Arrowhead ➳ Daryl Dixon

t w e n t y n i n e

The expression on Presley's face was heart shattering, and it broke poor Stefan's heart. Her lips parted as she tried to find words, but nothing came out. She sucked in a sharp breath, grasping the material on her chest that covered her heart. The pain was evident on her beautiful features.

"W-what?" She whispered, leaning against the Jeep for support

"Pres-." Rick began, but he stopped when Presley turned and slammed the flat of her hand against the cool metal of the Jeep. 

"No!" She cried, tears streaming down her face. She continued slapping her hands against the Jeep, screaming, "No, no no no!"

At last, Stefan stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Presley and pulling her away from the vehicle. Rick and Maggie both shared a horrified expression at the sight of Presley breaking down. Nearly everybody in the area was frozen to their spots.

For Presley, the pain was undescribable. All the memories of what the Governor had done to her came flooding back, keeping her from thinking strait. She sobbed, leaning away from Stefan's body as he continued to hold her in his arms. She was scared for Daryl, beyond scared. In her mind, this had been all her fault. Daryl was no captured, and it was her fault.

"I-I need to go get him." She whispered, choking. "I-."

"No, you're nothing thinkin rationally." Rick said softly, but Presley retaliated by shaking her head. 

"I am thinking rationally." She insisted, shoving herself away from Stefan at last. She wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. "I am not leaving him there. I am not leaving him there to suffer worse pains than I did." She said bitterly, pulling the pistol out of her holster and reloading it. Her hands were shaking and she nearly dropped one of the bullets while reloading it.

"Presley-."

"Rick, shut the hell up, okay?" Presley said, slamming the black object back into its spot. She glanced over her shoulder at the Jeep, knowing that she had about half a tank of gas. "I know where to go. Stefan, will you help me? You know the place better than I do." Presley asked, yanking open the car door. She moved to slide into her seat, but she was yanked back by a strong arm. She spun, facing Rick, who had just done that. Her eyes were narrowed with anger, but the fear was evident in her expression. You would have to know her quite well to know that her palms were getting sweaty and all she wanted to do was lash out.

"Don't touch me." She said bitterly, yanking her arm from his grasp.

"Give me twenty minutes, Presley. Twenty minutes." Rick practically pleaded. "Going by yourself is suicide."

"She wouldn't be by herself." Stefan said quietly, earning a small glare from Rick.

"Twenty minutes, that's it. If you aren't ready I'm taking off." She said, glancing over at Stefan. His heart broke to see her expression, but it was shattered to know that she cared for somebody other than himself. In his eyes, Presley was some sort of angel brought down from the heavens... And meanwhile, Presley was becoming absorbed in another man. All he wanted to do was wrap her up in his arms and treat her like a queen, but she wasn't like that. Presley wasn't one to settle down just for a boy. She needed somebody to fuel her fire, not burn it out.

And so, Presley waited, counting down the precious minutes that it took for Rick to return. By the eighteenth minute, he had returned, with people and a vehicle in trail. She noticed that Glenn was going, undoubtedly to get revenge on the Governor for whatever happened to Maggie. A few other people that Presley didn't recognize trailed behind. She put aside the rifle she'd been cleaning, brushing a tendril of hair behind her ear and approaching Rick. Her heartbroken expression was replaced with a detirmened  look.