Daryl Dixon: A Beautiful Disaster (SEQUEL)

Chapter 15: Awkward Tension

"Wow, wow. Hey! Hey, Shannon." Spencer's voice is low when he wakes me. His words echo into the night terror I was having.

"Huh, sorry." I grunt out, jerking up out of fear.

Spencer is next to me on the bed "you were having a nightmare. You okay?" He questions, putting a hand on my arm.

I nod rapidly, trying to brush the dream from my head "just uhh, yah. I'm fine." I lie, this dream was different then any others I've had in the past, this dream had Daryl in it.

"You sure, you look a little sick." He says next, moving his hand to my forehead to feel it "and you're pretty warm."

I push his hand away "I was just sweating, it's fine." I push, not being able to shake whatever it is I'm feeling.

He nods, getting the hint and stands up "alright, I'll leave you to it then."

"Spencer, wait!" I call to him before he takes a step away. He looks at me and I say "can you stay? Just until I fall asleep?"

I can barely see his face in the dark but it looks like a small smirk forms on his lips "sure" he tells me, sitting back down on the bed and putting his hand on mine.

I move over in the full size bed, signaling for him to lay down with me. When he does, I turn over and lay on his chest, hoping him being here will help me be able to fall back into a dreamless slumber. However, Spencer wakes me up again sometime later from yet another night terror and I just decide to get up early, not enjoying the dreadful sights my conscious is throwing at me. I make my way to the house to talk to Rick when 7 o'clock comes around. "Hey, Rick around?" I ask when Rosita answers the door.

"Ya, he's upstairs with Judith." She moves away letting me in.

"Thanks." I say to her, walking past and towards the stairs. Once upstairs, I knock on Judith's bedroom door "Hey, it's Shannon."

The door opens when I push at it and I see Daryl and Rick both just turning to look at me. Judith plays on the floor by her fathers feet "I was just leavin'" Daryl mutters under his breath, starting to move.

"No, it's fine. You should be here for this conversation too." I tell him, stopping him in his steps before he could walk past me. "Rick, we need to figure out what we're going to do, they know where Alexandria is." I walk further into the bedroom.

Rick leans down to pick up Judith as he answers "that's what we were just talking about. We're going to have to gear up for a fight."

"A fight? You think that's the best idea?" I ask.

Daryl answers "it's what they're going to do. After blowin' up their home they're going ta come after us."

"We didn't blown up their home" Rick answers him.

"Huh?" Daryl asks.

Rick explains "our only plan was using her old friend to get her out. Someone else attacked the compound, it was just perfect timing for us."

"Shit" Daryl utters "don't know if they'll buy that."

"Do we have what we need for a fight?" I ask them, continuing to just look at Rick.

"We got enough, just not sure what they got." Daryl says back.

Judith fusses in her fathers arms and he bounces her to try and soothe her "you get any clue while you were inside?" He looks to me then back to Daryl.

I feel Daryl's eyes on me but I keep my posture tall when I answer "I was kept in barn stall, only saw armed guards when I escaped."

"Everyone carries as far as we could tell." He says.

I bite my lip and say "so we fight." I huff out an exhale "alright, we fight." I say a bit more confident to try and hide my fear for what's to come.

"You feelin' okay?" Daryl finally says something to me.

I barely look at him when I answer "I'm fine, just catchin' a cold."

"yew look tired, are ya sleepin okay?" He asks next.

Rick begins to move out of the room, much to my dismay but I answer Daryl harshly anyway "you don't get to ask me if I'm sleepin' okay anymore, k Daryl?" I spit.

"Wha?" He asks, possibly a bit dumbfounded at my response to him.

I retort, my tone harsh "you don't get to care anymore. Not only are my night terrors back but you're the cause of em this time Dixon, and I don't need you caring anymore, alright?"

He just stares at me so I take that as he understood and begin to leave the room as well, just as I reach the doorway he speaks up "ya know what, nah." He gets my attention and I stop, turning just my head to look at him. I squint my eyes towards him, daring him to say anything more. He doesn't take my warning and says "I do getta care, and I will. I did what I had to do to try and protect yew, I ain't sorry for that." My jaw keeps itself clenched, my brain empty with nothing to respond with. He walks closer to me and keeps going "and ima make it up to yew, I promise yew that." He puts himself at the doorway with me and my breath is shallow as it gets caught in my lungs.

He gives me one more look before continuing his exit and I listen as his foot steps retreat down the staircase. I hear the front door open and close and only then can I feel my breath coming back to me. Rick and Judith come out of the bathroom and when he sees me he asks "you look pretty pale, Shannon. You sure you're okay?"

I shake off whatever it is I'm feeling and say "uhh, yah. Just still exhausted from everything. I'm alright."

I go to move but everything gets dizzy and Rick holds on to me with one hand as I try to use the wall for balance "oh, wow. You're not okay."

"I'm fine." I try again.

"Stay here, I'll tell everyone to keep it down." He puts his hand on my arm "come on, get some rest."

"Oh! That's okay—" I try and decline.

He insists "Shannon, this is your home. Just get into bed and rest, Alright. I'll wake you when we go to talk to everyone."

"Thanks Rick." I agree, moving to the bed to take a nap and hopefully kick this cold.