Second Chances

Chapter Thirty Six: By The Fire

No one has every prepared me to be like this.

I have learned to stay strong.

I have learned to be quick on my feet.

I have learned to think fast.

I have learned to hold those close, closer to me.

But never have I learned to leave the ones I love.

Those I have fought so hard to find.

I understood why though. I needed to keep them safe. I had to go give myself up, so the others could still live.

I have lived through hell before, and I still came out alive. Hopefully, I could do it again.

I just had to keep telling myself that, so I didn't run away and throw out their chances.

Their only chance.

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Everyone was asleep.

Well, not everyone.

Daryl was outside by the fire cooking up something. He was on watch tonight, and so was Merle. Merle was inside taking the watch, while Dare was in the courtyard. I needed to talk to Dare, before I left. Or I would never forgive myself...and neither would Alex.

I walked over to Dare. He was turning the stick holding the raw skinned squirrel. Not gonna lie, my stomach growled at it. He looked up and snickered.

"Ya hungry?" He joked. I rolled my eyes and plopped down next to him. He had his cross bow how right next to him, ready to grab just in case. 

"Hows watch?" I asked him.

"Quiet." He mumbled. His hair was getting a little long, and dirty. I began to chuckle to myself. "What?"

"I am just imaging how Alex would react to it." I said as I played with his hair. Daryl huffed and swatted my hand away.

"She never let me cut it again." Dare said.

"She was always said she wanted you with long hair." I said with a smile. We both began to laugh over someone we loved. Someone we lost. It got real quiet before I spoke once more.

"Did you think I was alive?" I asked him. He smirked and took a bite out of his charred squirrel. 

"Yeah, ya are tough as nails, I knew ya were alive."I smiled and ran my hand through my hair, untangling some knots before leaning over. 

"Ya think ya were gonna find us?" He asked, a somber wave hit his face.

"I don't know..." I start before smirking and chuckling. "I guess I just got a Second Chance."

He smirked and went back to looking outside. I then grabbed him and hugged him tightly. I felt tears form but I held them back. I just want to remeber what he felt like and smelt like, what my family was like.

"Mik, I can't breathe." He said.

"Shut up and hug me back." I grumbled. He sighed and wrapped his arms around me. I missed have my best friend, my big brother keeping me comfort in days where I couldn't se anything. When Ma used to get real bad, he would hold me like this till I could calm down.

"Mikayla, ya alright?" He whispered into my ear. I put on a fake smile and pulled away.

"I'm fin. I just haven't been able to give ya a hug like that since I got here. Can't ruin your bad boy vibe in front of everyone." I teased. He rolled his eyes and went back on watch. "Can ya promise me something?"

"I guess." He shrugged. I rolled my eyes and slapped his arm.

"I mean it." I hissed. He sighed and gave me his full attention.

"What is it?" Daryl asked.

"Promise me, no matter what, you will protect Mason and Ava." I said to him. "And you will give that little girl all your love."

"Why ya making me promise this?" He asked.

"Just promise!" I growled.

"Fine. I promise." He said. I held out my pinkie. Ever since that time I made him pinkie promise in that bathroom, We always used it to keep our promises.

Daryl wrapped his pinky around mine. 

"I promise." He said sternly. "Mik, what's up with ya?"

I then said the first excuse that popped into my mind. Why it was this? No clue.

"I smoked a little pot earlier, needed something to distract me." I said. "Old prison weed isn't that good."

"Mik, ya can't get fucked up right now. Especially right now." Daryl scolded.

"I know. I'm gonna go sleep it off." I said. I stood up then gave Dare a kiss on the forehead. "Night Daryl."

"Night Mik." He mumbled. I walked back to the prison, and into the cell block.

Time for Part Two.

Merle.