𝙇𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙒𝙖𝙧𝙢 𝘽𝙤𝙙𝙮 : ̗̀➛ 𝙙.𝙙

𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚

: ̗̀➛
"Dale asked me to join you." I climbed up the rv ladder.
"I dont need the help," Andrea grumbled. She sat her sniper in her hands, staring right past me into the fields.
"Well I told him it was either I go looking for him or I keep a look out here."
"Why do you even care? Aren't you guys kicking us out?"
"Because I think Daryls a good guy, and Its not me, Its Hershels home. Plus, Rick is talking to him right now, hopefully something good comes from it."
"Oh dont pretend you give two shits about us."
"What is your problem? You sit out here pretending you're too good to help with dishes or dinner or even to talk to me and Ive done nothing to you?" I fought back my temper.
"I don't like you. Plain and simple. You think you own us or something because-"
"Because I tried to help you at target practice? Get over yourself seriously. You know what it is? I think you feel threatened by me," I laughed, "You feel so threatened theres another woman that knows what the hell shes doing and you don't like that."
She looked in awe at what I had said, stepping in my face, "Whos threatened?"
"Step back." I cocked my head, holding back laughter that she thought she intimidated me.
"You okay up there, girls?" Shane yelled up, I narrowed my eyes at Andrea.
"Yeah." I called back down. I snatched up her pack of peanut butter crackers sitting on the ground.
"And these are mine." I snapped before climbing back down.

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      I munched on the crackers, staring out the kitchen window.
        "You okay? You're eating those like you're straved..." Maggie let out a short laugh.
       "Yeah," crumbs flew out my mouth, "Just Andrea. I don't think i've ever wanted to push someone off the top off an RV before."
        Maggie laughed, joining my side.
      "Daddy told Rick they can stay until they find Sophia."
       My shoulders seemed to feel a little less heavy.
       "Are you mad at Glenn for telling?"
       "Yeah.. are you?"
       "Nah, I couldn't trust him to keep Loris secret, barely even know him and I told him anyway. Its my fault."
       I turned my attention back to the field, seeing Rick bolting toward it as yelling echoed across the yard. I sprinted out the front door, right behind him.
      I saw a figure in the distance.
      We stopped, staring it down. I tried to squint through the darkness.
       "Is that Daryl?" Glenns voice shook.
       Rick stepped closer. It was Daryl. He didnt look.. right. My heart started pounding, my chest burned.
       "He's.. Hes wearing ears, Rick. Oh god." Glenn turned over to hurl. Rick slowly drew his gun, pointing it at Daryl... or what used to be him.
      "Oh god." I mumbled, turning away so I didnt have to watch, I could feel tears swelling in my eyes as my legs shook.
      "If you're gon point that thing at me might as well shoot." Daryls gruff voice made me spin back around. Our eyes connected and Rick let out a heavy sigh, holstering his gun. A smile cracked over my face.
       Suddenly Daryl dropped, so did my heart.
      "No! No!" Rick screamed at back toward the rv.
       Oh god.

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       "Just a graze... He should be okay, but I don't want any of you in here until we know." Hershel stepped out of the tent.
       "I'm a grown woman-" I started.
       "None of my family is to be in there, Del. None."
       I swallowed, looking over at Rick.
       "I got him." He squeezed my shoulder. I nodded before joining Maggie back toward the house.
      "You know for someone who's not screwing him, you sure seem to care a whole lot about him."
       I stared down at my feet, running Daryls face through my thoughts, his voice.
     "He lost his brother too."

: ̗̀➛

      I stared down at my engagement ring as I sat on the edge of Beths bed, my heart slowing.
       "You hear me?" Beth asked, folding her clothes neatly next to me.
       "No. Im sorry."
       "It's okay... are you okay?"
       "I've started to forget his face. With Eddie, I got pictures, you know? But with David... I can't remember his voice or what he looked like... is that bad of me?"
       "I don't think so. I forget mommas voice sometimes, how she used to sing to me."
        "Well that shouldn't be too hard cause you got her voice." I smiled weakly at her, she gave me a soft smile back.
      knock knock.
      "Come in!"
     The door cracked open to reveal Carl, so small in the door frame.
       "My dad asked me to come let you know Daryls awake. You can go see him if you want."

: ̗̀➛

       I stood outside the tent for a second, not knowing if I was supposed to knock or just walk in.
       "Daryl?"
       "Huh?"
I unzipped the tent, stepping in carefully to make sure the glass of lemonade didn't spill.
His head was wrapped in gauze. He was extra dirty and sweaty, more than normal.
"God you look like shit." I laughed. He smirked, letting out a short breathy laugh.
"I brought you a drink." I handed the lemonade to him as I took a seat on the floor next to him. Our fingers brushed each other as he took it.
"People usually bring water to the wounded." He took a sip.
"Well that has a little vodka in it, thought it would help with the pain."
He clicked his tongue, tasting the alcohol, taking another drink.
"Are you okay? What happened out there?"
"Damn horse."
I knew it was more than that but I didn't ask.
"Well if you would've told me or Hershel you needed a horse we would've got you another one, not Nervous Nelly."
He just stared at me before taking another sip.
"Hershel said yall can stay.. at least until yall find Carols girl."
He grunted, attempting to sit up. I leaned over, helping slowly push his back up. I could feel the warmth of his body on my cold fingers.
"If you need anything let me know." I realized my hand was still on his back, quickly pulling it away.
"Wait." He grabbed his bag from beside his pallette, pulling out a book. An all too familiar red leather one. I took it quickly, flipping it open. The smell of dust and wood hit my face. Pictures of me, Jake, Kay, Eddie, and Davis, our proposal, Kays first day of college, my dog. My sixth birthday. My graduation. Me and Maggie in kindergarten.
"Where did you.." My voice shook as I flipped through the pictures.
"I stopped by your house, little red brick one down the creek. Your room was sad lookin."
I smiled, feeling a tear roll down my cheek.
"This... has my brothers .. Davis... everyone.. I was.. I couldn't bring myself to go back."
"I figured you'd like something from there," He awkwardly looked away, "Pictures of your brothers-"
I threw my arms around him, squeezing him tightly. I felt his hand slowly lay on my back, rubbing up and down. His hands were rough, big.
"Thank you. You don't know what this means to me."
"Yeah." He cleared his throat as I pulled away, looking back down at the book.
"Whos that?" His finger tapped on a picture of me and Davis, he had his hand around my waist. His big brown eyes smiled back at my from the photo. He towered over me.
"My fiancée."
"Oh."
"Or was. We were engaged for a few months before everything happened."
"Sorry bout that."
I shrugged, running my finger down the picture before letting out a short laugh, "Honestly I was terrified of the idea of getting married. I never wanted to be married, or to have kids. I think I just said yes because I thought it was the right thing because I did love him, you know? But maybe not enough to marry him. Were you married?"
"God no. Just me and Merle drifting. He had a girl here and there... I can't lie, I did too, but nobody I ever loved."
"Did you ever think about it?"
"Nah." He shook his head, "I just did whatever Merle felt like doing that week. Never took anything or anyone serious. I liked it being just me and him too much to bring a broad into it, plus you never know who you can trust."
"You miss it?"
"The lifestyle? Nah."
"I mean the sex." I smirked. He shook his head with a smile, playfully pushing me softly, "Shut up."

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