NATE
"Nate....Nate...."
Daryl gave my shoulders a little shake to make me look at him.
"Did yer hear me? Take the Mutt and go home. I'll be along later."
I simply nodded. Taking one last guilty peek at Deanna who's in Michonne's arms.
Aaron and Tobin are covering Pete's body with a blanket. Rick and Abraham are taking care of Reg. Most of the crowd had left while I was lost in my own head. Shaking in Daryl's embrace.
"I got her, Daryl" Morgan took me by the arm and led me out, Muttley hard on our heels.
Made the silent five-minute walk to our front door. Morgan gently pushed me inwards, before wrapping his arms around me from behind. Holding me against him.
"Something's eating you all up, Funny Face?" He whispered in my ear and I dipped my head, not turning around.
"You tell him, tell Daryl. It'll be Ok. You talk to him....and get it all out."
Morgan gave me one last loving squeeze. Kissed my head and gently closed the door behind him.
Like an automaton, I walked into the kitchen. Grabbed one of the cans of dog food Olivia had kindly dropped off earlier. To supplement the kibble Helen already gave us.
Muttley swirled around my legs as I carried his dish to the laundry, placed it on the mat we'd set out for him. I watched while he wolfed it down. Then kept standing there, staring blindly at the empty bowl as he nudged his way out the big doggy door.
Bending over, I poured some kibble in.
He came back a few minutes later and climbed onto the large cushion that's now his bed. Turned in circles until satisfied....then settled down with a happy doggy sigh.
I returned to the kitchen. Washed out the empty can and put it on the drainer to dry. It'll join the others that we've strung together as a walker warning system outside the walls.
*
I was still standing at the sink over an hour later when Daryl came home. Staring unseeingly at a tiny chip in the marble benchtop surrounding it.
Fingers gently prodded my head and he whistled through his teeth. Once he found the bump.
But that's nothing compared to the sound he made once he pulled the neckline of my jacket down. Saw part of the bruising left behind from the attempted walker bite through the canvas.
"Jorge told me yer took a fair old beatin out there. Yer Ok? C'mon, let's go clean up. Then yer can tell me."
He's being so gentle and considerate. Only I don't deserve it and I can't stand it any longer. I'm going to disappoint him yet again.
No, this is going to be more than disappointment.
Pulling away I turned. Looked him full in the face and started talking.
My shame....
DARYL
"Shit, Nate....WHAT IN THE FUCK WERE YER FUCKIN THINKING? " I cut in angrily, when she told me about putting her knife against that prick's neck.
"I'm sorry. I didn't think....I just did it....I...." Her voice is still real low.
Only now? She can't look me in the eyes as I growled over her again.
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Home Is Your Heartbeat ('Home Is' Book Two - Daryl Dixon)
FanfictionSemi-mature. Completed. Book Two picks up immediately from the last chapter of Home is You. Nate is an Aussie girl who was stranded in Georgia during the outbreak. She and fellow traveler Leo joined a group of survivors in Atlanta. Nate got her firs...
