The Fear (The Walking Dead / Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 40 - Be Careful

I found Rick and Daryl talking outside by the cars a while later.

"I'm not saying it was the wrong call, but this is definitely the right one." Daryl was saying. "What's wrong?" He then asked as I finally made it over to them.

"I can't find Merle or Michonne."

"I spoke to Merle about 40 minutes ago." I said. "Haven't seen him since."

"Did he know it was off?" Rick asked.

"Yeah, didn't seem all that surprised." I answered.

"Come on." Daryl said to us both, running ahead to find his brother. He lead us down the generator rooms and explained why as he searched the room. "He was in here. Said he was looking for drugs. Said a lot of things, actually."

"Like what?" Rick asked.

"Said that you were gonna change your mind. He we go." Daryl stated as he found a bag on the ground and looked about the scuffed up dust on the ground that wouldn't have meant anything if Rick or I had seen it. "Yeah, he took her here. They mixed it up."

"Damn it!" Rick whispered angrily. "I'm going after him."

"You can't track for shit." Daryl stop him.

"Then both of us."

"No. Just me." He shook his head. "I said I'd go and I'll go."

"Daryl..." I started.

"They're gonna come back here and we need to be ready." He looked between us and then made no eye contact as he walked out the door saying, "You're family too."

Rick looked at me and I shook my head before taking off out the door.

"Daryl!" I ran after him.

He spun back around. "Kat, go back." He insisted.

"You can't go out alone, not to meet the Governor."

"I'm not going to meet him, I'm going to catch my brother before he does something stupid. I'll be fine, but you need to go back." I went to protest, but he only shook and stepped forward with one hand outstretched to rest on my waist as his place a kiss on the opposite cheek.

He stepped back, walking backwards and still facing me.

"Be careful." I whispered. He gave me a small Daryl like nod before turning and leaving.

I didn't move for a few seconds, only swallowed back a lump. When I did turn I found Rick standing in the doorway almost looking at me knowingly as I walked past.

I originally had it so that Daryl did a full spontaneous proper kiss instead of just kissing her cheek, but it's Daryl and it didn't really seem like him so I dialled it back some.

I kept myself busy after that. Rick was going to tell everyone what was going on soon so in the mean time I kept myself distracted with menial things and then I ran out of chores. Which left one thing to do. Stare worriedly out at the surroundings of the prison waiting for any sign of Daryl and the others. An hour passed and then Glenn came up to me. Sort of awkwardly, kind of like he used to do way back on the farm when he and Maggie had just started.

"What's up?" I asked as I eyes him up and down curiously.

"You seem worried." He said, not answering my questioned as he looked out to where I had been looking.

"Well... with the Governor and everything." I shrugged it off, knowing I couldn't mention anything until Rick had told them.

"Yeah." Glenn nodded.