It's Not On You (Rickyl)

Chapter Five ~ Losing You Too

"...oh my god..." Rick said under his breath, his eyes widening, immediately turning around in shock. The sheriff slowly put his knife in his pocket, shaking. "Oh god..." he said walking fast, but quietly. The sound of groaning walkers grew louder slowly as Rick started to run but still stayed quiet. When he got to him, "c'mon!" Said the redneck in a loud whisper, he waited until the man caught up to him before rick and Daryl began to sprint back towards the hilltop.

Soon enough the hilltop was slightly in sight, rick smiled slightly in relief, but fear consumed that quickly as they kept running closer. "Michonne!" The Sheriff yelled after spotting her, he ran closer 'the hell is she doing?' Rick thought, he approached her he stopped running, he stopped behind her as her back was face to him. The gates were already open "Michonne! Grab carl, Maggie and the others we need to go get Judith and get out of here no-" he immediately froze as she turned around groaning. The mans eyes filled with tears "...no...." his anger took him over and he pulled his knife out. He stared at the deep bite wound on her neck as he sunk the knife into the dead, groaning, michonnes skull. Daryl kept a good distance from rick to keep from disturbing him, Daryl couldn't believe what just happened 'it's my fault' the archer said to himself, a tear forming in his eye. Rick sobbed, "Carl..." his eyes again filled tears of fear when he realized the hilltop was ran over by walkers. "CARL?!?" CAARL!!" He cried, not being able to keep up when wiping the tears off his face. "Rick" the redneck spoke with a slight sob trying to warn him that they needed to get out of this place. The man wanted to save his son, ignoring Daryl, rick kept calling, "CAAARL!" Louder and louder each time. "CAAARL! CAAAARL!!" After what felt like an eternity of shouting, the sheriff gave up. Daryl caught rick as he fell to the ground, his face soaking itself in tears as he cried. "C-CAAr-rl..." the man tried yelling. Daryl kneeled down still holding rick "sh-shh" Daryl said trying to get rick to be a bit quieter, also trying to comfort him, a few of Daryl's tears dropped into ricks head as he started to quiet.

Daryl melted seeing his best friend this way, and what melted him more is that he feels it's his fault. Soon as the redneck realizes rick has calmed "c'mon" he says after he sniffles. Rick stands up avoiding eye contact with Daryl, seeming as if he's angry at him, but Daryl knew he wasn't, he's known the sheriff long enough to know he gets like this when things like this happen. Daryl stood up and the two men quickly walked over to the cars and hopped into one, in silence they drove off, not being able to go see if Judith and Gabriel are still at Alexandria because of the walkers, they headed in the opposite direction of the herd.

Rick in the passengers seat was closing his eyes, his head rested on the window, he looked exhausted. Daryl glanced at him for a minute feeling bad for the man, he smiled worryingly at him as he napped. His eyes suddenly focused on the sheriffs hand, resting right beside where Daryl has his. Looking back up at the road The archer had this weird urge to hold the other mans hand, the urge made him slightly nervous and uncomfortable. Him thinking about it made Daryl's hand twitch a little, he felt it hit ricks hand, he suddenly felt a wave of butterflies in his stomach before Daryl quickly put his hand back down hoping rick didn't notice. 'Shit' Daryl thought to himself, why did he have this urge? He was confused with himself. Why does he feel all weird and nervous all the sudden? What's with the butterflies? Lost in his thought, Daryl didn't notice until he looked down at his hand, he saw ricks hand was now resting on top of his. Another wave of butterflies he felt in his stomach as he looked up at rick seeing he was slightly smiling. 'He's aware that he's doing this...but why?' Though He loved the feeling of he sheriffs warm hands, he pulled his hand out from under ricks to pretend to scratch his head, then placed it on the steering wheel. Daryl didn't want to, but he was confused, he felt awkward, the man never would've thought he'd be this nervous around his best friend..why? The redneck looked up at rick noticing he wasn't smiling anymore.

The sun was setting, the two men have sat in this car for around 3 hours now, heading as far away from the herd as possible. It was a long quiet ride, before rick decided to break the awkward silence. "I should've went in.." the sheriff said with a hand rubbing his head. "Hm?" Daryl questioned rick, confused. "I should've went in to look for carl back at the hilltop..." the man said with a slight sob. "No." Daryl disagreed with rick completely. Rick looked up at Daryl when a tear fell down the mans face "he might still be in there" he spoke in reply. "Wouldn't let you, it's too dangerous." Daryl confirmed, glancing at rick. "He might still be ALIVE!" Rick said, his eyes full of tears raising his voice a little bit. "I ain't takin' that kinda risk!" The redneck responded also teary eyed, he kept up with the tone of the other mans voice. Rick immediately rose his voice again "HES MY S-" the sheriff was cut off by the car being slammed on the breaks, looking up at Daryl, he realized that he's bawling his eyes out. "I lost Merle !" He sniffled and cried "you're only what I got left rick!, I ain't losing you too." He sobbed, looking into ricks eyes before he planted his forehead on the steering wheel, many tears falling to the floor as he cried aloud, sniffling. Rick now felt terrible, trying to comfort him, rick placed a hand on Daryl's back. Rick looked at the broken man, worried. "R-ick...I'm-...I'm sorry" the archer sobbed "no-" rick tried to say before he got cut off. "I'm so sorry.." Daryl lifted his head up from the steering wheel and looked the sheriff in the eyes "don't be.." rick said, slowly taking his hand off the mans shoulder. "Don't do this too yourself" he said as Daryl looked down at his feet disappointed in himself, rick spoke again. "I'll drive" he said softly "you get some rest"

Rick hopped into the drivers seat, Daryl already had his eyes closed, he leaned on the window, the same way rick did with his hand resting in between the seats. As he started up the engine again, the Sheriff placed his warm hand on top of Daryl's, he looked at Daryl, the archer did notice, but didn't take his hand away. They both smiled as they drove in silence, while the sun set.

I'm sorry that this chapter was a bit shorter than the other ones, the starting is a bit crappy because I wasn't feeling it when I first started to write it. But tell me what you think! The next chapter will be up soon!!

Word count: 1192