The End of a New Beginning // Daryl Dixon

Part 15

Daryl

MEREDITH AND I stepped into my tent and sat ourselves down. I guess we were both processing everything that was going on. Everything that Shane said. I didn't want to give up. I wasn't going to let that happen. I felt more anger than anything right now. If it were my child, I wouldn't stop looking until I knew for sure- dead or alive. I'd prefer my child to be alive, but if they were dead, at least I know what happened.

"I'm not giving up on her." Meredith says. I turn my head and see her standing up from the chair. She paced back and forth, squeezing her hands together tightly. "I'm not..leaving o-or giving up on her. I'm not gonna stop until she's found. We can't just give up on her."

"We're not gonna give up." I reassured her. "Shane's just being a dick." I scoff.

"We can't just leave her out there." Meredith continues. "She's only 3. She's just a baby! We're not stopping the search. She's out there somewhere. I know she's alive. I know she is." I stood up from the cot and slowly approached Meredith.

"Hey, hey, hey." I reached out for her body.

"We can't just leave her! She's only 3 years old! We're not ending this!" She shouts. My heart drops to her sudden reaction. "She was sitting right there. A-And I turned my back two minutes and she was gone. She was just gone! Bonnie's gone!"

"Hey, hey. Meredith." I grabbed her shoulders and stopped her. Her eyes lock with mines and she breathed heavily. She didn't say or do anything but stare at me. I could tell there was a story going on in her head. Maybe she was going through a past memory. I think this whole Sophia thing is triggering her memory or PSTD.

"Who's Bonnie?" I ask her. Meredith looks down for a moment before pulling herself out of my grasp. She inhales deeply and clears her throat.

"Um...I, uh...I-I..." She turns away and walks out of the tent. I stood there for a long moment, trying to figure out what the hell just happened. She just broke down, revealing some scary story of a three year old girl named Bonnie who went missing. All that I gathered was she was sitting somewhere, Meredith turned her back and Bonnie was gone. I'm worried for Meredith. I think she's got...severe PTSD and she's having a hard time with a lot of things. And, well, a lot of things seems like a trigger for her. I don't know what it is, but I wanna find out and somehow help her with whatever she's going through. I'm not all informed over PTSD and all, but I'm sure if someone doesn't get the help they need, it can drive 'em crazy and wanna do harm to themselves, maybe others around 'em. All I know is, I'm gonna do everything I can to help her get through it.

Meredith

I spotted Lori sitting on tree stumps, cutting away at some carrots. I wanted to get away from Daryl. After my little, uh...meltdown in Daryl's tent. I don't know. A lot has happened in my life, it feels like every thing is a goddamn trigger and I hate it. I wish I wasn't reminded so easy over things.

"Hey." Lori greets. I sat across from her, sitting on the other tree stump. "Can't believe him." She utters.

"Can't believe what?" I ask.

"Shane." She points with the knife.

"Oh, I know." I shake my head.

"It's just you think you know a somebody." She huffs out. "I mean, it's not like I did it on purpose. It's not like I was in love with him while Rick and I were still together. I-I think Shane just reminded me of Rick when I thought he was dead and I just felt all those feelings, you know, security and all. He was the man that helped Carl and I get out of Atlanta. Now..." Lori sighs out, shaking her head. "Now, he thinks the baby's his. It's not. It doesn't matter. The baby will always be Rick's." My eyes widened at everything Lori just spilled onto me. I was not expecting all of that to come out of her just now. I didn't even suspect her and Shane were ever together. I mean, this is...this is just...wow.