Love in the Aftermath

I

Octavia grew up quite a lot in the following 8 years and so did Daryl. They both became inseparable in those years, well not to long after they met really. They became best friends and nothing came between them, not even their terrible home lives. That only bonded them more though they never talked about it.

Octavia's father got worse over the years and Will wasn't around much now. Since Daniel and I were older and could take care of ourselves we convinced him to move on and do what he wanted for once. He didn't go far though and became the owner of a auto shop in town that Daryl worked at on the weekends. Damon still lived at home not knowing what to do now that he wasn't so pissed off with the world anymore. He would work most days with Will to make some money though.

Delilah though, she graduated top of her class and got into all the colleges she applied for and decided to go to Harvard to study law and was almost done with her degree and off to law school next. After about 4 month living at their house she and Merle got together. It was weird at first but everyone got used to it. Damon and Merle were best friends again just like old times when they would visit for a few days at a time. Octavia, Danny and Daryl were in high school now. Danny loved it because he got to be the social butterfly he was, Octavia and Daryl hated it. Daryl hated every aspect of it while Octavia just hated that social part of school, she lived to learn and was top in every class she took despite skipping with Daryl probably once a week.

Daryl and Octavia did everything together now. Danny used to tag alone too and neither of them minded but since he got a girlfriend he hasn't been around as much. So, it was just the two of them doing everything now which all honestly they enjoyed too. Daniel was a lot to handle for the two introverts. 

They were out in the woods nearly every day at this point. Octavia couldn't remember a time where she didn't just go out to the woods to escape. Sometimes she would go alone but most of the time Daryl was right beside her. She needed to be alone right now though. It was around dinner time, no one ate together anymore now, and she was planning to make herself something quick so she would avoid her father. She wasn't quite quick enough though and he stumbled into the room. She didn't know what brought it on because she hadn't even said anything before the man started yelling at her.

Nothing he said was coherent enough for her to understand so she just tried to ignore him and keep making her food. That only seemed to piss him off more. Octavia always resorted to ignoring him but it never worked and she didn't know why she bothered to keep trying. He continued to yell at her and walk towards her until he was right in her face. She still tried to ignore him and not give him the time of day. He proceeded to undo his belt and pull it from its loops, that's when she looked over.

"Just stop, walk away." She told him trying to keep calm.

"You shut your mouth!" He yelled down at her. He doubled the belt over and before she could start to run he hit her. He hit to two more times before she got out of the house, once they were out of the house he never followed. She ran straight to Daryl's house, thankfully his father was on a hunting trip so he wasn't home. She opened the door that was always open and headed to Daryl's room, she wasn't looking where she was going though and ran right into something hard.

"Ow." She complained as she looked up and met Merle's eyes.

"Hey, ya alright?" He asked her with worry written in his features. She hadn't even realized she had started crying on the way over here.

"Yea, fine, just came to see Daryl."

"Alright, well... hey I'm thinkin' ya ain't fine girl. Why are you bleedin'?" He was about to walk off when he spotted blood on her side. She was so wrapped up in what just happened she didn't realize she was bleeding either. She looked down and saw the blood staining her shirt.

"I-I'm fine I swear." She said though tears that had started pouring again.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up real quick. I'll go get Daryl too, just take a seat, alright." Now while she hadn't had a ton on conversations with Merle she was never rude like people said he was and he always made small talk while we were passing though. He was always nice to her but this was new.
He went deeper into the house and got the things he needed to clean up the cut and told Daryl she was here too.

Daryl came running out as soon and Merle told him while Merle was a few steps behind him. He had rubbing alcohol, some bandages and one of Daryl's shirts because his would never fit her, Daryl's barely didn't. She changed shirt with Merle turned around and then he started cleaning the cut. It wasn't pleasant but after what her father just did this was nothing.

"Thanks." She told him once he had finished.

"Not a problem." He said back with a hint of a smile. Since Delilah went to college all those years ago he had been in a funk and wasn't nearly as happy and didn't do much with his days. She would visit a few times a year and he would act fine so she wouldn't feel bad, she almost didn't go because she knew he would be upset and she never wanted to hurt him but in the end he made her go.

Daryl then lead her into his room where they just relaxed and talked. She kept a few books in his room for times that she was there and didn't want to go home. After a while she picked one up and started reading, her head was rested in Daryl's lap while he was fast asleep. She didn't know when but at some point she fell asleep too. They woke up the next morning right where they fell asleep and it was close to 12:00 in the afternoon. They decided not to go to school and stay in bed all day. They talked and laughed and jokingly argued with each other throughout the day and it was one of the best they have had together in a while.

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Kinda a boring chapter but I had the idea to add Merle's part there and went with it. He gets too much bad rep so I wanted to give him a good part real quick. Let me know what you think about it😁😁