Our Extinction Event {Daryl Dixon}

Paths Crossed

Parker didn't sleep well that night. She was constantly looking over her shoulder. She would panic every time one of the Claimers raised their voice a bit too loud. A chill of dread ran through her bones. Every single time she closed her eyes, she could feel his hands on her, the helplessness she felt when she realized she couldn't do anything to stop him.. she didn't think she could ever get rid of that fear. It reminded her of an incident from a long time ago, one that she preferred not to remember. She and Glenn never talked about it with anyone, not even each other. They swore that no matter what happened, they would never speak of it again. 

There was a moment when Parker almost blurted out the exact circumstance of that run to Daryl, on their way to the CDC. But she had managed to steer the conversation away from the topic. It was something she didn't want to remember. It wasn't something she wanted to relive. What happened that day had carved its way into the back of her mind, but she pushed the memories aside and tried to forget. She kept it to herself, never told anyone about it, and did a good job hiding it. But her run-in with the Claimers had brought it all back. She was terrified of sleeping, worried that she would see faceless enemies tearing her clothes or feel hands on her that weren't gentle like Daryl's. Her eyes fluttered shut and she startled herself awake, Daryl glanced over at her noticing how tired she looked. She was sat up against the wall, and they were relatively hidden from the rest of the group, so Daryl laid on the floor, ignoring the discomfort from lying on the solid concrete. He nudged her leg lightly with his foot.

"Come here," Daryl gestured for her to come closer once she finally looked at him. She shifted slightly, carefully adjusting her body so that she was lying beside him. She was lying on her side, her head resting on Daryl's chest as she snuggled into his warmth as much as possible, trying to hide herself from anyone's gaze. "You know you're safe now," Daryl whispered to her. "I've got you now." Parker nodded, reaching up to brush the hair from his eyes.

"I know. I trust you. They're the ones I don't trust."

"I'll never let anyone hurt you again," Daryl assured her, his promise bringing her some comfort. "Anyone who lays a finger on you is dead." Parker sat up slightly to kiss him, a smile spread across her face as she did so.

"I'm so glad I found you."

"Me too," Daryl replied. "We'll ditch these guys as soon as we can." Parker hummed in agreement with that as she made herself comfortable again. "Hey," Daryl whispered, tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. "I'm gonna protect you, alright? You and the baby." Parker smiled, for the first time since Daryl found her, she seemed happy.

"We're going to have a baby."

"Yeah," Daryl nodded, a smile tugging at his lips. "I didn't think I'd ever find someone to love, I sure as hell didn't think I'd ever be a damn dad."

"Me neither," Parker chewed on her lip. "Especially not during all of this. I mean... we never would have met."

"Even without all of this shit, I'm sure we would've run into each other."

"Yeah," Parker agreed quietly. "If we woke up tomorrow and this was all a dream, what would be the first thing you'd do?"

"I'd go to King's County and find you," Daryl answered. "No matter what happens, I'll always find you. Remember?" Parker let out a content sigh.

"I remember." Daryl rolled onto his side so Parker's head was resting on his outstretched arm, his other hand placed on her hip.

"I ain't good with this romantic shit but I love you."

"I love you too." She smiled, staring into his eyes. "And I also know that you don't have to say it for it to be true." Daryl's fingers ran under Parker's shirt, his fingertips grazing her skin carefully. He had expected her to move away but she moved closer, leaning into his touch. Then his hand passed over something that made him stop, the scar from the bullet. Even after seeing it so many times, Daryl never got used to the jagged scar just above her hip where the Governor's men had shot her. He still had yet to forgive himself for what happened to her that night, his finger traced the entry wound, a stark reminder that he wasn't fast enough to save her. He was going to make sure never to leave without the intention of returning. He wouldn't abandon her, not when she needed him. They were going to have a baby together. They were going to bring a child into the world, and he wanted to be the best father and husband he could be. Parker noticed Daryl's pause, knowing how he felt about her being shot. "We both have scars."