Too Far Gone // D. Dixon

chapter eleven

Maren stood up from her spot around the fire, following after Daryl Dixon.

She watched carefully as he paced around inside the front of the barn. She hated seeing him so upset or angry, and he had been like that a fair amount of times, but always away from the group. He knew that it was best to blow off steam away from the others, he didn't want them to see him like that. He had a deep-rooted fear that they'd finally see him for who he really was, who Merle had always told him he was; just somebody who was no good to anyone.

Maren stepped closer to the archer, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder as she spoke softly, "Hey, you doing alright?"  The air was heavy with a mix of tension and unspoken thoughts.

Daryl turned to look at the girl, "Yeah..." He noticed that her hair had fallen messily out of her ponytail and into her face. Daryl's gaze wandered to Maren, his eyes lingering on her face. But this time, it was different. It wasn't just a passing glance or a casual observation. He found himself caught, unable to look away, forced to confront the feelings that had been silently growing within him.

He had seen Maren as closed off when they had first crossed paths at Terminus. She had been guarded, keeping her secrets hidden from the world. But as their journey unfolded, as he witnessed her resilience and strength in the face of unimaginable horrors, something had shifted within him. He couldn't deny the depth of his care for her anymore. He cared, more than he cared to admit.

Fear gripped Daryl's heart, tightening his chest. He had cared deeply for others in the past—Sophia, Beth—but ultimately, they had been torn away from him. The pain of those losses still lingered, etched into his soul. And now, faced with the realization of his feelings for Maren, he couldn't help but wonder: What if he lost her too? He wasn't sure he'd be able to cope with losing anyone else.

The conflicting emotions churned inside him, tearing at his resolve. He knew what had already happened to her, and he hated that he couldn't have helped her, so he had vowed to keep her safe. He wanted so desperately to keep her safe, to shield her from the dangers that certainly lurked in this world. But he also felt a deep desire to be close to her, to understand why she had captivated him so fiercely. It was a perplexing mix of protectiveness and an inexplicable attraction, leaving him both bewildered and fearful.

He was careful when he stepped closer to her, brushing the strand of hair behind her ear as he watched her eyes.

Maren felt her body tremble from the initial contact, but she fought herself to not flinch away from the softness of his touch, telling herself it's not them, it's not them, it's not them. You're fine, You're fine, You're fine.

Daryl wasn't usually one for physical displays of affection, but it was a time that they both needed it. A sign they were both still human. Summoning his courage, Daryl took a deep breath, preparing to voice his emotions. But before the words could escape his lips, the sound of thunder rumbled outside, drowning out his thoughts. The storm intensified, rain pouring down in torrents, as if the very heavens were unleashing their fury.

And then, the unmistakable sound of shuffling feet and undead groans reached their ears. Walkers were approaching the barn.

Their moment was abruptly shattered. Daryl's gaze locked with Maren's, an unspoken understanding passing between them. There would be no time for heartfelt revelations, not now. The sudden and rampant noise of the doors swinging brought him down from his sudden display of affection. He stepped over to shut them back, as did Maren. What shocked them both was the sight of a cluster of walkers just at arm's reach of the barn doors.

"Shit!" Maren shrieked, helping Daryl wrap the chain links together in a bind. The pair pushed their entire body weight against the door as the walkers hit the other side. It was not enough, nowhere near enough to stop them.