Daryl watched as she sat at the desk looking out the window with a pair of binoculars. She would watch and when she saw lightening strike in the distance, she would look at the computer, check whatever showed up on there, and write it down. They'd gone all the way out to tower five and within a few hours of having been there, the storm started. For most of it she'd been there at the desk taking notes.
"You're doing it again." She said, writing something down.
"What?" He asked.
"Staring at me." She smirked, turning around to look at him. "You're super bored aren't you."
"Nah." Daryl shook his head, she was better company than Merle would have been in that jail cell. His main issue was how long she'd been sitting there hunched over.
"Liar." She gave him a small smile, "I should be able to take a break soon. I just want to be able to process as much data as possible just in case we lose connection to the office."
"It's fine." He reassured her, "I like the view."
She let out an embarrassed laugh as she looked back to her work, red on her cheeks, "Right."
"I'mma go smoke." He said getting up from the cot and headed outside.
Ren watched him go and tried to focus back on her work. They'd been out there a day and a half and she could tell he was going a little stir crazy except for when she wasn't collecting data, because that's when they spent time together. They mostly talked about her, he said he didn't have much to talk about, but he enjoyed hearing about her family and friends, things he never had gotten to experience the right way. She'd never really thought of her life as normal, or one that someone would want because she was so different, but Daryl seemed to think her life was nice, which she admitted it was and she had been lucky to have it, but it was weird to her when all she'd wanted was simplicity for so long. She was beginning to realize though that simplicity wasn't the life he had, it just wasn't complicated like hers was, but she could understand why he would rather have complicated.
She continued working for a little bit, but he never came back in. Looking to the door she saw him out there standing with the rain pouting inches away from him. Chuckling to herself she walked over and opened the door, "What are you still doing out here?"
"Waitin on you." He answered taking her arm and sliding her out the door. He lit two cigarettes and handed her one, "You needed a break."
"You could have said something." She shook her head with a slight smile, "I was planning on taking one."
"No, you weren't." He pulled her back to his chest, so they were both out of the rain enough to not get drenched, "You even know what time it is?"
"Yeah, it's like twelve thirty." She looked up at him.
"Almost five." He told her before pointing at the clock inside the tower.
"Holy shit! I'm so sorry!" Ren turned to look at him, "I didn't realize I'd been working that long!"
"Don bother me. Just thought you needed to get up and move around." He took a drag of his cigarette.
She chuckled, "Again you could have just told me."
This time he just shrugged, he probably could have, but she had been nose deep in her work and he always hated interrupting her.
"Five p.m. everyday we're out here. Tell me." She smiled, "I'll stop working."
"Alright." He pulled her back in close to his chest.
Daryl woke up to the sound of the satellite phone ringing. His arms were wrapped around Ren and she had a leg over his hip. The ringing stopped but then started again in seconds and he begrudgingly untangled himself from her and reached for it. His answer was groggy, but Murrays voice was wide awake, "Hey, when're you two heading back? Storms gone and we need to get a ranger back out there."
"Huh?" Daryl looked to the window and saw rays of sunshine beaming in. The storm was gone, and that meant Ren's test was done too. "Uh, she's still sleepin, so when she wakes up, we'll pack up and head out."
"Alright, let me know when you're leaving so I can send Kevin back out." Murray said before hanging up.
As he rolled back over Ren snuggled back into his chest, kissing the skin, "Do we have to go?"
He couldn't stop the small smile from the childlike whine in her voice mixing with the fact she was still half asleep. Daryl kissed the top of her head, "I think I got us a little time."
"Yeah? She looked up at him, her eyes barely open.
"Yeah." He leaned down, sealing his lips over hers.
His hand was on her knee as they got back to the main ranger station. Daryl cursed under his breath, seeing Merle waiting for them outside.
"What?" She asked.
"Nothin." He answered as he put the ranger's truck in park and got out.
"What the fuck man! You leave me in there while you're out here getting your dick wet?" Merle started towards them, "You do that, and you won't land on the grenade for your own brother when he wants to get some?"
"Stop." Was all Daryl said.
"Are you even gettin any from that stuck up bitch? Or you just hopin, little Darlina?" Merle got in Daryls face. "You ain't never been one to take initiative when it comes to gettin laid, so what the fucks the deal with this? You're wet dreams of her that good?"
"Shut up." Daryl muttered.
Ren didn't know what to do. She hated the way he talked to Daryl and how he treated him especially since it was his brother, but she didn't want to get in the way, because if this guy talked like this to Daryl what would he do to her, because unlike Daryl, Merle seemed like the kind of guy that didn't think twice before hurting someone.
"You know you're just a novelty to get right? Like some kinda rescue dog at the pound that they get bored of after a week." Merle kept going, "You ain't ever gunna have a chance with her. She probably goes home and makes fun of you with all her high-class bitchy friends!"
"Stop it! I know!" Daryl finally yelled back, and Ren felt her stomach drop. He did think she was just using him. She wasn't. She couldn't. Or was it him using her and he wouldn't say it until after she was gone? He'd said he didn't want to be with anyone else just days before, he'd called her. She was so confused and upset.
"Good now get in the truck. We got jobs to do." Merle motioned towards the vehicle.
Daryl turned to look at Ren over his shoulder. Her eyes fell from his and his chest shattered. She muttered, "I'm gunna go. But you should know, regardless of what you think, you're better than how he treats you."
He watched as she turned and got in her rental car and drove away. Why the hell did he say that? Why the hell did Merle beat it out of him in front of her, his insecurities? Why the hell did he let Merle be more important than she was?
Merle had passed out high and Daryl could finally slip away without him saying something and all he'd wanted to do since she drove away was apologize. And that's what he planned to do. He rode his bike over to her hotel and knocked on the door. She didn't answer. He knocked again even harder, maybe she was really asleep. When she didn't answer again, he called out, "Ren! Open up! Its me." Still nothing, "Ren please! I'm sorry…I didn mean it. Not like that…Merles a dick and I let him get to me. Ren…?"
"She ain't in there." The girl who worked in the lobby came out, "She checked out a week and a half early."
His stomach hit the floor when he heard that. She'd planned to stay after the storm...with him. He'd fucked it up. He always fucked everything up, Merle was right. There was no point in even trying with her, but not because of anything on Ren's end. But because he was the fuck up who couldn't do anything right.
She'd driven nine hours. When she'd gotten back to her hotel room, Ren couldn't stay there any longer. She wasn't sure what was going on but she felt betrayed and sick and very hurt. But it wasn't all Daryl, he was mostly just confusing. Her mind flickered to him and to Chris. It was such an unfair comparison but her brain couldn't stop confusing the pain because Daryl had been the one to make it not hurt as much when it happened and then he says he thinks she's using him when that was the last thing she wanted. She'd just gotten into her car and driven, and halfway to Virginia she'd realized it was probably rash and stupid and maybe she shouldn't have left. But it was to late at that point. Because what if she went back and he'd meant what he said and she looked like an idiot. It's just hurt even more.
It was pitch black out when she pulled into the driveway. Rain was coming down in sheets and she was drenched by the time she made it to the front door. She had to dig in her bag to find the spare keys she always kept in there and once she managed to get them out she couldn't see to find the right one. Trying the keys on the third one it slipped into the deadbolt and turned it before getting the handle unlocked. Pushing the door open she jumped with a scream as her uncle came at her with a baseball bat. Moving out of the way just in time she caught the light switch, turning it on.
"Holy fuck! Ren?" Negan looked at her. He shut the door and put the bat down before going over to her, "What the hell are you doing here in the middle of the night?"
"I'm sorry. I didn't know where else to go." It's the first time she'd said anything since she left the hotel. She'd thought her voice would hide what all had been on her mind but as it cracked she knew she was wrong.
"What's goin on kid?" He moved over to her, his hands on her shoulders.
She couldn't stop the sniffle, her uncle was always the one that could get anything out of her. Wrapping her arms around his waist she tried to hold back tears, "Why do guys suck so much?"
"Cause we're stupid." He held her back. Negan was worried, "Why aren't you in California? Do your brother and dad know you're here?"
"No. Don't tell them." She looked up at him, he was so much taller than her it made her feel like a child again, "If they know they'll want to come see me."
"And you don't want them to see you like this?" He asked. "See that you're upset?"
"They think I'm handling things so well and I'm really trying to Uncle Negan, I really am." She pushed her head into his chest, "But I don't know what's going on and I'm so confused."
She started crying and he held her tighter, "It's alright, I won't tell them. You can stay here as long as you need."
A/N: So I realized that Merle and whatever it was he was going to do is what slowed this chapter down. I just couldn't get past it and once I did the rest of it kind of flew lol. Be sure to let me know what you think (It might be a little rough because, again, i had to deal with Merle not working with my brain). But new chapter should be coming soon!