Chapter 37

The day turned to night and there was still no sign of Daryl. Dayna lay on top of her bed curled up in a ball trying to figure out what to do. If she could only see him, she would make him understand. He had to. She didn't like to think of him alone outside the walls. The dangers were too numerous to count and she worried that in his current state of mind he could get careless.

"Where the hell are you Daryl?" she thought for the hundredth time. Then it came to her. Why hadn't she thought of it before? Of course he had to be there, he had to have gone to that green house that they stayed in before. That was his place to go. She had been so busy stressing about what happened that the obvious never occurred to her.

It was too late at night and too dangerous for her to attempt to get to the house now, but she had an idea. She ran into the bathroom, washed her face and that made her feel a whole lot better. She grabbed a light jacket and literally ran out of her room, down the stairs and out of the house. The guard tower over on Baggerly was the closest one to the green house that she could think of, so that's where she headed.

When she got close to the platform, Dayna called out a greeting in order to alert the sentry that she was there. Sasha answered her.

"Oh Thank God it's you Sash, can I come up?"

"Sure." Sasha waited until Dayna made it up the ladder. What's up?"

"I've made such a mess of things with Daryl," Dayna said and then told Sasha the whole story of what happened. "I think I know where he went and I'm hoping to confirm it. Remember that house we all stayed in when the wall was down, I think he's there. I just don't know where else he could have gone, but I know he uses that house so I'm hoping that's where he is.

"Got it. What a mess this ended up as. What are you looking to do from here?" Sasha asked her.

"I know we could see the wall from the house. I could look out the bedroom window and see it. Now I'm hoping to do the opposite, I'm looking for any sign that he could be there. I'd go there if I could, but being out beyond the walls at this time of night isn't safe, so I'm hoping he has a candle lit or something. Will you help me look?" Sasha was a close friend of hers and they clicked right from the start. That Sasha was working up here tonight was finally something going right for her.

"Of course I'll help. Let's get our bearings on what's where first," Sasha said.

Together they figured out the position of where the house should be. Everything there was dark…pitch black dark. "I don't see anything," Dayna said sadly. "I was so sure he's have a candle or two lit to see. He has to be there."

"Well just because we don't see the light doesn't mean he isn't there. He could just be sitting in the dark or maybe asleep?" Sasha suggested.

"No he isn't asleep. He's be pacing back and forth and cursing me, he wouldn't sleep. Damn it!" Dayna was frustrated. Could nothing go right to help her fix this mess? "Well I think I'll go there tomorrow anyway. It's the only place I can think of."

"Maybe he'll come back by then?" Sasha offered.

"I hope so. If you see him, please let me know right away. I need to straighten this out as soon as I can, Okay?"

"Sure. Count on it," Sasha told her. The two friends hugged and something caught Sasha's eye. "Dayna look!"

There through the house was a dim light that wasn't there before. It was in the exact spot of where the old green house stood. Dayna had found Daryl. "Oh my God, that's him. I know it!" she exclaimed. "He's safe. Thank God!"

Dayna thanked Sasha for her help and headed back to the house. Once again back in her room, she lay down on the bed and tried to go to sleep, but her brain wouldn't turn off. She thought over and over again what she could say to get him to understand. As long as she could get him to calm down and listen to her, she stood a chance. Dayna final drifted off to sleep with the early calls of the birds in the distance.

The sun was fully up and the morning half gone by the time Dayna woke up. Once her brain kicked in, she sat up quickly in bed to see what time it was. It was after ten o'clock in the morning. "Damn it!" she exclaimed jumping out of bed. "I never sleep this late!"

She ran to the shower and within minutes was under the hot steaming water. A quick wash and shampoo later, Dayna was wrapped in a towel figuring out what to wear. "What good to wear for an apology?' she thought. "What'll get his attention? He's a guy so tight and cleavage will always work." She looked through the closet at her meager wardrobe. There was a day when her clothes filled multiple closets and then some. Now, it didn't fill even half.

Dayna pulled out her tightest jeans and a shirt he seemed to like in the past as it hugged her curves and she could unbutton it just enough to make it enticing. Rosita said he kept staring at her when she wore it last, so that solved that. She had no problem using her assets to get him back.

Once she was dressed she blew dry her hair, which was something she once took for granted and was surprised that she could do it here in Alexandria. The solar power was a godsend. Dayna applied a small amount of makeup, just to enhance her eyes and she was ready to find Daryl. Her knife was already on her belt and she was going to the armory to get a gun to take with her. Daryl had promised to teach her how to use one, but that never happened, so Rosita had been her teacher. Subsequently, Dayna had become a very good shot.

On her way out of the house she reminded herself that she wanted to stop by big house it make sure he hadn't come back during the night when she had been asleep. There was no sign if his motorcycled so that was doubtful. As she was walking up the steps, she met Rick coming out the door. He had Daryl's crossbow in his hand.

"He's back?" she asked.

"No," Rick said concerned.

"Then why do you have his crossbow?" Dayna wondered. Then it hit her. "He forgot to take it with him, didn't he?"

"Yep," answered Rick. "Any idea where he is?"

"Last night he was at the house that he uses, I saw a dim light coming from a window. I'm going to head there now. Can I take the crossbow to him?" Dayna couldn't believe that he left without the crossbow. He never went anywhere without. If anything had happened to him it would be her fault and she would never have forgiven herself.

"That's why I was bringing it out, I was hoping you'd have figured out where he was," Rick told her. "He needs you, he's stubborn so he'll probably fight it, but he needs you in his life. Go fix this."

"That's what I'm planning on doing right now. Wish me luck… I need it." Dayna took the crossbow from Rick and put the strap over her shoulders like Daryl did. It was heavier than she expected. A quick goodbye to Rick and she was headed the armory.

It didn't take her long to pick up a gun and extra ammunition. It paid to be prepared for anything once she ventured beyond the walls. As the gate clicked closed behind her, Dayna's nerves started to take hold. It wasn't often she went out alone and that in itself was nerve wracking, but she also knew that it wasn't going to be easy dealing with Daryl. He knew he wouldn't take betrayal well, even though that had never happened.

Dayna took off at a jog weaving between cars, piles of junk and trying to stay out of the way of the wayward walkers. She was out of breath when she reached the green house. Daryl's bike was parked outside, so she knew she had found him. She took a deep breath before knocking on the door. Daryl probably knew she was already outside, but she didn't dare just walk in. She waited and waited, then knocked again.

"C'mon Daryl, I know your inside, let me in please," she called out.

"Not a good idea," Dayna heard come from the other side of the door.

She leaned up against the door, knowing he was just in the other side. "Daryl, please open the door. We need to talk, I can explain everything." He didn't answer her. "Please Daryl."

"No," he growled.

"I know you hate me, but it wasn't what you think you saw. I can explain." She hesitated for a moment. "Rick believes me."

Daryl was furious on the other side of the door. She had balls coming here to try to lie to him. He knew what he saw… her kissing another guy when she thought he wasn't around. Here he thought he wasn't good enough for her and she was nothing but a cheating tramp. Then she said, "Rick believes me" and it gave him a brief second of hope. "You probably lied to him too."

"I didn't Daryl, I had someone back up my explanation. Someone that that he trusted."

Daryl remained quiet behind the door. He was thinking. What if she was telling the truth, that she could explain everything? She'd have to know that he could easily confirm with Rick what she said so lying now wouldn't help her at all.

Dayna looked around her and noticed that her voice was attracting walkers. There were about six headed in her direction. "Daryl, I got walkers coming at me. Please open the door!"

He could hear the tension in her voice jump up a notch. As mad as he was, he would never put her life in jeopardy. Fuck it he had to let her in.

Quickly he moved the small sofa that blocked the door and pulled her inside. He slammed it shut and threw the deadbolt, just as the walkers hit the door. Together they pushed the sofa against it as an extra precaution.

Daryl then turned and looked at Dayna. His eyes were hard and cold. "That's my crossbow, give it over," he demanded.

"Rick sent it," Dayna said quietly as she lifted the heavy crossbow off her and gave it to Daryl. The anger that he towards her radiated off him in and it scared her.

The sound of the walker's moans was distracting and unnerving. Dayna asked if they could talk upstairs away from the walkers. That was the last place he wanted to go with her, near the bedrooms, but he knew she was right. Daryl simply walked upstairs without acknowledging her.

"Oh my God, he's so furious," she thought as she followed him up. They walked into the bedroom they had once shared as platonic friends and the memories assaulted her. This is where they first got to know each other.

Daryl was fully aware of what was going through her head as the same memories had gone through his multiple times since he got there. "Talk," he growled.