Cupid's Arrow | Daryl Dixon

𝚎𝚙𝚒𝚜𝚘𝚍𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚛𝚝𝚢-𝚏𝚒𝚟𝚎 - 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎

𝙴𝙿𝙸𝚂𝙾𝙳𝙴 𝚃𝙷𝙸𝚁𝚃𝚈-𝙵𝙸𝚅𝙴 - 𝚃𝙸𝙼𝙴

Everyone had gone back into the cell block when the Governor and his men left. They all needed to come up with a new plan. When Madelyn saw Daryl and Merle walk in, she felt her heart stop.

Daryl was back.

He came back and he was looking right at her. Madelyn didn't know what to think. She didn't know what to say. She was just frozen. Daryl had brought Merle back too and he was still giving her these looks, looks that made her uncomfortable. Madelyn went to stand near Rick where she would feel just a little bit safer from Merle. Daryl was stood upstairs and Madelyn could just feel his burning gaze. She avoided looking at him the best that she could. Daryl hurt her...a lot. He dumped her like their relationship meant nothing to him.

"We should leave." Carol said.

"We're not leaving." Rick said.

"We can't stay here." Hershel said.

"He's right, Rick. You would've almost died out there if it wasn't for....Daryl." Madelyn said, her tone going quieter when she said his name. She was glad Daryl came back when he did or Rick would have been dead. She looked up at him and saw his eyes soften as a small smile spread on his face. "Anyways, I barely managed to get Hershel out of the courtyard and poor Axel was shot with no warning. Carol would be dead if she didn't shield herself with his body."

"She's right." Maggie said. "What if there's another sniper? A wood pallet won't stop one of those rounds."

"We can't even go outside." Beth said.

"Not in the daylight." Carol said.

"If Rick says we're not running, we're not running." Glenn said.

"No, better to live like rats." Merle said. He was locked behind the gate and for good reason. Just because he killed a few walkers didn't mean that the group all of a sudden trusted him. Madelyn was glad. She felt safer with Merle locked away.

"You got a better idea?" Rick asked.

"Yeah. We should've slid out of here last night, live to fight another day." Merle said. "But we lost that window, didn't we? I'm sure he's got scouts on every road out of this place by now."

"We ain't scared of that prick." Daryl said. Even his voice sent shivers down Madelyn's spine.

"Y'all should be. That truck through the fence thing? That's just him ringing the doorbell." Merle said. "We might have some thick walls to hide behind, but he's got the guns and the numbers. And if he takes the high ground around this place, shoot. He could just starve us out if he wanted to."

"Let's put him in the other cell block." Maggie said.

"No. He's got a point." Daryl said.

"This is all you." Maggie said to Merle. "You started this."

"What's the difference who's fault it is?" Beth asked. "What do we do?"

"I say we should leave. Now Axel's dead. We can't just sit here." Hershel said, making Rick walk away. "Get back here!" Rick stopped in his tracks. "You're slipping, Rick. We've all seen it. We understand why, but now is not the time. You once said that this isn't a democracy. Now you have to own up to that. I put my family's life in your hands so get your head clear and do something."

🧟‍♀️ 🧟🧟‍♀️ 🧟

The group had scattered, leaving only Daryl and Madelyn in the cell block. "Maddie, can we talk?" Daryl asked.

Madelyn didn't really have anything else to do so she nodded and went upstairs where she met Daryl. "I.....I wanted to apologise...for leaving you like I did." Daryl said. "And for what my brother said to you." He said, making Madelyn's eyes widen. "Yeah, he told me. I don't know why he said that. I can't change the past but I can make the future better. I wanna be with you, Maddie. Being apart for even a day was worse than looking over my shoulder for walkers. I can't be without you." Daryl took Madelyn's hands in his but she sighed and pulled them back.

"I can't, D." Madelyn said. "You really hurt me. You left me just like that, like our relationship was nothing but a joke. I understand that Merle is your brother and you wanted to support him and help him but there were other ways to handle that situation. We could have thought and talked about it. But you just left."

"I'm sorry, Maddie." Daryl said as he looked down. He felt terrible but he couldn't even imagine what he put Madelyn through.

"I'm sorry, too. I can't be with you right now. I'm still hurt. I just...I need time." Madelyn said.

"Yeah, of course. I can give you that." Daryl said. He was crushed that Madelyn wouldn't take him back but Madelyn said she needed time to heal. He could give her that and hopefully, Daryl would be able to win her over again. He knew he hurt Madelyn and he was paying the price.

"Thank you for understanding." Madelyn said with a small smile before giving him a little hug. It felt nice being back in his arms, Madelyn missed being in Daryl's mere presence. She wanted to be with him but she was hurt. All Madelyn needed was time. Daryl was rather surprised by the hug but he was glad things weren't awkward between them. He was have died a little on the inside if they began avoiding each other. "I knew we could work this out."

"I'm glad we did." Daryl said before looking at Madelyn's bandaged arm. "How's your arm?"

"Like I said to Rick, it feels a lot better without a bullet inside it." Madelyn joked. "Hershel patched me up good. It still hurts a little and it's a little harder to use a knife on a walker because of the pain but it's nothing I can't handle."

"You shouldn't overwork it or you'll open up your stitches." Daryl said.

"Yeah, Hershel told me that yesterday." Madelyn said.

"What did he mean when he said Rick is slipping?" Daryl asked and Madelyn caught Daryl up on everything that was going on. How Rick exploded on Tyreese and his group, how he said he was seeing Lori, how he was simply abandoning his role as leader, leaving the group with no idea what to do with themselves.

"He's really grieving right now and I think his role as leader is putting a lot of pressure on him. He really loved Lori. That day we met, he was so determined to find her and Carl. He's really going through it." Madelyn said. "Glenn tried to step up but his rage towards the Governor was making him act reckless. I spoke to Carl earlier and he suggested that you and Hershel be in charge whilst Rick pulls himself together."

"That may be the only solution to keep the group from breaking." Daryl said.

"I feel like I shouldn't have to say it but I will. I know he's your brother. But he's not good for you. Don't let Merle drag you down with him. You've come so far and you coming back is proof of that." Madelyn said.

"You think?" Daryl asked.

"I know. And....I'm glad you're back. Hopefully for good." Madelyn said.

"As long as you're here, I ain't going anywhere." Daryl said.