Stand By Me (Daryl Dixon)

T e n

I bring the soaked rag up and rub the dry blood out from Roses mane, pulling small chunks of skin from the tangled mess. That's exactly how I feel right now, a tangled mess. My emotions are everywhere, scattered around like an Easter egg hunt. The only feeling I can feel is heartache. Just as you think someone cares for you the way you care for them, they rip the rug from under your feet. It's only been a week since meeting Daryl, and it's not normal to feel so attached to someone you hardly know.

"Well, ain't she beautiful." Maggie says, petting Roses nose. I turn away from her and wipe my cheeks. "How'd you come across her?"

"Uh, a person from the Kingdom is letting me keep her for a while." I smile at her.

"Making friends everywhere, I used to own a few, used to ride a lot." She says. I watch her pick up a brush from beside the rusty water bucket. "Listen," she say calmly, "whatever happened to you and Daryl at the Kingdom will pass. But, you have to understand that Daryl is the way he is for reasons I barely even know myself. But, he is a good person." She looks over to me, and I agree, "he's saved this group may times. He doesn't expect a thank you or anything, he just wants what's best for people."

"He seems like the person who has troubles trusting people." She nods slowly with a small smile appearing on her face.

"You are completely right. When we first met he kept to himself, he didn't camped with the group on my daddy's farm. But, he came around eventually."

From what she's saying I hope that he would 'come around' around me. I want him to trust me and believe in me and just care for me. I want someone other than my brother to fight with me and protect me. I want a group who I can call family. I want a family who I can love and rely on to have my back when shit gets rough!

Maggie drops the brush and turns to me, becoming serious. "I was on the radio with Rick this morning and the Saviours were there. They killed two of our people today. They were looking for Daryl, and possibly you and your brother. I think it's best if you leave to go to Alexandra tomorrow. I have to try to speak to Daryl, but he's been avoiding me like the plague. So, I wanted to see-"

"If I can talk to him, you saw what I did. What makes you think he'd even look at me?" I drop the cloth in the bucket.

"Please. It would be best." When I finally nod, she hugs me. "You smell like the dead." We laugh and I tell her that I'm going to go wash up.

•

I take a seat on the stump next to my brother, and lean my head on his shoulder. The dark sky over us and the fire crackling, flames dancing.

"Maggie wants us to leave, go with Daryl to Alexandra. For safety." I sigh.

"I know, she talked to me before you showed up here." He pats my knee, and stands. "It's late, don't stay up too late."

When I watch him leave to the house my eyes catches Maggie coming out of Jesus' trailer carrying a plate. Watching her bring it to Daryl who's sitting on a picnic table sharpening his arrow points. Watching her place the food beside him and walking back she stops, brings her hands to her face as if she were crying. Shaking her head, she continues back into the trailer. My eyes go back to Daryl who just sits there with his head down. Feeling bad, I get up and make my way over and sit next to him. He doesn't move or make a sound when I sit next to him. I reach around him and wrap my arm around his waist.