Love & survival (Daryl Dixon x oc)

Thirty-four

I held Carl tightly, giving him the comfort he needed. He had been trying to prove himself and every time he did his parents gave him disappointment back. He got those meds we needed and Lori couldn't appreciate it. She did eventually but that was too late.

"I- I just f-feel like I'm a.. disappointment." Carl said in between his crying breaths and sank deeper into me. "To everyone."

"You're not a disappointment, Carl." I acknowledged still holding him.

He tensed up a little. "I am." He whimpered. "I try to do something good and nobody sees my achievements."

"They do, they're just too scared to see and accept it."

"Accept what?" He sat up straight.

"That you're going to be a badass." I whispered and smiled. He smiled back at me as he wiped his tears away. "So are you going to give your mom the whole story or am I?"

"I'll do it."

"Okay, tough guy." I smiled and he walked out. I went upstairs to my own cell.

I opened my backpack. It had been ages. We were constantly on the run, I never had the time to, nor the will. I saw my bottle of water, some trinkets and Daryl's box. Daryl stupid box. He made it on the farm. It was so crooked. He gave it to me back when we could stand each other. He has mine, if he hadn't thrown it away already.

I stuffed it back in my bag and walked back down to Hershel's cell. The others had come back. He was still alive.

In fact, he was now waking up. He was smiling. We were all smiling. A rare sight these days.

We gave family Greene their space and went on with our own business. As usual I went back to my bed.

~~~

Daryl's pov

Hershel had waken up.

She was smiling. Yet, Emris seemed like something was bothering her. I felt like it had to do with that Tomas asshole. He got so close to her, he was too close to her. He was touching her. He was so close to her I felt an unusual emotion, jealousy.

She went back to her cell as everyone left the Greenes to take their time. Rick came to me. "Hey"

"Hey" I said back.

"You should fix things between you and her."

"So should you."

"I know, I know, but she's been bothered more by it." He pointed to Emris' cell. I could only nod. "I'll try and fix things between me and Lori, I know it's not going to happen, but with you and Emris it could." He continued. All I could do was nod once more.

As Rick walked outside I walked upstairs.

She was reading her book again, for the hundredth time as I appeared in the doorway. It looked like she was inspecting me quickly. She looked pretty, as always. Really pretty. "What?" She asked, looking back to her book.

"You okay?" I asked her, not knowing what to say otherwise.

"I'm fine." She replied blankly.

"You're not."

"So what? Hershel made it, got food, got rid of those assholes. I'm fine. Better than I used to be, at least." She was annoyed by my presence. I wasn't going to leave.

"Tomas, Andrew, Big Tiny, they're dead. Other two are in D."

"All right. So, are you going to tell me why you're here?"