Let The Flames Begin [COMPLETE]

Part 7

"Are we almost there yet?" Charlene whined, her feet protesting with each step she took. They had stayed at the cabin for almost two weeks until their supplies startled to dwindle. The brothers had decided it was time to leave, whilst they still had some things to take with them. It didn't make much sense to wait until they ran out to leave, then they'd be walking back to the truck for a couple of days with no food or water. So they had packed what they had left between their three packs, and Daryl had discreetly made sure Charlene's was the lightest. The last thing they needed was her falling over and getting stuck on her back like a damn turtle.

It was dark outside and Charlene kept falling over tree roots, stones, her own fucking feet. Everything seemed creepier at night, she couldn't see a thing and every noise had her gasping and jumping. It was Merle's great idea to trek through the night, to keep pushing on so they could hurry to the truck and bike. Daryl hadn't agreed, he thought they should rest up. He knew Charlene would get tired, she seemed to get tired easy trying to keep up with him and his brother.

"Be there around daybreak," Merle huffed, sick of the same question every ten minutes. He was at the back, taking up the rear whilst Daryl walked up front with his bow at the ready. Charlene was in between them, safe in her little bubble of Dixon. She tripped over again, tumbling into Daryl's back as her hands gripped his sides. He tensed up, glancing over his shoulder.

"Y'alright?" he rasped, watching as she righted herself again with a sigh. She let go of his sides and he ignored how he felt the loss. Their time at the cabin had spoiled him a little with her closeness. Sharing a bed with her every night, even if he didn't touch her. It was like it was second nature for him now to be right next to her and anytime she was further away, he hated it. He had been true to his word about not letting her out of his sight. He followed her everywhere and it had gotten a little too far when he tried to follow her to the bathroom when she needed to pee. He had argued with her, not getting what the big deal was. And after she promptly shut the door in his face, he had sat next to Merle brooding something fierce. It was embarrassing that it took his brash brother to explain simply what the issue was, that his protectiveness had clouded his judgement that much.

~

"Didn't peg ya for havin' that kinda kink," Merle had cackled, making Daryl look at him with a scowl.

"The fuck ya talkin' about?" he huffed, glaring at him.

"Shit, I thought ya had more game than that little brother. She's a girl, she ain't gonna whip her pants off and piss right in front of ya. If ya need me to tell ya that then maybe it's been far too long since ya been with a woman," Merle had snorted at him, making his cheeks flush as he realised how fucking stupid he was being.

~

"It's too dark," she complained, glancing around in the complete darkness like she was waiting for something to pop out and get her. Daryl chewed on his lower lip, his own eyes glancing around. He didn't have much of an issue seeing in the dark but she clearly did, she was falling over every five minutes and now it was slowing them down.

"Maybe we should set up camp, just rest and start again tomorrow. Can't see shit out here," Daryl suggested, looking at his brother through the darkness.

"I can see just fine and I sure as shit know you can too. Its little miss here that can't see shit," Merle snorted. Charlene huffed, folding her arms over her chest, he wasn't exactly wrong but it didn't mean she liked it.

"Don't matter does it? She can't see and she's tired so we need to fuckin' camp out," Daryl glared, not noticing Charlene now squinting at him, the way they were both talking about her like she wasn't there, noticing just how much she couldn't keep up with them.