Title: Sound
Summary: For all the noise the prison makes, there's one sound that stands out about the others.
Notes: Not a Caryl, but this idea came to me and I thought it'd be sweet and right for them.
The prison had a way of making every sound seem so significant.
When a cell door creaked as it was opened or closed, it was reminiscent of a horror film's classic creaking doors. And when one shut, the sound would reverberate around like whoever closed it had been making a dramatic exit.
The sound of the utensils being placed on the table always sounded loud enough to carry through to the cells. Echoing and trapped inside the prison walls.
She'd always been sensitive to sound. To the little noises.
She could blame that on Ed and learning the slight change of tone he was using, or listening to the footsteps as they approached the bedroom, or worst of all, the creaking of the springs as he'd lean towards her in bed at night
The were sat together that evening. Some of the new people and nearly all of their group and they were fairly quiet. A few gentle conversations now and then, but most of the time, as the evenings drew on, they weren't a group to talk too much.
The noise started off quietly.
So gentle, she wasn't even sure she heard it at first.
So she stopped and listened. Forgot tidying the pots and pans away for just a moment and listened to the sounds. And then she was certain.
Because she'd heard it before.
He was a light sleeper. She's discovered that when they were on the road together during the winter when Lori and T Dog were still with them. He didn't sleep deeply which was a good thing, but he dreamt a lot because of it. Never seemed to get past the light stages of sleep and drifted into REM sleep often.
And she knew he hadn't slept well recently. Not since Merle.
The bags under his eyes told them all that, if his constant presence wasn't enough of a clue.
Always up first thing in the morning and seemed to be the last awake at night.
And every now and then, he'd drift off during the day and try to catch up. When he knew he really needed it. When his body and mind couldn't take it any more.
That was what he'd done that evening.
Drifted away when the days work was done and tried to get some sleep. And now she knew that his rest wasn't going to come.
Because she'd heard it before. And she knew it was Daryl.
Knew the strange whining noise that he'd make in his sleep when he was afraid of the demons that lurked in that world.
And she'd heard him gasp awake from those dreams before and she'd see the way he'd wait until the others went to bed after those dreams had haunted him so that they wouldn't hear him. He'd do that for days afterwards.
And even though the sound carried down to her, she didn't think anyone else would really hear it.
Figured Daryl would wake himself up long before then. But as she stood there listening, she heard Glenn ask Maggie if she heard that sound and before she even contemplated what she was doing, she had pushed some of the metal pots onto the ground with clang that seemed to echo around the prison walls for minutes before the sound died down.
Her hands were already clasped over her mouth as Beth and Rick came to help her.
"I'm so sorry," she muttered as the pair picked up the two pots that were now laying on the floor. Rick's arm is on her shoulder as he sets one of the pots down. His blue eyes shining with concern.
"You okay?" he asks her and she nods. "My sleeve just caught the handle," she explains. It's a lie but they have no reason to think she'd lie about such a thing.
"I'll put the rest away," Beth assures her and Carol smiled at the youngsters kindness. "Maybe you should rest?"
"I don't think an early night would hurt." she says, thanking the pair as she walks through to the cells.
And as moves into the cell block, she finds Daryl stood outside his own cell. Clearly he's just woken up.
She starts towards her own cell. There's are beside one another.
He's looking down to the lower level when she arrives. She's at her cell and she looks to him, he glances across.
"I'm sorry I woke you," she says.
Up close, she can see just how tired his eyes still look.
And the memories from his nightmare haven't quite left him yet, she can see that fear still in his eyes.
But he nods at her.
"Would you... sit with me for a while?" she asks him. Unsure if he'll say yes.
And he doesn't. He just moves towards her and as he moves, she leads the way into his cell.
For just a moment, she thinks to lie again. To tell him she's been dreaming of Sophia. Or Lori. Or Andrea.
But she could never lie to him. And he's here without lies.
Sat at the chair by the door as she lays herself down on the bed.
And she can see him as she rests her head on the pillows. He's just sat there, by her door, eyes heavy with sleep. But he's there.
Because he wants to be. And she thinks that if he speaks, his voice would be laced with sleep. But maybe he's too tired to talk because he hasn't spoke a word. He doesn't need to.
He's there.