Always || Daryl Dixon

Seven

"Sophia! Sophia can you hear me?" I yelled as I followed behind Dad and Daryl through the trees where Sophia had ran off in a panic when a walker almost grabbed her on the highway.

That was about an hour ago now, after she had ran off Dad followed her, said he told her to head back keeping the sun on her left shoulder, she must've gotten spooked because she never made it back. Now me, dad and Daryl we're searching through the woods trying to retrace her steps.

"We gotta start heading back, it'll be dark soon." Dad said as he studied the trees around us.

"What? We can't just leave her out there." I whisper yelled as I looked between the two men.

"He's right Lyla, ain't no use trackin' 'er now, it's too damn dark." Daryl muttered as he began walking back in the direction of the highway.

"So we're just giving up on her?" I asked as I stood in the same place looking at my dad with pleading eyes.

"I'm sorry Lyl's, we'll head back out first thing, I promise." He said as he placed his arm around my shoulders pulling me into a hug.

"Okay." I sighed as we began walking behind Daryl.

————

"You can't just leave her out there! She's only a child!" Carol yelled after we'd explained that we wasn't going to be able to find her in the dark.

"Well head out first thing, I promise." Dad said making the exact same promise he'd made to me back in the woods.

"That's not good enough! She's my daughter! She needs to be with me!" Carol yelled once more. Now don't get me wrong, I like Carol, I really do, but nobody gets to talk to my family like that.

"Exactly Carol! She's your daughter!" I said emphasising the your before continuing. "What were you doing when she ran? Why didn't you chase after her? My dad did, Daryl did, I did! But what did you do? You sit here and what? Pray? That ain't gunna do shit." I said while looking into her tear filled eyes.

"You're done, walk away Lyla." Dad muttered as he stood in front of me blocking my view of Carol as she turned and ran into the RV.

Sighing I turned and walked over to the Dixon truck, climbing up and sitting next to the bike I closed my eyes trying to ignore the talking from the rest of camp.

"Whatcha doin'?" A voice asked causing me to quite literally jump from where I was leaning.

"Hey Daryl, I'm just thinking." I shrugged as he took a seat opposite me. "Was I too hard on her? I didn't mean to be." I whispered as I looked over my shoulder at the RV, knowing that a devastated Carol was inside.

"Nah, you were righ' she needed to 'ear it." He shrugged as he picked at his nails.

"Hey Daryl?" I asked nervously. Receiving a grunt in reply I took it as my queue to keep going.

"Uh, we haven't spoke about, ya know, what happened, at the uh, CDC." I stuttered looking down at the ground playing with my fingers.

From the corner of my eye I could see him looking at me, but he didn't say anything.

Guess it's only a one way street.

Nodding my head I stood up and spoke. "It's okay Daryl, I get that I'm just Ricks daughter." I shrugged turning to walk back to the others.

"Lyla, wait." Daryl muttered as he lifted himself off of the truck. "Listen, yer dad can't know wha' happened. He trusts me to help keep everyone safe, tha' means ya too." He carried on as he looked past me.