This chapter proves I will NOT kill off Daryl! Like I'd kill off my... I mean... Jamie's... father! I saw the previews for Sunday's episode- if Daryl dies, we riot! I actually didn't give you a cliffie this time- still, please review! Also, the other character will be coming into play a little bit more. I am SO glad Glenn is going to look for Maggie! First he risks his life just to get ladies tampons and abortion pills, now this! He IS SUCH A KEEPER! So i put in a bit of Glenn in this chapter. :). Again, review! :)
She woke with the dawn, thanking god Daryl was still breathing. He seemed just as feverish as yesterday, but at least he wasn't dead.
She wormed her way out from under his strong arm, sighing. Yesterday had been hell, sitting beside him, praying and feeling useless. She couldn't go through it again, waiting, feeling so helpless...
Rick came out a few minutes later, handing her a bowl of oatmeal and taking one for himself, sitting down beside her to watch the sunrise.
She looked at the oatmeal in the styrofoam dish, poking it with a spoon. It reminded her of the awful oatmeal Lori used to make... She'd eat that nasty oatmeal every morning now, if Lori were still alive. Looking back, it was such a stupid complaint. At least they'd HAD food...
Rick nudged her, unaware of the thoughts she was having. "Eat." he ordered. "You barely ate anything yesterday."
She sighed, taking the first spoonful. It was decent, and Rick smiled. "Made it myself."
She nodded, taking another bite, looking out at the rising sun thoughtfully.
"No fair- I wanna join the oatmeal party." Carl said, taking his place beside Jamie, giving her a knowing smile which she returned half-heartedly.
"I'm going hunting today." Jamie said simply. Rick looked up, slightly surprised. "Without Daryl?"
"He'd want me to hunt." she said quietly. "Someone has to."
"I'll go with you." Rick said decidedly.
Jamie scoffed. "You may be a cop- but you're loud as hell in the woods. I can handle myself."
"You sure about this, Jamie?" Rick asked, looking at her.
"Yeah. 'M sure." Jamie said simply, looking off towards the woods. In reality, she couldn't take sitting beside Daryl, feeling totally helpless, for another day.
She handed Carl the gun. "If he turns... Make SURE he's dead first, alright?" her voice cracked slightly at the end lf the sentence, she looked away. Rick nodded.
"Do you have a knife?"
"Yeah." Jamie pulled out Daryl's hunting knife. She could've taken the switchblade, but the hunting knife made her feel closer to Daryl...
"Don't leave until after breakfast, alright? I want everyone to at least see you. Besides, Glenn and Maggie have been worried about you. You should probably talk to them."
People were waking up now, milling around. Some looked up nervously at them, craning there necks to see if Daryl was dead.
Jamie nodded, standing. She noticed Glenn looking worriedly at her from where he sat at one of the table, chewing oatmeal.
She forced a smile, walking over to him. "I'm going hunting." she said simply.
Glenn swallowed his bite, brown eyes concerned. "Alone? Do you want me to come with you? I mean, with Daryl sick..."
She was relieved. Glenn had said sick, not dying. Dying would've meant everyone had given up hope...
"No. I'll be fine- I can handle myself in the woods. Walkers don't scare me. I just figured I should tell ya- Rick said you were worried..."
"Well, yeah, I was. Still am. Maggie is, too. You may be a badass sometimes, Jamie, but you're still just a kid..." when the people from Woodbury looked at her, they saw a badass country girl raised by Daryl. Someone bulletproof.
But when he saw her, he still remembered that little twelve year old from the farm, crying her eyes out as they laid her brother in a grave. She was strong, but she wasn't unshakable.
"I know. But I know when to pick my battles, Glenn."
Glenn sighed. "There's no way I can change your mind about this, is there?"
"Nope. Someone has to hunt with Daryl sick- it's what he'd have wanted."
Glenn nodded. The kid was right- in his absence, on runs, Jamie would hunt...
"Take this, at least." Glenn reached down, freeing his larger knife from his belt.
"Don't need it. I have Daryl's." Jamie said, brandishing the hunting knife.
Glenn nodded, looking down at the girl. Bright green eyes, bravery, that attitude she had... She'd come to be like his little sister, whether she knew it or not. He counted everyone from the original group family, but Jamie... she was different. Her traumatic past and guts when the shit started to fly had made her one of his favorites.
Jamie gave him that grin she had. Her eyes were dull, they'd been since Daryl had gotten sick, but still, it was a smile. "I'll be back to kick your ass in target practice tonight."
He smiled. "Alright then. Go get 'em, Tiger." He ruffled her hair quietly. As the warmer months had come, Daryl had forced her to ditch the coonskin cap. She'd nearly passed out from the heat in June with it on, and Daryl had taken it from her, saying he'd give it back when it was cold again...
She grabbed her bow, slinging it across her shoulder along with the quiver, walking over to Daryl.
He was ghastly pale, his face almost ashen. Drenched in sweat, he was dehydrated, and Hershel had started an IV. His breathing was faint, fever high, heart racing. This might be the last time she saw him alive...
She knelt beside him, hands in her lap, biting her lip, staring down at him anxiously. His breathing continued, but he didn't stir.
"H-hey... Dad." she said, voice cracking slightly at the end.
He didn't wake.
"I... I know you're real sick. And I'm sorry I didn't notice. I'm real sorry. I... ya can die if ya need to. Sometimes, it's gotta happen. Don't be 'fraid. I'm a Dixon... I'll take care of Carol, an Lil' Asskicker, and hunt..." she make a strangled noise, choking back a sob, shoving it deep within her. " 'M goin' huntin now, Dad. I... I love you... Please don't... I mean... just... I love you." she choked it out. She was going to plead with him not to die, beg him not to leave her like everyone had...
But she couldn't. That'd be selfish. The way he was suffering, it might be best to let him go...
She shakily lowered herself to him, their noses were almost touching. She could feel his warm breath tickle her face, she looked at his closed eyes. The lids covering them might be like a tomb, shrouding those green eyes if he died...
She planted a kiss on his sweaty forehead, before straightening up.
She cast one last, sad look at him and turned, wiping her nose on her forearm, looking out at the woods.
"Jamie."
She whirled, looking down to see Daryl propped up on one elbow, almost sitting up, looking at her. His eyes were glassy from fever, but he was lucid...
She was too shocked to say anything for a moment, he was awake, she'd thought he'd never be awake again...
"I ain't gonna die, kid." he said, giving her a weak smile.
"You wiley son of a bitch." she gaped, staring at him.
"That's me." Daryl was still smiling.
"You were awake the whole fuckin' time? What the hell's wrong with you?" she asked, looking genuinely hurt.
"I was half awake. That kiss thing really woke me up." Daryl used his free hand to brush his sweaty bangs back, looking at her, knowing she wouldn't hold it against him.
She rolled her eyes from where she stood, arms crossed. "Fucking perfect. I have sleeping beauty for a father."
Daryl chuckled, coughing a little at the end. But he was alive.
"You said somethin' 'bout goin hunting." he said matter-of-factly, a moment later.
"Yeah..."
"Help me up." Daryl looked at her seriously.
"There's no way you're going." she said, looking at him sternly.
"Yeah- I know. But I gotta give you directions."
She nodded slowly, offering him her hand. She pulled him up, and he leaned on the fence, still weak.
" 'Member that place with the creek running through it? Freshwater one, fed by that spring up east?"
She nodded. "Yeah."
"It ain't too far from here, 'bout half a mile or so. We haven't been up there in awhile. Probably got some rabbits an squirrels for you to kill."
She nodded, considering. "Want me ta go fishin'?"
"Nah. Ain't much but Carp in the creek, tastes like shit. Hunt."
She nodded. "Can I shoot a deer?" she asked, sounding hopeful.
"No. No way you can carry it by yourself, the smell of dead'll bring walkers from all over. Stick to small stuff."
She nodded, looking out at the forest for a moment.
"Be back by dark, 'mkay?"
"Got it," she nodded, still looking out towards the woods.
A moment later, her arms were around Daryl, hugging him. Suddenly she was a little scared- before, she'd never really thought about being alone when she was out by herself. She'd been too worried about Daryl, who'd always been on a supply run, to really think about herself.
"Be smart, baby girl." he murdered, warm breath tickling her ear. "You're the hunter."
She nodded, pulling back from him before heading towards the gate, not looking back. Show no weakness.
"Jamie." she turned around to find Carol standing by the fence, watching her, arms crossed. "Shoot to kill. Even if it's a person. You're the hunter- not the hunted."
She nodded, looking at the woman she'd begun to think of as an aunt, since no one could take her mother's place.
Still, she'd only fight survivors if she had to, only shoot to kill if it was her or the,. She looked towards the gate.
"Open it." she ordered. Beth nodded, about to pull on the rope to open the gates.
"Stay safe, alright, Jamie?"
She nodded, giving her friend a small smile before the gates opened, and she walked outside the fences. She was the hunter.