Everywhere he turns, Daryl sees their contorted hungry faces, palms pressing hard against the car windows, some of them trying to climb on the windshield, causing the car to swing left and right like on a damn luna park ride. It doesn't take a genius to see there's no escape. A quick look at Aaron's panicked expression and he's sure he knows it too. He's staring at the steering wheel, like he wishes he could just turn the key in the ignition and go. But this car won't start and the walkers won't move from there. Today's the day. Daryl leans back against the head restraint. He knows what he has to do. If he runs out there and distracts the walkers then maybe, just maybe, Aaron's got a fighting chance at getting out of the damn car alive. While doing that, Daryl will be bit for sure at some point. Aaron's a good person, he doesn't deserve to go like that. He had explained it to Daryl when he offered him the job; his partner, Erik, wasn't a good fit for it, not experienced enough, not fast enough to skip the dangers. Plus, Aaron loved him which made the mission all the more painful and insidious to him. But Daryl on the other hand was used to the outside world, he'd defended himself and others countless times before. Still, here they are stuck in a broken car, surrounded by walkers.
Daryl had never thought he'd arrive unprepared to this moment, he always knew that one day his good luck would run out. As he fishes a lighter out of his jeans pockets though, he feels a twinge of anger rising inside of him. He places a cigarette between his lips. Damn it, why now? Of all the times he could have died before, why the hell does it have to be now? He'd got to the safe zone and he was just starting to adjust to it...and then there was her. He'd promised Beth he'd be back. His finger flicks the light on, bringing it to the end of the cigarette. He'll never see a smile forming on her lips again, never feel the warmth that only her arms wrapped around him could give him, her singing will never reach his ears ever again. It's not right. Sometimes you can't keep your promises, even when you want to so bad. "I'll go."
Aaron glances at him, arching his eyebrows. "What?"
"I'll lead them out. You make a break for the fence."
"No, this was my fault" he protests.
"It wasn't a question. And this ain't your decision" Daryl growls. He takes a drag of his cigarette, the smoke spreads all around. "It ain't nobody's fault."
Aaron's face is pensive and serious. "You don't draw them away. We fight. We go for the fence. All right? Whether we make it or not, we do it together. We have to." he decides making sense of the whole thing.
Ah. Maybe he is good at getting people. Aaron is not so bad, not at all, if he's willing to do this. Daryl doesn't like this option either but perhaps he can watch his back.
He nods. "Alright"
He gets rid of the cigarette and sits up straight, one hand on the door handle. Aaron does the same. They look at each other for confirmation. "On three" Daryl says.
"One, two-"
Before he can make a move something happens. The blood of a walker splatters on the window, a couple more of them get the same destiny right after him. What the hell? Daryl sprints out and sees a man swiftly taking down walker after walker using a stick. From the corner of his eye Daryl spots Aaron fending for himself on the other side of the car. Soon enough a small but sufficient space opens up for them to run away, the unknown man signaling for them to go. Daryl, Aaron and him make it out of the damn lot, past the fence. Daryl watches the fear wash away from Aaron's face and being replaced by utter relief. Angry walkers smash against the fence, their claws prying through the iron net.
Aaron turns to their savior 'cause really, that's what he is right now. "That was..was...thank you!" he stutters overwhelmed.
"Why'd you do that?" Daryl asks, keeping his guard up anyway. You just never know who the fuck you can meet out here these days.
The average-looking black man seems truly surprised by the question and smiles. "Why? Because all life is precious, that's why"
That's something Beth would agree with, Daryl thinks immediately. Looks like she wasn't wrong in the end. He'd been the one always expecting the worst out of everything, people, places, while she was the hopeful one. And today, unexpectedly, the best scenario was the one they got. A ghost of a smile appears on his face, too. One more good thing is that he'll make it back to Alexandria. He didn't break the promise.
Hi! this was that scene in the car in the season finale seen from Daryl's point of view knowing that Beth was alive and waiting for him at home. While whatching the episode I thought that he must have remembered about Beth's optimistic ways when Morgan saved him and Aaron. Now, I know you've all been waiting for that badass Beth chapter and it's the one after this but because I'm having a week from hell and the chapter needs to be improved I don't know when I'll be able to post it. Bear with me. Anyway, thanks again to all of you kind Readers :)