Hiraeth (The Walking Dead)

Chapter 23

Rick returned to the cell block late at night. He was still wary, and he was covered in walker blood, but his friends and family made sure he was okay before heading off to sleep. Daryl took the perch at the top of the cell block roof, as usual, while the others slept in open-door cells.

The older hunter woke up in the middle of the night, not to any surprise. The awful things from his past still forced him up at night until he was staring out the perch window, forgetting the idea of sleeping. This time when he woke up, however, he could see someone at the courtyard gate.

Someone sitting outside, just in the middle of the gate to the fenced-off field, smoke billowing from a cigarette as their legs crossed in front of them. The moonlight gave Daryl just enough light to make him roll his eyes as he recognized the person. It was Cailey, of course.

Only mildly curious, Daryl stepped down from his perch and out the cell block before reaching the courtyard. Cailey didn't even try to turn around as Daryl's feet scraped on the gravel. Before sitting down, Daryl asked "The hell ya doin' out here this late?"

"Couldn't sleep," the girl mumbled, putting out her cigarette on the gravel.

"Smokin' at this hour, maybe Carol's righ'," the older hunter started. "Maybe yer' too young tah be smokin'."

Cailey pushed her left arm out to shove Daryl gently. "Yeah, okay. I'm sure ya believe that."

"What're ya even doin' out here, girl? Go back to bed." Daryl scoffed quietly.

"Couldn't sleep," she repeated. "Got tired of tryin'. It's nice out here."

Daryl shook his head. He remembered about what Carol said, how Cailey probably saw Daryl as some type of 'older-brother' figure at this point. Instead of gently tussling her hair as he usually would, Daryl pat a rough hand on her shoulder blades. "Y'know the ol' man's ain't gonna hurt ya no more, huh?"

Cailey only gave a small hum, one hand reaching to her hurt shoulder and pressing a thumb into it.

"Shit's still hurtin'?"

"I mean, a nail just went through my shoulder a few days ago, no biggie," Cailey scoffed sarcastically.

Daryl pressed one palm to the girl's shoulder, pressing against the muscles until he felt the tension disperse. He carefully moved her sweater sleeve down, looking at the clean bandage. "It ain't bled through. Ya pro'lly won't get no infection."

The girl playfully pushed Daryl off. "Why you actin' all cool and shit, redneck?" She gave a near-silent laugh.

"Well, I was trynna act nice," Daryl chuckled, shoving her back. "Guess y'ain't deserve that, then."

"Nice? I didn't think that was in Daryl Dixon's vocabulary," the girl retorted with a lopsided grin.

"At least I got a vocabulary."

"Oh, right," Cailey nodded, counting on her fingers "Food, redneck, and yeehaw." She pointed to each finger she counted off a word. "Oh yeah, and fuck."

"Oh, yer' definitely gettin' it now." Daryl tackled the girl just enough to get her to the ground, holding her there.

Cailey made a small laughing noise and pushed at the man on her, kicking him in the side until he fell on the ground. Daryl grabbed at the younger hunter's wrists as she attacked him from the top, rolling her off as they tussled on the ground. They pushed and shoved each other with silent laughs, gravel and dirt flying everywhere.

As Daryl watched the young girl playfight against him, the man gave the tiniest grin as he shoved her back. He realized: yeah, this was his kid now.