, “he did more than hold ‘em,” Daryl said while they cautiously walked through the hallways.
Rick opened a door, seeing someone laying on the ground and May rushed over, turning them onto their back and realizing it was Milton. But he’d turned already and someone had killed him.
“May,” someone weakly said from behind her and her head snapped around, seeing Andrea.
The others rushed over while May closed Milton’s eyes with a sigh, then going over to Andrea too, “are you okay? You look pale,” May panted, “you’re burning up,” Michonne said and Andrea grimaced as she revealed her shoulder, a piece of her had been ripped out.
“Judith, Carl.. the rest of them, are they alive?” she asked Rick, “us, the rest of us,” he struggled to say, May’s bottom lip trembling as Daryl pulled her into himself, May covering her face as she leaned into his shoulder.
“yeah, they’re alive,” Rick said, while Michonne held in her tears, her face contorted by sadness.
May freed herself from Daryl’s embrace and kneeled down by Andrea, “I’m sorry, Andrea. I’m so sorry,” she said, sniffling and Andrea shook her head, “don’t be. Don’t cry, May, it’s okay. It's gonna be okay. No one can make it alone now,” Andrea said as she looked at Daryl, “I never could,” he answered her.
“I just didn’t want anyone to die,” Andrea said and May let out a sob, Michonne leaning on her shoulder.
“I have to do it myself,” Andrea said, “no,” Michonne immediately said, “no, you don’t.”
“I have to, while I still can,” Andrea glanced at Rick, “I know how the safety works.”
May got up, walking over to Daryl and hugging him. Daryl rubbed her back as he lead her out to the hallway, Tyreese and Sasha waiting out there. He sat her down on the table next to Tyreese, who sadly looked at them.
‘sorry’ Daryl mouthed to him as May cried, Tyreese shook his head, mouthing back ‘it’s okay’.
Everyone came back to the prison, and I mean, everyone.
Everyone that was left of Woodbury, anyway.
They rode to the prison in two cars and a big bus, Glenn and Maggie opening the gate for them.
May smiled at Daryl as they stood hand in hand, watching everyone walk into their new home. Carl was, being Carl, but Hershel was full of joy meeting all the new people.
They’d finally made the prison a home, to more people than just them.