Healing Broken Wings [Daryl Dixon] The Walking Dead

Fourteen| Bring It On

⛏️Daryl⛏️

I sit beside Kris, Lori is back, Rick isn't yet and the sun is slowly rising in the sky. I'm holding off telling the group about Kris's condition, just until Rick gets back. Shane's technically leader and he could force his way into this tent and try to kill, Kris, course I'd kill him before he even opened the flap but I'm still going to wait.

"How is she?" I sigh internally at Dean's voice. "The same as the last time you asked, Dean." I don't hear anything else and turn to see him deep in thought in the doorway. "Dean, if anything happens you'll be one of the first people to know, okay?" He nods before leaving.

I hear a car approaching and call Dean to watch over, Kris. I jog over as Rick, Glenn, and Hershel hop out. Maggie runs forward and hugs Glenn. Lori comes over, she'd been in an accident trying to find Rick. "Patricia, prepare the shed for surgery."

We head into the house and Rick explained everything about, Randall. How they saved him, how his friends left him to die. "We should still post a guard," T-dog says as Hershel walks out. "He's out cold right now, will be for hours."

"You know what? I'm gonna go get him some flowers and candy. Look at this, folks we back in fantasy land." I roll my eyes, Shane's voice is grating. "You know, we haven't even dealt with what you did at my barn yet. Let me make this perfectly clear, once and for all. This is my farm. Now I wanted you gone.
Rick talked me out of it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. So do us both a favor keep your mouth shut."

I smirk internally as Shane, keeps his mouth closed. I step forward and the group looks at me. "We need to talk. It's about, Kris." I told them about, Kris's condition and how I think she got that way. Shane, immediately, turns to Rick. "You know what we're going to have to do." My hand moves to my crossbow strap.

Carol watches my movement but says nothing. "Now hold up, she's one of us, she's earned her place. And Daryl's theory, well that's all it is, a theory. Let's not make rash decisions."

"Rick—" Shane starts only for Carol to stand up and cut him off. "It could just be a normal infection, like T-dog's arm. She's had that wound for over a week if she was infected by a walker, she would have turned by now."

"Rick, we can't take any chances, she's only a few feet from where we sleep."

"Then I'll move her to my tent, plenty of distance from y'all. Safer for her." Some of the group nods and I know Shane isn't happy. "Daryl, no one's going to hurt her," Rick says and I make a gesture to Shane.

"You may not, but what about him? Can he make that promise?" Rick turns and gives Shane a look. "I won't hurt her, I promise."

"Frankly, your promises don't mean jack to me. So, if I catch you anywhere near my tent or even your tracks, my bolts will be ripping through your throat. We clear?"

"Yeah, we're clear," he says, a dangerous look in his eyes. I nod and turn, leaving the house, time to move. I quickly and carefully move Kris to my tent, moving her stuff as well. I sit in silence listening to Kris's labored breathing. Dean says she woke up, asking for me but when I got back she was unconscious again.

×ו××

I stand in the barn, Randall kneeling before me, battered, bruised, and bleeding. I hit him again and he spits blood onto the floor. "I told you, man. I told you." I grab him by his jacket. "You haven't told me, shit!"

"I barely knew those guys. I met 'em on the road."

"How many in your group?" When he doesn't answer I grab ahold of his leg. "Uh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Come on, man." I kick him in the leg and he yelps in pain. "How many?!"

"Uh, 30-- 30."

"Where?"

"Uh," he takes too long and I punch him. He yells out, "I don't know. I swear. We were never any place more than a night."

"Scouting? Planning on staying local?"

"I-- I don't know. They-- they left me behind." I pull his pant leg up, exposing his stitched wound. "Did you ever pick off a scab?"

"Come on, man! I'm-I'm trying to cooperate." I slowly dig my knife in. "Start real slow at first."

"No."

"Sooner or later, you've just gotta rip it off."

"Okay. Okay. They-they have weapons-- Heavy stuff, automatics. But I didn't do anything."

"Your boys shot at my boys, tried to take this farm. You just went along for the ride? You're trying to tell me you're innocent?"

"Yes! These-- these people took me in.
Not just guys-- A whole group of 'em.
Men and women, kids too-- Just like you people. Thought I'd have a better chance with them, you know? But we go out, scavenge-- A man and his two daughters-- Teenagers, you know? Real young. Real cute."

My body goes rigid as I know where this is going. "Their daddy had to watch while these guys-- they-- and they didn't even kill him afterwards. They just-- they just made him watch as his daughters— they just-just-just left him there. No, but-but-but I didn't touch those girls. No, I swear I didn't to—"

I cut him off by punching him. Thinking of Kris. "Please. Please. You gotta believe me, man. I'm not like that. I ain't like that.
Please. Please, you gotta believe me." I shake my head in disgust before leaving the barn.

I head over to where the group is. "Boy there's got a gang, 30 men. They have heavy artillery and they ain't looking to make friends. They roll through here, our boys are dead. And our women, they're gonna--they're gonna wish they were."

The woman of the group share looks, they all know what Kris went through, either by guessing or she told them. "What did you do?" Carol asks, looking at my knuckles, I look as well. My knuckles are bloody from hitting him so much.

"Had a little chat," I say walking back to my tent to check on, Kris. I walk in and see Dean sitting beside her, his face full of concern. "What is it?" I ask adjusting the weapon on my back. "Her breathing is ragged and her pulse is weak."

I look and see he's right, her face is so pale. I rub my eyes and the silence stretches on. It's finally broken by Dean's gasp. I look and see him fumbling with her wrist, searching for a pulse. "No," I whisper and he jumps to his feet, running from the tent. I scramble forward, her chest is no longer rising and falling. I lean my ear in close to her mouth and I don't feel or hear her exhaling.

Tears come to my eyes as I shake my head. No. No. No. No! "Please, no! Kristina?" I call to her but get no response. "Over here, quickly!" I hear Dean screaming. Suddenly Carol bursts into the tent, Dean gently pulls me away and out of the tent to give her space. I shrug his hands off my shoulders. I begin pacing, running my hand through my hair.

"What's happening?" Lori calls running up with the rest of the group. I stay silent, keeping my tears away. "Kris's heart just stopped," Dean says and I hang my head, crouching down, hands on my head. "Rick, I'm going to step in if you don't. If she turns Carol could get bit."

I hear Rick's sigh and footsteps coming closer to me. I jump up, pulling my crossbow from my back, pointing it in between Shane's eyes. "You won't be taking another step. But by all means, bring it on. I dare you. Let's see you be able to put me in another chokehold with an arrow in the brain."

"Daryl—" I cut Rick off. "Don't Daryl, me. She wasn't infected, she was just sick." A tear escapes my eye before I could push it back. "She's the only family I got left. She's not my blood but...she's more than that." Rick steps forward, grabbing Shane's arm and pulling him back.

I'm just about to lower my crossbow when I hear gasping. I turn to the tent and rush in. I feel the group, pressing in beside me to look. Kris is sitting up, gasping for breath. I see the tears in her eyes as she looks at Carol. "Th-tha...nk...you," she's says barely above a whisper. Carol pulls her into a hug as she cries. "Of course, sweetheart."

I drop my crossbow and fall to my knees beside Kris. As soon as Carol pulls away, I crush Kris to me. She wraps her arms around me and more tears escape my eyes. "I thought you died," I say forcing my voice not to tremble.

"She did. I gave her CPR." I look at Carol and she smiles at me. "Thank you, I'll never be able to repay you."

"I'm just glad she's okay now."