This isn't really my favorite chapter, but it's something. I did include a few lines from the episode "Still". Let's see who finds it and remembers it. Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN TWD :(
Anyway, I'd also like to thank you guys for the wonderful feedback. It means a lot. Try to keep it going XD
I hope you enjoy this chapter!
-M
Chapter Three:
While Daryl slept, Carol made her way to the river to fill up the water bottles again, not caring about the rain that was slowly becoming stronger and stronger. Worried about possibly running into that herd of walkers on the way there, she decided to take a different route, where she found a burned down house. In it were two buckets, even more blankets, a box full of granola bars, stuffed away in a little closet, and a container packed with tea bags. She couldn't believe their luck.
Making sure to take everything there was, the woman got to the river and got all the water she needed, filling up a bucket as well. When she returned back to their camp, she sighed. Daryl seemed to have gotten worse. She had bandaged his entire arm up as much as she could, even using the sleeves of one of his warmer shirts to finish it up. Clearly, a fever had already claimed him. He was drenched in sweat, his body trembling violently as he tried to fight it off. Unfortunately for him, he was failing.
Carol fell to her knees beside him, taking a handkerchief out of her back pocket and dumping it into the bucket. She then pressed the wet cloth against Daryl's forehead, hoping to cool him down. "Hey, Daryl," she said quietly right as he began to stir. "It's me. I'm just trying to cool you down, okay?"
"Hmm," the tracker groaned, curling into himself. He could hear thunder from outside his cave, and for once in his life, he was glad that he was inside rather than outside. His head was pounding, the throbbing slowly becoming unbearable. He only wished that he could just sleep without the pain waking him up every few minutes. God, he was so tired. Exhaustion really was a bitch. "What … time's it…?" he asked weakly, feeling something against his lips. He almost moaned when the cool, familiar liquid began to make its way down his throat, and almost growled when it was taken away.
"You don't wanna drink too much," Carol explained, putting the bottle aside for later. "It's almost nighttime. I'm gonna have to cover the entrance up soon, so that the walkers won't get to us. In the meantime, you just keep on sleeping. Don't worry about anything." Standing back up, she began making a fire, and then took to figuring out a way to block off the mouth of the cave. In the end, she managed to hook three blankets up, and it was just enough to make the two of them invisible to anyone else. She was kind of proud of herself, but she just couldn't dwell on it for too long. Returning back to her companion, she slid against the wall next to him, beginning to watch him. Slowly, she began to cry again, since when she first started, she had to force herself to stop almost instantly. Now, when all the work was done, and she finally had the time to wrap her mind around all this, she couldn't help but let the tears fall.
"Stop worryin'," Daryl said suddenly, his voice wavering slightly. "I'm g-gonna be … fine."
"I know," Carol said, not meaning any of it. She didn't if he would be okay or not. She didn't know if he would make it. She didn't know anything. And that was what worried her. Daryl was someone who she depended on, and not just for safety or protection, either. He was the reason she really got up in the morning. He was someone that she just couldn't live without. But now that he was like this, hurt and afraid, she couldn't help but think of living without him, which was what made her cry more and more.
"You're lyin'," the man muttered, slowly turning himself around so he could look at her. It hurt like hell to do it, but it was totally worth it. He smirked gently, trying to provide her with some kind of assurance, just like she had been doing before. "I know … ya are. D-Don't bother. Like you said, everythin's … gonna b-be fine. Y-You gotta start … listenin' t-to what y-your own a-advice."
At that, Carol laughed, unable to help it. She crawled towards him then, beginning to stroke his hair. "I really should, shouldn't I?" she joked, taking a deep breath to try and steady herself. Just looking at Daryl made her want to break down, but as much as she wanted to, she told herself to just stay strong. For both their sakes, she would stay strong, even when she wouldn't be able to.
"Y-Yes ma'am…," Daryl whispered, letting his eyes fall closed. He barely even realized that he had fallen asleep again until he was claimed by a familiar darkness that he now seemed to welcome. It felt too good to just let go.
~TWD~
Days passed, and Daryl seemed to be getting worse and worse.
Carol tried to treat it as best she could, getting water from the river and giving him as much medicine as she could spare. Any time her companion became overheated, she would wet her handkerchief and press it against his skin, hoping to provide him with some comfort. Any time he would be shivering with cold, she would bundle him up so that he would warm up again. Still, nothing seemed to be working.
Nightmares plagued him almost every night, not letting him rest properly. He would wake up every few hours, too tired to fight off Carol, who was always there to calm him down. Mostly, the dreams were about him losing everyone he loved, their deaths brutal. The fever was making it worse, and he only wished that it would just go away so he could have a break from those horrifying images. They constantly left him disoriented, confused about where he was and what was real. He hated that feeling, but was forced to live with it, all because he was stupid enough to walk into a trap that had a goddamn bomb attached to it. He blamed himself for getting the two of them into this mess almost every day.
The worst nightmare hit on the seventh day. It was about the prison, how the Governor had taken Carol and Michonne hostage instead of Hershel, and he had to witness him decapitating the poor woman. That was when he woke up, a single tear falling down his face. When he found Carol, he threw himself into her arms, not caring about his wounds anymore. He felt her hug him, whispering into his ear, telling him that everything was alright. "I'm right here, Daryl," she assured him, kissing the top of his head and squeezing him a little tighter. "I'm right here. Nothing happened to me. I promise you, I'm alright."
"I t-thought I … lost ya, Carol," the tracker mumbled, closing his eyes as his mind forced him to relive the memory. "I thought … I-I thought ya … were g-gone."
"No, Daryl, I'm right here," the woman replied. "I'm not gone, I'm right next to you. And I'm not going anywhere."
"Yeah, r-right," Daryl managed to breath out. "It's only a-a matter of … time b-before I lose y-ya, too…"
"Don't you say that!" Carol exclaimed suddenly. "You're not gonna lose me, Daryl! I am gonna stay with you for as long as I can. Stop thinking like this, please. I'm not ready to leave you yet. I never will be. I promise to always be with you."
"Yeah, and I t-though the s-same … was gonna happen w-with the others," Daryl responded, attempting to raise his voice, but failing. He could feel his eyes filling with tears, the thoughts he had bottled up for so long finally surfacing.
"Daryl, just stop."
"No! The Governor r-rolled right up … to our g-gates. Maybe if I wouldn't have stopped looking. Maybe 'cause I gave up. That's on me."
"Daryl…."
"N-No. And Hershel … Maybe — maybe I could have done something." He hung his head then, beginning to cry silently. Feeling Carol embracing him again, he didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her, breathing in her scent, wanting to just be near her.
They sat like that for the rest of the night … Or until Daryl fell asleep again, too tired to fight any more. Carol could only stare at him as he slept, their previous conversation playing on repeat. She only hoped that, somehow, she would be able to bring the old Daryl back. She only hoped that she would be able to find a way to make him whole again.
TBC
