Before I Fade Away~ Daryl Dixon Fanfiction

Chapter 13~ On the Road Again

{Sylvie's P.O.V}

     I watch the CDC go up in flames, Dr.Jenner and Jacqui still inside. Athena is on the floor of Daryl's truck and I'm covering her with my own body just in case. I can't believe there's nothing left, no salvation, no cure. It's all gone, and any chance at finding one just burned down with the CDC and Jenner.

      We take off quickly, we all just want to leave this place behind us and find someplace safe. Is anywhere really safe though? It seems no matter where we go there will always be walkers. Soon we pull over to fuel up, gather what we can and lose a couple vehicles. 

"I'm takin' Merle's bike, ye' two will have to ride in the RV." Daryl says to us. I nod and transfer our stuff from the truck to the RV. 

"Honey stay here, I'll be right back." I tell Athena and then climb out of the Winnebago. 

"You be safe. My stepdad almost died on one of those things, I'd hate to see it happen to you." I say kindly to Daryl. He scoffs, and it makes me laugh.

"You're cute when you're all flustered, have I ever told you that?" I smirk. He rolls his eyes at my comment, so I quickly kiss his cheek when no one appears to be looking. Except maybe Shane.

"Alright, let's go." Rick says. 

     I sit beside Athena at the table, Shane decides to sit across from us. He starts cleaning his gun, and then Andrea sits next to him. 

"So, you and the redneck huh?" Shane suddenly blurts out. 

"He's a friend. Nothing more." I quickly put an end to the conversation. I don't even know what's up with us, and until I figure that out I'm not putting any labels to it.

"What are you doing?" Athena asks Shane. He looks at her and then back at his gun.

"Cleaning my gun, if I don't it won't work right." He explains.

"Oh... Guns are scary." She remarks.

"Someday they won't be, maybe when you're older I'll show you how to use one." He offers.

"Mommy said Daryl could show me." Athena says proudly. Shane looks at me with a death glare, clearly unhappy.

"Well Daryl don't know a whole lot, your daddy is much smarter." 

"But Daryl can do everything! He's like superman!" Athena giggles. Shane sets the gun on the table harshly, making a clang. I jump at the sound, Athena loses her smile.

"Did anyone tell you that Daryl hurt a lady, and your daddy arrested him for it?" Of course he'd try to put lies into Athena's head.

"Shane enough, Daryl is a good man. Nothing you say can change that." I quickly cut him off before he can continue telling stories.

"No Sylvie, do you really know anything about that guy? Other than the fact that he was your neighbor? Him and his brother are both pieces of shit, good for nothing bums that do drugs."

"That's none of your concern anymore."  

     Just as Shane starts to say something, the RV makes a spitting and sputtering sound, then comes to a halt. Dale curses under his breath, so we all get out and gather around. On top of a broken radiator hose, there's cars on the highway that are blocking our path. 

"Alright y'all, lets see what we can find." Shane sighs. T-dog decides to siphon gas out of the cars, Glenn and Dale start working on the RV, Rick keeps watch and the rest of us scavenge for anything useful.

"Andrea, can you keep an eye on Athena for me? I don't want her seeing all the mess out there." I request. Andrea nods, so I have Athena sit at the table with her while she cleans her gun. I have a mission to do, find Daryl.

    I find him near a truck, so I walk up to him with my arms crossed.

"I knew Merle did drugs and degraded women, but I didn't think you did too." I comment. He turns around, confused.

"The hell you talkin' about? I ain't ever hurt a woman, or done drugs." He denies. 

"Don't lie to me Daryl. Shane said-"

"So yer' listenin' to Shane now? When have ye' known him to ever tell the truth?" Daryl defends himself. 

"No Daryl I just... I defended you when he was making you seem like a bad person in front of Athena. I needed to know I wasn't wrong in doing so." He glares at me and starts to walk away.

"Daryl I'm sorry! Please don't be mad, I just had to be sure!" I yell after him. He whips around and storms up to me.

"I ain't anythin' like my brother!" He declares. 

"I know, I know." I say softly, placing a hand on his cheek. He grabs it with one hand, he looks conflicted on whether or not he should break my fingers or hold it in his own.

"Shit..." He mutters.

"What?" I ask. He looks past me, so I turn around to see what he's staring at. Great, another walker horde.

"Athena! I left her in the RV!" I panic, I start to head towards the RV but Daryl stops me.

"I'll get her, get under a car." Daryl says. I want to argue but if anyone can get her it would be him, so I listen and crawl under a car.

      I feel my heart thumping up in my throat as the walkers move sluggishly through the mess of vehicles. Up ahead, I see Daryl help a bleeding T-dog. What about Athena? Tears fall down my face at the thought of her being ripped apart by these beasts.

     After what seems like forever, the horde has passed and I get out from under the car. I sprint to the RV, thinking the worse.

"Sylvie, I got her, she's safe." Dale says, carrying Athena down off the top of the RV with him.

"How did-"

"Rick made her climb up." He cuts me off. I let out a huge sigh of relief, then pick her up and squeeze her.

"Oh sweetie I was so worried." I gasp. She uses her thumb to wipe away my tears, then kisses me. 

"I love you mommy." She smiles. I smile back at her and pepper kisses all over her face.

"Two walkers are after my baby!" I hear Carol cry, and that's when I realize Rick is gone, and so is Sophia.

"It's okay, Rick will bring her back." Lori assures her. My heart aches for Carol, I can't imagine how scared she is right now. Hell, look at how scared I was and nothing even happened to my child.

"Are ye' okay?" Daryl comes up to us and asks. He arrived later because he had to help T-dog.

"Yeah, I think so." I answer. 

"Mommy why are the monsters chasing Sophia?" I find myself at a loss for words, how do you tell a four year old that walkers want to kill her friend?

"They're bullies, that's why ye' stay away from em'." Daryl tells her. Boy am I grateful for that. 

"Sophia will beat those bullies! She runs fast, she beats me at tag all the time!" Athena says innocently. I know Carol heard her, because she starts crying even harder.

"Honey let's not talk about the bullies... Carol is upset." I say quietly. She stops talking and we all just stand there, waiting.

A/N- Thanks for all the reads! Hope this wasn't too dramatic for you. Comment if ya want, I love feedback!