I'll Wait

Daryl POV

The room was deadly quiet, the small office overflowing with worry. It was damn near impossible to stay still. I wanted to bust out of this room and charge upstairs, demand some damn answers, but that wouldn't help Alex or Rick. So instead I kept myself tucked in the corner, chewing on my thumbnail with my eyes glued to the door like a man possessed.

Carl was on the couch, head in his hands. He'd been crying earlier but pulled himself together quickly. Red, swollen eyes were the only evidence of his pain. His dad was in a bad way, worse than Red according to Siddiq. He was a strong kid, and I knew if his girlfriend had any say in the matter Rick was gonna be just fine.

Michonne was on the couch next to him, her face so pale she looked like she might fall over. Her hands were still crusted with Rick's blood and despite her best effort Maggie hadn't been able to convince her to get cleaned up. She was in shock, that much was plain. Ever since we arrived she hadn't said a word to anyone, not even Carl. It was like she was holding her breath, too afraid to do or say anything.

Maggie and Glenn were in the corner with the baby. Hershel was fast asleep, his parents watching over him with their arms around each other. Beth sat beside the pack and play, eyes glued to the tiny infant like he might spontaneously disappear. My heart squeezed a little every time I looked at him. It was hard not to think about the baby Red lost, our baby.

Carol sat stoically on the couch next to Carl. To anyone who didn't know her she looked calm and collected, but I knew her. I saw how she squeezed her knees till her knuckles were white and how she held her breath every time someone passed in front of the door. This kind of thing was why she ran, tried to separate herself from the group. The chance of watching the people she loved die was something she wanted to avoid at all costs.

Merle sat in a chair beside me, pretending to sleep. Francine had tried to coax him away for food and a real bed, but he wouldn't leave my side. I ain't never seen my brother scared, but when we found Red I saw it in his eyes. All the color drained from his face and he couldn't tear his eyes away from her. If anyone had told me a few years ago those two would be thick as thieves I wouldn't have believed it. Merle didn't take to people, but Red had a way of burrowing into your heart without you even realizing.

Rosita stood by the huge bay windows, looking outside at the chaos that had followed us back from the bridge. She was tough as nails but seeing Rick and Alex near death rattled her. She admired Rick, and the thought of carrying on without him made her roll her shoulders as if she could someone lessen the burden his death would bring. Her relationship with my wife was...unique, but there was a mutual respect between them. Everybody tried to handle her with kid gloves after Abraham, everyone but Red. Rosita appreciated it even if she doesn't necessarily like it. Hell, I think she needed it.

Jesus was trying and failing to look casually guarding the door. His primary reason for being here was to keep us here and out of Siddiq's way. When we first arrived I'd been dragged in by three guys, my brother right behind me cussing up a storm. He gently explained while I was pinned to the floor with someone's knee between my shoulder blades that me screaming and pounding on the door while they worked to save them wasn't helpful.

My eyes scanned the room, taking in every person holding vigil. It was hard to believe a few years ago these people were strangers I was gonna betray and rob. I wasn't too sure when that changed, when they went from strangers to friends and then friends to family, but it started with Red. When she showed up at the farm we were fractured, all of us slowly drifting away from one another. She was the glue that kept us together, helped us rebuild trust that would eventually make us a family.

She was the heart of our group as Hershel put it. She changed our outlook from living to die to dying to live. My mind wandered back to the farm, to a time when I couldn't name this thing that was between us.

I'd just gotten the fire going when I heard footsteps in the woods behind me. Tensing, I grabbed my crossbow, listening.

"I come in peace."

Rolling my eyes I dropped my weapon, glancing over my shoulder at Red. She emerged from the woods with her hands raised and a smirk on her face.

"Smartass," I mumbled, turning back to the fire.

She plopped down on a log beside me, dropping her rifle and rolling her shoulders. She was the only person I ever met who felt comfortable around me. Didn't matter what I was doing or what kind of mood I was in. She just made herself comfortable in my space like it was the most natural thing in the world. I wouldn't admit it to no one, but having her around was...nice.

"How'd it go?" Since she didn't come waltzing into camp with Sophia in tow it was kind of obvious, but all I had left anymore when it came to that little girl was hope.

"Nothing," she sighed, rubbing her hands over her face in frustration. Other than me Red had spent the most time looking for the little girl. Most days she was gone before everyone awoke and got back after dark. "The trail goes cold a couple dozen feet from where you found her doll."

She chewed on her bottom lip, the flames of the fire creating shadows that danced across her face. Feeling my eyes on her she looked up and I dropped my gaze to the ground, glad she couldn't see the blush on my cheeks. A strange feeling bloomed in my chest, the bulge in my pants making me shift uncomfortably.

Red was just about the prettiest woman I'd ever seen, but unlike most woman, she didn't seem to know it. Her skin was pale, eyes a deep green I ain't never seen before. Her heart shaped lips were pink and full, and I had to stop myself from imagining them wrapped around my dick on more than one occasion.

Her hair was long, too long. It was bound to be a problem, and the smart thing to do would be to cut it short, like Carol, but trying to picture her without her mane of vibrant red hair just seemed wrong. It looked soft, silky, and I curled my hand into a fist so I wouldn't reach out and touch it like a goddamn creeper.

She was tall for a woman, damn near my height and she knew how to handle herself. When I first saw her in the woods bending over my dead deer I didn't think nothing of her. Shaking my head I couldn't help but laugh at that now. Boy was I wrong. She was capable, smart, and absolutely lethal. She was the only person I knew who didn't hang out with me because of what I could do for them. The rest of the depended on me for food, protection, and basic fucking survival, but not her. She'd been on her own since the beginning, something even I couldn't claim. She didn't spend time with me because she was trying to get in my good graces. It confused the shit out of me. No one had ever sought me out unless they wanted something. Far as I could tell she didn't want anything.

What I liked most of all didn't have nothing to do with how she looked. Her sense of humor was sexy as hell, when it wasn't directed at me. Watching her wind-up Shane just to watching him explode was funny as shit. She had a way of disarming people with her demeanor and words. It made you feel comfortable around her, safe even. It sure as hell endeared her to the group that only a week ago was ready to execute her.

"We'll keep lookin'," I finally replied, turning the spike with the squirrel roasting on it, "She's out there. We'll find her."

"Yeah." She was distracted, staring at the fire intently. Immediately my shoulders tensed and I glanced around camp.

"What's wrong?"

Her eyes flicked to me and she sighed, "I didn't find any sign of Sophia, but I found plenty of walkers."

"How many?"

"Too many."

"Whatcha thinkin'?"

"Their getting closer, too close if you ask me, and their numbers are increasing every day."

It didn't take a genius to see where this was going.

"We ain't gonna be able to stay here." She nodded, closing her eyes briefly. "When's the last time ya slept?"

"What day is it?"

"Tuesday." At least I thought it was.

"A few hours on Sunday," she answered with a yawn.

Pulling the squirrels off the fire I checked to see if they were done. "Hungry?"

"Starving."

I handed her a stick and she smiled. I swear my heart skipped a fucking beat. Her whole face lit up, beaming at me, and I found it hard to swallow.

"Thanks Katniss."

Snorting I dropped my eyes to my food, picking at it, intensely aware of how close we were sitting.

"Does Bershel oh you weft the ouse?"

Smirking I raised an eyebrow, "Didn't yur momma tell ya talkin' with food in yur mouth is rude?"

Her answer was the middle finger and I choked on a laugh. I didn't think I'd laughed so much in my whole life as I had with her.

"Doc knows I'm out here," I replied, answering her question, "It ain't nothing." I pointed at the bandage on my forehead.

"A bullet to the head is nothing?"

"Just a graze," I corrected. She snorted, rolling her eyes and stuffing her mouth with more food. "Andrea apologized this mornin'. She feels like crap."

Red stilled and cracked a knuckle before tearing off another piece of meat. "Whoever taught that woman to shoot was not thinking ahead."

"Shane said she's a natural."

"Natural my ass," she muttered under her breath, "The only reason you're still alive is because she's a shit shot. She may be able to hit cans but cans don't move."

Her concern made my chest constrict. "She was just tryin' to protect the group." She made a noncommittal sound in the back of her throat, refusing to make eye contact. "Heard ya ruffed her up a bit."

She froze, finally looking my way. "Who told you that?" Licking the grease off my thumb I simply shrugged. "T and his big, fat mouth."

Most of the group had been weary of Red from the start, but not T. He adored her swagger and they both had a similar sense of humor. They'd hit it off almost instantly. Two pea's in a fucking pod.

"Ya really put a gun in her face?"

She held her chin high, flipping her long ponytail off her shoulder. "No, I didn't put a gun in her face." When I simply stared at her and waited she rolled her eyes. "I put a gun to her forehead and explained proper gun safety."

"She pissed her pants."

Red chuckled, "I was very thorough."

"Yur fuckin' crazy is what ya are." She hummed in agreement, finishing her food. "Thanks...for havin' my back...again."

T-Dog stopped by yesterday to check on me. He told me about what happened when Red returned to came and found out I'd been shot. The way he told the story she was so pissed Rick considered confiscating all her weapons and handcuffing her to the pole again. It was more for Andrea's safety than anything else. It was also fucking stupid considering she'd slipped the cuffs the second we left and didn't need no weapon to inflict bodily harm.

Somehow she'd convinced Rick she was under control and wouldn't maim Andrea, but the second he was out of sight she hunted the woman down. It didn't help that Andrea didn't have the sense God gave a goose. When Red confronted her she'd mouthed off, casually dismissing the incident now that Hershel had reported I was gonna be fine.

Red grabbed her by the hair before she could scamper away, slamming her into the side of the house. Before Glenn and T-Dog could wrestle her off the poor woman she had a gun pressed to her forehead. They didn't hear all of what she hissed in Andrea's ear, but they heard enough.

"I'll always have your back," she said in barely a whisper.

I didn't know what to say to that so I said nothing, swallowing around the lump in my throat and standing up, pretending to tidy up my camp just to have something to do. Her admission made me feel uncomfortable. I didn't have many friends growing up and sure as shit none of them looked at me the way Red did.

Glancing at her out of the corner of my eye I found her head in her hands and eyes closed. Her head bobbed forward every so often and she jerked awake only to fall back asleep almost instantly. I was glad that my awkwardness didn't create issues between us. She seemed to understand this was new for me and I needed time. It didn't stop her from saying things like "I'll always have your back", but she was content to let me process it in my own time.

"Come on, let's hit the sack," I announced, stomping out the embers from the fire.

"Why would we hit a sack?" she slurred, eyes still closed.

Shaking my head I grabbed her shoulders, hoisting her up. For such a lanky thing she sure was light as a feather. I made a note to catch a few extra squirrels or rabbits. It was no secret she gave away what little rations we got to Lori or Carl or anyone else who might need it.

Guiding her to my tent I pulled the flap back, ushering her inside. She didn't protest or comment, instead flopping down on my brother's sleeping bag which was setup across from mine. It wasn't the first time we'd shared the same tent, but damn if it didn't make my heart race every time.

Her soft snores made me smile as I bent down, taking off her boots and setting them aside. She snuggled into the sleeping bag, smiling in her sleep when I pulled the covers up to her chin.

"Mmmm, night night, Leoglas."

Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear I whispered, "Night Red."

The doors to the office opened and I pushed off the wall, my heart hammering in my chest. Siddiq and Enid both looked exhausted, covered in sweat, clothes and hands stained with blood.

"They're both alive," Siddiq announced, trying to put us at ease. It didn't work. "Rick was impaled by a piece of metal. It missed his spleen, thankfully, but he lost a lot of blood. We were able to stop the bleeding and have him on IV antibiotics and fluid to replace the blood loss."

"So, he'll be OK?" Carl asked, squeezing Michonne's hand.

"He's going to have a long recovery ahead of him, and we need to keep an eye out for infection." Siddiq ran a hand through his hair, clearly exhausted. "Alex saved his life, more than once actually. If she hadn't thought to cauterize the wound with gunpowder I'm not sure he would have made it."

"What about the explosion?" It was the first thing Michonne had said since the bridge.

"He wasn't hurt in the explosion." Siddiq's eyes slid to me, and he licked his lips. "The metal sheet Alex covered him with protected him."

"What 'bout Alex?" Merle said, standing at my side, body tense.

The two doctors shared a look and I felt like I was gonna throw up.

"She's stable," Siddiq answered.

I stepped forward, narrowing my eyes. "Is she awake?"

He shook his head, taking a deep breath. "She suffered head trauma and is still unconscious. The good news is I don't think there was any skull fractures, and I'm fairly certain there was no damage to her spinal cord but until she wakes up we can't be sure."

I closed my eyes, willing myself not to collapse.

"What the hell does that mean?" my brother barked, ready to explode.

Siddiq put his hand up, trying to calm him down. "We don't know much more right now."

He was holding back. I could see it in his eyes.

"But ya got some idea?"

He rubbed the bridge of his nose, stalling for time. Enid stepped forward, drawing all eyes to her, but she didn't back down.

"Headache, dizziness, difficulty speaking, loss of memory, nausea, blurred vision, sensitivity to light and sound..."

"Enough!" I roared, unable to hear any more. I was grateful for the information, but goddamn it was all too much.

"Can we see them?"

Siddiq nodded at Michonne. "Sure, I'll take you up."

The short walk up the stairs felt like a million miles. Siddiq escorted Carl and Michonne to Rick's room while Enid took me to Red's. Once we were outside the door I just stood there. Enid didn't say anything. She simply waited at my side.

"When will she wake up?"

Enid took my hand and squeezed it. "When she's ready."

My hand shook when I reached for the door, my throat dry as I swung it open. The room was bright, the sun shining through the windows flanking the bed. Red was tucked into the pristine white covers, her arms bandaged and lying on top, an IV in her right arm with tubes trailing to a pole setup beside her bed.

My footsteps were loud in my ears as I made my way to her. My eyes examined my wife, noting that Enid must have cleaned her up. The blood on her body had been washed away and she was in clean clothes that weren't hers. The c-collar was still on her neck, but Enid said it was simply a precaution.

A chair was positioned beside the bed and I fell into it. Red was never still so seeing her lying motionless with tubes and wires connected to her made it hard to breathe. I wanted to touch her, to hold her, but there wasn't a part of her that wasn't covered in bandages, bruises, or cuts. I settled for taking her hand in mine. It was so cold, so lifeless my throat constricted painfully.

"I'm here Red and I ain't goin' nowhere." She didn't move, her chest moving rhythmically up-and-down. "Yur gonna be a'right," I licked my lips, trying to hold myself together. "Ya take all the time ya need. I got yur back, always."

I leaned forward, kissing her forehead gently before resting my head on her hand, and for the first time in a long time, I let myself cry.


Another Daryl POV chapter...whoop whoop! Not only that but we got to see a glimpse of the two of them back at the farm. Writing about Alex confronting Andrea after she shot Daryl was a hoot. Hope you all enjoyed it!

Until next time...