Hate That I Love You

Chapter 27

A few days after the Governor attack Andrea ended up showing up. Apparently, she lives in Woodberry and is sleeping wothbthw the governor or Phillip as she calls him. Rick was cold towards her when she showed up. We told her what all had happened since the farm. Then Carol introduced her to the baby.

I was sat at one of the tables in the common area. "Why is she here?" I asked.

"I don't know. But I'm going to find out," Rick said.

"You alright? You're looking pale," he asked.

"Yeah, I'm just tired," I told him.

"Daryl? Can you help Nik up to her cell please?" Rick asked.

"No. Rick I'm fine really I can go there myself," I said. I stood up and immediately felt dizzy. I grabbed the side of the table and Daryl was beside me right away.

"Come on. Get ya to yer cell," he said and wrapped an arm around my waist.

Looks like you got a crush, little brother," Merle chuckled.

"Shut the fuck up, Merle," Daryl growled. 

"I don't... I don't feel...," I started but everything was starting to go black.

I felt myself being lifted off the ground. Daryl had me in his arms bridal style.  "Stay awake. Damn you're burning up," he grumbled out as he made his way to my cell.

"Infection," I whispered.

"What?" Daryl asked.

"Infection. Bag. Medication," I said.

"Is she okay?" I heard Andrea ask.

"Does she look alright to you?!" Daryl growled.

He walked into my cell and laid me down. "Which bag?" He asked.

As soon I was laying down I started fading. I could tell me how hot my body was. I definitely had a very high fever.  Fuck. Hey! No, stay awake. Which Bag?" He asked.

"Red," was all I whispered.

He doing through the red bag and say a thermometer and checked that first. Once he heard that deep he looked at it. "Holy shit Nik! Your temperature is 102.3" he said.

Hershel then walked in and went through the bag we kept the medication in. He dug out a bottle and dumped two pills in his hand. "Get her to take these he said. Maggie rushed up with some water.

"Nik? Hey, open your eyes!" He said. I opened them a little a looked st him. "I need ya to take these. He set me up a little and put the pills in my mouth and Maggie gave him the water. I swallowed the pills and laid all the way back down. Daryl moved so Hershel could look at my incision.

He lifts my shirt and sighed. "The incision looks to be infected," he said. "Skin in all red, it's not to the touch," he added.

"What happened?" I heard Andrea whisper to Carol.

"She was stabbed. Her ex was imprisoned here and he was still alive along with 5 others. Rick killed one of them after he tried to kill him and the guy killed another one after he was stretched.  Another along with her ex got away. Two were alright good people. They got killed by the governor's men. The one that got away tried killing us by letting walkers in. During that time Nik ran off on her own her ex caught her and Daryl followed her. Her ex stabbed her right before Daryl killed him," Carol told her.

"Not... not that... it's... any of your... fucking... business," I struggled to get out.

"I think it's time we let her rest," Hershel said.

Everyone started to leave but I grabbed Daryls wrist. "Stay," I said.

Everyone left and he stayed. I pulled him down closer to me by his shirt. "You need to make sure your brother stays out of here. He'll take our meds. We can't have that," I said and groaned.

He walked over to the bag with the meds in it and got out the pain pills and got one. He put everything back and hid the bag under all the other bags I had in my cell. "Here. You need this I can't tell you're in pain," he said.

I put the pill in my mouth and he helped me by putting the cup to my lips. "Sleep I'll stay right here. I won't let my brother come in here," he said.

"You don't have to. Maybe you should go say goodbye to Andrea before she goes back to his power-hungry boyfriend," I said.

He snorted. "Nah. I'm good never care for much. The bitch shot me remember," he said.

"Yeah, and I fixed your ass up," I told him.

"Yeah. Never said thanks for that," he said putting his head down.

"You don't need to. I'm a doctor it's my job," I said.

"Get some sleep, I'll be here when ya wake up," he said.

I smiled and closed my eyes and instantly fell asleep.

When I woke up it was dark only a lantern was lite. Daryl was still in the chair beside my bed. He was really starting to confuse me with this one minute being nice and then another minute being a complete asshole towards me. I was feeling a lot better then I had early.  But it was time for more antibiotics.  We had plenty since I was so obsessed with making sure I would grab any medications I found.

"Daryl? Hey, Daryl," I said.

He shot up real quick "What? What's wrong? You in pain?" He asked.

I laughed "no, I just need not antibiotics," I said.

"Yeah. Yeah okay, I'll get them," he said and got up to get them.

He came over and gave me the meds and helped me with the water. "Thanks," I said.

Talked to Rick last night. I and Hershel are going to go with him when he goes to meet the governor. I told Maggie to make sure Merle doesn't come anywhere near ya while her was gone.  Michonne said she'd help too. Don't be doing anything stupid like getting up and so in shit yourself," he said.

"Ya know Dixon, you're really confusing me. One second you hate the next you're helping me. And I just really don't understand. I have so many mixed feelings about you. I want to punch so hard when your an ass. But when you're like this I... I want... Never mind about what I want. Just make your fucking mind up will ya," I said.

I told ya, I don't hate ya," he said.

"Really, doesn't seem that way sometimes," I told him.

"Ya tryin ta piss me off woman?" He growled.

"See! Right there. That right there. I try to tell you how I feel and you get pissed. I like you Daryl okay. Well, I like you when your not an asshole. I don't know. I guess I never thought it would be you that you have saved me. And then stay with me and make sure I was alright. You helped my nephew out and you do so much for this group. You jumped in right away to make sure the baby got what she needed, you take care of my brother.  You came back and you here now helping me. And I started feeling something that I haven't on a very long time but then you crushed me when I asked why you lied about making a promise to Rick and you said it was because I'm the Doctor and someone has to make sure I don't get myself killed or any of you killed. And that I shouldn't think you like me because it's far from that. And when Rick said you left I acted like I didn't care but I did. And I know you don't feel the same and never will. But maybe we could at least try to become friends," I said. 

My heart was pounding and I was shaky I couldn't believe I told him in like him.  He probably thinks I'm more pathetic now. He just stood there. "I better go taking a Rick to see what the plan is," he said and left.