An Arrow Dipped in Ink

Chapter 4

Daryl headed down the path to the quarry.  Once he got closer he could see her sitting on her towel near the bank.  He didn't notice that she was wearing only a bathing suit at first because he was just relieved that she was alright and didn't get eaten by a walker.  She had her back to him and her legs curled up to her chest.  He watched as she held her head in her hands.  Was she crying?  As he got closer he could hear her sobbing quietly.  

He stopped when he heard her say, “What do you want Dixon?”

“How'd ya know it was me?”

“A squirrel may not be able to hear you coming but I sure can.”  Her face curled into a small smirk.  She wiped her face and stood up.  

“What ya doing down here anyway?”  He asked her.

She stood up to face him and cocked her hip to the side.  She raised her eyebrow and said, “What the hell does it look like I'm doing?  I just thought that I would walk around in my bathing suit for no fucking reason.”

“Look whose being mean again.  You talk about me having my guard up, look at you!  You always got some smart ass comment to hide the fact that you aint nuttin' but a scared lit'le girl!”

“Fuck you Dixon!  Ya you're right, I am scared!  At least I can admit it though.  Can you say the same?”  She pointed at him in anger. 

“We don't have time to sit around and talk about our god damn feelings.  There are walkers all over this fucking hell hole.”

“Trust me, I'm the last one that wants to do that.  All I want is for you to open up a little.  I just want to get to know you, is that so hard to believe?  What's so wrong with me?  Am I not good enough to know who Daryl fucking Dixon really is?”  

“Ya it fucking is Rayne!  Why do you even wanna know?”

At this point she was so frazzled and confused so she started yelling even louder, “Did it ever cross your mind that maybe I fucking like you, you crazy fucking hick!”

They both stopped yelling and just watched each other.  Daryl couldn't believe what he just heard.  She likes him?  “You wouldn't if you did.”

She moved closer to him, “How do you know that Daryl?  Maybe I would.  You open up to me and I'll let you ask me anything you want.  Shit I'll tell you my whole fucked up life story if you want.”

“Fine but take it slow alright.”

She started to walk back to camp and when he didn't follow her she said, “Ya comin' or not?”

He was busy watching her ass but nodded after he got caught.  They walked together in silence back to his tent.  She went to the car to go change into normal clothes since it was sundown and starting to get cold.  She put on a pair of yoga pants and her Guinness hoodie.  

When she went over to see Daryl and he threw a tent at her, “Here”

“Thanks Daryl.”

“Yeah, whatever.”  Merle was sitting in his usual spot so Daryl put his ' I'm a bad ass face' on since Merle was within listening distance.  She scowled at him but knew how boys were.  

Merle looked up at the two of them, “So did ya fuck and make up?”

He was such a fucking pig sometimes.  Rayne looked over at him then to Daryl.  She stood in front of Daryl pressing her body to his.  She put her arms above her head, around Daryl's neck and told Merle, “Wouldn't you like to know.  But if we did he would probably be smiling.”

Daryl stood there stiff as a board in both senses of the word.  She could feel him pressing against her.  She saw the smirk that Merle had on his face but then he passed out again in his chair.