You and Me (Daryl Dixon x Reader {Ricks Sister})

Chapter 3 - A Damn Shame

"Disoriented." my brother said from beside me, snapping me out of my trance. "I guess that comes closest. Disoriented." He held Carl in his lap, Lori to his right as I leaned on his left. "Fear, confusion. All those things but, disoriented comes closest." He explained to everyone around the low campfire.

"Words can be meager things." Dale said as he sat his cup down, looking up at everyone. "Sometimes they fall short."

I looked up at Rick, and looked back down again, "I thought I'd never see him again.." I whispered, low enough that just those directly around me, Carl, Rick, and Glenn, could hear, but they didn't respond.

Rick nodded a bit, "I felt like I've been ripped out of my life, n' put somewhere else." he said, his eyes distant, "For a while I though I was trapped in some coma, dream, something I might not wake up from, ever."

"mom said you died.." Carl said lightly.

Rick looked at Lori, then back to my nephew. "She had every reason to believe that, don't you ever doubt it." I notice Lori look up at Shane when he said that, and for a split second I felt bad, but it washed away pretty quick.

"when uh.. when things started to get really bad.. they told me and Y/N at the hospital that they were going to Medi-vac you.. and all the other patients to Atlanta." she looked at me, then back to Rick. "But it never happened.."

"Well, I'm not surprised.. after Atlanta fell.." Rick said, remembering the hospital he was in, remembering Atlanta itself.

We all continued to talk for a while more, getting more out of Rick as My brother told the story of how he wound up here. I didn't leave Rick's side the whole time. But nothing good can last, right? Ed put another log on his fire, making it bigger, which was a big hazard. He knew the rules.. why did he have to make stuff harder on us?

"Hey Ed," I called back to him, "Wanna re-think that log?"

"It's cold man." Was all he said.

"Yeah, well the cold don't change the rules, does it?" I asked, sitting up straighter. "We keep the fires low, just the embers so we can be seen from a distance, you know this." you stated, but then Ed continued.

"I said it's cold, why don't you mind ya own damn business for once lady." he said, glaring at me, and I returned the look, starting to stand when Shane shook his head at me, and he stood instead, making his way over to Ed. Rick looked down to Carl, then Lori, then me, and I just shook my head.

"Hey Ed. You sure you wanna have this conversation right now?" Shane said quietly

silence filled the air for a while, only sound was the crickets and the fire popping, before Ed sighed in defeat, "Go on. Pull the damn thing out." He looked at Carol. "Go on!" he said more forcefully, before she quickly hurried and moved to the fire. I felt bad just watching, but I learned the hard way that if anyone interferes it just gets worse for Sophia and Carol. 

Shane muttered something under his breath as Carol pulled out the log, and Shane stomped out the fire that was on the log. Then Shane crouched down in front of Carol and Sophia. "Hey Carol, Sophia," he started, "How are you two this evening?" he asked, tilting his head.

"Fine. We're just fine." Carol smiled. I knew she wasn't. we all knew she wasn't. but we had to pipe down about Ed so Carol didn't get beat, and I don't even wanna think about what he'd do to Sophia. Those girls have been through Hell. She looked at everyone, "S-sorry about the fire."

"no, no hon, you have nothing to be sorry for." I said gently, "you all have a good night, okay?" I spoke lightly, voice barely above a whisper, but everyone heard me. Carol nodded, and gave a quiet 'Thank you', before Shane stood again, walking past Ed.