Angel

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Angel

It's funny how much life can change in twenty-four hours. I'm sitting on the front steps of our house with the Virginia sun beating down on me as I watch what little belongings I have being strapped to the top of the SUV. Next to me, I have a backpack with a few necessities for Daryl and I in case we get separated from Rick and Michonne. Yesterday, we had planned on staying here forever, today we're moving out.

Yes, Daryl found his friends. Actually, they consider themselves family. The ones that he thought had died at the hands of the Saviors were indeed alive. Not all made it, but it seems the ones most important to him did. I'm happy for him, I really am. But that means that we are leaving this house that I loved living in to move to a new place with new people, and it won't be just us anymore.

Initially, I hated his friends. Rick was an ass and Michonne was just too damn gorgeous. She has an elegance about her that completely contradicts with the dreadlocks. Rick was simply being a dick to me. I'm not sure why. He did say that he doesn't trust new people, but he should have trusted Daryl. Somehow I think it's more than that, but I'm not sure. Either way, we're okay now.

I just wish we didn't have to leave. I understand why Daryl wants to. He's right that this place does give us a false sense of security, but I was hoping that would last forever. I like it just him and me. It works. We work.

He's not wrong about the Hilltop. Early this morning when we were just lying in bed, I had him tell me everything he knew about the place. I liked the high walls, and the idea of fresh vegetables is really awesome, but there would be so many more people there. People he knew and that liked him, but would they like me?

"We're almost done," Daryl called out. "Last chance if you want to bring anything else."

"Where would we fit it?"

"No idea," he said as he tightened the last rope. "Make one last sweep, okay?"

I signaled to him that I would and headed back inside. The SUV was already stuffed with the supplies from the store we scavenged. On top of the vehicle is where we had everything else. I packed every piece of clothing I thought someone could use. Every toiletry, candle and food items we had collected came too. No matter what, we were going to need it, and if not us, someone else could.

It only took me a few minutes to know there was nothing left to take. The only thing I had left here were the memories that Daryl and I created. Yeah, I'm getting sappy. He told me he loved me here. Daryl's never loved anyone but me, so that was so incredibly special to me. We could also be ourselves here. Now everything was changing.

I stood in the middle of our bedroom sad that I would never wake up in his arms here again. We were moving on to a new place, but that didn't mean I really wanted to. I had to because it was the right thing to do, but I wasn't looking forward to it.

Suddenly I felt his strong arms wrap around me. That wasn't something that Daryl did often, but I think he sensed my sadness.

"You okay?"

I turned in his arms and brushed his long bangs out of his eyes so I could look into those beautiful blue eyes of his. "As long as I'm with you, I'll be okay."

"How the hell did I get so damn lucky?" he murmured into my hair. "Almost dying, was the best thing that happened to me."

"I'm glad I didn't let you die that day."

I felt him chuckle. 'Yeah, me too." Daryl kissed the top of my head, before asking me if I was ready to go.

I had to be. It was time to move on. "How long do you and Rick think it will take to get there?"