Arrows and Angel Wings [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter Sixteen

*Danielle's POV*

We were all gathered around Dale's grave. I had my one of my hands intertwined with Daryl's while my other was on his arm.

"Shouldn't somebody say something?" I asked.

Rick nodded and stepped forward, "Dale could get under your skin. He sure got under mine, because he wasn't afraid to say exactly what he thought, how we felt. That kind of honesty is rare and brave. Whenever I make a decision, I'd look at Dale. He'd be looking back at me with that look he had. We've all seen it one time or another. I couldn't always read him but he could read us. He saw people for who they were. He knew things about us, the truth, who we really are. In the end, he was talking about losing our humanity. He said this group was broken. The best way to honor him is to unbreak it. Set aside our differences and pull together, stop feeling sorry for ourselves and take control of our lives, our safety, our future. We're not broken. We're gonna prove him wrong. From now on, we're gonna do it his way. That is how we honor Dale."

We said our last goodbyes to Dale and turned away from his grave.

"Daryl, hold up a second." Rick yelled from behind us.

We stopped walking and turned around.

"Can I get you to go out with Shane, T-Dog and Andrea to make sure no other walkers are close?" Rick asked catching up.

Daryl nodded so Rick told him, "Be over by Otis' truck in a few."

I walked with Daryl over to the old blue Ford before kissing him and walking off to our tent.

"Dani! Wait up!" I heard Carl yell.

I stopped and turned around to let him catch up.

"What's up?" I smiled tipping his hat forward.

"Can I talk you with about something and have you promise not to tell me parents?" He asked.

"Depends on what it is." I replied.

He went to walk away so I sighed and called him back over, "Carl, come back. I won't tell them."

He walked back over moving his jacket back once he got to me. He pulled a gun out and handed it over to me, "I took it from Daryl's motorcycle. If he found out that I took it, he'd probably kill me."

"And you thought that if you brought it to me I could soften the blow so to speak." I laughed.

"Yeah, I figured he would think you took it and wouldn't say anything about it." Carl replied.

"The only flaw in that is the fact that I'm never out of Daryl's sightline for any extended length of time. What were you doing with this anyway?" I asked him.

"Dale. It's my fault he died." He told me.

"Carl, why would you say that? He got bit by a walker. Why would you that it was your fault?" I questioned him.

"I saw that walker. I was gonna shoot it, it was stuck in the mud. I was throwing rocks at it and stuff. But I was gonna do it, I was gonna shoot it right in the head. And it, it got free then came after me and I got scared so I ran away. If I had killed it, Dale would still be here." He explained.

"Carl, I want you to stop that, you hear me? This isn't your fault, okay? It was an accident." I told him.

He nodded and started to walk away. I went the other direction trying to decide what to do, should I tell Daryl first, then Rick and Lori or should I tell Rick and Lori first then Daryl or all three at the same time? I sighed and picked up the book I had tossed down the other day, before trying to find my place. I found it and started reading again now that I didn't have Daryl to distract me. I had read a few chapters getting into the setting until a Daryl brought me out of it, "There ya are. Ya missed the big announcement. Hershel's gonna let us move into the house."