Night Shift (oc x Daryl Dixon)

(16) something in the orange 

The sun was slowly raising. As the group was driving to the highway. For all of them hoped everyone would meet up there, regroup. She couldn't lie through, it did feel good having other people hoping as well as her.

While on the drive, Madeline had a lot of time to think. For no one said a word since the second everyone got into the car. Like everyone had been put on mute for the past hour.

But she truly did have time to think. Which is all she ever wanted in this world that ever gave it. The cruel curse of this world was just when they get you time to think, you have so much to think about. That you just want to shut off your brain.

Madeline thought about everyone.

She thought about her sisters, where they are right now. If they knew to come back to the highway, as rick said they would know to do.

She thought about Lori, T-dog, Glenn, Carol, Jimmy, Patricia, and Andrea. She even wonder about Shane, she cared less about him. But she did wonder where he might be along with everyone.

Did anyone know to come back to the highway? Did all of them make it out the farm?

But she kept coming back to one person.

Daryl Dixon.

He was smart, he knew what to do in hard situations. He had to have made it out, she forced myself to believe. The idea of something happening to him almost made her feel sick. Sicker than how she felt when she thought about the others.

But it wasn't just them she thought about.

She thought about herself too. She thought about what T-dog I told her about the world. She thought about how she felt like she had changed enough to make it in this world. Especially after the farm.

She fought back. She fought and that's what it takes. She didn't just let the world run it's course. She fought and she hoped. And now her dad is still alive. She still had hope the others were too. And if they aren't at the highway, she would fight to find them.

Madeline was brought out of her thoughts when Carl shifted in her arms. She hadn't let go of him since they got into the car, for he was just a kid. Just a kid having to live in a world that always makes him fear if he will see tomorrow.

He had his head down taking in everything that had just happened. He had no idea with his mom was still alive. No one had any idea of who was alive other than who was in the car. He was grateful to have his Dad, Hershel, and Madeline. But he wanted his mother.

Carl wiped his eyes, as Madeline pulled him closer to her. Hugging the young boy, who was so upset. She couldn't stand to watch him cry, to watch any kid cry as a matter of fact. But this one she knew, and this was had a good reason.

"They're alive." She whispered into her ear as she held him close to her. "You have to have hope." It was the first words spoken in an hour. For everyone in that car, it felt like the good first words to say.

Rick watched from the front through the back mirror. His heart felt warm for a second, watching someone care for his son who was hurting. But not only that, watching someone hope so strongly about everything.

It showed him what the world had been missing.

After a couple of minutes the car came to a halt, causing Madeline to look up. They were at the highway, the one where she had been on before. Just before the world fell apart. Somehow it looked completely different.