Guardian Angel (Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 25

"If you loved me, why'd you leave me?

Take my body

Take my body

All I want is, all I need is

To find somebody, to find somebody." 

I squeezed the top of the tube, watching in relief as her chest was rising and falling normally again. Maggie stayed most of the night, allowing me to sleep and get something to eat. Now, I was ready to stay awake as long as I could. Her color was coming back; her lips a normal shade of pink.

Hershel came in later in the afternoon, checking her pulse.

"We can take it out now," He looks at me with a small smile before carrying on,"She's breathing on her own now." I grin as he pulls the tube out of her throat. Sure enough, her chest keeps rising and falling.

"Will she make it through?" I question. 

"I think she got over the worst of it, hopefully she will be on her feet soon." I nod, patting his shoulder as he hobbles out of the cell. I move back onto the other cot in the cell, watching her. She rolls over towards me, her eyes still closed and lips parted slightly. I grab the arrow I have been trying to make, picking my knife up with it. I pull it across the wood; hoping it can fit my crossbow. Footsteps approach the cell and I snap my head up, my hand dropping to my crossbow.

It was Carol.

"Why don't you get something to eat?" She says, yet I can sense a hint  of nervousness in her voice.

"I already ate earlier. I'm fine." I mumble, taking my hand off of my crossbow. She looks around quickly, rubbing her hands together and sucking in a breath of air. 

"Rick needs to talk to you." I slowly stand up, grabbing my crossbow and pulling it over my shoulder.

"About?" 

"T-the person killing the sick people." I nod, pushing past her.

"Carol?" I turn around, our eyes locking,"If anything happens you get me." Carol nods. I stalk off in search of Rick. The sooner I find him the quicker I can get back to her.

I go outside, spotting him with Carl in the crops. I approach him.

"What did you need?" I ask him. He looks at me confused, standing up straight.

"I didn't need to talk to you." I raise my eyebrows at him.

"Carol said you did." I reply quickly. My mind began to race, everything coming into place.

"No, I haven't seen her all morning let alone talk to her." I begin to take off, Rick calling behind me. We have the attention of all the group now.

"She's going to kill her! She's killed the two people who have been sick," He gestures for Carl to stay with Maggie before running to me,"Come on, we gotta get to her before Carol kills her!" People gasp around us, Beth covering her mouth and letting out a cry.

Carol was going to try and kill Sarah.

Sarah's POV

I woke up, everything blurry and fuzzy. I could hear my heavy breathing, my eyes drooping shut and then opening. I expected to see my cell, but I was moving, being dragged. I could hear the coughs and hacks of the other victims that had contracted the flu. I felt hands on my wrists. It hit me like a train.

I was being dragged away. What Daryl had told me about the sick victims being killed rattled through my head. Even though I was weak I still had a fight in me. I jerked my arms away, heaving a breath as I crawled away. I grabbed the railing and pulled myself up, groaning at the aches in my muscles.

My eyes came into focus and I saw the person who had been trying to kill the sick people, who had tried to kill me.

Carol.

"Why?" I ask as I step back, a cough escaping my lips. She started shaking her head, tears falling down her face. I didn't know what to do; It was hard for me to believe that she was actually trying to end my life.

"I needed to stop it from spreading!" She screamed, her voice hoarse and raw,"I-I couldn't let anyone else get infected." I looked around searching for Daryl as she lunged at me. My body hit the ground and I moaned, the pain becoming unbearable.

"Daryl!" I weakly yelled, my voice nothing compared to hers. Maybe he heard me, maybe he was coming. 

Maybe he didn't even know she was in here.

I gripped her wrists, pushing her off of me. Even though I was sick I was stronger than her. I hoisted myself up again, my lungs burning. Carol grabbed a knife from her waistband and came towards me.

"Sarah, I have to do this. It can't spread!" Her eyes were wide, she looked insane.

"You don't have to! This doesn't have to be done." I plead, my shaky hands grabbing the railing.

"I have to prevent it from spreading!"

"It's already spread. People are sick, killing them all isn't going to help. I know what you did to Karen and Michael, I'm not letting you kill someone else to save yourself."  I cough into my hand, pulling away and for once not seeing blood.

"I have to!" She screams as she lunges at me once again. My back slams against the railing, pain shooting up my spine. I hiss as I fall to the ground, her once again on top of me. She wasn't going to give up until I was dead.

"Sarah!" A voice echoed through the corridor of the cell block. I twisted my head to look back. Rick and Daryl ran in the cell block, weapons on hand. Rick got to me first, pulling Carol off of me, the knife clattering to the ground beside us. Hands grab me from under my shoulders, pulling me up. I lean my head back against his chest, trying to comprehend the fact I managed to live.

"Did she hurt you?" I couldn't lie to him on this one, nodding slightly.

"She pushed me against the railing and on the floor, I think my back is probably covered in bruises." I mutter, using his body to hold me up. Rick pulls Carol up who is in a fit of tears.

"I'm so sorry, Sarah!" I don't respond as he drags her out, her muffled sobs being heard, practically echoing off the walls. Daryl helped me to my cell, setting me down on the bed. 

"Are you feeling okay?" He nervously questions. His hand covers my forehead, checking my temperature,"You don't feel as hot as you were." I let out a sigh of relief. I felt better, other than I still felt nauseated and my coughs.

"Yeah." 

"I'm sorry I left you," He claims, our eyes locking,"She told me Rick needed to talk to me, I went out there and he didn't even need me. I'm so sorry." He rests his head on my lap, my fingers going to play with his hair. 

"It wasn't your fault." I whisper quietly, becoming dreary again.

"I saw Jared." Daryl turns himself so he can look at me,"He told me I didn't belong with him, that I needed to be here. He looks good, happy.." I trail off, my eyes watering slightly.

"Lay down." He said. I comply, laying down and resting. He crouches down beside the bed, his hand running through my hair.

"Go to sleep, I'll be here when you wake." I fall asleep to the feeling of our intertwined hands.