Trust Me | Daryl Dixon

Part 79

Slammed doors and tear stained pillows made me know for sure that the love between Daryl and I was real-- not that I ever had any doubts about it, but the bed felt different without him in it beside me.

It's hard to think now that everything happens for a reason, but maybe the world was just working on slowly pushing us apart-- preparing us to live again without one another.
I love him and I love everyone in Alexandria, but that's why I have to do this.. for the ones I love.

If my father taught me anything, it was that sometimes you have to be sneaky to get your way, but at the end of it all, it's always worth it.. even if you're left as a shell of who you once were.

I didn't know who I was looking for and I now knew that no one would tell me what he looked like without knowing exactly what I was planning, so I was going to go into it blind.

As I stared up to the shadowed ceiling, the covers strewn across my body, I relished in the comfort that I knew I'd only have for one more night.
Tomorrow I'd slip away and start something new, or end something old.

***

I pulled the front door closed behind me as the sun continued its morning creep over the porch, slowly warming every inch of it.
As I made my way to the street, the only plan I had in mind was to get over the wall the same way I did last time, and if luck was on my side at all, the metal rods would still be somewhere over there.

Looking inconspicuous was never my strength, and you never really think about how many people could be watching you until you try to sneak around, but even on this empty street, I still felt like I was being watched.

My head quickly whipped around, adrenaline now pumping as I heard a loud whistle followed by a familiar voice, "Liz!" Rick yelled, his pace fast as he walked with Tobin before he motioned me over to them.

I quickly complied, his uneasy vibe causing me to worry, "Hey-" I began as I caught up.

"Carol's gone-- when was the last time you saw her?"

"I uh-" I stuttered, trying to processes the simple sentence he just said while still trying to find an answer to his question, "Yesterday I think, she uh- yeah, she was on her porch." I said breathlessly as I tried to keep up beside the two, "What- what do you mean she's gone?"

"She left me a note saying she was leaving-- took food, ammo, clothes, a gun." Tobin named off as we reached Alexandria's gate.

"Rick, I took over at twelve and I was on till six," Sasha began, "I never saw anything."

"Fronts been quiet ever since the others left." Abraham added.

"What?" Rick asked, frustration in his voice, "Who?"

"Daryl-- he went ICBM after the Saviors from yesterday." He answered, something in my mind instantly shifting as I felt everything begin to fall apart once again, "Glenn, Michonne, Rosita-- they all went to shut that shit down."

I felt like I'd just been hit in the gut-- helpless and powerless; the air around me thick as I was unable to form a single word. I bit down hard at my cheek as tears threatened to sting at my eyes, knowing that I may be the reason that four of our people are gone-- that I could possibly have the blood of four of our people on my hands.
I know Daryl didn't want to me to go after something that I didn't fully understand, but I didn't think he'd go this far to stop me.

"Where's the other car?" Tobin asked as he scanned the area outside the gate, "We added two more cars yesterday and one of them's missing-- the one we put right between those two houses."

"You can barely see between those houses from up top, especially at night." Abraham said.

"The note-- can I see it?" Morgan asked before Rick handed it off to him.

Rick let out a sigh, the gears in his head turning, "You never saw any headlights? Tail lights? She's smart enough to cover her tracks."

Sasha shook her head, "She must have left during the shift change."

Each time something happened, I always found myself asking: Could it get worse? And each time I hoped it wouldn't, the world seemed to laugh in my face. This was worse, and something told me it wasn't going to get better.

"Where you going?" Rick asked as Morgan walked off.

"I'm gonna go find her." He answered, opening the drivers side door to one of the cars.

"Wait." Rick said lowly, stopping him before he let out a steady breath, "Tell Carl I'll be back soon."

"Rick-" I began, my voice unsteady before he cut me off.

"No one else leaves." He stated strongly as he made his way to the car, "Everyone stays ready for a fight."

_____
Short filler chapter, but it needed to be done.

I really wanted last chapter and the first part of this chapter to feel like a very different Liz than we are used to-- I wanted it to read that way, so I hope that was easy for some of you to pick up on.