Something Missing [Daryl Dixon Love Story]

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Four

“This,” I said as I plunged a knife in the neck of a walker repeatedly, “has got to be a record.” The walker fell to my feet. I put my hands on my thighs and bent over as I breathed. “I guess I forgot they even existed while living in the woods where they don’t go.”

            He sullenly retrieved his arrows from the group we just killed. They had come out of nowhere but they were so slow that we took care of them easily. He just grunted in response. It wasn’t like I had expected much since he pretty much stopped talking to me yesterday after we agreed to rest in Gainesville.

            After he’d grabbed them all we continued our walk. I stole sideways glances at him. The way I figured it he had approximately ten minutes left to ignore me. We were almost in Gainesville.

            I grinned as an idea came to me. I looked over at him again. His eyes were still locked ahead. Perfect. “How can you see into my eyes like open doors?” I started the beginning of the ’03 Evanescence song. “Leading you down into my core where I’ve become so numb, without a soul my spirit's sleeping somewhere cold until you find it there and lead it back home…” I let the song die from my lips. The song brought back stinging memories. “Oh.” The realization hit me hard and almost stopped me in my tracks.

(Daryl’s POV)

The singing caught me off guard. I involuntarily stopped and looked back at her in concern. The expression on her face told me something dark had come to the surface. “Em—“ I wanted to say her name but I knew I couldn’t do that. I could still feel the sense of wrongness when I said her name, when I looked at her… It all felt like it was…illegal. Trying to ignore her only made it worse; to feel like I needed to talk to her, to watch her. The need felt as natural as anything else and that was why I needs to stop whatever it is I’m feeling. It just isn’t right.

            But, as I watched her young eyes widen I had to urge to go to her, to comfort her, but I couldn’t do that. It wasn’t my place. Why did she do this to me? No other woman has ever had such an effect on me.

            I pulled back the hand that had been extending towards her and roughly gritted my teeth. You’re here to protect her, that’s it. Don’t think about her like that. I felt the need to remind myself and it helped me a little bit. It was enough to get me going again as I resumed my walk. Kind of hoping she wouldn’t follow so I’d have reason to go back.

(Emma’s POV)

It was the realization that he was leaving without me that snapped me out of it. That’s exactly why I wanted him here. His challenge gave me something to chase after.

The rhythm of the song made it back to my lips in a somber hum like a mourning congregation. It went on and on as a never ending ballad. Soon my walking had adapted into the rhythm as we moved along. It was almost humorous how something so strange was like mind-numbing therapy.

            I was so out of it that I didn’t even realize we had stopped until I ran into Daryl’s back, which seemed to stiffen at my touch. “Oh, sorry.” I mumbled distantly. He turned around quickly, throwing me off balance. He caught my shoulders before I could fall and he stared at me with a worried expression.

            “Okay, we can handle this.” He said sounding worried and determined all at once.

            My forehead wrinkled in confusion, “What?”

            He grabbed my chin roughly and for a moment I thought he was going to kiss me. “You need to come back.” He rapped his knuckles lightly on my skull. “We’ve got a problem.” His stony expression sent a wave excitement through me.