"How much blood have I lost?" Rhiannon asked, holding back another wince as her father stitched up her wound.
"Not too much, you won't need a transfusion."
"Enough to hallucinate, maybe?"
Hershel looked up at her with a weak smile on his face. "He really came back, just like I told you he would."
Rhiannon took in a shaking breath and looked down at her hands, avoiding her father's gaze. She didn't know what to feel. It was as if there were too many emotions swirling through her, she couldn't pinpoint exactly what she was feeling. She really just felt more numb than anything, well except for the burning pain in her side.
"What's going through your head?" Hershel asked her, placing his hand over hers to help ground her back to reality.
"I don't know, it's moving too fast for me to figure it out."
"You don't seem too thrilled to have him back."
Rhiannon sighed, squeezing her eyes shut. "He left me. I shouldn't just fall back into his arms, right?" She asked, but before Hershel could respond, she groaned loudly, hanging her head back on her shoulders. "I'm asking my father for relationship advice, I've reached rock bottom." She mumbled, making him laugh.
"Don't be so dramatic." He said with a small smile. "But you're right. You shouldn't just give in. He hurt you and he needs to know."
"You're not gonna do anything to him, are you?" She asked, feeling a little suspicious by the underlying anger in his voice that she was sure she heard.
Hershel just gave her a look of amused impatience. He definitely wasn't going to do anything to Daryl, maybe give him a stern, fatherly glare, but he knew the man meant well. He wasn't going to make Daryl feel bad about the situation when it was clear he was already so torn up about it.
Hershel look at her sadly and he couldn't help but study her, looking for any more injuries. His eyes locked onto the bruises on her neck, something that had become like a reflex since he'd first noticed them. It made his blood boil each time.
At least they were beginning to fade.
He leaned over and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "You two will sort this out, I know you will."
Rhiannon bit her lip, but stayed quiet, not knowing how to respond. She didn't want to keep thinking about this, she was so tired of dwelling on it. It was all she'd been doing since the second he walked away from her.
Maggie suddenly stepped into the cell, looking at her sister in concern. "You doing ok?"
"I'll live." Rhiannon shrugged, trying to hide just how on edge she really was.
"Really, cause you look like you've seen a ghost."
"Can you do me a favour?" She asked suddenly, disregarding Maggie's words. "Can you bring my stuff down here?"
Maggie looked stunned by her request and her gaze turned to her father, as if looking for permission. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I'm fine in here."
Maggie nodded, realizing this wasn't the time to debate whether or not she should be doing these passive aggressive things just to spite Daryl. She left without another word and made her way up to Rhiannon's cell - her old cell.
She grabbed a bag of her clothes and gathered the rest of her things, hesitating when she saw the hoodie she knew was Daryl's but had seen her sister wearing enough times that it was practically hers at this point. She sighed and passed by the hoodie, it would probably only upset Rhiannon.
Maggie ducked her head as she stepped out of the cell as if that would make her invisible. She could feel eyes staring right through her and she couldn't keep ignoring it. She looked up and her eyes locked with Daryl's and the hurt look on his face was something she'd never seen from him.
Daryl knew what she was doing, and it completely destroyed him. He had to look away.
Maggie winced and quickly made her way back to her sister.
Rhiannon perked up when she returned, sitting up on the bunk with a barely restrained groan of pain. "Did you get-"
"Of course." Maggie replied instantly, holding up her beloved ipod.
"Thanks."
Maggie had a wooden smile on her face as she sat on the edge of the bunk, nervously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "This is probably none of my business - well it is kinda my business, you're my sister-"
"Maggie." Rhiannon urged, not having the patience to hear her ramble.
"Are you really gonna drag this out?" She blurted out. "That man loves you, that's the reason he's back. How long are you gonna pretend you don't love him?"
"I'm not pretending anything. I still love him, but I'm hurt. He's done this kind of thing before and if I give in every time what's gonna stop him from doing it again? I can't keep going through this."
Maggie narrowed her eyes, staring at her sister in question. "What do you mean he's done this before?"
Rhiannon hesitated, her face creasing in sadness as she thought back to their first kiss. "Back at the farm, our first kiss, he got freaked out and pushed me away, said horrible things. God, that whole first week he did nothing but push me away."
"You can't compare that Daryl to the one sitting out there right now. He's changed so much since then."
"I know he has." Rhiannon said, sighing heavily. "It seems like every time I think of a reason to be mad, my mind immediately comes up with a solution, a reason to take him back."
Maggie smile sadly and reached for her hand. "I get what you're saying, you should make him sweat a bit. After seeing you so upset the past few days, I wanna yell at him, make him realize how stupid he was for leaving, but I get the feeling he already knows."
"I don't wanna keep him at arms length just to be spiteful, I'm not that much of a bitch. I'm hurt and I'm scared that he could leave when things were so good between us. I can't help but be paranoid."
Maggie nodded in understanding, her heart aching for her older sister. She could tell she felt so run down by this whole situation. "Why don't you get some rest."
"I'm fine." Rhiannon brushed her off, but Maggie could see how tired she really was.
"You just got shot, rest."
"It was a graze." Rhiannon argued weakly, her voice sleepy and slow. Maggie smiled at her and helped her lay on her bunk, pulling the covers over her.
It was strange for Maggie to take the caregiving role between them, it had always been Rhiannon's job. It felt nice and Maggie wished she got to do it more. It was the least she could do after everything Rhiannon had been through.
She watched her for a few seconds, as if making sure she was really asleep and relaxed. It was only when Rhiannon's breathing had evened out and it was clear she'd fallen asleep, that Maggie felt reassured enough to leave.
As soon as she stepped out of Rhiannon's cell, her eyes met Daryl's again, and she quickly looked down. It was hard enough for her to look at him, just knowing what had happened, she couldn't imagine how Rhiannon felt, actually living this lovers quarrel.
Daryl was pacing back and forth, his hands grabbing at his hair. He was sure he looked like a junkie going through withdrawal, he looked certifiably crazy.
It had been hours since he'd gotten back to the prison, almost everyone was in bed by now, and he still hadn't seen her aside from the fleeting glimpse of her bleeding and twisting in pain while getting carried by Glenn.
He wanted to see her, wanted to at least ease his mind and see that she was ok, but he couldn't find the courage to approach her.
"She's ok."
Daryl flinched and turned abruptly to look at Hershel. He suddenly felt very shameful and had to avert his eyes.
"The painkillers make her drowsy, she's sleeping. She should be back to normal tomorrow, just going to be a little sore."
Daryl nodded, keeping his gaze on his boots. He felt very scrutinized under Hershel's eyes. He had made his daughter cry, had abandoned her after she had been tormented by a psychopath. He was almost positive the farmer would ditch all his religious beliefs to get back at Daryl for what he'd done.
"We should talk." Hershel suddenly said, and Daryl swore he felt his stomach drop to his feet. He had dealt with people looking down on him his entire life, but having his girlfriend's father look down on him was so much worse.
He never thought he'd be in this position.
Hershel motioned for him to follow and with the reluctance of a child who was sent to the principal's office, Daryl walked behind him with his head down.
Hershel sat and watched with a heavy heart as Daryl took a seat across from him. He could tell the man was nervous, probably more nervous that he'd ever seen him.
Despite the rocky first impression, Hershel admired the man in front of him. He had inklings about his rough past and seeing how he'd grown since being with his daughter, Hershel couldn't help but feel proud of Daryl and the man he had become.
"You know, Rhiannon has always been so secretive. I never knew what she was up to. I even had to find out when she was performing by looking at Juilliard's website, she would never tell us. She's a very confident woman, but she always had trouble talking about herself, talking about her feelings."
Daryl looked at the older man and nodded slowly. He knew that Rhiannon wasn't one to talk about what was going on with her. She had no problem airing out the problems she had with other people and confronting them, but when it came to her own, personal problems, she was like a locked vault.
"She would always try to hide how she felt, but with you, it was so different. She never had any trouble showing just how infatuated she was with you."
Daryl felt his cheeks flame red and he suddenly wished he were anywhere else. Hershel noticed his reaction and it only made him respect the man even more. He didn't get cocky and puff out his chest, he could tell the man felt so grateful and honoured to have Rhiannon's affection.
"You can't beat yourself up about this."
Daryl's face creased in confusion and he looked at Hershel in surprise. "Why not? I figured you over everyone would wanna tear me a new one."
"You're not the kind of man who would abandon his family."
"But I did." Daryl said simply, his voice laced with regret.
Hershel's eyes widened at the revelation. Daryl wasn't the kind of person to show affection to others, but hearing him call them his family was the ultimate show of how much they meant to him.
"You made a mistake, that doesn't make you a bad person. And you're here now, you knew you made the wrong decision."
Daryl stayed quiet. He knew he had made the wrong decision the second he saw Rhiannon crying, but yet he still left.
"I hurt her." He muttered gruffly, staring down at his hands.
"You did." Hershel said, but there was no malice in his voice, something Daryl had trouble wrapping his mind around. "But like I said, making a mistake doesn't mean you can never be forgiven."
"You really think she's gonna forgive me after what I did?" Daryl asked, almost sarcastically, like he already knew she never would.
"Daryl, my daughter loves you."
Daryl felt his breathing hitch and he closed his eyes. She loved him, but that didn't guarantee she would forgive him. He swallowed thickly, feeling a lump in his throat. The last thing he wanted was to show Hershel just how emotional he was, he hated admitting it to even himself.
Hershel sighed and looked at him sadly, noticing the look of self hatred and hopelessness on his face. "Don't give up." He told him and got up from his seat, sensing that the hunter would prefer to be alone.
He stopped before he could retreat to his cell. "I'm glad your back, son. This group isn't the same without you."
Daryl lips parted but he had no words. He was more than a little surprised by Hershel's nice words, but he couldn't ignore the warm feeling that flowed through him, that feeling of acceptance he never experienced before he met Rhiannon.
The sound of an amused chuckle tore Daryl from his thoughts and he turned on his heel, sending a stern glare to his brother who watched from the cell he was being locked up in. He felt embarrassed that Merle had seen him like that, stressed and with a bleeding heart. He thought he'd been sleeping.
"Trouble in paradise?"
"Shut up." Daryl spat back, storming into the cell block and making his way up to the cell that he used to share with her.
Rhiannon was still feeling disoriented and tired from the painkillers the next morning, but with Governor's latest attack hanging over them, it didn't feel right to just stay in bed all day. She zipped up the sweater she wore all the way in an attempt to hide the bruises on her neck. If Daryl saw them he'd flip out and she didn't want to deal with that right now.
She trudged out of her cell, taking slow steps to the common room. She had managed to avoid Daryl yesterday, but she knew it was unlikely to hold out any longer.
She missed him and she wanted to be with him, but she had her reservations. She hated that he had left her, especially when she was in such a fragile place after being in the hands of the Governor.
She couldn't just let him back in and forget how hurt she was.
His eyes met hers the second she walked into the room. Her heart began to flutter wildly at the way he looked at her in relief, like he was finally able to breathe again. A small smile began to grow, but when her eyes drifted over to Merle who sat next to his brother and she saw the way he looked at her with curiosity, it made her smile fall and she had to force herself to keep walking.
She reached for a granola bar, but quickly put her arm down, hissing in pain at the pull in her side.
Daryl, who had seen her pull back in pain, was getting to his feet, ready to help her, when Carol rushed to her side. He sighed and slumped back in his seat, looking dejected.
"I got it." Carol said with a smile, reaching up and grabbing the bar for her.
"Who was the idiot that put that on the top shelf?" Rhiannon muttered, making Carol laugh.
"Feeling better?"
"Yeah, just a little sore."
"Surprised you got any rest yesterday with all the yelling?"
"Yelling?" Rhiannon asked in confusion, her eyes drifted over to the Dixon brother's briefly, clearly assuming Merle had something to do with it.
"We had a group meeting, Rick didn't seem too thrilled about doing anything to retaliate and your Dad let him have an earful, never heard him like that."
"My dad yelled at Rick?" She asked in disbelief. She'd definitely heard him yell before, that was pretty much the extent of any conversation they had when she was a teenager, but to yell at their leader? That was much more surprising.
Carol nodded, her eyes flickering over to Daryl and back to her not so subtly, making Rhiannon sigh and roll her eyes.
"Just ask."
"Have you talked to him yet?" Carol finally asked, making sure to keep her voice lowered.
"No. I don't even know what to say."
"Well, you should. This group can't handle any more divide. We're weak, more than we've ever been before, and we need you two." Carol told her, feeling more like a mother than she had in months.
"How does our relationship help the group in any way?"
"You two give us hope. We see you happy and so in love, and it makes us realize that this isn't really the end of the world."
Rhiannon was slightly taken aback by Carol's words and looked up at the woman with wide eyes, clearly touched. She suddenly smirked and looked down, not wanting to get too emotional. "Did you get that from a Hugh Grant movie?"
Carol laughed and nudged her lightly with her shoulder. "You're such a brat." She said, rolling her eyes dramatically.
Daryl watched the two women he was closest to talk and seeing Rhiannon smile gave him hope that he could work things out. Sure, he was more nervous than he'd ever been in his life to approach her, but seeing her beautiful face light up with that heart stopping smile made him remember just how worth it it would be to put himself out there, no matter how loud she yelled at him.
She would always be worth it. He would go through any kind of hell to see her smile.
"Well, fuck me, Darleena." Merle started, his gaze locked onto Rhiannon, and his voice loud enough to catch her attention. "Now I know why you were cryin' so damn much. Takes a dumb man to walk away from a broad like that."
Rhiannon stared back at Merle blankly, as if she were bored as he looked her up and down appreciatively, but on the inside, her stomach twisted and she fumed silently. She didn't want to show just how much she hated him, she didn't want him to know he was getting a rise out of her.
Daryl clenched his fists and sent a fierce glare to his brother. He was about to start berating him when Rhiannon beat him to it.
"Takes an even dumber man to get punched by one." She retorted with a smirk.
Merle's smile fell into a scowl that reminded her so much of Daryl's, it was almost scary. Daryl had no trouble smirking in satisfaction at his brother's expense and watched his girl walk away fondly.
"Damn bitch." Merle mumbled, ruining any and all good feelings Daryl may have had at the moment. He grit his teeth and had to fight back the very strong impulse to knock him on his ass for the comment.
"You're on thin fuckin' ice, man." Daryl growled, quickly getting to his feet and following her out.
He slowed his stride, suddenly realizing what he was doing, and approached her cell with the confidence of the person he'd been at the farm. He was awkward as he stepped into view, not able to decide whether or not to actually enter her cell or just lean in the doorway.
Rhiannon looked up, noticing his presence and her eyes softened when she noticed how agitated he looked. It made her feel better knowing it wasn't just her that was struggling.
"Hey." He spoke quietly, his eyes looking everywhere but hers.
"Hi."
"Sorry about him. Never knows when to keep his mouth shut."
Rhiannon shrugged. "It's nothing. I've dealt with worse."
Daryl looked down at his feet, her words didn't make him feel better at all. "You ok?" He asked, his eyes finally meeting hers, as if looking for any indication that she was hurt.
"Yeah, it's not serious, just a graze."
Daryl clenched his jaw, he wanted to kill the son of a bitch that shot her. He couldn't describe the kind of anger that flowed through him at the fact that it was so close to being so much worse.
"I'm sorry." He blurted out, making Rhiannon look back at him with wide eyes. She hadn't expected him to be so forward. "I never should've left, knew it from the start."
"Why did you come back?" She asked suddenly, crossing her arms over her chest protectively.
"Thought it was obvious." He shrugged, looking at her shyly as he began to bite at his nails nervously. "Can't stand bein' away from you."
Rhiannon tried to keep her face passive and not give away how she practically melted at his words, but she knew she was failing miserably when her lip started to quiver and the dam began to break.
"I needed you." She whispered, wiping at a single tear that fell.
Daryl felt breathless as he watched her crumble right in front of him and he stepped forward. Though he was still hesitant to pull her into him, he settled for just standing by her. He had ached to be close to her for days, and he was more than happy to indulge.
"After what happened, I needed you with me."
Rhiannon had felt so lost dealing with the aftermath of Woodbury without him. She had been reeling from his absence and she didn't know how to simultaneously handle the trauma that the Governor had inflicted without him by her side.
Daryl squeezed his eyes shut, the sound of her weak voice cutting him deep. "I'm sorry." He said quietly. He looked up at her and he bit at his lip nervously. "What happened in Woodbury?"
Rhiannon tried to hide her scared expression and she looked away from his intense blue eyes. "I don't wanna talk about it, not now."
Daryl nodded, but he couldn't ignore the wave of disappointment that washed over him. "Whenever you wanna...I'm here, I'm always gonna be here for you."
Rhiannon felt her heart swell, that deep voice was so comforting and she couldn't resist any longer. She rushed forward, almost knocking him off balance as she wrapped her arms around his waist tightly.
It took barely a second for Daryl to respond and he held her tightly, his hands grasping at her sweater. He leaned his head into the crook of her neck, breathing in her scent. It seemed like all the stress and agony that lay on his shoulders was immediately vanquished as he held her.
"I'm so fucking sorry." He breathed out and Rhiannon tightened her grip on him in response.
She couldn't get over how safe she felt in his arms. This was the kind of security and affection she had missed with his absence. It felt so good to have him back.
Rhiannon suddenly realized what she was doing and pulled away abruptly, breathing heavily. "I can't…"
"Rhi,"
"I'm mad at you." She said, as if having to remind herself.
Her words were like a punch in the gut to him, even though her voice held no sharpness or anger like he expected. She just sounded tired and broken down. In some way, that made it worse.
Daryl nodded in understanding, swallowing thickly. "I'm mad at me too."
Rhiannon felt her whole body deflate when she saw the hurt expression on his face. "Please don't look at me like that." She pleaded sadly. "Look, I still love you, that's not gonna change. I'm just mad."
Daryl look at her with hope brimming in his eyes and he longed to wrap her in his arms again.
"Just let me be mad."
He nodded, understanding that it was unlikely she would forgive him in an instant, but he couldn't help but feel disheartened. Realism be damned, he was upset.
"I'll give you as much time as you need." He muttered, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
Rhiannon watched as he took slow steps out of her cell and she had to fight the urge to call out to him, drag him back in and have her way with him. She needed him so bad, but she just couldn't forget that she needed him three days ago and he wasn't there.
Daryl stopped before he left, turning back to her with a small, bashful smile on his face. "Hey, I like the haircut."
Rhiannon looked at him in delighted surprise and smiled softly, tucking a strand behind her ear. "Thought you didn't want me to cut it."
Daryl just shrugged. "You look beautiful either way. Could shave it all off and you'd still be miles out of my league."
Her cheeks flushed red and she had to look away, she couldn't handle the intense look of need in his gaze, it was too much for her. She suddenly felt guilty for her spiteful makeover, though it was mostly out of disgust of what the Governor had said to her. She couldn't deny that doing it to hurt Daryl was an added bonus at the time.
"I'll see you later." He said and left swiftly before he could change his mind.
Rhiannon bit her lip and she began to pace back and forth in her cell. She contemplated following him and hashing it out then and there, but she needed to keep a clear head. She didn't want to fight right now, as much as she didn't want to act weak, she was just shot, and there was too much going on right now.
They needed to put their relationship problems on the back burner for now.
She was about to say screw it to her rationality and go get him, when Carl stormed into the prison, and she rushed forward, her eyes scanning him for any signs that he was hurt.
"What's going on?"
"Andrea's here." He breathed out, leaving the rest of them in a stunned silence.
Rhiannon wasn't too thrilled to hear about her arrival and she stayed behind everyone else, leaning against the wall as the woman entered. Watching as she embraced Carol warmly, Rhiannon couldn't help but feel annoyed. Her relationship with the Governor had her skeptical, she didn't trust Andrea very much at the farm, and she sure as hell didn't trust her at all now.
"Where's Shane?" She asked, searching the group for the familiar face.
Rhiannon bristled at the mention of him and noticed Daryl's fists clench tightly. Rick spared a quick glance to Rhiannon, having been a sore subject for the both of them, and he shook his head wordlessly.
"And Lori?"
Rhiannon cringed slightly, Andrea wasn't making this reunion very welcoming.
"I'm so sorry." Andrea whispered, realizing all the friends they had lost.
The silence that suffocated them made it clear none of them were interested in what Andrea wanted, companionship for old times sake. They were all different from the people they had been on the farm, Andrea included, and the way they all kept her at arms length was telling that they didn't trust her.
Andrea shifted under the watchful eyes on her. "I'm not an enemy."
"We had that field and courtyard until your boyfriend tore down the fence and shot us up. Killed one of our own, shot Rhiannon." Rick told her harshly.
Andrea's eyes widened and she turned to her, silently asking if it was true. Rhiannon didn't say anything, just kept looking at her cooly, with her arms crossed over her chest.
"He said you fired first."
This time, Rhiannon scoffed audibly. "Is that what he said about Woodbury too?"
"I didn't even know you were there until after the shoot out."
"That was days ago." Glenn argued, still on edge from the whole experience there.
"I told you, I came as soon as I could." Andrea defended herself and Rhiannon resisted the urge to scoff again.
"Is the Governor keeping you in Woodbury against your will?" She asked and Andrea suddenly went quiet, her head hanging in what was probably shame, at least Rhiannon hoped it was. She couldn't believe this woman was still trying to defend the man after what she'd seen him do that night at the arena.
"Look, I'm not here to fight." She started, feeling like she was about to lose control of everything she was trying to do by coming to see them. "I cannot excuse or explain what Philp has done. But I'm here trying to bring us together. We have to work this out."
"There's nothing to work out." Rick snapped back at her, glaring at her fiercely. "We're gonna kill him."
Andrea shook her head, her eyes wide with disbelief. This wasn't the same Rick she'd know, he'd grown so cold. "We can settle this. There is room at Woodbury for all of you."
Again, Rhiannon couldn't hold back a scoff. "That's not gonna happen."
"What makes you think this man wants to negotiate? Did he tell you that?" Hershel interjected, always the voice of reason.
"No." Andrea admitted disheartenedly.
"Then why are you here?"
"Because he's gearing up for war. The people are terrified, they see you as killers. They're training to attack."
For some strange reason she couldn't explain, Andrea's words didn't strike fear in Rhiannon. She wanted a fight, she wanted the Governor to pay for what he did and a part of her she didn't know existed, a part that was more revengeful than she realized, wasn't completely turned off by the thought of a fight.
She stiffened, suddenly realizing how wrong her thoughts were. It was Daryl's familiar gruff voice that brought her out of her head.
"I'll tell you what. Next time you see Philip, you tell him I'm gonna take his other eye."
Daryl's threat was punctuated by the brief glance he sent Rhiannon, as if sending her a promise that he would hurt the man that dared to put his hands on her. She looked down, averting her gaze. She knew he meant it, she knew Daryl would move mountains to get revenge for her, and the thought simultaneously made her swoon and put her on edge.
The look in Daryl's eyes seemed to soften the longer he looked at her and he sighed deeply, knowing now wasn't the time to dive into the other problem going on. He knew Rhiannon wanted her space and it was the least he could do to give it to her.
He reluctantly moved his gaze away from her and brought himself back to the argument in front of him.
Andrea sighed, realizing she was pleading with a deaf audience. "Rick, if you don't sit down and try to work this out, people are going to die. Innocent people."
"Well, Philip should've thought of that before he tried to fuck with us." Rick spat, saying the opposing leader's name in disgust, before turning his back on her and marching away into the cell block, leaving the rest of them in a tense silence.
Rhiannon had stayed in her cell, she couldn't be bothered trying to pretend to be jovial with Andrea. She just couldn't handle putting on a fake smile after everything that had happened, it wasn't worth it.
She felt bad for hiding away from everyone, but she was sure they understood after the week they all had.
A soft knock made her look up from the book she wasn't really reading and she was surprised to see Andrea standing in her cell, looking as awkward as she felt.
"Hey." The woman smiled sheepishly.
"What do you need?" Rhiannon asked, slightly wincing at the cold tone of her voice that she couldn't help but use.
"I just wanted to talk." She shrugged, trying to act casual, before her fake smile fell and she revealed just how tense she really was. "Look, I know this is a shitty thing to do, but I wanted to ask you...what happened to you in Woodbury?"
Rhiannon looked at the woman in surprise, slightly offended by her bluntness. Her lips parted but there were no words she could muster to answer.
"I'm sorry." Andrea quickly said. "I just wanna know, what did he do to you?"
Daryl had been sitting at the table, tapping his fingers anxiously. He couldn't take any more of Merles comments and he had to get away. He had to see her.
He knew he should do the noble thing and give her the space she clearly wanted, but another part of him, the part that was aching to be with her again, ruled over his rationality. He made his way to her cell, but slowed his steps to a stop right outside when he heard hushed voices.
"-What did he do to you?"
Daryl swallowed thickly, his heart beginning to race at Andrea's question. He knew it was wrong to eavesdrop, especially about such a sensitive topic, but he couldn't deny that he was dying to know the answer too.
"You wanna know what Philip did to me?" Rhiannon asked, her voice monotonous and lifeless.
Andrea nodded, her brows furrowing in concern at the tone of her voice. She hadn't known Rhiannon very well or for very long, but she knew enough to know that the woman was usually very happy and carefree. She hadn't seen her so downtrodden before, even when the whole Shane fiasco was going on.
"He took me away from Maggie, kept us separated." She started slowly, her eyes glued to a spot on the wall so she didn't have to look at Andrea. "I knew from the second he saw me that something was wrong. The way he looked at me...It was like...I dunno, he just seemed so taken."
Andrea looked at Rhiannon with narrowed eyes, her face creasing in confusion. She didn't like where this was going.
"I looked like his wife. He was pretending I was her." She breathed out, her voice beginning to break as she thought back to that horrible night. "He didn't like that I had tattoos or piercings, I guess she didn't have any and it ruined the illusion. He tore my ring out, he pulled my hair, said he always liked it when I kept it long."
Andrea looked like she was about to be sick. She couldn't believe that the man she had lay next to, the man she had seen as a righteous leader, had been so fucking insane.
"He took his belt off, I could hear it from behind me, and at that point I wasn't scared of him killing me anymore. I thought if he was gonna do...that...I would've preferred to just end it then."
"Did he..?" Andrea asked, her voice strained.
"No." Rhiannon said harshly, sending a glare to Andrea. She began to unzip her sweater, revealing the damning evidence of what the Governor did. "He wrapped his belt around my neck and pulled until I almost blacked out."
The other woman looked like she was about to be sick and Rhiannon hated the guilty and sympathetic look on her face. Before she could say anything else, a loud crash sounded from outside her cell, making her flinch.
Rhiannon rushed past Andrea and she felt her stomach drop when she saw Daryl storming out of the prison, slamming the door behind him, making Beth, who was sitting at the table, jump out of her skin.
She could tell just from how tense his shoulders had been that he was pissed beyond belief.
"Shit." Rhiannon whispered, feeling tears sting her eyes.
"Did he-"
"Yeah." He heard everything.
Rick stepped out of his cell, looking at the others in concern. "What happened?"
Rhiannon ignored him and the others that looked at her curiously, and followed Daryl out of the prison. She stayed in the doorway and watched as he paced angrily, his hands clenched into fists.
"Daryl-"
"Is that true? He really…" He trailed off, unable to repeat what she'd said, he was barely even able to think about what he'd done to her without feeling rage take over every inch of him.
The anger heard in his voice kept Rhiannon quiet. She hadn't had to deal with this kind of rage in a long time, she almost forgot how intimidating he could be when he got like this.
He finally turned to face her and she almost flinched at the intense rage she saw on his face. His eyes moved down and now that her sweater was off he could see the faint bruises that spread across her neck.
His eyes turned murderous at the sight and he took in a ragged breath, his hands crawling into his hair. He turned his back on her as he silently raged and Rhiannon watched him with concern. She didn't know what he was going to do.
"Daryl," She called out to him to try and calm him down when he suddenly kicked at the fence beside them and picked up one of the wooden barriers and threw it down the catwalk.
"You didn't wanna tell me any of that shit but you had no fuckin' problem tellin' Andrea?" He yelled, turning around to face her.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't!" He screamed at her, his eyes furious. "Don't you fuckin' apologize to me for what that psycho did to you."
Daryl knew deep down he needed to stop, that he needed to calm down because he was probably only pushing her farther away by yelling at her, but he couldn't stop himself. He was shaking with anger, he couldn't remember a time he had ever been this furious.
The thought of what had happened to her in Woodbury sent him reeling and he didn't know how to process it, at least in a healthy way, which he definitely wasn't doing.
He felt a kind of self hatred he had never felt before, one that was greater than any other moment of regret in his life. All he ever wanted to do was protect her and he knew he had failed by walking away from her, but knowing that he walked away after she'd been tormented and strangled, that left him drowning in guilt.
He ran his hands over his face and cursed under his breath. Rhiannon's face crumpled as she watched him spiral and she looked down at her shoes. "Daryl, please, let's just-"
"Let's what?" His loud voice thundered. He hung his head and ran his hand over his face, taking shaking breaths. "He almost...and I just left you." He said, his voice now lost of all anger. He sounded weak and Rhiannon hated that she could recognize the self deprecating tone of his voice because it was something she'd heard before.
"You almost died and I left you crying an' bleedin' on the side of the road." He said softly, his voice now practically a whisper.
She felt her heart break when she saw him wipe at his eyes. She walked forward slowly, like she was approaching a wild animal, and reached for his hands that were trembling.
"Just stop, please." She whispered, sniffling and forcing her voice not to waver.
Daryl felt himself calm slightly at her touch and squeezed her hands in his. He looked up at her in anguish and almost immediately, his gaze trailed down to her neck again, and the fire in his eyes was back.
I'm mad at you.
The words she had said before made him want to scream, or maybe break something. They struck a pain in his chest he had never felt before and it briefly made him wonder if it was a heart attack and not just his emotions spinning out of control.
"Daryl-"
He shook his head and pulled away, turning around so she wouldn't see him break. "Just leave me alone." He mumbled, finding it hard to look into those big brown eyes and not feel so damn guilty, even though she hadn't been looking at him with any kind of anger or blame.
Rhiannon nodded, she knew they wouldn't be able to have a calm or rational talk when he was like this and she figured giving him space was the only thing she could do for him.
She took a step back, but stopped before she left. "I meant what I said. I still love you. Don't forget that." She said softly, almost sounding like she was pleading with him.
Daryl squeezed his eyes shut, her words only made him feel worse, they made the guilt feel as though it was suffocating him.
The sound of Beth's soft voice was calming to everyone. Rhiannon watched her with a small smile until a soft nudge at her side tore her attention away.
"Need more chocolate chips." Carl told her with a smile. Rhiannon handed him the bag of chocolate so he could sprinkle more into the jar of peanut butter he was eating, a delicacy that she had shown him much to his father's dismay.
Rhiannon could feel eyes on her and she knew exactly who it was, he'd been looking at her all night. She looked up and she hoped he could see that there was no anger in her eyes. She was angry before, but after seeing him so worked up and overcome with guilt, she knew his anger at himself rivaled the anger she had towards him.
She hated when he got like that it made any kind of anger she had towards him disappear.
Carl noticed the way Daryl looked at her softly, but so full of hurt, and looked back at Rhiannon. "Did you guys break up?" He asked softly, making her look down at him with wide eyes.
"No. It's just complicated right now."
Carl nodded, her vague answer making it obvious to him she didn't want to talk about it.
"Dad's taking me on a run tomorrow." He told her, changing the subject.
Rhiannon looked at him with a smile. "Yeah? You wanna borrow my sword?" She teased, earning another playful nudge from him.
"Wish you were going with us. He wants to take the new girl instead."
"Her name's Michonne." Rhiannon said, slightly scolding him for the annoyed tone of his voice.
"I don't trust her."
"Maybe not yet, but she's good, I can tell."
Carl just shrugged. He still wished Rhiannon was going with them instead, but he knew arguing with his Dad about it wouldn't do anything, so he let it go.
Rhiannon watched him as he shoveled more peanut butter and chocolate into his mouth with wide, happy eyes, and let out a small laugh.
From across the room, the sound cut right through Daryl like a knife. He looked at her sadly, longing to reach out to her, but he couldn't, he knew he couldn't, not after what he did.
He felt stupid for thinking that he could just walk back in and expect nothing to have changed. He tried to hold onto that one small sliver of hope her words had given him. She loves him. He didn't know why, but he was going to count his blessings and be thankful for it.
He loved her too, so much it scared him. But he couldn't brush off the guilt he felt, not this time. He messed up and it was something he had to live with.
She was mad at him and she wanted time, Daryl was honestly surprised that was all she wanted. He figured she'd want to yell at him and never want to be with him again.
He wouldn't blame her if she did, no matter how much it would hurt him, he would understand. His eyes drifted down to her neck, he couldn't see the bruises in the dim lighting, but he knew they were there and it made his chest tighten painfully.
She looked up at him and caught him staring for what was probably the tenth time that night. She gave him a soft smile and his heart began to beat faster at the sight.
I still love you
Her words gave him hope that she could forgive him, but there was no guarantee that he could forgive himself.
Man, I just can't stop being so depressing. I swear things will get better soon! We'll have some more Daryl and Rhiannon moments next chapter and definitely some Merle and Rhiannon moments.
Hope you liked the small amount of fluff I was able to get in there between the angst.
Huge thank you to Visenyas, ReedusIsLife, RHatch89, EastDenise, .2018, Heaven In A Rage, MissFlowerGirl13, Holly xoxo, LJH, Dawnie-7, acouvion, and HarryJamesPotterismyhero
I appreciate you all taking the time to leave a review, it means the world to me! xx
