𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐎𝐏𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 ➳ 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬

Chapter 23 ~ Not Your Fault

My dark eyes widened in surprise and Maggie put a hand on my arm to steady me. Daryl lifted his knife up, ready for any attack that might come. A man had opened the door and now, he began to walk around, evidently looking for something or rather, someone. Cans clinked against each other on the shelf as he rummaged around and I felt my blood boil to see him messing with stuff that didn't belong to him. I thought he would leave after that but no, instead he just came closer to where we were hiding. Hunkering down lower in hopes that he wouldn't see us, I held my breath.

The man stepped up then and...grabbed one of the plastic containers off the shelf. I frowned as he turned around, fully expecting him to turn around and spot us. Daryl lifted up his knife then and I eyed him carefully as Maggie put a hand on his arm, shaking her head. He wanted to kill that man and I didn't blame him. Not one bit. But it wasn't safe, it wasn't the right time.

I let out a quiet sigh of relief then as the man exited the cellar and soon, we were plunged into darkness once more. As soon as the door slammed shut, Daryl left the hiding place and walked over to the door, peering through the holes. But it was over - the man was gone now. Maggie and I got up to join him then, walking over to where he stood. She sighed then and I knew what was coming next.

"You were gonna kill that guy," she stated, arching an eyebrow at my father.

"He was gonna find us," Daryl said, avoiding her eyes.

"He wasn't, and he didn't,"

"He deserved to die,"

Silence fell between them then and I moved away slightly, feeling uncomfortable.

"Ever since you got here, you haven't said a word to me. Would you look at me? Please?" Maggie asked him, her voice soft but pleading.

Daryl sniffed loudly then as he turned to face her. Even through the darkness, I could see the tears in his eyes.

"Daryl," she said quietly.

He was silent, not saying a word as he tried to hold back the tears to no avail.

"I'm sorry..." he finally spoke, his voice breaking, "I'm sorry,"

He sounded so broken, so lost that it made tears well up in my own eyes for him. He sniffed, tears still sliding down his cheeks as Maggie frowned.

"It wasn't your fault," she said, surprise mixed with disbelief evident on her face.

It was clear then - he blamed himself. He thought it was all his fault that Glenn was gone. But instead of accepting her words, he just shook his head, unbelieving.

"It was," he choked out, sniffling.

"No. It wasn't," Maggie told him, her voice sharp before it softened, "You're one of the good things in this world. That's what Glenn thought. And he would know, 'cause he was one of the good things, too,"

She smiled then but it faltered as a sob choked her up, smothering her words briefly before she was able to speak again.

"And, uh I wanted to kill that guy, too. I wanted to string them all up and watch them die," she said emotionally, her Southern accent strong as it stuck to her words, "But we have to win,"

Slowly then, she walked up to Daryl and pulled him into a hug.

Tears soaked her shoulder but I knew she didn't care as she held onto him, "Help me win."

Daryl nodded to her in response and I smiled sadly at the two of them. We would win this. And not only for my baby. But for Glenn and for Abraham. For Spencer, Olivia, Eugene, and Owen. For everyone we'd lost along the way - either to Negan and his corruption or death by his hand.

We would win. And we would do it for them.