Knife Edge [Daryl Dixon]

Chapter Eight - Together Alone (1/2)

Is it night? Are we here together alone?
Walt Whitman

Sarah lay in bed while Rebecca and David got ready. They met at the stores when Rebecca started working there and things were moving fast between them. She smiled against the pillow when Rebecca smothered a laugh. 

Soon, they would head to the canteen for breakfast. Then Rebecca would go to the stores and David would go and help clear the burned remains of Aaron and Eric's old house. Her smile slipped. She was glad they were nearly finished. Aaron insisted on being part of the crew but was becoming more quiet and gaunt with each day that passed. 

When the door thumped closed she got up and put on her boots. Everyone was busy except her and it didn't feel right. 

It was days since she went hunting with Daryl and they had no plans to go back out. Usually they set up the next run on the way home from the previous, but Daryl was vague and uncooperative on the way back from Delaplane. Even more than usual.

She smoothed her hair in her ponytail and went to open the blinds. Tiny spots of rain dotted the glass and the gray clouds that filled the sky promised more. Nevertheless, she didn't want to waste the day.

     It wasn't until she knocked on Daryl's room door that it occurred to her that maybe this wasn't such a great idea. Sure, Michonne let her into the house no problem, and he had been to her caravan more than once, but she was suddenly aware how different this was. Like maybe she was intruding. Like maybe she was about to poke a bear in its cave.

And when Daryl opened the door wearing only a pair of torn pants and a black t-shirt she knew she was right. Up till now, every time she saw him, he was outside and ready to go. This felt like catching him with his guard down. 

He didn't look happy to see her either. Just stood in the doorway and growled, 'What?'

'When are we going out?' 

She cringed. Of all the ways she could have said it, that probably wasn't the best, but he had thrown her. Was he angry with her or something? 

He answered her though, his voice not much more than a mutter, 'We're goin' to Hilltop and Richmond the day after tomorrow.' 

When he started to close the door as if they were done already Sarah began to get exasperated. Alexandria always needed supplies. Rebecca could write them a list as long as her arm if need be. And nobody knew that more than Daryl.

'Yeah, but aren't we going out before that?'

Daryl opened his mouth to answer, and from his increasingly pissed expression she didn't think she was going to like it. 

She never thought of Rick as a nick of time, save you kind of guy, but at that, he opened the next door along in the middle of tucking a checked shirt into his jeans. His eyebrows raised as if he was surprised to find her in his hallway, but he recovered quickly, 'Hey.' 

It was more of a greeting than Daryl had managed, so Sarah gave a bright, 'Hey,' in return. Before she could say anything else, Daryl scowled, put a hand on her shoulder and drew her into his room.

Well, she was in, but after he closed the door, instead of saying anything, Daryl brushed past her and went to a narrow cot. She followed him with her eyes as he threw himself onto his cot and stretched out, resting his back against the wall. He was slimmer than she thought, but his hair was longer. Long enough to curl around the nape of his neck.

Suddenly uncertain about his mood or how to proceed, she looked away.

It was a tiny room, not much bigger than her bedroom in the caravan, but while she had next to nothing, Daryl had too much for her to take in.