Silent warrior: A Daryl Dixon Fan fiction

Chapter 29: A New Friend

"Aren't you worried about running into a certain someone?" Tara smugly asks me as we move to another piece of sheet metal.

"Actually, I totally forgot about that" I respond staring off into the town. "I guess if it happens, it happens. There's more important things to worry about right now" I say, truly believing that. Besides, Daryl is back now so the fear of running into Clint isn't as overwhelming as it was previously.

"Pfft. Sure" she responds rolling her eyes.

"We'll help keep an eye out." Rosita says with a small smile "won't we?" She elbows Tara to respond. Tara glances up momentarily to her friend but nods in return.

We work through the night putting together the whole in the wall. Abraham and Eugene drove the truck off site somewhere and are just now getting back. They walk to the front of the town and go straight to Rick and Daryl. I'm not close enough to hear what they are saying but I try and read their lips as they speak in hushed tones. I don't get much but I'm pretty sure I read "shit ton of dead headed this way" from Abraham. Daryl catches me looking over at them and a scowl runs across his tired face. I turn my attention back to what I'm working on and do my best to avoid eye contact with him the rest of the morning. The sun starts to rise high into the sky just as we finish putting the wall back together. It looks just as good as it did before and I'm thankful the truck damaged the look out tower more than than the wall.

I stumble back to the house with everyone else and we all pile into the living room, finding spots on the floor to sleep "why don't you sleep up in your room princess" Tara scrutinizes me as she squats down on the floor.

"Someone else can use it. I'm fine here" I return to her, hoping the others heard me. I've never liked the idea of me staying up there even when I was injured. I figured they would start to resent me for that, and it seems I was right.

I hear a grumble from the other side of the room and Carl sits up "can you guys shut up already.." He mumbles crankily.

I nod to him to assure I would and lay down on the pillow. I close my eyes and fall asleep almost instantly.

"Back off, will ya!" a loud voice brings me too and I sit up quickly. I sit up with enough time to see Daryl storming out of the room. I get up quietly trying to let whomever is still asleep stay resting. I reach the door pretty quickly and turn to see Michonne and Carol huddled together down the hall.

I rush out the door, without shoes into the brisk cold air and run after Daryl "hold up!" I call out to him. He doesn't turn around or slow down and keeps walking quickly down the road. As I follow him I look up to the sky and take note that it's early afternoon still. Although it seems the entire town is asleep.

Daryl turns a corner and I quickly try and catch up to him. When I turn the corner, there isn't any sign of him. I can't tell where he went and I'm left stunned at where he could have gone off too. I take a few steps forward to stand at a small fork in the land. I look for any sign of what way he went but don't find any. I shrug to myself and make my way down the way to the right. I walk slowly, listening for footsteps or sounds giving away his location. I only have to walk a few more moments before voices are being heard. I don't understand what they are saying so I keep moving towards them only slower, so they don't hear me.

Eventually the sounds I'm hearing turn to words and I listen closely "I can't now, not like this. She won't understand." I recognize Daryl's voice.

"Well, this is taking forever and I'm not going to wait for you to break it to her easy" a woman's voice responds to him and I stop my feet. She's speaking in a low tone so I can't tell who it is and my concern grows deeper who is he talking to? Wait to tell me what? The questions flow through my head like a flash flood and I try and push them down when he speaks again.