Unexpected (A Daryl Dixon Fanfiction)

9 - Wings

I woke up the next morning and stretched my joints, hearing cracks and pops as they loosened up. The sun beamed through my window. I hadn’t slept in a while. I popped the trunk and looked at everyone bustling around.

“Look who finally woke up, How’re ya doing Sleeping Beauty,” Dale said teasing me.

“Ha. Ha. Ha,” I laughed sarcastically, before I grabbed some clothes, a silenced-pistol and knife, and hopped out of the car. I shut the trunk a turned back to Dale.

“I’m going to go change and stretch my legs a bit.”

“Stay close.”

I nodded and turned back to the woods and started walking into them. Once I was far enough away from camp, I started stripping my clothes and putting some semi-fresh ones on. I tied my combat boots and stretched fully now. I heard grass moving and I grabbed my gun, making sure the silencer was in place. I pointed it to the source and expecting a walker to come out. Out of some shrubbery, popped a man who I did not want to see while I was alone, Ed.

“Can I help you?”

He walked closer to me before stopping only a foot away. He didn’t answer, but blew the smoke from his cigarette into my face. I coughed slightly and turned my head to fan it away. I heard him flick his cigarette and in seconds, he pushed me onto the floor. He covered my mouth and I screamed against it. Hoping someone would at least hear the muffled attempts. He used the knife from my belt to cut open my shirt. I pushed his face away, trying to get the heavy man off me. I moved my legs frantically but he sat on them. I punched his shoulders and chest, my feeble attempts not doing me any good.

“Shh, shh, shh. The less you move the less painful it will be.”

I screamed louder and tears started rolling down my eyes. I’d rather be eaten by a walker than this right now. He pulled my holster from my jeans and started working on my jeans. I continued flailing under the older man, I couldn’t just accept this, I can’t.

“I haven’t seen a nice piece of ass like yours in years.”

His hand still over my mouth as I tried to scream. His rough hand slid into my pants as I screamed and cried more. I closed my eyes tightly praying it’d be over soon. I heard him undoing his belt buckle and my tears started spilling out more. I heard a grunt and the older man’s weight was lifted from me. My eyes shot open and I saw my winged savior standing next to me. He immediately pounced Ed, punching him in the face. I crawled backwards and curled myself in a ball to cover my body, and trying to catch my breath. I watched as Daryl beat Ed’s face in. My tears never stopping.

“Don’t you ever lay your hands on her again! You hear me ya piece of shit! If I see you near her again, I won’t hesitate to kill you!” Daryl screamed as he had Ed by the collar.

He threw the groaning man back on to the floor and spit on him before walking over to me. I was still sobbing and Daryl took off his Jacket before throwing it over my shoulders. I looked down feeling disgusted with myself.

“Aaron,” he said softly.

That only caused me to sob more. Daryl put his hands on my face and made me look at him.

“You’re okay now, baby girl, you’re okay.” He pulled me into him and all I could do was sob more into his chest.

“I won’t let him come near you again, ya hear me?”

I nodded and whipped my tears with the back of my hands as I started to calm down. Daryl walked over and grabbed my holster and knife. He sheathed it before kneeling back down to me. I fastened my pants and slipped my arms through the jacket and zipped it up fully. I whipped my eyes with my hands and took the holster from him. Standing up I hooked my holster back on my waist and nodded at him.

“Thank you,” I said with a shaky voice.

“You should come with me,” he started.

“And YOU, you sorry piece of shit, head your ass back to camp,” Daryl finished harshly at the man still groaning on the ground.

He placed a hand on my back and started leading me deeper into the forest. I didn’t argue, I really didn’t want to go back to the camp. Especially right now. We walked in silence as Daryl looked for some sort of game. I followed quietly. He stopped suddenly and turned to look at me.

“He didn’t hurt you too bad did he?”

“No,” I whispered.

“Good,” Daryl rubbed his face and continued to hunt.

I trailed behind him for hours until we found a few squirrel. We headed back to camp and I walked back to my truck, popping the trunk and sitting down. I sighed. Carl ran over to me with his game in hand.

“Hey Aaron. Can you help me? I’m stuck on a level,” He said as he jumped into the bed with me.

I smiled weakly and looked at the level and helped him out. A few moments later after helping him with the game, I grabbed a tank top and put it on under the vest, hesitantly taking off the vest. His scent was strong on it and I inhaled deeply, before completely shedding the article of clothing. After Daryl skinned the squirrel, he walked over and sat next to me, leaning back on his hands. I grinned at him and looked back to Carl playing the game. I felt a hand on my lower back and I knew it could only belong to the one other person sitting with us. I looked at him, but he was looking the other way, obviously trying to be discrete about the matter. I giggled and turned back to Carl. Daryl’s thumb caressed my back and we sat like that for a while.  It comforted me and made me feel a whole lot better about our situation, and what happened earlier. I sighed and leaned into his hand more.

A few minutes later, a car alarm sounded and a Mustang came flying into camp. Daryl stood up quickly standing by the truck and I put my arm around Carl’s shoulders. Out of the car popped an ecstatic looking Asian boy, and behind him trailed a moving truck. Shane pulled the wire of the alarm to stop it. Everyone started piling out of the truck, and went to hug their loved ones. There was an extra shadow that sat in the truck and it opened the door. A man stepped out wearing a sheriff uniform.

“Dad?” Carl asked quietly.

“DAD!” Carl ran to the sheriff man and hugged him tightly. Lori did the same. I looked at Daryl who tried to scan the cars from where he was standing. There was one person who was missing, and it looked like everyone had already come out of the truck. He started to pace back and forth and his breathing started to become shallow and heavy.

“Where’s Merle?”