Okay, so this is just a fic idea I've had for a while, and I finally decided to write it. I'm not sure If I'm going to continue it or not, so let me know if you support it! If enough people review saying they want this to be a whole fanfiction novelette, I will totally do it, but if no one seems interested, I'll stop the project; mostly cause I've got other real-life stuff I'm working on as well as other fics. So let me know! And besides all that, I hope you like it :)
One:
Daryl let the cool evening air breeze around him as he walked through the woods, the tender sounds of the earth calming his frenzied nerves.
All in all, today was a bad day.
His dad had come home drunk for the fifth time that week -he'd left as soon as his dad had stumbled through the front door- and his teachers had been riding his ass about attendance all day. If they were going to make such a fuss about him not being there, he figured he just wouldn't go anymore. Maybe that'd shut them up. He had to work so he and his dad could keep their house which kept him from school and his studies most of the time anyway, so why even bother trying to fit school around his schedule? Besides, he didn't really care about his GED. he was doing just fine without it so far.
He shook his head, lighting a cigarette he had taken from Merle's secret stash before he'd left, and he headed towards the playground a road and a few blocks from him home. Since it was so late in the evening, he figured no one would be there. Or, more specifically, there were no bratty kids to annoy him, and no judgemental parents sitting around to scrutinize him. Worst part about them was, they didn't even have to say anything to him. They could just give him a look and he could feel the filth of being a white trash teenager with an asshole for a daddy burrow itself deep into his bones.
No, the park would most likely be empty, so he could just sit on the swings and smoke in the weightlessness of solitude, thinking about nothing in particular while he waited for his dad to drink himself to sleep. Who knows, maybe the asshole wouldn't wake up in the morning.
Wouldn't that be something.
Daryl turned the sharp corner that led into the Park from the trail, making a quick sweep over the area to make sure he didn't look like a pedophile to any stragglers.
Once he was sure there was no one else there, he took his spot on one of the swings, pushing back and forth gently with his heels as he watched the smoke from his cigarette spiral into the darkening sky.
He closed his eyes for a minute as he took a long drag, thankful for the quiet for once. It had been a hectic, noisy ass day, and he was just done with people.
Suddenly, he felt a heavy, yet oddly light pressure on both of his knees.
His eyes snapped open, and he looked down, the panic that shot through his limbs screaming in his ears. That fear quickly faded into confusion, and he blinked, surprised at what he saw.
A sweet looking little toddler was standing directly between his legs, her big blue eyes watching him intently as she pursed her lips. It looked like she was inspecting him.
He stared right back, startled by the strength of her bright eyes.
After a short and intense staring contest, he broke their stare, looking around nervously, still seeing no one. Where had she come from? Where was her mom? Her dad? She didn't seem the least bit worried, and why was that? Were they coming right back?
He didn't want to touch her, afraid her parents would show up suddenly and have him arrested, mistaking him for a kidnapper. Daryl wasn't stupid, he knew he looked mean. If angry looks could kill, all Daryl would have to do would turn his eyes someone's direction and they'd fall down dead as a doornail. Parent's didn't like that about him. It used to bother him more, but now, this was more a matter of hoping he wouldn't get arrested just because he had a nasty looking scowl almost permanently etched into his features.
"Hi," she said, startling him again. "Ay'm Beth."
He threw his cigarette absentmindedly to the ground, moving his leg to put it out with the heel of his boot. "Where's yer' parents, Girl?" he asked, not answering her question.
"Wat's yer' name?" she asked, not looking the tiniest bit bothered by the fact that he had ignored her question.
He glared down at her, but she just looked up at him with a pair of incredibly beautiful blue eyes. He knew she wouldn't answer his question until he'd answered hers, so he sighed and said gruffly, "Daryl. Mah' name's Daryl." She smiled triumphantly, and he just glared down at the little girl. "Now tell me, where're yer' parents?"
She shrugged her small shoulders, making her little blonde ponytail sway slightly. "Maggie wen ta' talk ta' some boy," she said, her small voice innocent. She looked so sweet, even as she played curiously with a hole on the knee of his jeans, pulling at the torn threads. Didn't anyone ever tell her not to talk to strangers? And especially not to go near them? She was lucky he wasn't some creep looking to take her away... Or worse.
"Maggie's yer' sister?" he asked.
She nodded vigorously. "Maggie's reeaal pretty. I like 'er hair short like it is. I wish I had her ayes. They're green! I like thah' color green." She suddenly made circles around her eyes with her tiny little fingers. The action was so sweet, he couldn't help but smile.
"Wha's yer' favite color?" she asked, looking up at him through her finger glasses.
"I like red," he said.
"Like blood?" she asked.
His face scrunched up in confusion. Was it even okay that she knew what blood was? "Uh, maybe that shade o' th' color, yeah," he answered.
"Blood's icky," she said, scrunching her cute little nose.
"Mmhmm," he agreed. He realized suddenly that they had somehow gotten very off topic. "Do ya' know where yer' sister went?" he pressed, suddenly even more worried when she shook her head no. What kind of person leaves their little sibling all alone at the park in the evening time!
"Maggie likes boys," the little girl said. "Even though she's ownly 'leven, she's gotta boyfriend."
Eleven? So maybe this, Maggie, hadn't been the only one with her.
Daryl looked around, realizing how dark it was.
His dad would probably be passed out by now, snoring in his dumpster chair, out so cold he wouldn't be able to hear Daryl slam the front door as hard as he could over his own heinous nostril sounds. He should go home, lie down and sleep the self loathing away for a few hours, but… He stared down at Beth. He couldn't just leave her all alone. Besides, how old was she… Two? Maybe three? She'd probably follow him anyway, which could potentially be even worse. He could take her to the nearest police station.
he decided that he'd wait with her for a little while, and after a decent amount of time, he'd walk her downtown and hand her off to the sheriff. This way, if her parents or Maggie came back looking for her in the very near future, they'd be able to find her pretty quick. If they didn't, he was sure they'd go to the police, and the little blondie would be there waiting for them, safe and sound.
"You wanna swing, Girl?" he asked her, trying to think of a way he could keep her nearby and in one place. Swinging was perfect.
She nodded and smiled wide, holding up her arms as he got up, ready to be placed on the big girl swing. He lifted her up, trying to ignore how fragile her little body felt; like she could just break with the slightest pressure.
God, if all kids felt this fragile, he figured he never wanted a baby. He already thought their screaming was both unnatural for such a small thing and just goddamned annoying, if they all felt like they were made of glass, he wouldn't be able to handle it. He was already like a bull in a china shop with people his own age, how the hell could he successfully care for such a tiny little thing?
He shook his head, setting her down as carefully as he could. She practically squirmed out of his grasp at the last second, plopping down onto the tire-like material with a giggle. His breathing hitched in fear in the second, but when he was sure she was fine, he rolled his shoulders, trying to shake it off.
"Alrigh'... How high do ya' wan'na go?" he asked.
She shook her head, tilting her head back to look up at him. "No. Sit," she said, pointing at the swing next to her.
He gave her a confused looked, and her expression turned determined, her lips pursing again. despite his confusion, he moved over, sitting down in the swing she had directed him to and looked over at her, with her little ballet shoe'd feet swinging lightly as she hummed a happy little tune.
"I love the world," Beth said, breaking a rather, although Daryl wouldn't care to admit this fact, easy silence.
"There's a lotta bad people out there, Little Girl," he said, mentally cursing himself for saying it. She was just a kid! She didn't need to hear that shit!
Well… So was he really. If he was being honest with himself, which was something he preferred not to do usually, he probably shouldn't see that as a fact of the world, but he did. And who wouldn't if they tried living even an hour in his fucked to hell life?
"There's good people, Daryl," she said, her furrowed eyebrows and sharp gaze telling him that she was being very serious. As serious as a puny little girl like her could be.
"Wha' makes you so sure?" he asked, honestly curious about what went through this little girl's head. She seemed… Different. She wasn't the snot-nosed brat he'd expected to be acquainted with when he first laid eyes on her. She was a smart little kid, and he honest to God liked her, which was more than he could say about a great many people, including his own father.
"My Daddy saves anmals, and mai sissy smiles a lot... Mai big brother gives me lossa piggy back rides, and mai mommy sings reeaal pretty! 'Nd you talk to me, too. Even though yer' a big kid," she explained.
He watched her face carefully, in awe that such little things was what made her see the world with such lightness in her eyes. The fact that her dad took care of animals, that her sister smiled, and even that he talked to her was enough proof in the good of the world for this little girl. Just the thought of such simple little things and she'd started smiling like nothing bad could ever come her way. She shone like this ray of light, and he wondered briefly if he'd ever felt the way she did about the world. About people. If he ever had, it was lost to his memory. Tucked somewhere underneath all the shit he had suffered through.
"You keep thinkin' that, Girl," Daryl said, earning a questioning look from the little girl. "Even when ya see bad thangs… Keep believin' that. Sure wish I could…" The words had just… come out. He knew she probably would forget their conversation in the next few moments, but he felt the need to tell her that, so that maybe, she wouldn't view the world like he did.
"Beth!"
A man's voice snapped Daryl out of his thoughts, and he watched as an older man ran towards them, a woman and a little, short haired, brunette girl right behind him.
Daryl stood up, helping Beth from her swing so she could go to her family. Once her little feet where on the ground she started running, her face lit up with joy.
Daryl just kind of looked at the ground, feeling jealous that her family cared so much about her, even though he knew he shouldn't feel that way. He couldn't help it though, it was just what he felt. There he was, some punk fifteen year old, out at the park at night with a few cigarettes stuffed in his pocket, waiting until his daddy drunk himself into a coma so he could get some damn sleep. He stuffed the feeling down, knowing that he could better handle this life than she could. He wanted her to keep that outlook on life, on the world, on people. It was a view he couldn't afford to look at.
He watched silently as Beth was scooped into the man's arms, and given seemingly endless words of affection and kisses, her mother soon joining in. Maggie, however, began scolding her for running off, and Beth's father just laughed at his elder daughters words.
Suddenly, the man caught eyes with Daryl, and this caused Beth to remember the young man who had looked after her. Suddenly she went wild in her father's arms, calling out to Daryl, who took a step back, feeling like a startled animal caught in headlights.
The man set Beth down, following her as she ran over to Daryl, wrapping her tiny arms around his legs. Daryl went to yell at her by force of habit, but a large hand offered out him made the words catch in his throat, and remember his manners.
"Wha's that for?" Daryl asked, nodded to the man's extended hand.
"My name's Hershel Greene young man," he said. "And this is a thank you for watching over my daughter. We were worried sick about her. She tends to wander off, so thank you for not leaving her all by herself."
Daryl just shook Hershel's hand, not really sure what to say. He'd never been complimented before, so his response ended up being a mumble of something along the lines of "No problem".
Once their hands dropped back to their sides, Hershel went to pick Beth up and leave, but she refused to let go of his legs. He tried to peel her off, eventually receiving the help of Hershel who looked startled once they had successfully pried her off of Daryl. Tears streaked down her now rosy cheeks, and little sobs and hiccups poured from her mouth as she reached out to Daryl who was honestly shocked by her reaction.
He understood that she had liked his company, but he didn't know she'd like it that much.
"Wha's wrong, Girl?" he asked, feeling his heart soften a bit as the little girl's tears fell in rivers.
"Wan'na stay!" she cried, wailing after she choked out the words. "Love Daryl!"
He had never felt so much emotion in one moment. He was startled by the emotions he felt as this sweet little girl reached so desperately for him. He put a large hand on the top of her head, watching as her crying slowly stopped, her little hands reaching up to hold onto hi hand and wrist.
He took a deep breath, hoping to God he could handle what he was about to say. "I'm sure we can see each other again."
"'Rilly?" she asked, her voice still dripping with her sadness, her perfect blonde little eyelashes still blinking away alligator tears.
He met eyes with Hershel, expecting him to curse him and tell him to get away from his little girl, but all he found were soft eyes and an even softer smile. "That's alright with me," the older man said.
Daryl smiled at Hershel, and then at Beth, whose eyes lightened, and she slowly let go of his arm.
With that, Beth's mother, who he came to know as Anette Greene, thanked him as well, along with Maggie who eyed him suspiciously, but seemed rather content just knowing her sister was safe.
Daryl was the last to leave the park, feeling a sense of fullness he hadn't known was possible. He had, in a sense, protected a little girl, gotten a compliment, and made a friend -even if said friend was a three year old- all in one night.
He felt so light, it didn't even bother him when he walked into his house to find his dad passed out, a whiskey bottle clutched tightly in a rough, calloused hand.
The only thing that popped his bubble was his brother's sudden presence once he made it to the bedroom. Merle was rummaging through the dresser they had shared before Merle had booked it the hell out of their personal hell, leaving Daryl to burn in his pit of fire all alone.
Anger, a familiar emotion, flooded through Daryl's veins, and he kicked Merle's lower back hard, gritting his teeth so tightly he thought they might break.
"Da' fuck you doin' Baby Brotha'?" Merle snapped, rubbing his back where Daryl's foot had just landed. "Tryin' ta' break mah' back?"
"Ya' deserve worse," Daryl growled back, standing tall as Merle slowly got up.
"Fer' what? Comin' back to ta' rescue ya'?" Merle smirked, and Daryl's glare turned slowly to a gaze of slight confusion and distrust. His brother had played this game before
"What?" Daryl asked gruffly.
"I gotta place up in Atlanta ya' pussy, and I'm gon' take ya' there. So long as ya' don't fuckin' kick me 'gain. Try somethin' like that one more time and imma leave ya' right here," Merel threatened, and he was only half serious.
"You seriously got a place?" Daryl asked, now hopeful.
"Hell yeah baby brotha! And I'm takin' ya' back with meh' tonight!" Merle looked excited, and it was contagious. Daryl smiled at his brother, hugging him before packing up his backpack with everything he needed.
Then they left.
It wasn't until he couldn't see the house anymore that he said good riddance to it, some twisted part of himself feeling bad for his father being left alone with a house that could be foreclosed on any day now. There was a bigger part of him though that reveled in the newfound freedom. He was leaving. He was leaving this rundown, one horse town, and was off to Atlanta, off to a better life.
It wouldn't be until he got to Atlanta that Daryl would realize he would be breaking his promise to little Beth Greene, and he would try to shake it off, which would be hard for awhile, the memory of her tears actually causing him pain. But eventually the memory of that sweet little girl would tuck itself into the back of his mind, forgotten as other troubles take priority.
But that moment held deep in the confines of his mind wouldn't be the last time he saw the youngest Greene daughter. They would meet again, only this time, he wouldn't be able to call her a "little girl" anymore.
He may have forgotten her, but she would never forget him.