A Glimmer of Hope

Reconnecting

Daryl POV:

I made good time getting back to the prison, as soon as I got there, I saw Athena working on getting the land ready to start a few crops with Rick and Carl. She looked like she had started moving around on her own again just fine, which made me really happy. Part of me didn't want to bother her with this Martinez business. Honestly, I didn't really feel great about it. 

Athena was the one who pointed out to me that I have really good instincts, it only seemed right that I would follow them. I decided that I wasn't going to tell her about Martinez. I felt like it'd be easier for her to move forward if she didn't have to worry about it at all anymore, she already thinks he's dead or taken care of in some way. Hell, I did until too, yesterday. 

Shit. I'm telling her about Martinez. Even if it would be to protect her, it isn't right to keep things like that from her. I want her to get better and move forward with me, that means keeping her in the loop. I wanted us to have an honest relationship and I know that I would not appreciate if she kept something like that from me.

 We would just have to get this done and taken care of, then she and I could spend our time together in Woodbury. I could ask her to marry me soon enough. It would be perfect.

I was lost in my thoughts of the next couple of days when I got up close to the gate. Rick, Carl and Athena had come over to open the gate and welcome me back.

Athena came over first, smiling brightly at me with those gorgeous emerald eyes. She looked like she was back to normal as she started running at me as I got off my bike to greet her. She jumped into my arms as soon as I turned around. 

"I missed you, Daryl," she purred at me. There was something lustful in her eye when she talked to me. So soon after what happened in Woodbury though? I must be seeing things. I shook it off and went to shake Rick and Carl's hands after giving her a quick kiss.

I told Rick, Athena and Carl what I had seen at Woodbury, everything looked so promising for us all moving forward. I asked Carl to give me a minute to talk to his dad. He and Athena went over to turn some dirt that he would be using to plant crops soon enough. "Come on buddy, let's start planning what we'll put where while we're turning the dirt," Athena said cheerfully. She looked over at me and blew a kiss. I pretended to catch it and put it in my pocket; another loving gesture she and I had started doing together while we were on the road before finding the prison. I turned my attention to Rick.

"So, Rick, I hope you don't mind, but I'm gonna take Athena to Woodbury for a couple of nights. I want us to get time to reconnect with each other, after what happened to her," I said darkly.

Rick looked at me for a moment, then at the ground. "You think takin' her there is the best thing for you to do right now?" he asked me, looking back up to me.

"The only thing she saw there was the warehouse, the room she was kept in, and the way we took to sneak out of Woodbury, so what I'm gonna do is take her a totally different route into town and just make sure she doesn't catch sight of the warehouse," I explained to him. He nodded.

"Well, wait what are ya gonna do with her there, Daryl?" Rick asked me, confused.

I looked over to where Athena and Carl were still talking and turning the dirt, to make sure she was still out of earshot. I looked back to Rick with a small smile I couldn't hide from him.

"I'm gonna ask her to marry me, to be my wife," I told him proudly. Rick broke into a huge smile and started walking toward me to give me a hug. "Congratulations man, I'm so happy for you, Daryl," he was absolutely beaming at me. I couldn't help but smile myself. It felt good.