My Hope

Chapter 9

Sarah's POV

I woke to the sound of voices. I strained my ears to try and figure out who it was. It was Rick and...Daryl? I opened my eyes a little and could barley see through my hair that was blocking my vision.

"She will be ok. She is strong." Rick said to Daryl. Daryl was holding my hand and leaning against the bed. He was looking down at his hands, obviously nervous.

"You care for her?" Rick asked. I waited to hear Daryl's answer, but I just saw that he looked up at Rick, with a look on his face that told how he felt. It gave me chills thinking that Daryl might care for me. The night we kissed, I just thought that he was so drunk that he might not have really have meant it.

"She likes you too, I know it." Rick said back down to Daryl, his hand still on Daryl's shoulder. Was it that obvious, I thought to myself. I really liked him, in fact. He made me feel something I never felt before. Noticed.

"She don't like me, I ain't nothin' but trash." Daryl said, shrugging off Rick's hand.

What? How could Daryl think that? That I didn't like him? That he was trash? I knew there was more to Daryl than that a redneck tough guy he claims to be! He was much, much more that that!

Rick turned to walk away, but I managed to say something.

"That's not true." was all I could get out because of how dry my throat was. Rick turned back around with a shocked look on his face. Daryl looked up from where he was, probably thinking he was hearing things.

"You ain't trash," I said.

"I'll go get Hershel." Rick said, practically running out of the room.

Daryl looked down at me, squeezing my hand. "Your awake?" was all he said. I could sense that he was uncomfortable. He raised his hand and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Listen to me Daryl. You are not trash," I said, my voice cracking a little but I wasn't done.

"And yeah," I said, taking my hand and brushing my hair out of my face.

A little smile came onto his face and he blushed a little as I said,

"I like you too."

Rick and a man walked in and Daryl quickly stood up and stood in the corner of the room.

"I can see that your awake. My name is Hershel." the man said, sitting down in the chair where Daryl once sat.

"May I?" Hershel said, looking down at me back. I nodded, remembering the events at the CDC.

"You burned your back a little, but it has started to heal quite nicely." he said, touching lightly on my back. It hurt a little in some spots, but I didn't say anything.

I crossed my arms above my head and laid my head down onto my arms. Hershel put the blanket back down on my back, covering me up. He gave me strict orders to stay on bed rest for a few more days and then left the room.

"Its nice to see you awake for a change." Rick said, sitting down in the chair next to me.

"How long have I been out?" I asked, my mouth a little dry.

"Almost a week." a voice said from the corner of the room. I looked over my shoulder and saw Daryl, his arms crossed and biting his lip. Seeing him made me smile.

"Yeah, and a lot has happened." Rick said. He informed me about a herd of walkers on the highway, that Sophia was lost, Carl had been shot, and that Hershel had let us stay on his farm.

"Wow." I said, thinking about all the things that have happened. "I'll leave y'all to talk." Rick got up from the chair and left the room, closing the door behind him.