The Count Down to Death (Daryl Dixon Love story)

T W E N T Y

I cry myself to sleep that night. I can't believe Daryl had to see that, after everything we've been through. I stretch out my legs and I curl my toes around my clothes, pulling them towards me. After a lot of skilful twisting, I manage to get my new underwear, jeans, top and shoes on. I curl up on the floor and I fall into a deep restless sleep.

"Wake up, darlin' we have a long day ahead of us." Dan says kicking my side as he unchains me from the radiator but keeping my hands tied.
He tugs me outside and I trip over something. As I look round, I notice the bloody body of Len with an arrow in his head. I scramble away and the men laugh.
"Hey! Daryl! How about you walk her? Seen as though ya care about her so much." Dan says chucking him the chain.
Daryl catches it and we walk together behind the others. He holds my hand and smiles at me.
"Ya okay?" He asks, concern filling his voice.
I nod, "I miss the old times." I sigh. "Times where I used to walk round with a messy bun, stay in my pjs all day, live off ice cream for a week. I remember when I fell out with my best friend Mya and I slept on Joey's couch. I wore his pjs and he ordered a whole load of Chinese food and we watched all seven seasons of Parks and Recreation."
Daryl stares at me.
"Joey?"
"Oh, yeh, he was my other best friend. Mom was working late, Chris and Hedi were out of town and I didn't want to go home. I was meant to go to Mya's but she bailed on me." I pause. "I miss the old times."
"Me two ... I'll get ya out of 'ere I promise." Daryl brushes my cheek and I blush.

We walk in silence until it becomes dark and the guy's in front stop. They talk in hushed whispers and Joe walks over to Daryl and me.
"You two stay here, I have some unfinished business I need to sort out." Joes smiles slyly and walks off.
We stand awkwardly in silence as Daryl paces nervously.
"I swear it was Rick's voice, Lottie." Daryl runs his hands through his hair. "Wait 'ere, I'm gonna go see." He says as Joe starts counting down.
Daryl walks off and I slump to the ground. Voices start shouting and a gunshot goes off. Ignoring Daryl's orders, I run to the gunshot and Rick, Carl, Hedi and Michonne are held by the men as Daryl is getting beaten up. Dan looks up from Carl on the ground and sickly smiles at me.
"Let them go." I growl.
Billy walks away from Daryl and grabs my wrists from behind, smelling my hair.
"Or what?"
I smile throwing my head back and hitting him square in the nose. He falls back whimpering like a baby as I turn to Rick and Joe just in time to see Rick bite into Joe's neck and he rips out his artery. Blood squirts all over Rick's face as Joe falls to the ground. I stand motionless as the rest of the claimers fall dead. Someone walks up behind me and spins me around.
"What happened?" I ask Daryl, touching his bruised face.
"I found the keys." He quickly says, unlocking the chains and throwing them to the ground.
I smile gratefully as I rub my wrists.
Rick gathers us all around and I pull Hedi into my arms.
"Carl, Hedi, Lottie and Michonne get some rest in the car. Daryl and I will stay on watch. Tomorrow we go to Terminus."
We file silently into the back of the car. Carl curls up in Michonne's lap and Hedi burrows into mine.
"Sing." Hedi looks up at me with her big blue eyes.
Taking a deep breath I start singing Hedi's favourite song.
"I wanna to start by letting you know this
Because of you my life has a purpose
You helped me be who I am today
I see myself in every word you say
Sometimes it feels like nobody gets me
Trapped in a world where everyone hates me
There's so much that I'm going through
I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you

I was broken
I was choking
I was lost
This song saved my life
I was bleeding
Stopped believing
Could have died
This song saved my life
I was down
I was drowning
But it came on just in time
This song saved my life

Sometimes I feel like you've known me forever
You always know how to make me feel better
Because of you, my dad and me
Are so much closer than we used to be
You're my escape when I'm stuck in a small town
I turn you up whenever I feel down
You let me know like no one else
That it's OK to be myself