Daryl's Girl

Chapter 14

Not wanting to be rude, I politely wrapped up our conversation and said goodbye to Carol, putting both photos into my bag and placing it back into the cupboard, making my way out of the RV. 

Once outside, I took a deep breath and scanned the area, trying to find a glimpse of Daryl, but he was no where to be seen. His bike still propped up next to the camp so he had to be around here somewhere, unless he'd gone out on foot. 

That's when Dale came around the corner.

"Dale, have you seen Daryl?" I asked.

"Last time I saw him he was over with Rick." He replied, adjusting his gun over his shoulder. "Everything alright?"

Once again, like I'd done with Carol, I questioned whether or not to tell Dale what was going on inside my head, but just like her, I couldn't be sure he'd keep it to himself. At least not for long. I hadn't given these people a reason to be loyal to me. "Yeah. Everything's fine. Thank you."

Dale nodded, but at the same time, the way he looked at me, I could tell he was trying to read me. Trying to work something out. It was unnerving, but I guess he was probably still trying to get a read on me. See where I stood with him. If I was going to cause trouble. It's what I'd been doing to everyone else since I got here. Dale just a little less discreet whilst doing so, but I got it.

As I headed out of camp, leaving Dale, I scanned the area again, this time looking for Rick and spotted him sitting on the front porch. Something resembling a map laid out in front of him. I walked over and, just as I made my way up the path, he looked up. 

"Lily. Are you okay?" He questioned. He had bags under his eyes, the same as Lori, and looked both mentally and physically exhausted. Without a doubt, he was a lot worse than she was when I spoke to her and Carl before.

"Yeah I'm good. You look like shit." I laughed and so did Rick. I don't think he had the strength to try and deny it, although, his body language seemed a lot friendlier with me than it had before. "Do you know where Daryl is? Dale said that he saw him with you?"

"He went out to look for Sophia. Anything important?"

Unlike with Dale and Carol, I knew telling Rick would probably be a bad idea. He looked as though he had the weight of the world on his shoulders and with everything going on, I didn't know how he'd react. Whether he'd accuse me of being untrustworthy or worse. He didn't know me as well as some of the others and, if I said anything, sooner or later everyone would know and that was something I didn't want to happen. They respected him enough to know he wouldn't keep things from them and I didn't want to burden him with something I didn't understand myself.

"No it's fine. He was just going to teach me how to track. I'll catch up with him when he gets back." I lied. "You should get some rest though. You look like you haven't slept in days." Rick just laughed and I could sense the resistance. "Carl's in safe hands. He'll be alright, and when he is, he'll need his dad. Go rest."

I think knowing I was right and not having the strength to argue, Rick agreed, stood up and walked back into the house. Both he and Lori looking like their at breaking point. To think I could've prevented it all. If I'd stood up to Tyler sooner and gone after Sophia, we wouldn't have had to go out searching, Carl wouldn't have gotten shot, Otis wouldn't have died trying to save him and we wouldn't be here. It was like a train reaction of things going bad. What was next? Although, if we weren't here, I would've never known about Hershal and my dad.

My head was a mess. My thoughts all jumbled and with Daryl gone, not knowing when he was going to get back, I had nothing else to do so I turned around and saw Glenn and Maggie riding horses down the driveway. The others all sitting around the camp talking. Everyone apart from Shane and Daryl, and Rick, Lori and Carl, who I knew were in the house. Even Beth, Jimmy and Patricia were all sat joining in on the conversation.