AN: so this is slightly AU~ following Dale's death. Season 2~ I've never written season 2~ before but I wanted to try, I hope it's not too ooc. I'm not sure if this is a one shot or not~ I could probably continue it if you guys wanted. Let me know what you think:)
I do not own or profit from The Walking Dead
Moonlight
I'm sorry brother
Brother, what a fucking joke ! Daryl thought as he kicked at the dirt, flinging a spray of pebbles sparking into his campfire. He sure as hell weren't no shinning display of brotherhood. He wasn't even sure why he was staying with these people anymore, he should just take off on his own, they were just dragging him down. There was nothing to stay here for anymore .
Feeling a sudden surge of restless energy he grabbed his bag and started throwing things in halfhazardly, packing up his camp.
"Are you running away?"
Daryl spun around to see Carol at the edge of his camp. Fuck, he hadn't even heard her approach. These people were making him soft, lose his edge.
"What's it too you?" He replied surly.
She cocked her head to the side biting her lip and had a hesitant look on her face before answering softly
"Everything"
Fuck, why did she say things like that to him! It twisted his insides up something awful. When she was looking at him like that, he felt like she could see inside him, see everything he was inside, she wouldn't find much good in him like she seemed to think. He was better on his own, at least he wouldn't have to feel this churning in his gut and guilt every time he looked into those eyes of hers.
"You won't be better off on your own"
Fuck, she reads minds now too? Great he turned his back to her hands stuck firmly in his armpits and responded
"Yeah, why's that? I can handle myself better than all of you"
He heard her make her way around the camp to walk around in front of him face to face, only a few feet away. Fuck don't look at me with those eyes.
She smiled at him looking him in the eyes "I have no doubt that you could survive on your own. You'll probably outlive us all, but being out there on your own? That's not living...I thought about it too, leaving, after the barn." Her voice broke softly "I'm not delusional enough to think I would survive on my own, I thought though I could just walk out into the woods, let the pain just end, run away from it" she paused "But that's not what she would want. I wasn't the best mother in the world, I should have been better, I should have left Ed a long time ago, but this I can do, live not just survive. For her"
He sighed why did she have to look at him like that, tell him these things, he didn't want to feel anything for her, the guilt alone was killing him.
"You couldn't go to her funeral, you can't say her name, that's living? Staying here with these people, strangers, a month ago, that's living?"He said
"Right now, it hurts to breath, let alone say her name, think about her, talk about her, I'm letting a little in at a time. But I feel it, I'm alive" she wiped her eyes and he feel his stomach churn yet again, and she continued "We all used to be strangers, but were not anymore. We need each other. I'm not ashamed to say I need help to survive, I'm a burden, but I'm going to change, I want to do my part of the heavy lifting"
He didn't get it, why was she here, opening herself up to him, trying to get him to stay. Why did she care so much? No one did but Merle.
"What you did tonight? For Dale? That was amazing. I wish was as strong as you are, I'm not there yet, but I want to be. You're a good person Daryl, and I would care if you left. I was wrong when I told you to you that could take your friendship back. It's mine, I'm not giving it back Daryl"
His chest heaved as he held back emotion. He didn't like that she made him feel things, she made him want to be more like the person she saw in him, she made made him want things he couldn't have. Fuck...those eyes. They did things to him, drew him in, made him feel like everything she said was the truth,...dammit made him care about her. He sighed, if he left now, who would look out for her?
"If you leave now, I'll be alone in a group of people." She said
Good Lord how was she doing that! It's like she could read him like a book, see into his mind. Like she understood him. Her eyes were so sad they made his chest ache, he wanted to reach out and...hug her?
He nodded at her "I'll stay"
"You won't regret it, even if you have to put up with Shane" she said with a wink. Her beaming smile lit up her face, he was a little stunned, she was ...beautiful. Not in the skanky way he was used to, but when she smiled like that it made her face seem like it was practically glowing in the moonlight. Glowing in the moonlight? What the fu...
"The moonlight's so pretty tonight" she said softly snapping him out of his thoughts, he eyed her suspiciously. She looked back in confusion "You said the moonlight?" her lips twitched in amusement. Suddenly he felt himself focus on those lips, how they would feel. They looked so soft. She bit her bottom lip like she was holding back a grin. He realized with a start he wanted to kiss her. What the hell was he supposed to do with that?
"Well I should go back, See you in the morning? She said with a bright smile.
He nodded as she turned to go. Placing one hand against the tree, he leaning against it watching as she made her way back safely to the groups camp, before bedding down in his tent. He sighed, he was so screwed, he couldn't leave now even if he wanted to.
