Cherokee Roses {Daryl Dixon's Daughter}

t e n

You know how in movies or tv shows, they'd show bright lights and blurred images when people were struggling to keep consciousness? That's how I feel when I hear the gunshot go of and my best friends body fall to the floor. I feel strong arms pick me up, my vision is blurry and my best friend is dead. What a world right?  

"Daddy," I cry into his shoulder as he carries me away from the group. He holds me close and I sob into his body. Carol's sobs are the loudest and I can still clearly hear them as I'm being carried away. 

"Don't look baby." He whispers in my ear as I start to lift my head up. I nod, not having the energy to fight back and keep my head on his shoulder, wetting it with my tears. I cry not just for Sophia but for what's wrong with everything in the world we know now. I cry for the people we've lost, and I cry for the people that we should be becoming, but instead we're stuck fighting the dead for our lives. 

When I have no more tears, and no more energy to cry I hear Shane yelling. Why? He's just practically gotten us kicked off of the farm what else can he do. Oh yeah, be a dick because thats what he's best at. 

After a long while of my dad taking care and comforting me, he goes to find Carol and I sit in the dirt staring aimlessly at a tree. I notice a little piece of white sitting a couple feet away from me, when I pick it up, it's the Cherokee rose dad gave me just a couple days ago. When everything was 'okay'. More tears roll down my face as I fumble with the fragile flower in may hands.

"Hey," I hear a small voice say. When I look up I see Carl. I nod in acknowledgement. 

"Hey," I whisper feebly. My voice sounds tired and broken. But that's how I feel anyways. 

"I'm supposed to be up at the house, but I wanted to say I'm sorry." He admits sitting down next to me. 

"It's okay." I whisper as more tears silently roll down my cheeks. 

"I just realized that what happened to Sophia, could happen to either of us and I didn't want that to happen with us on bad terms." He speaks up after a moment of silence. 

"I don't want that to happen." I choke out and look at the boy in the cowboy hat. 

"What's in your hands?" He asks moving my mind to something else. 

"My namesake." I tell him placing the flower in his hands. He rolls it around gently, examining every small little detail. 

"It's pretty." He admits giving it back. "I can see why your dad named you after one." 

I laugh. Did he just compliment me? I Cherokee Dixon, was just complimented by a boy in the midst of an apocalypse, while I'm covered in dirt and grime.

"Thanks." I say blushing. "I can see why your last name is Grimes." We both look at each other before erupting into laughter until our bellies hurt. 

"I should probably get up to the house before Dale notices I'm gone." He says getting up and brushing  the dirt off of his pants. I nod before saying goodbye and continue sitting in the dirt. Before long, Dad comes by and tells me that the service for Sofia, Shawn, and Annette is getting ready to take place. I nod and get up brushing off my jeans and throwing my two braids over my back. 

Everyone is silent as we approach the three graves and Hershel speaks a few words before the silence once again consumes the group. After a while everyone heads their own way. I head off my own way, my knife in my belt so I don't have to worry about being weaponless. The woods are quiet and I hear crying. Taking a closer look I notice Carol ripping up a bush of roses. 

"Carol?" I ask softly stepping out of the woods closer to the older woman. "Are you okay?" Stupid question to ask, I know she just lost her only child, but sometimes you just have to ask. She turns and faces me a little bit, tears running down her face. I go over and sit by her. 

"I probably shouldn't have torn those up." She admits with a sad chuckle.

"It's okay," I say picking up one of the fallen flowers and fumbling with it. "They're Cherokee roses, they'll grow quickly and fall, then grow again." She stares at the ground not speaking once more and I decide to just give her space. "Be careful."

She doesn't do anything as I stand up and walk back to the farm. I notice my dad sitting on a stone structure sharpening a stick with  his knife and I go sit next to him, leaning my head on his shoulder.

"It's not right." I mutter. 

"Yeah? Elaborate on that Cheri." He grumbles out and I roll my eyes. 

"That's the thing Daddy, I can't." I tell him. "Because everything isn't right." 

"Moving to the suburbs?" Lori asks walking over to our spot on the stone structure. "Listen Beth's in some kind of catatonic shock, we need Hershel." 

"Yeah? So what." Dad says quietly continuing to sharpen his knife. 

"So I need you to run into town real quick and bring him and Rick back." She tells us crouching down. "Daryl?" 

"Your bitch went window shopping, you want him, fetch him yourself." Dad snaps at her. "I got better things to do."

"What's the matter with you?" Lori asks. "Why would you be so selfish?" 

This hits a nerve and Dad stands up making me remove my head from his shoulder. "Selfish? Listen here Olive Oyl!" I snicker at that. "I was out there looking for that little girl every single day, I took a bullet and an arrow in the process." I watch as my father yells at the woman. No point in stopping him because it's all true. "Don't you tell me about getting my hands dirty! You want those two idiots? Have a nice ride. I'm done looking for people."

He sits down once again and continues sharpening the stick. Lori stares at us for a moment before walking away. Once she's far enough out of earshot I ask him a question. "What if it was me?" 

"Don't go twisting my words little rose." He whispers nudging me to the side a little cause me to giggle. " 'course I would." 

I nod and he wraps an arm around my shoulder and for a second, everything feels somewhat okay.

~~~

Sorry this is so short. Chapters will probably be this short until things get serious and Carl and Cheri get older.

Also double update? A bitch is on a roll. Just a reminder that I write about four chapters ahead before updating so as of right now chapter fourteen is finished. Anyways thank you for stick with me after I haven't updated in monTHS.

Word Count: 1196