Evelyn// Daryl Dixon

14.

Evelyn had laid back down after that conversation. She just listening to the fire cracking, Daryl sharpening sticks aimlessly and looking at the stars. In the silence it was easy to fall asleep, and she did. Daryl was getting ready to go out for a walk just to clear his mind. He put out the fire as maybe a sign for Evelyn that he was getting up but she didn't move. He walked closer and saw that she had fallen asleep. He didn't want to wake her so he just gently picked her up and put her in his tent before leaving.

Carol had wandered off towards Daryl's camp. She looked in the tent for him but she didn't see anyone, not in the darkness. So she walked over to his clothesline of rabbits and walker ears. Daryl had seen her and sighed. He just wanted to come back and be alone. She turned around and he was there.

"What are ya doin here?" He asked abrasively.

"Keeping an eye on you" Carol answered, her eyes still held the fear she had from her abusive husband.

"Ain't you a peach?" Daryl grumbled and walked closer to his tent.

"I won't let you do this—pull away. You've earned your place"

"If you spent half your time minding your daughters business instead of sticking your nose in everyone else's she would still be alive!" He came at her ruthlessly.

"Go ahead" Carol had let him have the power he wanted.

"Go ahead and what?" When she didn't answer he blew up "just go! I don't want you here! You're a real piece of work, lady" he began to turn his shoulder before turning back again "what, you gonna make this about my daddy or some crap like that? You don't know jack. You're just afraid, you're afraid. You ain't go no husband, no daughter, you're all alone and don't know what to do with yourself. You ain't my problem. Sophia wasn't mine! All you had to do was keep an eye on her!"

Daryl needed that, he needed to vent without being coerced into it. Carol let him do that, taking every word he said and get out his anger. It broke her heart but she cared too much about him to stop him. Daryl went on with a conversation that was held in his head. Thinking Carol would make him talk about his dad, how she needed him and that Sophia wasn't his fault. He took it on himself as his fault but now that she was gone, it wasn't his fault. Sophia dying wasn't on him.

The two stared at each other in silence, neither spoke a word.

*****

Evelyn woke up and realized she want in her own tent. Grabbing her head she realized how dumb she was, she fell asleep last night with Daryl. She crawled out the tent and he was by the unlit fire, strapping his crossbow across his chest.

"Hey, I'm so sorry about last night. I didn't mean to take up your tent and all" Evelyn walked out apologizing.

"Didn't sleep anyways" he shrugged.

"Oh geez," she stood up "you guys heading out? Is it that late?"

"Rick never came back last night. Shane, me and Andrea are goin out," he explained and started to walk alongside him "are you worried about him? Rick?"

"Not at all. He's got this, no matter how much Lori doubts him" she spoke with full confidence.

She couldn't help but look at his crossbow. It reminded her strongly of Dwight and the lack of drugs in her didn't help her emotions. She sniffled quietly and Daryl looked at her.

"Allergies" she beat him to the question, if there was even going to be one.

Daryl turned back to face forward as they approached the main camp. Shane was packing the car, Andrea talking with Dale. Greyson saw her and looked relieved.

"When did you come back?" Greyson asked her, Daryl breaking off and walking to the car.

"Last night, but everyone looked like they were inside and I didn't want to interrupt. You can have fun, Greyson. I don't want you to worry all the time"

"You sound like me talking to you" he cracked a joke, a smile on his face.

"Everyone else alright ? Beth?" Evelyn tried to catch herself up.

"She's still in that shock. That was another contributing decision to going out for them. Lori went out last night and crashed but she's alright. But we need Hershel for Beth"

"Yeah, we do but he doesn't think so," she sighed, her hands on her hips as she watched them all pack up "you worried about Rick?"

"No. He knows what he's doing out there. Lori worries too much"

"So do you" she nudged Greyson in the side.

"You stayed with Daryl last night?" He changed the topic, turning to Evelyn completely.

"Didn't mean to. I just went for company while everyone was inside and I ended up falling asleep on the ground"

"That's one way to reel them in"

"I'm not reeling in anybody, not after Shane. I don't even want to" she looked at Shane angrily.

When she said that, Greyson's blood boiled. He wished he was stronger, bulkier, just enough to put up a fair fight against Shane. He didn't even want to win, just give a good effort and finally get that satisfaction of fighting for his mom.

Evelyn saw the station wagon from the car yesterday coming in over the horizon. The dirt kicking up behind them.

"Can't reel in anybody anymore. Just isn't safe anymore"

As the car arrived there was an extra person in the back. Ironic compared to what Greyson had just said about letting anyone in anymore.

"Maybe you need to tell Rick that" Evelyn raised a brow before heading towards the car with everyone else.

Lori ran desperately into Ricks arms, Maggie went right past Hershel to Glenn. It was nice to see everyone together in general. Lori and Rick represented love. Maggie and Glenn was accepting change. The Greene's represented family. Evelyn, Greyson and Daryl representing that no one is excluded. There was more but one person hadn't fit in.

Shane.