The Black Rose

Chapter Twenty-Six

***Author's Note***

I just think that the song above is basically the perfect love song for Daryl and Rose. :-) This is the chapter where Rose and Daryl finally admitted their love for each other. So make sure you grab some popcorn, tissues and listen to this song while reading!!!! :-) THEN COMMENT AWAY!!!!!!

***The story continues***

Rose's wild tresses spilled over her shoulders as she bent her knees onto the dewy meadow. She couldn't process what was happening to a place that she fought so hard for. This strange human feeling of attachment. She just didn't understand how much it pained her to see her outer courtyard infested with zombies. While Daryl, from a distance, watched the fiery warrior fall to her knees as she stared up to the cloudless sky. If he didn't know any better, he'd think that Rose was questioning God.

As Daryl approached the female who held herself as if she had no worries, totally relaxed and in the zone despite the bullets flying around her, his heart was unsteady. A rush of emotions overcame him. He missed her so much that he wanted to squeeze the hell out of her. But he was wary. Rose was usually unpredictable.

He found himself getting closer and closer to the love of his life. For the first time, he noticed that the way the light hit her high cheekbones had created strong dark shadows and caused her face to appear sharp and almost lethal. And then the way her rosy lips narrowed into a thin line that was recognized as an action she did when she thought, before splitting into a sadistic grin that scared and thrilled Daryl at the same time. The way her hair whipped about, caught in the maelstrom of war and casting her head in a fiery halo, appearing to ripple about her like blood that she had shed.

He was just noticing everything about her for the first time. She was... beautiful.

Suddenly, her stormy multi-colored eyes zeroed in on her targets. Her pupils narrowing with concentration before blowing wide at the excitement and adrenaline that came with blood and death. It was only mere moments ago that walkers were enclosing Rose. The next moment revealed decapitated walkers forming a neatly handmade circle around the female warrior. Daryl bit his lips, unsure if it was safe to approach the redhead assassin.

There was no doubt that she was an assassin. A trained assassin. The perfect killing machine. The way she walked, shoulders back with her long sharp swords in between her shoulder blades. The way her feet padded lightly through blood and various body parts. Just stepping over fingers and arms as though she were stepping over pebbles and fallen branches in the forest, with such casualness and ease that it set nerves on edge and hearts skipping. Daryl knew her victims were doomed the moment she locked eyes on them. She seemed so calm, so sure of herself and her blades despite the modern technology around her. Sure of her life, of her prey's death.

"Hot damn. I would've come sooner if I knew this chick was like this." Merle snapped Daryl out of his daze. Rose was now in the inner prison yard as she embraced Hershel and exchanged some words with the others.

Daryl sighed, glancing over to his older brother. "I'd keep my mouth shut if I was you. You're already on shaky grounds."

"What the hell is he doing here?" Glenn spat out when Merle sauntered into the inner courtyard with his brother ahead of him. Daryl just didn't want to deal with the animosity between his brother and the rest of the group. He just wanted to talk to Rose. But it seems that Rose was completely oblivious to Daryl and Merle's arrivals or just didn't care. Daryl's heart sank as he watched Rose disappeared into the prison building.

Rose had to check on Judith. She was left unattended inside when Maggie came outside to assist the group. But when Rose came up the stairs to see the little box cradle, Judith was sleeping. Her tiny eyelids were closed, oblivious to the chaos occurring all around her. Rose smiled, knowing that she had protected this little infant from the harsh world out there just a bit longer. She headed into her cell to grab formula; it was almost time for Judith's feeding.