When the dead roam - (Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 48 - Nothin'

Lou had avoided her brother at every turn. It wasn't because she was worried or because she was upset - it was because she knew that the second she laid eyes on him, she wouldn't be able to control he temper. He had once against abandoned someone in their time of need and put his life ahead of theirs. He was in every sense of the word, a coward, and Lou had no tolerance for cowards.

A needle and thread slowly forced its way through her skin repeatedly as Denise once again sewed up her wounds. She had shook her head and sighed when she took in the sight of Louise, covered in blood and gripping onto her arm.

"If I have to do this one more time" she laughed lightheartedly. "I'll sew your hands to the bed. Maybe you'll have less chance of getting injured"

"You'd think" Lou smirked as Denise finished the last stitch. "Thanks"

She nodded at her friend and turned towards the male hunter. "I'll be back in a second"

Daryl muttered a 'thanks' in response. He had spent the last fifteen minutes avoiding catching Lou's eye; only looking away from her when she side glanced at him. The two sat opposite each other, waiting patiently to be patched up.

"You know, I think this is the first time I've ever seen you get hurt" she stated, examining her arm and gesturing towards Daryl's stab wound.

"Thas' 'cause I don't blindly run towards the danger" he grumbled, a slight smirk evident on his face. She chuckled lightly, her soft voice providing much needed comfort. "What did yer do before?"

"Before?"

"Before...all this?" He waved his hands in the air, gesturing to the scene around them.

"Oh...not much" she sighed, shaking her head and looking her hands. "Shaun took over my dad's auto shop so I helped out there and went huntin' on the weekends. Easier to raise a baby on your own when you have family around. You?"

He pouted and grumbled in response. "Nothin'"

"Nothin'?" she scoffed.

"What?"

"I give you a somewhat, in depth past and you give me...'nothin'?"

He watched her smirk at him and he couldn't help but feel the slightest bit of warmth

."Move around a lot" he sighed. "Spent most my time huntin', survivn'"

"So, absolutely no difference to what it's like now?"

"Nah" he stated, a slight glimmer of amusement in his voice. "Apart from the 'walkers'"

"Alright Dixon, jacket off" Denise smiled, returning with a trolley full of medical equipment. Louise raised her eyebrows at Daryl, who shook his head in return and shrugged off his leathers.

"Lou?"

She looked up from Daryl to see Rick beckoning her to follow him. Awkwardly, she slipped off the table and followed the sheriff to a quiet corner of the room. Rick leant against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest.

"How is he?" Lou asked, nodding towards the room next door where Carl lay unconscious.

Rick nodded his head. "He's gonna be fine"

"Thank god"

"Listen...uh...you really had my back out there today, before anyone else did"

"It's no problem" she said, furrowing her eyebrows together slightly.

Rick uncrossed his arms. "I haven't been the most hospitable towards you and you still put your life on the line for me today" she tried to respond but he continued. "You were wrong you know?"

Her head tilted to the side slightly. "About what?"

"About having to choose a side. You were wrong" he placed his palm on her good arm and squeezed it encouragingly. "You're already one of us"

Before she could respond, Rick walked away, leaving her completely speechless. Her mind was running a mile a minute but instead of giving in to the countless endings of her new path, she relished in the idea of belonging somewhere. She smiled to herself and returned to her spot in front of Daryl.

"What was that about?" He asked, nodding towards Rick.

Louise smirked. "Nothin'"