Daryl's Girl

Chapter 55

As I sat next to Briana and waited. All I could think about was Daryl. How this all seemed like a miracle. They could've been anywhere yet I still found them. It all seemed a bit unreal, almost as if this was all a dream and I wasn't really here.

The only light we had was the fire. It was very dimly lit and looked like it could go out at any second. All it would take was one gust of wind and it'd be gone. It needed more wood but we had none and Daryl still wasn't back.

"I'm gonna go see if I can gather us some wood." I stood up and turned to Rick and the others. The fire was one reason but it was driving me crazy sitting here waiting. I needed to find Daryl.

Rick nodded his head as there was a sudden snap coming from behind the wall. Everyone froze and then a figure appeared in the gap. It was too dark to see anything so I stepped back grabbing hold of my knife and looked towards Briana. She had the same expression on her face as everyone else. All of us on edge.

As I turned back round the figure started walking towards me and I didn't do anyhing but stand and watch. It wasn't until their face lit up against the dimly lit light from the fire that I saw who it was and without hesitarion I jogged over and threw my arms around him.

Daryl did the same as he dropped both the collected wood and his crossbow onto the ground before lifting me off my feet. He then spun me around before lowering me back onto the ground and looking straight at me.

"You alright?" He sighed as he hugged me again.

"I am now." I smiled and rested my head on his shoulder. It felt great to feel his touch again. I missed him and just this morning I thought I'd never see him again. Now here we are.

We both parted as someone cleared their throat. I looked around and saw Hershal laughing at us. I did feel a little embarrassed but I couldn't care less. It was no secret how we felt about each other. I was with Daryl. I was with my family. Something I'd never thought I'd see again.

I couldn't help but smile as we stood there a second longer before Daryl placed a couple logs on the fire and put the rest with the other supplies. The both of us then went and sat down between Carol and Briana.

As we did Carol turned to us and smiled. I smiled back but it quickly disappeared when she started talking. "We're not safe with him. Keeping something like that from us. Why do you need him? He's just going to pull you down." She whispered.

"What's going on?" I asked. I dint know what she was talking about.

"No. Rick's done alright by me." Daryl replied, ignoring me.

"You're his henchman and I'm his burden. You deserve better." Carol shook her head, also ignoring me.

"What do you want?" Daryl snapped. He rolled his eyes and looked at me before turning back to Carol.

"A man of honor." She replied.

"Rick has honor." Daryl replied and turned to face me as Carol sighed and turned away.

I raised my eyebrows and looked back at him, folding my arms. "Care to explain what that was about."

Daryl huffed and glanced over at Rick. "Rick told us we all got it."

"Got what?" I asked, shrugging my shoulders.

"We're all infected. We all carry it. What ever this is." He replied taking my hand in his. "Randall got out. We found him. He'd turned but he weren't bit."

It made sense. When I killed Shane that must've been how he turned. "No matter how you die, you turn?" I questioned trying to make sense of it all.

Daryl nodded his head and we both went silent. I knew about Randall. I knew how he got out and how he died and Rick was the only other person who knew. He was the only other person who knew I'd killed Shane. I had to tell Daryl. I mean after all we promised no more secrets. "Daryl. I-" I started when there was another sharp snap which stopped me mid sentence. It sounded like it was right on us and I think we all turned to look at Rick.

"What was that?" Briana jumped.

"Could be anything." Daryl replied.

"Walker?" Glenn questioned coming from behind one of the large pieces of ruin.

"We need to leave." Carol panicked. "I mean what are we waiting for?" She continued and stood up.

"It came from over there." Maggie pointed her gun. Nearly everyone was standing looking over towards the gap at this point. Even Tdog who was stood on watch.

"Back from where we came?" Beth shook. Hershal had his hand on her shoulder.

"The last thing we need is for everyone to be running off in the dark." Rick said calmly and looked around at everyone. "We don't have the vehicles. No one is traveling on foot."

Maggie shook her head. "I'm not sitting here, waiting for another herd to blow through." We're all scared but there's nothing we could do to change that. We're out in the open at night. Of course this was dangerous.

"We need to move now." Briana quivered.

"No one is going anywhere." Rick snapped towards her.

Carol then stood up next to Rick. Something was pissing her off but I don't know what it is. "Do something." She ordered.

"I am doing something!" Rick yelled back. He then turned to the rest of us and looked towards me. "I'm keeping this group together, alive." He looked around. "I've been doing that all along, no matter what. I didn't ask for this." He began raising his voice. I knew what was coming next and I just had to deal with it. "I killed my best friend for you people, for Christ's sake! And Lily knows that." Rick spat. Carl then stared to cry at the loss of Shane and Lori pulled him into a hug. That must've hit him hard. The fact he put him down made it worse. Everyone's heads all turned to look at me and they were all silent before Rick continued. "You saw what he was like, how he pushed me, how he compromised us, how he threatened us." Rick argued. I knew he was in the right because I was there. It was me who killed Shane, not Rick.

"He staged the whole Randall thing. I followed him. He snapped Randall's neck then lead Rick, Glenn and Daryl out to put a bullet in their backs just to get what he wanted. You may not believe me but I-"

"He gave me no choice." Rick interrupted. I needed to come clean and Rick wasn't letting me. "He was my friend, but after he came after me...my hands are clean. Maybe you people are better off without me. Go ahead. I say there's a place for us, but maybe...maybe it's just another pipe dream. Maybe...maybe I'm fooling myself again." Rick paced back and forth as no one said a word. All I could see were the odd faces looking at me, disappointed. "Why don't you...why don't you go and find out yourself? Send me a postcard. Go on there's the door. You think you can do better? Lets see how far you get." Rick stopped his rant and looked at everyone. They didn't move. "No takers? Fine but get one thing straight...if you're staying. This isn't a democracy anymore." Rick concluded and walked out and over to the cars.

Rick's hands were clean. It was mine who had the blood. It was me with the guilt. It was me that killed Shane.