<3rd Person Pov>
The morning moved fast after breakfast. By the time Rick gathered his gear, Itachi was already waiting near the door, standing still in his ANBU gear.
Daryl stood beside him, looking ready to kill the first person who so much as glanced his way. His arms, shirt, face, and even the crossbow on his shoulder were streaked with blue and red paint.
Rick slowed his steps when he saw them together. The corners of his mouth twitched before he could stop it.
Daryl caught it instantly and growled, "Don't."
Rick straightened up, forcing his expression back into line. "You know," he said, glancing over the paint, "it's probably for the best."
Daryl squinted at him. "The hell's that supposed to mean?"
Rick just smiled faintly. "Nothing." He turned towards the corridor, motioning ahead. "Come on, let's move."
As they started walking, Itachi glanced at Daryl. "At least you'll be easier to spot among the walkers."
Daryl scowled. "All I did was paint one damn line on your back—how's this fair?"
Rick's smirk deepened, though he didn't risk saying a word.
By the time they reached Block D, the place felt quieter, carrying a stillness that made it seem even colder. The corpses that once filled the entrance were gone, the floors scrubbed clean, with only faint traces of blood left behind.
The prisoners were already there. Axel and Oscar were sorting through piles of old sheets, while Big Tiny worked in the corner with a worn-out rag. Their movements were slow and mechanical, like men cleaning for no reason other than to keep themselves busy.
When the three men from Cell Block C stepped into view, all work came to a halt.
At first, the prisoners didn't think much of it. Rick looked the same as always, and Itachi carried that same unreadable expression. But then Daryl stepped in behind them, and the sight nearly broke them.
Axel was the first to crack, a short snort slipping out before he could stop it. Oscar tried to keep his composure and to hold in the laugh, but his shoulders started shaking anyway. Big Tiny didn't even try; he just burst out laughing, the sound deep and rolling through the block until it echoed off the walls.
Daryl's face hardened as he started loading his crossbow.
"Keep laughin'," he muttered, "see what happens."
Itachi didn't even look his way. "You let anger control you too easily."
Daryl looked his way, trying to figure out what kind of poetic bullshit he was trying to spout. But then he saw Itachi's lips twitching, trying to hold in a smile.
"You think this is funny?"
Itachi's reply came in flat and fast. "Yes."
Axel burst into another laugh, doubling over. "I don't know what the hell happened out there, but this—this just made my day."
Daryl glared at him. "You want to share what's so damn funny?"
Big Tiny wiped his eyes, still grinning. "Ain't nothin' personal, man. It's just good to laugh again."
Axel's voice dropped, the humor gone. "Ain't much to smile about when most of the people we knew are lying dead in these halls… and the rest, we don't even know if they're still out there, or if they're gone too."
Oscar's eyes stayed fixed on the floor. "My old lady, my kids… I just hope they're somewhere safe out there."
Big Tiny nodded slowly. "My moms…"
Axel shifted his weight, letting out a slow breath. "Ain't much we can do except keep busy. Work till you're too damn tired to think—only thing that keeps the noise outta your head."
Rick's voice came out low, but there was a trace of understanding behind it. "You don't have to stay here if you don't want to. We can set you up with some supplies, food, water, whatever we can spare. If you want to go look for your families… we won't stop you."
Oscar lifted his eyes, the emptiness in them saying more than words. "We thought about it. Hell, we planned to. But the second we got near the fence and saw those things—" he paused, the words catching in his throat. "We froze. Guess we realized it ain't just dying we're scared of… it's finding them like that. My kids, my old lady—" he exhaled, shaking his head. "Don't think I could handle seeing them like that..."
The silence that followed was heavy that no one tried to fill it.
Rick finally spoke, carrying that quiet understanding. "You're welcome to join us for dinner tonight. Nothing fancy, but it's food and company. And if you ever decide to go out there… We'll help in any way we can."
Axel gave a small nod. Oscar managed a faint smile. Big Tiny looked down at the rag in his hands, voice low when he finally spoke. "Thanks, man… really."
Rick let the moment sit for a breath longer before turning towards the hall. "Come on. We'll keep working on clearing the rest of the tombs."
They started moving through the tombs, all of them working in sync, clearing the place using the same strategy as before—Itachi taking the lead, Daryl covering as support, and Rick watching their back.
When walkers showed up, Itachi charged straight in, cutting them down effortlessly, while Daryl picked off the ones further out with his crossbow. The only difference was that Daryl seemed even more competitive than ever, firing faster, reloading faster like he was trying to match Itachi kill for kill.
When they reached the first set of doors, Itachi tried the old keys first; when they didn't fit, he switched to the ones he'd taken off the guard earlier. The lock clicked shut, and they kept moving, taking down any walker unlucky enough to cross their path.
They reached Block B not long after, clearing the last corner before stopping at the main doors and locking them shut for now.
Rick gave a short nod. "We'll check the guard office next, dig up their files, and see what kind of men we're dealing with."
Daryl glanced over. "You sure it's a good idea? Inviting 'em to dinner like that?"
Rick stayed quiet for a moment before nodding slowly. "Oscar had that same look I did when I woke up in that hospital—confused, lost. I didn't know what happened, just that the world had fallen apart, and my family was gone."
Daryl gave a small nod, not asking anything more.
Itachi looked over. "I've always wondered, how long were you in that coma?"
Rick exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "'Bout a month, give or take. I owe Shane for that one, if he hadn't blocked the door, I probably never would've made it outta there."
Itachi frowned slightly. "But how did you survive that long? No food, no water. It shouldn't be possible."
Daryl turned his head, confused now too. "Yeah, how the hell did you?"
Rick went quiet. For the first time in a long while, he looked completely shaken. "I don't know…" he said finally. "I really don't."
Daryl frowned. "Maybe someone changed the IV bags while you were out?"
Rick shook his head slowly, still lost in thought. "No… the bed Shane used to block the door was the same way he described. Everything was exactly how he left it..."
Itachi thought for a moment. "Maybe not everything. Someone could've been there, a doctor, maybe."
Rick stayed silent for a few seconds. "If that's true… then I really got lucky with everything."
Daryl gave a short nod. "Luck's one word for it."
Rick exhaled and focused back up. "Come on. Let's finish this."
They stepped into the guard office. Papers were scattered across the desks, half-buried under dust and old coffee stains. They split off across the room, looking for the files.
Daryl picked up a folder, flipping it open. "Got one here—Axel." He read the first line out loud.
Inmate Name: Axel Temple
Inmate ID: 546-2981
Charges: Armed robbery, possession of stolen property.
Sentence: 8 years.
Behavior Report: Generally cooperative. Participates in work programs and follows orders without issue unless a female officer is present. Known for talking too much and attempting to charm female staff. Considered non-violent and low risk.
Itachi muttered under his breath, "Sanji?"
Daryl looked over. "What?"
Itachi just shook his head. "Nothing."
Rick looked down at another file Oscar had passed him. "Let's see what we got here."
Inmate Name: Oscar Ward
Inmate ID: 546-3017
Charges: Illegal possession of a firearm, accessory to robbery (non-violent).
Sentence: 10 years.
Behavior Report: Keeps to himself. Acts as a peacekeeper among inmates. Has a record of breaking up fights and displays remorse for past actions. No known affiliations. Considered non-violent and low risk.
Itachi found another folder near the corner of the desk. He opened it carefully and read aloud.
Inmate Name: Theodus Crane"Big Tiny"
Inmate ID: 546-3023
Charges: Petty theft, trespassing.
Sentence: 3 years.
Behavior Report: Frequently targeted by other inmates due to his size. Often assaulted but never retaliated. Spent most of his time in the library or helping staff with cleaning and maintenance work. Described by officers as polite, respectful, and mild-tempered. Considered non-violent and extremely low risk.
Daryl shut the folder. "Could've been worse."
Rick nodded, gathering the folders from the others. "Let's take these back with us."
The three of them left the guard office and headed back toward Block D without another word.
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🧪 Author's Note:
Thank you all so much for the support — over 300+ power stones!
So yeah, I know Rick probably survived thanks to the 'doctor' from The Oath webisode, but who cares? I can make my own version of how he lived through it XD
Let me know what you thought about this chapter — did you enjoy it, or not so much? Your feedback always helps to improve the story.
🖤 Thanks again for reading!