Scars (Daryl Dixon FanFiction)

||Chapter Thirteen||

||Chapter Thirteen||

||Daryl's POV||

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but in this case, it makes the heart break. The thought of Carol out somewhere probably dead is unbearable to the group much less me. I always protected her and I failed when I left. She's gone because of me.

I watched as Avery walked in front of me. We sweeped through the cells in the block so now our only option was to try the tombs. So far nothing's caught our attention, but I better not speak too soon.

"Why did you come back?' Avery asked over her shoulder. My head was started to ache which made the question all the more annoying.

"I dunno. I just didn't want to be stuck with Merle all my life. I belong here where they need me."

She fully turned to me with a sly smirk on her face while walking backwards. Her bow and arrow rested on her fingertips,"So, I guess you took my advice."

I shrugged my shoulders,"That was everyone's advice." Avery shook her head and scoffed before turning back around. A small smile formed on my lips as I watched her scan the narrow halls.

Why did I come back? Was it because I realized my brother was just holding me down and was probably going to get me killed one day? Or was it that I realized that the only people I cared about lived here and needed me at the moment?

I failed them by leaving. I failed Carol most of all, but also Avery. I was the only one who understood her condition yet I left her to the group so they can sort her problem out.

What if there was a cure that can be taken from her? It might not change the dead, but it might keep the living from turning. I mean, we have the scientist that has worked with her before so that's a bonus. Yet, there's also a chance that she might die because of her miracle.

||Avery's POV||

I felt his eyes pierce my back as I scanned the walls. There was no fresh blood or evidence that Carol could have been here, but we still had to make sure.

Daryl's precense made me feel safer. He always had my back even when his own group told him different. I guess it was just because I saved his life. Although, that debt had been paid so he owes me nothing.

The only sound in the dark halls were the clatter of our boots. It made me paranoid that a geek could come around the corner at any second and take a chunk out of my arm like last time. Usually when my guard is down, that's when it happens.

For some reason, my heart started to pound faster than normal. My head began to spin as I pulled back the string of my bow and rose up the tip. Small groans reached my ears making them loud in my head when it was only a whisper in reality. I felt Daryl step closer towards me as if to see if I was alright.

"Daryl," I whispered,"get your crossbow out."

I knew the corpse was behind the corner. Their noise was faint as if they were taking in a dying breath. The wheezing was unforgettable since it was the sign of death.

I pressed my back against the cinder block wall and pointed my weapon towards the ground. Daryl followed my actions and stared at me. I nodded my head giving the signal that we should do something.

I pivoted my foot on the corner and yanked back the string. Daryl stood on the side of me while looking down the sights. The hallway was empty.

I relaxed my muscles until I noticed a figure near my feet. I jumped back slightly in shock and stared down at the corpse. The dark concealed most of the body, but the shape was recognizable anywhere. Carol.

Daryl stumbled closer to her immediately putting down his weapon. He crouched low to meet her eyes. Her back was against the wall and her head was limp at its side. I took out my flashlight and pointed the beam towards her.

The soft moaning was coming from her. She twitched here and there, yet I didn't know if she was alive or not. That was until I saw the scratches and bite marks on her arm.

"Carol," Daryl choked. He rose his hand up to touch her cheek not realizing she was dead. Carol's groans suddenly got louder as she jumped towards him.

My body stood frozen for a second before I shouted,"Daryl!" I immediately rose my weapon and matched the metal tip with Carol's skull. I let go of the string and watched the arrow deploy itself into her head. Daryl stared at the corpse that lay before him while panting heavily.

"Daryl, I....," I stuttered. I saw him shaking uncontrollably as he stared at what used to be Carol. My heart ached and my stomach churned. He slowly got up never turning his eyes away from the corpse. I couldn't catch my breath as he grabbed my arrow just under the fletching and handed it to me not daring to look at where he was pointing it.

Daryl strapped his weapon to his back and slipped his arms under Carol's knees and across her shoulders. He heaved her up to his chest and grunted while trying to pick her up. I swallowed the lump in my throat and watched him carry her past me towards the others.

---

"Oh," Glenn sighed after I explained what we found in the tombs. I sat across from him in the cafeteria and it was just us. I couldn't get rid of the sting in my eyes and the lump in my throat. I couldn't get it to go away or at least dim the pain.

Daryl was stuck in his cell mourning. I don't know what Carol was to him, but the hints here and there gave me the assumption that they were very close. I had never seen them talking together, but I knew they meant a great deal to each other.

"Avery," I heard my name being called. I looked towards the entrance to see Stan jogging closer to me. I gave him a faint smile waiting for him to tell me what he needed.

"We need some supplies for the research. I talked with Rick about it and he said that we could go tomorrow, but that was before, you know. I want you to stay here though. I thought maybe you ask that Daryl guy if he wanted to come and help me along with some others," Stan sighed while scratching the back of head. I nodded before standing up to leave. I didn't want these people to see me break.

I left them immediately heading for Daryl's cell. I took in deep breathes as I marched up the metal staircase. His room was in my sight, but it felt miles away. I finally reached it to see him sitting on the bottom bunk twiddling one of his bolts between his fingers. I leaned against the door frame and waited until he took notice of me. He glared at me as if asking what I wanted.

"Stan wanted to go out on a run tomorrow for some supplies for experimenting. I thought maybe you could go. You know, get out for awhile," I blurted out trying not to stumble on my words.

His eyes cut deep,"Why can't you go?" I rose my eyebrows at him and answered,"I have to stay here. It's to keep me safe. You don't want the product to get damaged."

Daryl let out a scoff slightly lifting my hopes of him feeling better. "They're gonna bury 'er in a lil' bit. We should get goin'," he grunted as he got up from his bunk. My spirits were instantly shattered by the comment. I didn't look at him as he passed by me to get to the funeral.