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

The Legacy

I was woken up the next morning by talking. I didn't open my eyes and I just listened as Maggie told Daryl, "It's okay to rest now."

Neither of them spoke for a bit before Daryl said, "He was tough."

"He was," Maggie agreed. Daryl then said, "So was she. She didn't know it, but she was."

I felt Daryl shift and then his arms moving. His voice filled the air again, "The gearbox had some grit in it."

"Thank you," I barely heard Maggie say. I felt Daryls hand on my head, stroking the hair I never had a chance to put into a ponytail. Maggie then said, "She's strong. Going through what she did before all this. ANd then going through this."

"Yeah," Daryl said, "She's a fighter."

"You two are good together," Maggie said. I didn't hear anything else from Daryl. I heard shuffling from the other side of Daryl and then the front door of the barn closing. I turned around and opened my eyes, looking up at Daryl. He looked at me and I smiled, "Morning."

He just offered a small smile as I sat up. He then spoke, "I know you weren't sleeping."

I glanced at him and said, "Oh?"

He nodded and said, "How much did ya hear?"

I shrugged and said, "How much did you two talk?"

He handed me the brush that he had laying next to him and I took it, brushing my hair out as he answered, "Not long."

I looked over everyone and said, "Been a while since everyone could rest."

He nodded again. I leaned up against the wall next to him and let out a sigh. He took off his vest and put it next to him. I glanced at him and said, "We made it this far. We'll make it farther. I know we will."

He looked at me and said, "We will."

I watched as everyone started to wake up, moving around the barn. I stood up and said, "C'mon."

He nodded and stood up, grabbing his vest. I walked into the main area of the barn and started to help Abraham and Carol clean the guns. Daryl sat on a wall, put his vest back on, and messed with his crossbow while everyone else sat somewhere in silence. I kept sneaking peeks at Daryl, which I knew he was catching because about the fourth time I did it, I saw a small smirk on his face. I finished putting together the pistol I was working on and started loading the clip when I heard Maggies voice, "Hey."

I looked towards the door and saw Maggie walking in with someone I didn't know behind her. She walked in farther and said, "Everyone, this is Aaron."

I quickly put the clip in the gun and pointed it at the man as Daryl walked past me, going towards the door. He peeked outside while I kept my gun trained on the mans head. Daryl walked back to the man and put down his crossbow, starting to pat him down as Maggie said, "We met him outside. He's by himself. We took his weapons and we took his gear."

Tara closed the barn door as Daryl stayed behind the man. I took a step a forward as the man said, "Hi."

Judith started to cry but I didn't look, thinking that if I took my eyes off the man, he would strike. He took a step forward, sticking his hand out saying, "It's nice to meet you." 

Daryl moved behind Aaron as he took a step forward and I moved closer as Rick walked to stand next to me. He asked Maggie, "You said he had a weapon?"

Maggie walked forward and handed Rick a small gun. I made eye contact with Aaron and he seemed to cringe. I just continued to look at him as Maggie walked so she was between Rick and Aaron while our leader inspected the gun. He then put the gun in the waistband of his pants and asked, "There something you need?"