Chapter 27: Everybody's Gotta Live
everybody's gotta live
and everybody's gonna die
everybody's gotta live
i think you know the reason why
sometimes the going gets so good
then again it gets pretty rough
but when i have you in my arms baby
you know i just can't, i just can't get enough
everybody's gotta live
and everybody's gonna die
everybody's gotta live
i think you know the reason why
i feel like i've seen just about a million sunsets
she said if your with me i'll never go away
that's when i stopped and took another look at my baby
she said if your with me i'll never go away
everybody's gotta live
and everybody's gonna die
everybody's gotta live
i think you know the reason why
i had a dream the other night baby
i dreamt that i was all alone
but when i woke up i took another look around myself
and i was surrounded by fifty million strong
everybody's gotta live
and everybody's gonna die
everybody's gotta live
before you know the reason why
…..
The intense morning sunlight shown through the window onto Connie's face and the warmth and brightness roused her from her peaceful sleep. She stretched her back and neck before sitting up and looking around. Daryl wasn't there.
Connie wasted no time leaping from the bed, slipping her shirt on over her tank top and stepping into her boots. She walked out the bedroom door and searched for Daryl as she pulled her hair up into a bun on top of her head. She sighed in relief when she saw him in the tiny kitchen filling their canteens and packing a lunch.
"Hey there Sunshine," Daryl chirped with a smile on his face. Connie couldn't help but smile back at his unfamiliar but refreshingly charming demeanor.
Daryl momentarily abandoned his chores and stood in front of her. He moved his hands down her arms and kissed her sweetly on the lips. "You sleep good?"
Connie nodded with a giddy grin before Daryl returned to his task. She grabbed the food Daryl had placed in small paper bags and placed the bags in the backpack sitting on the table.
Daryl put one canteen in the pack and the other one over his shoulder. "You ready to go then?"
Almost, Connie signed as she nodded. Bathroom first.
"Bathroom, is that what you said?" Connie nodded with another smile. She was impressed. She had only taught him that sign once and he had remembered it.
Connie returned to see Daryl securing two knives to himself: one on his hip and another onto his boot. He placed a Ruger Redhawk revolver into his belt too then slid his crossbow over his shoulders. Connie put her small but sturdy clip point knife into her belt and secured her slingshot in her pocket. She threw the backpack onto her back and the two of them walked out the door.
They both climbed onto Delilah and rode away from the cabin. They would have preferred to walk and leave her there but it wasn't safe to leave the animal alone. They would be able to cover at least double the miles with her anyway.
It was early but the morning sun was already harsh. Daryl steered the horse in the direction where he last saw Dog. His eyes traveled back and forth across the wooded area in front of him until they came to the place where he and his loyal pet had been separated.
Daryl brought the horse to a stop then carefully jumped down from her back. He reached his hand out to Connie and she took it as she jumped down next to him.
Daryl's keen senses kicked into action as he looked at the ground where it had all happened. He replayed it all in his head as his eyes moved from one landmark to another.
He stared at the tall oak tree where Connie wrote him the note that would change everything. I won't hurt you, it said. Daryl believed it. The woman he had been falling in love with told him with that one simple phrase that he could trust her. She told him that she was safe. She told him that she wouldn't bring him the kind of pain that so many others had brought him. He remembered pulling her fiercely into himself and kissing her with such love and passion that it had taken even him by surprise.
It was the beginning of something new and Daryl and Connie were filled with happiness and gratitude for what they'd been given. But those feelings were short-lived.
Daryl peered a few yards ahead at the place where he felt the Whisperer's arrows pierce his body. He looked at the green grass on the ground where the arrows had knocked him down just a few weeks ago. The dead he had fought off that day were still there of course – suspended in time and rotting into the ground.
It was a bit surreal to Daryl to think of everything that had transpired since fighting off these particular walkers. So much had happened since that day. But here they were, still dead and completely forgotten by everyone and everything alive. The thought of just how uneventful and casual death had become over the last ten years grieved Daryl in this moment.
He had also been left for dead that day, as he watched Connie being dragged off by predators. He remembered the pain he felt as he laid there, corpses pinning him to the ground while more lurked towards him.
Daryl thought his life was going to end that day. Unceremoniously cut short, forgotten and left to decompose on the ground like a piece of rotting fruit. He thought God had been playing a cruel joke by letting him find the best thing he'd ever had just to rip it away moments later.
But then there was Dog. His faithful companion charged out to his rescue, leading the herd of zombies away from his master.
Daryl looked in the direction Dog had led the walking dead. He took Delilah's reins in his hands and walked in that direction with Connie following closely.
The sun beat down on them as they continued to walk several more miles. Daryl finally stopped and turned to Connie. She could read the dejected look on his face as he spoke. "Trail's gone cold. Went cold a long time ago."
Connie caressed Daryl's arm. We'll keep looking, she signed.
"I don't know what that means," Daryl replied despondently. Connie fished her notepad out of her pocket, wrote something and showed it to him.
We'll keep looking
We just started and
u r a good tracker
"Yeah but if I ain't got no trail to follow, it'll be like looking for a needle in a haystack." Connie wrote another note and showed it to him.
You didn't give up on finding me
Daryl looked up from the note into her face and found her smiling tenderly back at him. He chewed on his bottom lip then nodded. "Alright then. We keep looking."
They walked another half mile before they came to the edge of a small but rocky ravine. Connie grabbed Daryl's arm and pointed to the bottom of the ravine. Daryl's eyes followed where her finger was pointing. Caves. She looked back at him waiting for his response.
"Yeah I see 'em," Daryl said. Daryl put his fingers to his mouth and let out a sharp whistle. "Dog!" he called out.
Go down, Connie signed.
Daryl shook his head. "It's too steep. We can't take Delilah down and I don't want to leave her here. Hell, right now I don't even think I can make it down and back up."
I'll go, she replied.
"Uh uh - no way. I ain't lettin' you go down there and into them caves by yourself!"
Letting me? Connie signed then put her hands on her hips, bothered that he assumed she needed his permission.
Daryl didn't know exactly what she signed but he immediately sensed her irritation with him. "Look, I'm not tryin' to tell you what you can and can't do. It's just dangerous and I don't want you gettin' hurt!"
I'll be fine, she replied but once again Daryl didn't understand. Connie threw the backpack off her shoulders and onto the ground. She walked over to Delilah and unhitched a rope from her saddlebag. She secured it to a tree then tossed it down into the ravine.
"Wait!" Daryl said with urgency as he grabbed her arm. Connie looked back at him impatiently. "Don't go down there. I'll be well enough in another few days and we'll come back and go down and check that cave out together."
Connie placed her hand on the side of his face and smiled, telling him with her expression not to worry. "I don't like this, Daryl said shaking his head. "Please...don't go down there. I won't be able to get to you if you need help. Just...just don't." She pulled her notepad out and wrote Daryl a note.
We're here now
I'll go down - I have to
Don't worry
Before Daryl could protest any further, Connie grabbed onto the rope and began to climb down the side of the ravine. Daryl held onto the rope as she descended. When she reached the bottom, Daryl put his crossbow in front of him and aimed it down as he watched over her. He studied her every move as she walked inside the cave.
Seconds felt like hours once she disappeared from his sight. Daryl's hands remained steady but his heart raced in his chest. He kept his weapon trained down into the ravine waiting for Connie to reappear.
From his peripheral vision Daryl saw movement. He turned his attention from the cave and looked off to the left where he saw the dead approaching. "Son of a bitch," Daryl said under his breath. His instinct was to call out for Connie to warn her but of course that would do no good. It would do no good to climb down the ravine either. With his injuries he wouldn't be able to make it down there in time to do anything.
Daryl did the only thing he could. He began shooting. One after another, Daryl shot the walkers nearing the cave. Where the hell is she? Daryl thought with terrible anxiety. He only had two arrows left but more of the dead were coming. He fired off his last two arrows then threw his crossbow to the ground. He pulled his gun from his holster and began firing that. His aim wasn't as good with a firearm and he missed several shots until he was out of bullets too.
"Shit," Daryl shouted in frustration. He quickly went to the edge of the ravine and grabbed the rope to lower himself down. Before he began the descent, he spotted Connie out of the corner of his eye.
"Connie!" he shouted mindlessly. He watched her charge through two walkers, stabbing them as she barreled through. More were at her heels as she grabbed onto the rope. Daryl held onto the rope as she started to climb up.
Suddenly, Daryl heard groaning behind him. He looked over his shoulder to see the dead approaching. He pulled his knife from his belt and attacked, stabbing his knife through the skulls of the monsters in front of him. As the last walker lunged at him, he dropped his knife on the ground. Daryl lifted the dead man with his powerful arms and hurled him into the ravine below.
After he dispatched all four walkers, Daryl quickly turned his attention back to Connie. She hadn't made it very far up the rope. The dead clawed at her as she swung against the rocks. One had a solid grip around her ankle as Daryl watched her hands began to slip. "No!" he screamed. Without hesitation, Daryl picked up a large rock and threw it with precision into the walker's head. Its rotting hand finally released Connie's ankle and she began to climb up. Daryl pulled on the rope, his adrenaline making the muscles in his arms move more swiftly than they ever had. He finally reached out his bloody hand to her hand and pulled her up and over the edge.
Daryl and Connie collapsed onto the ground as they tried to catch their breath. Daryl wasted no time picking himself up from the ground. He reached out his hand to help lift her from the ground. Connie stood up straight and dusted herself off.
"You hurt?" Daryl asked curtly. Connie shook her head.
She looked at the blood on Daryl's hand as she began to feel panic. She grabbed his arm and studied it. Are you okay? she signed frantically.
"I'm fine. It's not my blood, it's theirs," Daryl stated as he pointed to the dead bodies on the ground.
Daryl retrieved the rope and hitched it back to the horse's saddlebag. He grunted as he climbed on Delilah's back. "Let's go," he said coldly as he looked over at Connie. She quickly jumped onto the horse and wrapped her arms around Daryl as they took off.
As they made their way back through the woods, dark and ominous clouds began to form in the sky. During the ten mile trek back to the cabin, Daryl remained completely silent, making no effort to communicate with Connie. He wouldn't even look at her once. At one point he felt Connie resting her head against his back. The affection felt nice but Daryl was far too angry to enjoy it.
Lightning lit up the darkened sky and roaring thunder shook the ground. By the time they made it back to their tiny home, a fierce rain had moved in too. Daryl jumped off of the horse and Connie followed. The rain beat against him as he began to remove the saddle and other items they had packed onto the animal's back. He threw them onto the porch then led Delilah out of the rain to underneath an overhang extending from the house.
Daryl stomped back up onto the porch and pulled the screen door open. Before he could walk inside Connie grabbed his arm and spun him around to look at her. What's wrong?
"What's wrong? Is that what you're askin' me?" Daryl replied with indignation. Connie nodded. "You wanna know what's wrong? I'll tell you!" Daryl shouted. "I almost lost you! You almost died! I told you not to go down there and you didn't listen to me. I begged you not to do it and you did it anyway. What would have happened if you got bit...if you couldn't get away from them walkers? I couldn't get to you! I couldn't help you! I just had to stand there and watch it all happen! What the hell were you thinkin'?" Connie pulled out her notepad and wrote quickly.
You did help me!
I got away and Im fine
"Oh you're fine huh? We got away and everything's great now, right?" Daryl continued to shout. "That's bullshit! I got us out there riskin' our lives for what? A dog? I had you puttin' your life in danger to find a dog!"
I'm fine Connie signed. We made it back without a scratch. And we'll go back out tomorrow and the next day too, until we find Dog.
"I don't understand what the hell you're sayin'!" Daryl shouted as he threw his arms up in frustration. Connie took her notepad and scribbled out a note.
U R overreacting
I said I'm fine
We'll find Dog tomorrow
"You don't get it! We ain't goin' out tomorrow to find Dog!" Daryl cried as he puffed his chest out and shouted inches from her face. "We've lost too much already! You lost Kelly and your baby...I lost my brothers and...and I'm not gonna lose you too! I can't lose you! Don't you understand that?" Connie began to write another note when Daryl snatched the notepad out of her hands. He threw it over the porch railing and into the muddy grass. "There ain't nothin' you're gonna say to change my mind about all this!"
Connie looked up at him, shocked by what he'd done. Her anger brimmed up inside of her as she gritted her teeth. She raised her hand up and slapped it hard across Daryl's face. She hurried off the porch and into the pouring rain.
Connie didn't get far before Daryl's grabbed her by the arm and swung her back to face him. He pulled her close taking her face into both of his hands then pressed his lips into hers. Daryl kissed her furiously as he held her face. He pulled his mouth away and spoke in frantic whispers.
"I need you. I can't lose you...ever. I can't lose you," Daryl said through hurried breaths as he kissed her again and again. "Do you understand that, Connie? I can't lose you...I can't lose you! Tell me you understand me!" he said as he kissed her then looked down into her eyes.
Connie looked back up into his face as the rain poured through his dark hair and down his chiseled jaw. She nodded her head slowly, as she affirmed his desperate need for her. She wrapped her hands around his neck as she pulled his mouth back onto hers.
Connie slid her tongue into Daryl's mouth and their lips tangled wildly. She didn't break the untamed kiss as she reached her hands down to his chest. She found the opening of his shirt and ripped it apart. Her fingers ran up and down his sturdy chest as her lust for him consumed her entire body.
Daryl's muscular arms reached down to her waist and lifted her soaking wet shirt over her head. He threw it on the ground and brought his hands back to her body. His hands slid across the slippery skin on her back finding her bra strap. He gently unhooked it and pulled it off her chest exposing her bare breasts to the lush rain. Daryl kept his lips pressed into hers as he lifted her petite body into his hefty arms. She pressed her chest into his and slid her arms around his neck as they kissed passionately. She wrapped her slender legs around his hips as he carried her from the rainstorm to inside the cabin.
Daryl held Connie's body in his arms as he kicked the door shut and locked it. They didn't break the passionate kiss as he carried her into the bedroom and laid her gently on the bed. He closed the bedroom door, locking that door too.
Lightning flashed outside the window, lighting up the room. Daryl looked lustfully at Connie lying on the bed. He pulled her boots off and dropped them at the foot of the bed. Connie lied still on the bed as Daryl carefully finished undressing her. When he finished, she watched him pull all of his wet clothes off too.
Daryl laid next to her on the bed and caressed her face as Connie tenderly kissed him again.
"I ain't gonna lie," Daryl stated with a vulnerable look in his eyes. "I haven't done this in a long, long time."
Connie smiled. A-R-E Y-O-U N-E-R-V-O-U-S? She spelled out to him. Daryl shook his head.
"There's somethin' I gotta say though," Daryl stated as he held her naked body close to his. Connie stared deeply into his eyes then moved her gaze to his lips. "I mean this forever. I never want to be anywhere else except next to you. I don't wanna take it slow. I feel like I've been missin' the other half of me my whole life and now...now that I found you, I ain't ever leavin'. I want what we have...this love...I want it to be forever. Before you, before God I ain't ever gonna leave you. Do you understand that?"
Connie looked dreamily up into his eyes as she felt the thunder shake the house. She nodded slowly.
"Do you love me like that?" Daryl asked. "Do you want me the way I want you...forever?"
Connie could feel Daryl's heart beating gently on her chest as she peered into his eyes, mesmerized. She nodded again slowly. She pulled her hand from around the back of his neck and held it in front of him. I love you, she signed. I'll love you forever.
Daryl leaned down, pressing his lips to Connie's. The sweet taste of her mouth, the feeling of her body beneath his, the scent of the rain in her hair were intoxicating as he felt a closeness and intimacy he'd never felt with another human.
Once again Daryl's life was taking a sudden and exhilarating turn because of the love he'd found with Connie. And because of it, he'd never been happier to be alive.
A/N: Hi everyone! Well here's another chapter for you and I hope you liked it. It turned out to be a tad bit steamier than I first intended but I wanted it to be authentic and true to my vision for these characters.
I also wanted to thank you for all the kind feedback I received from the last chapter. It was a lot and I loved it! I kinda wish I was the type of person that didn't crave affirmation but I just am.
Just so you know, I think this story is coming to an end and I'm feeling really pretty sad about that. I would consider extending it if that's what you all wanted AND if you gave me some inspired prompts. I have three more chapters left and then I'm out of ideas. I don't want this story to overstay its welcome so if I'm not feeling it, I'll just end it with the three chapters I have planned. I would also welcome any other TWD story ideas. I've toyed with the idea of writing an actual novel outside of fan fiction but I love these characters and this world so much. I guess I'm just a sucker for zombies and romance. Anyhow, comment below or send me a PM with any ideas for this story or any other TWD stories you might have.
I sincerely love each one of you and pray God's best for you always!
On a side note, it's 6:30 AM and I haven't gone to bed yet...man I love writing.
Everybody's Gotta Live
Performed by Love
Written by Arthur Lee
(kind of obsessed with this song...give the og studio version a listen)