AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks for reading, the follows and comments. This is a very short chapter on Daryl.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Walking Dead or its characters
Apologies in advance for any spelling and grammatical errors. Thoughts in Italics
Touched by an Angel
Chapter 7
It was dark, cold and unusually quiet when Daryl stepped onto the Grimes's porch. Usually all the lights were on, cooking aroma would be wafting in the air and Lori would be yelling at the top of her lungs at Carl to get off the computer and set the table before Rick got home.
They all must be out is all he could think looking up at the house.
He lets out a disappointed sigh. Tonight was his last night there and he would have liked to have sat round the table with everyone one last time, but it wasn't to be.
To avoid the family room, he decides to take the quickest route to his bedroom via the back entrance of the house. When he reaches the kitchen door, he twists his key into the lock but freezes when the creaking of the cat flap opens. His face twists in confusion. Rick and Lori didn't have a cat. If they did, well then it was a well-kept secret - the cat flap had been there since they purchased the house years ago but Lori had a zero pet policy as she was allergic to them and Rick never got around to sealing the flap up. Cocking his head downwards, he watches cautiously and to his amusement, a little head pops out.
"Hey, asskicker!" Daryl says staring down.
Little Judith startled, turns her head and gapes up at him towering above her with her mouth wide open.
"Whatcha doin' down there Pipsqueak? Ya know ya not 'posed to be stickin' ya head out the hole, right?" Daryl asks as he crouches down, a smile dancing over his lips. "Cat gotcha tongue huh?" He asks when the normally chatterbox Judith just stares blankly up at him.
Judith does the first thing that comes to her mind, she wrinkles her nose and purrs a "Meooooooooow!" into the air like a wolf howling up at a full moon before disappearing back through the flap "Byeee!"
Daryl snorts watching the flap swing back and forth. Judith was cute as a button and his best girl, she can put a smile on his face whatever mood he's in. She was always getting up to no good and some of the stuff that comes out of her mouth is just as amusing as some of the stuff she does. Judith was the essence of innocence and pure sunshine on a rainy day and a right little asskicker when her mood swung that way – she was a genuine interesting little character.
Curiosity gets the better of him when he hears a bang coming from inside the house. Daryl takes a peak through the flap to see Lori and Carl crouched down behind the couch in the lounge playing tug-of-war over the Game Boy with Judith running around in circles in her fairy-costume chanting toddler gibberish with Rick in his uniform crawling around on all fours trying to grab hold of her, misses and bumps head first into the coffee table. He then hears Shane's bellowing laughter as Rick tries hard not to cuss whilst yelling at Shane to shut up, followed by Judith repeating Rick's "Imma kick ya ass ya asshole!" and then Lori scolding Rick in the background which only makes Shane laugh louder which earns him a massive "SHUSHHHHHH!" from everyone.
"Why's Daryl get a surprise party, he's only movin' a couple of blocks away into my place, he ain't emigratin' to England!" Shane could be heard complianing.
Daryl scoffs warmly, he was going to miss all the daily crazy madness of The Grimes. He hoped they wouldn't mind him coming over once in a while because even though it was crazy living here at times, it was a nice kind of crazy. And now that he was leaving, he was only coming to realise how much he was going to miss them and miss out. He wished he had been a bit more involved with everyone because looking back, he kept himself to himself when everyone always tried to include him. He felt like an insensitive ass and promises to make an effort in the future.
Unlocking the door, he makes his way into the kitchen and grabs a couple of vol-au-vents as he drops his backpack on top of the counter.
"Surpise!" Judith greets up at Daryl under the arch between the kitchen and living room, she reaches out and Daryl scoops her up before she trips.
"Who we surprising?" Daryl asks Judith knowing very well this was all for him.
"You, you silly-billy!" Judith answers wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and pressing a sloppy kiss to his cheek.
"Urghhhhh!" He groans in pretend disgust, "Ain't nobody thrown me a surprise party before!" He adds wiping his slobbered cheek on the arm of his jacket.
"Not your mommy and daddy?" Judith asks surprised.
"Nu-uh." He answers shaking his head side to side, and licking the cream-cheese off of the puffed pastry.
After a short stretch of silence, Judith pipes up happily "You can share my mommy and daddy!"
Daryl scoffs at the notion but kisses the side of Judith's head for her generosity to share her folks and her family. He flips the lights on and there they all were; Lori hissing at Carl to get off his Game Boy before he was grounded and banned from having any fun for a month whilst Rick was wrestling with Shane to stop eating all the cheese from the Cheeseboard because he was going to either sleepwalk during the night or have a nightmare like the last time when he screamed the girl from The Ring crawled out his TV and tried to get frisky with him.
They all turn to see Daryl with Judith in his arms staring at them.
"S.U.R.P.R.I.S.E!"
Falling into bed with a full stomach, Daryl stares up at the ceiling and reflects back on the evening. He's never had a surprise party thrown for him and has never expected one but it felt strangely nice and that they had even bothered.
When he presented his thank you present to Lori, she was gobsmacked and almost fainted when she saw the expensive scarf from her favourite boutique - she had actual tears bubbling away in the corners of her eyes. Beth had been right, every girl loved a beautiful scarf and Lori hadn't stopped praising and gushing over it all night.
He looks over at the nightstand and takes hold of the card Rick and Lori gave him. He casts his eyes over the message.
Dear Daryl,
As one door closes another one opens.
We're so proud of you for taking this step.
If you ever need any help, please let us know.
Wishing you all the best settling into your new home.
All our Love
Lori, Rick, Carl
and Judith
xxx
PS – There's always a chair at the dining table with your name on it!
Returning the card back to the nightstand, he switches the lamp off and folds his arms beneath his head and stares up at the ceiling.
As one door closes, another one opens…We're so proud of you for taking this step…
The words paying over in his head.
This could be his new start, his new beginning and maybe if he let himself, he can take the next step?
Turning on to his side, Daryl cuddles his pillow and shuts his eyes. Thoughts of Beth Greene, her beautiful smile and her touch send him off into a peaceful sleep. Conscious or unconscious - deep down he knew he was ready to take the next step into the future.
