Dear fans- I love you guys you know that? All the faves/follows/reviews are awesome! Here is your Ch 21 it's a short filler chapter with some Daryl/Natty and a bit of Allie, and Ch 22 will be coming in the next few days! Read/Review/Enjoy!
Natalie released the breath she wasn't aware she was holding when she spied Zip ground reined mowing the grass off in the distance. Natalie turned Mira, heading off towards Zip; Daryl had to be close by. The horse would never wander far from his people; Zip liked his carrot treats way too much. Mira trotted over towards Zip, Natalie spied Daryl sitting in the grass not far from the horse. Natalie slid down out of the saddle; ground reining Mira to munch the grass with Zip. She walked carefully up to Daryl; the bite of whisky strong on the air.
Daryl didn't flinch when he heard her soft steps in the grass. Only Natalie would come up on horseback looking for him. Daryl took another long pull from the bottle in his hand, staring at the gravestone in front of him. There were so many deaths in his life, his mother first, his unborn son, his father, Natalie's mother, then father, Merle and now Allie was gone. Daryl felt like so much had gone unsaid by him, those unspoken words haunting his mind and heart. Daryl could have cared less about his parents, but Natalie's parents, Merle and his son; those were demons that haunted him.
Natalie sat down next to Daryl; lacing her arm in his, her head on his shoulder. Natalie breathed in the woody scent that was always Daryl mixed with the whisky, the scent strangely soothing her frazzled nerves. Natalie knew this spot all too well; she had sat in the exact same spot many times after coming home. This was where she went to talk to her parents about all the things she didn't have the answers to. Peeking over the top of the gravestone Natalie picked out the worn grey marble stone that her parents had paid for years ago. Inscribed in large letters it read: DIXON- JOSEPHINE & WILL in smaller letters below it with their birth, death and marriage dates. Natalie's parents did it for Daryl, giving his parents a proper headstone. The Kendall/ Dixon families were tied together for a long time through the two people sitting in the empty cemetery.
Daryl stuttered out a breath, staring out into the distance. His voice was quiet, nearly a whisper when he finally spoke.
"Didn't give a damn when the old man died. He beat the fuck outta me and Merle. I lived through it cause of you and your family taking care of me. I was just a kid when Momma died, she was a drunk too, but she kept him from beating us. It hurt when she died, 'cause she was my Momma. I feel like a son of a bitch for not being there for you when our son died. I couldn't handle it, seeing you bleeding like that, hearing the doctor tell me it was all over. I wanted to be a Daddy; I was so proud even though we was kids. I was gonna do whatever I had to, to give him the life I didn't have. But I didn't know how to deal with all the emotions I had inside me. I wasn't here for your Momma dying; I was out working with a traveling construction company. Thought I'd gotten past it all till you came to town that summer night and ya tore all my defenses down. Wanted ya with a fire I couldn't put out, all my memories, all my emotions tied to you came rushin' back. I went to your house the next morning to ask ya to stay, ask ya to marry me. But ya was gone. Then all this fucking shit happened. I had to put Merle down. He got killed trying to save our group, trying to save me."
Daryl choked on the words, the memory of ending Merle still an open wound on his heart. Natalie reached over; taking the bottle from Daryl's hand and tipping back for a long drink. The booze burned all the way down, making Natalie wince. It had been a long time since she had taken a drink; probably the last time she was in a bar was the night Allie was conceived. Daryl was clearly buzzing hard if not straight up drunk. He would never talk like this about his feelings sober. Natalie let him talk; she wasn't about to interrupt him talking it all out.
Daryl sucked back the knot in his throat, tears threatening to fall down his dirty sun baked cheeks. "Stupid bastard died doing the right thing and turned. I bawled when I took him down. Laid in the grass and squalled like a beat dog. I was riding the fence on running off till you found me. Turned that all around. I was mad as hell at ya about Allie, but I grew to love her, 'cause she's so much me and you. And I love you Natty, and now Allie's gone. And I can't find her, feel like a fucking failure."
Daryl finished off the bottle, chucking it at his parents gravestone before grabbing Zip's reins. The glass shattered against the rock, making Natalie jump. She would get Daryl home, fed, showered and into bed. He didn't need anyone questioning him, he needed the quiet privacy of their bedroom.
Daryl pulled up into the saddle as Natalie nickered for Mira, leading Daryl out into the road, heading for home. Daryl pulled up next to Natalie; reaching over to grab her hand effectively catching her gaze. That was something he loved about Natalie, she knew what he was thinking, and he didn't have to say much. She just always knew.
"Let's get you home baby. Get you fed, showered and in bed. You're exhausted. We'll get up in the morning and start looking for Allie. It will be easier in the daylight. Come on." Natalie nudged Mira on, Daryl following on behind her. It was going to be a long night sorting through all the emotions welling within each other. Natalie trembled at the thought of what Daryl would do once they got back to the house. In the morning the storm would be passed on, and it would be back to business.
Emma had the guards unlock my hands, neck and legs when we got back to Emma's room. I could tell Emma was a bit pissed with me; my actions in front of Marcus weren't the most appropriate, and I really didn't care. I sat down on the bed, watching Emma dig through a closet of clothes.
"This will do. Get out of those clothes. I have to check you over for weapons, disease and all that not so fun stuff. You'll take a shower and then be chained back up before I deliver you to Marcus. I'm sorry Allie, truly I am. But if I want to stay alive, I have to play by Marcus' rules too." Emma's gaze dropped to my boots as I started unlacing them, the regret in her voice apparent. My clothes ended up in a pile at the side of Emma's bed, I stood as Emma ran a clean rag over my body. My brain was still processing everything that had happened, while I formulated my next move.
I wasn't happy about Emma poking and prodding every square inch of my body. But at least it was another woman and not a man. I knew exactly what Marcus meant by "entertain" when I saw the dress Emma laid out for me. The blue dress felt like a second skin, it was that tight, leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination. I felt like a high priced whore in the movies, I didn't feel anything like myself.
Emma continued to apologize right up until the guards came and shackled me. She wouldn't even go with me to Marcus' quarters, it bothered her that bad. My heart sank in my chest; sure I'd had sex before, hell I gave my virginity to Mike the night he asked me to marry him in Chicago after his boot camp graduation. But this wasn't going to be anything like that at all; I wasn't about to let the bastard have me that easily. I prayed to anyone up there listening for my mom and dad to find me in one piece, and to make my hands swift and my feet silent when I killed Marcus and escaped. Maybe just this once God would hear my prayers and answer, that was my hope.