Chapter 34

"How is he doing?" Rick asked Bay as he watched her checking Carl's vitals two days after he'd gotten bit by a walker.

"He's good. Not even an elevated temperature. I'm sure he'll wake up as soon as his body has dealt with everything." Bay replied without looking at Rick. She was in no mood to talk to him longer than she had to. She was still pissed off at both, Rick and Lori, for not watching their son better. She hadn't been able to sleep, because she wasn't able to get Carl's anguished screams out of her head.

"I can't believe he made it... that it really worked." Rick smiled. He was convinced that his son would be able to survive damn near everything after this. He'd gotten shot two months ago and had survived surgery under less than stellar circumstances, and now he had survived getting bit and having his arm amputated with Daryl's buck knife. It was a miracle. He got Bay's cross out of his jeans pocket and traced its shape with his thumb. "I gotta say this cross of yours is a miracle worker. Thank you."

Bay was barely able to keep herself from scoffing. "All of you got lucky. Word of advice? Don't push your luck." She shrugged and went past Rick without looking at him, in order to leave the room. "Between you finding your family, Carl surviving getting shot and this... there can't possibly be much more miracles coming your way."

Rick frowned at Bay's terse behavior and got up to go after her. "Bay! Bayanne! Wait!"

"Leave me alone, Rick. I got nothing to say to you right now. Go and do what you should have been doing all along... watch your son." Bay said without turning around, leaving a dumbfounded Rick behind, who had no idea why Bay would be mad at him.

Bay was hoping for a quiet morning, but her hope was squashed when she found Lori in the kitchen, preparing a snack for herself and Rick. Lori looked up when Bay entered, and smiled.

"Hey, how is he?"

"Good." Bay mumbled brusquely as she brushed past Lori and opened the cabinet to get out the tea kettle.

"Everything okay?" Lori was just as oblivious to Bay's anger, as her husband was.

"Sure. Everything's peachy." Bay muttered in a tone so sarcastic, that it almost put Daryl's usual sarcasm to shame.

"What's wrong? Why are you being so passive aggressive?"

"Are you kidding me?" Bay slammed the tea kettle on the counter and turned around to face Lori. "You are asking me what's wrong and why I'm fucking mad at you?"

"Woah... Bay!" Lori's eyes widened when she heard the woman curse for the first time ever.

"You do know that what your kid went through is your fault, right? That what Hershel, Daryl and I are going through and what Carl will be going through in the next couple of weeks, is all on you, right?" Bay shouted at Lori, when she finally reached the end of her pretty long fuse.

"What...?" Lori was flustered, not knowing what to say to that, making Bay even more furious.

"All you had to do was watch him! Keep your eyes on your kid, especially after dark. How hard can it be? If he doesn't listen, you make him shadow you or you lock him in a room and nail the windows shut. It wasn't our job to watch him, and it isn't our job to raise him. That's your job, Lori. Yours and Rick's. This is not like back when we grew up. He can't just run around unsupervised. He can't come and go however he pleases. I understand that you wanna give him his freedom, that you want him to grow up like a normal kid, but newsflash Lori... It's not possible. You can't act like everything is still good, and that there's no danger lurking behind every corner. You have to teach him to be careful, and you have to teach him manners. He sneaked into our room and went through our closet and took Daryl's gun. What if he had shot himself by accident? Yes, we all stole some change or a smoke from our parents when we were kids, but we didn't steal guns. Rick should have taught him a lesson about gun safety. You are not doing your job. You are not supposed to be his friend and make him like you, you are supposed to raise him right. Just do your fucking job Lori and stop looking at what the rest of us are doing. I have to side with Andrea on that. She's contributing. Not every woman on this planet is made for housework or cooking. She wants to do watch, let her do watch goddammit. Just back off and let her do her job while you do yours. I'm sick and tired of all the fighting that's been going on."

"You said yourself that we could use more help around the house." Lori said accusatory. "I wasn't the only one who thought that she could help us out more."

"Yes. You're right, that's what I said, but I changed my mind. I was wrong before. Watch isn't easy, you know. You have to be on alert all the time. You have to be out there in the dark and in the cold at night, watching the same area over and over again. I thought it wasn't hard, but ever since I went with Daryl a couple of times, I know that it isn't fun at all. Why don't you try and see for yourself? Maybe you'll even catch your son the next time he tries to sneak off. Maybe this time you'll be able to save him from himself, and spare us the damn nightmares." Bay spat before she decided to skip her tea, and left the kitchen. She didn't want to be around that family a single second longer. Also, she didn't want Lori to see her cry. Bay was still really shaken up about the whole thing. She kept rubbing her hands, because sometimes she felt imaginary warm blood spatters hit her hands, like they had when Hershel had hacked off Carl's arm. The urge to vomit accompanied that feeling, with a dose of Carl's screams echoing in her ears. It was wrecking her, and she prayed to God that she would get over it soon, because this was no way to live for a long period of time.

She stepped outside, only to see Daryl packing up the saddle bags of Merle's bike. She frowned and walked down the steps while she called out to him. Daryl straightened and turned around, when he heard his name, just in time to see her wipe away tears. He didn't care about himself, but he was mad at Rick and his bitch about their carelessness ending up doing this to Bay, and he was tempted to stalk into their damn room and strangle them both with his bare hands.

"What are you doing?" Bay asked as she walked up to him.

"Need to get outta here for an hour or two." Daryl mumbled with a sigh. He knew she wouldn't like that at all, but he just had to. He needed to get away and be by himself on his bike for a while. He would go on a run and at least do something useful on his trip.

"By yourself?" her frown deepened.

"I'm better on my own. I can look out for myself."

"I know you well enough to know, that I'm not going to change your mind." Bay sighed deeply, then she closed the gap and kissed him long and hard. "You come back, you hear? And in one piece, please." she whispered against his lips while she fought fresh tears.

"Promise." he nodded and gave her one last kiss before he straddled the bike and started the engine. He gave her a nod, then he sped down the long driveway with Bay watching until he was out of sight.

Bay was barely functioning while Daryl was gone. She knew that he was capable and that he knew how to take care of himself, but after what had happened to Carl, she was nervous about anyone going out there alone. Things could go wrong so quickly these days, and just like Carl, Daryl wasn't invincible. She tried to distract herself by doing extra chores, but her mind always wandered back to her man, hoping and praying that he was alright. Several times she reached up to her chest, in order to clutch her cross necklace, which she had always done when she had been worried and/or nervous, only to find it gone. It didn't help with her agitation, but she would never ask Rick to give it back to her. She would get used to it being missing from her chest after 18 years of wearing it day and night.

When morning turned into afternoon she sat on the porch, impatiently tapping her foot and wringing her hands repeatedly while she kept her eyes peeled on the driveway leading up to the house, and keeping her ears open, trying to detect the rumble of the bike's engine. She didn't like him staying gone this long at all. She was a nervous wreck.

"Enough. Come on, up!" Maggie eventually took Bay by the elbow and dragged her inside. They went into Maggie's room, where Maggie sat on her bed with her back against the white, wooden headboard. She pulled a pillow into her lap and motioned for Bay to get on the bed and lay down.

"I can't... Not when he's out there alone."

"You can and you will." Maggie stated, not accepting any excuses. "You haven't rested since it happened. It's time. Come on."

With a deep sigh, Bay admitted defeat. She took off her boots and climbed on the bed. She laid down and put her head on the pillow in Maggie's lap.

"There you go. Now just try to relax." Maggie started to stroke over Bay's brunette hair, and played with it a little. She knew it was something that relaxed Bay and made her sleepy. She hoped it would help her fall asleep, because the dark circles under Bay's eyes seemed to reach the top of her mouth by now. She looked horrible, and it hurt Maggie to see her older sister struggling like that. "Daryl is fine. I'm sure of it. He's capable. And even if he got hurt, we know that he will drag his ass back to the farm no matter what. Just like the last time."

"Not helping." Bay mumbled.

"Sorry. What I'm saying is, he's coming back. There's no doubt in my mind. Just close your eyes for a bit. You need it."

"I know." Bay was getting sleepier by the second. For a moment she felt a little pang, because she knew that Daryl knew that this would have been a way to make her sleep... but he hadn't tried. He had tried sex, but she hadn't been in the mood at all. All she had wanted was a little tender care, but he was still unable to give that to her. Maybe just being patient and waiting for it to happen isn't the way to go. It was her last thought, before Maggie's ministrations made her fall asleep.

When it was just thirty minutes until dark, Rick and the others started getting worried about Daryl as well. They started talking about going after him, but just in that moment, the loud rumble of the bike could be heard nearing the farm. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. They weren't ready for another bad thing to happen this shortly after Carl.

They went outside and greeted him, and took the supplies off of him, which he had skillfully secured with straps to the seat of the bike. When Rick held a box of diapers in his hands, he looked at Daryl in surprise, but the hunter just shrugged. "It's what we do." Daryl was mad at Rick and Lori, but that didn't mean that he would let the little squirt suffer. They would need diapers, and the sooner they would start stocking up on them, the better. "Where's Bay?"

"She's sleeping in Maggie's room." Carol replied.

Daryl nodded and decided to leave her be until she woke up by herself. His girl needed to get some shut-eye, and he needed a shower and clean clothes. He was drenched in walker blood and guts. He went upstairs and debated just burning the clothes instead of throwing them in the hamper for the women to scrub. He grabbed clean clothes and his shower supplies, then he went into the bathroom and proceeded to clean himself up. When he returned to his and Bay's room, he jumped slightly when he spied Bay standing by the closet, putting on her gray, cable-knit cardigan for warmth.

"Hey." he greeted her, letting her smile wash over him.

"Hey, yourself." she walked towards him, got on her tiptoes, slung her arms around his neck and kissed him softly. "Good to see you back."

"Yeah... sleep well? Ya look better."

"Thanks. Yeah I slept alright. Thank God for Maggie. Looks like I just needed a little TLC..." she trailed off, not wanting to sound reproachful.

"Got something for you." he changed the topic and reached behind him, into his pants pocket.

"What?" she smiled and tried to take a look.

"Nuh-uh... Turn around and close yer eyes." he commanded.

"Okay." she had no idea what he possibly could have gotten her, but thankfully, she was about to find out.

Bay turned her back on him and closed her eyes. She heard Daryl fumbling around with something before she felt him come closer until his front touched her back. She frowned with closed eyes, wondering what the hell he was doing, but then she felt something lightly tap her cleavage. Nooo... he didn't! Bay was giddy with excitement, but she kept her eyes closed. She knew for sure what he had gotten her, when she felt him fumble around at the back of her neck, on top of her hair. When he was done, he lifted her hair carefully before he let her locks spill over her back again.

"Alright... ya can look." he mumbled before he started chewing his lip again.

Bay opened her eyes and while she did that, her hand automatically reached up towards her chest. She gasped, and tears started to form in her eyes when she saw what he had gotten her. She knew it had been a necklace, possibly with a cross, but she hadn't expected something so beautiful. It was a silver cross again, but this one had small, sparkly diamonds in both bars, which were framed by the silver. In the middle where the vertical and the horizontal bars met, there was the outline of a heart slung around the jewelry, made out of gold. In the middle of the heart, there was an aquamarine gemstone, almost the exact color of Daryl's eyes. The cross wasn't as big as the previous one, and even though it was sparkly, it didn't look trashy or gaudy. It still gave the impression of being delicate and simple. It was beautiful.

"Ya like it?" He asked, his voice holding a hint of nervousness.

"I love it. It's so beautiful, Daryl." her voice cracked.

"That's mainly why I went out today. Wanted ta get you somethin'... to lift yer spirits I guess." he shrugged and looked almost embarrassed when Bay turned around and gaped at him. Affectionate or not, she was so in love with this man, it was ridiculous. He was so damn selfless and sweet,... he basically risked his life just to get her something nice.

"You did that... for me?"

"Was a bit selfish, too..." he admitted. "You're Bay... My Bay's got a cross... you not having one... ain't right."

"You are unbelievable, Daryl Dixon. You are still a dream come true." she smiled through her tears and kissed him long and hard. Daryl wrapped his arms around her and held her tight while their tongues moved in an intimate, slow dance. When they broke apart for air, they both looked down at the cross again. He loved seeing her smile while she looked at it.

"Ya gotta promise me something." he said next.

"Anything."

"I'm giving ya this to keep. It's yours. It don't belong to nobody else. Ya don't give it to anybody, but to me, if ya ever wanna get rid of it. Clear?" his beautiful blue eyes looked imploringly into her hazel ones and she nodded quickly.

"I promise. I'll never take it off." she vowed fiercely.

"Good." he gave her another soft kiss and leaned his forehead against hers. "We're gon' get through this. We gotta."

"Yeah. We will. Just takes some time."

"Guess so. 't least we're together."

She nodded, before she looked into his eyes again. "I love you." she declared in a heartfelt whisper. "Always will."

Her admission made his heart soar and finally put a smile on his face. He'd longed to hear those words from her for over a damn decade. His lips crashed down on hers and he plundered her mouth with an intensity that only he was able to muster. She loved it. She loved him, and she gladly gave herself over to him.

"Love ya." he mumbled so quietly, that she wasn't sure if he'd really said it. It didn't matter though. What he'd done today and by the way he was kissing her now, she knew that he loved her back.

Thank you for reading!

I suck, I know. I'm sorry. I didn't think my writing would be delayed this much. I don't know why, I can't explain, but the story is taking a lot out of me right now. Writing chapters is like pulling teeth. As some of you know, I also hurt my hand, and I have to speak the chapters into my phone, send them to my e-mail, copy them in here and edit them... yeah, no fun, but I try doing it every time I have a bit of time.

I don't want to go into detail, but I am going through some things and I need to work through it by writing. I can't do it with Bay and Daryl unfortunately, so I need a new AU story. Only this time it isn't AU, because for the first time, I will do a 'Real Person Fic'. So yeah, I will be writing a Norman Reedus fic, which will hopefully help me sort through my issues right now. I'm happy that some of you expressed interest in reading it, so I will give it my best shot. I'm nervous about it. Norman is so complex, even more so than Daryl and I hope it will turn out as realistic as possible. I might post a sneak peek to that new story in the next couple of days, before I post the first chapter. I don't know the title yet, but I'll let you know, in case there are more readers who would be interested in reading that. It will definitely be smutty and probably cover a big range of sexual activities. Might get freaky, lol, it's Norman after all. THE NEW STORY WON'T BE POSTED HERE BUT ON AO3! This site and RPFs don't mix unfortunately. I will provide a link on my tumblr as soon as I posted it. The tumblr I will be using will be jaylee8301 dot tumblr dot com

Thank you so much for all the love and support and the kind words in your reviews. I'm sorry this is so short and it took so long, but like I said... My body AND my brain aren't cooperating with this story right now:( Let me say it again, though. I am NOT abandoning this story! I just need to get the other story started and work on that for my own sanity.