In The End | Daryl Dixon

Chapter 56: Twice as Far

I sat down beside Daryl on the front porch step, glancing at the cigarette hanging out of his mouth. 

"You glad you got her back?" I gestured towards the bike in front of us. Ever since he got it back he had been working on it in front of the house. 

"You have no idea." He muttered against the cigarette before taking a drag. 

"Those people you met, the ones in the burnt forest, they took it from you?" I asked.

"Yeah." He said simply, blowing out a puff of smoke. 

"You saved them, right?" I asked again, but he was silent as he stared ahead at his bike. "Sorry." I muttered, now looking ahead at his bike as well.

"I should've killed 'em." He finally said, taking another drag before putting it out on the pavement. "How are you feelin'? About Tyler and all?" 

I let out a deep sigh. "I don't know honestly--I don't know what he's mixed up with, but I know my brother and he wouldn't do something like this unless he had no other choice." 

I began to pinch my skin at my wrists. I needed to feel something other than feeling like I wanted to crawl out of my skin. I felt him grab my hands, making me stop my assault on my wrists. 

"Come here." He leaned me onto his chest, and wrapped his arms around me, holding onto me. 

I inhaled his scent, a comforting blend of smoke and musk that felt like home. The steady beat of his heart resonated in my chest, each thud soothing me, filling me with a warmth that made me feel safe.

It was quiet for a few moments, until we heard an awkward throat clear next to us. 

"Hey- I mean hi." Denise said quietly. "I didn't hear anything you guys said." 

I leaned off of Daryl, smiling up at her. "Hey Denise. What's up?" 

"Do you guys mind helping me with a favor?" She asked nervously. When she took our silence as a sign to keep talking she did just that. She unfolded a map she was holding. "After I got out of DC, I just drove. I remember seeing it right when I realized I had no idea where I was going. Edison's Apothecary and Boutique. It's just this little gift shop in a strip mall, but if it's really an apothecary, they had drugs." 

"How do you know they still got 'em?" Daryl asked her. 

Denise shrugged as she looked between Daryl and I. "It isn't that far. I just wanna check. And you both aren't out scavenging or pulling shifts." 

Daryl stood up, pulling me up along with him. "We'll go." 

"I wanted to check. I just wanted to help." 

I looked between her and Daryl as he began asking her questions. 

"How much time you spend out there?" He asked, nodding to the world beyond the walls. 

"None." She admitted. 

Daryl shook his head. "Forget it." 

"I can ID the meds. I know how to use a machete now. I've seen roamers up close. I'm ready." Denise pleaded her case.

Daryl turned to me. "You good with this?" 

"No." I stated as if it was obvious. 

Denise looked at me, then back to Daryl. "I'll go alone if I have to." 

"You'll die alone."  Daryl responded. 

"I'm asking you both to make sure I don't." Her voice more stern. 

Daryl stared at Denise then flickered his eyes to me, as if asking me what he should do. 

"I'm not baby sitting her by myself." I said simply.