Complicated ✔

Ch. 49 - Kathryn

DARYL'S POV

Carl and Oscar disappeared down the corridor, leaving me where I knelt down in front of the walker I'd pulled Kat's knife from. Slowly, standing to my feet, I made my way back towards the cell block. Coming back across that one door that had the weakened walker in it, I stopped and looked over to it as it slowly pushed open before closing back again. Deciding I wasn't ready to go back yet, with Kat's knife still in hand, I sat down on the floor with my legs crossed in front of me as I began stabbing the knife into the concrete floor I was sitting on. I glanced up at the door as it opened slightly once more when I brought the knife down. I tightened my grip on the knife before lifting it up and quickly bringing it back down again.

I could feel my anger and frustration bubbling towards the surface as the memory of me letting Kat down came to the forefront. As I took deep breaths with each hit the knife took to the concrete, I tried to calm myself down but it seemed to only anger me more. With the tip of the blade on the ground, letting out a deep breath, I leaned back against the wall and stared the door down as it continued to open and close. Whatever was inside was trying to get out, but it wasn't trying nearly hard enough to succeed. I readjusted my grip on the knife before bringing it up and stabbing it back into the ground again.

The anger I was feeling, over letting Kat down, was beginning to overpower me as I sat there. I picked up the pace for when I stabbed the ground before I finally had enough of this and decided to take the anger I was feeling out on the walker just on the other side of the doorway. Standing up after slamming the knife into the wall beside me, I stepped forwards and kicked the door hard. I was beyond irritated at this point as I started pacing, deciding if I really did want to take on the walker on the other side. For all I knew, it could be her, and I'd be forced to put the knife through her head and bring her body back for her brother to see. But it was something we both needed at this point, and I think Rick needed it as well. We all just needed to know.

Finally making up my mind, I placed the knife in my mouth before grabbing the dead walker in front of the door and tossing the limp body to the side. Prepared for anything, I quickly made my way back towards the door after tossing away the walker, I jerked the door open with the knife in hand as I was ready to stab the walker on the other side when I stopped. There, sitting on the ground against the wall near the door, was the familiar red hair that belonged to only one person in our group. I watched as slowly she turned her head towards me, causing me to kneel down next to her with the knife still in my hand, ready to stab her if she really was a walker. I lightly placed my hand under her chin, lifting her head up so that the lights caught her eyes.

She looked dazed and confused, but she didn't have the glazed over eyes that the other walkers had. "Hey Tarzan," she whispered out, a faint smile crossing her lips as she looked up at me with her tired blue eyes. Putting the knife away, I quickly bent down and picked her up. She rested her head against my shoulder as I carried her slowly out of the tombs. Glancing down at her every couple of steps to make sure she was really there, I watched as she closed her eyes but held on tighter to me with her arms around my neck. It's when her arms went limp around me that I quickened my pace, scared that something had happened.

Making it into the cell block, the others seemed to be away as I entered, heading straight to the first cell I reached. I laid her down on the bed and looked at her as she laid there, seeming so peaceful with her eyes closed. Her breathing was shallow, but she was still breathing all the same. Her hands were resting on her stomach, her head turned to the side slightly, and her clothes filthy from three days ago and covered in walker blood. Gently, I picked up her hand closest to me, holding it in my larger one as I waited to see if she'd wake back up soon. I didn't sit there and wait long, before I spotted her lashes fluttering slightly and her breathing picked up to a normal speed. I sat there watching and waiting, as her blue eyes slowly opened before peering over at me.

KATHRYN'S POV

I was exhausted, physically and mentally drained. I was so tired I thought I had been seeing things when Daryl opened the door to the room I was hiding out in. I don't remember much after that, I just remember finally blacking out. And now, I'm slowly looking around at my surroundings as I tried to figure out where I am before my eyes land on a pair of very familiar, and very worried blue eyes. That's when I feel my hand in his, causing me to look over towards our hands. His grip tightens, causing me to look back up at him to see his expression changed from worried to sad. "I thought you were gone," he whispered out as I stared at his blue eyes, "I thought I'd failed you." "Why would you think that," I asked, my voice hoarse and scratchy because of how dry it was.

Instead of answering me at first, he let go of my hand and walked out of the cell I was in. This was my first time getting to look around well enough for me to realize that this wasn't my cell. The sound of Daryl's footsteps coming back brought my attention to the door as he entered with a full bottle of water. I slowly tried to sit up as he handed me the now opened bottle, giving me time to drink from it as he thought about his answer. "I was always there to protect you," he said after a few minutes of watching me, "from day one in that camp. But I wasn't there this last time." "You tried," I said as my voice already sounded better now with having had some water, "you're the one who found me. That's all that matters, that I'm back and I'm safe."

He looked at me doubtful before he leaned over towards me. Already knowing what he was doing, I met him half way as he brought his chapped lips to mine. Most of the kisses we've had since the loss of the farm have been rough, needy. But this one, it was gentle, and I could feel the fear seeping out of him from the thought of losing me to those walkers when the prison was attacked. When he finally pulled away, he rested his forehead against mine, locking his blue eyes with my own as he stared at me. We didn't say anything, just enjoying the company of one another before the sound out in the commons area to the cell block brought us back to reality. I pulled away and looked towards the door at the same time he did. He glanced back at me, his eyes seeming to shine now, as he stood to his feet. "I'll be right back," he said before walking to the cell door and disappearing from view.

Yeah she ain't dead. My story would be over if she was dead lol. So! Who nearly screamed when that guy fired his gun just to Daryl's left? And then the guy takes Daryl's crossbow and bike? Oh hell no! You don't take Dixon's bike or crossbow and live afterwards!
- Kenz