Unattainable (A Daryl Dixon love story)

13

Everyone else continued to stand there in horror. Daryl stood there, mouth agape, with his hand on his cheek, looking at her. As soon as she realized what she had done she felt her eyes begin to water, she felt herself blurt “I’m so sorry” and she run off.

Carol was instantly up, bringing Daryl back to a bench to tend to his face. Rick came over to help asking if he was okay. Daryl just nodded and stared off into space.

“She’s a monster” a voice sounded.

Looking up Daryl saw it was Thomas. Nobody replied to his statement. “Did nobody see that? He continued “Did nobody witness that execution? I don’t feel safe with her here, none of us should! She’s obviously a ticking time bomb!”

“Shut up! You know why she acted that way!” Daryl said, immediately in front of Thomas.

“If she reacts that way over nothing imagine how she’d react in an actual emergency” Thomas countered. Daryl felt his blood begin to boil. “How dare you throw her under the bus like that! I bet she’s  saved your candy ass thousands of times you stupid prick!” Daryl then ended their screaming match, punching Thomas in the face.

He fell back, holding his bloody nose. Rick and Glenn were on Daryl, holding him back, as Carol took Thomas away to tend to his bloody nose. Daryl quickly calmed letting Rick speak:

“We have to find how that Walker got in, until then the prison is no longer safe. I want everyone armed and searching until we’ve found and sealed the hole. I also want the place cleaned out. If any more are in here I want them taken care of immediately. Lori take the kids inside, everyone else get on it.”

With those words everyone was off. Daryl immediately went to Pepper’s cell but didn’t go in. He had it set in his mind he was going to guard her cell in case a Walker tried to sneak up on her because it’s what Rick would do… not because he wanted to.

He sat there for about two hours listening to her quietly cry before someone finally walked by.

Hershel had a confused look as he walked up. Daryl got up telling him not to tell her he was sitting outside of her cell and to whisper.

“But why?” he questioned. “She doesn’t have to know” Daryl said looking away. “No son, I mean why were you sitting out here?” he questioned again. “I wanted to make sure she wouldn't be caught by surprise by another one of those things.”

Hershel smiled at the sudden good nature Daryl had been showing lately. “Don’t worry, I won’t say a thing” he said, then went into her cell.

Pepper quickly looked up when she saw Hershel and whipped her face, ridding it of tears. “Why’d you stop?” he asked, grabbing the stool in the corner and sitting down in front of her. “Stop what?” she forced. “Stop crying. It’s good to cry, especially after what you just went through” he said with a smile.

“The world has cried enough over the past few months and it’s gotten us no where” she told him, now looking past him, to the wall. “It only means you’re human” Hershel said putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Just as she looked up and smiled at him she saw a familiar figure in the door way. Daryl was standing there, looking impatient, signaling Hershel over. He gave her one last smile and left the room. “Is she okay?” he immediately asked. “Why don’t you ask her yourself” Hershel said giving Daryl a pat on the back, walking away.

It took everything he had to walk into her cell.

Something about her made him nervous, but he liked it. He couldn’t explain it, but she just made him want to be next to her. It was delightful but scary. He slowly walked in and sat on the same stool as Hershel, right in front of her.

Her eyes suddenly widened upon seeing how swollen his cheek was. “Oh Daryl” she said getting closer to him so she could fully examine his cheek. There was already little fits of purple welling up.

“Does it hurt?” she asked, still staring at his fresh wound. “No, it’s fine” he said looking at the wall, avoiding her eyes.

“If you’re mad, say it” She said with concern. “If I didn’t say I’m mad, then I must not be mad” he said. His comment instantly annoyed her, but she decided not to say anything. The last thing she wanted to do was fight.

They sat in silence, avoiding eye contact for awhile before Pepper finally spoke up “Are you going to say something? Or did you just come in here to make me feel bad?” She truly felt like he was punishing her. She hated that she actually felt worse about hurting Daryl than killing her own father.

He still wouldn’t look at her “I think you feel bad enough.” He realized how cold that sounded after he said it, and immediately regretted it. He finally looked at her. She had the nastiest of looks on her face. “What the hell is that supposed to mean” she spat.

He sat there silently once again. He was still looking at her, wondering whether or not to continue on with the conversation.

“Can you please say something? Please? I’m starting to feel like you came in here to make me suffer? You know I feel horrible, so accept my apology. Unless you hate me, you know, I’ve always known you hated me. Since the very begging-“ she was beginning to babble and slightly cry. She looked and sounded crazy, which Daryl understood, but everything she said was wrong, and it pissed him off.

“Can you shut up?!” he yelled balling up his fists. “What are you going to do? Hit me? She quickly countered, “If it’ll make you feel better, you might as well…” she said coldly, turning her head, signaling for him to hit her.

“Pepper you don’t fucking understand! I don’t hate you! I’ve done nothing but defend you all day! That fucking prick Thomas was talking so horribly about you, and while everyone just stood there pussy footing around I stuck up for you! I even punched him in the nose! I even sat outside of your cell for two fucking hours to make sure one of those monsters wouldn’t get you! I don’t know what else I can do to make-“

She grabbed his arm, pulling him back down into his seat. “Daryl…” she said moving her hand down from his arm to his hand. “I’m just” she continued “I’m just so sorry. I know I seem crazy, but I really appreciate what you did for me.”

“It’s fine, I understand… but uh…” he said, looking up from their hands to her face. All he could see was her eyes, oh how he hated to love her big brown eyes. “What is it?” she questioned. He thought about what to say but came up with a “nothing”

She began to pull on his arm, signaling him to get into the bed with her. He slid under the cover as she held it up, and they both laid about an inch apart, staring once again at each other. “Why do you do that thing where you try to say something and then you just don’t… like it’s not important... but it is” she said, leaning on her elbow.

He turned over onto his back and eyed the ceiling “I’m not a very talkative guy.” She placed her arm on his chest and laid back down saying “I know, but I think you’re important, every bit as important as Rick or Hershel or anyone.”

He grabbed her hand that was on his chest, kissed it, and placed it back but continued to hold it. “You always know how to blow my skirt up” he said with a familiar humor, making her giggle.