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Chapter Twenty-Five: Whisky Lullaby

We watched him drink his pain away

A little at a time

But he never could get drunk enough

To get her off his mind

-Brad Paisley featuring Allison Krauss, Whiskey Lullaby

Daryl Dixon had never felt as helpless as he did in that moment.

Sitting by her bed and holding her hand, he watched Carol with eyes filled with tears he couldn't let fall. She had been sick for weeks, and there was nothing they could do to help her. Hershel had predicted she wouldn't last through the night. The last time her eyes had been open was hours ago, and her breathing had slowed noticeably.

Leaning over, he held her hand between his and rested his head against her fingers. There was so much he wanted to say, but the words refused to come. So he remained silent and nuzzled her hand with his forehead.

A short time later her breathing stopped altogether, and Daryl Dixon finally cried.

When they buried Carol under the willow tree, Daryl led the service and spoke words laced with affection and grief. He refused to let anyone help him as he dug her grave and lowered her sheet-wrapped body down into it. At least now she was reunited with her beloved daughter and no longer had to live with the constant fear this terrible world brought.

Everyone left him alone after Carol's funeral. He preferred it that way. He stayed at Carol's grave for a while before he went to his perch and found a bottle of whiskey he had hidden away along with a few packs of stale cigarettes.

"Here's to you, Carol," he muttered as he cracked the bottle open. The alcohol stung his throat but he welcomed the pain wholeheartedly.

He didn't want to remember.

A few months after Carol's funeral, Rick was deeply saddened but not surprised when he went to wake Daryl and the hunter didn't move. Daryl had been spiraling deeper and deeper into depression after Carol's death, choosing to numb the pain with alcohol any chance he got instead of actually dealing with it and trying to move on. Rick had seen it coming; it was only a matter of time before Daryl did something stupid and got himself hurt, or worse.

Rick just didn't expect it to be so soon.

They buried Daryl beneath the willow beside Carol because they all knew Daryl and Carol would have wanted it that way. The service was short and when it was over, Rick took a few minutes to study the graves. Daryl had never been okay after Carol's death. Maybe it was better this way. He was certain they had found each other again and were much happier than they had ever been alive.

When a chill settled in the air, Rick moved his hat from where he held it over his chest to his head.

"Take care of each other, you two."

Life is short, but this time it was bigger

Than the strength he had to get up off his knees

We found him with his face down in a pillow

With a note that said, "I'll love her til I die."

And when we buried him beneath the willow

The angels sang a whiskey lullaby

The End.