Katie was deep in a book, enjoying the silence. Scout lay at the foot of the bed, and she had her feet pushed against the top bunk. She let out a profound sigh, and Scout turned his head to look at her. Putting the book on her stomach, Katie nudged him with her foot.
"Do you know what today is, buddy?" she asked. Scout thumped his tail, wiggling his eyebrows as he tried to figure out what she was saying. Katie got off the bed, crossing over to a calender she had found on a supply run. Thanks to her zippered journal and watch, she had actually kept pretty good track of the passing months. She wrinkled her nose when she saw the day. It was Friday, February 14. Valentine's Day.
"Yeah, I never liked this day anyway." she muttered. After marking it with an 'X', she turned back the dog. "Scout, will you be my Valentine?"
The dog whined, thumping his tail harder. She laughed, crouching in front of him and rubbing his ears vigorously.
"Knock, knock."
Katie grinned at the familiar voice. Daryl was at the entrance to her cell, holding the makeshift curtain out of the way with his arm. She sat, resting her arms on her knees. He entered the room completely, and it was then she noticed he was holding something behind his back.
"Whatcha got, Dixon?" she asked, tilting her head. Her hair slid across her shoulder. Daryl cleared his throat, shifting his feet. She raised an eyebrow. He moved his hand from behind him to reveal a large sunflower, as big around as his hand. Her face lit up when she saw it.
"Thought you might like it." he said, handing it to her. She stood, breathing in its scent and smiling, eyes closed. She looked at him over the top of the flower, still grinning.
"Where did you find this?" she asked. Daryl ducked his head a little, leaning against the doorframe.
"Some backyard on the run. They were everywhere, completely overgrown." Daryl explained. He had his arms folded across his chest, watching as she smelled the flower again, and held it to Scout's nose.
"Look Scout, it's a sunflower. Isn't it pretty?"
The dog raised his head a little, snuffling the flower a few times before losing interest. She shrugged, putting it on the small table on the other side of the room. Taking the elastic band from her wrist, Katie raked her hair back into a messy ponytail. She glanced at Daryl while she did so, he had a look on his face she had not seen before. It was an emotion, or perhaps a mix of emotions, that she couldn't place.
"You okay?" Katie put her hands on her hips. Daryl rubbed the back of his head, looking towards the cell door.
"C'mon. You could use some fresh air. Sittin' in this musty cell readin' books all day ain't good for no one." he replied, jerking his head towards the door. Daryl stepped out after that. Katie was taken aback by his strange behavior, and her heart skipped a little beat as she mulled it over in her mind. Inviting me for a walk? Just us? He's been ignoring me for almost two weeks! It was true, Daryl seemed to volunteer for more supply runs than normal, and just generally spending more time alone. She pulled on her boots, patting Scout's head before exiting. The dog immediately got up and followed her.
"You bringin' the dog?" Daryl asked, eyein him. The dog wagged his tail and barked, gathering the attention of some of the others. Carol bounced Judith in her arms, smirking coyly. Daryl kept walking, and Katie walked a few paces behind him. Her eyes were focused on the pair of wings on the back of the vest he was wearing. He let her out the cell block gate first, Scout hot on her heels.
Outside the sun was rising, and it was a little warm for her despite being a winter month still. I don't think I'll ever get used to this Southern endless summer thing. she thought. She voiced this comment out loud, and Daryl snorted.
"Just wait until May. Then it'll really hit you." he replied. Katie shrugged, looking past him and towards the fences. Walkers were gathering there, snarling and reaching their fingers through the bars. A group of fence-cleaners were there as well, timing their jabs to kill the undead quickly. Katie sighed, but Daryl began walking again.
"Where are we going?" she asked. Daryl shook his head, waving her off. She made a face behind his back. Clouds were few and far between in this early morning, a pleasant grey-blue coloring the sky. A light chill blew across the prison yard, raising goosebumps on her bare arms. She noticed as they were walking that Daryl was heading around the prison, towards a guard tower in the far corner. She creased her brow. What could Daryl want to show me here? she wondered. They came to a stop in front of it.
"Soo—" she started.
"C'mon, we're gonna miss it." Daryl cut her off, pulling open the tower door and ushering her inside. Scout raced up the stairs ahead of them, as though he knew where they were going. Katie climbed the stairs quickly, feeling the same sense of urgency as the dog. Daryl dashing behind her forced her to hurry, and when they got to the trapdoor at the top she was breathing hard. He opened it, and Scout whined as the two humans climbed through the opening. Daryl took her by the shoulders, turning her to face the rising sun.
"Look."
Katie's eyes widened at the scenery. She looked beyond the prison, beyond the clearing of approaching Walkers and towards the forest. It was still enveloped in shadow, and despite the situation, looked very peaceful. The sun was just peeking over the dark forest, an orange so deep it was almost red. There were tendrils of pink color reaching through the sky, mixing in with the rest. She stared at it, blown away by the gesture. He had wanted to watch the sunrise with her. Katie's heart jolted a little when she realized he was still standing behind her, holding her shoulders. She turned around, and he released her.
"Happy Valentine's Day." he said in a low voice. Katie couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face.
"Happy Valentine's Day." she replied.
**Author's Note- Just a little somethin-somethin' for my loyal fans on Valentine's Day! This is no way is attached to the main story at all. Not at all. Bwahahahah! Love ya and enjoy! 3