Protection (Rick Grimes)

Chapter Two

Danielle's POV

I open my eyes and feel that my face is stiff from crying yesterday. I wipe my tear stained face and look around.

Wait a minute? I heard voices yesterday. I swear I heard Daryl's voice too. I quickly untie the rope off my waist and throw it into my backpack. I secure the backpack over my shoulders and climb down off the tree. I check for walkers before walking back towards the highway. I see several figures laying on the ground just beside the highway making me stop. I notice that they are all humans and not walkers.

Could Daryl possibly be with them? I step onto the road, waking one of the people.

A very attractive guy with a thick beard holds a gun in my direction, making me worried and scared as hell.

"Who are you?" He asks.

"I'm Danielle. I'm looking for Daryl Dixon." I tell him, raising my hands in defense and kind of a surrender too. He raises his eyebrow.

"How do you know his name? Why are you looking for him?" This guy questions.

"He's my brother. My last name is Dixon." I say, my hands still raised beside me. The man sighs and lowers his gun. I furrow my eyebrows, but I don't question him about it.

"He's hunting. Have a seat. I'm Rick, by the way." I give Rick a nod and sit down.

~•~

"Are you really his sister?" Rick asks me and sits by me.

"Yeah. The one and only. Hey, by any chance did y'all find a locket? It's the only thing I have left that I pretty much treasure." I say, hope and desperation filling my voice.

"As a matter of fact, Daryl has it." Rick says. I huge weight is now lifted off my shoulders. I smile and nod.

I hear rustling in the leaves catching my attention. Rick and I both reach for a weapon. That's when I see my brother walk out of the woods. He immediately spots me.

"Danielle?" He asks. I nod, jump up and run to him. He wraps me in a hug and holds me tightly. I missed his hugs. They always made me feel safe.

"I thought you were dead." He mumbles.

"Thanks for having faith in me." I try to joke. I hear him slightly chuckle. I pull out of the hug and look around. Most of the people were still sleeping. But I didn't see Merle anywhere.

"Where's Merle?" I ask and look back at Daryl. He sighs. No. No, Merle can't be dead. He can't. No!

"He's dead." Daryl tells me then goes into explaining what happened. I bite the inside of my cheek as hard as I can, a habit I've always had when I get upset and angry, and don't stop until I taste blood.

"You need to stop doing that." Daryl mumbles, talking about biting my gums. I shrug him off and stare at the ground. I can't be upset though. Not in this world. So, I push the thought to the back of my mind and act like I've known it forever and that I'm over it.

"Here. I found this...again." Daryl adds and hands me my locket back. I slip it over my neck and squeeze the locket in my hand.

"Thanks. I seriously thought I lost it forever." I smile.

"Who's that?" I hear a voice ask. I turn and see a young boy standing by Rick, holding a baby.

"Carl, this is Danielle. Daryl's sister. You remember. The girl we were talking about yesterday." Rick explains to the boy, Carl.

"Danielle, that's Carl. Rick's son." Daryl tells me. I smile at Carl and walk to him. I love kids. I have a feeling, if he doesn't end up hating me for some reason, me and him will get along just fine.