Our Extinction Event {Daryl Dixon}

Sleepwalkers

Once they had gotten back to the prison in relative silence, Parker went up to the watchtower and Daryl went to tell Beth the bad news about Zach. She sat with her feet dangling over the edge as she tried to figure out how the camera worked, fiddling with the dials and batteries. It was one of those old-fashioned Polaroid cameras, so she had made sure to get a handful of cards before things had gone to shit at the supermarket. Parker sat in silence, looking out over the fences to make sure nothing was out there besides the occasional walker. 

There was no one to talk to, and she was able to be alone with her thoughts. This was the place Parker went to when things got bad, and after they walked through the front gates she didn't want to be around anyone. She was tired of losing people and seeing Zach die had hurt her more than she thought it would have. He was just a child, naive enough to think that he could make it in the new world, but brave enough to face it. He didn't deserve what happened to him, and what hurt her the most was the reminder that it could have happened to any of them. 

As Parker worked on the camera and took a photo of the field to test it, she heard footsteps behind her. She didn't turn around to see who it was, recognizing the familiar footsteps as she took the card from the camera and shook it, waiting for the picture to develop.

"I knew I would find you up here."

"Where else would I be?" Parker asked in response, tilting her head back to look at Daryl. "Look what I grabbed."

"A camera?" Daryl sat down next to her, looking at the camera as if he'd never seen one before.

"Yes," Parker nodded her head, showing it to him. "I realized that I have nothing to remember any of you by, so I'm going to start taking pictures. So... in case something happens, I'll have something to remember you."

"That's morbid." Daryl took the camera from her and she shrugged her shoulders.

"Yeah, it's a bit dark. But it's also realistic. Pictures make moments last longer."

"You okay?" He placed a hand on her shoulder, rubbing it. "I talked to Beth."

"I'm okay." She placed her hand over his giving it a small squeeze. "How's she doing?"

"She'll be fine," Daryl sighed, setting the camera on the floor beside him. "I'm tired of losin' people."

"Same here," Parker agreed, resting against the bottom bar of the rail. "Glenn and I were talking about kids today."

"Sounds interesting," She looked at him with an unimpressed look, he didn't find it interesting at all.

"You came up here so you're stuck listening anyway. As I was saying, it made me think, you know?" Parker looked ahead, her eyes tracking a few walkers who joined a larger group on the fence. "I don't want to be afraid to live."

"But what about what happened to Lori?" Daryl watched her not knowing where she was going with this.

"We didn't have the medical equipment and still don't," Parker said, trying to contain the sadness that came over her as she thought about her sister-in-law. "I'm not saying we should try because it's definitely way to soon. But there's only so many ways we can be careful, you know? If it ever happens... how would you feel?"

"Always wanted to be a dad," Daryl responded, his voice low. "And we'll figure it out when the time comes." Parker nodded her head, accepting his answer.

"Oh, just so you know, Glenn already said he wants to be the godfather." Daryl laughed at the news.

"Why ain't I surprised? You and him are attached at the hip."

"Yeah, well he's been my best friend since the beginning and God knows there aren't many people left from the original Atlanta group." Daryl pulled Parker towards him, hugging her tightly.