Nikki carried on stroking Daryl's head as he gazed at her .
"How you feeling" she asked him
"Emotional I guess ya hate Merle" Daryl sighed
"Well Um sorry what he did to you was terrible" Nikki replied back .
"He weren't always like that , growing up he was ma hero , then he got in with a bad crowd , he kinda looked up to our father wanted to be like him , pa was blue ridges finest drug dealer , ya wanted some weed , some smack he was ya guy , though he didn't do drugs , moonshine was his poison , but he had these gangs of lads that would sell the drugs for him , and Merle he joined that gang and he got addicted to crystal meth and that's when he changed" Daryl sighed
"What was he like before" Nikki asked
"Taught me how to hunt , how to use ma crossbow, he taught me to survive he taught me how to play chess , I'm pretty good at chess it's relaxing , he was just there for me , it all went down hill when he got caught shoplifting getting bread for me , I ain't eaten in days so he went and stole some bread , got caught sent to juvi and when he came back he was different didn't want me around , I guessed he was using when he started hanging out with pa's top seller Philip Blake , he was nasty as well to me , but instead of trying to help him I turned ma back on him went away to college , I wasn't there when he needed me" Daryl sighed
"But you did try he pushed you away the drugs became his friends" Nikki snapped
Daryl knew she was trying to help , but she really needed to understand what really had happened.
"When I became a photographer I was pulled into all the glitz and glamour , I had nothing to do with Merle , I saw him the night I met Rick because he asked me to bail him out , but when he was free I went my way he went his , I was embarrassed by ma drug addicted brother , Rick became like ma brother and Carl and Judith thats ma family , i was being noticed for my photography, met Caroline" Daryl sighed
"She's just beautiful, I mean she's tall gorgeous long hair and such a lovely smile" Nikki sighed
Daryl could see she was comparing herself to Caroline .
"Hey listen to me , she's also darn right shallow and not a very nice person when I was at my low she walked away , when she found out about ma past and who Merle was I was of no use to her , she's nothing like you , ya perfect got a beautiful soul , and you captivate me she never did that" Daryl exclaimed
"Ok so how did you meet her" Nikki asked
"She was one of the models on a shoot I was doing she asked me back for a drink and um well ya know" Daryl cringed
"You had sex" Nikki sighed
"Yea but that was it , she only asked to see me at functions and um if she wanted sex there was never love there for either of us , ya have to believe me Nik ya the only woman I have ever loved that I'm ever gonna love, so ya never have to worry about Caroline ok" Daryl sighed
"Ok so when you split up , she left you because you were in a bad way what happened" Nikki asked
"Rick called me told me they had found Merle dead in a drugs den , he overdosed I blame maself if I got him the help he needed he would be alive , I got so upset slit ma wrists , Rick he found me got me help then brought me home threw Carl and Judith at me and they helped me heal , I could see they loved me and would be devastated if I wasn't here so I picked maself up , abe told me they needed help at the farm , so I offered ma services and there ya go" Daryl sighed
"But what about the photography why did you lock it away" Nikki asked
"Photography was what caused the issues with Merle and I , if Merle wasn't here I wasn't gonna do it anymore , so I grabbed ma camera and photos locked it away in that room and became the reclusive farmhand who lived on his own in the woods with his dog" Daryl sighed sleepily
Nikki could see he was getting tired again , the doctors said he would feel sleepy
"Hey you look like your about to fall asleep again , why don't I snuggle into you keep you safe" Nikki whispered to him
"Yea sleepy , guess talking about ma past makes me sleepy and emotional" Daryl smiled sleepily
"Yes it does" Nikki replied
"Yea ok and Nik" Daryl whispered
"Yea" Nikki replied
"Always feel safe with ya" Daryl whispered back
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Nikki saw that Daryl was asleep and headed back down to the photography room .
She knew doing what she was doing would cause upset but , she had to make Daryl see that he needed to photograph again, plus being completely selfish she needed him to photograph her items for the website , she knew he could capture the beauty that she wanted to portray , she hoped he would listen to her and realise what happened to Merle really was not his fault .
She headed into the room and looked at the photos surrounding it they were just beautiful, it was such a shame that talent like this was locked away .
She saw a photo album on the desk and headed over , there were photos of Rick , Carl and Judith in there , photos of motorcycles.
She forgot Daryl was a biker , she loved bikes maybe when he was better they could head out on the open road .
She turned the page and saw a photo that made her smile but also brought emotions to her
It was her mother baking covered in flour , a real genuine smile on her face .
Ever since her father passed away , she hadn't really spoken to her mom but she missed her so much , her mom had never forgiven her for not attending the funeral , truth was beau wouldn't let her attend , but she missed her mom so much .
Daryl had captured her mom perfectly in that photo , he needed to see just how talented he was and Nikki knew she needed to reach out to her mom again, as she missed her so much .
She felt her emotions take over , she hated seeing her amazing kind boyfriend so broken and she really did miss her mom .
She fell to the floor and cried and cried .
