The Walking Dead: Danielle Grimes

125.

Daryl's POV

I tried to sleep but after barely dozing for almost an hour I couldn't anymore. If I stayed, I was gonna wake her up and she needs rest. I slip out of bed and get dressed. The room just feels too small and too hot and doesn't feel safe.

I scoop up my crossbow and check it over a few times before my hands finally stop shaking. It's too quiet and too dark. We are the only ones in the building which no one is watching the exits. I need to do a sweep and make sure we're safe.

I put my hand on the door knob when I stop and move my eyes to Dani.

She has rolled over onto her stomach into my spot. Her arm is thrown out and wrapped around my pillow which she pulls against her chest as if I was still there. The moon is bright tonight and is shining through the room. Her hair has fallen over half her face. It's the longest I've seen it since the beginning and I want to brush it away so I can see her face.

I tighten my hands into fists when I realise I've already taken steps towards her. I don't want to wake her. She's hurt and needs rest. If she woke up I would have to explain why I'm not sleeping. She's already worried about everything else I don't need her worrying about me too.

She looks so small laying in the bed. When she's awake her personality is larger than life but laying there she seems so small and vulnerable. She didn't say how she got hurt but I'm sure it's something to do with that bastard. Something he did to her to punish me.

My breath gets caught in my throat again and the room gets smaller. I tug at my collar and am surprised to find it not even touching my neck. I can't leave her in here by herself. Not when she's hurt and sleeping.

I move over to the desk below the windows and climb on top, leaning against the window frame. I shove open the window and the cool air blows in. My head clears a little and I feel like I can catch a breath. This gives me a decent view of at least this side of the building. Which isn't perfect but it makes me feel a little bit better.

I don't know how long I've sat here for, breathing in the night air, watching the wind through the trees and listening to Dani's steady breathing. The moon has moved to the other side of the building making our room dark again. I crack my neck and shift my weight. I'm restless again and want to be on the wall so I can look out for The Saviours but every time I look at her I settle back in.

I can't leave her.

Dani has always been a fighter and while I'm worried about her I've never realised how much worse it could be. I silently run down her list of injuries. Bruised ribs, mild concussion, stitches in her thigh and the cut above her eyebrow. Who knows how long it will be before her ribs are properly healed again.

I'm so focussed on her I know right away when she starts having the nightmare. At first it's surprises me, before I was taken, it was a long time since she's had one. Her breathing picks up like she's running or fighting.

My girl doesn't run from much.

She whimpers, clutching the pillow closer to her. "No." She mumbles, rolling over and getting herself tangled in the sheets.

I climb to my feet so I can nudge her. Hopefully I don't have to fully wake her up fully, just enough to disrupt her dream. I'm just reaching for her when she's gasps. "Negan, don't!" She cries out making me freeze. My mind starts tripping over itself as a hundred memories scatter. I close my eyes as my hands start shaking.

I'm going to kill that bastard.

When she whimpers again my eyes snap open and I reach for her again. As soon as I touch she jerks awake. She looks around breathing hard as her hands touch her neck making me confused. Her eyes land on me and launches into me, latching on to the back of my neck as she breathes out a sigh of relief. I wrap an arm around her bare back holding her to my chest and cup the back of her head with the other.