Sunday

Despite Kate taking a knife to his heart he wasn't prepared to let her walk away from him and head back to the farmhouse. He might not have liked her very much right now but he still loved her and he wanted every last second of her. So instead of going to bed he tugged her along to where the grassy meadow became a small rise. He took a seat on the ground and planted Kate between his legs, his arms wrapping around her, his face burying into her hair.

They sat in complete silence as the dark gave way to the orange glow of morning, the sun rising from behind the trees to kiss Kate's silky legs and signal their very last day.

"It's a beautiful mornin'."

She inclined her head and looked at him, her eyes soft, her lips pursed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

He leaned his forehead into her hair and pressed a kiss to the side of her face, "I'm glad it did." He didn't regret loving her, he just wished that she'd change her mind about running away. He wished she'd let go of all the bullshit baggage that she held onto. He knew he would never understand what it would feel like to lose a husband and child but it didn't mean that he couldn't hate what it had done to her. He wished she could make peace with it and let him help her move on.

"We should head back 'fore Irma sends out a search party."

Kate leaned back into his chest and pulled his arms around her, "can we just stay like this a little longer?"

"Ya know I'd always do whatever ya wanted."

They stayed like that until Daryl pulled Kate up. As nice as it was, this wasn't how he wanted to spend the rest of the day. Although he wasn't sure what he was going to do with her for the next few hours since she had already told him no and he could think of nothing else but thinking of ways to get her to change her mind.

"Where's Kate?" Irma asked as he sank into one of the kitchen chairs. His mind was racing a million miles as he went over every moment of the last eight weeks. It had disappeared in the blink of an eye.

"She's just getting dressed."

Irma gave him an odd look, "did you manage to work things out?"

He felt his stomach tumbling over as he shook his head, his eyes falling to the cup of coffee she set in front of him.

When Kate stepped into the kitchen she was wearing the same sundress she had worn in Charleston and she looked just as pretty. Her hair was still damp from the shower and her face was fresh with nothing but a tan and her big brown eyes to light it up.

"Good morning dear," Irma said as she passed Kate a hot mug, then her attention turned to Daryl and Dale who had taken a seat next to him. "You boys go see to the horses while Kate and I cook up some breakfast."

Dale did as requested but Daryl just sat and stared at Kate until he found the old man's hands tugging at his arm to drag him along.

/

There was an uncomfortable air of tension lingering between herself and Daryl. It would only get worse as the day wore on and she suddenly wished her flight wasn't so late. She could hardly bare to spend the day in some sort of weird suspended animation while she waited for the clock to tick by.

"We'll make pancakes," Irma declared before shuffling around, grabbing up everything she needed. She measured the ingredients then passed Kate the whisk to mix it all together.

"You should have stayed over here more. Its nice having a hand in the kitchen," Irma said as she added the buttermilk into the bowl Kate was unenthusiastically beating. How could she feel enthusiastic? She felt like someone had died and she was just standing around making pancakes.

"You're leaving tonight?" Irma casually pried, her eyes never leaving the batter.

"Yes."

Irma took the bowl from her hand and whipped it with vigour, "dare I say that Daryl won't be the only heartbroken one?"

Kate shook off the flecks of flour that had landed on her dress, "I'm not immune to it." She'd thought maybe she would be after Harry, she thought that maybe she had buried her heart the day she had buried him. Apparently not all of it.

"But you'll still leave?"

Kate walked to the window to look out over the miles of fields, "yes." Leaving was what she was supposed to do, it's what she had planned for and looked towards for the whole year.

"I thought I might be able to leave my kitchen in good hands," Irma said as she took Kate's hands in her own.

Kate gave her a look and Irma chuckled. "Practice makes perfect dear and I made you something…" she dropped Kate's hands before disappearing from the kitchen in an excited hurry. When she returned she held a small ditsy print tin which she passed to Kate. The pink cursive lettering embossed on the front said Recipes. Irma gently pried open the lid to reveal card after card all lined up and carefully written out.

"I copied them for you to have," Irma selected one from the lineup. "I don't have anyone else to leave them too. I even made you a copy of the recipe for my blue ribbon cookies," she placed her hand on Kate's arm and in all seriousness said, "you can never reveal the secret ingredients to anyone."

She closed the lid and clutched the tin to her chest which was feeling painfully tight. Even these last moments with Irma were unbearable, she wasn't sure how on Earth she was going to make it through the day. "I can't have these. I'm sorry Irma," she forced the box back into the ladies hands as she tried to avoid the look of disappointment that fell across her face.

"I understand that it's a leap of faith to move here but Daryl loves you so very much. I can see how much he adores you and I'm sure he wouldn't let you down if you'd only give him the chance."

The idea of spending the rest of the day having conversations just like this was too much to bear. She felt tears pricking at her eyes as adrenaline began to pump along her limbs urging her to run away from the heartbreaking feelings. "I've got to go."

Kate bounded up the stairs to grab her overnight bag, shoving in everything she could see through her watery vision. It wasn't long until she was hurrying across the dirt filled drive with her car keys clasped tight in her hand.

"You can't just leave like this!" Irma called after her and the desperation in her voice made Kate's fingers fumble as she pressed the button to unlock her car.

"I can't spend the day saying goodbye. Its too painful. I'm sorry Irma, for last night and now. I should have never come here. I just couldn't..." she couldn't stop herself from being drawn to him. Every rational part of her wanted to keep him away but every time he got closer there was another part that always wanted more.

"He won't understand. Don't do this to him," Irma pleaded, her wrinkle hand landing on Kate's forearm.

"I'm not trying to hurt him I just can't take this," she held Irma, pressing the side of her head against the old ladies shoulder and taking comfort from the lemony way she smelled and how soft her embrace felt. "I'm sorry," even as she said it she knew she was saying the words to the wrong person and had her arms wrapped around the wrong person but she couldn't face this moment with Daryl. The last time they truly said goodbye.

/

"What do ya mean she's gone?" Daryl roared as he ran outside and remembered he didn't even have his truck. "Fuckin' hell," he placed his hands on his knees and doubled over.

Irma's hand was gentle and comforting on his back.

"Why?" he demanded.

"She was upset. She didn't want say goodbye to you."

"What 'bout what I want?"

Fuck, she was the most stubborn, pig headed, god awful, heartbreaking, runaway woman he would ever meet. He wanted to put her over his fucking knee for pulling this shit. He'd never felt so much frustration towards another person or so much fury in his entire life.

He straightened up and his heart pounded hard. "I need the keys to yer truck."

Dale's eyes were wide with worry, "please drive safe,"

"I will," Daryl dived into the driver's seat to race all the way to her house. There was no sign of her car but she could have parked it elsewhere. It was a long damn time until she had to make her flight.

His fist pounded on the door as he shouted her name but there was no answer. He jumped down the steps and looked at all the windows, "Kate!" There was no sign of anything and he knew she had already packed up all her belongings over the past few days.

He pulled his cell from his pocket, scrolled to her number and pressed call. It rang and rang before connecting to her voicemail. He tried countless times before sending her a text.

Daryl: Answer your phone.

He sat in Dale's truck waiting for what felt like hours but must have been more like 15 minutes. His leg was twitching, his heart was racing. He was beginning to question why the hell he had fallen in love with her in the first place. He checked his phone for the hundredth time before sending another text.

Daryl: I need to talk with you. If any of it meant something to you then you would answer your phone.

He couldn't just sit around waiting, he started the engine and sped to Lou's house. He'd been there once or twice over the past eight weeks and the old man answered the door immediately.

"Is she here?" Daryl demanded.

The smile on Lou's face dropped, his brows furrowed, "Kate? Is everything alright son?"

That's when Daryl broke. She wasn't there. She could have been anywhere. He crumpled against the door and Lou tugged him inside to take a seat on the brown leather sofa in his sitting room.

/

Kate sat in the airport lounge staring at the missed calls and texts from Daryl. After today he'd probably hate her and that would be better for him. He could hate her and then forget about her. Charlene would probably tell him "I told you she was no good" and he would move on with his life. He could find someone to give Irma's tin of recipes and have a life with someone who wasn't as broken as she was.

She was quickly realising that she was probably too fucked up to ever allow herself to be happy. She would never get over losing Harry and she'd probably spend the rest of her life with the terrible feeling that something bad was going to happen. Or perhaps something bad would happen because she was waiting for it. Her phone illuminated with another message and her stomach squeezed in anticipation of what it was going to say.

Daryl: Please sweetheart. Please don't do this to me.

Her heart clenched so tight she thought it might collapse in on itself. A big tear tumbled down her cheek followed by more. She scooped up her hand luggage and hid in a stall in the ladies toilets. She realised she had to say something to make it easier for him, or maybe make it easier for her. She needed to rip him from her life hard and fast. Every text message and missed call was making the inevitable more difficult.

Kate: It's over. Stop trying to contact me.

/

Daryl read the message on his phone and all the feelings of hurt were replaced with nothing but anger.

He stormed out of Lou's house and threw his phone to the pavement where it smashed to a thousand pieces. He wouldn't contact her again. He was done. He absolutely fucking hated her like he'd never felt before.

After a curt goodbye to Lou he got into Dale's truck and drove all the way to the farm. He parked it out front but didn't wait for any greetings from the old couple. He just marched from field to field to woods until he was in deep and picking up a stick to take to the side of his fort. He hit it hard, he wanted to tear something to pieces. He wished he'd never taken that job at the museum and ended up in this mess.

"Fuckin' bitch," he roared before flopping into a pile on the floor.

He heard a shuffle amongst the undergrowth and lifted his head to see Merle.

"Fuckin' hell, why don't ya crawl back from where ya just came from?" Daryl growled as he pulled his ass from the floor.

"Don't be an asshole," Merles finger pointed at him before he heaved Daryl's crossbow off his shoulder and shoved it in his hands.

"Thats rich comin' from the biggest fuckin' asshole I ever met!"

"Well at least I do it with a bit of style baby brother." Merle's wide grin was too much to bare most days, today it was like a red flag to a raging bull.

"Just fuck off Merle, I ain't interested in yer fuckin' bullshit."

"Don't get ya panties all bunched up over Sparky. I told ya a thousand times, ya can't trust bitches. We only got each other."

"Fuck you."

"I'd say it back but looks like Sparky already fucked ya right over. Cryin' on the floor like a fuckin' pussy."

Daryl threw his crossbow at Merle's head and his brother dodged it but he didn't dodge the edge of Daryl's knuckles that flew after. He struck Merle right in the nose and the waterfall of blood was immediate.

"You little fucker," Merle bellowed as she punched Daryl in the head.

Fists and boots flew around everywhere. He hadn't fought like this with Merle in years.

Merle had Daryl's face pushed in the dirt and his arm locked in a stress position, "say uncle."

"No!"

"Say it asshole."

"Fuck off Merle, just fuck off," he slumped, all the fight was gone, it wasn't Merle he wanted to have things out with, it was a tiny little English heartbreaker.

"What ya gonna do now Romeo?"

Daryl stood to his feet, "nothin'. I'm done with women and their fuckin' bullshit." God, he never wanted to look at another fucking woman for as long as he lived.

"Good," Merle handed him his crossbow, "it can be just like old times. Go huntin', find some trouble, I've missed ya baby brother."

Old times with Merle. No responsibilites. He could pour bourbon on his hurt, drown it until it was dead and it would be so easy. He threw his crossbow on his shoulder and pressed his finger to the spot where Merle had his his cheek. It would be bruised in the morning but it would never hurt more than the damage Kate had done. "Let's go," he said, he wanted to do anything but think about her.

/

Kate wasn't sure how long she had been sat in her hiding spot only that by now she had a pool of tissues scrunched in her lap. Her head was pounding and her throat was thick from the silent sobbing that had wracked her since she had sent Daryl that final message. She was supposed to be making the break easier for herself but this felt unendurable.

She checked her phone. Part of her hoped Daryl had ignored her request but her heart sank as she saw that for once he was listening to her and doing precisely as she had asked.

What was she even doing right now?

How could she just leave him?

All she was doing was causing herself more pain.

She grabbed her phone from her purse and dialled his number. Her heart was in her throat with worry. She was afraid to hear his voice and terrified she might never speak to him again. The call went straight to voicemail and she imagined him declining it. She deserved it, he might never want to answer her calls again. She tried him twice more before leaving a message.

"Hey, it's me," she paused, swallowing the sting of tears. "I'm sorry, I thought I could just walk away. I can't. Maybe you're right about everything. I'll be flying out soon but If you're really serious about us, then call me and perhaps we can work something out. I love you Daryl. I didn't ever set out to hurt you."

Kate ended the call and stared at her phone watching the clock tick by then refreshing the screen worrying that she'd missed his call or a text. If he could forgive her then he would call her back, if not, she would have her answer and know that she had ruined everything.

She waited in hiding with her phone in one hand and a fistful of tissues in the other until a British accent sounded over the tannoy making the final call for her flight. She couldn't keep her place in the ladies any longer, she had no choice but to move even if she didn't want to have to face another person. She brushed the line of tears from her lower lashline and scooped all the used tissues into the bowl before flushing her hurt away.

It was over. He hadn't called and the weight of it settled in every limb until merely moving felt like swimming upstream. She forced herself out of the stall to check her face in the mirror. Two puffy red eyes born from hours of crying stared back. She felt completely stupid as she splashed water on her face and tried to push away the urge to cry some more. At one time she would have thought a person could only have so many tears before they ran dry but she knew that they could last for endless days if she let them.

She'd never cried over a man like this and the worse part was that she had only herself to blame. "Stupid," she chastised herself, she needed to pull it together, hold all her pieces on her own like she'd grown accustomed to.

Kate ran heavy fingers through her hair straightening it out before grabbing her bag and hurrying to the departure gate. This was it, she was supposed to be going home but it felt more like she was leaving home behind.

She handed her ticket to the flight attendant and boarded the plane to find Lou waiting.

"Where in gods name have you been lass?"

She squeezed past him to take her seat, shoving her handbag in the footwell before buckling up, "I'm here now."

"Aye by the skin of your teeth girl, I was worried sick about you."

"I'm okay."

"Are you?"

She stared out of the window, "I'll be okay."

Lou huffed and she could feel him adjusting his seatbelt as the plane began to taxi to the runway, the captain making his announcements and the air stewards going over the emergency procedures. She closed her eyes and tried to ignore it all. God she hated flying.

/

The sunny skies gathered to grey as the clouds rolled in and suddenly rain began to pour down over Georgia. A spike of lightening was followed by the low rumble of distant thunder. Daryl's broken phone sat long abandoned in the road. A tire rolled over the twice cracked screen, making sure it was shattered and flattened to the tarmac where the drops of summer rain were streaming. The thunder continued to roll in, the lightening brightening the sky outside Lou's empty rental house as the downpour fell from the sky in thick sheets. The current of the rain as it pooled on the tarmac began to weave between the scattered pieces, picking them up like tiny sailboats and washing them to the gutter.