Love is Patient (A Daryl Dixon Love Story)

Chapter 31 - Welcome to the Tombs

Makena and I were packing up the belongings in our cell. Stuffing clothes into duffel bags. Loading up our weapons. We don't say anything to each other. We don't need to. 

I grab my bow and arrow, brushing off the dust it's collecting. I sling the quiver across my back and zip up my duffel bag, putting the strap on my shoulder.

"Ye guys ready?" Daryl stands in the doorway, a bag on his shoulder.

"Yeah" Makena responds.

I just nod, "You guys go ahead, I'm gonna check on Dale"

Daryl and Makena leave the cell, neither of them looking back. I grab my bow and look around the cell one last time, then leave to get Dale. I enter Dale's cell, seeing him sitting on his bed.

"Are you ready, Dale?" I ask him, causing him to jump slightly.

"Yeah, yeah" he said, sounding flustered "Let's go"

He gets up and grabs his bag, and we walk out of his cell together. We walk through the cell block, and out the doors to the courtyard. We reach the car and each put our bags in the trunk, I also put my bow and quiver in there, keeping my gun and knife holstered at my sides. Makena puts her bag into the same car Dale and I put ours into, while Hershel, Beth, and Carl put their bags in the second car.

I lean over to Dale, "You guys get in the car, I'll be right there"

He nods and slides into the back seat with Makena. I walk over to Daryl, who is by his motorcycle. When he locks eyes with mine, he comes toward me, meeting me halfway. We just stare into each other's eyes.

"I'm not saying goodbye" I tell him.

"Good" he said. He rests his hands on my waist, and I rest mine on the back of his neck. He suddenly leans down and kisses me softly. Passionate and heart-melting was a perfect description. We pull apart.

"Please be careful" I whisper.

"You too"

He leans down and kisses me again. When we pulled away, I almost said those three words. They could've slipped off my tongue so easily, but  I refrained. I wanted to do it when this whole mess was over.

"I've gotta go" I said softly, "I'll see you later"

Daryl leans down once again and pecks me quickly, "See ye later"

We pull out of each other's grasp, and I turn to get in the car. I climb into the driver's seat and turn the vehicle on, putting it in drive. Beth pulls ahead of me, leading me to the spot in the woods we were directed to go. When we reach it, I pull up next to Beth and put the car in park.

Getting out of the cars, Hershel comes up with an idea, "Let's cover up the cars with the tree branches on the ground"

"Camouflage?" Dale says in astonishment, "Good idea"

We take a few minutes to cover up the cars. When we were about done, approaching vehicles could be heard. We crouch down in front of bushes, watching as the trucks speed in and blow up a guard tower. Rapid gunfire begins, along with the dozens of walkers in the yard falling.

Another guard tower explodes, the gunfire stops. The people get off the beds of the trucks and follow next to one truck as it drives up the pathway, blowing straight through the gates. They look around the courtyard, then file in the entrance to Cell Block C.

~~~~

"Why is it taking so long?" Makena complained.

Just after she said that, the Woodbury people rushed out the door, screaming in terror. Glenn and Maggie start shooting at them from the catwalks in the courtyard. Dale puts his arm around my shoulder as he watches in fear. I wrap my arm around Makena's shoulders, and she leans into me slightly.

"I should be there" Carl mumbles, watching angrily as our other group members fight off the enemies.

The people jump into their trucks and speed away from the prison. It's silent for a moment, as we take in what just happened. Fast approaching footsteps could be heard, and my heart rate sped up.

"Get behind the car! Now!" I whisper-yelled.

We rush behind the car, and as the footsteps became closer, Carl jumps out with his gun raised. Hershel does the same.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Don' shoot" a boy's voice said.

Dale, Makena, Beth, and I peeked up from behind the car, seeing who the person was. It was just a young boy, looking very frightened.

"Drop the weapon, son" Hershel tells the boy.

"Sure. Here, take it" the kid slowly tries to hand the gun to Carl.

In the matter of one second, the boy has a bullet hole through his head, and his lifeless body falls to the ground. Carl looks shocked by what he just did, we were all shocked as well.

We stood there for a minute, processing what Carl just did. Then I realized that the group was probably wondering where we were.

"We should get back" I tell them.

They snap out of their dazes, and brush the branches off our cars. Getting in them, Beth took the lead once again. We drive back up to the prison.

~~~~

We enter the cafeteria where the rest of the group waits for us. As soon as I walk in, I immediately make eye contact with the one person I wanted to see. Those beautiful blue eyes. I rush toward him and he catches me as I wrap my arms around his neck, wrapping him in an embrace. His arms snake around my waist, and I bury my face in his neck.

"You're okay" I whisper into his neck, mostly to just reassure myself.

I pull away from him, and look into his eyes once again. Makena steps forward and hugs her brother, wrapping her arms around his middle. When they pull away, Daryl looks to me again,

"Rick, Michonne, and I are goin' to Woodbury. Finish this shit for good, ye know"

"Well, I'm coming with you"

He sighs, and in a tone almost in warning he says, "Ally..."

I sigh and mockingly say, "Daryl..."

He smirks, "Fine. But, yer ridin' with me"

He grabs my hand and leads me outside to the cars. When we reach the courtyard and almost reach the motorcycle, I come to a halt. He looks at me in confusion.

"I need to see Makena before we leave" I explain.

"A'ight, I'll be by the bike"

I spot Makena sitting next to Carl on the bleachers, and I approach them.

"Are you going to be alright here, squirt?" I ask her.

She smiles at me, "Yeah. Just be careful, please"

I kiss forehead, "Always"

Before I turn to leave, I bend down to whisper in Carl's ear, "Take care of her while I'm gone, okay?"

He nods slightly and smiles a little. I pat his shoulder and turn to go to Daryl. When I reach him, he is just climbing on his bike. I quickly jump on behind him and wrap my arms around his waist. I can't help but smile as we drive away, only because when I touched him, he didn't tense up.