Suddenly...Gone

Chapter 33

Daryl didn't let out a sigh of relief until they were back in Alexandria. He leaned back into the seat and relaxed for the first time since their search for Emma began. She was officially home. Michonne and Sasha ran out to greet the car. They had both been waiting all night anxiously for them to return. Sasha pulled Emma into a hug.

"I'm so sorry," she told Emma. "I never should have left you alone. It was all my fault." Tears threatened to fall from Sasha's big brown eyes.

"No, it was my fault, Sasha. Not yours or anyone else's, but all mine. I'm just lucky that I had Daryl and Rick to come after me." Emma knew having a guy like Daryl in her life was the best thing that ever happened to her. Not only did he love her unconditionally, but he was loyal and completely trustworthy. The skills he learned before the world fell apart were invaluable now. She knew that he tracked her all the way from where she was doing target practice to the campsite where they found her. She owed him her life.

"What happened?" asked Michonne.

"It was the Saviors that took her," Rick said.

Daryl growled low in his throat. "That prick, Dwight took her intending to give her to Negan. Apparently, he has a thing for Emma, but there's no fuckin' way in hell he's getting what's mine. Not Emma. Not ever." He hitched the crossbow higher on his shoulder. "It'll be a cold day in hell."

Michonne looked at Rick, and they smiled at each other. They both got a kick out seeing this side of Daryl. "Glad you're back," Michonne told Emma giving her a hug.

"Awesome we get to eat again!" The group looked up and saw Carl holding Judith on the porch. Leave it to a teenager to think with his stomach. Everyone burst out laughing.

"Not today, Carl. We'll let Emma rest up first," Rick told his son.

"Awe," Carl moaned. "No one else can cook."

"I can cook," Michonne reminded him.

Carl looked at his father, and they both started to laugh. "Okay, neither of you will ever see a meal from me again!" Michonne said pretending to be insulted. She knew she was a pretty inept cook.

"Thank God!" Carl laughed before heading inside with his sister.

Daryl looked over at Emma and saw the fatigue setting in on her face. She was starting to crash. "C'mon, let's head inside." He put his hand on the small of her back and nudged her forward. He wanted to get her to their room as soon as possible.

Emma just followed his lead, and soon their bedroom door closed behind them. Daryl could feel her body start to shake so he wrapped her in his arms. "You're okay," he whispered to her. "Don't ever scare me like that again. I think I have more gray in my beard now because of you. He hesitated for a moment before adding, "Your safe, Em."

Emma had been so proud of herself that she had really been strong throughout this whole mess, but once she got back home, she could feel it all start to fall apart. She was glad that Daryl saw it too, and he just took control so she would not embarrass herself in front of their friends. She was finally back in the quiet and safety of their room. She could fall apart here, and she was.

The sobs started the second she felt his strong arms wrap around her. Daryl moved them over towards the bed and lay down on the soft mattress with Emma still in his arms. They stayed that way until the tears eventually stopped. That took a long time.

"Thank you for rescuing me," Emma said softly to Daryl. She wiped the remnants of the tears away with her hand.

"Why you thanking me? Of course, I was going after you. I won't let anyone take you away from me...not again. No fuckin' way," he told her.