So this is the last chapter. I'll do an epilogue. Hopefully I can get that up soon. Hope everyone is having a good weekend.
Carol swallowed as blood splashed over her throat and chest. Daryl stood before her chest rising falling rapidly as the sound of the gunshot rang between. The look in his eyes was the mirror of her pounding heart as she stared at Rick in his last goodbye. In the old world Carol knew she'd feel bad for having a hand in this man's death but this wasn't the old world. Carol wasn't some broken housewife cowering and trembling before a man. No now she stood next to him an equal as the smell of gunpowder and blood washed over them. Carol was only sorry Carl had such bad parents.
"What about the others?" Carol questioned after Daryl didn't speak for awhile.
He holstered his gun and rolled his shoulders. He looked to her finally after Rick's body had time to cool. Carol stepped into his space and wrapped her arms around him her face pressing into his chest. They were free. Unchained. It was just a shame that Sophia and Merle weren't here to see it.
"That's up to them." Daryl spoke into her hair, "We aren't Rick. We aren't going to order people around like we get to decide their lives."
"I'll go get them." Carol kissed his throat and felt his pulse pounding against her lips.
He nodded and both of them looked at Rick's lifeless body. He sneered down at it and shook his head. "Motherfucker." he muttered under his breath and bent down grabbing his body. Carol watched him for a second as he moved the body out of sight.
Turning away Carol slipped out the door and walked into the trees. Judith's cries were growing and she swept the area. They needed to get her settled before she brought walkers around or some other predator. Carol's hackles raised thinking of someone hurting Judith. She was to small to ever be able to defend herself in this world and needed people. She needed people who would fight to the death for her and come out on the other side.
Michonne stood when Carol broke through the thicket. Her face was solemn and Carl's was downturned but even she could see the flush on his face. He stood and cleared his throat. When he looked up he'd gotten himself under control.
"I need to speak with Daryl. Where is he?"
Carol eyed him and Michonne shifted but Carol's eye snapped to her appraising them both. If they meant either of them harm or to come between them then they'd just leave. Daryl would never harm Carl and Carol wouldn't either. They'd watched this child grown up before their own eyes. Both starved to make sure he'd gotten to eat. No, they'd leave before she'd ever see a hair on his head harmed.
Carol knew that for her and Daryl things were different. They were different. You could only take so much pain before you snapped. That fissure in her mind, heart, and soul was filled with Daryl; just like his was with her. There wasn't one without the other. But they weren't such monsters that they'd kill Carl.
Judith's wails brought her eyes back to focus and she raised a brow, "He's burying your father."
Carl stared at her and then Michonne took Judith with a grimace. Judith's wails grew hysterical and louder. Michonne was rigid and looked at Carol. Without needing to be asked she stepped in taking the small child. Judith's glassy eyes met her own and Carol smiled at her smoothing her hand over her hair and cooing.
"Rick wasn't himself at the end." Michonne started edging closer to her. Carol watched her closely and Michonne stilled sensing advancing wasn't welcome. "What he done to you and Daryl wasn't right. When I found Carl and Rick it was bad. Carl...it's going to take time for him to heal."
"Healing always takes time." Carol acknowledged.
"He'll do that best with you and Daryl by his side." Michonne met her eyes, "He's had you two since the beginning. He's lost everything but his sister and the two of you."
Carol didn't say anything for a while. Judith's cries were dying off as she slumped against Carol's chest clinging to one of Daryl's extra shirts Carol nicked. Michonne's words were true. Carol made a promise to Lori when she was pregnant that she would watch over her children if something ever happened to her. She made Daryl give her the same promise. Even then Lori was able to see that they were a united front against a world designed to kill.
"He has you."
Michonne smiled at her, "I can't be his father and friend."
Carol raised a brow at her and snorted. "Riiiight."
Daryl knew this was coming. He didn't need to turn to know the steps and the unease that weighed them down. Carl was upset and Daryl could understand. Not that he'd mourned his own father but he'd lost a brother and that was the closest thing he'd ever experienced to a paternal figure.
"Daryl."
Looking over his shoulder he nodded at Carl and he walked forward. They couldn't bury Rick without finding a shovel. The barn was good for shelter but nothing much else. He sighed, he didn't give two shits about putting Rick into the ground really but wanted to do right by Carl and Judith.
"Do you think wherever he's at that he's finally at peace?" Carl asked out of the blue.
Daryl didn't speak immediately. Peace was a point of view just like evil. In this world Rick was far from peace, he knew enough of it to know that the man was lost. Looking down to the man in question he studied his lax face. If peace was out there to be had he didn't honestly think this bastard was getting it. If he was a religious man he'd say he was burning but who tells someone's son that?
"More than he had here." Daryl looked over at Carl. He nodded succinctly.
Carl was quiet for a while and Daryl finished gathering up wood. They couldn't bury him but he got a sick sense of satisfaction from what he was about to do. He was going to burn Rick Grimes from this world. He had every intention of watching every last piece of him burn to ash. Every last shred of him washed away so that they could all breathe easier.
"When I killed my mom you told me you watched your house burn with your own in there."
Daryl didn't flinch like he would have before. He'd shrugged the cloak of a past life. His life was now in this world. Before he would have snarled something mean at Carl for bringing his mother up. For daring to bring anything up that was remotely painful from his past. Now though he gave no fucks. Carol was everything. She was now, the future and the fire in his veins that caused him to wield a knife like an extension of his arm.
"I did."
"You never told me about your father."
Daryl looked down and felt the weight of the scars that littered his back. He knew Carl carried his own from Rick. They'd never show on his skin but he's wear them all the same. Carl was looking at him hopefully and Daryl nodded looking back at the pile of wood.
"He wasn't worth mentioning." Daryl shrugged building up the funeral pyre. Rick's body was slowly being covered with the wood. He knew he needed more so he stood. "He died when Merle got out of the military."
Carl nodded along to his words grabbing wood hanging on his every word. "Was he like my dad?"
Daryl raised a brow, "There are different wounds each man is good at giving."
Taking the next pile of wood over they worked to finish the pyre. The sun was getting lower and the temperature was dropping. The chill in the air was making the sweat clinging to his skin cool him down more than he liked.
"Merle killed him." Daryl stated matter of fact.
Carl stalled out and Daryl stood up finally looking down at the finished work. All that was left was to light the bitch and watch the bastard burn. He should send Carl away but then he wasn't his father and if Carl wanted to watch that was on him. Not everything in life was pretty, it was good to remember that.
"Why?"
Daryl looked over at him, "He tried kill me; would have eventually."
Carl looked up at him, "Your scars."
Daryl didn't respond. No need. Being with the same group of people over a period of time with things the way they were gave little privacy. Not that he gave a shit now. Just another thing that he'd shrugged away. It'd been swallowed up by that fissure.
"Do you think I'll be okay?"
Daryl lit the fire. The blaze climbed and spread cracking and popping as it went. Both watched silently.
"You have no choice but to be okay." Daryl's words were clear, "Judith needs you."
Carl nodded and the smoke billowed up. Both settled watching the fire start to roar. Daryl watched as it smoldered and ate into Rick. He'd long since became desensitized to the smell of burning flesh new or old. No, what he thought should have bothered him was killing and burning a man that was once close to him. It would have before but now he just smiled. It was feral with the fire light glinting off his eyes.
"I don't want to tell her what he turned into."
Daryl cracked his knuckles and spit to the side. "Then tell her about who he was before the world fell to shit. Tell her about the man that you miss."
"And what do I tell her about you and Carol?"
Daryl looked at him then, "We're us. What else would you say?"
Carl eyed him, "I'm young but not stupid. She's going to grow up with you and Carol raising her. I'll be there but she's going to call you dad and her mom." Daryl stiffened but Carl blustered on his face flushing in emotion. "She'll be better for it. Have a fighting chance out there. I think my mom would want that."
"And that doesn't bother you? You want that?"
"She needs that." Carol spoke firmly. He looked back at the fire both becoming quiet. Daryl could tell his mind was focused tightly but left him alone. "I need that." He whispered his hoarse voice cracking with the fire.
It was those words that had his mind reaching for Carol like he could call her to him. He wasn't a father. He was a killer. He was something in between a man and animal. His chest had a phantom ache that was also calling for his brother because if anyone could kick his shit together then it was him. Merle would tell him to stop being a fucking pussy. He would laugh his ass off at the thought of Daryl raising a little girl. He'd laugh but he'd stand by him and goddamn what he wouldn't give for that.
It didn't take long for Carol to show up with Michonne in tow. Judith was strapped to her chest in some wrap he'd seen her make before. She eyed them and he looked down realizing Carl was asleep next to him. He was as close as he could get to him without touching. Daryl looked up at them both and Michonne gave him a smile and Carol motioned him up.
Daryl nudged Carl. He woke easily and they followed both women. Carol's steps fell in sync with his and her hand found his own. Carl and Michonne were leading them back to the barn. Her eyes went to Carl and a question was there. He raised his own brow at her and looked at Judith. She brought her arm up around her sleeping form and Daryl got the message. It was the same one Carl all but pleaded for.
Daryl pushed her inside and locked the doors securely behind them. Carol motioned them into the loft. Sure the doors locked but it paid to be cautious. Carl climbed up swiftly followed by Carol. Michonne paused her hand coming up and halting him. Daryl felt a sneer curling around his lips. Michonne's always seen more than was offered. What she seen when she looked at him Carol was probably the equivalent of feral animals.
"Promise me."
Daryl stared at her hard. "Have I ever given you reason to doubt me?"
"No."
He walked by her then and was up the steps quickly. Carl was making a nest in the hay next to his and Carol's own earlier nest. Michonne bracketed him in on the other side. Daryl stopped for a second hearing thunder in the distance and smelling the oncoming rain. Carol watched him but he moved back to the ladder. Disappearing he searched the barn and smiled triumphantly. Snatching up his find he climbed quickly back up into the loft.
All three people grinned at him as he tossed down his find. Carl snatched up the thick horse blanket. He tossed one to Michonne before handing Carol one. Daryl picked up the last and moved over Carol. If something were to happen and someone got in they'd have to go through him before getting to anyone else. He was closest to the ladder with Michonne and Carl tucked in closer to the wall with Carol in the middle with Judith.
When he kicked back with his own blanket he could feel the wind biting through the old slats of the barn. The sounds of everyone settling were calming after the wild rush of adrenaline earlier. Having Carol next to him her breathing growing even was the soothing balm he needed. Judith whimpered and Daryl looked over. Her eyes met his and he picked her up from Carol's chest. She stood on his stomach with him balancing her by her hands. Feeling eyes on him he looked over seeing Michonne sleeping but Carl's eyes on them.
Judith babbled at him happily and Daryl snorted. Her little legs buckled and she sprawled over his chest. Her hand caught in his beard pulling as she moved closer up his chest. Her babbled words kept on until she was sleeping. Daryl shifted the blanket up higher making sure she was covered and felt Carol's leg come over his body and settle over his groin. She pressed into his side while pulling her blanket over them both. Her arm wrapped over Daryl and settled on Judith's back.
"We ain't our dads." Carl's voice was whispered. "Thank you."
That primal part of him that claimed Carol so long ago expanded in his chest. The need to protect Carl and Judith was strong before but something else completely now. It was like they were apart of the madness that swirled in his mind now. That animal inside him taking Carl's words and Carol's look as confirmation. Mine. His chest rumbled at Carl's words. He didn't respond because what he felt wasn't exactly easy to explain and not sound batshit.