Chapter Five

Daryl's POV

Several nights later, at the Center for Disease Control...

I think some part of me was still in shock that Rick had actually been right about his place. That same part was ignoring the alcohol we all had had to drink earlier and was not letting my mind simply rest with this information.

Everyone had just eaten a good meal, the best we have had in a long time.

Everyone was happy.

I had to hand it to the new guy...he had really come through for us.

I had waited until all the others had taken their showers to finally take mine, knowing that most of the group had already gone to bed for the night and I could take my time.

Our first night here was winding down and the halls were quiet as I passed by all the closed doors and locked rooms.

I was just about to round a corner when the sound of footsteps made me slow down and check the other directions.

I had not counted on anyone else still being awake, taking care to usually keep to myself whenever I could help it and avoid the others.

"What are you still doing awake?" spoke a slow Southern drawl, one that I would recognize anywhere and I felt my nerves start to relax back down to normal again.

Rick.

I turned around and was met with his striking blue eyes that raked over my face despite the dim lighting.

I swallowed the spit that had collected in the back of my throat, lowering my gaze before I spoke.

"I could ask you the same thing. I was jus' on my way to shower now that e'ryone's gone," I answered honestly, knowing that there was no reason so lie or to stubbornly withhold information from this man anymore.

He had earned my respect, so telling him the truth was the least I could do.

However, upon hearing my reply, Rick seemed to suddenly be on edge, as if I had embarrassed him somehow and I could almost see every one of his muscles tense.

He licked his pink lips and his eyes narrowed, causing my level gaze at him to quirk in confusion, wondering what would make his behavior change so quickly.

"Well, uh..." Rick seemed to struggle a bit to speak, having to stop to clear his throat loudly before continuing, "...I'll let you get to it, then."

I nodded and ducked down my head, intending for both of us to go our separate ways now that we've exchanged a few words, but...

A warm, strong hand wrapped around my wrist, holding it firmly but not painfully.

I stopped immediately, my body going rigid, and I quickly snapped my head back towards the former cop, needing to seek out his face.

I had to see what kind of emotions were present in his features, to see if the signs of building aggression I knew all too well were there, so I could then react accordingly.

I needed to know if I needed to defend myself, like I had done countless times before in my life.

All of this flew through my mind within a split second, but perhaps even faster than it had manifested, it disappeared...when I saw that handsome side-grin of his and kind, patient eyes watching me, showing me no kind of hatred whatsoever.

I knew Rick had seen me flinch at this touch.

I could not have hidden it if I had tried.

But instead of worry or damned sympathy reflecting back at me from him, I just saw...Rick, looking pleased, looking happy...right at me.

"I've been wanting to tell you since dinner," Rick began, his pleasant voice kept low so no one else would hear or wake up, and I could feel each of his words thrum through me from how physically close we had gotten to each other, "...I'm glad you're here, Daryl. You could have taken off at any time, said to hell with all of us and went your own way, but you didn't...and I'm really grateful that you decided to stick with us."

"...I...um..." I stammered, me now being the one who could not speak at all, having not expected to hear something like that, such gratitude for something I had not even considered as being substantial.

Whatever words I had wanted to say faded in my mind as I watched as Rick's smile grew even bigger across his face at my verbal failure, and he slowly let his fingers slide from my wrist, releasing me and letting me feel just how long his fingers were.

"There's people here that need you, Daryl...myself being one," Rick admitted surprisingly easily to me, his light-colored gaze still holding mine captive, while his words almost put me in a trance, "...Lord knows I need all the help I can get when it comes to making decisions for us. It's good to have someone like you around...helps me think."

I swallowed hard, barely able to process everything Rick had just told me as I was finally able to look away from his piercing stare so I could try to find my own voice again.

"...'course I'm gon stick around, ain't no sense worryin' about that..." I answered awkwardly, perhaps purposefully not addressing the most important point the other man had brought up as I still could hardly look his way.

I felt the extreme need to regroup from this situation, to recoil from Rick's too-blue gaze and put some more distance between us, distance that would lessen the impact of his words against my skin and beneath it.

"Fair enough," Rick spoke happily, seemingly content with my answer as he did take a step towards the direction he needed to go, "...goodnight Daryl. Get some sleep."

I nodded.

"...'night," I replied simply, not really knowing what else I should say, as I watched him leave the corridor and silently slip inside one of the rooms, him giving me one final look before doing so.

I brought up a hand and rubbed briefly at my eye, still hearing Rick Grimes' words to me, still feeling the initial shock of them.

"...he said he needs me...likes having me around," I thought to myself, unable to help the small smile that tugged at my lips as I rearranged the towel that I had draped across my shoulder.

I continued walking towards my destination though my steps were considerably slower than they had been a few minutes ago.

I took a deep breath and released it slowly, deciding that it felt good to be acknowledged by a man like Rick.

Someone like Rick still had honor in this godforsaken hellhole; someone like Rick said exactly what he meant without reservation.

People could trust him.

I could trust him.

So, receiving praise like that...from Rick...actually did mean a lot to me, I realized.

"...huh..." I mused aloud as I walked right into the shower area and tossed my towel over one of the high, horizontal bars, "...well, what do ya know..."

I turned on the water.

Something none of us knew was that this whole place would be up in flames in a matter of only a few hours, and we would be forced out onto the road again...

...without a place to stay...just like last time.