She was leaving today. She had once called him a fool and he was. Looking back on it now, he understood why she was so happy to see Jack. He was her husband, of course she wasn't sure what she should do. She had asked Daryl to stay, but he hadn't listened. She might have stayed here with him if he hadn't pushed her away, if he hadn't left her. Daryl sighed and went back to sanding down the arrow shaft in front of him.
"Hiding out in here?" Andrea's voice cut through his thoughts. "I can understand that. Just wanted to let you know that I just saw her walking down to the gate with him. She was carrying a backpack. Looks like she decided to leave after all."
The arrow that was in the vice snapped as Daryl brought his hand down hard on it. "Shit!" He yanked the arrow out and tossed it aside. Pain filled his entire body. She was really gone. It took him a few minutes to realize Andrea was still talking. He turned and leaned up against the workbench.
"So what do you think?" Andrea asked.
"Think about what?"
Andrea grinned. "You haven't been listening to me at all, have you? I was just saying how maybe you and I should give it a try."
Daryl snorted. "You and me? Really?"
"You never know. It could be fun. I'm not asking for commitment here. Just a little amusement." She paused as she flipped open the top two buttons on her shirt. "I bet I can make you forget her." She said, her voice low.
Daryl looked at her. "What the hell is she playing at?" he asked himself. He and Andrea had never gotten along particularly well. When Daryl didn't say anything Andrea smiled coyly. She stepped over to him and pressed her lips against his. Daryl felt a war within himself. He didn't really want Andrea, but he'd do anything not to feel like this. He felt Andrea undo his buckle, but it wasn't until she went to slip her hand inside his pants that he pushed her back.
"What's the matter with you?" She said angrily.
Daryl looked at her and did up his pants. "Guess you just don't do it for me." Then he turned and walked out. He hurried through the prison. He could catch up with them easily. He didn't deserve her but maybe she'd still come back with him.
As he burst through the door to the prison yard he could tell something was wrong. Everyone seemed confused and upset. As soon as Lori saw him she came storming over. "What did you do? What on earth did you say to her?" Rick grabbed her arm to try to pull her back but she shook him off.
The ferocity in her voice almost made him take a step back. "What the fuck are you talking about?" Daryl yelled back.
"She went in there to find you and five minutes later she comes tearing out of the side door. She looked so upset." Lori spat at him.
"Who for Christ's sake? When?"
Lori looked like she was about to reach out and choke him. "Stella! Not two minutes ago!"
Just then Gertie pushed herself up against his leg. Daryl went white. She hadn't left. If she had come down, if she had seen Andrea... "Fuck! Which way did she go?"
"She went straight into the woods." It was Rick that answered. "She was moving pretty fast. You're gonna have to haul ass to catch up with her."
Daryl was already off and running. He got into the woods and looked down. The ground here was so trampled from everyone. There were trails running everywhere. I would take a miracle for him to pick up the right trail. Where would she go? He headed to the marsh, but after forty minutes it was apparent she hadn't come here. He searched the woods for hours but he didn't see any sign of her. Maybe she was back at the prison. After all, it was starting to get dark.
When he got back he knew immediately she wasn't there. Rick came over. "Did you see her?" Daryl just shook his head and walked over to a chair and sat down. He propped his elbows on his knees and put his head in his hands. How could fate be so cruel?
Time dragged by all night. Carol brought him some dinner which he fed to Gertie. She was the only member of the group that was brave enough to come near him. Even Merle left him alone.
Merle would never admit it to anyone but he really liked Stella. Ever since the battle with Woodbury, Merle had really taken a shine to her. When Daryl had shown up in the shack with all his stuff, Merle had asked, "Did you get dropped on your head one to many times as a baby? Go back in there and remind her why she's with you." Never before had Daryl wished so badly he had taken his big brother's advice.
Everyone headed in for the night, even Gertie abandoned him for a bed. Still, he sat there watching the tree line. The many sleepless nights he had lately took their toll though, and he dropped off to sleep. At some point he woke up. It sounded like a generator, but then the noise faded away and he assumed he imagined it. He drifted back off.
"Daryl, wake up. Hey! Come on! Wake up." Someone was shaking him. Daryl opened his eyes. "Did you sleep out here all night man?" Charlie asked.
Daryl groaned as he leaned forward. "I was waiting up for Stella. Must have fallen asleep."
"Oh. Well she came back a few hours ago. Said she got lost. Poor thing, she sounded exhausted."
Daryl was instantly awake. "She's back?"
"Yeah, a couple of hours ago. Hey? Where you going?"
Daryl strode through the halls, only stopping to use the bathroom and rinse his mouth out. Just as he was about to push her door open a crutch slammed down in front of him blocking his path. "Leave the girl be today." When Daryl went to protest Hershel continued. "I mean it. She doesn't need any drama today."
Daryl briefly considered tossing Hershel out of the way. Instead he turned and stomped out of the prison.
All day long he watched the door to the yard. At one point Gertie came running out but it was only Beth behind her. Beth must have just opened the door for her to come out. Morning turned into the afternoon. Still she didn't show up.
After lunch, when Lori went to bring Stella in a plate Hershel stopped her too. Daryl didn't hear what they said, but Lori was not happy when she turned back to the cooking area. Finally Stella came out. Even from where he was he could see the bruise on her cheek. He hurried across the yard, but before he got there she dished herself up some food and went right back in.
"That's not from a fall. I know bruises. There is no way that's from a fall." Carol was saying to Lori. "Did you see how she tried to cover it up?"
"Is that what she said?" Daryl interrupted. Hadn't Charlie told him Stella said she got lost? So now she got lost and she fell?
"Yeah, she said she fell down an embankment and had a hard time getting out. Said she got the bruise then." Carol said.
Something wasn't right. He marched over to Hershel. "What do you know old man? What is going on?" Daryl demanded.
Hershel looked up at him with innocence written all over his face. "Daryl, I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Why didn't you let me go in to see her this morning? Why didn't you let Lori bring her any food? You know something."
"All I know is that it was very late when she came in. I happened to be up to go to the bathroom. Believe me, when you get to be my age, you'll be up four times a night too."
All but snarling at Hershel, Daryl turned away. "Fuck it," he thought. "I'll go ask her." His mind made up he marched into the prison to her room. He opened the door without knocking. She was sound asleep in bed, her plate of food barely touched on the floor next to her. Daryl stepped in and shut the door behind him. He sank down into a chair and waited for her to wake up again.
He was dozing when a scream ripped through the air. He bounded out of the chair, trying to blink the sleep away. "Oh God Damn it Daryl! What are you doing in here? You scared the crap out of me!" Stella yelled from the bed.
Footsteps could be heard coming down the hall. Daryl quickly yanked the door open and stepped out. Tyreese and Glenn were running down the hall. "It's alright. Everyone's fine. I just scared Stella when she woke up." Without waiting for an answer he stepped back in and closed the door. He walked over and lit one of the lanterns. When the room was glowing softly he turned around.
She was sitting up in bed tucking the blankets around her. "What are you doing in here? You don't live here anymore. Remember?"
"I didn't sleep with Andrea," he blurted out. "I thought you had left. She came on to me, she kissed me, but I stopped it. I didn't want her. I wanted you. I pushed her away so I could go get you, bring you back here. If you had waited another minute you'd have seen." He was speaking so fast the words were tumbling over each other. He took a breath to slow down as he sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm so sorry. I was being an idiot. And not just about her. About Jack too. I was jealous and afraid."
She just looked at him, shock and dismay written across her face. When he reached out to her Stella scooted back in the bed. "Daryl, I just.. I can't right now. I can't talk about this. I need you to go."
"What?" he asked. She had always forgiven him so easily before. Every time. For all of the stupid things he had done. Hell, half the time he didn't even have to say sorry. All he had to do was show up and she'd wrap her arms around him.
Tears began to well up in her eyes. "Please just go," she whispered.
In shock, Daryl left the room. He could hear her crying softly as he shut the door. Maybe he had really done it. Maybe he had really driven her away.
He was halfway down the corridor when he realized he hadn't asked her about last night.
Stella slept straight through the rest of that night. The next morning Daryl was trying to get Hershel to go look at her... well... he was actually threatening to carry Hershel down there and toss him in her room when she finally came out. She passed by breakfast, only poured herself a cup of tea and sat down. She didn't say anything to anyone about what happened and unbelievably no one asked her.
He was sitting there watching her out of the corner of his eye when Merle wacked him on the shoulder. "Come on. Get your lazy ass up. We're going hunting. I don't know 'bout you, but I ain't no vegetarian. I need some meat!" Knowing it would be no good to argue, Daryl hauled himself to his feet.
They weren't even two miles in when Merle started. "So what'd you do to that girl anyway? Poor thing looks like she's just about broke. Only thing holding her together is gravity. Bet if you snuck up behind her and blew on her, she'd just drift away."
After a moment's hesitation he told him. "She saw me with Andrea, I stopped it before it got serious, but still."
"Shit, did you think that she wasn't having a tough enough week then?" Merle bent down to look at some tracks. "You really do know how to treat 'em. The shit storm of it all, is that she didn't even leave you. You left her. You find me a woman that's willing to put up with all the crap that one has... I'd at least have enough sense to make sure she was out of the state before I fooled around."
Daryl stared back towards the prison, a bleak expression on his face.
I wrote this chapter and the next as one, but it was just too long. I still have to do a little work on it, but it should be done soon. See you then.