Barely Surviving // TWD // Daryl Dixon #Wattys2016

Chapter X -- Companionship

10.

"We don't meet people by accident. They are meant to cross our path for a reason."

- Unknown.

I walked into the room and saw Daryl lying on his good side, his back was facing me, which was covered by only a blanket. He lifted his head to see who had walked in and then rested it against the pillow once again.

"You almost look as pretty as I remember you," he mumbled as he closed his eyes, I felt my cheeks burn.

"Almost?" I asked with a small chuckle, trying to not freak out about what he said, I never thought Daryl of all people would ever compliment me or call me pretty.

"Well, you are clean now but you still look like shit."

"I bet I look better than you," I told him, sitting next to him on the bed, his back still facing me. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm good," he said. "I've been worse, believe me."

I put my hand on his shoulder, I could feel him slightly tense but he relaxed soon after. I smiled down at him.

"I never got the chance to thank you," I told him. "I would still be out there if it wasn't for you."

"It's nothing," he muttered, looking away from me.

"No, it's not nothing," I told him. "It means everything to me, I don't know how long I would have kept it up without water or food and being in danger all the time. You saved my life, Daryl."

"We saved each other," he whispered.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing!" he exclaimed quickly.

"Come on, tell me!" I urged him, he sighed.

"I was about to give up, I was so close to fall unconscious again when I saw you, I fought for the two of us. I couldn't fail you."

"You didn't," I told him with a smile.

Then I leaned down, and carefully wrapped my arms around him, making sure I wouldn't hurt him, then I kissed his forehead, just under the bandage that was covering his cut from the bullet.

"I can't believe Andrea shot you," I exclaimed, feeling my blood boiling. "She could have killed you."

"I'm fine," he assured me, like if it wasn't a big deal.

"Can I ask you something?"

"What?" he snap, he was pretending to be annoyed by me but somehow I knew he really wasn't.

"What was going on when I found you? You said I should vanish or disappear. I admit I was a bit scared when you told me to go away and leave you alone. What was all that about?"

"I guess I hit my head quite hard when I fell the second time," he said with a sigh.

"You fell two times?" I asked in surprise.

"I saw Merle, he talked to me. I knew it was just in my head," he told me. "And then I saw you and I could swear you were another hallucination but you were your real you... you are here now."

"Yeah, I'm here now." I nodded. "Thanks to you."

"I was just lucky to be the one to find you."

"Don't be modest," I told him. "Lori told me you went out everyday to look... for us. You spent all the day, every day in the woods and I can't say how grateful I am to you for doing that."