Grumpy Daryl causing problems

Chapter 15

A few days had passed since the incident in the common area and Eleanor seemed to be improving. She stopped trying to get out all the time and began to talk to people again. She was embarrassed by her display but most people felt the woman had it coming to her. They were fed up with her attitude and gossip. She had grudgingly apologised to Eleanor and was now getting quite good at clearing the fence. She also started helping Carol with the laundry.

Hershel and Bob had decided to start reducing the amount of sedative and pain killers they were giving Daryl. It had been just over a week since their escape and they felt it was time for him to wake up. Over the next few days they gradually cut back on the dosage. On the third day he groaned and opened his eyes.

"Welcome back" Hershel leant over, a smile on his face "How you feeling?"

"Like crap. How long I been out?" Daryl mumbled, still groggy.

"About 10 days. We've been keeping you sedated to give you the best chance of healing." Hershel helped him take a drink of water, waiting for the inevitable outburst. He wasn't disappointed.

"What the hell? You been keeping me drugged up? "He tried to get to his feet, managing to sit up before a wave of dizziness swept over him. He took several deep breathes to keep from throwing up. Hershel put a hand on his shoulder.

"Take it easy, you still need to rest. It will be a while before you're back to full strength." The older man tried to get him to lie back down.

"Need to get back out there, people gonna need food, gotta go huntin'" Daryl was protesting weakly.

"We're okay for meat at the moment. Eleanor bought a deer in a few days ago, and she's been checking the snares." Hershel tried to reassure him.

"How'd she get a deer, she can't track for shit?" Daryl was more impressed than he let on.

"I've no idea how she did it. I just know she took Carl's gun and silencer and climbed over the fence to get out. She was out all night, then turned up with a damn deer over her shoulders and several walkers at her back. Zach went out and helped her through the fence." Hershel explained

"Sounds about right. She's a crazy bitch" Daryl commented, "She okay, they hurt her pretty bad?" he was concerned.

"She's fine now. Her wounds are healing and she's accepting what happened. She was out of it for a while, had a fight with one of the woman from Woodbury a couple of days ago, right in the common area in front of everybody" Hershel chuckled "apparently the woman got what she deserved"

"Ellie don't take crap from anyone, does she?" He sighed "wish I'd seen it." He glanced awkwardly at the white haired man "Where is she?"

Hershel smiled "Think she's on watch. She's been spending all her spare time in here, watching over you, talking to you, she's been real worried"

Daryl shrugged "Hasn't needed to be worried, sounds like I've just been asleep for a week." He was still irritated they'd kept him drugged for so long. He wasn't really aware how badly hurt he'd been.

Hershel smiled again and patted him on the arm. "You just stay there and get some rest. I'll go tell the others you're awake. There's a lot of people been concerned about you" He had barely closed the door behind him before Daryl was pulling himself to his feet. His whole body ached and his back felt tight and sore, but he was damned if he was going to spend any more time lying around in bed. He stumbled as he tried to walk to the door and had to grab the back of a chair to steady himself.

As he stood there, breathing deeply the door flew open and Eleanor burst in. Her smile faded when she saw him on his feet.

"God damn it!" she exclaimed "you aint meant to be up yet." She moved towards him, reaching out to take his arm "need to get you into bed" she tried to lead him back, well aware he was smirking at her choice of words.

"You got real bad timing, making an offer like that when I aint got the strength to even stand on my own, never mind anything more energetic" he joked.

"Yeah right, in your dreams" she muttered.

He resisted her efforts to get him to lie down. "Need to go somewhere first" he told her awkwardly.

"Where? If you need food, I'll go get you some. You certainly aint up to a watch yet. Get back on the damn bed" She frowned as she struggled to turn him.

"Damn it, woman" he yelled "just let go of me. I need to go take a piss, if that's okay with you"

She sighed and hid a smile at his annoyed expression. "Okay, I'll help you to the bathroom, then you come back here and you rest up 'till the Docs say you can get up"

He glared at her "Don't need your help, I aint an invalid" He pulled his arm free from her grip and staggered a few steps before having to rest his hand on the wall to stop the room from tilting wildly around him. She was watching, her arms folded and a knowing look on her face.

"You gonna let me help or shall I just go find you a bucket to go in 'cos you aint gonna get there on your own" she kept her expression neutral.

He thought for a few seconds "You can help me to the door, but you aint comin' in" he didn't look at her as he admitted he needed her help.

"Why in the hell would I wanna come in with you? You aint got anything I wanna see" she teased. It took them a good few minutes to make the short walk to the bathrooms, her arm wrapped around his waist and his slung over her shoulders, his fingers gripping her shirt as they shuffled along.

"Hope we don't run into Hershel or Bob" Eleanor worried "pretty sure I'll be in trouble for letting you do this"

"Hope we don't run into anybody, don't want to be seen shufflin' about like some sick old timer" He was uncomfortable with the whole situation, not used to being weak and having to rely on someone else. When they finally reached the bathroom Eleanor pushed open the door and they limped in.

"I'll be outside, yell if you need me" she left him to it. When he hadn't returned after several minutes she started to get worried and banged on the door calling out "You okay in there?" When there was no reply she pushed through the door and found him on his hands and knees, trying to get back to his feet. With a muffled curse she hurried over and knelt beside him.

"Knew this was a bad idea. What happened?" she asked

"Blacked out for a second. Guess I'm still not right" he admitted. She pulled his arm around her shoulders and tried to help him up but she wasn't strong enough.

"I'm gonna have to go get someone to help, I can't do it on my own" she rose to her feet but he caught her hand, stopping her.

"No, can't we try again? Don't want anyone seeing me like this" She nodded in understanding and took his arms as he gripped her waist. As she tried to help him up the door opened and Glenn came in.

His eyes widened in surprise as he took in the scene in front of him, Daryl on his knees, with his hands on Eleanor's waist as she stood in front of him, gripping his arms.

"Whoa , sorry, didn't mean to disturb anything" He started to back out of the room, embarrassed.

"Wait!" Eleanor called him back "Need your help here" Once he understood what was happening he helped get Daryl to his feet and then back to his room. When he saw Hershel and Rick waiting there, looking disapproving he left quickly

"Glad to see you back on your feet " he called over his shoulder as he fled the room.

With a sigh of relief Daryl sank back down on the bed. Neither he or Eleanor looked at the other men.

"It took you less than 5 minutes to do something dumb, that's even quicker than I expected." Hershel scowled at Daryl, before turning his gaze to Eleanor "and I expected better from you, Eleanor" Rick had to hide a smile as they both hung their heads, like children being told off.

"If you don't let yourself heal you could open up the wounds again, that will put you back where we started and I don't want to spend hours sewing you up again, not to mention the risk of infection" Hershel explained patiently.

Daryl glanced up, looking guilty "sorry" he muttered, he looked at Eleanor "Weren't her fault, I made her do it. Don't yell at her" Hershel's lips twitched under his beard "Okay, I won't. I think you both understand now don't you? Rest and food, that's what you need"

Eleanor looked up "I'll go get him some food. There's some of that deer left" she ran from the room, glad of an excuse to escape.