Everything Changes (Sequel To Daryl's Girl)

Chapter 36

Lily's POV

"Daryl, what the hell happened?" Was all I could say, looking back down at Denise's body, an arrow protruding through her eye. An arrow I knew had come from Daryl's crossbow. The same crossbow he was now holding. 

He didn't respond.

"Daryl?" Still nothing and I shifted my gaze from Denise, over to him. He had his crossbow raised, looking into the trees. All I wanted to know was what happened out here, but I knew getting it out of him was going to take a lot. "Daryl?"

Finally, he lowered his bow and turned back to face me.

I thought that coming out here was going to give me closure. Not only about what happened with Denise, but for myself. To face what I'm so afraid of and be reminded of the reasons why we had to fight. I got my answers, I just wished it'd ended up differently.

"Dwight."

"Who?" I asked. It took me a minute to realize he'd actually said something.

"Back in that forest." He spat and I knew who he was talking about. "I should've killed him. Should've killed him and she'd still be-"

"Stop it." I interrupted. "This isn't your fault." I knew Daryl, and I knew he was going to blame himself. That he was going to torture himself over what could've been.

"Yeah. It is." He sighed, and as much as he tried to hide it, I could see the tears building in his eyes. "We gotta go." He then continued before he walked over to Denise, turning away from me. "We didn't get 'em all. There's more of them out here. We gotta be ready."

"Lets just get her back home." I replied, looking back down at Denise. "We can talk to Rick when we get back. We'll figure it out." I suggested, but it was like there was a wall between us. He wasn't listening. Instead, he made his way over and placed his hands under her arms, leaving me to grab her legs.

"On three, you ready?" He said and I nodded. "One. Two. Three." 

Together, the two of us lifted her up and carried her back to the truck, where we carefully lay her down in the back. I then climbed up and covered her with some old sheets Daryl handed to me, tucking them under her so they wouldn't blow away, before he helped me down and we locked up. The both of us staring at her just laying there covered up.

"She told me I reminded her of her brother." Daryl said and I turned to face him. Just as I thought, I could tell he was already torturing himself. "If I'd had killed him in that forest, she'd-" He shook his head as he looked back to the trees.

I followed his gaze and let out a small sigh before I turned back and hugged him. "It's not on you Daryl. This was him. It's not your fault." I said and lay my head on his shoulder as he hugged me back.

All of a sudden, there was a rustle in the trees and within a split second Daryl stepped away from me, raising his crossbow. I did the same, grabbing my knife and pointing it to the source of the noise.

"Come out!"

There was no response. 

That was when a walker emerged from the tree line and the both of us lowered our weapons, watching it.

It was almost as if relief had passed over us, but to Daryl, I saw the disappointment. He wanted it to be Dwight. He wanted to go after him, to kill him and so did I, but I had to stop him. If they know where we are then, like Daryl said, we have to be ready.

He reached down for his knife, but as he stepped forward, I placed my hand on his. "I'll do it. I have to." I said, tightening my grip on the knife. Daryl nodded and I began making my way over. He understood.