Fuck You, Dixon! (Daryl Dixon x reader)

Chapter 18: Happy Hour

I told Lori I'd go in Daryl's stead and she happily told me that Maggie said Hershel would most likely be in a local bar down town. Luckily for me, I knew where that was, it was the same town I had gone on a supply run to with Daryl.

I got my bow and quiver, placing them over my shoulder and sheeved my knife into my belt. Lori gave me a spare little revolver for "just in case" scenarios. I reluctantly took the gun, then left for the town, hoping Rick, Hershel and Glenn where still at that bar, safe and sound.

When I got to town, the sun had set and it was quite dark, since I had chosen to run there, but despite my little vision, I managed to spot Rick's car parked near the bar. Luckily for all of us, there were very little walkers in sight.

I took down the three walkers that were roaming in the street by kicking them down, then stabbing their brains, then made my way over to the bars entrance. I heard muffled talking from inside. I decided to announce my presence and knock on the door, as to not startle them.

I heard shuffling from inside and chairs skidding along the floor. Their talking stopped and I heard a gun cock.
"Who is it?" I heard Rick ask.
"Just me, Lori sent me." I answered.
I heard shuffling and Glenn greeted me at the door, letting me inside.

I walked inside, Glenn closing the door behind me. Hershel was sitting at a table drinking shots of whiskey, Rick was opposite him, looking very frustrated. Glenn grabbed my arm and pulled me over to their table.

"What the hell are you doing here? It's dark out!" Glenn scolded.
I sat on a stool next to Rick.
"So all of you are aware of the time?" I asked, raising a brow.
Glenn looked down and sighed.
"Hershel wants us to leave him be. Let him drink. I've kept telling him I won't let that happen." Rick explained.

I looked to Hershel. His face looked like a mix of emotions, like he didn't know what to feel. He looked angry, sad, frustrated, guilty, scared...everything all at once. I felt my heart sink a little. He was always welcoming to us, always calm...to see him like this now, it hurt.

Rick slammed his hands on the table, shaking the whisky.
"For God's sake, Hershel! They sent y/n here because they're getting worried! Think of your family, your daughters!"
Hershel kept his head down.
"You're being ridiculous, your girls need you! Beth has gone into shock! You need to help her."
"What for? So she can see me die? Her sister die?"
"That's exactly why you go back! She needs her father, her family! You can't just leave your kids behind! You're her father, act like it!" Rick spat.
Hershel looked up to Rick, sadness and anger mixed in his eyes.
"Don't tell me what to do and how to raise my girls!" Hershel yelled.
"Have some hope, Hershel!" Rick yelled.
"Hope.." Hershel scoffed.

"I had very little hope that boy was gonna live. But when your man came back with the supplies and the boy survived surgery, it gave me hope. It cost Otis' life, yes, but we saved a young boys. And when y/n turned up on the farm, with the little girl you had been looking for for weeks, it gave me hope. Hope that something would change, that there'd be a cure." Hershel started, sounding almost defeated.

"But when Shane shot that walker, and she just kept coming! I knew that wasn't a person no more. I had been a fool! I had been feeding dead corpses!" He cried, I felt the pain in his voice.

"When you opened the barn. The looks on your faces when you saw that little girl stumble out...I knew there was no hope. Then, when my wife attacked Beth, the way she snarled and grabbed her...that wasn't her no more...that was a monster."

I walked over to Hershel and placed a hand on his shoulder, I felt him let out a breath.
"Hershel, I know how you feel, everyone does. Everyone, everyone, has lost someone. It hurts. But you're not alone. This isn't hopless. You have Trish, Maggie, Beth...and you have us. The world may be different to what it was, and we might not be able to fix it, but that just means we should appreciate what we have now even more, before it's gone." I said softly.
I reached for his hands and held them gently, he took my hands in his and pat them, slowly nodding.