The Best of Me ( Rickyl )

Chapter 1

A/N- Disclaimer:

This fic is heavily inspired by the book/movie The Best of Me.
Some quotes are also taken from both, so credit to the rightful owners.

Anyway, I have most of this fic already written, so hopefully the gap between chapters won't be long and I hope you all enjoy it.

Daryl Dixon never thought his life was worth much, but when he survived the explosion on the logging site he began to wonder if there was some purpose to his life. That maybe he was on a destined path, even if he couldn't see it yet.

He'd been working at the Alexandria Logging Site for 14 years and thought he had seen it all, from forest fires to loaded trucks losing control and crashing on the muddy terrain. He'd seen more broken bones than he could count, along with the everyday cuts and bruises from cutting down trees, but the explosion was something different. The day started out normal and he had been sawing away at various wooden logs that had already been cut down by the river bed. Making sure they were the correct sizes to fit into the back of the semi-truck. Aaron Raleigh and few others were nearby using the crane to lift the freshly cut logs into piles and that's when it all went to hell.

The crane tipped, crashing into the log pile, the iron droppers set up to keep the logs in place pierced through the fuel tank sending fuel spraying out the crane. Daryl barely had a second to process everything before fire began to spark from the engine of the crane. All the workers began to run away, knowing that fire and leaking fuel wasn't a good combination and Daryl was about at join them before he spotted a bunch of workers including, Aaron, stuck underneath one of the logs with his arm pinned.

He grabbed the axe sticking out a wooden stump beside him and rushed over to Aaron under the log. He didn't really know the younger man that well, but knew he had a husband and daughter waiting for him at home and like hell Daryl was going to leave him.

He wasn't sure how he did it, but he managed to use the axe as some kind of leaver and lifted the log just enough for Aaron to get his arm free. He quickly grabbed the mans good arm, slinging it over his shoulders as he practically dragged the man away from the ticking time bomb of a crane. One of the other workers began to help him and Daryl let the other man take Aaron before he ran back towards the other people stuck under the logs and that's when the explosion happened.

The flames finally reached the leaking fuel causing the entire crane to erupt. The force of the explosion launching him into the air, metal debris flying up and hitting him in the face in the process, as he closed his eyes feeling something slice the skin over his left eye.

The force of the explosion sending him into the river, the quick current sending him down stream towards the waterfall.

He had vague memories of falling from the edge of the waterfall. A fall that he should have killed him in an instant, but the next thing he knew he was floating in the water and for a moment he wasn't entirely sure if he was dead or alive as he closed his eyes and that's when he saw him. Rick Grimes.

He hadn't seen Rick Grimes for over 20 years, but for some reason his mind began to hallucinate the man he fell in love with all those years ago.

Rick was walking towards him through the garden bed of tulips, wearing his usual light brown button-down shirt that was tucked into his jeans with his signature smile plastered on his face. But, Daryl knew it wasn't real. Rick wasn't 18 anymore. He'd look different now, taller, more muscular maybe and probably had some kind of scruff or beard instead of his clean shaven jawline. Although, Daryl hadn't seen him since they were teenagers, so maybe Rick still looked exactly the same, he wouldn't know.

"Time to wake up, Daryl. It's not your time yet." Rick stated, reaching a hand out towards him, but before Daryl could grab his hand, Rick disappeared as he slowly opened his eyes to find himself lying on a hospital bed.