Surviving As One {A TWD fanfic}

18. Together

I hold onto Daryl's hand as he helps me off the ground, dragging my feet back into the house to retrieve my belongings before heading back out the door, Daryl by my side. Clouds cover the sun, shadowing the earth from the bright light. Reaching my hand over as I interlock my fingers with Daryl's, inhaling a deep breath. "Where are we going now?" I ask, staring at the scenery that lays ahead of us.

"Wherever's safe" Daryl mumbles, gently holding my hand. His hand is warm and rough against mine, I lightly rub my thumb against the back of his palm. Nodding my head as we make our way further away from the small cabin, my free hand hovers over my knife. Every so minutes I glance to Daryl, I don't know why. Maybe it's because I like looking at him or because when I do, it makes it all seem so real. I find myself thinking about my dreams, the man from them. The one who looks just like Daryl, sounds just like him. And I find myself wanting to know why I was dreaming about him, why did he haunt my dreams? But out of it all, I realise I owe everything to Daryl, because if I hadn't dreamt about him every chance I got I wouldn't be here today. I would've given up already, and just when I was about to give up. Rick and Carl had shown up, and then Daryl.. The man I had wished to meet, wished to know more about him. And I'll admit, he's nothing of what I hoped and thought. But in the end, I still seem to have fallen for him, still seem to have let myself get attached to him.

The sound of a snapping twig rings loudly in my ears, distracting me from my chain of thoughts as I turn my head sharply, looking behind me as Daryl drops my hand and aims his crossbow up, I slowly inch forward. Sharply looking around, looking for any movement that my eyes could catch, my ears listening for any noise in the distance, I continue to slowly inch forward, My gaze quickly shifting behind me, not noticing the steep slope in front of myself until my body is stumbling down it. Daryl quickly and steadily making his way down as I groan against the ground.

"Mother fucker" I growl, pushing myself off the ground, small whimpers rolling out the parting of my lip, looking up at Daryl with a frown as he steadily stops in front of me "I'm alright, don't worry" I say before he has the chance to ask, he gives a nod and looks up the steep hill.

"Ya think ya can climb back up?" He asks, shifting his gaze back toward me.

"I think I can try" I say and exhale slowly before pressing my lips together, beginning to climb back up the steep hill, Daryl soon following behind me. I barely stumble as I slowly make my way to the top, feeling Daryl protectively staying close behind me "I'm not gonna fall" I mumble, glancing over my shoulder at him.

"Jus' in case ya do. I'll stay behind" He replies back, and I roll my eyes. Gazing back toward the top as I inch closer toward it, it's not long before we actually make it to the top, but what lays waiting for us. I wish we'd taken longer to reach the top of that hill.

"Holy shit" Leaves my lips as my eyes grow wide, gazing around at the three dozen walkers hungrily snapping their jaws toward me and Daryl, quickly pulling my knife from it's holder as I grip it firmly and drive it into the skull of one. I haven't a clue where they had come from or how we possibly missed them.

"Run to ya left" Daryl shouts out, drawing the attention of more walkers, giving my head a small shake I continue to fight my way through, stabbing another and kicking it's lifeless body into the others, making them stumble back. "Bella, run to your left" Daryl repeats.

"No, I'm not leaving you alone" I shout back, swinging and stabbing my buck knife faster.

"Bella I'll be a few seconds behind you. Now go" he says, demanding. I give my head a quick shake, refusing to leave without Daryl. The fear of being alone working up in my throat as I choke on my breath, quickly darting my gaze around, trying to find a faster way for the both of us to escape these flesh eating monsters, I'd lost to many people to them, I wasn't about to lose Daryl as well.

"Look, to your right. There's a big enough gap to get away through" I shout out to Daryl, but he fails to hear as I glance over, noticing the walker pushing him hard to the ground, rushing over, I kick the walker away, stabbing another before they close us in. Daryl gets up and back to fighting within seconds, my hands begin to shake as I pant. Sweat beaming on my forehead as I continue to fight, my palm becomes sweaty and my knife drives awkwardly into the base of a walkers skull, getting stuck as my sweaty hands fail to retrieve it. Kicking the walker down as I reach for my other knife in my boot, I feel Daryl's firm grip take ahold of my arm, making me stand upright quickly and look at him with wide eyes, his staring intently serious into mine.

"Bella run. Go. Now" Daryl growls, his voice sending a shiver up my spin and making me listen as I bolt off to the left, squeezing past the walkers through a small gap between them, to afraid to look behind me, making sure I only stopped when needed.