Zedler, M.D. // Daryl Dixon

Chapter Forty-Four: The Prison

•forty-four•

Beatrix

My eyes blink open, almost blinded by the sunlight streaming through the window. The blinds make the sun striated, adding to my early morning confusion. I slowly raise my head, taking in my surroundings. Daryl's hand reaches up, patting down my messy hair. He pulls my face closer, placing a kiss on my forehead.

"Go back to sleep, Trixy," he whispers, urging me to lay my head back down on him. "It's barely dawn."

"You know that this is the latest I've slept since the hotel," I sigh, cuddling back into his side. There's no way I'm going to be able to go back to sleep, but it's nice to lay here with Daryl.

"I know," he wraps his arms around me again. "But it's been over a month, Trixy. You need to get a little more sleep."

"You do too," I retort. "I guess it's because I know we're not safe. We spend every day running, Daryl. I'm scared."

"I know you are, baby," he sighs, kissing the top of my head. "But we will make it. Don't worry. We'll find a way."

"Oh, my God, would it kill you two to shut up for five minutes?" Lori groans from the other side of the room, throwing a pillow at us. It his me in the head, and Daryl holds me back, knowing I'm likely to lose it on her.

"I can't freaking wait until those demon twins get out of your damn uterus!" I yell back at her, not caring if I wake anybody else up.

Daryl sighs, sitting up, pulling me up with him. He wraps his arm around me, leading me outside onto the porch and away from the living room. He tells Glenn and Maggie to go on inside and get some sleep while we take over watch. Daryl sits down on one of the rocking chairs, pulling me onto his lap.

"She ain't worth it, ya know," he says, staring off into the distance. From what I can tell, there are a couple of walkers, but they're too far away to see us or become a threat.

"She just makes me so mad, Dare," I mumble, laying my head down on top of his. "I do everything I can to help her, and she just hates me for it."

"Ah, she's just bitchy because her boyfriend is dead and now all she has left is her husband," he replies, earning a small laugh from me. "Ain't your fault, so you shouldn't worry about it."

"I have to worry about her, Daryl. I have to deliver her babies. Plus, she's Rick's wife, and Rick is like my dad," I frown, hating the situation. "She's so mean."

"I know she is," he replies, rubbing my back. "Just don't talk to her unless you're pullin' that baby out of her and you'll be fine."

"Thanks for that awesome advice," I laugh, rolling my eyes before taking the conversation in a more serious direction. "Do you think we'll ever find somewhere safe again?"

"I'm sure we will at some point," he assures me. "Either that or we'll die tryin'."

"That doesn't make me feel much better, Daryl," I smile at his insensitivity. "Try again."

"Sorry," he mumbles. "Trixy you know you're always gonna be safe when you're with me. I'll do anything I can to protect ya. Stop worrying."

I pull back, smiling at the look on his face that says, "I know it's true, you know it's true, but I hate admitting it." He always gets that look when he says something sweet, so naturally it's my favorite look on him. Leaning down a little bit, I press my lips to his, smiling into the kiss. It's times like these that make me thankful for the apocalypse.

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Rick, Daryl, T-Dog, Merle, Maggie and Glenn are gathered around the hood of one of the vehicles talking about where to go next. I know that I'm always invited to these meetings, but I don't think I'm very qualified to be there. Medicine is my area of expertise, not survival.