My Desire - Daryl Dixon (1)

A Peaceful Evening

Chapter 7

That night we all sat around the fire, hearing about the city and everything that happened to Rick. As Rick told us his story, I had Alicia cuddling with me as I stroked her hair. She was tired but just like the rest of us, she wanted to hear everything Rick had to say. I had Glenn sitting beside me with T-Dog beside him and opposite me, I had Rick with Carl and Lori cuddling together as a family. We were all just happy to sit with our families, enjoying the reunion.

"Disorientated. I guess that comes closest. Disorientated. Fear. Confusion. All those things but, disorientated comes closest," Rick said.

"Words can be meagre things. Sometimes they fall short," Dale said.

"I felt like I had been ripped out of my life and put somewhere else. For a while I thought I was trapped in some coma, a dream, something that I might not wake up from, ever," Rick said.

"Mum said you died," Carl said to Rick.

"She had every reason to believe that. Don't you ever doubt it," Rick said.

"When things started to get really bad, they told me at the hospital that they were going to medevac you and the other patients to Atlanta, and that never happened," Lori said.

"Well I'm not surprised after Atlanta fell," Rick said.

"Yeah," Lori said.

"And from the look of that hospital, it gone overrun," Rick said.

"Hey looks don't deceive. I barely got them out, you know?" Shane asked.

"I can't tell you how grateful I am to you, Shane. Can't begin to express it," Rick said.

"There go those thoughts falling short again," Dale said.

Just then, Ed added more firewood to the fire before Shane said...

"Hey Ed, you wanna rethink that load?" Shane asked.

"It's cold man," Ed said.

"Cold don't change the rules, does it? We keep our fires low so we can't be seen from a distance, right?" Shane asked.

"I said it's cold. Why don't you mind your own business for once," Ed said.

Shane then got up and walked over to Ed before saying...

"Ed. You sure you wanna have this conversation?" Shane asked.

"Go on. Pull the damn thing out. Go on," Ed said to Carol.

Carol then did what Ed said before Shane made sure that the fire was low once again. Once he did this, Shane crouched down to Carol and Sophia before saying...

"Hey Carol, Sophia, how are you all this evening?" Shane asked.

"Fine. We're just fine," Carol answered.

"Okay," Shane said.

"Sorry about the fire," Carol said.

"No, no, no. No apology needed. You'll have a good night, okay?" Shane asked.

"Thank you," Carol said.

Shane then got up before saying...

"Appreciate the cooperation," Shane said before walking back over to us and sitting back down.

"Have you given any thought to Daryl Dixon? He won't be happy to hear that his brother was left behind," Dale said.

"I'll tell him. I dropped the key, it's on me," T-Dog said.

"I cuffed him, that makes him mine," Rick said.

"Guys, it's not a competition. I don't mean to bring race into this but, it might sound better coming from a white guy," Glenn said.

"I did what I did. Hell if I'm going to hide from him," T-Dog said.

"We could lie," Amy said.

"Or tell the truth. Merle was out of control, something had to be done or he'd have gotten us killed. Your husband did what was necessary and if Merle got left behind, it was nobody's fault but Merle's," Andrea said.

"And that's what we tell Daryl? I don't see a rational discussion to be had from that, do you? Word to the wise, we're going to have our hands full when he gets back from his hunt," Dale said.

"I was scared and I ran, I'm not ashamed of it," T-Dog said.

"We were all scared, we all ran, what's your point?" Andrea asked.

"I stopped long enough to chain that door. Staircase is narrow, maybe half a dozen geeks can squeeze against it at only one time. It's not enough to break through there. Not that chain, not that padlock. My point, Dixon's alive. He's still up there, handcuffed on that roof. That's on us," T-Dog explained before getting up.

As he did this, I looked down and saw Alicia drifting off.

"Looks like it's bedtime for you," I said before getting up with Alicia in my arms and walking over to my tent.

Once I got inside, Alicia got ready for bed before she climbed in her bed, ready to fall asleep.

"Sweet dreams baby," I said.

"Mum, can you sing to me?" Alicia asked.

"What song?" I asked.

"My favourite," Alicia answered.

"Okay, but after you go to sleep. Okay?" I asked.

"Okay," Alicia said.

"You want to sing with me?" I asked.

"Not this time. I want to hear you as I fall asleep," Alicia answered.

"Okay," I said.

I then took a deep breath before beginning to sing...

"Deep in the meadow, under the willow. A bed of grass, a soft green pillow. Lay down your head, and close your eyes. And when they open, the sun will rise. Here it's safe, and here it's warm. Here the daisies guard you from every harm. Here your dreams are sweet, and tomorrow brings them true. Here is the place where I love you. Deep in the meadow, hidden far away. A cloak of green, a moon beam ray. Forget your woes, and let your troubles lay. And when again it's morning, they'll wash away. Here it's safe, and here it's warm. Here the daisies guard you from every harm. Here your dreams are sweet, and tomorrow bring them true. Here is the place where I love you,"  I sung.

After singing Alicia's favourite song, Deep In The Meadow, Alicia was fast asleep. I then kissed her forehead before getting myself ready for bed. Once I did this, I climbed into my bed and began to drift off to sleep, thinking only of the song that I just sang, knowing that in my family, this song had a lot of meaning...