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

Fall For You

We had decided to go to Washington. Eugene had chosen that for a reason. Or that's what Michonne said. The group was silent for the most part. Maggie would cry herself to sleep every night along with Sasha. Daryl was silent as well, but he would usually be at my side. Today was different. Today he had gone out with Maggie and Sasha to look for water. I was left with the group, waiting for them to return. I leaned against the van we had found a few miles back and I swirled the last bit of water I had in my bottle. It wasn't much. It was barely a sip. I sighed as I saw Daryl come out of the trees, Maggie and Sasha not far behind. They didn't have anything. 

I sighed and got into the van, going into the back seat and leaning back. The van was soon filled up with the rest of the group. Abraham started to drive and we got a good half hour in before the car slowed to a stop. Abraham said, "We're out, just like the other one."

"So we walk," Rick said. He got out of the fan, the rest of the group following him out. Daryl was the first one out. He insisted on being by the door every time we were in the van. I was the last to get out. I swung my bow onto my back and started walking with the group down the road. I put my hair up into a ponytail as we walked and I held the strap of my bow. It was easily one of the hotter days in the year and we were without a car and were stuck walking. Daryl walked up front with Rick while I walked in the middle by Tara. I put my hand on my forehead, trying to relieve the headache I had. I looked behind us after half an hour and saw a small herd of walkers. I sighed and ignored them as I walked.

It had been a good 2 weeks since the night with Daryl and another week since we left Richmond. We hadn't found anywhere we could stay longer than a night. Daryl soon told Rick he was gonna go look for water. I walked forward and said, "I'll come with you."

"I got it," He replied, walking into the woods. I walked behind him and said, "You gonna stop me?"

He glanced back at me but didn't say anything. He walked into the woods and I soon caught up, walking next to him. We walked in silence as we looked for water. He broke the silence and asked, "Hows the stomach bug?"

I had been getting sick the first couple of days after we left Richmond, throwing up every little bit. We passed it off as a stomach bug that would pass eventually. I shrugged and said, "Dry heaving lately. Nothing left to upchuck. Guess that's a good thing, right?"

He grunted in reply as we walked. I then started to think back to the night we had together. We didn't have any protection. I looked at Daryl, who was now walking ahead of me. I then shrugged off the thought. There was no way it could've happened. No need to bring up the possibility. I kept my mouth shut as we walked.

We soon came across an open field and we looked around. I asked Daryl, "Anything?"

"No, it's too dry," Daryl replied, "There ain't nothing here."

"Maybe we should start back," I said to him. Daryl replied, "You go. No need for your bug to get worse."

I sighed and said, "Carol was talking to me last night. Said she thinks Beth saved her life."

He paused and glanced at me for a second before I continued, "She saved your life, too, right?"

He didn't say anything and I walked over, taking the blade that Carol had given to me a few days ago out of my pocket and handed it to Daryl, "It was hers."

He held it in his hands, looking at it. I licked my lips and looked at him saying, "We're not dead. You said that before. You're not dead."

I took another step towards Daryl and looked him in the eye and said, "I know you. We're different. I can't let myself- But you... I know you. You have to let yourself feel it."