Is There Somewhere? |Daryl Dixon

029| girl talk

Small sniffles could be heard all night from the Dixon-Rhodes tent. Frankie was curled in between Daryl and Sabrina, her shoulders shaking up and down in anguish as the scene replayed in her mind. She felt guilty, so, so guilty. Sabrina rubbed her back gently as she let every single feeling out and Daryl tried not to focus on the fact that he ended Dale's life. It was the right thing to do, there was no doubt about that. The older man was suffering. He was in pain, it was merciful and Dale wanted it.

Sabrina, leaned her head against Daryl's shoulder. The man had a strong arm wrapped around both of his girls, taking care of them like he always promised. He didn't mind when Frankie nearly shoved him off of their cot in order to get closer to her sister. The young girl didn't necessarily know about their new relationship anyways, she had her suspicions, as every nosey 12 year old did. She didn't pry though.

"Shh... it's okay baby, it's gonna be okay." Sabrina whispered to her baby sister. The girl that was her baby.

Daryl watched the sight with an achey feeling in his heart. Try as he might, he knew there was nothing he could do in this situation. There was nothing he could do to calm Frankie's tears. He knew there wasn't much he could do to shield her from the atrocities of this world. Not when he couldn't even shield her from her parents before the fall.

Instead of saying anything when there was nothing to say, when nothing would bring Dale back to life, Daryl said nothing at all.

+

Dale's funeral was bright and early the next morning.

The group circled around the newly dug grave that held their friend, quiet tears rolling down their faces as Rick spoke. Frankie didn't hear anything other than Carl's own cries. They killed Dale. They were the reason Dale was dead. They were the reason everyone was sad. They caused this pain.

It was immediately followed by the decision to move everyone inside of the farmhouse to avoid something like this happening again. Frankie followed behind Sabrina like they were attached at the hip, her small hands tucked into her sleeves as they came to a stop next to Daryl who stood at the end of a pick up.

The man didn't need to look down to see that Frankie had stopped right at his hip. In a familiar motion he wrapped his arm around the girls shoulder, rubbing her arm as she dug herself further into his side. She got like this when something was on her mind. When she wanted to talk but didn't know how.

"Ya cold?" He asked her and she shook her head despite the way she was shivering.

"Uh-uh." Frankie said and though he didn't believe her he didn't say anything. Sabrina's worried gaze was laser focused on the two of them. When it locked with his own she shook her head, a small pout gracing her soft features. Frankie wouldn't talk to her either.

"Gonna be tight, 14 people in one house." Rick said to Hershel.

"Don't worry about that." Hershel responded. "With the swamp hardening, the creek drying up."

"With 50 head of cattle on the property, we might as well be ringing the damn dinner bell." Maggie said.

"She's right, we should've moved you in a while ago." Hershel said, agreeing with his eldest.

"Alright, let's move the vehicles near each of the doors." Rick said. "Facing out toward the road. We'll build a lookout in the windmill, another in the barn loft. That should give us sight lines, both sides of the property. T-dog, you take the perimeter around the house. Keep track of everyone coming and going."

"Come on Frank, grab that bag." Daryl said, putting the girl to work. She listened, grabbing the large bag in front of her. It was probably half her weight. "'Less ya think ya can't get it, can find somethin' smaller for ya."