Chapter 21

Sitting there with my family was everything to me. Those little moments of peace. Merle found us later on.

"Family reunion without ol Merle?" He asked.

I smiled and looked at him.

"Never."

Hen smiled and sat down and looked at Aiden. He smiled up at his uncle and laughed.

"Kid laughs at me every time. Something wrong with my face?" He asked.

"What isn't?" Daryl said.

Merle scowled at him and then Aiden spoke,

"Unk Mere!"

I looked down at him.

"Unk Mere!" He said again.

I smiled.

"He's trying to say Uncle Merle." I said.

"How bout that." Merle said.

Daryl smirked and I smiled at him.

"He can't even say the whole thing right. Don't worry I'm sure he'll be saying daddy in no time."

"Bet ye he's says momma first." Merle said.

"Don't tease him." I scolded gently.

Merle laughed at me and then stood up and walked off. He could never stay in one place for too long, unless it was a bar or his tent. I looked back at Daryl. He slowly leaned forward and kissed me. Not a deep kiss but his lips lingered on mine. When we separated he rested his forehead against mine and gently put his hand on my face.

"I ain't gonna help Rick kill em…..if ye don't want." he said.

I pulled away and looked into his blue eyes.

"What?"

"Dale ain't gonna be able to sway no one. I don't want that shithead near Aiden or you. But I ain't gonna kill him or be there if ye don't want me to." He said.

I looked at Aiden now asleep in my arms. I knew that Daryl was trying to make this better on me. But either way I looked at it….it was still bad. But I also knew that Rick would do what was best for the group. I looked back at Daryl and maneuvered Aiden so I only needed one harm. I put my hand on Daryl's face and stroked it lightly with my thumb. I smiled softly.

"You do what you believe is right. I'm with you either way." I said.

He smiled and hugged me. I trusted Daryl to know what was best. Not just for our family, but for the group. We stood up and walked back to the house.

Dale hadn't been very successful in persuading anyone else. In the end it was decided that Randall would be executed. Dale left and I looked at Daryl. He pulled me to the side.

"If ye don't want me to….."

"Go. Go Daryl. You know what's right and wrong. I love you." I said.

He hugged me and kissed my temple.

"I love ye."

With those words he left. As I walked upstairs I placed Aiden in the crib and then went to the window. I opened it and sat down on the windowsill. I watched them get Randall from the shed and then take him to the barn. It was a full moon and I watched as the light flooded the barn. I could see them.

"Tala?"

I knew who it was. Lori came and stood beside me.

"It's what's best." She said.

"I know. Doesn't make it right though."

She put her hand on my shoulder and I looked at her. She gave me a comforting smile and I smiled in return. Something in me told me I had to go to Daryl. I looked back at Lori.

"Will you watch Aiden for a few hours?" I asked.

She nodded and I stood and walked out of the room. As I opened the door I saw Shane and Daryl dragging Randall back to the shed. I also saw Rick dragging Carl back towards the house. I didn't want to know what happened there. I ran towards the shed, and as Daryl came out I flew into his arms.

"Tala? What are ye doing!? Where's Aiden?"

"Lori has him. I thought you might need me with you for a little while." I said.

"Thought ye said ye couldn't read my mind."

I laughed and then kissed him gently. Of course the word gentle did not exist in Daryl's vocabulary. I pulled him to the ground and kissed him even harder. I started to unbutton his shirt and he didn't try and stop me. His hands worked their way under my shirt and gently massaged my breast. I moaned and tossed his shirt aside. I ran my hands down his back, making him shiver slightly. We were interrupted by a cry for help. I looked at Daryl.

"GO!" He said.

I nodded and ran as fast as I could towards the fields. Dale!

"NO!"

I jumped forward becoming a wolf as I did. I knocked the walker off of Dale and stood in front of him protectively. Of course walkers aren't capable of knowing when to back off. I growled viciously and jumped at it. I tore it apart and then turned around to Dale. I was too late. I howled loud and long so the others would come. Dale had been scratched and scratched deep. He was infected and there was nothing I could do. I turned back and knelt down beside him.

"No! No Dale please no!" I cried.

"DALE!" Andrea shouted.

Everyone came running forward.

"Oh Shit! Hershel! We need Hershel!" Rick shouted.

"What happened?" came Hershel's voice.

"Help him!" I begged.

"We have to move him we….."

I saw Hershel put his hand on Rick's shoulder and shake his head. Tears fell from my face and I shook my head.

"He's suffering! Do something!" Andrea said.

I saw Daryl begin to aim his gun at Dale's head, but someone took it from him. It was Daryl! He walked forward and aimed at Dale's head.

"I'm sorry brother."

He pulled the trigger. Andrea threw herself on me and sobbed. I put an arm around her hesitantly. I couldn't take my eyes off Dale's face. I was too late. And here I thought I could protect everyone here. I was wrong. I couldn't even save Dale who had been like a grandfather to me. I was frozen to the spot. Even when they took Dale's body away I couldn't move. Daryl came back later and knelt down beside me.

"Tala? Tala!?" He said.

I slowly looked at him. He put his hand on my face.

"Tala ye listen here. It's gonna be okay! We couldn't a helped him. He was in pain! A lot of pain darlin'. He's okay now. He's up there now happy as Glenn when he rode that damn sports car. I'ma have te tell ya that story." Daryl said.

I started to cry once more and I buried my face in his chest. He helped me up and led me back to the house.