Our Extinction Event {Daryl Dixon}

Devising A Plan

After the meeting, Parker walked back to the house with Daryl, Rick, and Morgan. When he was introduced to her, Parker was stunned. She remembered the story Rick had told her when he had just found them back at the Atlanta camp.

"You're Morgan?" Parker asked, "The Morgan who helped my brother?"

"The same one," Morgan smiled at her. "It's nice to put a face to your name finally. Rick talked a lot about you. I'm glad he found you."

"Thanks for giving him the chance to find us." She thanked him.

"Hey," Daryl said his first word since he'd gotten there, just now noticing the medical tape on her cheek and the dark bruise that had formed on that side of her face. He pointed at her face, making sure she couldn't dodge the question. "What the hell happened?"

"Would you believe me if I said I walked into the door?" When she looked him in the eyes she already knew his answer and she sighed. 

"Not anymore." He carefully turned her head to the side, anger filling his eyes. "Someone do this to you?"

"An elbow to the face. But I'm fine." She turned her face away, stepping to the side. "Besides, he's dead now."

"I weren't even gone for five whole damn days," Daryl muttered angrily, maybe more disappointed.

"A lot can happen in the span of just two days. imagine five." She argued jokingly. When they got to the house, the first thing Daryl did was help himself to a bowl of cereal, pouring a bowl for Morgan too. Parker stood beside Daryl as he sat on one of the stools, occasionally stealing a bite of his food when he offered her a spoonful.

"You were right," Morgan broke the comforting silence as he handed Rick the map that had been left for him at the church by Abraham. "It wasn't over."

"We should talk more tomorrow," Rick told him and Morgan nodded. "Listen..." He sighed, walking over to the island they were sitting around. "I don't take chances anymore."

"And you shouldn't." Morgan agreed with him.

"Rick, you should go clean yourself up," Parker said through a mouthful of cereal. "You're covered in blood," Daryl grunted, nodding his head.

"You look like shit, man."

"Okay, I get it," Rick shot his sister a dirty look. "I'm going to take a shower."

"Make sure to actually clean up," Parker called after him. When he left, Daryl gave Parker his attention.

"So, you gonna tell me what happened while I was gone?" She thought about it for a moment. "Rhetorical. No lyin'." She sighed, her shoulders falling.

"Fine." Once they caught up, they went upstairs, getting ready to go to bed. Parker laid down next to Daryl, her head on his chest as she listened to his heartbeat. "I missed you," Parker whispered tiredly. "I hate that you get to go out there and I don't."

"I missed you too," Daryl responded, quietly telling her about his time out there, minus the near-death experience he and Aaron faced. "But, I made it back, didn't I?"

"I wasn't worried that you weren't going to make it back," She murmured. "I was worried you'd decide that you liked it more out there and just not come back."

"Never," Daryl assured her, placing his hand just above her stomach. "I would never leave you. At least, not forever."

"You better not," She warned him, not able to fight back her smile. "Just hold me for now. I just want to be here, with you, and forget everything else for a while, even if it is just for tonight." Daryl did exactly that, holding her in his arms until she fell asleep, and even until he fell asleep. He hadn't seen her in days and she was all he had on his mind the entire time. He hated having to leave her, but he also knew she was better off here in Alexandria. If he spent too much time trapped within these walls, he would go crazy.