Surviving As One {A TWD fanfic}

24. Surviving

And as if Daryl could hear my thoughts, my worries. His hand reached out and took ahold of mine, giving it a small squeeze as if to reassure me and I smiled, I saw Rick smile as he glanced down at our hands. His mouth opened and I waited for the questions to start but before his voice could enter our ears they were filled by the door being opened and the loud voices of strangers echoed throughout the house. Men's voices I did not recognise. I looked to Daryl and he gestured to my knife, I pulled it from it's holster and held it tightly. Rick slowly inched toward the stairs and peeked down, he back pedalled and turn to face us, nodding toward the back window. I let out a silent sigh, knowing this would be the first window I would have to climb out of. Even in the moment of such little time the memory put a faint smile on my face.

It was late June. I was 14 years old and my friend had convinced me in to sleeping at hers, but there was a catch. Of course. Two boys would be sneaking in and staying with us, without her parents knowing. I know, that isn't such a big deal. But when you're 14 years old it is. We were staying in her room which had to be upstairs, which meant the boys would have to silently climb up the ladder we had set underneath her window. Also a another thing that was hard to do without her parents knowing, it got to 10pm. Lights out. Our giggles filled the room faintly as we watched out the window at the two struggling boys. The ladder slipped and sent the boys to the ground, Maddie (My friend) almost pushed me out the window as the loud thump echoed. I reached out and grabbed onto her arm and pulled her with me, luckily her sister knew exactly what we were up to and was quick to pull us from falling. How she entered the room so fast I can't not remember, but I surely was thankful. After that I was forever scared of being near windows with a high landing. I always pictured myself falling out.

It occurred to me that my biggest fear used to be as simple as falling out a window, or being pushed. Now, I was scared of so much more. I was back to reality when I felt Daryl tug me toward the window and insisted I go first, I glanced down and swallowed thickly and shook my head.

"Fine, I'll go first" he muttered and started to climb down, I watch him. This time there was no ladder, just an hold pipe connected to the house that he used to keep himself up, I watched his movements carefully. It was my turn before I knew it, and slowly I tried to mimic Daryl's movements, placing my foot where he had his. I was only a few foot from being able to jump down when I slipped and my fear of falling out of a window basically came true. But luckily I fell into Daryl's arms, he frowned at me. And it took me while to realise what I had done wrong. I placed my foot onto nothing, not paying attention. I gave him a apologetic look as he placed me down and watched Rick carefully. I kept an ear out for Carl and Michonne returning but I failed to hear much over the loud voices still echoing from the house, I wondered if they wanted to attracted walkers or not?

"This way, the town Michonne and Carl went to isn't far and they should of been back by now" Rick whispered just as I caught a glimpse of the familiar long haired boy. I tapped Rick's shoulder and pointed toward Michonne and Carl. "Shit" he murmured, noticing them coming from the other direction.

I stepped out in the open and waved my hands about, catching their attention. I pointed to the house, and tried my best to gesture for them to go around the back and be quiet, and I was thankful that Carl understood and they began to move slowly. I walked to the back of the house, crouching down and almost crawling past the windows that came to my waist when up right. I glanced back at the boys to make sure they were still following.

"Bella" I heard Carl whisper, and I followed behind him to the back gate which was already half open. All five of us snuck out, straightening ourself once behind the tall metal fence.

"What's going on?" Michonne asked and glanced to the house through a small hole drilled through the metal gate.

"Just people, they could have been friendly but I doubt it. Didn't want you two walking in to any trouble, we best get going before they notice anything" Rick explained and began to walk toward the empty road, the cars parked along the side looked untouched in months.

"You alright?" Daryl asked, and I glanced to him before lacing my fingers with his and nodded.

"Yeah, thank you. Are you alright?" I asked and I saw the flash of his walls being built back up, the part of him that would just nod and look away. The Daryl I feared would return and shut me out once again.

"Yeah, I'm alright" he said to my surprise and lightly kissed my cheek "I still got you" he said and I could here the surprise in his voice, and somehow that broke me.

"Daryl, I'm not leaving you. I love you, with or without Rick and them around. Id love you even if a million people stood in front of us and were against us" I told him, trying my best to reassure him and just as I feared. He nodded and looked away, I felt like crying. Like curling into a ball and dying. How could I go on without his love? Without him.