The redneck has feelings? (daryl dixon love story)

Chapter 95

Kayla's pov 3 weeks later.

the sun was beating down as the cool breeze blew. The only sound was of the twins playing in the grass next to me and a few walkers at the gates. It was strangely calming. It had been 3 weeks since toms group attacked. 3 weeks since Merle's death and 3 weeks since daryl had said anything to anybody. All he ever does is hunt. He's basically shut everyone out. I understand he mourning and I'm trying to give him his time, but inside it's killing me. Carl has been helping me with the twins which I couldn't be more thankful for. Daryl isn't himself anymore. Losing someone like that changes you, I just hope he's not too far gone. This was the first time I have ever been down to the graves we have burried. I looked down at Merle's grave wishing and thinking if there was anything I could've done, but I know there wasn't. He was gone and he wasn't coming back. He did the same thing for daryl that my brother did for me, sacrifice himself so the other could live. I started playing with my locket as I looked at the other graves lined up alongside Merle's. There was loris, t dogs, Andreas, axel, oscer, and someone's that I didn't know. I felt bad not knowing, but I payed my respects anyways. I sighed and looked back to Merle's grave. I then heard footsteps coming from behind me so I turned and saw it was Rick. I gave him a slight smile and turned back to the graves until he came up next to me,

"what ya doin out here?"

"just thinkin" I sighed and looked up to the gate where I saw daryl leaving to hunt with his crossbow over his shoulder.

i let out a deep breath and felt ricks hand on my shoulder,"he'll come around"

i turned back to him,"it's been 3 weeks Rick"

"I know Hun, but ya gotta think. Before you and the kids Merle was the only person that ever cared for him and that he ever cared for." He said.

"I know" I whispered.

we were silent for a few minutes when Rick said,"ya know that last day, I gained a whole new respect for Merle dixon."

i looked at him confused and he continued,"he told me about the promise he made to you. That daryl gets back no matter what. Since I've known Merle he has only cared for one thing and that was his brother, but when you and the kids came along it was like he was different. You all changed him."

I felt let tears threaten to drip from my eyes and he noticed pulling me in for a hug. When we released I saw him starring at loris grave. His eyes filled with nothing but regret and sadness. I smiled and placed a soft hand on his shoulder. He shook his head like he came out of a daze and looked back at me,

"we should go inside"

"I think I'm gonna stay just a while longer. You mind taking the kids back?" I asked.

he smiled,"not at all"

i watched him as he walked around me to the twins. Once they saw him, they both smiled and reached up for him. He opened his arms wide and picked them both up,

"come to grandpa"

i turned back to the graves and looked at each one individually. I heard him start to walk away when I quickly turned,

"Rick?"

he stopped,"yea?"

"who does that one belong to?" I asked pointing to the grave I didn't know.

he looked to where I was pointing and sighed sadly,"it was yours"

i looked at him both shocked and confused and he sighed again,"when you were trapped in the tombs and we couldn't find you. When carol came back and said you went looking of us but never made it we assumed.."

i saw saw tears build up in his eyes as he remembered. That day had to have been hard on him. I completely understand why they thought that way. I quickly turned and walked up to the grave and yanked the wooden cross out of the ground. I looked back at Rick and said,

"you'll never have to worry about burrying me ever again"

he nodded and walked back to the prison with Connor and elaina. I walked back to Merle's grave and looked down at the wooden cross in my hands. Engraved were the words "forever and ever". I smiled this must have been Carl. I looked from the wooden cross to the grave and then out towards the woods. I worried about daryl and often contemplated going after him, but I know he needed his time and space and I would give it to him. I took a deep sigh and walked back into the prison. About 2 hours later I had just put the kids down for a nap in our cell. Daryl I guess still hadn't made it back. i sighed and looked over at the wall where Carl and I played tic tac to and drew things. I smiled at it. Our whole wall was like a timeline from when we first arrived to now. I looked down to where we first started it. It had where Carl engraved our promise and where I wrote the list of who all we have lost. I sighed and picked up the Rock Carl and I use to engrave things and added our most recent of the fallen. Merle. I then looked over to the very first thing I ever wrote. The initials KR + DD. Tears swelled up in my eyes as I wrote under it +ED & CD. I dropped the rock on the floor and placed my hand over mine and daryls initials. I felt a tear escape and run down my face as I whispered,

"I miss you."

suddenly then two arms wrapped around my waist from behind causing me to gasp. I about screamed until I looked down and noticed the hands. Those rough,dirty, greasy hands could only belong to one person. My thoughts were confirmed when I felt his scruff against my cheek and on my shoulder. I couldn't take it anymore I bursted out crying. Daryl quickly turned me to face him and wrapped me in his arms as I cried into his chest. I felt his hands on my back run circles as he tried to soothe me. I just broke down. This was the first time in weeks since I've been in his arms, since he's even acknowledged my existence. I know he was mourning, but I couldn't take being away from him and there was always something in my head that kept fearing he didn't love me anymore. Daryl finally pulled away and looked into my eyes,

"I'm sorry"

"daryl..." I was about to protest but he cut me off.

"No...don't. I'm sorry for everything. I should've handled Merle's death differently but I didn't and look what I did to you. I'm an idiot."

"daryl no.." I whispered but he cut me off,

"I just thought if I stayed away for a while, I couldn't hurt you. Dammit Kay when Rick and I got caught Tom said he was gonna bring you back...and then make us watch.." His voice started to crack.

i placed both my hands on his cheek to try to calm him down as he continued,

"and then when I got here and Merle was killed and I couldn't find the kids or you...I thought I lost you. When Tom was beatin the holy hell out of me, I couldn't stop cause all I could see was Merle dyin and that almost cost me your life. He's the second man that has hurt you that I couldn't do anything about." He said.

"daryl listen to me. We all love you, the kids love you, I love you. You just lost the only person that cared for you while you were growing up. I understand why you acted the way that you did. You have no reason to be sorry for it. Take as much time as you need. You were there for me when I lost mine and I'll be here for you. I'm not going anywhere" I whispered.

daryl looked at me helplessly. He was a broken man. Then he put his hand on on the back of my neck and forcefully brought his lips to mine. I started crying again, I had missed this so much and it reassured me daryl wasn't gone. The daryl I fell in love with at the beginning is still here. Sure he's a little broken right now, but he's not gone. We finally had to come up for air and he rested his forehead on mine breathing heavily. He then looked at the wall we drew on and noticed the new things I had added. He bent down and grabbed the rock and started writing something. When he was done, he backed away and grabbed my hand. I looked at what he did and felt a tear escape my eyes. He squeezed my hand and I looked back at our initials. Instead of it reading KR + DD he had crossed out the R and wrote a D so now it read KD+ DD. I looked up at daryl and pulled him into another kiss. When the zombie apocalypse started I thought my life was over, but in fact it was just the beginning. I had a husband and kids. I had a family. The world may have ended, but my life had only just started. I had fallin in love with an overprotective, grumpy, scruffy, beautiful redneck and he made me his wife. And now if anyone ever asks you if the redneck has feelings? yes he does and I'm loving every minute of him forever and always.

the end!