I'll Always Find You (A Daryl Dixon X Reader)

Prologue

Warning: There is a small amount of Smut at the end of the chapter
Possible TW: You are 16, Daryl is currently 17, but going to be 18 in two months

    I was sitting in the kitchen of my parents home munching on a bologna sandwich while working on some of my math homework that was due in the morning. It was, of course, tiresome and annoying, but I always did it anyways. I lifted my sandwich to take another bite when a shadow near the window caught my eye. I blinked a few times, sure I probably was just imagining it or maybe it was the trick of the light. When it occurred again and there was a very soft knock. I nearly jumped out of my skin but quickly shuffled from my chair and over to the window.

    Out on the porch behind the glass was my neighbor through the woods, best friend since we were children and my boyfriend. Daryl Dixon. I gasped at the sight of him. A bluing eye and a rather ghastly looking gash on the side of his head. I swiftly opened the window, taking extra caution to be sure that my parents wouldn't hear from upstairs in their bedroom. Though they hardly ever heard anything.

    "Oh, Daryl. Not again." I sighed and helped him through the window.

    "It's bad, right? Think you can help fix me up before school?" Daryl asked in a soft whisper.

    "Of course. But we really should be telling someone about this." I said pointedly as I quickly grabbed the first aid kit from above the refrigerator.

    "We ain't telling anyone shit." Daryl grumbled.

    I motioned for him to follow me and we carefully walked up to my room. Sneaking through my window and back out onto the roof.

    "Daryl, you're father should not be putting his hands on you. That's not what loving parents are supposed to do..."

    "Yeah, well, I ain't got a loving parent now do I?" He snapped as I began trying to stitch up the gash on his head.

    I had done this a hundred times before, giving me a lot of practice fixing him up. It also was helpful that I wanted to be a nurse at a hospital when I graduate from high school. Which was only two years away for me, being only 16. But Daryl, he was graduating this year. He couldn't wait to get out of this town... And I didn't blame him.

    "I'm sorry... I shouldn't have snapped at you." Daryl said softly after a moment. He looked up into my eyes and I looked at his, blushing quickly and continuing to work on his head.

    "It's fine. I'm used to it." I chuckled. "I know you don't mean it."

    "It's not fine. You're my best friend and the only person in this world that means the most to me. The only person I can truly rely on. You take care of me when no one else does." Daryl mentioned and his hand lifted upwards as he stroked my cheek and pushed some hair out of my face and behind my ear. "Unlike my good for nothing brother, who left me here." He grumbled finishing and quickly pulling his hand away.

    "You know Merle left to finally do some good in his life. He's a military man now. If he knew about half of the abuse that went on here, don't you think he come rescue you at the snap of your fingers? You don't let anyone in. Hell, I'm lucky that you even come to me for help at all now. Remember how long that took?" I pointed out with a raised and judging brow.

    Last year after Merle had been locked up again for drugs. Daryl had gotten beaten real bad. I found him in the woods near death. I had moved him to the shed outback of my house and I helped stitch him up. And back then, they weren't very good. I nursed him back to health and managed to force him to tell me about all of the abuse. I had always known something was going on.