Adapting (A Daryl Dixon/ The Walking Dead Fanfiction)

Chapter 56

Gemma's P.O.V
I stare blankly ahead, ignoring the aching in my feet that has been there for the past hour. Behind me, I hear the faint moans of the walkers on our trail. The sun glares in my eyes but I don't look away, my body and emotions numb. My lips are chapped and sore from dehydration and my stomach grumbles in hunger.

"Drink."

I blink dazedly and look to my side, seeing Tara offer me a drink of water. I look at it for a moment before facing the road again.

"Gemma, you have to drink."

I ignore her and walk ahead, consumed in my thoughts once more. Three days ago, we lost Tyreese. Someone I cared deeply about and could share my secrets with. When Rick and the others returned and told me what happened, I collapsed on the ground and sat there the whole night, not moving an inch. I just can't believe he's gone, he was the first person to know about the baby. The person I relied on to tell me it was all okay. And now he's gone, another person I've lost.

As I stare ahead, I see Rick and Daryl speaking with each other. I look at Daryl's back, a longing in my heart. It's been three weeks since we've spoken and at this point, I think there's nothing to salvage. Every time I see him, he looks back at me blankly. It's in that moment, I realise that that's what I must seem like now. I feel the old familiar feeling of the tears coming but I push them down with the rest of my emotions. I see see Daryl hand Rick his gun and begin to walk towards the woods.

"I'll go with you." Carol says.

"I got it." Daryl grunts.

"You gonna stop me." She says, following him.

I glare at her back, wishing she'd never come back. I still at my thoughts, realising what I just thought. How could I think that? I mentally berate myself though my feelings of jealousy remain. I'm so consumed in my thoughts that I don't realise Rick walking beside me.

"Drink this." Rick says, holding out the bottle.

I look away and he grabs my arm, pulling me to a stop, "Drink. Now." He says, his voice authoritarian.

We lock eyes and I see the determination in his eyes, as well as fear? I continue to stare at him and he steps forward, getting in my face, "If you don't drink, you are going to kill yourself and the baby. Now drink." He says, his jaw clenched.

My baby. I close my eyes and place my hand on my stomach, feeling the tears well. I open them and reach out, taking a drink from the bottle. The water is welcomed and I take large mouthfuls before stopping myself. I hand the bottle back to Rick and he gives me a nod. We begin walking, him by my side.

"How're you doing?" He asks.

I stare ahead and shrug my shoulders.

"I know how close you were to him." He says, looking forward.

My chin begins to tremble as I nod, "Yeah, I was."

Up ahead I see a bridge over the top of dried up river and I turn to Rick. He looks at it, his eyes examining it closely. He turns and speaks to the others, "Carl, take Judith, Gabriel, Eugene, Noah and Gemma to the other side of the bridge. Glenn, Maggie, Michonne, Sasha, Abraham and Rosita you stay with me."

The others gather together while the rest of us take our place at the end of the bridge. Rick speaks to them before they line up on both sides in a diagonal formation. The walkers approach, hungry for their next meal. Rick's side walks forward a couple of steps, still in formation. They begin to stumble back, resembling a walker and Rick nearly slips.

I gasp before a walker reaches for him and he moves out of the way, pushing it over the edge. I look down and see the walker splatter all over the ground, killing it instantly. I look back up and see the others repeating his actions, the plan going well. Sasha stalks forward and begins to grapple with one, the others looking at her panicked.