Guardian Angel (Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 9

'I can count on you after all that we've been through

Because I know you truly understand.'

His lips were soft yet firm against my own. He held my waist trying to entice me closer to his own body. I finally relented, my fingers winding up in his hair as our lips move as one.

When he pulls away awkwardness fills the room. Neither of us know how to grasp the events that occurred only moments before.

"I didn't think you cared about me." I never assumed that Daryl cared about me this much. I thought he felt that he had to take care of me because he blamed himself for my almost inevitable death.

"I didn't either." He moves away, sitting across from me on the opposite bed. My mind is racing over what happened, the details relaying in great detail. I laid down. My gun fell to the ground with numerous noises. I didn't care actually. I rolled away from him, staring at the gray wall of nothing that for some reason reminded me of myself.

Daryl grunted from behind me. I assumed he was leaving, but I was surprised when after a few minutes there was no footsteps. I took a daring peek over my shoulder. He laid on the bed, his arms behind his head and his eyes intently focused on the ceiling. I shifted over so I could stare. Our eyes met and I felt my cheeks ignite in red.

"What are you staring at?" He questions. I innocently shrug trying to fight the smirk on my face. Daryl only shakes his head instead of saying anything else.

"Carl's messed up." I whisper. Memories of the boy in my arms flood my mind and I shudder at the images.

"I know, being in this world changed him. He wasn't like this before. Shit happens, it messes with you." Everything he says makes sense.

"Yeah." Is all I say. The silence again consumes us and I am convinced he fell asleep. So I shift over again, laying on my side. I close my eyes trying to fall into the deep sleep I yearn for. As I doze off, I feel the bed dip.

+

When I woke up with two arms around me, I couldn't describe the feeling. His arms held me impossibly close. It took me awhile to finally coax him off of me. When I did, I climbed over him and grabbed my gun from its position on the floor. I slid my boots on and laced them. I closed the curtain behind me, hoping he could finally sleep for more than seven hours for once.

When I was outside, the group was doing everything as we did everyday. But, I realized Rick was digging a grave and there was no body.

He was digging one for Lori.

I made my way over, trying to fight the lump in my throat. He loved her, I knew he did. Now thats she dead and there last words may have been out of anger, the guilt is most likely eating him alive. I knew what it was like. I crouched down as he stood three feet in the ground. He gave me a small smile before he thrusted his own shovel in the ground.

"I know what it's like." I whisper. Rick stops what he's doing to look to me.

"You do?" It's almost as if he doesn't believe me.

"I had a mom, a dad, and even a brother. His name was Jared." I glance the other way, memories of my brother and I running around the house in shrieks of laughs and giggles tearing through me. The picture of the two of us sits in my bag at the bottom. I never look at it, but to know its there calms me.

"Jared?" The sound of his name off of someone else's mouth causes a new feeling of sadness wash over me. I bite my lip to keep myself from cracking in every way I possibly could. I slowly nod at him.