My Hope

Chapter 8

Rick's POV

I started walking towards the house to check up on Carl. Hershel had finally gotten all the bullet fragments out thanks to Shane and Otis, the idiot who shot my son, going and getting the supplies he needed to operate.

Otis had died, sacrificing himself so that Shane could get back here with the supplies. That is what Shane told me when he got back at least. I finally made it to the front door and went inside to the smell of home cooked meal. Lori and Carol were cooking a meal for Hershel and his family, as a thank you for saving Carl and Sarah.

I looked in on Carl who was fast asleep. I closed the door, not wanting to wake him up. I walked towards the kitchen and leaned against the table. Lori came up to me and smiled before setting the table.

"Could you take this up to Daryl? I know he probably won't come down for dinner and if he doesn't eat now, he never will." Carol said, handing me a plate of food that she had prepared for him.

"Sure thing." I said. I walked over to Lori and kissed her on the cheek and headed upstairs to Sarah's room.

I knew he would be there, because he was always there for her. Whenever he wasn't hunting or going on a run, he was here. It was nice to know that Daryl cared for her.

The door to the bedroom was open and I peeked my head in. I saw Daryl sitting in a chair, leaning his upper body onto the bed. His arms were crossed on the bed and his chin resting on his arms. He was staring at her, as if it would somehow wake her up.

I knocked on the door and slowly made me way into the room. Daryl looked up at me then rested his chin back down onto his arms.

"Carol wanted me to bring this to you, to make sure you ate something." I said, lying the food into the nightstand. He grunted back, so I took it as a thanks.

I stood next to Daryl, looking down at Sarah. The feeling of guilt rushed over me like a tidal wave, almost knocking me over. She risked her life to make sure Daryl was ok. I don't know if I would have done the same.

I put my hand on Daryl's shoulder, "She will be ok. She is strong." I said to him, trying to find a way to comfort him.

I thought Daryl would just shrug my hand off and yell at me, but he just sat there. She must really mean something to him, I thought to myself.

"You care for her?" the words just slipping out of my mouth. I knew I had crossed the line and that he would make me regret those words, but instead he looked up at me, his eyes saying that it was more than that. He loved her.

"She likes you too, I know it." I said to him, my hand still on his shoulder.

"She don't like me, I ain't nothin' but trash." he said back, shrugging me hand away. I turned to walk out of the room, knowing I had hit a soft spot.

"That's not true."