Our Extinction Event {Daryl Dixon}

Revelations

Leaving words unsaid was the same as letting a wound fester. It slowly got worse, and at first you might not notice the small changes that occurred, but eventually you realize that something is terribly wrong and it's too late to stop it. It may come on slowly, but at the end of the day, an infection spreads no matter how fast. It was the same with leaving things unsaid. It was what Parker and Daryl repressed that began to drive a wedge between them, things like Denise's death, Daryl's time in captivity, and Parker's thought process when she killed all the people who had kidnapped her. 

As they sat on the bed, with the door closed and the curtains drawn, the two dove into the inner workings of their relationship. They started from where the problem began, when they moved to Alexandria and had a conflict of opinions about their future. From there, everything became vine infested branches, tangled and confusing, but they worked their way through them, loosening the knots and discovering the sources of their problem. Later, when they both had tears in their eyes and murmured 'I love you' to each other in the darkness of the bedroom, Parker felt as if a weight had been lifted from her chest. 

Talking to Daryl about everything that had happened since they arrived in Alexandria had helped her immensely- way more than she'd expected it to- and she felt much better about where they currently were. They both had a better understanding of the silent battles each faced and could now understand and recognize where their emotions had come from. Parker knew that Daryl was angry at how he was treated, because he wasn't used to being forced to submit, and Daryl knew that Parker was careful whenever she picked up a weapon in worry of becoming the same way she had when she killed her kidnappers. Not that the killing part was the problem but how she felt whilst doing so. 

With everything out in the open, the air felt clearer around them, and when Parker leaned in to kiss Daryl, it was like kissing him for the first time. She would never get tired of him, all his scars and his imperfections. As she pulled him in for a hug, her fingers brushed over the scars on his back, reminders that he had been living a life of survival long before the end of the world, and every time she saw them, she was reminded that this man just needed to be loved. For the first time in a long time, Parker was holding Daryl. She sat propped up against the headboard with pillows behind her back, the sheets covering half of her body. He was lying with his head against her chest, running his hand absentmindedly over her stomach.

"I'm glad we talked," Parker said quietly, trying not to disturb the peace in the room. "I feel like it was something that both of us needed."

"I ain't usually good at talkin'," Daryl replied. "But it felt good. Like a weight has been lifted off my damn shoulders."

"That's how I feel," Parker agreed, running her hands through Daryl's hair. "And I know I don't say it enough, but I love you more than you'll ever understand."

"I love you more."

"But there will be a couple people I may love a little more than I do you," Parker responded. Daryl looked up at her, a confused look in his eyes.

"Who?" She smiled, and although Daryl had seen traces of happiness on her face since Carl had died a few times, this smile was so full and genuine that it made his heart skip a beat when he saw it. Parker reached down to place her hand over Daryl's, flattening it on her stomach.

"The twins. Obviously," Parker said in a soft voice. "Who do you think they'll look more like?"

"For their sakes, I hope they get most of their looks from you," Daryl replied. "If the poor kids get anythin' out of me, I'll feel sorry for 'em."

"No, don't say that," Parker scolded with a light laugh. "I want one to look like you, with your dark hair and your mysterious eyes." Daryl scoffed at the description.