I don't own them!
She fights with all her strength, with all her willpower and her knife. There are so many walkers. She can hear their groans, their snarling. She can hear screams, high pitched cries, yelling.
It is hell on earth.
She's covered in walker blood and gore. Too exhausted to see clear. Her friends and family are all around her, fighting the dead.
A few weeks ago, Daryl and Aaron left Alexandria for a run, but it was only Aaron, coming back. They ran into a herd, got seperated, Aaron fought his way home, thinking that Daryl, the best tracker all of them ever known, would be in Alexandria, grumbling, but healthy. But he wasn't. And he hasn't been, yet.
Almost every resident of the ASZ wanted to help with the search. Carol worked on schedules and organized the entire search party, she was everywhere und did was has to be done. As usual.
The Alexandrians were amazed, of what this small woman was capable. There was so much more in her than just casseroles and cookies.
Her family knew.
But right now - it is almost too much. She is about to loose her strength, there are so many walkers, they are surrounded. The muscles in her arm are screaming in agony, her back hurts so badly, her legs are shaking.
From the corner of her eye she sees a walker stumbling in her direction.
She holds her breath.
She feels a scream rising in her throat.
This too familiar shape of - HIM.
She stands frozen, hearing Rick shouting " Carol, get out of the way!"
He stands with his gun, like he stood in front of a barn so many years ago. Like a lifetime ago.
" NOO!" she screams, "I'll do it!"
She isn't aware of the fight around her, she doesn't hear screams and shootings. Nothing exists but him. And her.
Nothing else matters.
She knows, what she has to do.
To do for him.
For the love of her live.
She walks in his direction, the knife in her hand. The knife, he once gave to her. The knife, he once taught her to use.
And so she does. She uses it. Right in his brain. To give him peace.
She doesn't cry.
She doesn't sob.
There is a small smile on her lips, when she says " I love you."
She embraces his dead body and falls to the ground with him. Together.
This time, his strong arms can't hold her. They can't give her hope.
She is alone. All alone. Her girls gone.
Him gone.
She sits in the dirt, his head on her lap, she strokes his hair, like she did so often in the past.
The fight comes to an end. The place is covered with dead bodys. But she does not care.
Rick says something. But she does not care.
Glenn embraces her, tears on his face. But she does not care.
She just sits there until dusk.
It is over. Her fight is over. She has nothing more to give. But she does not care.
She is surrounded by her family, her friends. They try to talk to her, to comfort her.
All she does, is sitting there, covered in blood, HIS blood, his head still on his lap. She is numb. Her fingers caresses his face. She knows every line, every scar.
Rick kneels beside her. " Why didn't you let me end it ? This hadn't be on you!"
"Only a Dixon can end a Dixon", she says weary.
" Uhm, I know you were always near, but you are a Peletier " , he responded.
She looks him straight in the eyes " You are wrong. I'm not a Peletier any more. I'm a Dixon. We married long time ago. Right after we lost the farm. There wasn't a priest, it was only us. Us and love."
She can sense her family's confusion. " It's true, you can believe me. We didn't hide on purpose, but somehow there never was the possibility or the time to tell you."
Slowly she rises on unsteady legs after sitting so long with her husbands dead body on her lap.
"He was the love of my life. He was my lifeline. Can you please help me" , she asks Rick. " I'd like to take of his vest."
Rick nods and together they take Daryl's angel-wings vest of. Carol wraps herself in it, inhaling deeply. It still smells a little bit like the living Daryl. A scent she will cherish for as long as it lingers.
That is the moment, when the levee breaks. Tears start to fall. And she's unable to stop them.
Maggie hugs her. Glen hugs them. Rick joins.
They stand together, mourning for Daryl.
Author's note: Please don't hate me. I just want them happy together. But my twisted brain seems to have a mind of its own. Sorry.