Skeletons - 𝐷𝑎𝑟𝑦𝑙 𝐷𝑖𝑥𝑜𝑛

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 39 - 𝑰𝒏𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒆, 𝑬𝒙𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒆

Iris woke up in the morning when Maggie changed her IV. She squeezed her hand in thanks, sitting up ever so slowly. She already felt better after one bag of meds, and the second one had just enough pain killer to make her forget she even was sick. Despite the morbid state of the cells, the morning sun shone through one of the windows, and she closed her eyes, leaning into the light. She paused when it was replaced by a tall shadow.

"You look better." His gravelly voice stated.

"You're gonna get sick in here." Iris said with a frown, opening her eyes to see Daryl standing in the doorway. He wasn't leaning or folding his arms like he usually did. He was shuffling back and forth, shifting his weight. He had a bottle of water in his hands, and placed it haphazardly on the table next to her cot.

"Had to see if you were okay." He replied quietly. He moved into the cell, standing across from her and letting her close her eyes to the sunshine once more. Iris hummed.

"Not dead yet." She stated. Well, if she was well enough to joke, she might as well get back out there to kill some walkers.

"Not on my watch." Daryl retorted, and she opened one eye to see him smiling softly.

"Thanks for doing that." She murmured, gesturing to her bag of liquid medication. He nodded.

"Anytime." He replied. She sighed softly in relief, glad he was back, glad the meds were here, glad everyone was beginning to feel better. When she opened her eyes again, he was watching her carefully, almost nervously. "I was worried."

"You, Daryl Dixon, were worried?" Iris laughed lightly, looking up at him. He nodded seriously, and her smile fell. "Can't get rid of me that easy." She replied, trying to bring the jovial tone back. He didn't respond for a moment and she almost wanted to ask if he was feeling okay.

Suddenly, he dropped to his knees in front of where she was sitting on her cot, and wrapped his arms around her tightly. Iris sat stunned for a moment as he buried his face in her shoulder, arms tightening around her waist and shoulders. She didn't know what to do. This was fairly uncharacteristic, for the both of them, to say the least. It felt like forever until she widened her legs to pull him closer, her own arms wrapping around his shoulders and his neck. He sighed, sinking into her embrace as she curled her fingers into the air at the nape of his neck.

They sat there for a moment, completely still, before Rick called her name softly from the catwalk. They pulled apart, Daryl's cheeks and ears flushed an unusual pink. He didn't really look at her for a moment, but when she took his hand and smiled softly, nodding, he knew she understood. He helped her to her feet, slinging her arm over his shoulders to steadily walk over to where Rick waited.

"You doing okay?" Rick asked, gently smiling at the sight of her up and a little more lively than she had been the past couple days.

"Better." Iris nodded, breathing in the air that already seemed less stale than it had the past few days. Rick nodded, his smile falling as he looked between the two of them.

"I, uh, have something to talk to you both about." He said, and that was when he dropped the bomb about Carol. She was the one who killed Karen and David. It was her who killed them in the dark of night and set their bodies on fire. And it was her that Rick had driven out with a car and supplies and told to get lost. Without any consultation of the group or concern for their opinions. Daryl moved Iris to lean against the railing so he could begin pacing. He was getting angrier by the second.

"Man, you couldn't have waited until we got back?" He asked, huffing.

"Until Tyreese got back?" Rick asked, tilting his head in the way he did.