A Survivor's Diary of the Apocalypse (TWD/Daryl Dixon)

S6Pt10 - Watch and Wait

Daryl's P.O.V

The sun shone through the window and lit up the silent room. I didn't leave Kell's side all night, just in case she woke up or... you know.
I stood up and kissed her forehead, and she still felt warm.
I sighed as I felt her forehead and watched the monitor. Her heart rate was still slow, but she was still alive.
I yawned and stretched my arms, and walked over to the window. I saw a group of people outside cleaning up the bodies and moving them out in trucks.
I then heard a knock on the door and saw Rick walk in. He was holding Lee in his arms and Judith was behind him.
"Hey man." Rick said.
"Hey." I said gruffly.
I took Lee from him and kissed his forehead. Lee looked up at me and smiled, sticking his tongue out at me.
I couldn't help but smile, then looked at Kell. I sighed and sat back down in the chair. Rick picked up Judith and walked over to the other side of the bed.
"Any changes?" Rick asked, trying to start a conversation.
"No..." I said, and then looked at Lee. "She got bit trying to save them." I said quietly. "I should've been with her."
"It's not your fault." Rick began to say.
"So you're saying it's hers?" I asked defensively.
"No, no." Rick said. "It's nobody's fault Daryl." He said and sighed.
I did too and shook my head. "I'm sorry... I just don't know how to do this." I said.
Rick just nodded and looked at Kell. He then looked at the door and nodded.
"Some of the group is still outside. We're willing to take shifts on watching her." Rick said.
"I got it." I said instantly.
"Okay..." Rick said and walked over to the door. "But we are here for you. You're not alone."
I just nodded and looked at Lee in my arms. I then looked at Kell who looked so peaceful on the outside, but who knows what she's going through on the inside.
I heard the door close behind Rick and the room became silent once again.

~~~~~ 1 Day Later ~~~~~

Carol opened the door as she knocked, and I saw her holding Lee.
"Good morning." She said and looked at us. "How is she?"
"Still out. Still warm. But alive." I said and sighed.
I got up and she gave me Lee, who I began rocking him in my arms. He cooed in my arms and stretched.
"He already had some formula for the morning since Kell's not able to feed him. I bathed him, changed him, so he's all good for awhile." Carol said.
"Thanks." I said. "I appreciate it."
"You're welcome." She said.
She took one last look at Kell before slowly leaving. I sat back down in the chair and looked at Kell again, then at Lee.
"What am I going to do...?"

~~~~~ 2 days later ~~~~~

I was on my way back to my house for just a second to get a change of clothes when I saw the door wide open again.
I couldn't help but panic and ran to my house. I ran inside, expecting something bad but all I saw was Glenn, Maggie, Aaron and Tara cleaning up the mess.
The blood was all cleaned up and Glenn and Aaron were moving the last walker outside, and I watched them.
"That's the one." I said outloud, and everyone looked at me. "That one bit her."
Glenn nodded and they quietly moved the body. I looked at the kitchen and it looked normal again, plus it now smelt like bleach.
"Where's her arm?" I asked.
They looked at me all confused and then looked at each other.
"They took it outside with the bodies to burn." Tara said, nervous about her answer.
I nodded and looked at the table, and could only remember how it looked before, covered in blood. I could only imagine what Kell went through...
"I was just wondering.." I said slowly. "I don't want Kell to see that when she comes back."
They looked at me sadly and finished cleaning up. I walked upstairs and changed my clothes, throwing the bloody ones away. I looked across the hallway at the nursery and sighed. Without another word or another look, I walked back outside and to the infirmary.
I opened the door to the infirmary to see that Carl was awake. I nodded at him, trying not to stare at his eye, and he nodded back.
"Glad to see you up." I said, also trying not to sound envious.
Rick was by his side and pat his back. Carl then slowly got up and adjusted to seeing the room with only one eye. Once he was good, he looked outside and squinted his eye.
"What happened with the herd?" Carl asked.
"We took care of it, thanks to Daryl." Rick said and nodded at me.
I nodded back and Carl suddenly looked like he remembered something.
"Where's Kelley? Did she find Judith and Lee?" Carl asked.
We went silent and Carl looked at us confused. I bowed my head and looked at the door to her room.
"What happened?" Carl asked and looked at Rick. "Dad?"
"Kelley got bit." Rick sighed.
"Bit?" Carl said. "How? Is she..." He didn't finish.
"No, she's alive... for now. She had to amputate her arm." Rick explained and I nodded in agreement.
"You mean she did it herself?" Carl asked shocked, and to be honest I'm still shocked at what she did too.
"I don't think I'd be able to cut off my own arm." I thought. "God, she's so strong."
"She's in there." I said and pointed at the door. "Been out for two days now."
Carl instantly walked over and opened the door, walking straight towards Kell. He hesitantly touched her hand and sighed. We saw his demeanor change from shocked to sad.
"I can't do this again..." He said and walked out.
Rick sighed and followed him out, and there I was left alone with her, once again.

~~~~~ 3 days later ~~~~~

Rick, Carl, Glenn, and Maggie joined me this morning to watch Kell. Today she seemed to be doing better, but she still didn't wake up, and I was getting nervous.
"What if she doesn't wake up?" I thought.
"It's been over three days now." I thought outloud.
"The fever would've killed her by now, so I don't think she's gonna turn." Maggie said. "She made it through the worst, we just have to keep waiting."
I just sighed and held Kell's hand, anxiously twisting her wedding ring.
"If she wakes up--" Glenn said.
"When." I interrupted. "When she wakes up."
Everyone was silent and Glenn cleared his throat.
"When she wakes up, she'll need a prosthetic. I already talked to Eugene who is drawing up some plans now, he's just needs someone to go get the parts." Glenn explained.
I slowly nodded my head in agreement and stared at what was left of her arm.
"I'll go..." I said and sighed. "Once she's awake though. I want to be here for her."
"I don't mind going." Glenn said.
Maggie nodded in agreement with him. "Me neither. We can go today."
I rubbed my eyes to keep the tears away and from exhaustion. I looked at them and nodded.
"Thank you." I said sincerely.
"No problem man." Glenn said and pat my back.
They turned around to leave but the rest of them stayed. We were silent for a long time until Rick spoke up.
"You know.." Rick began to say. "After everything she's been through, Kelley has only come out stronger."
I nodded in agreement and thought about it.
"Watched her family die.." I said.
"Her dog died." Carl said.
"Her father." I added.
"Terminus." Rick said.
"Got her throat sliced pretty good." I said and looked at her neck. "And now this."
Carl sighed and we heard him sniffle.
"She stepped up and became a mother when she didn't have to." Carl said. "For me and Judy... and I never really thanked her."
"She knows kid." I said.
Carl looked at me and I nodded at him.
"She knows."

~~~~~~~~~~

Rick and Carl were still here with me, and it got real quiet again as we all just sat in our thoughts. I kept fidgeting with Kell's ring for a minute, but eventually stopped. I looked out the window and saw the sun was setting.
Then I felt a slight movement on my hand. I quickly looked down, thinking it was Kell, but she was still.
"You okay?" Rick asked.
"I could've sworn her hand moved." I said.
I held her hand and caressed it, and stared at her.
"Kell. Can you hear me?" I asked.
She still didn't move and her eyes remain closed.
"Please Kell.... wake up." I quietly said. "Just squeeze my hand. Something."
We waited in anticipation hoping she'd move but a minute went by without anything. As soon as I was about to turn away, I felt a grip on my hand.
I looked down and saw Kell's hand was wrapping around mine, and she began to feel my ring.
"Kell..." I said, tears forming again.
I looked up at her to see her eyes flutter open. She looked at me with those beautiful hazel eyes and I couldn't help but cover my mouth in shock.
"I'm still here." She said slowly.
I instantly stood up and bent over to hug her, and her single arm slowly wrapped around me.
"Can't get rid of me that easy." She joked.
I couldn't help but laugh at her. I kissed her cheek and buried my face in her neck.
I let go of her and stared at her, and then caressed her cheek and felt her lips.
"I love you Kelley." I said, still in shock.
I just couldn't believe she was really alive. I hated to think about it, but this time I thought I would really lose her.
I saw her smile as much as she could at the moment and she slowly lifted her hand to my cheek.
"I love you too, Daryl."