Penance (Book One): Daryl Dixon x Sage Wilson

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     It's been almost a week, and I was starting to feel better again. A part of me wanted to sprint out of bed and start killing on a Walker frenzy, but I knew that was dumb to over exert myself and bed rid myself again. I felt as if I had multiple nurses taking different shifts. Hershel came in all the time, the women came in here and there, and Daryl gave me food like he was a bus boy.

I sit up, putting my hand under my shirt and lifting it up over my head. I look down at my left side, and see black blue bruising and stitches that had dried blood around them. I feel the stitches pull under neath my skin, making me quiver in my own skin.

A knock sounds at the door, and someone enters in. I immediately pull the covers over my exposed bra, and see Lori as she walks in the door. She offers me a smile, carrying a plate in her hand.

"Sorry to just barge in, I thought you might want some breakfast before you finally get up from bed." She offers the plate to me, and I take the warm plate smelling the scrambled eggs and toast.

"Thank you, Lori." I offer her a soft smile and she sits at the end of the bed, her arms folded across her lap. Her expression seems to drop as she looks out the window. "Is something wrong?" I set down the plate on my lap, leaning forward and applying pressure to my side.

She looks at me, not hesitating to speak. "Yeah.. has uh.. Shane tried anything lately? With you? The other day in the room... it just didn't sit right with me." She shakes her head, biting her thumb nail. "You can trust me, Sage." She smiles softly.

I swallow deep, trying to forget the night in the CDC. I wanted this to remain secret but a part of me knew it had to be addressed somehow before someone else falls victim. Daryl was going to tell everyone regardless.

"Um.." I look up at the ceiling, trying to recollect the haunting memory. "Yeah. The CDC. Daryl uh.. helped me." I lean back, feeling my chest tighten at the feeling of his hands on my skin.

She nods, showcasing a disgusted smile. "Shit, I knew it. Those scratches, his mannerisms, your reaction..." she looks at me, and I try not to keep straightforward eye contact. "He was like that with me too, that night. I rejected hun. Shit, I'm sorry. That bastard." She hisses under her breath.

"It's fine. I handled myself and Daryl helped. I'm sorry he put you through that too..." I pause trying to think of the reasons why she would want to talk to me. "Is everything okay?"

She looks up at me, her hand on her stomach and a fearful look in her eyes. "I think I may be pregnant... not sure who is the father." She sighs and my heart drops. There was no way a baby could could survive in such an environment.

"Shit, Lori," I lean forward. "Do you want me to uh.. push you down the stairs or anything?" I try to offer alternatives, knowing I had attempted certain things myself just to not get baby trapped by Mickey.

"No," she shakes her head. "I want to keep it. It's just.. I had a quick affair with Shane before I knew Rick was still alive.. and then Rick after..." she wipes her hand down her face, shaking her head. "Please don't tell anyone... just girl to girl." She gives me a look of sincerity.

"I won't.. but you should at least tell Rick, Lori.. before it's too late and you start to show." She nods, standing up and stretching out her back.

"Thank you, Sage." She smiles at me, leaving the room and closing the door.

My head spun with the news. How would anyone raise a baby in such an environment? Formula, diapers, rash cream, baby food... when everyone was abandoning their cities stores and gas stations were swept clean from the inside out.

I swing my legs over the bed, tightening the muscles in my thighs. It felt weird to finally have the strength to move muscles in my body without some other part of my body aching. I place my feet on the ground, eyeballing the folded clothes on the nightstand.

I slowly stand up, gripping the edge of the nightstand. I try to maintain my balance, remembering how it feels to walk and carry my own weight again. It almost felt as if I should be considered handicapped and thrown in physical therapy.

I bend over, grabbing the clothes and releasing my grip from the nightstand. I slip a beige tank top off the edge and throw it over my head, pulling it down to my thighs. I then grab a pair of black jeans, sitting down and putting them on leg by leg. It felt weird to have clothes on for once instead of just being in a bra and underwear, to feel constricted in tight clothing.

I bend over and put on a pair of socks and my tennis shoes that were still caked with mud, and stand back up. I put my hand in my side as my whole left side felt raw and sore. I walk to the door slightly limping, opening it and stepping out into the warmly lit hallway. I stare at the staircase, putting my hand on the railing and slowly making my way down to the front door.

I knew everyone was outside doing their part of labor in order to stay here. I needed to do something- anything to get my mind off of the pain and the Lori news. I finally make my way to the bottom, and go out onto the porch. Lori and Carol were bent down and gardening, Glenn and T-Dog were at the well, and the rest of the group were scattered either carrying things or what looked like building a fence. Shane and Andrea were MIA, not to be seen.

"Hey, stranger," I look over to the voice, seeing Maggie sitting in a wooden rocking chair.

"Hey," I say with a slight smile. I lean over onto the white railing, looking out onto the field.

"You feeling any better?" Maggie looks out towards the well, smiling.

"Yeah, I am. About time." I look up at the sky, seeing the sun peak from the clouds.

"Hey, you know if that Asian boy has a girl? We are running into town for some supplies and I thought maybe I'd ask him to come with." I look to Maggie, raising my eyebrows and letting out a laugh.

"Glenn? Gosh, no. Super sweet boy; I say shoot your shot." I nod in approval, and Maggie laughs in response.

"She's up!" Carl runs over to me from the side, his arms wide open and snaking around my leg.

"Hey, hey!" Rick comes from beside him. "Be careful, Carl. You'll break her stitches."

"It's okay, I think we are pretty patched up now." I smile to Rick.

"Well it's good to see you're up and moving- thought we were gonna lose another. You were bleeding out pretty bad, but luckily Daryl has an O blood type. Offered, even." Rick says.

Carl releases himself from my legs, and looks up at me. "Yeah! It was so cool, but I don't remember what it felt like when I was shot." He twists his lips.

My mind was racing at the fact that Daryl would willingly help me out in such a way. A girl he barely knew? "Oh, I didn't know that. Where is he, do you know?"

Rick nods, pointing to the woods. "He's out there somewhere. Said y'all might have had a decent lead on finding Sophia."

"Damn man cannot take a break," I whisper under my breath. "Hey Carl, can you do me a favor and maybe go help your mom and Carol out?" I smile to him and give Rick a "get him to leave" look.

Rick looks down and nods to Carl, and he immediately runs down the porch steps.

I wipe my face, sighing. "Rick, the trail is basically cold. We found her doll, but that was all we could get in weeks." I shake my head, hating the fact that such an innocent girl could be dead.

"I know. I've tried to tell him, trust me. Otis and Hershel said they haven't seen anything. They and even Maggie have been taking the horses out to look." Rick leans against the porch, looking down. "All we can do is hope now." He looks to me, his blue eyes tired and dull.

"All we can do in this God damn world nowadays, and it doesn't get us shit."