𝙇𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙒𝙖𝙧𝙢 𝘽𝙤𝙙𝙮 : ̗̀➛ 𝙙.𝙙

92

She stood in front of the record player for what felt like forever. He didn't even know she was there. She knew he was right behind the metal door, but he had no idea. She wondered if he was sleeping, if he was hungry, cold. She wondered if he cried at all. She hadn't, she wanted to. She wondered if he could.

She lifted the needle from the record, stepping towards the door. She could hear him move. She crouched in front of the door, placing her palm flat against the door. She opened her mouth to talk but nothing would come out. She pressed her head against the door, sliding to sit on the cold floor.

"I can't stay long," was all she managed to whisper. She heard rustling, she could feel his presence pressed against the door.

"Del?" He mumbled back.

"I'm so sorry. I am so so sorry. I should have never kicked you out. I should have just... I don't know. Now you're in here and Abraham is dead and... And our daughter and... Daryl, I can't even cry. I have to lay beside the man who killed one of my best friends and... it's only my fault and I have to tell you all this because... I'm going to do something to get you out of here, okay?"

It went silent again. He said nothing, and then she could finally feel it, the heaviness in the air, the metal between them, tears spilled down her cheeks.

"Do you remember... At the farm when you went back to my house and got that picture book for me? I knew then that I really liked you, and not in the way I liked Glenn or Rick or Dale. I... Loved you for a long time, Daryl, and it took Glenn dying for me to be reminded of that. I am so so sorry I thought I stopped loving you."

There was a pause. Del could hear her own heartbeat.

"I knew I never stopped," he muttered back.

She inhaled sharply, her lip quivering. She harshly wiped away her tears.

"What are they doing to you in here?"

Sherry voice echoed, sending Del to stand up. She assumed Daryl heard it too because he didn't reply. A polaroid slid under the door. Del grabbed it quickly, stuffing it in her pocket before running to the record.

"I'm sorry." She whispered before dropping the needle back onto the record.

...

Del stared down at the polaroid. It was almost too dark to see what it was, but she knew. She had this image burned into her brain. Glenn, or what was Glenn, smashed into the dirt. They had given Daryl a reminder of what happened every day, but she knew he didn't really need it. She knew the picture would be burned in his mind forever too. She couldn't look away from it. It was almost like a punishment. She forced herself to never forget it.

The door creaked open, she stuffed the picture quickly into her pocket as Negan stepped in, the same stupid smile on his face.

"I have a visitor for you."

Del furrowed her eyebrows, standing up quickly. Her chest tightened. She didn't know why she thought she would see Beth or Jake or anyone back home, but some stupid part of her hoped maybe, possibly, she would.

"Since you have just been... the kindest little thing the past week I thought... You deserve a reward. I'll leave you two to talk!" He stepped out of the room, leaving the door open. Nobody came in for a second. Del cocked an eyebrow, going to step out and look in the hall but before she reached the door the figure stepped in.

Hair long, wild, red. Dels lips parted as she felt her heart stop, feeling her breathing become labored.

"Oh my fucking god." Was the only thing she could manage to say through her labored breaths. Their eyes met, the same eyes she had, because they both had mom's eyes. "Kay.."