Recapture

Chapter 20

Daryl and Rick headed down the road a short ways on foot calling out for Melissa. It was starting to get dark. Dale drove back from the opposite direction in Rick's car and pulled up next to them.

"I didn't see her anywhere. I went up and down the road in both directions and good ways but I've got nothing" Dale told them.

Daryl couldn't help but get angrier. This was all his fault. He should've recognized Missy from the get go. He shouldn't have been so mean to her this whole time. She had tried a couple of times to apologize to him but he didn't want to hear it. Now after all this time, she had finally come back into his life and he just let her walk right out. In fact he drove her right out without even realizing it before it was too late. He hated himself. If anything happened to her there would be no one to blame but himself.

"Daryl, it's getting dark. We should call it quits for now but we'll start right back up in the morning. She has a shotgun with her so she should be safe for the time being." Rick told him.

Daryl didn't say a word. He just turned around and headed back to the house.

"Rick you want a lift?" Dale asked him.

"No you go on back Dale, I'm going to walk it with Daryl, I think somebody should keep an eye on him. I have a feeling he's blaming himself for all this." Rick told him.

"Alright, suit yourself." Dale replied as he drove back off to the house.

About 15 mintues later, Rick and Daryl arrived back at the house. As soon as they entered Carol rushed over to Daryl.

"Daryl…what happened?" Carol asked him.

"If y'all are gonna ask me twenty questions then I'll go right back out there!" Daryl snapped. "I don't need this shit!"

"Daryl…." Lori said almost pleading with him.

"Daryl if we know what's going on it might enable us to find her more easily." Rick stated.

Daryl paced back and forth biting at his nails. He looked up at Rick and then looked one at a time at the others. They all stood there and stared at him. He hated having all eyes on him.

"Fine!" Daryl stated. He walked into the living room and started to sit down but he got right back up and went back to pacing.

The others followed him in and sat down around the room.

Daryl didn't want to sit around and talk…he wanted to find Missy. He knew he'd have to wait until morning but the waiting was killing him.

"She got mad and stormed off…..what else is there to know?" Daryl asked.

"Well for starters, how did she know about Merle? None of us told her." Lori told him.

"She knew me…..before….." Daryl stated.

"What do you mean she knew you before? You mean you've known who she was this whole time and didn't say anything? Neither of you said anything?" Carol added. Daryl could see the hurt in her eyes as if he had betrayed her somehow.

"I didn't know it was her! I didn't even recognize her. That's what the problem is here! I should have, I should have known it was her." Daryl stated.

"But who was she? How did you know her before?" Rick asked.

Daryl didn't want to go into details with them but he knew they wouldn't let up. "I knew her when I was younger…..I guess you could say we were friends or somethin'. I didn't know it was her. She got mad and stormed off. I don't see how this helps find her!" Daryl said and he left the others in the living room and headed upstairs.

Lori walked over and sat next to Carol on the sofa. Carol looked at her and smiled through her tears. "Friends….or something? From his behavior I'd say it was probably the something."

"Oh Carol, listen…..don't jump to conclusions. How close could they have been if he didn't even recognize her." Lori told her.

Carol wiped her tears from her face. "I don't even know why I'm crying. It's not like Daryl and I have anything going on between us. We wouldn't be right together. I know that now. I'm not in love with Daryl…but I do need him. I guess just the thought of him wanting to be with someone worries me that he will walk out of my life and I just couldn't bear that."

Lori hugged Carol. "He wouldn't just abandon you Carol, I know he wouldn't…..don't worry."

.

Daryl sat on his bed and pulled off his boots. He laid down on his side and stared at the side of the bed where Melissa had laid. He couldn't help but reach out and touch it. He had to find Melissa…..he just had to.