Till Death Do Us Part: A Daryl Dixon Story (The Walking Dead)

5

I stood alone in the dark and shivered from the cold. I felt a gentle pair of hands rest on my shoulders and my eyebrows arched.

'You all good for the night?' Rick asked.

I nodded and shot him a smile, not that he'd have seen it.

'You sleepin' in Daryl's tent?'

'No,' I said. 'In the RV.'

Rick nodded. 'We did it.' He was referring to making it here.

'No, you did it. I was just...there.'

'Are you always this hard on yourself?' Rick asked.

I shrugged. Rick nodded at me. 'Daryl Dixon, right?'

I shrugged again.

'Is he anything like Merle?'

'You'll find out for yourself soon enough.' I didn't feel like talking about Daryl anymore.

Rick seemed to notice. 'I'm going back for him.'

'Who?' I already knew who he was speaking about, and it shocked me.

Rick didn't answer, he just stared ahead.

'Why Rick?' My voice was shaky.

Rick shook his head. 'I...I just have to. It's not right.'

'Lori won't be happy.' I stated.

'I know,' He nodded. 'I'll also get our bags.'

My face lit up the tiniest bit. 'My books?'

'Yeah, that too.' He said. I still didn't like the idea.

'Do what you must. Just know that I'm not supporting it. If you...If you get killed out there, just to rescue some pig, I don't know what I'd do.'

'Its fine, Erin.'he said impatiently.

'No. It's anything but fine. I'm even more worried about what will happen if he comes back with you. He can't be trusted.'

'We'll figure it out. One step at a time, okay?'

I shrugged. 'I'll always stand by your side, no matter what decision you make. After the short hell we've been through, I've come to trust your judgement...but maybe this one will be the exception.'

Rick sighed. 'You should get some sleep.'

I nodded. 'Night,'

I walked away from him and Rick went to his tent that he shared with Lori and Carl. I hugged myself as I walked on.

'I remember you, ya know?' I heard Shane's voice.

I looked around, confused.

'Up here.' He said.

I looked up and found Shane sitting watch on the RV. The sky looked like it was about to pour down at any moment.

'Why don't ya come join me?' Shane asked, bobbing his head to the side.

I didn't want to, but I didn't want to seem rude either. Shane was still very intimidating for me. So I climbed up the ladder on the side and joined Shane in the chair next to him, under the umbrella.

'You remember me?' I asked.

'Yeah,' he sighed. 'You had just been checked in the day I tried to get Rick out.'

I frowned at him. 'You tried to get Rick out? But-'

'It was a mess. Military were shooting doctors and patients. People, living people, not walkers. There was no way I could have gotten both of us out.' Shane said. There wasn't a hint of remorsefulness in his voice. The tone in which Shane spoke made me think he didn't regret leaving Rick behind. It was almost as if it was best for him.