"Hershel!" Rick called when he got close enough to the porch. Aava and Maggie came rushing out of the house and stopped dead at the scene before them; Daryl Dixon was propped up between himself and Shane looking very much lifeless.
"He's out in the fields, I'll get him," Maggie answered before rushing off.
"Bring him in," Aava called while holding open the door to them. Rick made his way to the bedroom that Carl had rested in.
"What happened?" Aava asked as Daryl was lowered onto the bed.
"Andrea thought he was a walker and shot him but it's just a graze. I think he was injured out there though." Rick answered as Aava inspected Daryl's head wound.
"Lucky bastard," Aava muttered confirming that the head injury was not their biggest concern. Aava quickly looked Daryl over and spotted crimson seeping from his side. Reaching for his shirt Aava found that Daryl had injured his side and was losing blood rapidly.
"Pass me the bag and get water and a rag," Aava gestured with her head while applying as much pressure to the cut as possible. Rick placed Hershel's doctor's bag beside her as Shane left the room.
"I thought you were a bail bondsperson?" Rick questioned.
"I was but they stressed First Aid training since there would be no back up if things went wrong," Aava answered as Shane re-entered the room. Cleaning the area as best she could it soon became apparent to Aava that wound would need to be stitched.
"Can you disinfect a needle and thread please?" Aava asked as she continued to hold Daryl's injury. Aava had never sewed up anybody before and hoped her dad would arrive before she had to. Rick rummaged through Hershel's medical bag before he found what he was looking for and as he was threading the needle Hershel burst through the door.
"He needs stitches, it's probably best if you do them and I'll hold 'im," It took Hershel a second to realise that Aava was talking to him, after fourteen years those weren't the words he expected to hear, before taking the needle from Rick and kneeling next to Daryl. Silence took over the room as Hershel gently stitched Daryl's skin but Hershel couldn't help but glance at his eldest. The ease in which she took control of the situation and expertly held the damaged skin led him to wonder how she knew these things. The realisation that his daughter was a stranger struck him for a moment as he gingerly finished the last stitch.
"We'll need to bind his side," Hershel muttered but Aava was already cutting away at his shirt.
"It's probably best if you three hold him up so I can wrap the bandage around him," Aava said while removing the gauze from the bag. Hershel, Rick and Shane carefully lifted Daryl from the bed and the hunter didn't even stir. Aava was beginning to worry over his unresponsiveness but had to focus on bandaging him up. The men had cautiously pulled Daryl into a sitting position with Shane and Rick each holding a shoulder to keep him there. In this position Daryl's back was exposed and she could see the skin was littered with old scars. The sight shocked her but she quickly got around to wrapping the material around his middle. However the image of the scars were on her mind, to her they looked too thin to be inflicted by a knife and what came to mind was the disturbing thought that Daryl had been whipped. When she tied the gauze securely she gestured for Rick and Shane to gently lower him down on his back.
"You guys can go now I can take care of his head wound," she told them not waiting for answer as she made her way to the top of the bed. Reaching for the damp cloth she began to clean Daryl's head wound while the men left. However Hershel lingered in the door way and Aava's head immediately snapped up to meet his. The minute he meet her gaze what he been going to say left his mind and he quickly turned from the room. Aava returned her attention to Daryl wondering after so many years how the rejection from her father could possibly still hurt.
Daryl's whole body was aching. He struggled to open his eyes and when he did his vision was hazy. His first sight was of a woman he didn't know. Gold surrounded her and he briefly wondered if he had died and she was angel. The thought was quickly dismissed as the pain he was in very much reminded him that he was alive. He continued to blink his eyes and his vision became more clear. The gold he thought the woman was shrouded turned out to be the bright sunlight and he soon realised he did know this woman. Aava looked different, he thought, she must have washed up. The brown hair that had been in tangles when they first met was clean and framed her face in big curls, her skin seemed fresh and he couldn't help but think that he couldn't be blamed for mistaking her as an angel. The thought quickly left his mind when a sharp pain hit his head. Aava immediately dropped her hands at his hiss of pain and a small smile graced her features that he had woken up.
"So you work best alone huh?" Aava teased when his eyes focused on her.
"Shuddup," Daryl grunted trying to sit up and pulling the sheets up as high as they could go.
"Let me finish your head first," Aava said firmly pushing him back down.
Rick entered the room just as Aava was finishing tending to Daryl's head.
"Glad to see your awake," Rick said sincerely "Do you think you could tell on the map where you found the doll?"
Daryl waved Rick over and began to scan the map before pointing at a grid not too far from the farm.
"This cuts the search area practically in half ," Rick exclaimed.
"You're welcome," Daryl mumbled.
"So what happened?" Aava asked while cleaning her hands of Daryl's blood.
"Damn horse threw me and I ended up at the bottom of a ravine on my own bolt," Daryl angrily informed them and laid his hand on his injured side "Had to pull the bolt as a walker came at me and climbing back up the ravine didn't help it none either."
"Well you have stitches which you are going to have to be careful with and your head injury will be sore but it didn't cause any serious damage. Unfortunately we only have mild painkillers."
"I didn't know you were a doc'," Daryl responded to her.
"I aint," Aava said not offering any further information.
"We should let you rest," Rick said heading towards the door.
"You need anything?" Aava asked looking back at him from the door. Daryl shook his head and pulled the sheets in closer to his body than before. The defensive action did not go unnoticed but she said nothing as she quietly pulled the door shut.
When Claire heard the gunshot she had ran out of the house to see what happened. Seeing Daryl hanging limply between Shane and Rick made her heart drop. Her mom had ushered them inside and soon Hershel joined them. Everyone seemed as anxious as she was and it wasn't until Hershel came out and announced that he would be fine did the camp start to move again.
Claire somehow found herself roped into making dinner with Carol and Lori. The news that Daryl had found Sophia's doll had spread around the camp and the information seemed to energise the campers.
"Won't be soon now sweetie," Lori kindly reassured Carol.
"I hope so," Carol said with a small smile on her face "Claire you've never cut vegetables before have you?
"Not before the world ended," Claire replied brightly "But by your question I take it I have murder the carrot?"
"Well it's certainly chopped," Carol laughed taking in the sight of the mangled vegetable. Laughing felt strange to Carol, she hadn't done much of it since Sophia went missing, but Claire's presence was hard to be sad in. The teenager's spirit was infectious, though Carol often felt guilty for feeling happy with Sophia still missing, the hope the girl brought was something Carol greatly needed.
When dinner was being plated up Claire volunteered to take Daryl's food to him. Before anybody could question it she had snatched the plate and made her way to the house.
"Knock, knock," Claire said brightly before entering Daryl's room. The man looked surprised to see her but quickly returned to his stoic expression.
"I brought your dinner."
"Thanks," Daryl grumbled taking the plate from her but Claire made no attempt to leave.
"What?" Daryl asked.
"I'm just really happy you're ok." Daryl couldn't help but snort.
"You don't know me, what difference does it make to you?"
"Doesn't mean I'd be ok if something happened to you," Claire told him steadfastly. "Plus if something happened to you who would teach me how to use your crossbow?"
Before Daryl could reply Aava entered the room.
"Why don't you go get something to eat Claire? I'll join you in a sec I just have to check Daryl's stitches first." Claire nodded at her mother's words and threw a quick smile at Daryl before leaving the room.
Aava walked towards Daryl and saw that he was clutching the blankets tightly against him. Only when she sat on the edge of the bed did let them go and give her access to the wound. Treating Daryl's injury when he was unconscious was a completely different experience to when he was awake. Now he kept his eyes on her at all times and his gaze was intense. The silence in the room was heavy and the sound of their breathing only served to heighten the tension.
"Stitches look good, no sign of infection." Aava told him as she finished her inspection "Are you in pain?"
"No,"
Aava smiled at the lie but didn't call him out on it. Daryl pulled the blankets back to his chest while Aava stood up. The air around them seemed to crackle as they regarded each other. The moment was broken by Aava turning and walking to the door. However she stopped and looked back at him once more.
"I hope you feel better soon Daryl," she told him gently before whispering a good night.
"Night," Daryl said back but she had already closed the door.
A/N: New chapter! Please let me know what you think. Aava and Hershel actually in the same room together, like it/hate it. What would you like to see happen? Thank you to Ferdy63, Mrskaz453, Sevvus and Mikace for reviewing. You guys really helped me to get this chapter up. Thank you for reading and please leave a review.
