The Journey Ahead | Daryl Dixon

The Journey Ahead (19)

"The only exception" by: Paramore

// Daryl's POV //

I was walking through the woods with the kid known as Noah back to the church. The ban we took ran out of gas a couple miles back, so we had to walk the rest of the way. He tried his best to keep up, his limping pulled him down so I lagged behind so he wasn't alone. I didn't like this kid that much, but as long as he got me back to Y/N I would learn to cope.

"So, what was she to you? Friend, sister?"

"Girlfriend."

"Wow, pretty big reaction to a girlfriend." He mumbled under his breath. I immediately became livid and shoved him up against a tree. His short rapid breaths gave it away that he was scared.

"What? You tryin to say she ain't worth it?!"

"N-no no! Not at all! I'm just sayin that I've never seen someone care about this girlfriend as much as you. A wife, maybe. But a girlfriend? She must have been really special." I dropped him and he slid down against the tree.

I walked up ahead and saw Michonne standing there. I went to go make myself known but stepped on a twig in the process. She readied her katana and took stance. I walked out with my hands up and her hostility faded. A smile appeared on her face but immediately disappeared when she didn't see Y/N.

"Daryl, where's Y/N?"

"Come out!" I yelled behind me. Noah came out and limped to my side. Michonne looked at me with a questioning gaze. I gave her a rundown on what had happened as we walked back to the church.

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"What do you mean a car?!" Maggie shouted getting in my face.

"Did Ya not hear me the first time? A car, Maggie a car!"

"A-and you just let them take her?!" She said obviously flustered.

"He couldn't have stopped them, they have medication, doctors. she's in good hands." Noah said attempting to back me up on the situation.Maggie stormed away and walked over to Glenn. Rick walked over to me to discuss the situation.

"What happened and where is she?" Rick said in a low tone so no one could hear our talk.

"We went lookin for Beth, the same people that took her were in a car with a white cross on the back. Long story short, she stormed off and while she was crossing the street, the car came and knocked her off her feet. They took her and I haven't seen her since." I said.

"Christ," Rick sighed and ran his hands through his hair, trying to calm himself down.

"Why was she storming off?" He said looking me in the eyes. I was hesitant to answer, but decided nothing was gonna help being quiet.

"We got in a fight and she wanted no part of me. She basically told me to fuck off and get out of her life by the words she said."

Rick stood there until he put his hand on my shoulder.

"How are you dealing with all this."

"Exactly, I'm dealing with it." I said with a hint of annoyance in my voice. I know he was only trying to be there for me, but I don't need anyone except her right now. Then I'd be happy."

"We'll set off in the morning to look for her, try to get some sleep." He said and the. Walked back to Carl, Judith and the rest of the group. I let myself out and walked towards the woods to escape for a while.

It was pitch black out, the only light around came from the church. I walked further into the woods to get away from the group as far as possible, but was still able to see the church in view. I found a spot and collapsed against a tree. My back was up against the trunk as I fumbled with a cigarette in my hand. I figured it was as good a time as any so I lit it. The relief the smoke brought me wasn't enough to cure what I felt from this afternoon.

I couldn't get Y/N out of my mind. Every memory we had replayed in my mind over and over. The time we were held up in that house and she was telling me about how her and her sisters never really got along, how she would tell me about the things she did as a child, the bond we shared grew more and more over time, and it took me forever to realize how much I loved her. From the time Len cut her top open to when Gareth held her captive and marked her, I was never the same. Like she said, it was like a beast came out and took over.

I took the cigarette out of my mouth and placed he hot embers to my hand. The throbbing pain didn't seem to bother me all that much though. It was just, numb. All of a sudden I felt a wave of sorrow roll over. Must eyes started to sting, but I held back the tears for as long as I could.

"You just have to let yourself feel it."

Those were the words she told me the day Merle died. We were never really that close back then, but she always had a soft spot for even the most hard headed people out there, like Merle and I. The nonstop urge to let it out kept coming back. I tried to fight it back as much as possible, but I ached to let it go. Before I knew it, tears were streaming down my face and I couldn't control it anymore. I cried for all those we've lost, for my brother, for my shitty life, for the pain I went through as a child, and most of all, for Y/N.

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I know this chapter was pretty short, but don't worry! I'm working on the next part now! This was just more of a filler chapter

I keep flipping through the options of how I want everything to go down. Since I'm near ending the Long Imagine im really trying to make these remaining chapters count.

Thank you all for reading! It means the world to me to know that you guys actually like my stuff!

~ love you all! :)