Daryl's Girl

Chapter 44

I stormed out of the house to find it was now dark outside. Dale had already gone into the RV and I watched as he came back out with his rifle over his shoulder. I was in the right frame of mind to go and join him but, before I could, Briana placed her hand on my shoulder and lead me away from the house.

"Do you want to say with me tonight?" She asked. I didn't reply. "Look, you're pissed. I get it. I do, because so am I, but..." She then stopped, turning me to face her. "Daryl was only saying what he thought was right for the group. What he thinks will keep everyone safe. To keep you safe, and I'm not saying he's right, but we both knew how that conversation was gonna go down. Just don't be mad at Daryl for it. It wasn't just him."

I stood staring back at her and sighed. "Thanks." I felt so strongly about trying to keep Randall alive that what Daryl said struck a nerve. He didn't deserve to die. He was wrong. They all were.

We were just about to walk over to her tent when, all of a sudden, she pulled me back. "Wait. What happened to your face?" Her tone had now gone from annoyance to one of concern as she lightly touched my cheek, turning my face so she could see properly.

I knew what reaction I'd get if I told her the truth, but I didn't care. What's done is done and it didn't matter. "Shane." I replied bluntly.

"What the hell did he do?" Daryl suddenly said from behind me. I hadn't even noticed he was there.

I rolled my eyes and turned to face him. "Why would you care?"

"If he's done anythin'-"

"I've sorted it!" I snapped, cutting him off. 

As soon as the words left my mouth I immediately regretted them, but it was too late to take it back. All he was trying to do was keep me safe, just like Briana had said, and now I was just pissed with myself. I'd let my anger take over and I'd put it all on him. There wasn't any need for me to react like that. It wasn't fair.

"Fine." He growled and began to storm off towards the barn and over to where Rick and Shane were already standing. However, as he walked away, I heard him mutter something under his breath. "Stupid bitch."

Briana must of heard it too as she quickly wrapped her arms around me just as my tears began to fall. Her stroking my back as she let me cry into her shoulder. "What have I done? He hates me."

"No. You both just need to calm down. You'll be fine." She pulled away, sympathetically smiling. "He doesn't hate you. It's just a complicated situation and tensions are high. It'll be over soon. He didn't mean it." I had to hope she was right.

Knowing there was nothing I could do about it now, I did my best to shove it to the back of my mind as we made our way over to her tent. We then sat down inside and used a small lantern to give us some light, moving her bag out of the way to give us more room.

"What did Shane do anyway?" Briana asked, looking at my face again in the dim light.

"Promise me you won't get mad." I started and she just looked at me. Just like when I told her who'd done it, I knew how she was going to react. "I went to talk to Randall to try and gather some information that I could possibly use to save him in the meeting." Looking back at her, I could already see the frustration building and I hadn't even gotten to the main bit. "Shane said he saw me go in so he followed me. He took a swing at the kid and dragged me out into the field behind the camp and I tried to get free, but he wasn't letting go. We argued and he slapped me. When he pushed me down, I thought he was going to-" I trailed off, taking a breath to try and stop myself from crying. "He told me he would do anything to have me to himself. To have Lori and Carl. He threatened everyone. He only stopped when we got called to that meeting."

Briana looked at me in shock. Her frustration had now turned into pure rage. "Shane said that? He threatened you?" I wiped my eyes and nodded my head slowly. "That son of a bitch."

Before either of us could say anything else, I heard the sound of someone talking outside. Briana heard it to. It was Rick, but surely they couldn't have done it and been finished already.

"We're keeping him in custody for now." Rick announced as we made our way out of the tent. He was standing next to Lori, addressing the group. A weight lifting off of my shoulders as he spoke, even if it was just for now. It meant we still had a chance to change people's minds.

"I'm going to find Dale." Briana then smiled and both she and Andrea stood up and headed out of camp.

"Carl go inside." I heard Lori snap. I shifted my gaze to her to see her not taking her eyes from Rick.

Carl rolled his eyes and did what he was told. "He followed us. He wanted to watch." Rick said, stopping with every sentence. Then he turned to look at me. "I couldn't." I knew what he meant. Whether he couldn't because of Carl being there or not, he was still alive.

I nodded and looked behind me to see Daryl dragging Randall across the field, over to a little shed and decided to follow. I had to apologize. At the least, talk to him. He didn't deserve my attitude. Although our views may be different, he had to know I didn't blame him.

As I stepped into the doorway, I watched as Daryl tied Randall's arms up above his head. He was squirming and panicking about what the group were going to do to him next. Only moments ago he thought he was dead. A small lantern on the side to light up the room. I didn't say anything.

"Did you want something?" Daryl spat.

I stepped inside and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry." I said, just above a whisper. Daryl made a grunt and continued with what he was doing. "I shouldn't have said what I did. I got caught up in the moment and I let what happened in there get to me. I didn't want to kill anyone, and I put it all on you. I'm sorry."

Daryl stopped and looked at me. "Said what I did to keep you safe." He replied, obviously still pissed. I nodded my head and began making my way back out. Maybe it's best I just give him his space.

As I was just about to step outside, Daryl walked over and wrapped his arms around me from behind, leaning his head down to my ear. "I love you Lily." He whispered.

It felt like butterflies went off in my stomach as I turned around to look at him. He wasn't just saying it for the sake of saying it. He meant it and I couldn't wipe the smile off of my face. "I love you too."

This was the first time I'd heard him say those words to me and he really did mean it. It was like everything inside me started to relax. A warm feeling rushing through me as I felt all the more comfortable in his presence. So much so that I couldn't help myself. turned around and pulled his lips closer to mine where we shared a kiss. It wasn't just any kiss though. It was more passionate. One that truly felt like something.

We slowly separated and I couldn't help but notice the smirk on Daryl's face as he turned back to finish tying Randall up. 

I'm glad I apologized. It was what I needed. It made me feel a whole lot better knowing that I had Daryl to watch my back. That as long as he's around, we were all safe.

All of a sudden, there was a loud yell which echoed across the farm. Both Daryl and I looking at one another trying to work out what it was, but neither of us could. Whatever it was, it was close and we both knew, it can't be good.