Chapter 28: Daryl

Daryl's mind was reeling as they broke the clearing to camp. Her soft moans and whispers were still echoing around in his head like ghosts. He'd never put so much emotion into fucking before, but then again, he'd never met a woman like Hannah before. He could feel the trails her fingernails had left as they raked down his back. He felt her look at him as they entered camp, but Lori spoke before he could say anything.

"Good lord! Look at the size of it!" She exclaimed and Merle's face was smug.

"That's what they all say, darlin'." Lori shot him a dirty look and Daryl tried his best not to laugh. Merle would never change.

"Should last us for a few days at least." Hannah said, dropping the antler she was carrying. He watched Merle's eyes drift to her neck as he smiled. Daryl followed his eyes and there it was. A hicky the size of a silver dollar was staring back at him. Fuuuuuck. Well, if it wasn't obvious before, it is now. He just prayed Merle wouldn't say anything in front of everyone. You just never knew with him. Hannah blushed and focused intently on the ground until Merle had dragged the deer away. He watched her walk to the tent and return with a sharpening stone. He studied her face as she started on her machete. She could open her eye fully now, which was always a good thing, and the swelling in her lips was gone completely. But there was something else about her, she looked…happy. Like she was having the time of her life. Daryl couldn't help but wonder how big of a part he'd played in that. It wasn't usual for him to do that, to actually make people happy. Rick called the group and they sat, curiously wondering what he was about to say.

"Look, I've been thinking a lot about this and I think it's time we moved. There's just been too many walkers comin' up this way and it's not safe anymore." He said as people's faces fell. Daryl guessed this is where Hannah had gotten that tidbit of information earlier, she didn't seem shocked in the slightest. The group was silent as they comprehended what he just said, and of course, Shane was the first to object.

"Just where the hell were you suggest we go?" He spouted. Rick's face was tired.

"I don't know yet, maybe to the countryside? All I know is that it's dangerous to be here." Rick said honestly. Daryl agreed with him. There'd been more walkers stumbling around every day.

"We're barely making it along as it is here! And you want us to just up and leave and you don't even have a place in mind?" Andrea scoffed and it was all Daryl could do not to jump to Rick's defense.

"He's right. It's not safe here." Lori said, for once the bitch had something worthwhile to say.

"It's not safe anywhere!" Amy squeaked as Andrea went to comfort her.

"We're so close to the city, did you really think they wouldn't show up eventually?" Hannah reasoned, looking up only for a second before going back to her machete.

"What about the CDC? Maybe there's others there?" Dale suggested. Daryl couldn't believe he would even suggest something like that. He knew the geeks were all over that city and he wanted to march right back into it?

"That's all the way in the city. And for all we know it's overrun with geeks!" He interjected, not believing that was even an option. "It's suicide."

"It's suicide to stay here. If there is a cure, hell, if there's anything, it'll be at the CDC, right? They'd protect that at all costs, wouldn't they?" Glenn said as he moved to the middle of them.

"So based on a whim we're just gonna head back into the city? And what if you're wrong? It's a death trap!" Hannah objected, clearly against the entire idea of traipsing back into the city.

"We're moving out either way tomorrow morning. If you don't like it, then don't go." Rick snapped at them. Hannah caught Daryl's eye and she didn't like the idea one bit. But they knew they'd go along, because 12 was better than 2. Daryl sat under the shade of the RV and wondered where the hell they would end up tomorrow. He knew Rick had the best of intentions, but he couldn't seriously consider that, right? It was a death sentence for fuck's sake. He tried to push the thoughts of Hannah getting hurt from his head as he fiddled with a hole in his shirt. Merle walked up to him, a knowing smile on his face.

"And here I thought you was some kinda faggot." He whispered to his little brother.

"Fuck you, Merle." Daryl snapped at him.

"Naw, from the looks of it, that's Hannah's job." He retorted before walking into the tent. He watched Carol give Hannah her clothes. Hannah's face lit up at the prospect of something clean to wear. She made for the tent and Daryl waited a minute before going after her. He didn't want to make it seem like they were together. But were they? I mean, they'd said "I love you." to each other. Isn't that what couples did? They'd fucked after all, but Daryl had fucked a lot of people and they weren't automatically dating. Daryl thought about it as Merle passed him on his way into the tent. He looked up and there was Hannah, shirtless. He felt himself blush as he looked at anything but her, mumbling an apology. He heard her laugh.

"Really? You didn't seem so shy when you saw this 10 minutes ago." She winked as he sat down, watching her change. His eyes wandered her body as he took her in. She seemed to curve in all the right places. He also noticed the scar on her back. It was about 4 inches long and jagged, like the edge of a knife. She slipped her tank top on before he could say anything. He watched her silently as she starting repacking her bag. She really didn't have much, he noticed. Daryl's eyes drifted to the picture as it fell. It was the same one she'd been crying at around the fire. He picked it up, taking a second to realize that it was Noah. He was sleeping soundly and he looked like Hannah down to the last hair on his head. Daryl could imagine playing with him, teaching him how to fish and hunt with Hannah. Maybe that's secretly what he'd always wanted. A family that he could call his own. But he'd never know that now. He grinned as he handed her the picture.

"He looked like trouble." She looked at the picture and a mixture of longing and remembrance sailed across her face. Daryl knew that would haunt her for the rest of her life. But he was no different. Everyone has skeletons in their closet and ghosts in their past.

"He was. Couldn't take my eyes offa him for a minute or he'd be into something." She tucked the picture back into her notebook, willing away the sadness that was no doubt looming. Daryl realized how broken she looked now. He knew what it was like to walk around in silent hate. It was exhausting to keep up appearances. But they weren't alone in it anymore, and she needed to realize that. He turned her around, looking deep into her eyes.

"I know what it's like to shut everyone out. Hell, I've been doin' it my whole life, and I know how tiring it is, tryin' to keep up a front, but…you don't have to anymore. You're not alone in this anymore. Neither of us are…" He said, planting a kiss on her forehead before leaving her alone. Daryl spotted Andrea and made for her. He wasn't usually one to get involved in other people's business, but he couldn't help himself.

"Hey. I gotta favor ta ask you." He said. She looked at him curiously.

"Oh yeah, what's that?" He knew his request wouldn't be well received but he had to try anyway.

"I need you…well…I need ya to apologize to Hannah. Or at least talk to her, she's going through a lot right now." He started, Andrea's eyes narrowed at the plea and she went back to cleaning the gun she was holding.

"Over my dead body! You think I care if she's having a hard time?" She said spitefully.

"She shot her son Andrea. I don't think you can really rationalize that. She's killed her whole family, you've at least got Amy." He watched as Andrea's face fell at what he'd said.

"Jesus! Her own kid? That's rough. I'd be a bitch too." Andrea said as Hannah made her way into camp. Andrea nodded at him and set off towards her. Daryl knew it was a small step, but it would help her. They both had walls to break down and secrets to spill. Hell, Daryl had more then a few of his own demons, but maybe they could help fix each other. He was like a broken vase and Hannah was his superglue. He knew that she'd be the one to fix him, and he wouldn't have it any other way.