The Journey Ahead | Daryl Dixon

The Journey Ahead (32)

Y/N's POV

I sat against the headboard of the bed and held my knees to my chest, burying my face in my arms. I felt the bed shift across from me so I assumed that Daryl sat there. I softly cried to myself and tried to ignore the fact that Daryl was going to question me about everything. Every day was a reoccurrence of death, I just wanted to forget and move on. Noah was a good kid, although I hadn't known him long, he always knew how to put a smile on people's faces.

"Y/N.." Daryl said under his breath. I picked my head up and looked over at him through the tears that clouded my vision. I expected him to bombard me with questions, but he sat and just looked at my broken state and sighed.

"Do Ya wanna talk?" He asked. I vigorously shook my head and tried to keep the tears from spilling out more then they already have. Daryl walked around the bed to my side and crouched down so that he was eye level with me. Just as he was about to say something there was a knock at the door.

"Daryl we um, we need to talk." Aaron said. He looked like there was something bothering him, but I didn't read too into it. He looked over to me and gave a slight smirk as if saying hi.

"Later." Daryl said in a harsh tone.

"It'll only be a sec-"

"Later." He said more angry. I put my hand on his shoulder and almost immediately his facial expressions relaxed.

"I'm fine, go." He nodded hesitantly and followed Aaron downstairs.

As they walked out the door and down the stairs, I snuck out into the hallway and listened around the corner to see what they were saying.

"No, I'm not going."

"Daryl, I need you out there. She's safe and she won't go anywhere."

"I'm not going, who knows what's she's seen? I've seen her this way before, she needs me. I'm the only one who can be there for her." I shifted my weight from side to side and felt awkward listening to him talk about me like this. I knew I was weak, but this weak? I stepped out from behind the corner and looked down at them from upstairs. Aaron immediately noticed me and stared up at me with wide eyes. Daryl's gaze followed his and soon his facial expression proved that he had been caught.

"Y/N, I didn't-"

"Go." He looked at me like I was talking crazy and had to process what I had said.

"What?"

"I'm fine without you here, really." I finished and turned to head back into the bedroom. As I walked down the hallway I heard heavy footsteps behind me. I didn't turn around, but when I made it into the room and almost shut the door Daryl's boot jammed in the doorway. I backed up and allowed him to come in.

"I don't know how much you heard, but-"

"Everything." I said interrupting him. He rubbed the back of his neck and let out a sigh as if trying to find the right words to say.

"Go with Aaron, I'll be fine." I said trying to brush the whole situation off and just forget about it.

"Y/N, I've seen you like this before, you don't recover easily.."

"No, I don't, but it's something we all have to deal with, right?"

"Yeah but,"

"Go, I'm good."

He nodded and squeezed my hand before walking out, but I hardly returned the gesture. As soon as he let go I folded my arms and avoided his gaze as much as possible.

"You're sure bout this?" I nodded and brushed past him out of the bedroom. When I jogged downstairs, I saw Aaron leaning against the table in the dining room. He got up to say something but before he could I yanked the front door open and walked out.