When the dead roam - (Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 103 - bruises

"Rick!" Rosita shouted, her combat boots thudding off the porch steps as she bounded up them. Despite the speed the was running at, she wasn't out of breath and she'd managed to get there in less than 30 seconds. She twisted the door handle and ran into the room, coming face to face with a very confused group that sat around the dining room table. Rick, Michonne and Daryl were pointing at places on a make-shift map, whilst Carl and Nicole played with Judith on the floor. Rosita didn't have to say anything. The look on her face told them all they needed to know and before anybody else had had chance to leave the table, Daryl shot up from his seat and bolted out of the room.

Rick was close behind, barely less than half a meter in fact and the two raced towards the infirmary. The young raven haired huntress was sat on the portch steps when they arrived, rolling her eyes at Tara, who was trying to force a plated sandwich into her hand. If she could see herself, she probably would've taken it. Her face was gaunt, purple bags lay underneath her eyes - an awful side effect from not sleeping in over 72 hours - and her entire body was bright crimson.

"Here" she said, thrusting it underneath her nose.

Louise batted her hand away. "I'm fine, I just need to-"

"You haven't eaten in days"

"Tara, I'm fine"

"Just eat the damn sandwich" Daryl said as he neared. Louise's eyes locked onto his and her lips curled into a relieved smile, matching his own. Swiftly, he moved closer to her and placed a hand on either side of her face, checking for cuts beneath the mountain of blood. "You alright? You're covered in blood"

She nodded. "It's not mine"

The archer took the wet rag from the step and began wiping her face, rinsing it off every few seconds in a bucket of luke-warm water.

"What happened? I looked back on the road and you were gone" Rick said, nodding to Rosita and Tara as they walked back to their post at the gate.

"When we let the walkers in, Gregory took my car" she explained. "I got trapped with Negan. Rick I'm sorry, he's still alive. I had no bullets left"

"That's okay" the sheriff said, watching as Daryl helped her up. As soon as she was on her feet, he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. "All that matters is that you're safe" he grimaced and pulled away. "And in desperate need of a shower"

Lou chuckled. "Yeah, are Aaron and Eric home? I didn't get chance to speak to them before I- what's wrong?"

As much as they tried to hide the sorrowful look that flashed onto their faces, the hunter caught sight of it and her stomach immediately twisted. Her eyes darted between them, willing one of them to answer before she conjured up countless conclusions to what could've happened but neither made a move to talk.

"What happened?" She tried again.

Daryl cleared his throat. "Aaron's fine, he's at the Hilltop with Maggie...but Eric got shot"

"Is he inside, can I see him?"

"No, Lou, you can't see him..." he watched as her face dropped. "I'm so sorry...he died"

She opened her mouth to talk but no words came out. Her heart was racing. She tried again, barely able to make out anything but mumbled stutters. Lou didn't realize she was crying until a tear dropped onto the back of her hand. It was hard to breathe. Every muscle in her chest was tight, tighter than she'd ever felt it and if she didn't know any better, she would've thought she was dying.

Because that's what it felt like.

"But-he...I don't under- who?"

"He was with Aaron at the north end of the Sanctuary and got shot by a Saviour" Rick supplied.