New chapter! Daryl POV this time. Next chap's going to be a Connor chap. And the fic's coming to an end soon! No! Just like the season! Nooo!

setting: episode 9 "Triggerfinger"

Salvation

Chapter 25 - Change

Daryl got up early the next morning. It was quite weird waking up alone inside the tent. Funny how easily he had gotten used to Connor's company. And he had wanted to throw him out? Geez, now it felt like he couldn't even last a week without that dumbass. He left the tent and stared across the fields. He could see some members of the group walking around. Daryl could make out Dale, Andrea, Shane and T-Dog. It was getting colder outside but it wasn't like he didn't like it. The heat was disgusting most of the time. He welcomed the chill when he grabbed a new shirt and his biker vest. As the hunter headed for the farmhouse he thought about whether to check on Connor or not. Once he'd reached the road and saw how Shane and T-Dog got the car ready he decided to let it go. He'd been obvious enough yesterday. It had taken him weeks to admit that he liked the Irishman and there was no need to show that all too soon. Daryl had a task to concentrate on now. Finding and bringing back Rick, Glenn and Herschel.

He just nodded when Shane and T-Dog eyed him for a moment. They didn't need any words. The two men understood that he'd come with them so they turned around again to get the stuff inside the car. Daryl was just taking a sip of his water when he heard Andrea coming. "Guys" she said and pointed towards the dusty road that led towards the highway. Daryl, Shane and T-Dog turned around when they heard a car. When it got closer they saw that it was Rick. Well so much for that. Looks like we don' have t'go to town and search for Rick, Daryl thought as he watched them coming closer. Part of him was disappointed. He'd been looking forward to getting a bit of zombie killing action in town. When the car stopped and Rick got out of it the other members of the group and the Greene family exited the farmhouse. Little Carl came running for his father with a relieved cheer and Lori hugged her husband.

Just seeing her made Daryl angry all over again.

Yeah right, now y'have him back and Connor's leg's damaged for nothing, stupid bitch. Why was she always so lucky?
How did she manage to get her husband back every single time? Her family was still in one piece whereas the others kept suffering.

"Prepare the shed for surgery" Herschel said when he got out of the car and headed for his house.

Daryl just watched all the happy family and couple reunions for a moment and considered checking on Connor when T-Dog pointed at the car.

"Who the hell's that?" he asked and everyone looked the way he was pointing.

There was some sort of teenaged kid sitting in the backseat. He was blindfolded and seemed to be in some state of shock.

"That's Randall" Glenn said and everyone approached the car to get a closer look.

Daryl had just gone back to his tent to bring his crossbow back and store it. When he returned to the farmhouse everyone was already inside.
After a moment of hesitation he grabbed the door handle and entered the house as well. The whole group was gathered around the table.

"Isn't that the same as leaving him for the walkers?" Andrea asked and Rick shook his head. "He'll have a fighting chance."

Right, so they're discussing the kid's fate.
As Daryl looked around the room he was surprised to see Connor sitting there in the corner. He was still rather pale and didn't seem to pay attention to what was being discussed. He was leaning against the wall and rested his head on the other wall. When he saw Daryl he looked up and smiled tiredly. Daryl nodded and managed a faint smile as well. When he turned his head he saw Carol sitting there. She looked at Connor for a moment and then back at him. She was smiling, too.

Daryl looked at her in surprise and then turned his head to pretend he was actually listening to what Rick and Shane were discussing. He felt a bit uncomfortable. Not only was he inside an actual house, wearing some-what clean clothes and trying to reconnect with the group, but he'd also just been greeted with smiles from both Connor and Carol. Most of the time, whenever he'd entered a room or sat down somewhere with the group, it had always been like he was invisible. Even now Rick, Shane, Andrea and all the others weren't even paying attention to him. He didn't even know if they'd actually seen him. But there they were, Connor and Carol, smiling at him, being happy about the fact that he was there. Oh great, so 't takes the freakin apocalypse an dead men walkin t'get ya a friend and a woman that cares about yah.

Shane and Rick were discussing whether the newbie was a threat or not and after a few minutes it all ended in a big fight between the two men again. Daryl hated how they both kept showing off who was the bigger boss. He saw how Connor rolled his eyes and assumed that the Irishman had just thought the same which made Daryl smirk a bit.

"How many of them were there? You killed three of their men, you took one of them hostage, and they just ain't gonna come looking for him" Shane said which made Rick angry.

"They left him for dead, no one is looking" he spat when Connor interrupted him.

"Ye killed three af their men?"

Rick and Shane eyed Connor then and blew out some air.

"Now isn't the time for your saint crap, buddy" Shane said and Connor snorted.

"Oh, I think otherwise, buddy. That's fuckin murder."

"They were shooting at us! They were threatening our group!" Rick said and eyed Connor.

"Look me in the eye and tell me you think I'm a murderer because of that."

Both men stared at each other for a while and then Connor looked away.

"No" he said quietly and shook his head.

"We should still post a guard" T-Dog said then and Connor was excluded from the discussion. Daryl looked at him in surprise. It wasn't like Connor to stop a conversation like that. Actually giving in, believing someone that easily. Especially when it involved murder and his views on that. When Daryl looked at his friend and Connor didn't really notice, he saw how the Irishman pulled a face from time to time and kept rubbing his thigh. He looked pale and sick, so Daryl assumed he was in pain and hadn't slept much last night. But Connor, being Connor, would never admit that or show that.

"You know, I'm going out and get him some flowers and candy" Shane said and walked away.

"Look at this folks, we're back in fantasy land" he went on when Herschel went after him.

"You know, we haven't dealt with what you did with my barn yet, so let me make this perfectly clear once and for all: This is my farm. I wanted you gone.
Rick talked me out of it but that doesn't mean I have to like it. So do us both a favor. Keep your mouth shut."

Connor looked up then and eyed Herschel and Shane for a moment. When Shane wouldn't say anything and just stared at the old man the Irishman turned his head and looked at Daryl with a grin. He mouthed an "ouch" and Daryl tried not to grin. He failed. They both had been waiting for this for weeks. Shane left with an angry sigh as Rick approached Herschel and patted his shoulder. "Look, we're not going to do anything about it today. Let's just cool off" he said and Herschel nodded. Andrea left after a moment, too. When she did Connor looked at Daryl again and chuckled soundlessly. When he made an indecent gesture with his hands Daryl just rolled his eyes. Their wordless conversation got interrupted when Carol approached him all of a sudden and smiled again. Somehow it just pissed him off. Of course he owed her Connor's life. Of course she'd changed his mind for the better but that didn't mean that he wanted her to be near him 24/7. He had had a pretty hard time accepting Connor and the Irishman was more than a handful. Right now he had enough of the being around other people for today. So he turned around, pushed the door open with an eye roll and left.

Carol kept following him. He headed for his tent and growled.

"Can't yah mind yer own business for once?"

"You didn't run away."

"What, you can use the thing between yer ears. Yer not as dumb as I thought."

"You went to look for him" she went on and he turned around abruptly. He narrowed his eyes and frowned.

"Don't start with your "you're every bit as good as them" crap. Seriously woman, what the hell, yah've been reading t'much housewife magazine shit.
Don't go psychologist on me."

He pointed at her and growled. She just smiled and he eyed her when she wouldn't say anything.

Oh how he hated when she did that. When she wouldn't give in to all his mockings and tortured him with that awkward silence.

"I went lookin for that prick because I didn't want his blood on my hands. Cos it was my fault he left being all injured, cos I beat him. I just wanted t' settle old scores.
Nothing else."

"You smiled back. He's changed you. I've never seen you smile before we found him."

Daryl snorted angrily but didn't know what to say. Because it was true.
Good lord, he'd been happy when he'd seen that the stupid Irish freak was awake.

He shook his head angrily and turned around.

"Leave me the fuck alone and stop comin after me. I ain't like that prick. I don' care who I hit, I don' care if yah some stupid woman.
Yah keep following me yah won' see the rest of it" he spat and started walking.

Carol didn't follow him then but it was like he could still see her smiling at his back.