The continuation of Fade to Black, a Daryl Dixon fan fiction.
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"I never thought I'd see you again. I thought i lost you."
"And here I thought, you've found someone else and moved on."
"I'd never move on from you, Natalia."
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The group had to get away from Terminus that was still on fire— while they were on the tracks together, Rick stopped by a board, scooping mud from the ground and smearing it on.
"NO SANCTUARY"
Natalia read as she watched her brother curiously and cocked a smile while crossing her arms around her chest.
"After all this time— your handwriting is still ugly." Natalia cocked a smirk at Rick who raised his eyebrows at his sister.
From a long time ago, Natalia always commented on Rick's handwriting and how he would always write his letters in capitals.
"You're being dramatic, Nat. I just wrote 'no'."
"Come on— let's catch up to them." Natalia said to her brother.
Finally together, the group walked with their weapons in hand— Natalia couldn't help but tease Michonne when she reached out for her sword and it wasn't there.
"I have to admit— you look kinda weird without your sword." Natalia teased Michonne as she watched her beat the walker down with her gun.
"I feel weird without it." Michonne said to Natalia in all seriousness. "I didn't realize how used to it I was."
Right after, the group had carried on walking away from Terminus even further. They stopped at the sight of the river and immediately, Tyreese and Carol went together to collect some.
"The sun's gonna set in an hour— think we should rest up here?" Rick asked Daryl but the man shook his head, urging to push on a bit further before they could fully rest.
Taking Daryl's advice, the group continued until sunset. In the darkness of the woods, the group finally managed to put their heavy backpacks down and rest their aching feet.
Glenn and Natalia sat beside each other as Maggie helped Sasha and Tyreese set up the wires around them in the area to entrap walkers.
"You said Tara saved your life?" Natalia pointed at Tara who was now speaking to Rick.
"Yeah. She did— I wouldn't have found Maggie without her."
"Y'know...she seems familiar." Natalia's sharp eyes turned to Glenn. "And you weren't always the greatest of liars."
"I'm not lying, she really did." Glenn didn't know that Natalia would recognize anyone who was with the Governor's squad.
Under her watchful and questioning gaze, Glenn grew somewhat nervous. But the man noted that there was something new behind them, something in Natalia had changed.
"If you insist she saved your life...I can live with it."
Glenn nodded his head as the two sat in silence— but once in a while, Glenn's worried eyes would drift to Natalia who had her eyes shut, resting her aching body against the tree.
"Whatever's on your mind, Glenn— ask."
"Did...something happen to you out there?"
"What do you mean?" Natalia finally opened her eyes as she turned to face Glenn.
"You seem different." Glenn said truthfully but with hesitation.
Natalia knew that Glenn was right— the man she viscously killed like an animal was a victim of her rage that she couldn't control. Besides her uncontrollable spikes of rage, Natalia was driven mad by the dark figures she was seeing. She didn't know whether they were real or just her mind playing games on her. A part of her began to believe that they were just ghosts that showed themselves to her.
"I think..." A small forced smile grew on her lips. "Honestly, I think I lost my mind a little bit."
———
Just like they were in Atlanta, Carl laid down beside Natalia as the two were asking each other questions of 'would you rather'.
Being apart from his aunt and thinking that she was gone, Carl was grateful that it wasn't true. The thought of her dead, truly frightened Carl out. His aunt was always there for him and Rick, what if she wasn't anymore?
"Which one do you think is cooler? A pirate or an astronaut?" Natalia waited for an answer but there was no response from Carl. "Carl?"
As the two of them rambled on about nothing, Carl slowly fell asleep.
Seeing him asleep, Natalia smiled to herself, placing a kiss on his forehead.
"Goodnight, baby Coral." Natalia whispered to him, using the nickname that irritated him as she covered Carl with her thin and worn out blanket.
Movement in the dark caught Natalia's attention and she suddenly felt watched. As her eyes adjusted to the dark ahead of her, she could shape out several dark figures standing far away.
"Hey." Daryl's whisper startled her and as she turned to face him with frantic eyes, Daryl frowned.
"You okay?"
"Yeah...yeah, I am." Natalia spoke softly as to not wake Carl and the others. "I think I just freaked myself out."
Daryl lied down beside Natalia, letting out a pained groan as his back cracked.
Natalia immediately turned to his direction, scooting near him to wrap her arm around his abdomen, resting her head on his chest.
As Daryl wrapped his arm around her, placing a kiss on the top of her head— Daryl felt how stiff her body was.
"Nat—"
"I'm just scared." Natalia blurted out, gripping onto him.
Natalia never liked to admit when she was sad or scared, especially since she had to care for others— but now that she could admit it to Daryl, it strangely felt relieving.
Daryl's fingers played with her hair before he hugged her tighter.
"You don't gotta be. I'm here, Nat."
A/N: oh my god, I felt so lost for this chapter ;') i made it short and simple so we can move on to the next!
