TWD- Little Heart Of Iron

59. Alexandria.

"Covering the area" consisted of Blake and Daryl circling the barn about ten times, looking for any unwanted company. The other group was still out checking out the cars Aaron had mentioned.

Blake had been procrastinating. She wanted to talk to Daryl about everything- about Beth, about Tyreese. But she didn't want to make him feel worse. She had no idea how to start a conversation like this? Should she comfort him? Ask him what's wrong?

"Are you mad at me?" Blake asked, not really looking up at Daryl but still walking beside him. "I think...maybe I did somethin' wrong, and m'sorry if I did. I just don't want you ta stop talkin' ta me," she said nervously, fiddling with the handle of her knife.

Daryl looked down at the girl as he walked, a hint of guilt in his eyes. He looked back up, squinting his eyes as the sun hit his features. "I ain't mad. Not at you," Daryl said, shaking his head slightly.

"Oh," Blake breathed out. Feelings were hard for her to understand. "Mad at the world, then?"

For a moment, Daryl was silent, letting thoughts fill his mind as he walked. Then he nodded his head. "Yeah," he said. He stopped for a moment, sighing. Blake stopped beside him, looking up at him. She was almost expecting him to start crying, which she would've felt horrible for, but he didn't. He slung his crossbow over his shoulder and out a hand on Blake's shoulder. He knelt down slightly so he was at her level. She wasn't so short now. He didn't have to kneel on one knee to be at her level anymore.

"I've been sad. Been feelin' a lot a' things. Most of us have," Daryl said, making sure Blake saw the sincerity in his eyes. "But that don't make it right for me to stop lookin' out for ya. Yer my kid. My responsibility, and m'sorry if I made ya feel like that wasn't true no more."

Blake's expression was a sad pout as she looked at Daryl. He was sorry? This whole time she thought she was the one who should be apologizing, but it was the other way around.

"I can't just stop bein' sad whenever I want, but I also can't forget about ya. That'll hurt the both a' us," Daryl finished, patting Blake's shoulder as he stood back up to his full height.

Blake spoke up again to cure the awkward silence as they continued walking. "Do...ya think Aaron is lyin' about this place? You think it's really safe?" She asked.

"I don't believe none a' that shit," Daryl said in slight annoyance. "Guy puts on a good show, though."

"Maybe," Blake shrugged her shoulders. "I wonder if it'll be anything like the prison. He said it's a community. Maybe there's kids," Blake said. If it was anything like the prison, she hoped it wouldn't end with the place blowing up into flames.

"I wouldn't count on it," Daryl scoffed. "Listen, just stay on yer toes. Be aware, just like you are now. Just b'cause we'll be inside walls don't mean we'll be safe," he explained, his tone more serious. Blake nodded.

"I know," Blake assured. She'd let her guard down too many times before. She wouldn't let it happen again.

"This, this is ours now," Rick said to Aaron. Blake and Daryl had returned to the barn a little while ago, along with the group that checked out the cars. They found a buttload of food. Spaghettios, canned fruit, vegetables. And canned sweet corn. Blake loved sweet corn, so much so that she ignored the fact that they'd found soda, too.

"There's more than enough," Aaron said. He was now tied to one of the pillars in the barn.

"It's ours. Whether or not we go to your camp," Rick reciprocated even though Aaron made it clear already that he understood.

"What- what do you mean?" Carl asked, sounding irritated  "Why wouldn't we go?" He seemed so be convinced that this place was safe. Blake still wasn't sure, but she was leaning more toward Carl's side rather than Rick or Daryl.