Clover (Daryl Dixon X Male Character)

A Winters Passing

A/N: so since there's a huge 8 month jump, let's just say that Carl is now 11, Beth is now 17, Daryl is now 37, and Jaxx is now 33. The song I melt with you is just peak Jaxx being a romantic and Daryl catches him humming it at least once a week

As Daryl comforted his husband, Carol scooted closer to the two. "I don't think Rick should be leading us. We aren't safe with him.. I mean keeping this infection thing from us? Why do you even need him, he's just holding you back." She confessed, Daryl stared into the fire.

"Nah, Ricks done right by clover and me.." He replied, Looking at the older woman. "You're his henchman. And I'm a burden.. Both you and Jaxx deserve better." Carol Replied, Jaxx continued to say nothing.

"What do you want?" Daryl asked, Carol wrapped her cardigan tighter around herself. "A man of honor..." She replied.

"Rick has honor." Daryl responded, Jaxx still said nothing, and he was beginning to worry Daryl. As the group discussed the chances of disbanding, a twig snapped in the distance.

"What was that?" Maggie said, Jaxx and Daryl stood up with their weapons in hand. "Could be anything. Raccoon, opossum.." Daryl said, putting a bolt in the chamber of his crossbow.

"Walker?" Beth responded, God Jaxx hoped not. As he and Daryl scanned the area, the group began to argue about staying by the fire or leaving.

"The last thing we need is for everyone to start running around in the dark." Rick interjected, gun in his hand. "Do something then." Carol challenged

"I am doing something! I'm keeping this group together, alive. I've been doing that all along, no matter what. I didn't ask for this!" Rick whisper yelled, Jaxx could feel where this was going.

"I killed my best friend for you people for Christ's sake!" He lied, Jaxx and Daryl looked at each other. "You saw how he was. How he pushed me, how he compromised us. How he threatened us.. he staged the whole Beatrice and Jaxx thing, lead me out to a field and tried to put a bullet in my back!" Rick explained, the group stayed deathly silent as Carl began to cry.

"Rick.. Stop." Jaxx said, the group turned to him. "I killed Shane. After he tried to strangle me... I woke up in the woods, Rick and Shane were nearby. He was going to kill Rick and I was so angry I just jumped him.. Rick had his right keeping the infection information a secret, imagine what Shane would have done with that?" He spoke, putting his knife back in its sheath.

"Ricks hands are clean, he just wants to keep us safe." Jaxx added, the group looked at Jaxx in disbelief. "Any of you wanna leave? Out in the dark with no vehicle? Be my guest." Rick chimed in, after a long pause of complete silence, he nodded.

"Okay.. Now stop talking about leaving. You don't get to leave. This isn't a Democracy anymore." He continued, his tone harsh. Almost threatening.

not long after, Jaxx felt his eyes growing even more heavy. Leaning back against Daryl, he closed his eyes to rest. As he slept, he dreamed of a future he hopes to never see. Daryl's death.

He sobbed and whimpered in his sleep, so much so that Daryl had to wake him. Waking with a jolt, Jaxx held onto Daryl tight. For the rest of that night, neither he or Daryl could get an ounce of sleep.

This was going to be a long winter.

(This time skip is brought to you by Daryl in a playboy bunny outfit.. Idk if that's an actual fan art some where I just thought about it)

As usual, Jaxx was right. It had been a long winter. A long 8 months with no real place to go, a long 8 months since Jaxx and Daryl had gotten a moment alone together. Jaxx's hair had grown back out, and he'd become Lori's midwife.

Finding another house to hunker down in for the night, Jaxx, Daryl, Rick, and Carl cleared the house of walkers before bringing the others in. As the group ate what they could of their food in silence, Jaxx snuggled up to Daryl and watched him pluck an owl he had caught upstairs.

Jaxx watched as Carl came back in the room with two cans, dog food cans. 'I'd rather starve' Jaxx thought, taking the cans from the boy and giving him and his mother Jaxx's last can of spaghetti-o's. At first Lori shook her head, refusing the gifted food. But Jaxx insisted. "Lori you and Carl need it more." Jaxx said quietly, taking the cans of dog food and packing them up just in case.

As Jaxx and Daryl shared the owl, T-Dog gave the signal to move out. Rising from his spot, Jaxx groaned. He really should have cared for his broken foot better during the winter.

Once everything was packed back into the green van, everyone headed back out. Jaxx rested his head on Daryl's back as they rode the chopper. "You okay Clover?" Daryl asked, Jaxx kissed the right wing of Daryl's vest.

"I'm fine, Love... Just tired of moving around so much." Jaxx responded, his tone almost too low to hear over the motorcycle.

"We'll find somewhere, Babe." Daryl assured, Jaxx smiled a bit. It seemed as if these days it was Daryl keeping Jaxx in good spirits instead of the other way around.

Hearing the green car honk, Daryl stopped the chopper. Getting off of the bike, Jaxx headed back to Lori to check on her as Daryl and Rick discussed where to go next.

"How are we doing?" Jaxx asked, Lori looked grim. "My husband hates me... I'm pregnant.. Oh Jaxx I feel so helpless..." She confessed, Jaxx held her hand in comfort. "Oh come now, Rick doesn't hate you. He's doing what he can to make sure you can have this baby in a safe place." Jaxx said, Lori gave him a sad smile.

"Jaxx.. No place is safe." Lori replied crudely, Jaxx's neutral smile dropped for a moment. Unfortunately, she was right.

Jaxx glanced around the area. Something about this road seemed.. Familiar. Had they been down this road before? No. No his memories go back further.

"I think I know this road..." He muttered, moving back up towards Rick and Daryl. "Daryl, Daryl do you remember this road? Before the walkers? I swear I do but I just can't put my finger on how.." Jaxx asked, Daryl looked around with a puzzled expression.

"Yeah.. Think so... Ain't this the back road to West Georgia?" He responded, Jaxx snapped his fingers as he remembered.

"Axel! My Cousin Axel!"