The whole dinnertime, people were talking, laughing and celebrating. Celebrating the fact that they were all together again, under the same roof, safe. At least for now. Abraham volunteered to do a double watch shift. Rosita replaced Tyreese so she and Abe could spend more time together after. Beth was sitting next to Tara at the table and asked her if the pair was a couple. She could sense some chemistry between them.
"The apocalypse made the match! They met after it all started. They became a team. A family. Like you guys, your sister, Glenn, Rick, Daryl…"
He lifted his head from his food when he heard his name.
"They crossed paths and they clicked. Their personality, mixed with the circumstances. The nature of things, you know… You can't force that. It just… sort of happens."
During Tara's last sentence, Beth took a look in Daryl's direction. He was watching her from the other side of the table. He got up and brought his plate to the kitchen.
"I'll help clean up, since I didn't prepare anything", Beth told her sister.
"We've all got jobs to do, right?" She smiled for an answer and left the table, her hands full.
When she entered the kitchen, she saw him piling up the dishes and cleaning. There wasn't much to do, since they didn't plan on staying very long and they didn't want to waste any water. But he had to keep himself busy. It was so weird to see him in a regular context. She was about to make a comment when Abraham stepped inside by the back door.
"All right, I'm hungry. Who wants to switch?"
"I'll go."
Daryl dropped everything in the sink, took his crossbow that was leaning against the wall next to her. He quickly looked at her and went outside.
She finished cleaning up in the kitchen. It wasn't long before people transferred to the living room to relax. She took one of the bottles left on the table, grabbed two glasses on the counter on her way and went outside.
"I liked how things ended the last time we had a drink."
He was sitting on a bench, smoking. He was acting like she wasn't there. He was being distant again but she decided to be patient this time. She didn't want to push him.
That's the moment she realized she had missed him. It wasn't really true after all, all those feelings about keeping him near, in her mind, even if he was away physically. That was bullshit. She was pretending as well. She wasn't better than him. She had to be honest, she had missed him very much. And just being next to him, not talking, was more than enough.
They stayed silent in the dark for a long time before he said something.
"I ain't good with words."
She looked at him. She was calm and had a serious expression on her face.
"I know."
"S' not what ya think..."
"I know."
She finished her glass and got up.
"Good night, Daryl."
She went back inside. She had some catching up to do with her sister. She found her in the living room with the others.
"Hey. Where were you? "
"Outside."
"You had a chance to talk to him?" Maggie's question took her by surprise.
"Yeah…you can say that."