Rick, Daryl, and Maggie had returned a couple of hours later. The camp had waited up for them, everyone worried. Glenn ran to Maggie, Lori to Rick. Everyone wanting to know why they were gone so long.
Daryl looked at Rick, who met eyes with everyone reluctantly. "We might have a problem."
Andrea scoffed. "Of course we do, we're used to it. What's going on?"
"We had to hide out for a while, that's why we were gone longer than expected. There was a herd passing through… we've seen worse, but with it being just the three of us and the amount of ammo we had, we stayed put."
The group was, unexpectedly, silent.
"How's Rose?", Daryl asked.
"Can you go one second without checking on your little girlfriend?" Shane asked angrily. "We obviously have bigger things to worry about."
Daryl bit his tongue and tried to ignore him. They didn't need any more tension.
"She's needs medicine", Glenn said. "She's burning up"
"Quite dehydrated", Hershel added. "What did you find?"
Daryl and Maggie dumped everything they had on the ground, and Hershel began rummaging through it. "I'll get something together for her"
Daryl nodded and put a hand on his shoulder thankfully before walking to their tent.
He saw her and frowned. She was shivering under the blanket. When she saw him she sat up quickly and tried to get to her feet but the rapid movement was too much for her and she fell into him.
"Easy-", Daryl started.
"Are you okay? Is everything okay?" Her voice was weak but panicked.
"I'm fine, baby" He held her tight before helping her back to the ground.
Hot tears ran down her cheeks. "I was so scared. Please, please. I can't lose you." Her arms wrapped around his neck as she sat up again, and she crushed her body to his in her sweet, desperate way.
"Shh…you ain't gonna lose me, girl. You ain't" He cradled the back of her head, and when he pulled his hand away it was damp with sweat.
"Poor girl. I can't tell if you're hot or cold."
She sniffled and chuckled a little. "That makes two of us"
"We've got supplies now. Hershel's gonna get you feelin' better."
"Thank you, Daryl. So much…"
He kissed her forehead and then tilted his head, looking at her sideways. She smiled and raised an eyebrow as he leaned forward and planted a few playful kisses along her collarbone.
She didn't care how sick she was, she believed in that moment she never felt happier. She knew he could feel her beaming. Placing a hand on his heart, she looked into his eyes.
"I want to kiss you, but you'll get sick."
He laughed. "S'why I'm kissin' you elsewhere. Guess its still not the best idea, but whatever."
He laid down next to her and she turned over to avoid breathing all over him. He wrapped an arm around her and she scooted against him.
A few minutes later Hershel came with a cup of water and a small bottle that contained several different pills. He handed them to Daryl and with a small smile said "My own concoction. It'll get the fever down, and the antibiotics there should kill any number of nasties. Should feel better within a couple of days".
Rose lifted her head and looked at him. "Nasties." She smiled. "I like that. Thank you, Hershel".
He winked at her before leaving. Daryl feeds her the pills one by one and then they lay down quietly together.
"I'll take care of you no matter what", Daryl says.
"Where'd that come from, love?"
He affectionately cups her cheek."Listen…we might have to get out of here".
Rose turns over and looks at him. "Why…?"
He explains why it took them so long and that of course they don't know where the walkers will end up. That Rick is talking to the group and getting them ready to flee if need be. Getting all of the important things ready to snatch up and go. And that no one is to do anything alone.
She looked devastated and terrified.
"We'll be fine. Look, if we didn't go out today we wouldn't have known and may have been caught off guard, but now we can prepare."
"I'm a weakness. I am to begin with, but I'm sick…I'm totally useless. You'd lose time-"
Daryl wasn't having it. "Hey, Shane, knock that shit off. You're gonna be fine and we're gonna be fine and you don't put us at any disadvantage, got it?"
She looked at him with serious eyes and nodded, but he didn't seem satisfied.
"If it were me, would you leave me behind?", he asked.
Rose looked hurt. "Of course I wouldn't! I don't…I don't ever want you to go off anywhere without me ever again!"
He seemed pleased enough by that response. "Exactly. It's no different for me, kid, so don't insult me."
They smiled at each other.
Raised voices outside interrupted their collective zen. Rose sighed and they listened to the argument. As usual, everyone had a different opinion on the issue at hand. When, if, how they should leave. Wait or just go? What if they go and run into the walkers anyway, when they would have avoided them if they had just stayed put? On and on and back and forth. Daryl and Rose were brought up a few times but it was hard to catch exactly why.
"If we go…I want to stay with you. Please. Always."
Daryl thought on this for some time before he responded. The group looked to him for so much, so he was in harms way quite a bit, but at the same time could anyone protect her the way he could? Have her best interest in mind? He thought of Shane. And even with the rest of the group caring about her…they all have their own family to protect. They'd do what they could, but if it came down to it…
He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.
"Okay. We'll stick together."