DARLIN' | d. dixon ✓

XXIII. AFTERMATH

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THE GROUP OF FIVE WERE arguing. Dale and Remmi had been seemingly on the same side with Rick. That the barn should have never been opened in the first place.

"It wasn't all Shane, I shot too," Andrea defended.

"Yeah, if I knew there were a buncha geeks in my backyard, I'd open it too," T-Dog agreed.

"Do you guys understand how fatal this is? Too Ellie and now Lori too?" Remmi argued. "Not even that, we invaded Hershel's private and personal property."

"She's right, we should not have done that! We've ruined any chance we have at staying here," Dale said, Rick nodding in agreement.

"He's grieving, he'll get over it," Andrea retorted to which Remmi just snorted. "You have a problem?"

"I just don't understand how you could be so unsympathetic," Remmi told her, crossing her arms. "Of any of us, you should be the most sympathetic, but here we are."

Rick's mouth was wide open along with most everyone in the group. No one had ever expected that to come from Remmi.

"You really just said that?" Andrea replied, a scoff leaving her lips.

Lori intervened then, stopping before the argument got any worse, "What's done is done, no sense in arguing over it," With that, the group split their ways.

"Speaking of that baby, you want me to check her out?"

Lori looked at Remmi. "If you don't mind. I'll meet you up at the house in about an hour?"

"Sounds good to me. But for the record, I said what needed to be said. We're all turning stone cold towards others and you know it," Remmi said her final words before walking away.

As she was walking up to the house, she checked her watch. It was a quarter till six. She decided that after she would go and check on Carol first thing. Before she reached the RV, she was roughly pushed into a tree.

"You didn't tell anyone did you?" Shane asked her.

Remmi rubbed her arm, "No, you told me not too,"

"Then how the hell does Dale know? Huh?" Shane snarled at her, getting closer to her face.

"Come on Shane, he's not stupid. You gave a bullshit recap of Otis. Most everyone knows you killed him,"

Shane just laughed. "I killed him? No sweetheart, that's not how it went. You had every bit of part in that as I did. You're one to blame too," He told her.

"No, I didn't shoot the gun-" He cut her off by grasping her chin harshly with his hand.

"If I find out you told anyone, I won't hesitate to kill you either," He muttered in her face before letting go and walking away.

Remmi grabbed her face as she realized how hard he grabbed her. She'd have to check herself out for a bruise later. Shaking her head from what just happened, Remmi continued to walk over to the RV. Once she arrived, Daryl was walking out. She was still upset over their last conversation.

"What happened to you?" He asked her.

"Does it matter to you?" She retorted. Daryl just shook his head, realizing she was upset with him. He walked away after that, letting Remmi into the RV.

"Hey Carol," She spoke softly. She ignored her and kept looking out of the window. "I'm... I'm really sorry about what happened with Sophia,"

Carol looked at Remmi, "Are you?"

She nodded and gulped, "Losing a child... It's hard,"

"How could you possibly know that?" Carol asked her, getting defensive.

"I-I lost one of my own... I had gotten pregnant and my boyfriend at the time didn't want the baby. I ended up having a miscarriage before my appointment," Remmi told her and let out a breathe. "I'm telling you that so you know you're not alone and if you need anything, I'm here." Remmi gave the older woman a small smile and grasped her hand, squeezing it.

"Thank you Remmi. I'm sorry about..."

"It was a long time ago, don't worry about it," She smiled once again before leaning in to hug Carol then leaving the RV.

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When it came time for the funeral for the three loved ones, the group stood around the three graves. No one said anything, giving a lot of them time to think about what happened and what will happen.

Remmi thought about what happened with Daryl. She didn't believe what he said. She didn't want to let this go unsettled. She had to talk to him. Remmi was going to confront him, something she hadn't done in years. She wasn't the type to confront people, but today was different.

She was different.

She cared for Daryl and she wasn't going to let him push her away without hearing her first.

When the group dispersed, Remmi followed Daryl all the way back to his tent.

"What do you want?" He asked her as he sat down on a tree stump and began to clean his arrows.

"I've been thinking. I'm not a prissy bitch. I'm not better than any of you. Hell, I can barely shoot a gun! I stay positive because that's all we have left in this world and if you don't want to be that way, fine by me. But don't think that since you called me names, you can push me away. You won't be able to. I'm here for the long haul Daryl," She said, but lucky for him, she was just getting started. "Don't push me away because someone cares about you! I care about you, Daryl! Just accept that and stop pushing me away because-"

By this time Daryl had stood up and walked over to Remmi. He was listening to her. He was hearing her, but he just needed to shut her up.

And he did.

Before she could finish her thought, Daryl put Remmi's face in his hands and kissed her. He kissed her with so much force she almost tumbled back. His hands traveled down her back as her's went into his hair.

It was in that moment that time stopped. It was just the two of them there with one another. The two were quick to move with one another, heading into the tent. At this moment, nothing else mattered to them but each other.

But good things only last so long.

*PUBLISHED

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

so i kinda had that planned out for a while, but i feel like i rushed into it. i wanted to start their relationship at the end of season 2 anyway, but i don't think i did a good job leading up to this? if that makes sense.

anyways, this book is coming to an end very soon!! i've already started writing book 2 which will be called, PREY. i thought it was fitting lol

more to come about that book as this one comes to and end. i'm estimating about 28-30 chapters total in this one, depending on how long i play out the rest of season 2. but stay tuned for more of Doctor Tyler!

and don't think i've forgotten our pregnant ellie😉