Cherokee Roses {Daryl Dixon's Daughter}

t w e n t y t h r e e

Currently we're in the mess hall. Hershel is stitching up one of the people who found their way into our home and Axel is making himself a meal of noodles. Carl and I have excluded ourselves in a corner. His gun dangles loosely in his right hand and my crossbow rests against my shoulder. Suddenly Beth comes to the gate with Judith, Carl tosses me the keys and I let her in before locking the gate once more.

The newcomers that I've now learned to be Tyrese and Sasha stand up and I become more alert as they slowly step after Beth.

"How old is the baby?" Sasha asks getting even closer to Beth and Judith. Carl hesitantly watches the woman instantly protective of his baby sister around these strangers.

"Only a week." Hershel responds. Obviously he's the only one seeing the good in these people. I on the other hand only see the bad possibilities that could come true at any moment.

"To be honest, we never thought we'd see another baby." Sasha says. "Beautiful."

"Thanks," Beth says returning to what she was doing before Sasha came to breath down her neck.

"How are you feeling?" Sasha asks.

"She's not mine." Beth says in disbelief. 

"Where's the mother?" Sasha asks all of us and I watch Carl wince out of the corner of my eye. All of us stay quiet, looking to the floor as if it will help us out. "I'm sorry."

One by one, Carl, Beth, and I make our way back into the cell block. 

"What do you think they're doing right now?" I ask. "Our dad's?" 

"Probably kicking ass, arguing, they're probably on their way back now." Carl says with a shrug while he closes the gate behind Hershel and locks it.

"I hope so." I mutter looking down at my feet and touching my hand to the necklace my father gave me so long ago back at the farm. 

---

"No him, no me." Daryl told Rick, Maggie, and Glenn as they tried to convince him to stay.

Daryl was leaving. That much was final, the choice was tearing him apart but he knew Rick would keep his daughter safe. As much as they tried to get him to stay, Daryl couldn't leave his brother by himself, not when he just got the son of a bitch back.

"Daryl, you don't have to do that." Maggie pleaded. "What about Cherokee?"

"It was always Merle and I before this," He shrugged. "Cherokee's a strong girl, she'll be okay- maybe upset for 'while, but she'll live." 

"Don't." Maggie said lightly. 

"You serious?" Glenn asked. "You just gonna leave like that?" 

"You'd do the same damn thing." He replied.

"You have a kid Daryl!" Glenn yelled at the redneck. "One that's waiting for her father to come home right now! It's a shitty move man. I know damn well I wouldn't leave my kid alone for some piece of shit brother."

"So now you're saying I'm a shitty dad?" Daryl's voice rose. "Tell me something I don't know. She's better off with y'all"

"What are we supposed to tell her then?" Glenn asked defeated as the man had already made up his mind.

"She'll understand." With one last look around the small groups faces he started to walk off. "Say goodbye to your pop for me." 

"Daryl are you serious? Daryl!" Glenn called after the redneck.

"Hey. Hey." Rick said in a whisper catching up to Daryl. "There's gotta be another way." 

"Don't ask me to leave him." Daryl responded. "I already did that once." 

"So you're just going to leave Cherokee instead," Rick asked in disbelief. Once again the man with the crossbow began to walk off.  "We started something last night. You realize that huh?" 

"No him, no me" Daryl said opening the trunk and grabbing his things. "That's all I can say. Take care of yourself, make sure Cheri doesn't do anything reckless and stupid, knowing her she's bound to. Tell her I love her, and that I'm sorry, and one more thing-" 

"What?" Rick asked in defeat.

"Give 'er this." He pulled a knife out of his back pocket. It was wrapped in a bandana as he placed the small knife in Rick's open hand. "Take care of lil-asskicker, and Carl, he's one tough kid."

With those last words, Daryl Dixon was trekking into the woods, leaving his real family behind to follow his reckless older brother. 

---

Carl and I were eagerly awaiting the return of our fathers. Carol was with us patrolling the gate they exited merely 24 hours ago. Looking over, Carl was looking back at me with a small grin on his face. 

"What?" I asked, a blush rising to my cheeks.

"Nothing, you're just so happy." He said laughing. 

"I'm just waiting for my dad to come back." I said with a wide smile. 

"It's so quite" Carl said with a shake of his head. 

"It's easy to forget how loud the world used to be" Carol said with a laugh "I used to complain about it all the time. Traffic, construction, car alarms, noise pollution. Oh, what I wouldn't give for the sweet sound of a jumbo jet."

That got a giggle out of me. Jumbo jets used to rattle the entire house as they flew by with my dad always making a joke about how he thought 'a damn earthquake was happening'. 

"It'd be even sweeter if we were all on it." Carl said and I somewhat agreed. 

"I've never been on a plane."  I admitted. "Actually now that I think of it? The thought terrifies me."

"Me neither I think." Carl said with a look on his face that suggests that he is reminiscing. Then we're silent for a couple moments.

"Your mom was proud of you." Carol spoke up breaking the silence.

"For what? Being mean to her?" Carl asks on the verge of tears.

"No you can't think about that." I say.

"It's all I think about." He admits and I place my hand in his, squeezing it tight to show him that I'm here. Suddenly we hear a car pull up. "Please be them." 

"It's them, hurry." Carol says and quickly Carl unlocks the gate while Carol and I open it then close it as soon as they're through.

"Drive 'em up I'll meet you there." Rick says getting out of the car and engulfing his son in a hug. "Thank god."

Walking to the car I look through the windows. Everyone is there except one.

"Rick?" I say my voice breaking. "Where's my daddy?"

---

Word Count: 1074

I hope y'all enjoyed!

Please leave a like and comment if you did.

Also, what do you think about daryl's choice?