The Walking Dead: Danielle Grimes

22. *

Daryl's POV

Three days later.

"Hey." Carol mutters making me look at her. "Hey." I mumble back. "How you doing?" She asks with a small smile and I shrug. "Fine. How's Dani?" I ask making her chuckle. "Why don't you go and talk to her?"

I shake my head. "She doesn't want to talk to me." She sighs. "Daryl, are you in love with her?" The question throws me off guard. "And don't bother lying 'cause I know you do." I sigh. "It doesn't matter. What we had is gone and that's my fault." Carol rolls her eyes. "So make it up to her. Tell her the truth."

"What if she doesn't believe me?" She smiles. "Then show her. She's in the break room in the other cell block." She winks, walking away. I sigh thinking it over before getting up and making my way out to the other cell block.

I'm really doing this.

I've got to do this.

******

I step in seeing her sitting at the table sharpening her knifes. Her head snaps up when she hears my footsteps as I step into the room.

"What'd you want?" She asks not even looking at me. I raise my eyebrows impressed. "How'd you know it was me?" She scoffs. "I've know you longer than a year now so I think I know what your footsteps sound like."

"Fair. Can we talk?" I ask and she shakes her head. "I don't want to talk you right now." She mutters not even looking up. "Nelle, I'm sorry." I say softly not knowing what else to say. She stops sharpening her knife, putting it down and stands up facing me. "You're sorry? Are you really?" She tilts her head at me.

I tilt my head at her frowning. "Yes, I am. I admit I made a bad decision. I didn't mean to hurt ya darlin." She scoffs. "Regardless or not, you did. When you walked away my heart broke. Because not only are you my best friend but your also the person I'm-" She stops looking away.

I step closer to her. "The person your what?" I ask. "It doesn't matter anymore." She mumbles. "Yes, it does. Everythin' ya do and say matters." I argue. "Why? Why does it matter Daryl?" She frowns.

"Nelle, tell me." I say firmly as she moves away from me. "No. Just leave it Daryl. It doesn't matter." I sigh. "Nelle, I'm sorry I left. I never meant to hurt ya. I realise I made a mistake and all I could think about was ya 'cause... I love you." I admit.

She looks up at me angrily. "Don't you dare. Don't you dare say you love me because if you did, you wouldn't have left me regardless of the fact that he's your brother."

I step closer to her as she tries to move away but I grab the back of her neck before she can. "I'm tellin' ya the truth. I'm in love with you. I have been since I met ya. But I was scared because I've never felt this way before. When you're not with me I'm scared that your not safe or your hurt. Like when I saw ya in Woodbury. I want to kill that bastard for what he did to ya. And every time I see ya, I want ya more and more each time. I want you. Just you Dani Grimes." I growl out the last bit.

She ponders my words before she breaths out harshly. "I'm in love with you." She admits, whispering. I blink shocked as I've never heard those words before. "I get why you left, I do, but that doesn't mean it didn't hurt me any less. I mean, I never thought I would fall for you but I did and when I saw you walking away....I thought I lost you for good. But believe me when I say that god, do I want you too because I do. I have since the first day we met. When you held your crossbow up at me." I chuckle at the memory. "I know you're not used to this Daryl but neither am I. I've never felt what I feel for you before. But I want to."