The Odd One Out ~A Daryl Dixon X Reader~

Chapter 56

Daryl

Running. Everyone was running. But he couldn't see her in the fray, where was she? He called her name, but he didn't get a reply. No cry of fear, or relief to see him, or any-- A high pitched scream of pain burst through the clearing. He knew it was hers and he started to go after it. He stopped in his tracks, the breath leaving him, as all he saw was blood.

Daryl stopped short in horror, making a sort of strangled noise. "(Y/n)!" He cried, rushing over to her on trembling legs. She was on the ground and bleeding. Bleeding, bleeding, bleeding. There was so much blood.

Daryl wheeled around to glare at whatever had hurt her, and saw a gunman holding a sniper. He leveled it at Daryl, but someone came up behind him and the man fell in a splatter of scarlet. Rick passed by in a flash.

Daryl scooped up (Y/n), trying to control his shaking. Feel nothing. He thought to himself as the world blurred from tears. Feel nothing. Everything was slow as he staggered his way to the woods, feeling the terrible, sticky warmth seeping all over him. Her blood.

He had never felt this helpless. He had never been unable to do something, never felt this much pain. His chest felt hollow and firey, and his lungs wouldn't work, but he kept going.

Carol and Dale were standing at the edge of the woods, like a beacon of light. Carol let out a cry and Dale rushed off as soon as they saw his angel in his arms, bleeding everywhere. Blood, red, blood. Everywhere. Now all over him.

"Help her." Daryl croaked out in a voice that wasn't his own. What was wrong with him? Carol took his angel- now white as the clouds- and began to walk into the woods. Daryl stood for a second, shaking, even though all he wanted to do was run.

He took a deep breath, then another, and another. He forced his lungs to expand and exhale, then he forced his lead legs to begin moving. What's wrong with you?! He shouted internally to himself as his tears dried. Now he didn't feel so much in pain, he felt numb.

He followed Carol's loud footsteps, ignoring the fray behind them and tried not to think about all the sticky red covering him. The sky grew bright, neon red and darker as they came to a clearing in the woods.

Carol set (Y/n) on the ground and Dale rushed over with a bunch of cloths. A cry sounded behind Daryl and he turned to see Beth rush to her side. She grabbed the cloths and began to press them to the area with the most blood.

Rick put a hand on Daryl's shoulder. "It'll be okay." But Daryl could see in his blue eyes he wasn't sure. Daryl sighed through his nose, controlling the tears again.

"She's tough." Daryl grunted. "She got us out. She'll be fine."

The sun continued to set, and the air got colder. Beth began to cry as she attended to (Y/n). Daryl helped set up camp, and went out to hunt, but he couldn't. No matter how hard he tried, he lumbered through the brush like a bear and overshot any prey, making him furious.

His mind was a constant circle. Blood, her, his weakness, his inability, her, blood. The fire began to die down and everyone was alseep, so (Y/n) was only lit by the dying embers. Carol stood nearby, vigilant, but Daryl couldn't stop it anymore.

"Angel, kitten please." He whispered, crawling up beside her and touching her clammy skin. "Oh please, (Y/n). I love you so much." Hot tears began to run down his cheeks. "I know I don't tell you enough, but I love you. Please, please you can't die. You can't--" He was cut off by his own sob.

Carol watched him, unable to help. Daryl buried his face in her hair and began to cry, holding his angel in his arms. "I love you... I love you so much, please don't die."

And then- a feather light, a butterfly's wing fluttering- she stirred, and coughed.

She was alive.