OK Guys...a little bit of time jumping here. Hope you can follow.
Will Dixon had been a horrible man. He had performed unspeakable violent acts on both of his sons, but especially the much younger Daryl. Admittedly he was an alcoholic who blamed all of his failures in life on others, especially his wife and boys. After one particularly brutal beating, his wife Nora left fearing for her life. She tried to take the boys with her, but Will threatened to kill them if she tried. She put up a fight, but he was stronger, and meaner, and she left without her most precious assets, knowing he was serious about what he told her.
After she left, he spiraled out of control and he took all of his anger and frustrations out on the smaller son, Daryl. There were a couple of times that he was sure he had killed the boy, but Daryl proved to be a survivor. Merle was completely alienated and stayed gone from the house most of the time, making the young Daryl an easy target. He barely fed the boy, and actually treated the pet dog better.
One morning after he found an unconscious Daryl lying on the kitchen floor a strange reality had come over him. He was a monster and he could no longer live this life. So he took what few belongings he had and left, abandoning Daryl and Merle. Daryl was barely fourteen years old and was being left to fend for his self, but Will figured it was better that way. He had done too much damage and had proven over and over again that he couldn't be trusted around the boy.
He got in his truck and he drove until he found himself in Chattanooga Tennessee parked in front of a small church. He had taken a few drinks, but he wasn't drunk and he made his way inside of the church service. Will slipped in and flopped down on the back row. Ironically the racist man found himself in a full Gospel Pentecostal church with a mixed race congregation. He chuckled to himself about the irony of it all. As the choir sang and an altar call was made he was the first person up at the front of the church, and before he knew it he was on his knees begging God for forgiveness. The tears were flowing and all the remorse of what he had done to his family came pouring out of him in a true confession to God and everyone. As he prayed he felt a pair of strong arms wrap around him and sweet voice praying with him. After he had offered up his apologies to the Lord above, he opened his eyes to find himself face to face with the most beautiful ebony angel he had ever seen. After that moment Will Dixon was a different man. This was how he met his Jacqui, and his life changed forever. Alcohol never touched his lips again, but he still had not found the courage or the strength to face his sons again. God may have forgiven him, but he wasn't sure that his sons ever would.
He and Jacqui were wed six months later, and he quickly embraced her family. She had a tough as nails daughter named Michonne who was a lawyer in Atlanta and Will had grown close with her. Both Jacqui and Michonne knew Will's complete story, including the part about him abandoning his sons, but they never once experienced the monster that Will could become when he drank. As far as they were all concerned, the old Will Dixon was dead. Jacqui had tried encouraging Will to make an effort to reconnect with his sons, but he was just too afraid of hurting his boys again. He felt they were better off without him.
That was until the previous week when Merle's escape from the Fannin county jail made the Regional news. After he found out that Daryl was fighting for his life, Will could no longer avoid checking on his sons, so he and Jacqui made the trip to Blue Ridge. He wasn't sure what he would find, or if he would be allowed to visit, but he had to try.
When he and Jacqui arrived at the hospital they signed the visitor's register and made their way to Daryl's room. He was surprised to find a pretty young woman keeping vigil at his son's bedside. Daryl was asleep, but Will could see what a strapping man he had grown into. The evidence of Merle's beating was clearly displayed on Daryl's bruised body, but Will noted how much Daryl resembled a younger version of him self.
Will made the decision not to divulge who he was to the young woman with his son, and opted for him and Jacqui too simply pray for Daryl and leave. There wasn't any reason to upset Daryl or have an awkward conversation while his youngest boy was fighting for his life. All of the past transgressions that Will had inflicted upon Daryl came rushing back to him, and he fought to keep his emotions in check, but he prayed with all of his might that God would let Daryl survive, heal, and find peace. It had seemed that even though Will had removed him self from Daryl's life to protect his younger son from further pain, that Merle had picked up the torch and was now the one inflicting the pain on Daryl. It saddened Will to realize that the people Daryl should have been able to trust the most in his life were the ones that had hurt him the most. If only he hadn't scared Nora away…maybe Daryl would have been able to know the mother that had loved him so dearly that she once offered to trade her own life to prevent Will from abusing her littlest boy.
After they left the hospital, Will continued to pray for his son's, both of them. He prayed that Merle would change his ways and that Daryl would find happiness. He once again prayed for forgiveness for his past harm that he put his son's through, and he prayed that by some miracle, maybe Nora could re-connect with her sons. He robbed the boys of that relationship, and now regretted what he had done. He would call her himself if he knew how to find her, but he didn't even know if she was still alive. It had been over thirty years since he had heard or seen her.
Surprisingly, Daryl had called a few days later and delivered the earth shattering news that Merle had passed away. The information gutted Will especially knowing that Merle died with his life being in total chaos. The conversation was awkward with Daryl, but he was happy that his youngest son made an attempt to contact him. There was a second call from Daryl's female friend letting Will know when Merle's memorial service would be, and now Will and Jacqui found themselves making plans to travel Blue Ridge to attend the service. Will was holding onto the hope that him and Daryl could talk, and maybe he could offer Daryl an apology and some sense of peace.
…
Daryl was devastated by the death of Merle. He tried hard to keep his heart break in check, but when Carol came in and took his vitals, his blood pressure was through the roof. They were so concerned about his mental state that Dr. S opted to sedate Daryl so that he could rest. Davia was overtly concerned about Daryl and him focusing on healing from his injuries to the point that she was the one that suggested that the Doctor might want to sedate him.
Daryl slept the most part of the day after Merle's passing. Davia was supposed to perform that night at Dale's place, but opted to skip the performance. Right now Daryl needed her more than she needed her paycheck and she didn't want to let him down.
When he awoke later in the day he and Davia discussed having a memorial service for Merle. "Look, he was an asshole, but he was my brother and he should have at least something to honor the good things he did in his life. There weren't many, but there were some. I don't want him being remembered as the escapee who tried to kill his brother." Daryl insisted.
"OK sweetie, I understand. I will help you make the arrangements and if you would like I can sing at his memorial." She told him.
"I'd like that Davia. I know you will do him justice." Daryl answered.
The doctor came in and said that they were looking to release Daryl on Saturday (It was now Thursday) as long as he continued to show improvement and did as he was told. He agreed, as he was eager to get out of the hospital and back home…well at least home to Davia's. Thinking about the house frustrated him knowing he wasn't going to be able to do much as far as working on it went, for at least a month.
Beth and Zach stopped by and Beth brought Davia a dinner that she had prepared as well as yet another change of clothes. Beth had even taken Davia's dirty clothes and washed them and dropped them off at her apartment.
After giving Davia her things, Beth went over and gave Daryl a gentle hug and a sweet kiss on the cheek "I'm so sorry Daryl. I know how hard it is to lose someone close. I lost my momma last year and I still miss her terribly. Zach and I are here for you and Davia and if you need anything, just ask."
He thanked her and gave her tiny hand a squeeze "Thanks…don't know how to thank you and Zach for looking after Davia." He said gruffly.
"I do, when you get better we need to go out on a double date somewhere. Maybe we could all go camping or something. I know Zach would like to go to the woods and get away from Blue Ridge for a weekend." She told him.
Zach piped in "Hell yeah. I'd love to bag a deer and eat some good ole deer steaks."
Beth scrunched up her nose "Your gonna kill a sweet little deer?"
Daryl laughed, he was curious to see how Zach was going to respond to her "Hey, trust me, after I kill it and cook it you will be begging me to kill another."
"Hmph…. Doubt it." Beth said.
By now both Daryl and Davia were laughing at the younger couple. If felt good to actually have a bit of fun for once. It had been a grueling week and Davia was glad to see that Daryl hadn't drawn completely inward.
Zach and Beth stayed until almost nine that night and Daryl had enjoyed talking with Zach. It appeared the two of them had a lot in common and Zach even offered to help Daryl with the house. Zach had grown up working for his father's construction business and was quite skilled when it came to home construction. He explained to Daryl that even though Daryl himself wouldn't be able to do anything physically for at least a month, that he would be more than willing to take over some of the projects Daryl had planned on doing himself. It was truly a kind gesture and Daryl, though apprehensively, accepted the offer.
After they left Daryl turned to Davia "I really like them two."
"I do too Daryl. Beth has always been a sweetheart, and her family was one of the few in this town that treated me kindly. She can sing really well too. I'm actually surprised she hasn't performed at Dale's before." Davia informed Daryl.
"Why don't you ask her too, half them girls up there can't carry a tune in a bucket. The only time Dale sells out the place is when you sing." He told her. Davia's voice was not like any he had heard live before, and the power and emotion she emitted touched your soul when she sang.
"You know, that's a good idea. Heck, I might even ask her to sing with me one night." She replied.
"I'd love to hear that. Bet it will sound good. Just hope you wait and do it when I'm back on my feet again." He told her.
"Of course. Um…Daryl."
"Yeah babe" He responded without thinking.
"Yesterday…Merle mentioned something about your mother, but you haven't said anything about it yet. Do you think what he said was true?"
"Probably. Sounds like something he would do. I have tried really hard not to think about it, but I guess I need to. I will go back to the house and clean out his stuff and see what it there." Daryl told her.
"I can do that while you are recovering." She offered.
"Naw, we will do it together if ya want. I don't really know how to feel. I hardly even remember what she looked like. My old man told me she abandoned us and didn't want us anymore. I had been told so many times that I was a piece of shit I believed that was the reason why she left. If she really was trying to get us, then that changes how I feel about her. I reckon I will try to find her like Merle wanted me too, but I don't know what will happen after that."
"And your Dad?" She asked.
"We'll see. He mentioned he wanted to talk and asked about me letting him know about Merle's service." Daryl told her.
"Well after I make the arrangements tomorrow I will call him myself. That way you can decide if you want to talk to him, maybe after the service."
Daryl let out a sigh. Losing Merle was hard, but he wasn't sure what to feel regarding his father. Had his dad truly changed? The monster that he lived with for fourteen years certainly would have never taken the time to drive from Chattanooga just to pray for him. And Pray? Will Dixon was the biggest 'sinner' Daryl had ever known. He did remember that Hershel was a lot like Will at one point, and look how he had changed. However, if Daryl was ever going to be able to forgive his father, he was going to have to re-live all the pain and abuse in his past. There was a lot of deep-rooted mental pain that Daryl had buried years ago, but those events of his child hood had never completely left him. He carried the scars with him everyday as reminders.
…
The next morning Daryl woke before Davia and he observed her sleeping. She looked tired and he was certain that the interruption to her routine was taking a toll on her physically. He had never had anyone so loyal to him and he appreciated all she had done, but he was concerned for her well being. Davia obviously had some OCD tendencies, and he felt that her being away from her comfort zone had to have an effect on her mentally. He decided he would have a talk with her when she woke up this morning. The last thing he wanted was for her to hold some type of resentment towards him because she had been absent from her comfort zone for such a long period of time.
As she began to stir he smiled. She was beautiful, and watching her stretch and become alert to her surroundings reminded him of a cat after it woke up from a nap. "Morning Daryl" she said sweetly.
"Morning darling. How did ya sleep?" He asked.
"As good as can be expected. I've got a lot to do today. I need to make Merle's arrangements and then I have to perform tonight at Dale's. That means I won't be back here until late. I will take a cab to the hospital since it is a little far to walk that late at night." She told him.
"Wanted to talk to you about that. I want you to go home and sleep in our…your bed tonight. You need the rest. I should be getting out of here tomorrow and I figure you could use the rest. Bet it will feel good to be back in your own surroundings." He told her.
"No Daryl, I don't want to leave you alone. Really, I'm OK with coming back here." She said, almost pleading.
"Look Davia, don't get me wrong, you still are beautiful, but you look worn out. We both know that chair ain't comfortable and I get to sleep in this bed while you sleep all bent up in a recliner. Please do this for me. I'm calling Beth today and going to ask her to pick you up so you don't have to walk home alone in the dark. Please do this for me darling." He said.
"But…"
"Please Davia…for me?" He replied.
She was defeated. He was practically begging her. "You're not mad or tired of me are you Daryl?" She asked seriously.
"Hell no, I just want what is best for you, and you need some good rest. I'm checking out tomorrow and you will probably be so sick of me in a week you are gonna wish I was back here." He told her.
"Never. I'm gonna take good care of you while you recuperate Daryl. I promise that to you here and now. This is somewhat my fault, if Merle hadn't been so jealous none of this would have happened." She told him.
"That's bullshit Davia. Merle wasn't in his right mind, and it wouldn't have mattered if it was you or someone else, he wanted control over me, and he would have reacted the same way if I had hooked up with Glenn or Zach. Merle didn't like to share, and now that he's gone I realize how much of my life he controlled. I think I missed out on a lot, obviously having a relationship with my mother was one of those things. I've got a lot of time to make up for, and now I have you with me to make it that much better." He said optimistically.
"I still can't believe you want me around…no one ever has before." She confessed. It was true. There was still a part of Davia that was waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under her. She struggled to accept the fact that Daryl truly cared for her, he acted like he did, and he said he did, even admitting it to his brother before he passed, but Davia had always had those close to her ripped away. Was Daryl insisting she not stay with him tonight his way of letting her down easy?
"Look, you know if I wasn't laid up here that I would be there with you tonight, front and center. So I tell you what, how bout I talk to Zach and Beth and have them stream your performance to me on my phone? Then when you get home tonight you call me and sing me something sweet so I can sleep? I promise you Davia, I don't want you apart from me, but I'm worried about you collapsing from exhaustion. You've done more for me this week than anyone I know, and it means the world to me." He told her, easing some of her fears.
"Are you sure?" She asked one final time.
"Never been more sure of anything before Davia. You heard what I told Merle…it's true. Ain't never felt this way about anyone. I know we ain't been together for very long, but when you know you know. I was always the first one to doubt people could feel this way, but I finally know what it is like to have your heart feel alive…and you are what makes it feel that way. Look, I almost died and all I could think about was not being able to see you again, and that kept me holding on…because I don't want to be without you. Davia I'm thirty-six years old and I finally know what…well you know…what 'it' feels like."
Davia didn't know how to react. Daryl's admission was so heart felt that she didn't think anything she could say at the moment could match what he just told her. Davia felt the same way as he did, but she sucked at verbalizing her emotions. The night they sat on her balcony and she told him about her past had been the most she had ever shared with anyone else, and it had been difficult for her, but he accepted her, flaws and all. Without thinking Davia went to Daryl and placed a kiss on Daryl's lips. She gently caressed his bruised face "Daryl, I don't know what I'm doing, I've told you that…but I feel the same about you. I don't ever want another moment of my life to go by without you in it. You give me joy."
As gently as he could, be pulled her back into a second kiss, this one more passionate than the first, but just as sweet. "This between us, it's for real. Don't ever doubt it." He said as he laid his head back on the pillow, letting out a breathy sigh.
Davia took a quick shower and then headed across the street to the Doctor. She had mentioned earlier that she was going to visit the gynecologist to have herself put on birth control. The appointment went well and the doctor had prescribed Davia birth control pills, reminding her that she needed to take them for a full month before they would be effective. One month, the timing actually was convenient since Daryl wouldn't be in any condition for lovemaking for at least that amount of time. Davia was pleased with her decision to give herself to Daryl completely, though she was nervous. She knew Daryl had a lot more experience than she did, in fact she would say she had no experience at all. Like Daryl had told her, the one time in High School when she was drugged didn't count as experience. At least now she had a month to figure out what the hell to do, and she now felt she had someone she could talk to about it…Beth. Beth was twenty-two years old and had been with Zach for a while. Davia wasn't sure what the physical aspect of their relationship was, but she suspected that Beth had much more experience than she did.
Davia returned to Daryl's hospital room to find him asleep. Lord knows he needed the rest. Carol dropped in to check on Daryl to take his vitals. "Guess you're gonna be glad to get him home." She said to Davia.
"I am sure he will be more comfortable. I just want to take the best care of him possible." Davia told her.
"We will be sure to get you a list of instructions for you to follow. Abdominal wounds can be tricky, but if he follows the proper protocol he will be fine. If you would like, I could drop by and check on him before my shifts next week." She offered.
"Really, you would do that?" Davia asked, puzzled as to why Carol would take time out of her busy schedule to check on Daryl in particular.
"It wouldn't be a bother. I guess my heart goes out to Daryl for what he has had to endure. I've known Daryl for a long time. We went to school together up until the time he dropped out. I always felt bad for his situation, but he was always nice to me and I appreciated that. He wasn't nice to a lot of people, sort of a loner type, and I can't blame him. He didn't want other people's pity, and because of that he kept to himself. Anyhow…I'm willing if that is OK with you." She said.
"Yeah, sounds good I will give you my address when we check out tomorrow." Davia said, grateful for Carol's offer. Whatever it took to get Daryl healthy again, Davia would accept. Davia had been pretty much a recluse for so long that now having people in her life felt refreshing.
…
Beth and Zach showed up around four in the afternoon to take Davia home so she could get ready to perform. They agreed to stay through the show so that Davia could be delivered home safely. Zach showed Daryl how to stream the performance of Davia's set on Facetime and Davia told Daryl she would be performing at Nine that night.
They had a nice long drawn out kiss and Davia assured him she would be by in the morning to help him make it home.
Home…their home.
…
The first stop was the funeral home where they had Merle's body. Davia made all the necessary plans including picking out a casket and explaining what type of service that would be most appropriate. She didn't know if Daryl had the funds to pay for the funeral, so she flipped out her credit card and paid for everything herself. One advantage to being a recluse is you don't spend that much money and Davia had a large sum saved up. More than enough to cover Merle's final expenses until Daryl was able to pay her back. She had decided a long time ago that she would save every penny she could, because there were no promises that her voice would hold up forever, and if that happened she would need cash to hold her over until she could find another career. She also had her eye on a cute BMW that she wanted if she ever got her driver's license. However, since she met Daryl she was re-thinking the BMW idea, and maybe something a little more fun that they could take up to the mountains one weekend. Of course, she had to learn how to drive first.
On the way to her house Davia chatted with Beth about her possibly performing at Dale's on a regular basis.
"Do you really think he would let me do that? I've never been paid for performing before and I'm not sure I'm good enough Davia. I can't compare to your talent." She said.
"Nonsense Beth, you are a fantastic talent and Dale would love for you to perform. Of course, you would need to audition before he agrees, but once he hears you sing I think it would be a no brainer for him." Davia assure her.
"I would be interested, what would you think Zach?" Beth asked.
"I think between you and Davia you two would sell the place out each night. Bethy you have more than enough talent to keep everyone happy. I say go for it." He told her patting her on the knee.
"OK…If you think so Davia." Beth told her.
Zach and Beth dropped off Davia to let her get ready for her show and agreed to be back around eight. Fortunately the Greene Farm was only a couple of miles away, and Davia's place was not out of the way for them. They had even agreed to take her in the morning and help her get Daryl back to the apartment. Davia was a bit concerned since she had a second floor apartment and Daryl was going to have to climb the stairs. Zach assured her that he would help anyway possible. These two were almost too good to be true.
…
Davia spent the remaining couple of hours practicing her set and getting dressed. Tonight she would have a band backing her up, which meant she could perform some edgier songs than she could when she was performing solo. She had picked out a Florence and the Machine tune to perform, along with a few Christine Aguilera songs, a Led Zepplin song, and one final song for Daryl. She was going to do that one solo. She hoped that her music would cheer him up.
When Beth and Zach arrived to pick her up Zach gave her a hug. "Ms. Davia you look hot."
"Um Thanks Zach. You don't think it's too much?" She asked.
Beth responded "Definitely not…if anything looking like you do will give Daryl incentive to heal up quickly." Beth joked.
Davia had a legendary shoe collection. She had on black lace up boots that had a sky-high heel on them, with jet-black jeans tucked into her boots. She also had on a fitted corset (which took her fifteen minutes to lace up and get on her curves) with a black leather jacket. The outfit was totally outside of what Davia would normally wear, she had purchased it on a whim, but after what Daryl told her earlier, she suddenly felt like she wanted to be sexy for once, and hoped that Daryl would like what he saw. She had her hair somewhat teased and her make-up was dark and vampy. Davia looked like a rock star tonight and hoped people would accept the look, especially since it was on the other end of the spectrum of her normally conservative look.
When they arrived at the bar, Davia was overwhelmed with all the attention she received. People she didn't even know were coming up to her and asking about Daryl and his recovery. She fielded questions such as "did his brother really chop off his own leg?" and "I heard he held a police officer hostage" it was apparent that what happened had been stretched in the story telling over the week. Dale had to usher Davia backstage just so she could catch her breath.
"Davia honey, you look beautiful tonight. Are you up to this?" He asked sincerely.
"Definitely Dale. Thanks for hiring the band." She said to him.
"No, thank you Davia. You are good for business. Did you notice how packed the place was?"
She nodded. "Um Dale, are you looking for any more singers? I think I might have someone in mind who could pack in the crowd." She told him.
"Really, and who would that be?" Dale asked, intrigued by her information.
"Beth Greene. She's actually here with me tonight. I really think you should let her audition." Davia said.
"Is she even over twenty-one Davia? That's Hershel Greene's youngest daughter isn't it?"
"It is Dale. She is really talented and I would be willing to let her split a set with me if you have concerns. Then there isn't a risk on your part. I truly believe in her abilities." Davia said.
"I tell you what, have her come in Monday at noon and I will let her audition. If she is as good as you say she is, I will put her on Thursday and Saturday. We'll see what kind of crowd she draws and if then we can go from there." Dale told her.
"Thanks Dale…I appreciate this. You won't be sorry." She said giving him a hug.
"Now go out there and knock 'em over kiddo." He told her.
Before she started her set Zach met her backstage and the two of them hooked up with Daryl via Facetime on his phone. "You ready sweetheart?" Daryl asked her.
She could see how tired he was. "I am Daryl. You look so tired, did you get enough rest this afternoon?"
"Yeah, Carol has been in here chatting. She has been keeping me company while you are away. It's actually been nice to catch up with her. It's been years since we have talked." He told her.
"Really, she's been with you while I'm gone. That's good." She said. For some reason Carol taking her place bothered her, but she knew she was just being paranoid.
"Well I've got to go Daryl…I hope this works so you can see my performance." She told him.
"It will, I wouldn't miss a thing." He assured her.
She started out her set with a powerful and haunting rendition of Florence and the Machine's "What the Water Gave me" followed up by another one of the groups songs "No Light No Light." Davia's vocals were perfect for the dark and forceful music. She then followed it up with Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful" and a duet with one of the male members of the band to the song "Say Something". She performed a few more tunes such as Led Zeppelin's "Thank you" before the band left the stage and she sat down at the piano.
"Daryl…this is for you." She said simply. The crowd erupted into applause as most of them knew what Daryl had been through and knew he was still recovering from his injuries. Daryl Dixon had always lived in his brother's shadow, but the events of the past week had firmly separated Daryl from Merle and Daryl wasn't ever going to be hidden by his brother's antics again.
There's a light
A certain kind of light
That never shone on me
I want my life to be lived with you
Lived with you
There's a way everybody say
To do each and every little thing
But what does it bring
If I ain't got you, ain't got?
You don't know what it's like, baby
You don't know what it's like
To love somebody
To love somebody
The way I love you
In my brain
I see your face again
I know my frame of mind
You ain't got to be so blind
And I'm blind, so very blind
I'm a woman, can't you see
What I am
I live and I breathe for you
But what good does it do
If I ain't got you, ain't got?
You don't know what it's like, baby
You don't know what it's like
To love somebody
To love somebody
The way I love you
You don't know what it's like, baby
You don't know what it's like
To love somebody
To love somebody
The way I love you
You don't know what it's like, baby
You don't know what it's like (you don't know what it's like)
To love somebody
It was the Bee Gee's hit from the sixties, "To Love Somebody". The lyrics were fitting and Davia felt every bit of each lyric for Daryl. She hoped he picked up on what she was trying to say in song.
…
Daryl leaned back in his hospital bed and was thankful Zach had made it so he could watch and hear Davia sing. He had been so happy to hear from her after their short separation that he hadn't even taken the time to see how she was dressed. Holy Shit did she look stunning. Davia was normally very conservative in how she presented herself, and Daryl appreciated that. He knew she had a lot of insecurities about her appearance, but this Davia…she looked like a Vixen who was ready to take charge.
Daryl loved all of Davia's imperfections. No, she wasn't a size two, she had curves and meat on her bones, but she was still a very pretty girl. He knew being a performer meant she had to endure a lot of criticism because society had certain standards they were used to for women entertainers, But Damnit, Davia had talent and if people couldn't get past that, then fuck em all. He was in love with her, every bit of her including her imperfections. Those imperfections were one of things that appealed to him the most. He would describe her as perfectly imperfect. He knew he wasn't an easy person to be around, and his past had already come back and reared it's ugly head in the short time they had been together, but Davia hadn't ran from him like a lot of women would of. He truly believed that she was his soul mate, and he had waited a long time to find someone like her. To be honest Daryl didn't think he was ever going to meet someone he could fall in love with, but Davia proved him wrong, and he was thankful.
Daryl watched her performance intently. He was less than thrilled when she sang a duet with a ruggedly handsome guy that was part of the band that Dale hired, but that was only because he wanted Davia all to himself. By no means did Davia look even remotely interested in him.
As she moved through her set he knew it was winding down when she took to her piano. She spoke into the microphone and addressed him directly before she began to perform and old song his mother used to sing to him when he was a very small child. It was one of the very few memories he had of his mom Nora. "To Love Somebody" had more meaning to him than she even knew.
He held onto every word like it was a breath of life, and took the meaning to heart. By the time she was finished Daryl was thankful he was alone and that the phone on the other end was pointed towards Davia, and not being watched by Zach. He had genuine tears in his eyes as the events of the week had finally crashed down on him. He had been almost killed by his brother, lost his brother, found his father and wasn't sure what to do, and had now been told that his mother was still out there, and had been waiting to hear from him for well over thirty years. It was enough to make the strongest man break, but he had one saving grace, and that was Davia. She was his light in the darkness.
…
When Davia came off stage the crowd was begging for an encore, a rarity, and Dale encouraged her to perform one more song. She agreed and went back and played another old song "Both Sides Now" by Joni Mitchell. It was an upbeat song about finding Love, and she felt so good about being with Daryl that she wanted to shout it from the rooftops.
Rows and flows of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air and feather canyons everywhere
I've looked at clouds that way
But now they only block the sun, they rain and they snow on everyone
So many things I would have done but clouds got in my way
I've looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down and still somehow it's cloud illusions that I recall
I really don't know clouds at all
Moons and Junes and ferris wheels
The dizzy dancing way you feel as every fairy tale comes real
I've looked at love that way once upon a time
But now it's just another show, you leave 'em laughing when you go
And if you care don't let them know, know, don't give yourself away
I've looked at love from both sides now
From give and take and still somehow it's love's illusions that I recall
I really don't know what love's about at all
Tears and fears and feelin' proud
To say to someone I love you right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds
I've looked at life that way, sometimes I still do
Now old friends are acting strange
They shake their heads and they tell me that I have changed, yes I have
Something's lost but something's gained in livin' every day
I've looked at love from both sides now
From up and down and give and take
From win and lose and still somehow it's love's illusions that I recall
I really don't know, I really don't know
She finally finished her set and Zach met her backstage with his phone still connected to Daryl.
"Yeah Daryl, did every thing come through OK," He asked as he was walking back to Davia.
"Real Good Zach, thanks. Can I talk to my girl now?" He asked.
"Sure thing buddy." He told the older man as he handed the phone to Davia.
"Hey Daryl" She said, she noticed his eyes looked a little red, almost like he had been crying.
"Hey darling, thanks for that. Makes me feel like I could get up and run a marathon. You make me feel good Davia."
"You make me feel the same way Daryl. I can't wait to get you home tomorrow. I will be up there first thing in the morning." She told him.
"Call me one more time tonight when you get home, just so I know you're safe" He told her.
"Honey it's late, are you sure?" She asked.
"Positive" he told her.
…
On her way out a very drunk Shane Walsh cornered her. He had apparently decided to come watch her perform.
"Hey Davia" he slurred.
"Shane…Hi" She said, a bit guarded. She wasn't his biggest fan. He was handsome and had a lot of traits that women would find desirable, but she saw him as a guy looking for another notch on his bedpost. That and the fact that he could barely hide his disdain for Daryl.
"How bout I take you home tonight? You need a real man to take you out, not some stupid white trash Dixon." He said. His words angered her, but she didn't want to make a scene.
"Shane, please don't say that about Daryl. You shouldn't judge someone you don't know. I care for him deeply and it upsets me to hear people say things like that about him."
"Awe come on Davia…I'm just messing. Come on, let me take you home?" He asked in a slightly friendlier term.
"Sorry Shane, I have a ride, but thanks for offering." She said as she turned to quickly find Beth and Zach. The situation was quickly becoming uncomfortable for her and she didn't want to be around him any longer.
She didn't hear him mumble "Stupid bitch doesn't know what a real man would be like. I ain't giving up."
…
When Davia got home she called Daryl and sang him a sweet lullaby until he fell asleep. She realized she needed to finally purchase a cell phone. They could have video chatted if she had one. Her landline at the house wouldn't permit it and Zach proved that having a phone was a nice perk.
He was exhausted, and she knew it. It was going to take a while for him to get his strength back, and she also knew that was going to be the hardest part of his recovery. Daryl was not someone who took to lying around kindly. She decided she was going to have to figure out a way to get him out of the apartment without allowing him to over exert his self. It looked like she was going to need to be creative.
…
The next morning Beth and Zach showed up early to take her to the hospital to bring Daryl home. They were all in the room when Dr. S came in and wanted to examine Daryl one final time. Zach and Beth quickly excused themselves and Davia looked to Daryl to see if she should leave as well. He shook his head "no" and she stayed as the examination began.
The Doc had Daryl lean forward so he could slip his hospital gown down off of his upper torso and place it across Daryl's lap. Daryl was now completely exposed from the waist up and Davia knew this was never a comfortable position for him to be in, but Daryl didn't give away any nervousness.
Slowly, the bandages were unwrapped and Davia had to cover her mouth when she saw the scars that Merle had left behind. There was one very long jagged wound that started at Daryl's right hip, moved across his lower stomach towards his left side, then took a sharp upward turn towards his chest. Between the knife wound and the surgical scars, Daryl would carry the memories of this event for the rest of his life. There were staples holding the wound together across the lower portion of his body and his skin was puckered around each of the metal sutures. The good news was that there was minimal redness and Dr. S looked pleased when he examined the wound.
"These are healing well. I want you to keep an eye out for any increased redness, drainage, or extreme pain. I am sending you home with another round of antibiotics and a topical anesthetic to apply once a day. I am going to remove the bandages but I am going to ask that you get help with getting up and down and with bathing. My suggestion is a shallow bath and then sponge around the wound areas. I don't want them submerged for another two weeks. Davia do you think you can handle helping him out?" He asked.
Davia had turned three shades of red at the mentioning of helping Daryl bathe. Daryl almost looked amused. So much so he answered for her "I'm sure we can figure it out."
Davia had brought Daryl a change of clothes and he slipped on the white T-shirt, some plaid boxers, and track pants she had brought for him because they would be easy to slip on. Not his usual attire, but it was clean, comfortable, and the first real clothes he had worn in a week. She put his socks on him and handed him a pair of slippers. "You didn't have any tennis shoes, so I thought these would be easier to put on instead of your boots, I picked them up downstairs."
"Thanks Davia" he said pulling her gently to him so he could kiss her.
Carol came in with all of the papers for them to sign for Daryl's release, and then assured them she would stop by on Monday to check in on him. The both nodded in appreciation and Carol gave Daryl a hug before they very slowly left the room.
When they got back to Davia's apartment Zach and Davia helped get Daryl up the stairs while Beth carried what few belongings he had brought back with him. Daryl asked if he could convalesce on the couch, since he had been tired of sitting in a bed all week. Davia set the couch up for him and handed him the remote for the TV.
She had made a meal in the crockpot before they left and served everyone a hearty lunch once Daryl was settled in. It was the first real food Daryl had eaten in a week, and he looked like he was in heaven as the tasty chicken casserole hit his lips.
"Davia baby, you can cook." He told her while Beth and Zach nodded in agreement.
Finally, Davia was able to sit with Daryl and feel his body against hers, and just the slightest touch sent tingles throughout her extremities. Daryl was home, and it felt right. They seemed to have found each other, and finally some friends that they seemed to truly enjoy. Even with Merle's funeral tomorrow looming over them, Daryl looked more content than he ever had to her, and she was slowly beginning to accept that she might finally be happy one day.
Love is an amazing thing.
OK...the S5 premier was brilliant, and after watching it I know my story can't even remotely compare. The last five minutes had me in tears...
I have a lot planned in the next chapter, including Merle's memorial (tissues please) and Daryl will meet with his father. It's going to be emotional. I've also got a big surprise from Merle that will be popping up in the next chapter as well. So hold on and enjoy the ride.
I am so happy that everyone seems to be enjoying this story. I have had some really incredible reviews and I am begging you to leave them for me, and any suggestions you might have. Davia is probably around a size 14/16...not huge, but by no means thin. I am going to delve into her weight issues sometime soon...and trust me, I know what it's like to struggle with your weight. If you wanna hear my story, feel free to ask, but I won't share it here because it is too long of a story.
Take care y'all and leave me some lovely messages.
Ciao sweeties!
Missy
XXOO
