Our Extinction Event {Daryl Dixon}

Nothing Is Normal

A few weeks passed, and a strange sense of normalcy took over the town of Alexandria. Everyone continued their daily routines, there were no immediate threats or attacks that needed to be dealt with. It was almost as if everything was back to normal, which felt strange to Parker. She went out with Glenn for a drive. It was something they had gotten used to doing, just to keep their minds occupied. They sometimes explored shops or old buildings in the areas they drove through, but more often than not they came up empty-handed. When Parker found a couple of half-empty packs of cigarettes in an abandoned house, she smiled thinking Daryl wouldn't mind taking them. She managed to find a zippo lighter and an untouched bottle of whiskey that she was certain Abraham wouldn't mind taking. The day after their trip, she found Daryl outside the house, working on his motorcycle. She took out one of the packs of cigarettes, turning them over in her hands. 

"Glenn and I found this yesterday," Parker said, holding up the pack. "I don't and definitely can't smoke, but do you want them?"

"Sure," Daryl shrugged lightly, taking the cigarettes. "Thanks." A moment of realization crossed his face when the rest of her words processed in his head. "You went out with Glenn?"

"Yeah," Parker nodded, flipping the lighter open that she'd found and lighting the cigarette. "Glenn and I have been going on drives sometimes. To distract ourselves."

"You bein' careful?" He asked, not doing his best job at masking his worry. "After everything?"

"Yes," She replied in a snappy tone. "I can't be afraid to leave. As much as I like it here.. I hate it."

"Fair enough," Daryl agreed, blowing out smoke. "Just makin' sure."

"When am I not careful?" She changed the subject after the look he sent her. "I'm glad you got your bike back."

"Yeah." He nodded, looking at it. "I should've killed him."

"There are a lot of people we should have killed," Parker stated simply. "But sometimes things sort themselves out. I hope that wherever he is though, he's suffering."

"Nah, I should have killed them all," Daryl muttered angrily. Parker shuffled over to him and rested her head on his shoulder.

"It's who we are. We can't help it."

"I still should've done it," He murmured.

"Hey," Parker spoke quietly but sternly, reaching for his hand. "Who we are now and who we were... are different people from different worlds. It's not our fault we had to adapt. I'm absolutely certain I wouldn't have survived this long If I wasn't forced to change."

"Yeah, you're right," He agreed after a moment. Parker dug into her pocket and took out a couple of photos, passing them to Daryl.

"Here, take them with you whenever you go out."

"Why?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at her as he took them.

"Because," She rolled her eyes slightly, laughing. "I found the first one in the drawer. I didn't think you'd kept it." It was the picture Daryl had with him when the prison fell. The one of Parker sleeping soundly in her old cell. He smiled at the memory but soon frowned when he remembered what looking at the photo meant to him after losing the prison.

"Why do I need this?"

"Just to remind you that we always find each other," Parker replied. "You had that after the prison got destroyed. So maybe it's your good luck charm or something?"

"What's the other one?" Daryl asked, flipping it over. It was one of the ultrasound photos, on the back Parker had scribbled the words 'We always find our way back, I love you' and then signed her name.