Life I Left Behind (A Daryl Dixon Story)

Chapter Fifty-Nine

Author's Note:

Just some quick words from me...as always thank you so much for all your love! I appreciate every vote, every view, every message, and every comment. I also try super hard to make sure I get back to everyone! You all are amazing. For real! So onto something more serious...in two weeks I start my final semester of college which means all of my focus is going to be on school for a few months. That most likely means not a whole lot of writing or updating. I apologize in advance and hope you all can bear with me until I have more time to write again. I have two solid weeks of writing though and I am going to get out as much as I can and I promise I will absolutely not leave you on as major of a cliffhanger as I did last time...it'll still be cliffhanger but not as serious.

Okay phew...not that we're done with that, here's the next chapter! Love you all a bunch, biscuits. Hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me during my upcoming hiatus.

-Nikki

PS: Also while there won't be any new stories for a long time...I'll still have time to think about putting something new out eventually. DON'T WORRY LILB STILL HAS A LONG WAYS TO GO. Anyways, any type of fanfiction you all want to see? I'm particularly fond of a Castiel or Dean fic, or maybe even Loki. I'm open to suggestions though :D

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Daryl

I pressed my foot hard on the gas pedal, dirt and stone flyin’ up from beneath the tires as I pushed the car as fast as it could go. Outta the corner of my eye I could see Charlie grippin’ the seat tight with one hand, the other holdin’ onto the dashboard. She was still pale, but other than that seemed alright again. She hadn’t asked me to pull over so she could toss her lunch anyways. I remembered the way to the meetin’ place without havin’ to really think about it, which was both a good thing and a bad thing. It meant not gettin’ lost, but it also meant my head had more room for other thoughts. Ones I really didn’t wanna think about. As we got closer and closer, though, and still hadn’t caught up with Merle, the bad thoughts got louder and louder in my head.

“How far are we?” Charlie asked, breakin’ the tense silence that had settled between us.

“Couple more miles.” I answered, adjustin’ my grip on the steerin’ wheel. My fingers felt cramped from how tight I’d been grippin’ it. She didn’t say anythin’ back, but I didn’t miss the shaky sigh that left her lips. She was havin’ the same sorta thoughts I was then.

I felt stupid for lettin’ myself believe Merle would sit tight, follow orders, and wait for the Governor to come to us again. Course he’d go after him alone. Merle was all about doin’. Mainly doin’ without thinkin’, but I was slowly startin’ to think that Charlie had been right. That this had been his plan all along after Harlow died. To end things his own way, on his own terms. He always wanted to be in control of everythin’.

The last couple of miles slipped by in no time at all. My stomach felt like lead when I finally pulled the car over so we could head the rest of the way on foot. Once the engine was off, the silence inside the car was almost suffocatin’. I could feel my heart hammerin’ against my rib cage, like it was tryin’ to break free. Suddenly, Charlie’s hand was coverin’ mine as she reached across the space between the two seats.

“No matter what happens, I’m right here.” She said softly. I could hear the silent meanin’ behind her words. Merle’s head start had given him the advantage, which meant our chances of findin’ him alive had plummeted. Her fingers squeezed my hand gently before she pulled away and stepped outta the car. I took a deep breath, grabbed my crossbow, and followed after her. She was waitin’ for me by the front of the car, her eyes wide and alert as they swept the world around us. “It’s quiet.” She finally said.