Love & survival (Daryl Dixon x oc)

Forty-seven

We were walking. We had been for a while. I was as happy as someone could be these days. I had everyone I love right here with me. We took a break. I was making a makeshift baby carrier for Atlas.

Daryl was distant from me. I had a feeling he was mourning or just sad in some way. He got out of the prison with Beth, but she wasn't there.

Rick and Carol were talking. When Carl came to me. "Here you go." He handed me a pinecone he found a while ago. 

"Thank you." I smiled, I had won the bet we placed before Terminus. I said it wasn't real, he said it was. The deal was originally a gun, but we didn't have those anymore, so this was the replacement.

"He seems quieter than Judith."

"Yeah, I guess he is more introverted than her. Would make sense since he's Daryl's." I chuckled. Carl smiled. Something was still bothering him. It must've been about the night we reunited when that man got on top of him. Fucking disgusting.

Carl stayed quiet before he walked away. I wanted to know what was going on, but I didn't want to force him to talk. So, I didn't.

---

Daryl was out hunting. While the rest of us navigated our way through the forest. No of us talked, we had to stay sharp since we didn't have much vision. 

We heard some rustling on our left. Everyone raised their guns at the noise.

Daryl stepped from behind a bush. "We surrender." He held up his squirrels and crossbow.

I smiled and we continued walking. Daryl came walking next to me. "Is he all right?" He asked gesturing to his son.

"Yeah, he's fine. He's sleeping." I replied.

"Help, help, anybody, help!" Distant yelling echoed through the trees. Carl wanted to go towards it, so we did.

When we reached the source of the yelling we saw that it was a priest up a big rock with some walkers. He looked like he was shitting bricks. 

Rick asked him to come down and he did. "You okay?" 

Before the priest answered he threw up. E w. "Sorry. Yes. Thank you." He said. "I'm Gabriel."

"Do you have any weapons on you?" Rick asked him.

Gabriel chuckled nervously. He didn't have any, he was a churchman. Still, you could never be too sure about that. "Do I look like I would have any weapons?" He asked.

"We don't give two short and curlies what it looks like," Abraham said.

"I have no weapons of any kind. The Word of God is the only protection I need."

"Sure didn't look like it," Daryl said.

"I called for help. Help came." Gabriel still looked on edge. "Do you, uh, have any food?" he asked Rick. "Whatever I had left, it just hit the ground."

"We've got some pecans." Carl handed him some of the nuts.

"Thank you." He paused and looked around. Ending up at Atlas and Judith. "Those are beautiful children."

I nodded him a thank you, while Rick just stared at him.

"Do you have a camp?"

"No. Do you?" Rick shot back.

"I have a church."

---

We were feasting. We found some food at the food bank in town. There was a lot. 

Abraham wanted to leave, to continue towards DC. 

The church was safe, and everyone was happy.

Daryl was feeding Atlas. He seemed lost in his thoughts most of the time, but when he was holding him, he was present. I walked over to them and sat down as Abraham started a toast.