Chapter Eight

Daryl's POV

Later...

"You really scared the hell out of me today...out of everyone," Rick said sternly, continuing to stare straight into my eyes and not at the many scars that crisscrossed across my torso and sides as I lie in one of the farmer's beds.

I lowered my eyes at that, still applying pressure to the gunshot wound on my head with a cloth as he fidgeted with the map in his hands.

They had rushed me into this room from the field, and Hershel had immediately begun sewing up my bleeding side, and it had been the fresh pain that had stirred me back to consciousness.

Rick had sat close by while a few others in the room had stood around, Shane being one of them, and I could not help but notice how much more worry and concern there were present in Rick Grimes' features as he had watched over me.

After Hershel had finished patching me up and giving me an earful about his damn horse, Rick had spoken to him for a moment, and then he had politely asked everyone to leave the room.

I had had no idea why Rick wanted a minute alone with me, but from the tone of his voice as he told me how worried he had been and the way he scooted closer to me, I could tell he was serious.

My stomach suddenly felt hollow and I let my eyes settle on the clean white linen of the bed, not knowing what I should say right now.

"Is it still bleeding? Here, let me have a look at it," Rick sort of murmured as he stood up from his chair and then leaned over me, letting his warm fingers slide over my wrist.

I flinched so hard that I dropped the balled up cloth that I had been keeping pressed to my temple, looking down at it and seeing the familiar smears of ruby and black that stained it.

"It's actually not that bad...we got lucky," Rick informed me with a small smile, my whole body growing tense as he picked up the cloth and dabbed it against my wound as well.

I could feel my lips part at how unbelievably gentle his ministrations were, how softly he was touching me and looking over my injuries.

I could not remember the last time someone had treated me like this.

I closed my mouth and licked my dry lips, taking a chance to lift my eyes to seek him out as he continued to hover over my lying form.

It was like Rick was waiting for me to do just that, however, as his clear blue eyes were already on my face, kind and full of warmth that I felt could melt me if I let it.

"You really helped us out a lot with out search for Sophia, Daryl," Rick practically purred to me, his voice kept low and just for me and I could not look away, "...when we find her, we're going to owe it all to you...what you did today."

I forced a smart-ass reply to form in my brain, something I could say to alleviate some of that strange tension I could feel forming between us in this moment, but whatever words I was getting ready to say died on my tongue the next instant.

Rick slid his fingers against my idle palm and picked up my hand, bringing it to the cloth so I could apply the pressure to the wound as I had been doing.

His hand did not leave mine, though.

I swallowed hard.

"I'm glad you're safe...Daryl..." Rick spoke even lower, even more slowly to me, his fingertips still barely touching my skin which made the contact even more electrifying, as he trailed his fingers across my hand and down the side of my face, "...and that you came back."

"I uh...I told you already I'm not going anywhere," I recalled something I had said to Rick before, my words carrying even more weight and meaning to this man now, after everything that had happened and how I truly could of died this day...something we both knew full well.

Rick grinned.

"I'll let you get some rest. I'll have someone come by later to check on you and bring you something to eat," the former cop informed me, letting his hand fall away from my chin as he began navigating to the door, my eyes following him, "...oh and Daryl?"

I blinked as I waited for him to continue, Rick only letting his hand rest on the doorknob for a moment more.

"Rest up for a while, you hear? That's an order," Rick stated with a raise of an eyebrow at me, "...just take it easy and get better. I need you healthy."

I blushed at that, finding his instructions bothersome as well as flattering.

I nodded.

X

Rick's POV

Almost a week later...

Daryl was still laid up, the younger man having actually followed my advice and taken it easy.

I guess I would take my small miracles where I could find them.

I knew he was bored, restless.

It was not in his nature to just lie around all day, not helping, not doing anything productive.

But I had asked him to...so he was.

I walked by his tent, not being able to help the action as I turned my head to peer inside the opened entrance way.

A book in his hands and his bare feet crossed at the ankles, Daryl was lying on his back with his head propped up with several pillows.

I felt my heart skip a beat at the unexpected sight, even though I was unable to see his face from behind the book he was reading, I was still enthralled.

Without my permission, several words flooded into my brain at the relatively uneventful, but wholly captivating sight of Daryl Dixon looking so relaxed as he was.

"Adorable...a rare sight...cute toes..." I thought, smiling softly to myself as I continued walking to join the others, knowing that these thoughts were for no one else but me, "...damn sexy, if I'm being totally honest with myself..."

I took a deep breath, knowing that I would revisit these thoughts later, but for right now, I needed to face the others and resume my position as leader for them.

Our problems have only seemed to intensify since arriving here at Hershel's farm, but there was one in particular that stood out amongst the rest.

Shane had been acting strange, putting even more stress on the group, agitating our situation with the farmer and the rest of us.

I was not sure what could have caused these changes in my best friend, and in fact, I was not sure I wanted to know...but it was there, and sometimes I barely recognized him.

Sometimes...that was not the person I went to high school with...grew up with; hell, was just like a brother to me.

Lori, for one, seemed to always be on a razor's edge whenever Shane was around, I noticed.

Daryl, too...for that matter.

I had a lot of questions, too many to count...

...I just never imagined they would all be answered with the end of my knife lodged in his gut.