Her light, his fire

9

Suggested Music:
(Adore -Dean Lewis)

THEN-
That morning Daryl was already gone by the time I had awaken, there was a blanket over me, one that wasn't there when I was awake last night, I rolled over and slipped off the couch. I grabbed the clean clothes that sat on top of the dresser and traded them out with the ones I had on, once I was clothed and ready to head out I let my hair free from the ponytail it was in and headed down stairs. I was on the balcony looking over the people below, the same spot Dwight was in yesterday. I leaned over the railing and spotted the black haired woman Daryl had in his bed. She must've felt my eyes on her, she looked up at me and smirked, looking away. I quickly looked away from her and began looking over peoples heads trying to see if I could spot Daryl. Then I seen him, he was dropping three squirrels onto the table, the man slid him a couple items I couldn't see from where I was. I could see from the corner of my eye a man coming up and standing next to me, I slowly looked over at him and quickly noticed who it was. Negan had a smirk on his face as he held Lucille in his hands. "Morning sunshine." He said winking at me. "Good morning." I flatly said. Negan let out a obnoxious yawn as he leaned back then forward. "What a fucking day!" He said tapping Lucille against the railing. "Got some business I need to take care of, now who would give me better company? You? Daryl? Maybe both?" He asked. I watched his eyes drift to where Daryl was and watched him talk to an older man. Then my eyes drifted to the woman who was staring at Daryl. Negan must've caught where I was looking as he turned towards me. "Ohhh." He whispered. "Now who would've known, don't worry I thought you were much more pleasing to the eyes." He sarcastically said. "I'm not worried about that." I said looking at him. Can always come to me, I'll take care of yah'." He teased winking at me again. "Where do you plan to go?" I asked. Negan chuckled and took a step closer to me. "Home." He whispered. I knew what he meant, him saying that word made the hair on my arms stand up.. home. I haven't heard about Alexandria in so long, I hoped everyone was okay. I missed my sister more then anything. Home was where I wanted to be. "I'll go." I insisted. "Hmm." He mumbled then focusing back on Daryl. "Daryl's good company, next time darling." He said. Negan began to hit his bat against the rail sending a large sound the quiet down the entire room. Everyone's eyes were looking at us, Negan pointed his bat to Daryl's direction and gestured with the movement of his head calling him over. Daryl's eyes were narrow as he grabbed his stuff and began pushing enough the crowd of people. I awkwardly looked down at my feet trying to avoid everyone's attention which was now on the two of us.  Daryl went up the stairs and Negan snapped his fingers allowing them to continue what they were doing, the silence ending. "Daryl." He said cheerfully. "How was she?" He asked. Daryl looked at me from the corner of his eyes before mumbling. "Iono'." Negan did his normal chuckle and grabbed my shoulder pulling me closer to him. "Got some planned for the two of you. Beth you'll have a new job while we are away, Daryl, met me by the loading dock in thirty." He said running his fingers down my arm then taking Lucile in both of his hands and walking away from us. Daryl stared at me before reaching for my shoulder and turning me around to walk back to our room. I lead the way as he followed right behind me, the whole walk there was silent. I didn't say a word and neither did he.

(Begin Music)

The guilt of last night was still haunting him, I could tell by the look in his eyes when he spotted me from below, when Negan had touched me and even now. I went to turn the handle to our room but Daryl's hand grabbed my arm, I turned to look at him and looked down. He held out his free arm, his hand bawled in a fist trapping something inside. "Here." He mumbled. I allowed my free hand to hover underneath his as he dropped a necklace into the palm of my hand. A silver charm bracelet sat in the middle of my hand, it had a singular angel wing, a cross, and a house dangling off of it. My eyes seemed to trace over the beautiful bracelet about a thousand times before I looked up at Daryl. "Thank you.." I whispered as I smiled like a little girl who just received her first pet puppy. Daryl awkwardly mumbled and looked away. I began to wrap it around my wrist leaving the clamp visible to attach and lock it against my wrist. "Would you?" I asked. "Yeah." Daryl took a step closer and helped clamp the claw to the other side of the bracelet. I rotated my wrist a couple times until it laid perfectly around it. "It's beautiful." I said admiring it. Daryl stared at me and shrugged his shoulders, I slowly turned my attention to him as our eyes seemed to instantly lock. His narrow eyes made my heart sink into my stomach, I could see in his eyes he was reaching for acceptance, he wanted me to forgive him and I knew that. I hated when he got this way.. "How did you get this?" I quietly asked. "Just traded for it." He said. "Thank you." I said giving him another reassuring smile. "It's nothin'." Daryl leaned forward pushing the door open, he was only inches away from me which forced me to turn around and walk in. Daryl went over to his bag and threw it on his back, he looked around the room looking for anything he might need. "Where tis' asshole got me goin'?" He asked. I parted my lips to speak but hesitated, I knew it had felt like so long since we spoke about going home, but now he was. I knew it wasn't for good, and I knew to expect something bad, but it still gave me hope, I wondered if it would give Daryl hope too. "Alexandria." I mumbled. "Huh?" He scoffed looking up at me as he dug in the dresser. "Alexandria." I repeated this time being more clear. Daryl stopped what he was doing, stood straight up and stared at me. "Don't get to thinkin' it's for the good. Whatever Negans up to, it ain't good!" He said. I nodded my head and looked towards the ground. "I know." Daryl continued to look through the dresser as he pulled out a small pocket knife, it threw me off. I quickly came over and looked over it as he examined it in his hands. We hadn't had any weapons since we tried to escape the first time, Negan didn't trust us, and we didn't trust him. "Where'd you get that?!" I asked. Daryl took my hand and slid it into my possession. "Somethin' go down, you do what you gotta do to protect yo self', you hear me?" He said closing my hand with his, my eyes drifted down to our hands and I nodded my head. "Okay." I said. Daryl went to let go of my hand but I quickly put mine on top of his, our hands piled together. He looked up at me waiting for what drove me to lay my other hand on his. It seemed like seconds of silence and long gazing stares before I parted my lips to speak "please be careful." I said before slowly removed my hand and allowing him free. "Don't be worryin' bout me." He mumbled. "Daryl." I softly said staring up at him, he noticed my concern by the look of my face. Daryl nodded his head, turned on his heels, headed for the door, turned to look at me once more before closing it behind him, leaving me alone.

NOW-
I had looked around the entire house looking for the key when i had finally found it, it sat in the lap of a dead walker in one of the bedrooms upstairs. I examined over the key about a million times i squeezed it in the palm of my hand as I struggled to go back down those stairs, I turned the corner and hurried into the kitchen, the sun was now completely gone and the house was dark. I tried to feel my way through as best as I could hoping I didn't trip over anything and break my ankle. The moonlight was the only light helping me as I had no flashlight, no candles.. nothing. I slid the key in between my thumb and the side of my index as I shoved it into the lock twisting it. The lock popped open and I slid it off of the handles, there was cans of food, a couple of candles, a lighter, bandages, and a pocket knife. I let out a sigh of relief as I grabbed as much as I could take, I had pushed a bookshelf in front of the front door securing myself in the house. I went upstairs grabbing a pillow and a dirty sheet and made a bed downstairs by the back door, I lit a few candles around me giving me enough light to see around me. I dropped the book bag beside me and After I ate I slipped off my other boot and unwrapped my ankle, the bruising was dark and my ankle was swollen. I tried to move it and rotate it but it only sent pain up my leg, causing my face to scroll up. I looked down at the bracelet that hung on my wrist, the silver color was barely recognizable as it was covered in mud, I wiped it off with the sheet and noticed a charm missing, the house. I shook my head and slowly sunk into my makeshift bed shutting my eyes.