ꜰᴏᴏʟ'ꜱ ᴍᴀᴛᴇ || ᴛᴡᴅ

148: ʟᴏꜱɪɴɢ ᴅᴏɢꜱ

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They all met up at one of the apartments, that Tomi had set up as a temporary hospital and general place to keep people safe. He took Rachel into the kitchen, and began surgery.

Lydia was there, with Danny. He was shaken, to say the least. And told Sami that Lydia had been bitten, and he had to cut it off. It was just the two of them, alone in a caravan, and he had to cut off his best friend's arm, only to come here and find out his other best friend was shot.

Sami sat in the living room with Rosita and Coco. His arm was over Rosita, as she lay on his shoulder, with Coco on her lap, who was holding tightly to Sami's other finger. The three nights of next to no sleep caught up with him, and the the absolute shit show that was now, he fell asleep with his head atop of hers, feeling calmer than he had in days. Though at footsteps, he'd wake up for a moment, only to kiss her head and go back to sleep.

A knock at the door make her look up, and see Danny standing, watching them. She smiled at him, but she looked beyond exhausted.

He walked over, looking at Coco. 'I can look after her if you two want some sleep.'

She shook her head. "No, it's okay, Dan. I just want to soak her up, you know?"

Danny noticed her eyes were glossy, a mix of both a frown and a smile on her face. But he wasn't sure what it meant.

'I'm glad you guys are okay.' He signed, as he sat on the couch in front of them. 'I'm so used to you all being here . . . I can't really imagine a world were Sami doesn't have his family. Or they don't have Sami, you know? I know that would be the least of my problems if something happened any of you, I just . . . I don't know. With Rachel and everything . . . she talks about constants. Things that stay. That bring you comfort. You guys are one of them.'

She didn't say anything. She just watched him sign, and then looked down at Coco again, as she, too, slept, holding tightly to her Dad's finger.

It was strange. As if it was in the air. He didn't want to ask.

He tapped her knee, and she glanced at him to see his eyes were glossy, now, too.

She nodded.

He grabbed his knife from his belt, the same one he cut Lydia's arm off with, but she shook her head, and pulled the neck of her shirt away to show the bite on her shoulder.

Danny tried to wipe his eyes so he didn't cry, but he could feel the skin around them burn.

This was too much. This was too much. Not Rosita.

She shook her head, as tears silently fell from her eyes. "Stop. It's okay. No crying, Dan. Sami can read you like a book, and I don't want him to know yet. I don't want anyone to know yet."

"I don't think . . . " His hands shook so bad he could hardly speak to her. "I don't think he can survive it."

"You're gonna make sure he does. For Coco."

He got to his feet, wiping his eyes "I'll let you have your time."

She nodded, slowly. "Love you, Dan."

"I love you, too. I'll look after them. I promise."

Daryl was in the other room with Rachel and Carol. She was laying on the kitchen bench, after her surgery. Tomi said she'll be fine, so he was sitting, waiting.

"Danny's worked up." Carol said, watching them.

Daryl didn't say anything. Just kept his chin on the bench, watching her.

"You could talk to him. See if you can calm each other down a little."

He still said nothing.

A Rachel moved a little, a soft groan coming from her lips, making them both stand up, Carol placing a hand on her head.

"Hey. Hey, you." Carol smiled, as Rachel began to stir.

Her eyes opened, slowly, like before.

"Hey, Rachel?"

They weren't blue like before. Her eyes opened, showing grey green eyes, and she snarled, lifting her head to bite Carol's hand, but her hand went to her shoulder, holding her back.

Carol didn't say anything, as Walker Rachel began thrashing to try and get away, knocking her Pooh Bear off the bench and onto the ground at Daryl's feet, as he stepped back, looking at her.

"Daryl." Carol said slowly, her voice breaking. "Daryl, there's a lot of people here. Vulnerable people."

He shook his head.

"I can do it." She took out her knife, as tears gathered in her eyes. "I can do it."

"Don't-" He walked forward and took her knife as the same happened him.

He took the snarling red head from Carol, holding her against himself as Carol stood back, and Rachel's attention was now on him, as she thrashed, trying to get to him.

He positioned the knife under the back of her head as he began crying. This couldn't be happening. It wasn't. Tomi said she'd be okay. He said he'd done what he could. She was Rachel. She was so young. this wasn't what was supposed to happen.

He remembered her when she was little, strangely enough. So scared of the people in the prison, yet hiding behind him. Years later, when he left to look for Rick, she demanded to go with him. Then even going to the Commonwealth, she only wanted to be with him again.

"I'm sorry." He kissed the top of her head, and pushed the knife into the back of her head.

She went still.

He slowly lowered himself into the chair he had been in, and lay her carefully on his lap, as Carol watched, wiping a tear from her cheek.

And Daryl began to cry.

Rachel was dead. Just like that. His daughter was dead.