Chapter Twelve: Scars Run Deep
It was getting dark, and I couldn't find Daryl anywhere. So I sat by the chicken coop and cried until I could cry no more. Shane ruined everything. With Daryl's self esteem as low as it was, I knew he'd agree with what Shane had said to him. I'd be lucky if he even looked at me at this point. I wiped the tears from my face as soon as I spotted Rick. He was alone, surprisingly. I thought he would have brought Shane, try to patch things up between my brother and I.
Yeah, that wasn't likely. Shane had gone waaay too far for that now.
"Hey, Callie. Lori and Shane told me what happened."
"I bet he did." I muttered as I sat up straight, mentally preparing myself for whatever it was he wanted to say.
"It wasn't right. But you know how he can get, how overprotective he-"
"Shane isn't overprotective, Rick. He's controlling. He always has been, and always will be. Nothin's ever gonna change that. Now he's ruined things between Daryl and I."
"You don't know that for sure." Rick sat down beside me.
"Oh, I do. I know how Daryl works. He thinks so little of himself. Can't even accept a compliment, cuz he thinks he's good for nothin'. I was like that too, if you remember." I stopped for a moment to breathe. "There was no one to save him, to show him what it's like to be appreciated. What it's like for people to love you unconditionally. I coulda turned out like him, if he hadn't..." I started crying again. It hurt to think about the stuff he'd had to endure after leaving me on that beach in Florida.
"Shh, it's alright..." Rick rubbed my back until I calmed down, and handed me a small packet of tissues from his pocket. I blew my nose. "I'll talk to Daryl. I'll make it better."
Why couldn't Rick be my brother? Why did it have to be Shane?
"I wish Shane would lay off on Daryl." I sniffled. Rick helped me to my feet, and wa made our way to the RV. I didn't really have my own tent and felt safer sleeping in the RV with Carol, Dale, and Andrea. It was a tight fit, but we made it work. "Does he seem different to you?"
"In a way, yes. But we're all changin'. We're not who we were before." he had a point but didn't understand what I'd meant. I'd have to talk with him about it another time.
"Sorry, Cal. But I can't stand seein' you with someone like Daryl." Shane sighed, shaking his head in disapproval when I'd passed his tent.
"Someone like Daryl? Seriously, you'd rather I be miserable? He makes me happy. Leave me alone." I stormed into the RV, where Lori sat waiting with Alfie. He'd heard Shane and Daryl fighting, and refused to go to sleep. I told Lori I'd talk to her in the morning, and she went back into the house so she could be with Carl.
"I don't like yer brother." Alfie whispered when we were lying on the bed,, Carol asleep next to me.
"Neither do I. Now close your eyes, it's time to go to sleep." he curled up against me, and that's how we fell asleep. He was starting to grow on me...
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T-Dog's arm was looking much better, no more pus on the bandages. It had been stitched up good by Patricia. Carl had more energy today, according to Lori, so I wanted to visit him. Alfie insisted on going with me; he missed being around Carl. carl was asking for him too, so it's not like I could say no and disappoint the both of them.
Rick, Andrea, and the rest of the men planned a search for today. And Carol, Lori, and I wanted to do some laundry. Maggie had found several old scrub boards in the attic for us to borrow, and gave us scented soap.
"He's finished eating. You can go in now." Lori nodded. Alfie ran in, all excited, and I had to stop him from jumping on top of Carl. "I'll be outside with Carol if you need me."
"Okay, Mom." Carl looked annoyed, bored of sitting in a bed all day. He'd always disliked having to stay in one spot for more than three hours, always had to be doing something. "I really wish we could watch Harry Potter, like we used to when I got sick. Remember?"
"How could I forget? It's all you'd watch." I laughed. The amount of times he'd insisted on watching the Chamber of Secrets nearly drove me insane.
"What's Harry Potter?" Alfie asked and hopped down off the bed.
"Only the best story ever!" Carl grinned, and started telling Alfie all about Hogwarts. The next time we went out scavenging, I'd have to tell the others to keep an eye out for the books. That way I could read it to the both of them.
After lunch, Maggie offered to watch Alfie so I could help Lori and Carol with laundry. They'd finished Carl's, Alfie's, and a majority of the mens' shirts. I scrubbed dried walker blood out of a pair of black jeans, which I figured were Daryl's because of how worn and ripped they were. From what Lori heard, he'd taken a horse and was going to scout the creek. Last night when he ran off, he'd found a house and evidence of someone, a child, sleeping in a closet.
"I'll be right back. Bathroom break." Carol excused herself, and headed for the house.
"What's up? You're worryin' about something." I hung the black jeans on a tree branch, and started on the pile of smelly socks.
"When Glenn and Maggie went on that run to the pharmacy yesterday I asked him to pick up a pregnancy test for me. And it was positive." she stopped what she was doing and stood up straight, stretching her back. "I haven't told Rick. No matter how much I want another child, I can't. It would only know fear, and desperation. There's no happiness in the world now, Cal, and I can't do it. You know how much trouble I had givin' birth to Carl. THis time, there won't be no hospitals, no doctors. I could die and so could this baby. Is it really worth it?"
"'Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.'" I said, quoting a character from Harry Potter. It was absolutely true. "You need to tell Rick. He's your husband, and I don't think you should make this decision alone. Whichever you decide to do, I'll support you."
"Thanks, Callie." she hugged me.
"Yea, no problem." Carol came back, and we continued with our work when she suggested we make supper for Hershel and his family, to thank them for everything they've done for us.
"We've got fresh carrots, green beans, potatoes... and I think ham. Lots of chickens as well." Maggie showed us around the kitchen, and we decided on ham. I started peeling and chopping carrots, while Carol did the potatoes. Alfie wanted to help too, so Lori showed him how to wash the green beans and break them into small pieces.
Everything was going great, until we heard the gunshot. Alfie stayed with Carol while the rest of us ran outside; Hershel was really angry. He didn't want us carrying guns on his farm, and had made it clear that he would take care of any walkers.
"What happened?!" Lori asked, but I didn't hear the answer when I saw who Rick and Shane were carrying.
Daryl was covered in dirt and blood, and he was soaked. He was limp, eyes closed. I honestly thought he was dead. Lori had to lead me into the house, following behind them. Up the stairs. Into a spare bedroom. Shane and Rick placed him on the bed, stepping aside so Herhsel could look him over. They took off his shirt and pants; he had so much more scars than I remembered on his back and torso. His eyes opened.
Thank God he was alive! I breathed a sigh of relief.
"You're lucky. Andrea's bullet just grazed ya." Hershel said, wiping away the blood.
"Callie, sit down." Rick placed a hand on my shoulder. I hadn't even noticed I'd stood up. All I wanted to do was wring Andrea's neck. "She thought he was a walker. It was an accident."
"Get 'er outta here." Daryl grunted and Hershel started stitching him up.
"No. I'm stayin' here. Deal with it." I sat on the windowseat, and Lori went back downstairs to help Carol.
"Where'd you find the doll?" Rick asked, and Daryl explained how he'd followed the creek for half a mile, saw the doll floating downstream, and continued until the horse he'd been riding threw him. That's when he fell down a ravine, accidentally shooting an arrow through his side. He pulled it out when two walkers threatened to bite him, and disposed of them.
Hershel, Shane, and Rick finally left, leaving me alone with him. He kept looking over at me, not saying a word. And I wasn't going to talk first, not this time. I can be just as stubborn as him, he taught me that.
Maggie came up with Alfie, said he wanted to be with me and wouldn't have it any other way. He sat on the foot of the bed, staring at Daryl
"I have marks like that under my shirt." Alfie proceeded to take off his striped green and blue t-shirt, scooting closer towards Daryl to show him his scars. It was bittersweet, watching them like this; Daryl reached a hand out slowly, tracing a small scar on Alfie's shoulder. It surprised me when he lowered the blanket from his chest, letting Alfie take a look. "I'm sorry you got hurted so many times, Mr Daryl."
"Sorry you were too, kid." he looked up at me. "Ain't ever gonna happen again, either."
That's when my heart burst. I was reminded of a conversation we'd had many years ago, not long after he turned twelve.
'If we ever have kids someday, I'll never hit 'em. They'll be safe, and loved, and fed, and never alone...' he held my hand, careful not to hurt any bruises.
'But what if we can't have none?' I whispered.
'Then we'll have to adopt some. A whole bunch! The ones nobody else wants.' he went on to talk about the big house h would build for us, hope shining in his sad blue eyes.
"Callie has some too. I saw." Alfie said, pulling me back the the present.
"Mm. I know." Daryl's eyes were closed, the pills Hershel had given him taking effect. "Still the most beautiful thing I ever saw..." he drifted off to sleep.
"He loves ya." Alfie climbed off the bed, and I helped him put his shirt back on. "And he's right, cuz you are the most beautifulest lady I ever seen in my whole life. You should marry him!"
"Yeah, maybe. C'mon. We should help set the table." I smiled, and my stomach growled at the thought of that ham cooking in the oven.
The meal was awkward. Really awkward. Andrea couldn't look at me, and I didn't want her to. You could've cut the tension with a plastic spoon, that's how bad it went. But Carl was able to join us, and sat between his parents, who were overjoyed with how quick he was recovering. After everyone had eaten, Carol made a plate for Daryl and took it up while Lori, Maggie, and I washed the dishes. Andrea probably would have helped us, if I didn't glare at her every chance I got. But hey, I felt she deserved it.
For breaking a rule, and shooting Daryl.
And being annoying.
Yeah. I went there.
|Awww, that was cuute! Daryl and Alfie had a moment! Lemme know what you think! Because I LOVED it! I'll start the next chapter tomorrow, I've already got a good idea on what I want to write.
Review, Favourite, Enjoy! :)
Random Song: These Things I've Done - Sleeping With Sirens
Next Chapter: Afraid Of The Dark