Chapter 53

Carl had shot him on the side of the head. I looked at Lūthar on the ground.

"Get out of here!" I said.

Like the worthless coward he was he stood and ran. I looked at Shane.

"I know that's not you….Jenner explained all of it. But I know you're up there listening." I said.

He started to walk forward. I walked backwards.

"I'm so sorry Shane! For all the things I called you…all the things I said about you. You were my friend. Even at the end when you lost your mind…..I knew that wasn't the real Shane Walsh."

He was walking towards me and I was still backing away. He had an injured leg so he couldn't walk very fast. For most of the walkers I'd seen he was in one piece and had all his limbs in tact and his face wasn't torn open.

"I need you to know that I wish I could have saved you. Not just from dying but from yourself."

"ELENA!" I held my hand up for them to stop. Walker Shane turned around and I ran and stood in front.

"Nobody shoot! Wait!" I said.

"Elena!?" "Just wait!" I looked at Shane still coming forward.

"You were a good man! A strong and noble cop! When I first met you….I knew you cared about the group and that something haunted you. Now I know it was Rick. That you couldn't save him. I judged you and I feel like a complete puta for that! You understood how much Alex meant to me and I understood that Carl and Lori were everything to you! I respected that! I watched you slowly lose your mind and I hated it. And I didn't try to help…..I just watched and made it worse. I should have done something and I didn't. And now…..I am going to make up for that. Farewell Shane Walsh."

I threw the knife into his head and he fell dead. I stood there, still as a statue. I fell to my knees and started to shake.

"Elena?"

I knew it was Rick talking. I heard someone walk up.

"Elena?" Daryl asked.

I didn't answer. I didn't know how. I remembered when I had first met the group. How I felt nothing. I still didn't feel pain, but I felt love. I felt love, joy, and worry. However I slowly felt those things slipping away.

Daryl's POV

She wasn't Elena. I knew something was wrong. That look in her eyes when I had first met her was coming back. The Lone Hunter. I couldn't let it happen. I couldn't lose her.

"Elena listen te me! Yer not that woman anymore! Yer not the Lone Hunter! That ain't you! Yer not a heartless woman!" I shouted.

I wasn't getting through to her. Much as I hated to admit it. I needed help. Glenn and Andrea came over.

"Elena remember what ye told me!? Listen with yer heart! Ya have one! Ye showed me I have one! Please!"

"Elena! Elena it's Andrea! Remember who you are!" She begged.

"You told me everything! You told me about your family, about the summer. Please don't leave us!" Glenn said.

"Let her go."

I looked up at Lūthar. He had that smug little look on his face. I slowly stood up.

"What did ye just say te me!?"

"Let her become who she really is!" He said.

Wayne and Anthony were looking at him with murder in their eyes. I walked forward.

"Yer a real piece a shit! She saved yer damned life! She didn't have to! She did it anyway! After what ya did te her! She still saved yer worthless ass! She saved mine too! That woman is one of a kind! Ye don't get many like her! She didn't beat the shit outta ya 'cause she was protecting this group!" I thundered.

"Daryl calm down!" Rick said.

"DON'T'CA TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!" I said.

"No I mean Carl!" He said.

I looked at the kid. He didn't look scared. Rick turned and looked at him.

"She told me about you! How she tried to help you in high school from becoming the son of a bitch you are! I love that girl like she were my daughter! She saved the life of my son! She saved my life when the walker she just shot wanted to kill me! Yeah he was my best friend! She went running out into the woods because she knew! She knew what he was planning! That girl is better then most of us here!" Rick shouted.

I was impressed. When he was pissed he could shout.

"Yeah that girl saved me on more then one occasion! With her plants!" T-dog said.

"I don't need to tell you I care for her. She's helped my daughters in many ways." Hershel said.

Alex didn't say anything. He jumped forward and punched him straight in the face. I went back to Elena. I knelt down in front of her.

"I love you! Do ya hear me!? I LOVE YOU!" I shouted.

She looked at me.

"Daryl?" She asked.

I pulled her into my arms.

"Christ woman! Don't ye ever do that te me again!" I shouted.

Elena's POV

"I love you Daryl! I love you! I love you!"

I didn't want to lose those feelings. I pulled away and kissed him. Then I looked at Glenn and Andrea.

"Thank you!" I hugged them both and then turned around. That was when I saw Lūthar punch my brother and then start to beat him.