Surviving. (Book Two.)

Chapter Fifty Two.

Daryl;

It was quiet, but I heard it. The crackle of the radio and then Sarah's soft voice saying my name.

My hands scrambled to grab it from my belt and I almost dropped the damn thing, raising it to my lips, "Sarah?"

"Yeah, it's me."

I let out that breath that I was holding staring at the walkers making their way into the lake, "Yer okay?"

"I made it," she confirmed, "I'm at the infirmary. Was that you who started the fire?"

"Yeah, it was."

"Smart."

I smiled to myself, "Alrigh', stay put. 'm comin' for ye' baby."

I heard her laugh before sniffling quietly, "I'll be waiting."

I leapt down from the truck and began fighting my way through towards the building. Knowing that she was alive had given me a new burst of energy and it wasn't long until I reached Rick and the others and by now, they had take care of a good chunk of the walkers and I knew that I wasn't going to be able to leave them until every last one of them was dead so I pulled the walkie talkie out again, "Change of plan, freckles. I gotta stay and help get rid of 'em first."

"I expected nothing less." she crackled in reply, "Be safe and I'll see you when I see you."

**

It took us till morning, but we did it and when we were sure that they were all dead, I followed everyone else towards the surgery, where she was but before I even made it to the bottom step, the door opened, Sarah emerged and she practically flew down the stairs to me.

"Jesus," I muttered when she collided with my body, "'m glad to see ye' to."

She kept her face hidden in my neck and when I felt tears dripping onto my skin, I pulled away, making her look at me and my face fell.

"What happened?"

Shaking her head, she caught hold of Rick's arm as he passed, "Back bedroom. We thought he'd be more comfortable."

He gave her a nod, disappearing inside and I secured her chin in my hand, "Wha' happened?"

"Carl got hurt pretty bad. Jessie and her kids are dead. I don't know where half of our group are. And Zeus, D-daryl, I don't know if he could have made it through."

I sighed, pulling her against me with my chin resting on top of her head. Her hands gripped onto my vest, causing me to hiss in her ear when my shirt rubbed against my cut.

She frowned, moving to where she was standing behind me and I felt her fingers gently moving the material out of the way.

"What...?" she asked, concern etched across her face as I turned, "You're hurt."

"It's jus' a small scratch."

"Small or not, it can still get infected. Denise will stitch it up." she took my hand and led me up into the house, where Rick was talking quietly with the doctor woman.

"When ye' said Carl was bad, how bad?"

She pat the gurney for me to hop onto, "The bullet, it got him in the eye. Or it caught the bone and bounced off. I'm not really sure but I think he's lost his eye."

"Damn."

**

Sarah;

I stayed with Daryl while he got stitched up, watching closely as Denise closed the gash quickly.

"Just let me say goodbye to Rick," I said as he shrugged his shirt and vest back on. He gave me a nod and I slowly made my way through to the bedroom, knocking quietly on the door. "I just came to say that Daryl and I are going to go check our place...how is he?"

"He squeezed my hand," he said breathlessly and I saw that there was a tear in his eye, "Sarah, he squeezed my hand."

I let out a sigh of relief and sagged against the door frame, "That's great Rick, really. If you need anything, I mean anything, you know where to find us."

Getting up, Rick came over and pulled me into a hug, "Thank you. For staying with him. It means a lot."

After saying another quick goodbye, I joined Daryl back out front and we started walking in the direction of our bungalow and it was silent between us but I couldn't help but feel that there was something odd about him. Something different.

"Wait," I said suddenly, pulling him to a stop, "Where's your crossbow?"

"Some asshole took it."

"The same asshole that gave you that cut?"

"No," he shook his head, "Some other asshole."

"Damn," I muttered, "How many assholes did you meet?"

"Jus' a couple." he breathed, taking my hand when we reached the end of our path.

The bungalow didn't look as if anything had happened to it but the front door was open.

"We could'a missed one," he said, pulling out his knife and I watched as he approached the door, turning to look at me, "Comin'?"

After deliberating with myself for a couple of seconds, I nodded and quickly followed, ducking into the sitting room while Daryl went through to check the bedroom.

Satisfied that the room was indeed empty and safe, I turned to shout to him but I heard him mutter a quiet shit.

"Daryl?" I called, moving towards our room but he met me at the door, his hands resting on my waist as he tried to push me back, "What is it?"

"'m not lettin' ye' go in there. Ye'...ye' don't need to see him like tha'."

I looked down, clamping my lips together in an attempt to stop the tears that were threatening to overspill as I realised what he was trying to tell me.

This was all too much. Jessie, Sam, Ron. Carl getting injured and now this.

"Are you sure?" I whimpered, "He couldn't just be sleeping?"

It was pathetic even asking that but I just didn't want to accept the fact that my dog was dead.

Daryl reached out and brushed away an escaped tear, "No. 'm sorry, babe."

I started crying then. I cried for Jessie and her kids. I cried for Deanna and everyone we had lost.

I don't really know when, but Daryl slid us down to the floor and comforted me until darkness fell.

**

the ending is crap and i'm sorry but i totally cried while writing this and i am so sorry i had to do it.