I'll Take The Pain (A Daryl Dixon Story)

Take Me Away

trigger warning

The next morning I was helping Dale and T-Dog put up the canopy for the RV when Glenn came over with a basket, "Dale, here's some peaches for you."

Dale looked up and grabbed a peach from the basket, saying, "Thank you."

Andrea then walked out of the RV, muttering out a quick greeting before walking off. Glenn walked over to T-Dog, offering him some peaches, making T stop what he was doing, "'Sup."

"Nothing," Glenn said quickly, making me eye him suspiciously, "Nothings up. Why?"

At this point, Dale had walked over, concern written on his face. I then spoke up, "He said 'sup' Glenn. It's a greeting. Not an interrogation question. Thanks for the peach."

I grabbed a peach and some jerky from the basket and walked off towards the tent, seeing Andrea in there. She had given Daryl a book.

"This is not that great, but..." She said, sitting down on my bed, making me scowl and cross my arms, watching their interaction.

"What, no pictures?" Daryl asked, flipping through the book. He looked at Andrea, the book still in hand as she spoke, "I'm so sorry, I feel like shit."

"Yeah, you and me both," Daryl said, putting the book down and adjusting his pillow. Andrea then answered, "I don't expect you to forgive me, but if there's anything I can do..."

"You were trying to protect the group," Daryl said, cutting her off, "We're good."

Andrea smiled a bit at him and got up, making her way out of the tent, just to be stopped by Daryl, "But hey, shoot me again, and you'd best pray I'm dead."

She walked away, a smile on her face. I stopped her by placing a hand on her shoulder and said, "You're lucky you didn't shoot me. Or you'd be a dead bitch."

She just looked at me with a face that said she didn't believe me. I met her look with a glare before walking to the tent and stepping in, "Got you some jerky if you want it."

"Why is everyone giving me shit now?" Daryl asked, an irritated tone in his voice. I just sat on my bed, feeling the heat from when Andrea sat there, "I don't know about everyone else, but I'm trying to keep you fed. If your anything like I think you are, You are gonna want to look for the little girl again. I'm just trying to avoid you passing out on those trips."

"I ain't nothing like you think. Don't know why ya care neither," Daryl said. I just smirked and leaned back, "You've already proven I'm right about the way you are by coming out here. I know that mister doctor man didn't clear you for moving." 

Daryl just grunted in response. I held out the jerky for him saying, "Now, do you want the jerky or not?"

I left the tent, a smirk on my face. I looked back, seeing Daryl gnawing on the jerky I gave him. Rick then walked up to me and asked, "Can you help with gun training today? With your military experience, we could use the extra help."

I took a bite from the peach in my hand and nodded, "Yeah, sure as long as I get target practice too. I need to keep my skills sharp."

"Of course. Do what you need," Rick said. He then nodded for me to follow him. We walked over to the truck we were by yesterday, the same map sprawled across the hood. I leaned on the hood and looked at the map. Shane soon joined us, along with the kid from yesterday.

"The creek flows south, past that farmhouse Daryl and Maisie found. Maybe Sophia dropped the doll there the current brought it downstream," Rick thought out loud. I looked up at Shane as he spoke, "So what, you think she took this road here, and then she went north?"