The Walking Dead: Danielle Grimes

130.

Danielle's POV

Nightmare after nightmare rocked me. Images of Terry and The Claimers and Terminus all flood over me and blend together. They played again and again and again. I kept opening my eyes numerous times as Daryl carries me to where ever his taking me.

Daryl comes to a stop and I hear his voice. "Open the gate!" He calls, his chest rumbling beneath my ear. I expect to hear the creak of Hilltops gates as they swing open but instead there's the distinctive clanking as our gate slid aside.

He took me home.

"Mom." I hear Liams voice call. "She's gonna be okay." Daryl assured him but he doesn't sound convinced. "I need you to get Tara."

I head the slap of shoes against the ground as Liam runs off. I feel Daryl carry me up the porch steps and I head the front door open making me relax a bit.

We're home.

Daryl takes me down to our room and gently lays me on the bed. He pulls the covers over me and pauses, one of his hands come up to cup my face. "Nelle." He says my name so seriously I snap my eyes open. The lamp beside the bed is on and it makes my eyes burn and temples pound.

"Tara is here and she wants to take a look at your ribs." He says quietly as I'm already shaking my head. "No." I say simply but firm.

I don't want anyone else touching me. I just want to sleep.

"Nelle." Daryl says softly, his tone smoothing. "What's wrong with her?" Tara speaks up, her voice too loud and harsh I squeeze my eyes shut at it.

Jesus woman, take it down a notch.

Daryl slowly moves his hand to the blanket as he pulls it back and gently opens his jacket. "She was attacked by two of The Saviours." He tells her tightly and I practically hear the rage in his voice.

"Did he-" Tara starts to ask but something makes her stop talking. I open my eyes and see Daryl glaring at her, his shoulders and chest are heaving with the effort it was taking him to stay calm. "I don't know." He grounds out angrily.

"No." I speak up and grimace against the pain in my ribs. They both turn back to me surprised to see me awake. "No he didn't." I repeat. "He got my ribs again though."

Daryl let's out a sigh of relief that encompassed his entire body. He sags against me and rest his forehead against mine. "I'm sorry." He whispers and his voice sounds broken.

I reach up to touch him but he's already pulling back. His hands are quicker now, more efficient in opening up my shirt as Tara steps beside him.

She lets out a low whistle as I feel cold air against my stomach. "That...that is the worst I've ever seen your ribs Dani." She shakes her head and glances over her shoulder where Liam and Carl are standing looking worried. "I need you to go get four roles of ace bandages, the bottle of extra strength tylenol and a few ice packs."

I hear Daryl shift his weight and I glance at him. "Some tylenol and ice packs? You don't got nothing better?"

"I'm not a doctor Daryl." Tara snaps at him as she glides her cool fingers over my ribs. She touches one and I grunt in pain as she quickly pulls her fingers away.

Daryl makes a frustrated noise in the back of his throat as he paces and I close my eyes, waiting for Carl to come back. Liam walks around the bed and gently sits next to me, grabbing my hand. I squeeze it as his thumb rubs across my skin.

Once Carl gets back Tara calls him back down. "Okay Daryl and Liam, I want you to help hold her up while me and Carl wrap her. We need to wrap them tightly so Dani this is probably going to hurt. A lot."