Wild Roses ~Daryl Dixon Love Story~•

Sea Water

** Hey y'all! I know I know, I haven't updated in almost 2 weeks (Cue boos from the fans). But! I am Updating tonight! (Cue clapping and cheering). Haha ok don't hate me! This chapter will be good! Please if anyone has any ideas they wanna throw my way, you can leave them in the comments! Anyways, On to the next chapter! xoxo **

A million thoughts rushed through my head at once, making me feel lightheaded and weak. The thought of everyone in this group being one of those monsters made my knees buckle. Images of Daryl as a walker poisoned my mind. I felt a small squeeze on my hand. Daryl was looking at me with a blank expression, but his eyes held the same worry, sorrow and fear as mine did. His blue eyes sent a comforting look to me, making me feel a slight but better. "What?" Daryl asked, shocked. Everyone shared the same confused, angry, scared look I did, including Rick. "Back at the CDC, Jenner told me, what ever it is, we all carry it." Rick stated, staring at the ground. Dale had told me about the CDC one night on the RV. He had told me they left Jacqui, a member of the group, behind with a doctor named Edwin Jenner when the building was self-destructing. "And you never said anything?" Carol asked with tears brimming in her eyes. The way Dale had said it, the CDC was awhile ago. Why would Rick keep this from the group? Just thinking of Dale made my heart split, but I tried to keep myself together. This world wasn't for weak people, and stuff like this happens. The curve-balls of life are still there, just worse now. "Wouldn't have made a difference." Rick whispered. "You knew this whole time.." Scoffed Glenn. "How could I have known for sure. You saw how-" "That is not your call! Ok when I found out about the walkers in the barn I told for the good of everyone." Glenn added, sounding seriously offended. "I thought it was best if people didn't know." Rick stated plainly. I had to bit my tongue to stop from yelling at him. I bit my lip and tried to calm myself. Rick gave us all a look that we couldn't make out, and simply walked away. I felt Daryl let go of my hand, and load another arrow into his crossbow. "Come on" he said gruffly. I nodded slightly before notching an arrow and following him into the forest. Daryl was quite ahead of me, and I could feel the tension off of him. I knew he was stressed, and I was too. I slightly jogged up to him and gently grabbed his vest, tugging on it. "Daryl.." "What?" he shouted turning around so quickly I ran into his chest. I placed both of my hands on his chest, not able to take my eyes off of my hands. I knew that if I looked into those baby blue eyes all the will power I have would be useless. I felt Daryl relax under my touch, but I could tell he was still scared. After a few minutes I felt him wrap his arms around my waist and pull me close into his chest. I felt safe in his arms, like the world around us just crumbled into normality. I breathed in his scent, placing my head into the crook of his neck. "I won't ever let you out of my sight again, you scared me.." He mumbled into my neck. I felt a small smile creep to my mouth. "I'm not going any where." I said, planting a soft kiss on his neck. Daryl placed light, feathery kisses on my neck, slowly meeting the corner of my mouth. He pulled back and looked into my eyes, placing a hand on my cheek. I leaned in and kissed him, slowly but lovingly. I felt those same butterflies in my stomach. We pulled away when we heard a small rustle from the trees. I drew back an arrow and let it find it's marker in a fat squirrel. I stood on my tip-toes and kissed Daryl on the cheek before running over to collect my squirrel. "Nice shot" he said with a wink. We continued collecting firewood, kindling and shooting the scarce squirrels scampering around. It was almost dark now, the moon completely full. I felt so open in our little camp. If the herd caught up with us in the middle of the night we would all be dead. The images of waking up from a nightmare filled sleep to find the world just as bad as the nightmare. I felt chills run up my back but I ignored it. Daryl jogged up to me and took my hand, walking to the group. Before the group could see us he dropped my hand and moved away slightly. I knew Daryl wasn't one for PDA and neither was I but I felt slightly lonely. My step-dad's voice echoed in my head, telling me to suck it up. No one would ever love something like me. I was broken, and just a monster. Something that rips everyone's lives apart. T-Dog took first watch, giving us a slight nod before going back to scouting. The group was dead silent, Lori held Carl closer than normal but wouldn't dare look at Rick. Glenn and Maggie were inseparable and Beth clung to Hershal. Carol was oddly close to Daryl as we took a seat by the fire, glancing at him more and more after every second. Daryl opened and arm, ushering my into his side which I greatly accepted. It was freezing and he had a lot of body heat. "We're not safe with him. Keepn' something like that from us? We do you need him, he's just gonna pull you down." Carol whispered to Daryl, completely ignoring me. I cleared my throat slightly, earning a dirty look from Carol. "Nah, Ricks done alright by me." He said, catching the dirty look. I felt him squeeze my waist slightly but I just shrugged. "Your his henchman, and I' a burden. You deserve better." she insisted. "What do you want?" "A man of honor." Carol answered meekly. "Rick has honor." Daryl added, throwing away any sort of arguments with Carol. I felt slightly uncomfortable. I stood up, pushing Daryl's questions away and started walking to my car. I gave T-Dog a small wave od reassurance before I climbed into the back of my car, pulling out my brothers navy t-shirt and an old blanket that he travelled with. I took a deep breath, smelling Hunter's cheap cologne and sea water on the t-shirt and blanket. Tears pricked my eyes but I kept them in. It had been so long since I've seen him. I swore I would find him, I would track him down and catch up with him but it was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. It was impossible to track someone now when you don't even know what state their in, or if their even alive. I tossed the shirt back into the car and pulled out another extra blanket from the backseat I found in the car. As I walked back to the group, I noticed the sky was almost empty of stars. I sighed and continued walking. I gave Carl the extra blanket which he thanked me for about a hundred times. I say down with Daryl again, wrapping the blanket around myself and snuggling into his chest, absorbing every ounce of warmth I could get. "This smells like salt water.." He grumbled, kissing my forehead softly. "15 years on a ship, never could get rid of the smell." I whispered into his shoulder. My eyes felt like bowling balls but every time I closed them all I could see was the barn going up in flames, losing everything. The thought made me shudder and chilled me to the bone. Daryl gave me a confused look but I gave him a look of don't-ask and he looked back to the flames. The light danced across his face, flicking flame in the glare of his eyes. I felt more butterflies in my stomach and I gently kissed his shoulder before staring into the flames. I snapped my head toward the forest, hearing a twig snap. "What was that?" "Could be anything, a raccoon, could be a possum-" "a walker" Daryl stood up, leaving my slightly colder. I shrugged off the blanket and stretched out my legs, standing up. "We need to leave. I mean, what are we waiting for?" said carol in worried tone. I hated sitting here out in the open. We're so vulnerable. "Which way?" "It came from over there" Maggie said pointing to an area of bushes. "Back from where we came" "Yeah" I got slightly worried. It could be the herd. "The last thing we need is for everyone running off in the dark. We don't have the vehicles, no ones travelling on foot." Rick said sternly. Whatever has gotten into him made him a lot more short-tempered. Hershal whispered to us not to panic but it was hard when we were so open and useless. "I'm not sittin' here waiting for another herd to blow through, we need to move now-" "No one is going anywhere!" Rick whisper shouted, cutting Maggie off. "Rick its dangerous here, for all we know there could be a herd half a mile from us." I added. Rick gave me a stern look, opening his mouth to say something until Carol cut him off. "Rose is right, Do something" She whispered. "I am doing something! I'm keeping this group together, alive! I've been doing that all along, no matter what. I didn't ask for this! I killed my best friend for you people for Christ's sake!" Rick shouted, causing everyone's expressions to falter. No one moved. Rick killed Shane. The thought sunk in for a minute. Rick ain't no murderer, something happened. Shane was a terrible person but no one deserves cold, lonely death. "You saw what he was like, how he pushed me.. How he compromised us. How he threatened us. He staged the whole Randal thing, led me out to put a bullet in my back. He gave me no choice!" Rick wouldn't break his stare on Lori, even if she didn't even glance at him. I knew he was trying to convince her. I clenched my fists, taking in all of this information. "He was my friend, but he came after me." Carl let out a small sob, kidding his face in his mothers jacket. "My hands are clean! Maybe you people are better off without me. Go ahead, I say there's a place for us but maybe its just another pipe dream, maybe its I'm fooling myself again. Why don't you go and find out yourself! Send me a postcard! Go on, there's the door! You can do better? Lets see how far you get. No takers? Fine, but get one thing straight. Your stayin', this isn't a democracy anymore." And with that, Rick walked away leaving us all blank.

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Told you! haha so last night was the first episode of season 5!!! OMG IT WAS AMAZING! I know y'all wanna rant with me come on :p Please, leave your thoughts on the chapter or about the season premier last night! Thank you xoxo

~Airie