my angel ➶ ➶ daryl dixon

t w e l v e

I woke up with Carl still in my arms. I heard soft knocking on the RV door. Is it a walker?! No Aspen, stop being paranoid. It's probably just Glenn. I slowly picked Carl up and set him down across the booth, careful not to wake him. I softly walked to the door. I expected to see Glenn standing there but it was actually Dale.

"Hey Aspen. I know you probably want some sleep, but I was wondering if you would help us with the bodies?" He looked at the ground. "I know you are probably still grieving from Amy's loss, but it would help you to focus on a task."

I love Dale, but the last thing I wanted to do just then was help people with the bodies from last night. I don't care if he thinks it would help me. I just wanted to go back to Carl and fall asleep again. But I knew Dale wouldn't stop worrying about me. "Fine." I mumbled.

I walked slowly out of the trailer, shielding my eyes from the blinding sun. I saw so many bodies. And so much blood. It was everywhere. It seemed to be seeping up from the ground. I held back my gag reflex. When adrenaline overtook my body and I wasn't thinking about killing I was fine, but when my brain was fully functioning, the realization hit me. All of these walkers were people. They had lives, families, friends. Why are they dead and not me?  What is to stop me from turning into one of them?

Then, I saw her. Andrea was still slumped over her dying form. I slowly walked over to her in a daze. I collapsed right in front of the two sisters as silent tears rolled down my face. How could this beautiful soul be taken from this world? Amy didn't deserve to die. It should have been me....

Daryl's POV:
I watched a broken Aspen walk out of the RV. Why did Dale have to wake her? Sure, we needed the help, but forcing her out here is doing her more harm than good. I couldn't believe that idiot Dale was making her come out. She's grieving! Let her grieve!

I turned toward the lake about to go into the woods when Glenn came up to me.

"Daryl, can I talk with you for a minute?" He asked but I continued walking pretending I didn't hear him.

He just followed me though. "Okay fine. You just listen. I see how you look at Aspen. It's not how you look at everyone else." I froze, and he almost ran into me. "Oomph. Sorry. Can you just listen to me for a second-"

"No! Ya listen to me! I don't like everyone tryin to get involved in my stuff. I don't like Aspen, and I never did. Stop tryin to give me advice on her! First Carol, and now ya. Ya just tell everyone to stay away!" I practically screamed at Glenn and stormed off. I couldn't believe that these people thought that they had the right to tell me what to do with Aspen?! I don't even like her!! I'll just have to become even colder to her to prevent them from starting anything else.

Aspen's POV:
I was out of it the entire time we burned the bodies. Andrea finally had to put her sister down. I felt empty, almost like a walker. No emotions, nothing that made me human. I was in a daze the entire day, just going through the motions.

"Aspen, would you mind helping me with this one? There's only a couple left to burn and I'd prefer to get them all done soon." Rick said. I just slowly nodded my head and walked over to him, helping him carrying the dead walker to the fire to burn it.

The sun had barely reached its peak when we finished. Great. The whole rest of the day with nothing else to do. Just great. I walked over to Carl and sat beside him to eat lunch. The group was deciding what to do since Jim was bit in the attack and the infection was getting really bad.

"We should go to the CDC. That's the closet place with a chance for a cure or treatment." Rick said. My dad immediately countered him.

"No, we should do to Fort Benning. That would have more security and it would be a lot safer."

"But Shane, it's 125 miles away." Rick said. I know my dad would be pissed to hear this, but I agreed with Rick on this. The CDC had the best chance for treatment for Jim, and it is closer. My dad and Rick walked off, still discussing it. I could tell it was becoming a very heated conversation.

"Aspen, where do you think we should go?" Carl asked softly, still affected by last nights events.

"Well I think we should go to the CDC. It's closer and it is the best option to possibly help Jim."

"Okay, well that's where I'm going to go to." Carl said.

"No buddy, we're going to go wherever our dads decide to go. We have to follow them to stay safe." Carl let out a sigh.

"Fine. But I'm going to follow you wherever you go." That made me smile just a little bit. No matter how defeated I felt, Carl still looked up to me and saw me as a leader. I felt proud to have this boy who wasn't even related to me look up to me.

—————

My dad and Rick came back after about an hour. I had no idea what they decided. Their faces were hidden from emotion. Finally my dad spoke up.

"I back Rick's decision up. I think we should head to the CDC." Dad looked at me with hatred in his eyes. He obviously didn't actually agree with the decision. "We'll leave as soon as we can."

"Everyone go pack up your things and find a car to fit your stuff in." Rick told us as everyone dispersed to get their things. I went into the RV since that's where all my stuff is. I just put all my stuff in a bag and set it in the closet in case we needed to make a quick escape. I walked back out and saw everyone packing up the tents and their bags.

I walked over to Rick. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm glad you convinced my dad. I didn't want to go to Fort Benning." I said softly.

"I just had to do what was right for my family." He said with a small smile on his face. "But it does make me feel better that other people agree with me."

He brought me in for a hug. "It's okay. We'll make it through this. I promise you. I'll protect you."

Right then I wished my dad was Rick. I didn't look up to my father. I looked up to Rick. This was the moment when I realized that my dad was not the best man. Rick was. I wouldn't follow my dad, I would follow Rick. Rick is the leader.