Property Of Negan

Chapter Twenty Three: The ones we lost

Daryl

It was the morning after Carol and Henry found him in the woods and he made them dinner which was soup with the meat being snake and fish. Dog had came back from only god knows where and dropped a walker's foot in front of Daryl while strangely appearing proud of himself. 

Both Carol and Henry looked down at the foot worriedly before glancing back up at Daryl who didn't seem bothered by it. "Your dog always do that?" Henry asked as Daryl shrugged, 

"Well, he has his reasons" Daryl stood up and threw the foot in the fire before wiping off his hands on his clothes and continuing to skin the snake Dog killed. "This is really nice-- you cooking for us. You- you're good at" Carol complimented him while folding her hands in her lap. 

"I'm sure there are people at Hilltop who know how to cook," Daryl said as he threw the snakeskin on the ground and walked away to grab his bottle so he could rinse off his hands. Henry looked over to Carol as the realization hit him as to why he and his mom was really why out, 

"Wait... Is this why we came out here? 'Cause you think I need a chaperone? And this is the guy?"

"Henry" Carol warned him. 

"I can handle myself" 

"I never said you couldn't" 

Daryl walked back with clean hands and sat back in his seat, "About thirty minutes and the food will be ready" He looked up at Carol as she smiled at him, "Well, good. Just enough time" He frowned at her words and looked to Henry for a second. 

"For what?" 

It had gotten dark by the time Carol decided to cut his hair. It was quiet between them as hair fell into his face and she simply wiped it off caringly. Once she was done, Carol sat in front of and admired how she could fully see his face without his hair covering it, 

"Look..." He started, turning around to make sure that Henry was far enough to not hear their conversation. "I know you think I'm still out here lookin' for him" Carol picked up the scissors again and snipped a few hairs from the side of his face. "Are you?" She asked.

"I never found a body... Ever" He looked away for a second, almost getting caught in his thoughts. He felt like he owed them this. "After a while, it just got easier to stay out here" No matter how much he wanted to be with the ones he learned to care for. Carol put the scissors down and made sure there was no fly away, "You have to let that go" After running her hand through his hair once more she leaned back and smiled at him,

"There. That's better..." At the same time, they looked over at Henry who did the same and stood up to walk back over to the fire, "Come on. The food's ready".

Once the soup was in their bowls the only sound was the fire crackling as it breathed for oxygen,  Daryl slurping, their spoons clanking on the metal bowls and the usual night sounds of the forest that was soothing to all. Unless it was an alarming sound.

"How'd you get that scar, anyway?" Henry asked causing Daryl to look over him and place his bowl down. Carol stopped eating and glanced at her friend with worry and guilt as Daryl ignored them as he picked up another food bowl while standing, 

"Where's that dog?" He asked out loud as Henry was confused about why he had just dodged the question and a little irritated. "His food is getting cold... Dog!" He thought it was just a simple question about the scar at the bottom of his back but he didn't know that neither of the three wanted to talk about that day. They all just hoped if it wasn't said, it would go away. 

(Y,n) 

She allowed Aaron to stay at the Hilltop with Rosita as she got medical attention. Rosita had been hurt and surely dehydrated meaning they couldn't go find Eugene until the morning since she was the only one who knew where he was.