War Of The Damned - (Daryl & Beth) - The Walking Dead

27. Bullet

27. A BULLET FOR YOU, A BULLET FOR ME

| DARYL |

NOW...

"So.. An hour later we returned with Glenn and Maggie, and we killed all of those walkers. Including Bob. And then we brought his body back here and gave him a proper burial last night." Said Beth.

Blondie had dragged me up through a tunnel-like wormhole that came out'a tha back of tha facility, ta where there was a freshly dug grave with a cross buried in tha dirt. Beside tha wood an' vine cross there was a small white box, lidded. "Those tha cigars?" I asked, tryina' keep my voice from soundin' too scathin'.

It wasn't her fault. It's not like she planned for Bob ta die. So I can't really blame her. If anythin' I should be feelin' grateful for wha' Bob had done. I don't know how I would'a survived if it was Blondie's grave I was standin' ova'. No doubt I would'a done somethin' fucken' stupid.

An' yet, I still feel a little pissed off. But pissed off at who? Rick? Harley? Me?

Yeah that's it. I'm pissed off at myself. Bob died 'cause of me. If I had not've gotten shot then he would still be here. We would'a never ended up at this place. We would'a been miles from here...maybe even tha capital.

A tear slips from my eyes ta wet my cheek. That's it though. Tha rest I hold back an' I dump a cigarette in my mouth an' spark it alight. Immediately I feel tha anger, frustration an' regret flow out'a me with every inhale an' exhale of tha white smoke. I don' care wha' anyone says... This shit was therapeutic. Bob was right, it was exactly wha' I wanted.

Beside me, Beth had dropped to her knees. She was starin' at Bob's cross as her hand played with somethin' hangin' off of tha' silver chain 'round her neck. In that moment I was hit with a sense of familiarity...but I didn't know why.

I watch her for twenty seconds. I can't help but see her differently, somehow. And no, not because she had told me she loved me. She had changed sometime durin' my coma. Like she was harder, tougher an' definitely a little more cold. Her eyes had lost tha brigh' ligh' that always shone through in tha darkest nights. She had seen somethin' that almost cost her her faith. And it had somethin' ta do with tha little things she was clingin' onta'.

Before I can speak, she beats me ta it. "Daryl, you know you don't have to say anything about...what I said." She looks at me with those big blue eyes. Sadness an' a tiny inch of hope in them. "I just needed to say it."

I clear my throat, surprised yet not because I was expectin' her ta bring it up soon'a or later. "Beth... I..." I mumble. But then tha words completely fall from my mouth 'cause I don' know wha' ta say! I can admit it ta myself but I can't admit it ta her. My simple truth.

Beth Greene was my world now.

She had somehow snuck inta' my body, stole my heart an' repainted my soul.

Shit that's the girliest shit I've ever thought up. No wonder I can't seem ta form words. This girl had fucked my brain up too. It's a fuckin' fact now, she's gonna' be tha death of me.

She stands on her feet an' gives me a half-sided smile, righ' before she slides her skinny arms around my body an' hugs me tightly. Tha feel of her body so close ta mine is pure bliss, bliss enough that I let go of a crutch ta return tha hug.

"I know what you're going to say Daryl." She says inta' my chest. "It's okay. I get it. You don't love me the same as I love you. You love me like a group member, like a sister. And that's okay 'cause this isn't the kind of world where we should be together anyway. This is a world of survival and love is a weakness. I'm right aren't I? That's how you feel."