Everything seemed to flow soundless and in slow motion. Even my sobs were silent. I could feel Shane's hot hands as he pulled me away from tending to Daryl. Rick, Glenn and T-Dog (who just ran up after hearing my screams) carried Daryl away, not letting me get anywhere near him.
The sound abruptly came back to my ears, deafening me.
"Brett! You gotta calm down!" Shane yelled at me.
I tried to focus more on the possitives: Daryl doesn't look dead. His head isn't pouring with blood like it should be and he just looks like he's passed out.
This is why I'm not keen on Andrea - she's an unstable mess - even before Amy died. I nodded in Shane's direction, but wasn't looking at him. I was glaring at Andrea, trying to shoot death at her. She nearly killed Daryl! The only person out of us that knew how to hunt and that could protect us. "Let me go. I'm fine," I lied, still glaring at Andrea.
Shane grabbed my face and pulled me to face him. "You leave her alone. She was protecting the group," he spat, harshly.
I nodded, now looking him in the eye.
He let me go and I stormed off in the direction of Andrea.
She climbed off of the RV as I approached her, obvioulsy knowing the consequences.
"You shot him." I looked at her with a disgusted look.
She looked apologetic and had tears in her eyes. "I am so sorry."
"What were you thinking?" I shouted. Shane grabbed my arm, but I pulled it away again. Dale ventured out of his hiding-hole with his confused look.
"I was trying to be a hero."
I was probably going to contridict my earlier thoughts - but I really don't give a shit. "Really? Why would I run up to a walker screaming Daryl's name? Didn't you think it was strange when nobody was being attacked and nobody was being shot?" I paused, laughing at my idiocy. "Apart from Daryl, of course. And he's not even a walker!" I stopped to take a breath, ignoring her
puppy dog eyes. "Ever since Amy died, you've been a complete mess! You need to get it together. You're a weak link, Andrea."
She hesitated, looking at the floor. She looked offended, probably because of Amy. "You wanna know what I think of you, Brett? You're a red-neck shagging slut. That's what I think. I was trying to protect the group. More than you've ever done."
I thundered past her, smashing her shoulder as I went past.
I could hear Dale's moans and whines, and Andrea's in return, but didn't care. I had tears escaping my eyes, so I erased them before I could be seen.
I sat at the side of the house, staring out into the fields.
"Truth hurts," someone said, cruely.
I looked up at Shane looking down at me with repulsion in his eyes. "You think it too, don't you?"
He nodded, looking up at the sky with his hands on his hips. He bit his bottom lip and then looked back down at me. "That's not why I'm here."
"Why is it then?" I didn't look at him.
"Daryl."
I rolled my eyes. Why did everybody want to know about us?
He crouched down next to me, and I scooted over a tad so there was space between us. "You didn't want him going out today?"
"No, why?" I glanced over at him, but saw that he was staring into the distance, so I looked away again.
"Is that why you went crazy?"
I scoffed. "Crazy?"
"Looked like you were gon' die," he laughed.
"Felt that way, too."
We sat in silence for a moment, just staring into space, not thinking about walkers or anything - just with blank, clear minds.
"You gotta talk to him." Shane broke the silence - I knew exactly what he was talking about.
"He won't listen. I tried, but he came back with that rose. He won't listen to reason."
He sighed heavily and began to stand up. "That girl is dead. I hate to admit it, but, we need Daryl in our group." He walked away, strolling like he owned the world.
I looked at the floor. He was right. I do have to talk to him. He's going to end up killing himself.
I got into the room Hershel was treating Daryl in, even though he told me Daryl needed rest. The door squeaked open, and he covered himself with his sheets.
"Only me," I whispered.
"Oh," he muttered back.
I took a seat and patted his head with the flannel by his bed. "You OK? What went on out there?"
He sat himself up a bit and smirked. "Some damn walker was chewing on m'boot. Dumb ass, didn't have sense to bite me."
"I'm glad he didn't have sense. 'Cause then I'd be without you. The group would be without you."
He smiled, and I smiled in return, putting the flannel down. "Found her doll. I got a lead. She's alive, Brett." He sounded so confident when he spoke of Sophia, but I can't bring myself to gain that hope when I know it'll be for nothing.
"Well done. You don't have to be the hero anymore. You're hurt," I insisted.
"As soon as I'm good I'm going back out there."
I didn't want to bother him by telling him what to do. He still looked in pain, so I just nodded.
After a while of talking about the event in the forest, I helped him move over and I laid on the bed with him. I rested my hand on his wound and laid my head on his chest. He was stroking my hair - it seemed like the world wasn't bad. It seemed like the world was fine again, like it was before the dead rose up and started attacking everybody.
"You think this world's ever gon' get better again?" Someone had to ruin the moment - so I decided it should be me.
"I dun'know. But if it does, it won't be the same."
I breathed heavily and quick through my nose, agreeing with him. "Daryl," I paused and looked up at him. I wasn't quite sure how to say it, but I was sure as hell going to say it. "I'm scared, Daryl. Everyday is a fight and a struggle. It seems all we ever do is run and hide."
He kissed my head and laughed at me. "Don't be silly. Scared aint an option in this world. You best be strong, Brett. For everyone."
I shrugged. "I just can't help it."
A/N: You're all gonna love the next chapter. Big confrontation about the Sophia search and relationship interests. You better read it! Haha(;
Please review. The story isn't set in stone yet - so I may take on some suggestions(: x