Broken Wings (Daryl dixon x Reader)

Chapt. 19: Wonderland

It was early in the morning when I snuck out of the house. I had a book in hand and wanted to escape to one of the far-off fields. What I didn't want to happen was to run into Austin. Unfortunately, he was waiting for me when I reached the bottom steps out of the front door.

"There you are," He said with a smile, a smile that almost scared me. Why was he being nice all of a sudden after what happened yesterday? I looked at him, trying to hide my confusion, there was a large bruise on his cheek that matched the one he gave me, however, the one he had was from Daryl.

"Look we need to talk about yesterday, I lost my temper and I'm sorry, I won't do it again." He opened his arms as if waiting for a hug, but I didn't hug him.

"You lose your temper too often."

"Come on, my love, it was just a lot going on yesterday, I will make it up to you."

"You hit me."

"I'm sorry about that dear, you know I didn't mean to."

"What happened was no accident, now if you will excuse me.." I said trying to go past him but he blocked my path.

"Come on, Y/N, at least talk to me."

"I just did."

"How many times do I have to say I'm sorry before you will forgive me?"

"You aren't supposed to hit the people you love."

"I know and I'm sorry about that, just please forgive me and we can leave what happened in the past, I won't ever do it again, I promise." He was trying to sound sincere, but it was hard to believe the man, that held me by the collar of my shirt and hit me. Nevertheless, screamed at me.

I was about to say something but I heard Daryl's voice from behind him, "Problem here?" he asked causing Austin to turn, Daryl had his crossbow slung over his shoulder, almost glaring at Austin, as if daring him to say something.

"No, we were just having a little chat, after our fight yesterday." Daryl squinted at him, he didn't like that answer.

"Y/N, is that true?" I didn't want to cause more trouble than there already was so I just nodded my head. Daryl looked me up and down, he didn't believe me and I knew it. I decided now was the chance to hurry off while Austin and Daryl were staring daggers at each other. 

I hurried past Daryl and headed towards the fields. I went to the same oak tree I had found the day before, where I sat down and read Alice in Wonderland. It was a children's book, but I didn't care, I enjoyed children's books more than most adult fiction. 

I wished I was in Wonderland, instead of this world, I wished I was Alice and fell into the rabbit hole instead of this world full of the dead walking.

I had just gotten past the part where Alice meets the mad hatter when I heard footsteps on the grass behind me. I looked up, from the world of Wonderland, where Daryl stood.

"Sorry. Didn't know you were over here." 

"It's fine." I was hidden among the tall grass anyway so I understood why he didn't know I was there.

"Uh, whatcha readin'?" He asked nodding towards the book in my lap, my hand on the page.

"Alice in Wonderland." He nodded. He was silent for a second, I guess deciding what to say next.

"You want company? I mean in case that asshole comes around?"

"You can sit if you want, I'm fine though." He sat down across from me picking at the grass.

"Never had much interest in books,"

"How did you pass your free time then? Before everything."  He shrugged picking at the blades of grass, picking seedheads out of some. I smiled at that remembering how I used to do the same as a kid. 

"Y/n?" I heard my brother call me. I was down by the creek, it was a hot day and I had gone down to the creek to wade and try to find arrowheads. I had just gotten out of school for the summer months. I would be in fifth grade the next year.

"Over here!" I heard my brother's footsteps come towards me. He had a bag that had the Baskin-Robbins, ice cream logo on it.

"Gotcha a treat." He smiled taking a cup out with a top on it, and a spoon, handing it to me. I smiled sitting down on the creek's edge keeping my feet in the creek. I began eating my ice cream, it was my favorite flavor, blue raspberry with sprinkles. He laughed at me while he ate his, just plain vanilla.

"Momma and Daddy went to Aunt Minnie's already?" I asked enjoying the cool and tasteful spoonfuls of ice cream.

"Yeah, Wish we could have gone, but we got to take care of the animals. Plus it's their anniversary trip." Luke explained, I smiled. They always went to visit my aunt in the mountains for their anniversary. They would spend a night in Tennessee then a couple days at my Aunt's, then they would head back home on Sunday, it was Wednesday now.

"Besides you and me will have the best time together, we will have pizza tonight and watch movies, then tomorrow we will go over to Grannie's and we will go swimming at her place. Then maybe Saturday we can go for a trail ride with Coco and Star." I smiled loving that he had already made plans for us. Coco and Star were our rescue horses and they were so gentle and big.

I finished my ice cream, put the empty container in the bag, and began picking at the seedheads. "What about Friday?"

He frowned, "Well, I gotta work that day, I know I said I would be off till Monday but someone is sick and can't work his shift." I nodded, a bit disappointed that he wouldn't be home.

"Buttttttt," He drug the word out, "I called, Molly's mom, and she said that Molly would love to have a sleepover that night and you can spend all day with her Friday." I perked up at that smiling at him.

"Thought you might like that, now come one, let's go order that pizza and watch those movies." I laughed and skipped down the trail and towards our home.

"Y/N?" Daryl's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "You okay?" 

"Yeah, sorry was just thinking." He nodded.

"Look, about Austin, was that the first time?"

"First time what?"

"He hit you."

"Yeah, he said he was sorry, said he wouldn't do it again, but...I'm not sure."

"Yeah heard that before," That caught my attention.

"What do you mean?"

"My old man used to apologize when were kids, but, eventually he stopped apologizing and it just got worse."

"You mean, your dad?"

"Yeah, he did, don't tell anyone though, I'm telling you because I really don't want to see that asshole hurt you again. Maybe telling you that it only gets worse will convince you of that."

"Why...Why do you care?"

"Because it ain't right, what happened at the barn wasn't right, I saw him drag you like he did, him and Shane..." He sighed shaking his head "Ain't right."

I looked at Daryl studying him. The hardass, redneck of the group was worried for my safety. I still didn't fully understand why, I didn't think he cared much about the group after the barn. 

"Wasn't your fault," I said finally, after a few minutes of silence.

"What wasn't?"

"Sophia, the barn, that wasn't your fault."

"Never said that I thought it was."

"You don't have to say it, Daryl, you are only around in the early morning and late afternoons, ever since what happened, you moved your camp so far away. You blame yourself, and you don't want to lose anyone else." Daryl scoffed standing up.

"Look, just, just, watch yourself, I ain't playing your knight in shining armor no more," I guess I hit a nerve. "Ain't my fault you ended up with that psycho." He grabbed his crossbow and walked off. He was trying to keep his walls up. I knew it. He hated that someone knew the truth, that underneath that rough exterior, he did care.

I watched a bird fly over head, at least they can fly away from the mess of a world.