DARYL
"Nate's probably gone to get the car. It's parked a few miles down by the tracks. I'm sure she'll be back soon."
Heard Carol tellin someone this. She'd just returned to the cabin after cleaning all the walker crap off herself.
But it's been more than two hours since I left the other one out there. On her own....in the woods.
Thought she'd be back by now, but hell....ain't my fuckin problem no more is she?
Still, I can't but help the shiver of unease stompin up my spine.
*
"Daryl? I need a hand with something" Carol nodded over her shoulder before walkin out the door.
I followed her over to where the track started to go down the hill. A soon as the cabin was out of sight she spun around as quick as a snake and slammed her hand into my chest.
"What the fuck did you do?" She hissed.
Never seen Carol this pissed off before....not at me anyways. But I'm on the shortest of fuses and let rip without thinkin.
"None of yer goddamn business, yer nosy ol' bitch" I snarl, grabbing her wrist to push it away.
My head rocked back. After her other hand came up and slapped me fair and square across the face. I gaped at her in shock....
"Oh God! I'm sorry....so sorry. Daryl, I never meant to do that. Please believe me."
She's all distraught now. Her anger was lost, as soon as her palm connected.
I know it ain't Carol. She understands only too damned well how it feels to be hit by another person. Can't ever hold it against her.
She flopped down on a log and I can hear her sobbin. I collapse next to her and bump shoulders.
"Me who's sorry. Yer don't gotta be....not this time."
Can't look at her and she got herself together after a few minutes.
Hearing a noise, we peered up to see Rick and Mags joggin down the track towards us.
"We got worried when you both disappeared. Especially as we've not seen Nate since we first arrived" Rick explained as they both sat down too.
"You were with her last, Daryl....weren't you? What's happened? Where is she?"
S'pose now is as good a time as any to tell them. Can't just up and leave without explaining why I'm goin.
"Just told her how things gotta be now. Can't go through that again. Almost losin her when she got ill. Seein her in the field, walkers tearing them apart. And then....suddenly she turns up and she ain't dead."
"We're done....can't do it no more. Can't have her dyin on me again. Don't wanna feel like that ever again. Can't keep feelin those goddamn Chinese burns no more" I mumble.
"Told her it's over. I'm leaving....leaving the family for good. She can stay."
Carol just sat there, mouth hangin open in horror. I look away from her only to see the same on everyone's faces.
"You told her....WHAT? " Carol gasped.
"No....no....no. Daryl, how could you do that to her? After all she went through. Not just to keep Judith safe but to get back to you....to our family. Oh, my God!"
"Whaddya mean what she went through?" I spit back at her.
"WE ALL WENT THROUGH HELL, NOT JUST HER!"
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Home Is Your Heartbeat ('Home Is' Book Two - Daryl Dixon)
FanfictionSemi-mature. Completed. Book Two picks up immediately from the last chapter of Home is You. Nate is an Aussie girl who was stranded in Georgia during the outbreak. She and fellow traveler Leo joined a group of survivors in Atlanta. Nate got her fi...
