"Ya don't need to stay ya know" a slurred voice interrupted Carls thoughts
Carl looked up and saw Daryl looking up at him , you could tell he was drugged , his eyes were glazed over and his speech was slightly slurred .
It was strange seeing Daryl like this , he was always on the go , Carl remembered when he had gone camping with him , Daryl was always awake at some ungodly hour , and doing something , he could never keep still , so seeing him like this was def a shock for Carl .
"It's ok I promised Judith and RJ I would check in on you" Carl replied back .
"Miss em never been this long not seeing em" Daryl slurred
"I'm sure dad can bring them next time if you like" Carl smiled
"Nah not yet , don't wanna scare em well scare RJ" Daryl slurred
"Why would you scare him" Carl asked
Daryl rubbed his hand down his face .
"Ya know being like this , not walk great, plus not feeling great , I don't want him see me ya know vulnerable" Daryl slurred he then burst into tears .
This wasn't something Carl had ever seen before , Daryl was so darn strong , Carl had even seen him stitch his own arm up when he cut it , he was always tough and strong .
Carl remembered some of the time Daryl went missing , but his dad had just told him he had to go away for a bit to get better , but when he came back he was just the same old Daryl .
It broke Carl's heart seeing Daryl like this , he saw some tissues on the table and grabbed them , he then leant over and wiped the tears away , knowing it would be easier for Daryl if he did that because he was restricted by the brace .
As he finished wiping the tears away , Daryl gazed up and smiled at him
"Thanks bud ya know for that , and for um earlier sorry ya um had to see me like that" Daryl slurred
Carl grabbed the chair and pulled it over
"Hey your not well , it's ok remember when I was sick when you were looking after me , I was sick everywhere , I thought you would be mad but you just told me it's ok , I was family and you would clean it up , you then let me sleep in your bed whilst you cleaned up , so remember your family and it's what family does for each other, so it's ok" Carl smiled at him
Daryl gazed at Carl , damn this kid was growing up quick , he can remember when he was 3 years old , running around the photography studio getting up to mischief like most 3 year olds did , now look at him he was practically a grown man , and def had a level head on his shoulders .
"Yea remember that , ma fault took ya to the fair let ya eat so much junk food , go on fast rides that's why ya were sick, good day though" Daryl smiled
"Yea it was , we have had some fun together, and once your better we will have loads more and your gonna get better , this is just a set back , you got auntie Nikki in your corner and she's just awesome" Carl grinned
"Yea she is , she sure is" Daryl slurred back smiling to himself .
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Nikki was getting the sleep potion ready , Rick was watching her .
"Love watching you do your witchy things, I remember when I had that cold , you gave me that menthol remedy , damn it worked a treat" Rick smiled
"One of the first potions I made" Nikki smiled back
Rick then headed over to Nikki
"I'm gonna get Carl and head home , kinda need to get my head sorted , tell Daryl I'll see him tomorrow, sorry just a bit emotional right now" Rick sighed
Nikki headed over to him and pulled him into an embrace .
"Hey I completely understand and I'm sure Daryl will too , please don't worry" Nikki smiled at him .
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Twenty minutes later Nikki was sat with Daryl , she was massaging the sleep potion into his forehead, she had popped some potion on his arms and legs .
"That's so good Nik" Daryl slurred the drugs were definitely taking affect .
"That's ok gonna take such good care of you" Nikki smiled
"I sorry ya know for everything that I can't make love to ya , because I really want to, ya so sexy" Daryl slurred
"You don't have to apologise and once your better, you can make love to me all night long" Nikki smiled at him
Daryl looked at his eyes glazed over .
"I might not get better" he slurred
Nikki stopped rubbing the potion in and looked at him .
"Yea you will , 6-8 weeks you'll be back on your feet" she smiled at him
Daryl grabbed her hand
"Nah need listen me , docs say back always be weak , may need like a walking stick for a while , but always gonna have weak back , be a burden" Daryl sighed
Nikki listened to what Daryl was saying , she knew it was the partly the drugs , she also had spoken to the doctors before Daryl had left the hospital, they explained it would be a long recovery , 6-8 weeks to get movement back , but the back would always be weak , and they had also mentioned that he may still need to use a walking aid for a while .
But Nikki didn't care , she knew she loved him , and he def had her heart , she would stay by his side no matter what , now she had to convince him she wasn't going anywhere .
"I know all this , the doctors told me all that and I don't care you have my heart , I'm gonna be by your side forever" Nikki exclaimed
"Nah ya just saying that , ya don't want a cripple for a boyfriend" Daryl slurred
Nikki knew he was feeling sorry for himself , she understood, but she needed to convince him she really wasn't going anywhere.
She gently rolled on top of him and passionately kissed him
"Listen to me, I am not going anywhere , I have been through shit , bad shit but when I moved back home , I met you and do you know what the second you spoke to me asking why I vape I felt safe , when we were just sleeping together you always made sure I was ok , made sure I had enough duvet , when I got caught in the rain and was cold and wet you , ran me a bath , cooked me an amazing chilli and made sure I was ok , you make me feel safe , you make me feel good about myself , you make me feel loved" Nikki sighed
She gazed at him and he had a goofy grin on his face .
"What" she asked him
"Ya the best ya know that , ya don't care that I'm kinda disabled , ya love me I'm kinda lucky ain't I" Daryl slurred sleeping
"Yes you are now accept that I'm not going anywhere, now you need some sleep, I have to sort some things out , but I will be back before you know it" Nikki smiled at him
Nikki though got no reply , Daryl was already fast asleep .
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Whilst Daryl was asleep , Nikki had some investigating to do .
She grabbed the key that was still on the table and headed down to the room .
She opened the door and entered the room , the beauty of the photographs engulfed her .
She carried on walking through the room and that was when she spotted it .
It was hidden away in the corner , she headed over to it .
It was a photo of a man in a wife beater , he had a buzz cut and a cigarette hanging out of his mouth , his facial expression was hard .
Nikki gazed at the photo she then noticed a piece of paper folded up .
She opened it up and read the words
Merle I'm sorry .
