Notes: I know Daryl gets bitten in a vital place and should have died in minutes, but I wanted him to be able to say his goodbyes to everyone and everyone say there goodbyes to him, and I know there's a lot of people that don't like Dwight but, he's supposed to be on Daryl's side. It looks like that's the way the show is going, so I wanted to put some of that in there. Dwight comes in a different way though. I know it's emotional, and a lot of people don't want to see Daryl die, but I hope you still will like it.
Daryl's Sacrifice
Rick, Daryl, Michonne, Carol, Carl, and Judith are the last survivors.
They are back to back surrounded by walkers.
We have to fight them! Rick yells.
On three! One, two, three!
They are all fighting, everyone taking out there fair share of walkers, but it doesn't seem to be enough.
Realizing there is nothing more they can do, they call out for one another, but it is difficult to hear over all the walkers.
They searched for each other through the heard.
Finally, they found each other, meeting in the middle again, but they quickly realized that Carl was missing.
Carl! Every one yelled.
I have to go back in, Rick said.
No! Daryl yelled, you can't risk your life, you're his father, Michonne your like a mother to him, and I'll be damned, if I'm letting you go out there Carol, so that leaves me, besides he's like a son to me, I'll go.
It seemed like forever before there was any sign of the two.
Then, they heard it.
Help! Hurry! Please!
It was Carl.
He stumbled out of the walker heard, but it wasn't him that needed the help.
He came out of the heard, trying his hardest to support Daryl, and keep him up.
Carl was able to make his way out, using the other hand to take out walkers along the way.
Everyone rushed over to them, Rick supporting Daryl on the other side, with Michonne and Carol right next to them.
We need to get him to the infirmary, Rick said.
They fought there way through the herd, Carol and Michonne taking out any walkers in their way.
They climbed the steps, and closed the door behind them.
Rick and Carl laid him on the bed.
They all stared, in shock at the gaping hole in Daryl's neck, but they were all in denial, so they went rushing around franticly, trying to find anything to help Daryl, even though they knew it was hopeless.
Daryl tried to yell, but he couldn't raise his voice, so after trying to get their attention, he knocked over the bedside table next to him, and they all stopped to look.
It's too late, he said in a low, raspy voice.
They walked over to him.
Rick and Carl sat next to him, Rick holding his hand.
On the other side of the bed sat Carol and Michonne, Carol holding his other hand, and pushing his hair out of his face, resting her hand on his cheek, caressing it with her thumb.
Everyone started crying.
Stop, I won't have any blubbering before I go.
What happened out there? Rick asked.
Daryl found me, and I was about to get bitten in the arm by a walker.
He knew there wasn't enough time, not even for a gun, so he leaped onto the walker, knocking it off of me.
Daryl landed on the walker, and it immediately bit Daryl in the neck.
I stabbed it in the head.
Carl started crying again.
I'm so sorry, it's my fault, I should have been more careful.
Don't blame yourself Carl, Daryl said, I'm glad I was there to save you.
Thank you Daryl, for saving my son, for everything you've done for us over the years.
Are you shitting me, you guys gave me a family.
Daryl finally lost it, and started crying, which started everyone else up again.
Rick, you're my brother, and Carl, you're like the son I never had.
Daryl reached up, and tipped Carl's hat over his eyes.
Watch over your daddy and little ass kicker for me.
I will, and thank you for saving my dad countless times.
You'll never be forgotten my brother, Rick said.
Daryl turned to Michonne and Carol.
My two favorite bad asses.
They laughed, and cried at the same time.
And you're ours, Michonne said.
We didn't get along at first, did we Michonne.
No, we didn't. I almost killed you with my cross bow after you threatened Rick.
Well he's your brother, what were you supposed to do.
And now you're my family, Daryl said.
And you are mine.
He looked at Carol.
And Carol, you are the love of my life.
Now you tell me, Carol says, laughing.
Daryl laughs too, but is stopped, when he starts coughing up blood.
Everyone cries out, feeling helpless not knowing what to do.
Carol grabs a towel that is on the night stand, and wipes the blood away, and then folds it, and wipes his fore head and face since he now has a fever.
He tries to get out his last words, but his breathing is getting laybered, and he tries to breathe between sentences.
I have known for a while now, but you know me, I can't show my feelings as much as others, but Carol, I love you, all of you.
Oh Daryl, I wish we could have had more time together, now that I know how you feel, you should know I love you too.
Daryl starts crying, making it even harder to say what he needs to say.
He reaches up his hand, and touches her face.
They share their first, and last kiss, slow, and yet passionate.
Are you trying to kill me faster woman, I don't need a heart attack too.
They all laughed.
Thank you all for loving me, and never giving up on me, even when I was being an ass.
Everyone leaned down to give him a hug.
When they came back up, they saw his lifeless eyes staring into space.
They all started crying hysterically, walking around the bed, coming together in a group hug.
They didn't break the hug until Carol walked over to Daryl, and closed his eyes giving him one last kiss on the forehead and then a peck on the lips.
I'm going to miss you so much Daryl Dixon.
She laid her head on his chest, crying.
They all started gathering around Daryl again.
Rick held Daryl's hand, raising it up, and leaning his head down on it, crying.
Michonne comforted Rick and held his other hand while Michonne had an arm around Carl.
They all knew what had to be done, but nobody had the heart to do it.
It was quiet except for the crying, and the walkers outside.
They heard the sounds of two others, a man, and a woman. They were fighting the walkers.
Rick went to the window to see who it was.
It was Dwight and Sherry.
It turns out they had found each other when they were both on the run from Negan.
They decided to go back to Negan, because there were too many close calls with walkers, but when they got there, everyone had been killed.
After that, they headed for Alexandria, hoping they would have mercy on them.
We have to help them, said Rick.
What, Carol said. After all that has happened. After what they did to Daryl, what they did to us, No, absolutely not. Let the walkers have them.
Michonne, not wanting to take sides, but always trying to see Rick's point of view, said would Daryl want you to carry two more deaths with you.
Their helping us, Rick said. They could have just left, and tried to find another place.
They could be killing the walkers so they can take this place, Carol said.
Well, I guess we'll have to find out, Rick said.
Please, help us!
Rick goes out there, Michonne following.
Carl, stay here, Carol said. I'm not going to have Rick and Michonne die for them.
Be safe, Carl says.
You know what to do if he turns right? Carol asks.
Yes, Carl says.
Maybe I should… Carl interrupts her.
I can do it, please let me.
Ok, but don't turn your back on him, no matter what.
I won't.
They were all fighting the walkers together.
Dwight saved Michonne's life, killing a walker that was approaching her from behind. Sherry killed a walker that had Carol pinned down.
Sherry helped her up, and Carol said, Thank you.
Carl couldn't help him self, he got up to look out the window.
Daryl slowly opened his eyes, growling lowly, slowly getting out of the bed, and approaching Carl, who was to intent on what was going on to notice Daryl coming.
Carl yelled out, as Daryl grabbed his arm, and bit into it, taking a huge chunk. They could hear Carl from outside, and they turned their heads, to see Daryl and Carl through the window.
Nooo! Rick cried out.
They all headed toward the house, while Dwight and Sherry stayed outside to finish off the walkers.
When they walked in, Carl was cornered by Daryl, who was about to bite him again, when the others yelled out all at once.
Rick knocked the bedside table over, getting Daryl's attention. He headed toward the others. Michonne helped Carl to the bed.
Stay here.
Rick reached for his holster, but it must have fallen off when he was running back inside.
Michonne threw Rick her katana, when he was backed into a corner by Daryl.
Daryl grabbed Rick and they were face to face.
Rick got lost for a moment, staring into his walker eyes.
He could have sworn he could see a trace of Daryl still but, he snapped out of it quickly, when Daryl started snapping at him.
I'm sorry brother.
Rick pushed him away, raised the katana over his head, and brought it down on Daryl's, yelling out loud as he did so.
He broke down crying, as he fell to the floor next to his best friend.
Then, he remembered Carl.
Michonne helped him off of the ground, and gave him a hug.
I am so sorry Rick.
Thank you Michonne.
They kissed, and Michonne led him to Carl.
We have to cut his arm off, Carol said, it's the only way to save him.
I can't, Rick said, not after Daryl, I can't.
I will, said Michonne.
Carol already told Carl, he knows what needs to be done.
Rick held Carl's hand, while Carol looked for supplies.
Michonne braced herself to do what she needed to do.
Just like Tyrese, she said to herself.
Carol was thinking the same thing, just like Hershel, she said to herself.
When Carol came back with the supplies, she put them down on the bedside table.
Carol picked up a towel to wrap around Carl's arm, while Rick held it up for her.
Wait, Carl said. I want to use Daryl's rag.
Carol got up to get Daryl's rag. She wrapped it around his arm.
Michonne brought the katana up, and brought it down on Carl's arm, yelling out.
Carl screamed out loud. He passed out.
Carol went straight to work, taking care of Carl like she did Hershel.
Michonne and Rick held each other, as they watched.
Dwight and Sherry walked in.
Is he going to be ok, Sherry asked?
He's going to be fine physically, mentally, only time will tell, Rick said.
Dwight saw Daryl on the floor, and knelt down next to him.
Rick was about to run over to stop him, but Michonne stopped him, and nudged her head toward Dwight, who seemed to be getting emotional. He still wore Daryl's vest. He slipped it off. With Sherry's help, Dwight put the vest back on Daryl.
He secretly admired Daryl for his strong will, and never giving in to Negan, unlike him.
They laid him back down and headed back toward the others.
Michonne could tell that Sherry was sad for all of them, including Daryl.
Michonne grabbed her hand.
Thank you for helping us out there.
I had to, I couldn't watch anyone else die, weather it be by Negan, or walkers.
Rick witnessed the encounter, and smiled at Michonne, then at Sherry. Rick walked over to Sherry.
I know you let Daryl out of that cell. Thank you; we wouldn't have had the extra time with him if you hadn't let him out of that cell. I don't think Carol knows, or she wouldn't have considered leaving you and Dwight to die, but I'll tell her, when she's done with Carl.
Carol had a view of Dwight and Sherry on the floor with Daryl, but was more focused on Carl, so she didn't see Dwight put Daryl's vest back on him.
When she was done with Carl, she ran up to Dwight, stopped, and slapped him hard across the face.
How dare you, she yelled, and cried at the same time.
Then Rick walked to Carol, and pointed to Daryl.
She noticed his vest.
I'm sorry, she said, in a low voice.
She turned her back on them.
She was crying, when Rick came up behind her, and she turned around, hands on her face.
He grabbed her, and wrapped his arms around her tight.
He pulled back from Carol, and told her about Sherry saving Daryl.
She looked at Sherry.
She was looking a little scared, as Carol approached her.
Thank you, Carol said, giving a surprised Sherry a hug.
Sherry gave her a small smile.
Daryl reminded me of Dwight before the world went to shit, so I had to let him go.
They all turned to Carl as he was waking up.
They all ran to him.
How are you feeling? Rick asked.
Like I got bit by a walker, he said, momentarily forgetting about Daryl, and started crying, as he remembered that the walker that bit him was Daryl.
Rick grabbed his hand.
I know. I still can't believe it.
They all looked over to where Daryl was laying.
We all need to say our final goodbyes, and then burry him.
Carl insisted on going to Daryl, despite every ones protests.
They all gathered around him.
Carl went first, so he could go back to the bed.
You were like a second father to me.
He bent down, and gave him the best hug he could with just one arm.
Rick went next.
I'm going to miss you brother.
He bent down to give him a hug, tears streaming down his face.
Michonne simply gave him a kiss on the cheek, and a tear streamed down her face onto Daryl's and she wiped it away.
Carol buried her face in his chest, and started crying hysterically.
I love you so much, and I am so sorry I didn't say it sooner, so we could have had more time together, now it's too late.
She bent down to give him a kiss on the forehead, then on one cheek, than the other, and one last kiss on the lips.
She couldn't bare to part with him, knowing that she would never see him again, so after about thirty minutes of laying on his chest and crying, Rick finally kneeled next to her and said, it's time.
Rick and Carol held each other for a long time, both of them crying, still on the floor next to Daryl.
They picked him up.
Michonne, Dwight and Sherry followed them.
When they got there, they laid him down, and Rick dug a hole.
Carol and Michonne knelt down next to Daryl.
When Rick was done, Carol kissed him one last time, brushed his hair back, and moved her hand down his face.
Goodbye my love.
Michonne held Carol as she cried. Rick came up to them, and knelt down.
I need to take him now Carol.
She looked at Rick, and nodded her head, giving him a small smile.
Rick picked him up, and carried him to the grave.
He stood there for a few seconds, with his head leaning against Daryl's, and then he slowly lowered him into the grave. Rick buried Daryl.
They made a gravestone that read, Daryl Dixon, friend, brother, father, and the bravest badass that ever lived. You will be sorely missed.
One year later, they are visiting Daryl's grave. Carl is sitting next to Carol by Daryl's grave, and Rick is holding his and Michonne's baby, while Judith stands next to Michonne, who has an arm around her.
Dwight and Sherry are standing on the other side of them.
Carol lays down a Cherokee rose.
Michonne puts down a Jasper stone she found on a run, remembering the one Daryl found when they were on the run for medicine, and rick puts down an arrow.