Catch Fire | Daryl Dixon

REVELATIONS

That night, the group had a cheerful celebration. It was the first time in a long while that we were able to eat real food, thanks to the canned goods Rick and the others had brought back. The church was filled with laughter and conversation, the atmosphere almost reminiscent of the days before the world fell apart.

Daryl made his way over to me, carrying two plates of food. He handed me one with a small smile before sitting down beside me on the pew. The sight of the food made my mouth water, and I couldn't help but feel grateful for this small moment of normalcy.

"I can't wait to throw this up tomorrow morning," I said with a playful grin.

Daryl bumped my shoulder gently, a smirk on his face. "Just eat it," he replied, his tone teasing.

We continued eating, our conversation turning quieter and more intimate as we enjoyed our meal. The laughter and chatter of the group provided a comforting background noise. Daryl and I shared a quick kiss, the simple act of affection grounding me in the midst of the chaos that had become our lives.

As I pulled back, I noticed Eugene watching us again, his gaze lingering a bit too long. I felt a shiver of discomfort and leaned in closer to Daryl. "Eugene's watching us again," I whispered, trying to keep my voice low.

Daryl glanced over at Eugene, then back at me with a mischievous glint in his eye. "He probably gets off on watching," he joked, his tone light.

I cringed, laughing despite myself. "Gross, Daryl."

He chuckled, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and pulling me closer. "Just ignore him. We've got better things to focus on."

I nodded, feeling the warmth of his arm around me and the comfort of his presence. Despite the unease Eugene's gaze brought, I knew Daryl was right. We had each other, and in this moment, that was all that mattered.

The celebration continued around us, the church filled with a rare sense of joy and camaraderie. For a few precious hours, we allowed ourselves to forget the dangers outside and simply enjoy being together.

Abraham stood up, raising his glass. "I'd like to propose a toast," he announced, his deep voice cutting through the chatter. The room fell silent, and all eyes turned to him. Daryl and I looked over, his arm draped protectively around me.

"I look around this room... and I see survivors. Each and every one of you has earned that title." Abraham declared, his voice filled with conviction. "To the survivors!"

A chorus of "cheers" broke out around the room. I stayed silent but smiled, feeling Daryl's grip tighten around me, his warmth seeping into my skin.

Abraham continued, his tone becoming more intense. "Is that all you want to be? Wake up in the morning, fight the undead pricks, forage for food, go to sleep at night with two eyes open, rinse and repeat? 'Cause you can do that. I mean, you got the strength. You got the skill." He paused, letting his words sink in. "Thing is, for you people, for what you can do, that's just surrender. Now, we get Eugene to Washington, and he will make the dead die, and the living will have this world again. And that is not a bad takeaway for a little road trip."

Judith cooed softly, drawing a gentle kiss on the head from Rick.

Abraham turned to Eugene, his expression serious. "Eugene, what's in DC?"

Eugene straightened up, his voice confident. "Infrastructure constructed to withstand pandemics even of this fubar magnitude. That means food, fuel, refuge."

"Restart. However this plays out, however long it takes for the reset button to kick in, you can be safe there. Safer than you've been since this whole thing started," Abraham added, his eyes scanning the room.