Hope for the Future

Before the fall, Daryl was happy… well, happier than he appeared to those who knew him in the days after. But a fight with his fiancé the week before everything happened ended with her leaving for her parents' place for a few days, and then it was too late. So what happens when a chance encounter in the woods surrounding the prison results in a reunion? Can their love be salvaged? Or has this world caused both of them to change too much? [Takes place in between seasons three and four, AU. Daryl x OC.]

Hope for the Future

Some hope for the future; some wait for the call
To say that the days ahead will be the best of all

We will build bridges up to the sky, heavenly lights surrounding you and I

From out of the darkness, our future will come
If we leave the past behind, we'll fly beyond the sun

We'll be together, sharing the load, watching in wonder as our lives unfold

Hope for the future – it's coming soon enough
How much can we achieve?
Hope for the future – it will belong to us
If we believe...

Hope shines brightest in the dark, when nothing's ever seen
Lighting undiscovered places no one's ever been

- Paul McCartney

PROLOGUE

MAY 2010 – ONE WEEK BEFORE THE END OF THE WORLD

"I can't do this anymore, Daryl," Alison said softly, defeated. She leaned against the kitchen counter, facing her fiancée but not looking at him, keeping her gaze to her feet instead. They'd been arguing for the last two hours about Daryl's miscreant of a brother, Merle, who had come back to their trailer, yet again, at four in the morning with a couple of prostitutes in tow. This had been the norm for a month, ever since Merle was released early from prison and into Daryl's custody. Alison had been against the arrangement from the start, but there really was nowhere else for Merle to go, and he had promised he would do better.

So much for promises.

"What… what's that 'posed to mean?" Daryl asked, stepping toward her and standing in front of her. Alison said nothing. She just shook her head and focused her gaze on her hands, where she was slowly twirling her engagement ring around on her finger. "Allie… talk to me."

Alison sighed.

"I can't…" She shook her head, took a breath, and tried again, this time lifting her head to look at him and silently willed herself not to cry. He hated to see her cry. "I know he's your brother, Daryl, but I can't live like this anymore. He's been livin' with us for a month and not a damn thing has changed. He's right back to doin' what he got thrown in prison for in the first place." Daryl just stared at her, so she continued. "This house – our house – is a wreck. I said yes to marryin' you, Daryl. Not you and your damn brother."

Anger flashed through Daryl's eyes, and he narrowed them as he spoke.

"He's my only family, Allie. Where the hell else is he 'posed to go?"

"What about me, Daryl?"

"What about you?"

"I thought I was your family."

"You… God, Allie, you are, but so's he!" Alison scoffed and pushed herself off the counter, walking past Daryl into the bedroom. He followed close behind her and continued. "I can't let him go back to prison!"

"Why the hell not? He's safer there than he is here. At least they'll keep him out of the bars and off of drugs!"

"You don't get it, Allie."

"I guess I don't, Daryl. I guess I don't." Alison sighed and walked over to the closet, pulling out a duffle bag. She carried it over to the dresser, opened a drawer, and started putting clothes into the bag.

"What are you doin', Al?" Daryl asked, watching her. She didn't answer. She just finished her task, walking past him into the small bathroom to start putting toiletries into the bag as well. "Damn it, Allie, talk to me."

"I was talkin'. You weren't listenin'." Alison closed the medicine cabinet and walked into the living room towards the hook where her keys and purse were.

"Alison." Daryl sounded so sad, so… defeated, when he said her name. "Please don't leave me." Alison sighed and turned around, blinking back tears.

"I'm not leavin' you, Daryl. I don't think I ever could leave you."

"Then where… where are you goin'?"

"To my parents'. Just for a couple of days. I need some space… some time to think."

"All the way to Atlanta? By yourself?"

"By myself? Please, I grew up there. I think I can handle the city for a few days, Daryl. I'll…call you when I get there."

"What's there to think about?"

"Everything." Alison sighed again and lifted the bag over her shoulder. "And I hope you do some thinkin' of your own while I'm gone." She turned and started for the door. Daryl's hand on her shoulder stopped her in her tracks, and she turned around again.

"Please don't go," Daryl whispered. He took a step toward her, close enough that they were almost touching. "Please."

"It's only for a few days, Daryl," she whispered back. A lone, traitorous tear tracked its way down her cheek. Daryl reached up and softly wiped it away. "I'll come back."

"What if you don't?"

Alison smiled, sadly, and leaned up to kiss Daryl softly on the lips. She lingered there for a moment before pulling away, keeping her eyes closed as she did.

"I'll always come back to you," she whispered.

And then she was gone.