A/N:
Title: After Coda
Category: The Walking Dead (Caryl)
Summary: Is there anyone worth fighting for anymore?
Rating: PG – Few bad words.
Spoilers: I'm going to say the entire show up until the episode Coda, just to be safe.
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, but MMB and NR are doing a great job with them.
A very small post-ep for Coda. I liked the episode, did not like the (in my opinion) senseless killing of Beth, but I do hope that this loss can bring our fav duo back together. A lot of shit is going on, so no wonder they're a bit lost!
Thank you all so much in advance for feedback. You're an amazing bunch! I welcome any comments you have, the good, bad and the ugly (but please keep the bad and ugly nice at least!).
"What the fucks the point, Carol? Huh? I lost Sophia, I lost Beth, I lost you. What the fuck's the point 'a all 'a this? No one's gonna make it, yer right, no one's gonna make it. There ain't no starin' over, cause there ain't no where to go from here. We're in hell, fuckin' hell. We are ashes."
And then she regretted it. She regretted every word, every breath she spent trying to convince this timidly optimistic man that she was right, that everything you loved in this new world was taken eventually so it was better not to love anything. But she did love, and that was her fault, and now she regretted her words.
"I killed Lizzie," she said, quietly. "She didn't die and turn, I killed her when she was very much alive. I took her outside like she was a rabid dog, and while her back was to me I shot her in the head while she cried and begged my forgiveness for killing her sister. Lizzie killed Mika and I killed Lizzie even though I didn't want to. I didn't know what else to do. I let my daughter die, I let Mika die, and I killed Lizzie. That's why I wanted to leave. I didn't know what else to do. I can't save anyone."
It was as if something broke inside him, and when he reached for her, even after years now of being free from domestic abuse, she steeled herself, ready for a blow. Her eyes shut, but she was surprised when he grabbed her in a tight, and painful hug. He cried on her shoulder, worse than the day they found each other again, and she held him back, stroking his hair, comforting him as best she could.
"I can't save anyone," she said softly into his ear, "but I want to."
"You're tha best person I know," he said finally. "I never knew anyone like you b'fore. You wanna save someone? Save me. You're tha only one that can do it."
She pulled away from him then, her eyes puffy and red, her nose dripping, and she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. She wanted so badly the optimistic Daryl back. The one who took hurt and rebounded. The one who believed in humanity and believed in their group and would do anything for his new family.
"Come back, Daryl," she said, resting her forehead against his, "we need you. I need you."
She felt him pull away, then felt his soft lips touch hers. "I ain't goin' no where," he mumbled against her mouth, and she swallowed his words, allowing them to give her strength to move on.