Crossbow Lovers

Daryl's Run

The sun shone through the light curtains, shining directly into Daryl's eyes. Tegan was snuggled into his chest, shielding her from the outside world. He looked down at her and smiled. Her bright blue eyes were closed and her lips were parted just slightly. She was beautiful. 

He could hear people downstairs talking so he slipped out her arms, careful to not wake her up. After slipping on his clothes from yesterday he snuck quietly out of the room and ran down the stairs.

"What's going on?" Daryl asked as he walked in on Aaron, Eric, Angie, and Rick all gathered around the table.

"We need supplies. We are running low on food and medicine," Rick told him.

"I'll go," Daryl grunted with a nod.

"What about Tegan?" Aaron asked.

"I will tell her before I go out," Daryl said.

"She will want to go with you," Eric said.

"She can't. She's not ready," Daryl said shaking his head.

"I will go with you," Angie chimed in. "You can't go alone. Plus, I know what I am doing out there."

"Carol will come with me and Glenn," Daryl said, going to walk out the door.

"Hey, I am coming," Angie said grabbing his arm. Not meaning too, he ripped it away harshly.

"Don't touch me," he snarled at her.

"Sorry," Angie whispered holding her hands up by her head.

"What about your dogs? There won't be enough room in the car," Aaron asked.

"I'll leave them here. I promise they won't eat you. They already had breakfast," Angie winked at Eric.

"Tell her I will see her later, and don't let her follow me!" Daryl said to Aaron. They were right. If he went up to tell her goodbye, she would not let him leave without her.

"Of course," Aaron nodded.

"Keep your eyes open, Daryl. There are more Saviors out there," Rick warned. The redneck nodded before him and Angie walked out the front door. First they went to his house to grab Carol and then to Glenn and Maggies house to grab Glenn. Both agreed to go with them. The car was parked and ready by the front gate. 

"Daryl!" a familiar feminine voice yelled. Daryl spun to see Tegan jogging towards them holding her chest.

"Tegan!" Aaron yelled behind her. She caught up to Daryl before Aaron could catch her.

"You were going to leave. Without saying goodbye?" she asked out of breath.

"I didn't want you to try and come with me," he said to her.

"I would only get in the way and slow you down," she chuckled. Daryl smiled at her.

"Come Daryl!" Glenn yelled to the man.

"I'm comin'!" Daryl hollered back.

"Don't be long," Tegan smiled before pulling his head to hers. They opened their mouths and let their tongues entwine for a minute or two before they pulled away.

"I love you," Daryl whispered pressing his forehead to hers.

"I love you too, Daryl Dixon," Tegan smiled. "Now go on! Before Glenn gets his panties in a wad!" Daryl laughed as he turned and ran towards the vehicle. He hopped in the front seat and peeled out of the community, staring in the review mirror at the girl he just left behind. 

"What kind of music you got in here?" Angie asked, rummaging for CD's.

"Don't," Daryl grunted.

"Sour puss," Angie mumbled as she searched through the glove box. 

"Where are we even going?" Glenn asked from the back seat. 

"There's a strip mall, not far from here. Tegan and I were there once, but didn't search everything. We ran into some trouble so there were a few places we didn't get too," Daryl said as he sped down the road.

"What kind of trouble?" Glenn asked. Daryl didn't want to answer that question as he remembered the day those men touched Tegan. His blood started to boil just thinking about it. They drove in silence the rest of the way until they made it to the strip mall. Daryl hopped out first and Carol right behind him, handing him his crossbow.

"We need to get to those stores down there," Daryl said pointing the end where Tegan and him didn't check. 

"Let's split up. Angie and Glenn you start at the very end and Daryl and I will start at this store," Carol said. The three others nodded and followed the directions they were given. As soon as the sweep of the store was done Carol started speaking. "Daryl."

"What?" he grunted searching through all the goods that laid around.

"Are you okay?" She asked him.

"Yes," he mumbled, not looking at her.

"Daryl, look at me. What are you not telling me?" Carol asked this time more forcefully.

"What do you want from me? Huh? You want me to tell you how I have failed Tegan not once, but twice? You want me to tell you how shitty that makes me feel? I can't protect her! I can't protect nobody!" He yelled while feeling hot wet tears slip down his face.

"Daryl," Carol whispered pulling him into a hug. She let him sob into her shoulder for a few minutes until he pulled away. He was a lot softer than he liked to admit.

"I can't lose anyone else Carol. I can't. Not Glenn, not Rick, not Carl. Especially, you and Tegan. I can't lose you two," he grumbled as he wiped the tears off his face. Before Carol could speak they heard their other two companions yell. 

"Come on," Carol said running towards the door. They quietly made their way to the outside. As they peered around the corner they saw Glenn and Angie being tied up by a group of people they could only assume were the Saviors. Daryl held his bow up, aiming it at the head of the man tying Angie's hands behind her back.

"Now, now. I wouldn't do that," an unfamiliar voice said from behind them. Daryl took his chance and swung around only to hear a loud bang and then feel the piercing shot of a bullet tear through his shoulder. Everything went black.

"Daryl!" Angie yelled as she watched the redneck fall. "Shit! Is he dead? Is he dead?" The girl screamed. 

"He's alive," the man who shot Daryl spoke. His long blonde hair covered half of his face, but when he finally looked up at her she could see the scars. The burn mark that went completely down the right side of his face. He had no ear left. It was all melted. 

"Daryl," Carol whispered to Daryl gently shaking him. He grunted, but no words came out.

"Come on. Let's load them in. The others are getting the rest," The man with the burnt face said.

"What do you mean the rest? Who are you people?" Angie asked. A man behind her yanked her up. She squirmed trying to break free as she watched two men pick Daryl up and throw him in the back of a van.

"Sorry, I didn't introduce myself. My name is D, or Dwight. You can call me either. And your name?" the burnt man asked.

"Angie," she snarled.

"Well, Angie, we are the Saviors!" Dwight said holding his arms out to the side.

"Oh, fuck," Angie whispered before being thrown in the back of the van with Daryl.