peaches & softie | daryl dixon ✅

Chapter 53 (1/2): This Sorrowful Life

 A/N Okay I skipped 'Prey' because it was about Andrea and The Governor and I was a tiny bit lazy soooooo yeah. Onwards.

 Carter's P.O.V

 " You gonna tell anyone?" I ask Rick, him explaining the deal between the Governor and Michonne. Daryl and Hershel the only other people knowing.

 " Not until after. We have to do it today. It has to be quiet," he explains. I nod slowly, taking it in as Daryl speaks.

 " You got a plan?"

 " We tell her we need to talk. Away from the others."

 " This isn't us Rick," I cut in, making him look at me.

 " No, no it isn't," Hershel adds on, before leaving the three of us.

 " We do this, we avoid fight. No one else dies."

 " No we don't." The two look at me as I shake my head. " I only met the dude once when I got caught. He's not gonna let this go. If we go and tryin' do this deal-" I stop myself, scoffing a moment, " it'll be a graveyard."

 " And what if he doesn't?" Rick questions, a small hum at the end. " What if we miss the deal of a lifetime?"

 " You know what? You can do this, but don't stick me in this. I'm not helping." I walk off, my limp barely noticeable nowadays. I walk over to Hershel, seeing him looking over at me.

 " You don't agree on doing this do you?" he asks as I finally stop in front of him.

 " No, but like he said: This isn't a democracy anymore," I repeat his words, only to see Hershel looking behind me. I turn my head, seeing Daryl walking to me.

 " I need to show you something," Daryl says, wrapping his hand around my arm. I give a nod to Hershel, him giving a goodbye back. He pulls me inside our block and into our cell. He kneels on the floor, grabbing something underneath the bunk. It scrapes on the floor as he pulls it from underneath the bed. " Here." He hands me his old crossbow, making me grow confused. " I remember you talking about wanting one of your own so..." he trails off, making me smile. I grasp the crossbow, giving him a kiss on the cheek. I place my old bow on the top bunk, as with my quiver. I look closer at the crossbow, seeing it only has three bolt.

 " Thanks. I just need to make a few more bolts," I explain, giving him a smile before placing it on my back, him giving a smile back. I go quiet for moment before asking, " You still gonna do it?"

 " Yeah. Rick's getting Merle." I slowly nod, averting my gaze from him.

 " Alright." I glance at him once more before walking out my cell, leaving him to think.

---

 Carter's P.O.V

 I help Glenn with the barbwire, him planting it in the ground with a mallet. Maggie and Carl's screams are heard throughout the field, them trying to distract the walkers. After planting it, Michonne gets back in the truck as well, sitting shotgun as I sit in the back. Hershel drives us back, the two at the fence going around to meet us at the prison. I hop out of the back, Glenn speaking to Rick for a moment.

 " That's a good idea," Rick states.

 " It was Michonne's," I add, making him look at me, Daryl nodding too.

 " We don't have to win. We just have to make getting at us more trouble than it's worth," she explains. He glance at Daryl and I for a moment before walking back inside the prison. I stay outside, fixing one of the older cars  for a while now before Daryl comes over to speak to me.

 " You know where Merle is?" he questions, walking over to me. I glance for a moment, shaking my head no before wiping sweat off face, only feeling oil take the spot instead. He stands beside me, handing me one of the tools I need. " Has he said sorry?" he asks.

 " It don't matter," is my only response.

 " He will," he continues. " He's gonna make it right. And I'm gonna make him." I shake my head, finally looking back at him.

 " Why? Not like it'll change anything. Unless he gets beaten, raped and have a walker thrown at him when he can barely stand up, maybe it'll be even. But he beat Glenn, allowed Maggie to be humiliated and groped by some man. I'll stand beside him just because he's your brother, but I will not call him a friend for what he did to them." I go back to fixing the car, feeling his presence beside me as I speak again. " Last time I heard he was looking for dope in another cellblock. Try that." He stays quiet for a moment before walking away. I clench and unclench my jaw, calming myself down before I lean against the car. I make sure not to hit my head on the lifted hood, throwing the tool on the ground in anger. I see Glenn walking over to me, a look in his eyes.

 " Hey," he greets. I only hum, going back to fixing the car. " I didn't apologize for what I said."

 " It doesn't matter. What happened, happened," I state. My finger gets stuck in between two pieces of metal, making me pull my hand away in pain, shaking it for relief.

 " No, it does matter." I sigh, standing up straight before turning out, looking at him while leaning against the car. " I shouldn't have called you out like that. I wasn't thinking straight. I'm sorry."

 " It's fine," I sigh. " Long as you don't call me that shit again. If you do that again though, Imma' beat the shit outta you." A chuckle escapes his lips before looking at me.

 " Daryl's rubbing off on you." I roll my eyes, wiping the oil and grease off the rag before throwing it at Glenn. He catches it with ease as I pull the hood down, turning back to him.

 " Try the car. Wanna see if it makes anymore weird noises." He nods, sitting in the driver seat before starting it. The engine goes off, the weird noise going for a moment before quieting down. A small smile grows on my face, as does his before he turns the engine off, hopping out of the car. He closes the door, giving a small smile at me before walking off to the prison, me following in his steps. Rick comes inside, looking panicky.

 " Merle took Michonne."