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Raven woke before the sun.
The room was still dim, washed in that soft gray light that comes right before dawn. Carl's arm was draped over her waist, his slow breathing warm against the back of her neck. For the first time in weeks, her mind wasn't racing. No nightmares. No voices. Just... quiet.
She lay there another moment, memorizing the warmth, the steadiness, the rare safety.
Then she carefully slid out from beneath his arm.
Carl blinked awake almost instantly. "You leaving already?" he murmured, voice scratchy with sleep.
Raven turned, pulling her shirt over her head. "No. Just getting ready. If we don't get out of here soon, someone's gonna barge in."
Carl smirked as he sat up, rubbing his face. "Yeah... wouldn't want that." He stood, found his jeans, and tugged them on. "You okay?"
Raven paused mid-button. "Yeah," she said softly — and surprisingly — meaning it.
Carl smiled that small, lopsided smile only she ever got to see, then stepped closer, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Good. Then let's face breakfast before my dad starts asking questions."
Raven rolled her eyes. "He already suspects something."
"He suspects everything," Carl corrected, pulling on his boots.
When they finally stepped out of the room, sunlight had just started slipping in through the windows of the community's corridors. The smell of breakfast trailed from the main hall — something warm, something comforting.
They exchanged a look, then headed down.
The Main Hall
Voices buzzed loud even this early. The group was scattered around the long tables — Judith laughing with RJ, Gabriel reading something, Rosita braiding her hair one-handed while balancing a cup of coffee. Carol and Maggie were in a quiet conversation, and Daryl sat near the corner, arms crossed, looking like he'd been up for hours already.
As Raven and Carl entered, conversations didn't stop, but a few pairs of eyes flicked over.
Raven ignored them. Or tried to.
Carl grabbed two plates and handed one to her. "Sit with me," he said quietly.
She nodded and followed him toward the table. Judith's grin was instant. "Morning!" she chirped.
"Morning," Raven replied, trying not to sound as flustered as she felt.
Carl bumped her shoulder gently. "You hungry?"
"Starving."
She sat beside him and tried focusing on the scrambled eggs instead of the heat creeping up her neck.
Across the room, Daryl's eyes flicked up.
He watched Raven for a long moment — not with judgment, not with suspicion. Just... observance. Something quieter. Something new.
Raven caught his eye for half a second before looking away.
She shoveled a bite of food into her mouth. "I, uh... need to go check the control room. I didn't monitor the perimeter after last night."
Carl choked a little on his bite. "No one expects you to jump right into work this morning."
Raven shrugged. "I expect it."
She stood, picking up her walkie and knife from the edge of the table.
"I'll be back," she said to the group.
No one questioned her — they never did. Raven disappearing to handle something was normal. Routine.
What wasn't routine was what happened next.
"I'll go with ya."
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Raven turned toward the exit, but a low voice came from her left.
Daryl stood, chair scraping quietly behind him.
"I'll go with ya."
The entire group paused.
Raven's brows lifted slightly. "You... will?"
He shrugged like it was nothing, though the motion was stiff. "Could use a check on the west cameras anyhow."
Carl blinked, confused. "Daryl? Since when do you volunteer for camera duty?"
Daryl shot him a look sharp enough to slice. "Since I felt like it."
Carl raised his hands in surrender.
Raven tried reading him — his face as unreadable as ever, but something about the way he glanced toward her was different. Less distance. Less walls. Like maybe, for once, he wasn't trying to keep her out.
"...Alright," she said quietly.
Daryl gave one small nod, then walked toward the door. Raven followed.
The moment they stepped into the hallway, the sounds of the main hall faded behind them, replaced by the hum of generators and distant chatter.
Raven finally spoke. "You don't have to babysit me."
"Ain't babysittin'," Daryl muttered. "Figure if you're headin' alone, might as well make myself useful."
She shot him a sideways glance. "Since when do you worry about me?"
He didn't answer at first. They reached the stairs leading up to the control room. His boots thudded softly as he stepped beside her, his gaze straight ahead.
"Since you're part of us," he finally said. "Whether you think ya are or not."
Raven's steps faltered — just for a second.
Daryl kept walking.
She followed, heartbeat strangely loud in her ears.
Maybe it was because of last night. Maybe it was because Carl wasn't the only one who noticed she'd been different lately. Maybe Daryl had always been watching more closely than he let on.
Whatever the reason... For the first time, Daryl Dixon had offered to stand beside her.
And Raven wasn't sure what to do with the warmth that stirred quietly in her chest.
