RE-WRITING! Guardian Angel. (A Walking Dead/Daryl Dixon Fan Fiction)

Chapter 18.

I was sat on the steps of the porch with Rick. We didn't say anything, he just came and sat down beside me. I let out a deep sigh and looked down. "You okay?" Rick asked. I let out another sigh followed by a humorless laugh.

"I wish people'd stop askin' me that." I told him. He smiled slightly.

"Well I heard you little spat with Daryl." He said.

"I think the whole state of Georgia heard it." I joked, Rick let out a short laugh. "You know, if someone was to ask me right now, if I'd rather continue living this life, or to rewind back before everythin' happened..."

"You'd rewind?" Rick guessed, cutting me off. I shook my head and looked up at him.

"Nope, I keep everythin' the way it is, because, despite everythin' I lost, I gained so much in return, yeah, of course I'd want everyone back but then, I would never have met Jacqui, or Glenn, or Carl, or you, or...or Daryl." I explained. "My life was such a bore before all of this, now it's full of adventure, romance, even danger, if I rewound, I would never have fallen in love with Daryl Dixon." I told Rick. "Who is the most arrogant ass in the world." I added. Rick let out a laugh and nodded in agreement. As if on cue Daryl walked past us. Rick stood up from the steps.

"Daryl." He called, stopping Daryl, he turned and looked at us. "You okay on your own?" Rick asked.

"I'm better on my own. I'll be back before dark." Daryl said, turning and at again.

"Hey. We got a base. We can get this search properly organized now." Rick said sternly.

"You got a point or are we just chattin'?" Daryl snapped.

"My point is it lets you off the hook. You don't owe us anything." Rick explained.

"My other plans fell through." Daryl said before walking away. I sighed and rolled my eyes at him. Rick too let out a sigh before looking back at me.

"Told you, arrogant ass." I said with a shrug. Before Rick could say another word my uncle walked out of the house.

"We could give you more space, set up over by the barn." Rick told him as I stood up.

"No, no need for that, better you stay close to the house. I don't say this easily, Rick. We don't normally take in strangers. I can't have your people thinking this is permanent. Once you find this girl and your boy's fit for travel, I expect you'll move on." Hershel explained. I frowned up at him. "We need to be clear on that." He added. Rick gave a short nod before turning and leaving. Hershel then turned to me. "Piper, you know you have a place here, you need to stay here, stay with us, be safe." He said to me.

"I can't Hershel, I can't leave these people." I told him, shaking my head.

"But you have family here, you'll have safety here." Hershel persuaded.

"I have family there too, uncle Hershel, Glenn, he's like my brother, I love him like a brother, damn, he's the closest thing I've had to a brother since Jake, and Daryl. I love Daryl, so much, despite how much we argue, I can't just leave him, he saved my life, if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here now." I explained. "And if they leave, I leave, that's all there is to it." I told him before walking away.

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"Hey Glenn." I smiled as I approached him.

"Hey Pipe, what's up?" He asked.

"Nothin', I don't have anythin' to do, was wandering if there was anythin' I could help out with." I explained.

"You'll have to ask the guys because I'm going out on a run with Maggie, plus I thought you were helping Daryl look for Sophia?" He asked. I sighed and shook my head.