Tragic Coincidence | Daryl Dixon

Chapter Forty.

It has been three days now since I basically walked back from the valley of death. And while I felt better altogether, I still felt incredibly weak. Hershel said we were all allowed out of cell block A and could walk around if we felt up to it, of course I said yes even though I didn't completely have all my strength back. 

It felt nice sitting outside under the warm sun, especially since I was in the cell from hell for days. I was sitting on one of the bleachers leaning back with my eyes closed, when I felt a presence beside me. I peeked my eye open to see Daryl standing beside me on the bleachers with his hands in his pockets. "You gonna sit down or what Dixon?" I asked with a smirk before closing my eyes and leaning my head back once more.

I heard Daryl grunt before I felt him sit on the open seat to my right. Daryl reached over and intertwined our fingers, and I sighed before letting my head fall against his shoulder. He squeezed my hand and we just sat in silence enjoying this time together. We hadn't had a quiet peaceful moment together in months. And I missed the nights I would just lay with him at the farm, or when we would hunt together. Things now were complicated by even more things besides walkers. 

"You feeling ok?" Daryl asked rubbing his thumb over the back of my hand. I nodded against his shoulder before picking my head up to look at him. "I'm ok, just feeling weak. That sickness mixed with the pregnancy is kicking my ass though" I said with a chuckle. Daryl gave me a hint of a smile before he pulled me close to him, wrapping his arm around my waist and holding me tight. I wrapped my arms around his waist and squeezed him back as tight.

"I thought I lost you" Daryl mumbled into my hair. I could hear the fright in his voice, the tremble at the end of his voice made me realize how terrified he was when I got sick. "I'm sorry Daryl" I whispered, leaning up and placing a gentle kiss on the side of his neck. Daryl groaned before cupping my face in his hands and placing his lips firmly against mine. I sighed into the kiss and deepened it by licking his bottom lip. 

He opened his mouth and tangled his tongue with mine, before moving one hand to rest on my waist. I'll never get used to the way his touch can set my body on fire. This apocalypse might have taken so many things from me, but Ill always be thankful that it brought me Daryl Dixon. He pulled away and rested his forehead against mine, both of us breathing heavily.

"Can you do something for me Emma?" Daryl suddenly asked as he pulled his head away from mine and looked deep into my eyes. "Anything" I whispered, smiling up at the man I love.

Daryl started chewing on his fingernail, the thing he always did when nerves hit him hard. He finally stopped and ran that hand through my long tangled hair. "Will you call yourself a Dixon?" He mumbled so quietly I almost didn't hear him. I smiled looking at how nervous he was. Was this his way of proposing to me?

"Are you asking me to marry you Daryl Dixon?" I asked with a smirk on my face. Daryl shook his head, and I was surprised when my heart actually dropped. "Cant really get married in this world, so I just want you to call yourself my wife" Daryl said grabbing both of my hands and bringing them to his lips before gently kissing them.

"Emma Dixon, I like it" 

"Me too" He answered with a smile before leaning in and rubbing his nose against mine. "Is that a yes then Mrs.Dixon?" He asked teasing me by letting his lips hover over mine, gently grazing them. I nodded slowly. "Damn right Mr.Dixon" I said. Daryl laughed before capturing my lips once more in a fiery kiss. 

But like always our Joy was short lived, when we noticed a tank was parked with several trucks in front of  prison fences. "Shit" Daryl mumbled before grabbing my hand and pulling me inside to warn the others. It didn't take long before all of us were outside with rifles pointed towards  who we now saw was the governor and his men. Sadly though, Hershel and Michonne were hostages and were currently kneeling in front of him.

"Daddy!" Beth cried out as she looked through the scope of a rifle. I stood between her and Daryl as we all were watching the scene unfold before us. We had no idea what the governor was saying to Rick, and the second I saw the governor pull out MIchonne's sword and place it against Hershel's neck, I knew it was nothing good. 

"Beth don't look" Maggie said to her sister, as they both had tears running down their faces watching their father. "NO!" I heard Rick's voice scream, and suddenly gunfire was all I heard. Daryl pulled me to the ground to avoid being hit by stray bullets. I didn't see what happened as I looked away from my scope, but the fact that Beth and Maggie were sobbing and shooting anything they saw, told me all I needed to know. 

I fired my rifle down to where the governor was, but had no idea what I was aiming at. "Emma, get out of here!" Daryl was shouting at me while pointing to the tank that was shooting rounds at the prison. I gasped seeing our home burst into flames, wondering how many of our group was still inside. I know the kids were all inside still. I started to run for our cell block entrance, when a bullet shot the ground in front of me making me stop. I turned and saw a bunch of the governors men running directly towards me.

But before they could come any closer, Daryl had shot them all down quickly. "I said get out of here!" Daryl shouted at me angrily. "Where the hell do you suppose I go?" I yelled back, shooting my rifle as I went. Daryl grunted before standing in front of me for protection, shooting anyone he saw wasn't in our group.

There was finally an opening to where I could run inside the cell block without Daryl stopping me. I could hear explosions going off outside, gun fire was echoing along the concrete walls. "Anyone in here?!" I shouted, running around frantically trying to help anyone that was still inside. I ran down the hallway that connected to the other cell blocks, and tried to find any of the kids. But when I got down to the administration part of the building, none of the kids were here. Judith's play pen was also empty and her diaper bag was also gone. I was thankful that someone thought to come and grab her.

Gunfire started to seize when I made my way outside, but i didn't see anyone when I got out here. "Hello!" I yelled out, trying to find anyone in my group. The only thing I saw were dead bodies laying on the ground. I panicked thinking that nobody was left, and panicked even more when i ran around the corner of the prison and ran directly into someone. I fell back hard and banged my head on the concrete. 

"Emma, I'm so sorry!" Beth's soft voice said before she reached down and helped me back up. "It's ok" I mumbled rubbing the back of my head. Beth nodded before we both heard footsteps, and Daryl ran around the corner looking frantic. "I cant find her!" He screamed to Beth.

"You mean me?" I asked stepping around Beth to look at him. The relief on his face was clear the moment our eyes connected. And he quickly pulled me into him. "We gotta get out of here" Daryl told Beth. We all nodded before running out a hole in one of the fences. 

When we were a clear distance away Daryl grabbed me around the waist and walked with me close to him, while Beth walked directly beside me. I peeked over my shoulder to see the terrifying ruins of what used to be our home. Everything we had was gone. The prison was on fire, with hundreds of walkers pouring in by the second. 

I was thankful Daryl was safe. That Beth was alive and we could protect her. But my only question now was, where would we go?