Quinn, Hilltop

The next day I was bored to hell. Enid checked on me every now and then, but no one else came. I missed Eugene already. I found it curious that Daryl hasn't visited me. He was here when they finished the surgery, but since then, he was away. I got it, he was busy interrogating the girl. At least I was telling this to myself. Jesus found it strange too. Maybe Daryl didn't want to come. It made me sad. Jesus said he'll visit me today, but he didn't come either.

The next time Enid checked on me, I stopped her, I grabbed her arm.

"What's wrong? Do you feel pain?" she asked. I shook my head.

"Bored," I said carefully, not to hurt my jaw. This was the second day since the surgery, and instead of healing, the pain became more intense. Enid said the second and the third day will be the most painful, but after those, it will only be better. She didn't mention that I will be bored to death. She smiled at me sadly and sat on the next bed.

"I'm sorry. I have a little time now if you want me to stay."

I nodded and asked carefully:

"Alden?"

Enid shook her head with a sad smile.

"He's not back yet. Jesus said he's going out to search for him, Tara wasn't happy about it, but someone had to go."

I nodded, I took her hand. She smiled sadly.

"I'm worried, you know… Now that these masked people are out there. I don't know what happened to him."

I nodded.

"He'll come back," I said.

"Don't speak, your jaw needs to heal," she said, I nodded.

I was thinking for a minute, but then I decided I'll ask about Daryl. I didn't want to know the answer though.

"D… Daryl?" I asked unsurely, not moving my jaw.

"Daryl?" asked Enid, I nodded. "He's interrogating that girl, keeps an eye on her all day and night. He's listening by the window when they are talking with Henry."

I frowned my eyebrows.

"Henry's befriending her."

I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, I agree. I think he likes her."

I closed my eyes tight. This was the exact same case with me and Negan. Falling in love with the enemy. I hope Henry isn't doing this because he saw my bad example. Carol's gonna kill me.

"Daryl," I said again, without moving my jaw. "Not visiting."

"He hasn't visited you yet? I'll talk to him if you want me to."

I was moving my hand like I was writing something, Enid nodded.

"I'll get paper and a pen for you," she said and went to the next room.

I knew exactly what Daryl was doing. It just clicked into my head. He was blaming himself like he always does. I was sure. He blamed himself for my injury again. Because I wanted him to stay with us and he insisted on going, to lure away the herd, then he returned only after I fell over. Why do I have to be so unfortunate? I don't want to make him feel this way. I have to talk to him.

Enid returned and gave me the pen and paper.

"Here you go."

"Thanks," I said.

"You know, he… he went all nuts last night. Henry said he was an ass to that girl. Which I understand, but still. He said Daryl was out of control."

I frowned my eyebrows.

I started to write.

"Daryl, I know you are blaming yourself again, but please don't. It's all my fault. I don't want to make you feel upset when you are already upset. Please, don't blame yourself, I'm asking you, really. It was all my fault, I should have practiced before going, I haven't fought in ages. As soon as I recover, I'm going to practice, so this wouldn't happen again. Please, don't blame yourself. You don't have to visit me, just please, stop blaming yourself. You have enough on your hands already, don't bother with me.

Thank You for saving me again.

Quinn"

I read the letter again and again, then I folded it in half and gave it to Enid.

"Please?" I asked her, she nodded.

"Of course, I'm going to give it to him."

"Thank you," I said.

"Okay, just stop talking. You need to heal," she said scoldingly but still smiling.

"Alden'll be okay," I said, without moving my jaw. She looked at me and smiled sadly.

"I hope you're right," she said quietly. I took her hand again, then I let her go. "Let me know if the pain gets worse. I'll come back later."

I nodded and she left. I was alone again. I wish I could tell all this myself to Daryl, but even if he came, I couldn't talk. I had to recover. I was afraid I might get bored to death again, so I watched the infusion dripping, somehow it made me sleepy.

I closed my eyes and soon I did fall asleep.

The next time I woke up, Enid was checking the infusion bag.

"Hey. Sorry, I didn't want to wake you up," she said. I shook my head weakly. "I gave the letter to Daryl. He didn't say anything."

I nodded, made a grimace.

"By the way, are you two…?" asked Enid.

My eyes widened, I shook my head stronger than I wanted.

"Friends," I said without moving my jaw.

"Oh, okay. Sorry," she smiled embarrassedly. "I thought you two were… something. He seems to care a lot about you."

I shook my head and pointed at my belly.

"I don't think it's just the injury. Speaking of which, I'm changing the gauze, okay?"

I nodded. She removed the blanket and the previous gauze from my belly and applied the fresh one. She gave me painkillers too.

"This painkiller will make you sleepy."

I nodded.

"Alright, then, if everything's fine I'll go."

I nodded again.

"Thanks," I said.

"No problem," she smiled and left.

I watched the painkiller drip with the infusion. Drop, drop, drop. Soon I fell asleep again…

I woke up because I heard some noise at the door, I got scared for a moment, but then I realized the key clicked in the lock. Someone was coming in. I looked at the window, I saw it was dark outside, so it was still night. Enid forgot something?

That someone closed the door behind themself and stepped closer to the bed. It was pretty dark, but moonlight lit through the window, so I saw him clearly. It was Daryl. He looked even wearier than the last time I saw him. I was holding my breath, I didn't know who it was, in the middle of the night, but when I saw him, I let out a sigh. He looked me in the eye and sat on the next bed, where Eugene was two days ago. He didn't say a word for several minutes, just looked me in the eye, sitting there.

"Letter?" I asked quietly, without moving my jaw. He nodded.

"Got it," he looked down at his hands, then looked me in the eye again. "I don't know what to do… I'm just… I want to keep you safe. And when I fail, like this, I…"

He stopped, shook his head, and started biting his lips. He looked away. I reached out and took his hand. He looked at me.

"I 've so much shit going on. Carol, Rick, Leah… this girl and Henry. I just…"

I squeezed his hand a little. I just realized it was the first time he said his girlfriend's name. At least I think "Leah" was her.

"Don't bother with me," I said carefully. He looked me in the eye.

"I have to."

I shook my head and smiled weakly.

"I should've listened to you, I shouldn' have gone to bait the horde. If I stayed, I could've helped you, this wouldn've happened," he said, let go of my hand, stood up, and started pacing. I shook my head.

"My fault," I said.

"You shouldn' talk," he said. I shook my head, I insisted. I grabbed his hand again.

"My fault," I said again, looking him in the eye. He sat back on the next bed, bent over, and put his chin in his other hand, resting his head.

"Girl?" I asked carefully. He looked at me again.

"I dunno… She won't talk. She seems to like Henry, though," I made a grimace when he said that.

"Familiar situation," I said quietly. Daryl jerked up his head, looked at me. "I set a bad example to him."

"Nah… It's all him."

"He asked about Negan, he knows," I said carefully, but my jaw started to be more painful. I wanted to say so many things to Daryl, but I couldn't. I started to massage my jaw a little.

"Stop talking," he said. I know he said it because of my jaw but sounded funny given the topic. I smiled.

"I should go," he said, I realized I was still holding his hand, I quickly let go and I pointed at the bed.

"Sleep," I said.

"Want me to stay?" he asked unbelievingly, in his growling voice. I nodded. He lay on the bed and took my hand again. "I didn' even ask how you were…"

"Fine," I said quietly. "Painkillers," I pointed at the infusion bag.

He nodded. I closed my eyes and fall asleep almost immediately.

Daryl fell asleep too, but when the first rays of the sun lit through the window, he quickly got up. He realized he was still holding Quinn's hand. He put her hand gently next to her body and got up. He tried to leave as silently as he could.

I woke up again when Enid was removing the gauze. I got scared that Daryl was still there and sees my belly again, I looked around in alert.

"Don't worry, it's just me," said Enid. Seems like she didn't see Daryl. I wasn't surprised he left so soon. I hope he slept at least.

"Daryl?" I asked.

"He is at the jail, interrogating the girl again. Hasn't he visited you?"

I nodded.

"Alright then," she said, then removed my pajamas and started to wash me with a sponge. "Tomorrow's the fourth day, if you feel like your jaw doesn't hurt that much, you can talk more, but only if it doesn't hurt. If you feel pain, you shouldn't talk yet."

I nodded. She didn't know how much I talked last night, I didn't want to mention it, she would scold me.

"Okay, I have to go, but I'll come back later. Just stay the same way and heal. Don't try to move, not yet."

"Thanks."

She nodded and left. I heard the lock click.

Not long after she left I heard someone yelling outside. I frowned my eyebrows, I wish I could sit up to look out through the window.

I was wondering what was going on.

Author's notes: Listen to "Ghosttown" by Madonna. Thank You for reading! ❤