Bittersweet (Daryl Dixon Love Story)

Chapter 17: The Highway

"She still hasn't woken up yet?" Daryl asked looking over at Maria who was laying in the RV. "No," Lori said weakly. Daryl was still upset about not finding Sophia. He had to find her, and he would.

"Daryl..." Maria said sitting up. "Woah, careful." He said pushing her back down. "I'm fine." She snapped. Maria was sick of Daryl treating her like she was worthless and weak. "Ya' find Sophia?" Daryl shook his head no. "That's horrible. She's out there all by herself." Maria mumbled to herself. "I'm gonna find 'er." He said leaning in to kiss Maria. She stopped him and put a hand on his chest "Daryl. Glenn thinks he is goin' to kill ya', I heard him and Shane talkin' about it." Looking him in his eyes, he didn't seem phased. "Let 'em try." She gave him a quick peck and got up to go outside with the group. They were standing around a fire on the side of the road. "What's the plan?" She asked her grandma who was trying to comfort Carol. "Good to see ya' up. And I'm not sure. Rick mentioned something about heading out tomorrow with all of us to look for her." Maria nodded and kissed her grandmother then went to see Daryl.

He was laying in the back of a jeep on the back seat. Opening the door slowly he turned to look at her. "C'mere." She crawled into his arms, snuggling up to his chest. He pulled a blanket over the both of them and they lay in silence. "I'm goin' with ya' tomorrow, right?" She asked. "No way! Not what happened today." He argued. "Daryl!" She started raising her voice. Maria learned to not argue with him because he would always win. "I'm goin'," lowering her voice she kissed his neck. He pulled away, obviously upset about her decision to go. She sat on top of him, holding his hands down by his wrist. "Do ya' wanna' fight me on this?" Her voice was stern, but Daryl took it as a way of seduction. Getting out of her grasp he pulled her onto him, kissing her hard. Maria wasn't going to object to his thoughts, so she grabbed his hair and pulled on it. Flipping her over to her back, Daryl took control like he wanted.

~

The next morning the thoughts of last night flooded through her head. Rolling over she saw Daryl was already awake. "How long have ya' been awake?" She kissed his lips. "Long enough waitin' on yer' lazy ass to get up." He said grabbing her and pulling into him. "We have to get up," she said trying to move out of his grip. "Five more minutes?" He asked kissing up her jaw. "Five minutes turns into fifty with you," she giggled. Getting dressed and leaving Daryl upset in the jeep she headed over to Lori and Dale who was handing out breakfast. Taking a granola bar she started eating. "Cars don't make the best beds nowadays," Hazel said nudging her granddaughter. "Might wanna' find a more secluded place." She winked and smirked. Maria's face turned a deep shade of red. Daryl eventually joined the group. Wrapping his arms around Maria, Hazel's eyes were glued to him. She found their relationship cute. "Daryl," Maria said clearing her throat. "What baby?" He asked grabbing a bottle of water. "Are ye' aware that everyone heard us last night? Or at least my grandmother did?" She asked. Daryl just smiled and shrugged. "No big deal." He kissed her forehead and went over to tell the group what the plan was.

"This plan is to head up the creek bed 'bout five miles, chances are she'll be there. It's her only landmark." Grabbing a machete from the car hood, Daryl discreetly handed her a gun. "Don't let 'em know, Andreas already bitchin'." Nodding he tucked it into the back of her jean capris and pulled her shirt over it. "I'll be back," Maria said to Hazel. "Okay be safe." She said kissing her. "You sure you're okay with them?" Maria asked. "I'll be fine. Dale's here." Kissing Hazel goodbye, they started into the woods.

They came across a tent and Rick asked Carol to call for Sophia. "Sophia. Sophia, baby it's mommy." Daryl unzipped the tent quietly, stepping in. Maria stood back with the group worried. "Daryl!" Maria called out. He stepped out of the tent. "Ain't her. Some guy. Did what Jenner did, opted out. Ain't that what he called it." Grabbing his crossbow, the sound of bells was heard in the distance.

Running through the woods they ended up at a church. "On three," Rick said. They busted the doors open and three walkers were sitting on the benches. Pushing her way through Maria stabbed the walked in the head, watching it fall to the group. Daryl jerked her arm back, "what the hell ya' do that for?" "Helpin' out." She said innocently. "Don't. Ye' could get hurt." He said walking up to the Jesus statue. "Yo JC, you takin' request?" The sound of bells went off again. Daryl ran outside and pulled the plug. "It's on a timer." He repeated.

Rick decided to split the group into two. He and Shane would stay behind and keep looking, while Daryl took the rest of the group back to the highway. "Daryl you're in charge," Rick said. "Ya' sure 'bout splittin' us up?" He asked. Rick nodded and went to hand Lori his gun. He refused to take it back. "'Ere got a spare," Daryl said grabbing Maria's hand and pulling her through the woods. Carl wanted to go with Rick and Shane, which Lori agreed to.

Halfway to the highway, a random gunshot went off. It had Lori worried, she constantly kept asking about it. Andrea sat down on a log. Lori and Carol joined her. "Honey, I can't imagine what you're going through, but you have to stop looking at Rick like that..." Daryl scoffed quietly while Lori started her rant. "She's bitchy today." Maria hid her laugh by nuzzling her face into his chest. "I see you have a gun and so does she," Andrea said pointing to Maria. The laughter left when she started talking about guns. "And?" Daryl asked bitterly. "I don't get why she should get one and not the rest of us," Andrea said placing her hands on her hips. "Because she's with me. Ya' gotta' problem with it?" He asked stepping up to Andrea. "What are you gonna' do, Hit me like you hit Maria?" She said eyes wide. Maria pushed threw and left a hard slap across her face. "Don't you ever! Talk about him like that! He would never hit me! Do you hear me?" Daryl stood back astonished. The Maria he knew would never hurt a fly, let alone yell at someone. She was changing all because of this world and the way it was now. Andrea backed down and they continued up to the highway.

It wasn't until Andrea got attacked by a walk that the group got split up again. "Lori! Lori Grimes." Women on a horse with short brown hair said. "That's me," Lori said frantically. "You need to come with me! Carl's been shot!" Lori immediately dropped her backpack and started getting on the horse. "Woah! Woah! Ye' can't get on that horse. Ya' don't know her!" "That big traffic snarl on the highway. Backtrack to Fairburn Road, names Greene. We're two miles on the highway. Hi-yah!" She said running away with Lori.

"What do you mean shot? And you let her take Lori?" Dale asked when they got back to the highway. "Climb down of my ass old man. She knew Rick and Carl's name." Daryl walked over to his bike and started putting things away. "We need to get to that farm. T-Dog has an infection and he won't last long." Daryl opened the side pocket of the bike and saw the drugs. "Why'd ya' wait till now to say somethin'?" He tossed a bottle to Dale. "Got crystal-don't need that. X-don't need that. Doxycycline, ain't the generic stuff either. Merle got the clap on occasion." He said putting that bag back. "We can't just go to that farm, my daughter is still out there." Carol cried. "We'll stay one more night and head out tomorrow," Daryl said. Maria looked over at Hazel who was sitting on the RV steps. "Hey." She said. "That poor boy," Hazel said. "I know. I can't imagine what they are going through." Maria said. "Before this happened, your dad came and saw me. Asked me if I had seen you. I didn't answer him." Hazel mentioned. Maria's heart quickened. The man that hit her and her mother years wanted to see her. "When was this?" Maria asked shaking. "About two days before the outbreak." She said softly. "Ya' think he's alive?" Hazel shrugged. "Only time will tell. Don't worry, I don't think Daryl will let him get too close." Hazel said rubbing Maria's back. "I'm gonna go lay-" she fell to the concrete. Maria was shaky and nauseous ever since Hazel mentioned her father Henry. She was passed out in the middle of the highway, with ninety-degree weather. Daryl rushed over and picked her up. "You should take her to the farm with you," Dale said to Glenn. Daryl placed her in Carol's Cherokee. "Can I trust ya'?" Daryl asked him. "Yeah," Glenn said unsure of himself. When Daryl went to walk away Glenn raised a knife to his back. Daryl spun around and grabbed the knife out of Glenn's hand and held it to his throat. "If ya' wanna kill me, yer' gonna have to try harder than that." He growled and pushed Glenn.

Glenn declared that he no longer wanted to kill Daryl or take Maria. He just wanted her alive. He took a liking to the girl in the woods on the horse wailer today. "Sorry," Glenn mumbled to Daryl but ended up saying it to himself.

Daryl kissed Maria's forehead and Glenn left the highway heading for the farm.