Silent warrior: A Daryl Dixon Fan fiction

Chapter 36: Broken Dreams

I run from the crumbling debris and jump forward as I trip to make sure I'm out of harms reach. The same ankle I twisted from jumping out the window all those months ago rolls now and I push through the pain and stand up, running to safety. Rick halts after the wall plummets on the ground and shouts out "Everyone, get back! Get into your houses, go!" A biter grunts towards him and he quickly bashes its head in while stepping back.

Deanna shouts out now "Back! Get back!" and a gunshot goes off. There's a scuffle and Deanna is on the ground, Rick right next to her. I run over and help Rick get the walker that's on top of her off "you all right?" I ask reaching my hand down. More gunshots go off now. We continue moving our way into Alexandria and towards a house. The dead grunt and snarl their way towards us all and we try our best to keep them a good distance apart.

As we are running forward there's a static hiss that rings through the air and a voice emits soon after "Rick, you copy?" another static jolt "Anybody?" he asks and the line goes dead. I knew it was him, even through the static and the chaos, I knew it was him.

"Rick, your walkie!" I shout, my eyes wide as I run to him now and for the walkie at his waist. He turns his head towards me, wondering what I'm shouting about and trips over his own feet.

"Shit. Damn it!" he mumbles as he rolls on the asphalt and stands up quickly. "What'd you say?" he looks to me frantically. Except I don't keep his gaze for long as my eyes fall to the ground where the walkie, now broken, lie's in pieces.

A deadhead gets close to me but Rick steps forward and kills it before it could get a bite "thanks" I huff out, running forward again "Daryl, he radioed you" I tell him as I keep the pace with him. Rick looks to me with recognition, feeling relief knowing he's alive.

"We'll use Michonne's!" he says as we get to the house.

"Good, you're safe!" she says coming to the end of the grassy area. Jessie appears out from the front door with a worried expression.

She stops at the steps and waits for Rick to reach her "I have Judith. Come on!" She pulls at his forearm and he nods, turning once before entering the house to shoot one in the head that was getting closer.

I follow closely behind him and Michonne and the door closes tightly. Carl walks in from another room with Judith and Rick puts his arm around his son while taking his baby girl from him. He rocks her slowly, assuring everyone in the room that they will be okay. "Michonne, where's your walkie?" Rick asks her, looking determined. She grabs it off her belt and passes it over to him, everyone staring to see what he's doing "Daryl?" he asks over the static. He waits a few moments, continuing to look out a closed blind "Daryl, do you copy?" He asks. We hear nothing back "Damn" Rick gives up, clipping it to his own belt now. Even though my stomach turns because he didn't respond, I still feel relieved knowing he is alive out there. As we stand there now, we realize the music that is playing. It's loud enough for the dead to hear outside and Rick shouts towards Jessie "where?!" He asks and demands. He passes Judith over to me and he and Michonne help Deanna make her way to the couch.

"upstairs" Jessie says, suggesting they all move. I follow them all up the stairs slowly, losing sight of them but still able to hear "This one on the right" she tells him.

"Which room?" He asks lowly, determined for her to explain it more clearly.

She must point out when she speaks back "Go in there!" because after that I hear two separate doors open "Sam, I need you to turn off the music and shut the blinds" she tells her youngest. I'm standing outside his bedroom now, eyeing the trail of ants that are consuming old food on his floor. I make a look of disgust but can't turn away. I haven't gotten to know Jessie or her family, I know her and Rick have something between them, but not much else. Daryl isn't one to gossip and I didn't really care to much to find out more.

"Because of the monsters?" He looks to his mom in a daze. At that moment, Judith becomes fussy in my arms and I rock her, while walking towards the room her father is in. Although she's still fussing, she's not as loud, and I let her play with the chain that lies around my neck.

I stand there watching Michonne as she works on Deanna's leg. She patches up what she can and Rick comes back in shortly after "how is she?" he asks us. I just look back at Michonne, knowing she knows more than I do.

Rick comes to my side and puts his hand on my shoulder, assuring Judith that he is close by to her. Deanna pants a little, but goes to move from her laying position "No offense to Michonne, but whatever she's doing hurts like a son of a bitch." she smiles just a little.

"I just finished the leg" she turns her head away from looking at him and back to the leader of Alexandria.

As she lifts up her shirt she says "and that seems to be the worst of.." and pauses. We all see what she does "well shit" she finally breaks the silence in the air. I look to Rick and his face is white as snow. His hand falls off my shoulder and he walks towards Deanna, squatting down next to her and putting his head in his hands with a heavy sigh.

Michonne and I take this opportunity to leave the room and return to everyone else in the house. Gabriel takes Judith from me and I make my way to the bathroom. I shut the door and lock it behind me, needing some time to myself. I lean against the wall and slowly fall to the floor. In the past I would be helping Rick and the others think of a way out of this. I would be determined to get out and start a new life, and take that second chance. Only I already had a second chance, and it was with him. And now that he's gone, I don't want to escape my past and start over. I want it to end in this place, where I found happiness, even if just for a little while. I reminisce for awhile to the time that I've spent here, and the people I got to meet.

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Thanks for the read! Hope you like the story so far! Please leave suggestions or comments, I would love some feedback!

Q: Most Gruesome death (SO FAR) on TWD in your opinion?

A: Possible spoilers if you are not caught up to season 6 but I think Noah's was horrific!