fallen angels → the walking dead ²

[ 024 ] burning pile.

— CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR.
burning pile.

DARYL DIXON DIDN'T EXPECT to be standing over Odessa's unconscious body in cell block A. Neither did Rick.

Hershel and Bob were back and forth between all of the sick people.

The others made it back with the medicine. It was too late for some but for the lucky ones like Glenn and Odessa and Sasha, it wasn't.

Once again, Daryl Dixon had managed to be the reason Odessa Grimes survived because Hershel informed everyone if Daryl and the others arrived even five minutes later they would've lost her.

"You got lucky with this one," Daryl nodded down at the girl. "Luckiest damn person I've ever met in my life.

Rick didn't say anything. "Thank you. For looking out for her since the very start."

"You know I didn't like her at first. She annoyed me. But whenever she would yell at my brother for his bullshit or cuss out Shane, I couldn't help but like her a little more every time." Daryl said, his eyes never leaving her face. "She's a tough one."

"She's a fighter, that's for sure," Rick agreed. "She got that from my dad."

"Nah, man," Daryl grunted. "She got that from you."

Rick couldn't help but smile down at his daughter. His little girl. Rick stayed the rest of the night with Odessa. Sat up against the wall with her head in his lap, her body shivering as the medicine finally waged war against the illness.

Rick understood his daughter better than anyone in the world. She was angry. She was scared. She wanted revenge against the Governor, wherever he may be. Because Odessa refused to believed he was dead.

While Odessa slept, her conciseness didn't. Her conciseness likes the saying "no rest for the wicked" because it never did that. Rest. Her mind always ran wild. While she was awake, while she slept.

In her dreams that night came someone unusual.

Odessa stared at her.

Lori smiled weakly at her daughter. "Hello, Dessa."

"Mom?" Her voice cut through the room. In her dreams they were always on the farm or the camp back in Atlanta. Never anywhere else.

This time it was Hershel's farm.

"Why're you here?" Odessa asked as she sat in the chair at the Greene's dinning room table.

"To tell you that you did it. You made it," Lori said.

"Made it where?" Odessa's brows furrowed.

"Through it." Lori grabbed Odessa's hands. The teen flinched instinctively at the sudden contact. "You beat the sickness, Dessy."

"Did I?" She said. "Last thing I remember is passing out. Did Daryl and the others make it back? Glenn, is he okay? Sasha?"

"Everyone's okay," Lori nodded.

"Everyone's okay," Odessa sighed in relief. "Everyone's okay."

"For now," Lori stepped in.