Born 2 Be Wild-A Merle Dixon love story

Chapter 62

I saw Daryl again the next day, delivering more bad news. All we seem to get anymore is bad news.

"Get your stuff ready, you're going into quarantine." He said instead of a greeting.

"Why? What's going on?" I asked, leaning against the bars that separated us. I can walk and move a little better today, but leaning still helps.

"More people are getting sick. Me and a group of others are going to that veterinary college we seen. We need antibiotics to beat this thing. You, Carl, Beth, Judith, and Hershel are going to the administration building so you'll be away from the sickness." Daryl answered.

"That's at least 60 miles one way. That's way too risky." I told him.

"It's 50 and if I don't take this risk then more people are going to die. I didn't come here to debate with you, Jess."

"Are you sick?" I asked him.

"Not yet. I wouldn't be here if I was." Daryl answered.

"Good. Stay that way. Be careful out there." I told him, wishing I could give him a hug.

"I will. You stay in quarantine, okay? Hershel said you have a high risk of getting sick." Daryl said.

"I promise I will. I won't be able to escape for at least a few days, so no need to worry."

"Good. Um, you're gonna be in there with a bunch of kids."

"I'll be fine, Daryl. I have a few children's books I was saving for..." I trailed off, not wanting to finish my sentence.

"I'll be back soon. Stay safe, okay? As soon as all of this is over I'm gonna give you a big hug and you can go back to stealing the covers from me every night." Daryl said with a small smile.

"Sounds like a plan." I said, trying to hold the tears back.

Daryl squeezed my hand tightly and then walked away. I went up to my cell and started throwing things in a bag. I kept all of Merle's stuff, he didn't have much. Just a gun, his wallet, and some clothes. I packed his stuff along with my own before throwing my backpack over my shoulder and heading out the door. I closed the cell door and made my way to the administration building with some of the others.

The administration building looked like it had been ransacked. We were of course, the ones who did the ransacking. We set up our sleeping bags in one of the offices and made ourselves at home. I sat down on my sleeping bag and cracked open a book while Carl patrolled the hallways and Beth took the baby to talk to Maggie through one of the doors. The sound of footsteps made me glance up from the page I wasn't even paying attention to. Beth was standing over me with the baby on her hip.

"Daryl's at the door. He asked me how you're doing, I told him to ask you about it." Beth said.

"Thanks, Beth." I said as I pulled myself up.

I walked through another office to get to the door we've been communicating through. I put my hands on the opaque glass, wishing I could see him.

"I'm doing okay. You about to leave?" I asked.

"Yeah, Tyreese is getting his gear so I thought I'd stop by and make sure you're doing all right." Daryl answered.

"I'll be fine, don't worry about me. Just go out there and be a hero. Save everyone else like you've been saving me all these years. And come back here safe." I said, as tears welled up in my eyes

"I will. I'll see you as soon as I can." Daryl assured me.

There was a pause and I thought he had walked away. I was about to go back to my sleeping bag when he spoke again.

"But just in case I don't... I love you, Jess." Daryl said quietly.

"I love you too but you're coming back." I told him.

"Yes ma'am." He said before I heard his departing footsteps.

Walking quickly hurt a lot but I did it anyway. The faster I could sit down and lose myself in a book the faster I'd feel better.

I didn't put the book down until my eyelids felt like they were made of lead. I pulled my boots off but didn't change out of my jeans and t-shirt. I need to be ready to go if I have to. I pulled my pistol out of the back waistband of my jeans and laid it beside my sleeping bag. After what felt like hours I finally fell asleep.

I was sitting on a park bench watching a child with curly brown hair and green eyes rocket down a slide with his arms up, shrieking with happiness. Merle was kneeling at the bottom of the slide and he caught the kid. Picking him up and kissing his head before setting him back on his feet.

"Let's race to mommy!" Merle told the little one. "I bet I'll make it there first!"

The two of them took off running towards me, Merle only going slightly faster than a walk.

Then the scenery changed. I was standing in the kitchen of my old house in Savannah. The same adorable child sitting on the counter while cookies baked in the oven. Being closer to him this time I could see that he had Merle's nose and his smile too. He was grinning from ear to ear as he watched the cookies spread out through the window in the oven door. There was flour and chocolate chips all over the counter, cookie dough was smeared on the oven door handle. The door opened up, letting in the sunshine as Merle Dixon stepped in the front door, dressed in a factory work uniform.

When the child saw he hopped off of the counter and ran to the door screaming "Daddy! Daddy!"

Merle dropped his lunchbox to pick him up. He shut the door and walked into the small kitchen planting a kiss on my lips before sitting the kid back down. I expected him to be angry at the mess we'd made but all he did was laugh. He dumped a handful of flour onto the little boy's head and smeared cookie dough on my cheek. I pulled my sleeve to wipe it off and when I looked up, the already made cookies that were cooling on the counter had disappeared. Sneaky Dixon.

Another change happened. I was sitting on the couch with Merle watching Daryl chase the little boy around the room. Daryl looked younger and a lot happier. None of us have had to hold the weight of the world on our shoulders. While we watched the boy giggle as Daryl growled at him, insisting he'd turned into the tickle monster, Merle gave me a kiss.

"I love you." Merle said to me before his face faded into black.

I could still see Merle's piercing blue eyes when I woke up in a cold sweat, out of breath. My heart ached for the beautiful life that we'll never get to live. I miss Merle Dixon with every fiber of my being.