𝙇𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙒𝙖𝙧𝙢 𝘽𝙤𝙙𝙮 : ̗̀➛ 𝙙.𝙙

82

Daryl POV

Daryl narrowed his eyes at the building. There was a tense silence in the air. They bid their time, waiting for the sun to go down. He had a sick feeling in his gut but he didn't show it. He questioned if Del was right. Maybe it was more than hormones. Maybe they were doing the wrong thing.

"You okay?" Carol stepped beside him, her arms folded.

"Yeah." He nodded.

"You don't have to lie," she nudged him with her arm, "Is it Del?"

He tucked his lips, looking down at his boots. He didn't say anything but he knew Carol knew.

"You worried about her?" Carol questioned.

"Nah... I just... What if she's right? About all this bullshit?"

"Of course she is." Carols response took him back. "It is a massacre, and I know what it's like to be a new mother with an opinion. Everyone looks at you like you're weak, like you're crazy, but we have to do what we need to survive."

He looked back at the compound, nodding.

"Am I doin' the wrong thing being here instead of with her?"

"If you have to question that then there's your answer."

He glanced at her as she walked away. He should have stayed. Should have listened to her. He knew how it felt to be alone, maybe he was pushing away. But now he had two weaknesses, Del and his daughter, and that scared the hell out of him.

...

Del POV

"Are you scared?" Jake stepped out the front door as Del rocked with Beth in her arms. She stared at the gates. The morning sun had came up. She thought of the night before, why the group weren't back yet. Spencer, Daryl, her daughter.

"They should be back by now." She shook her head, trying to keep her panicked breath steady. She watched Spencer on the wall. He would glance back at her every once in awhile, but she would avoid the eye contact. He had been right, about Daryl being there. He should have stayed, if he loved her, he would have. She wondered how valid Spencers point could have been if he had kissed her though. He shouldn't have done that. She wondered if she had given that impression, if she should tell Daryl. He would lose his mind.

"Hey..." Jake leaned on the banister in front of her. "You are going to worry yourself to death, Delilah."

"I can't stop."

"I don't like seeing you like this."

"Nobody believes me, not even you."

He sighed, looking down at his feet.

"I just... I wish you could feel safe. You're always paranoid."

"I have a right to be."

"It's safe here, Del. We are okay. For the first time in our lives, we're okay."

She looked at him. He was right, as terrified as she had been, she hadn't ever felt this safe with her dad. Not even when she lived with David. Not even at the prison. But she now knew how easily things could fall apart, and that was what made this place the scariest. She couldn't ever fully sleep, always scared of an attack or for walkers to overrun the place. Always scared of something.