Oh look I'm updating. Sorry about the wait but the only excuse I have is really I've just not been in the mood. I tried to get around that - tried to force myself to write but it just wasn't happening. I have distance myself from all the talk of shipping and the show from most people because all the negativity is killing my drive to write. It use to be fun. I use to love to write and update but now it feels more like a chore that I get more shit for it than anything else. I'm trying to get back to where it was fun and I was excited to post. Just bear with me please. I appreciate those of you who have nice things to say and I adore you. Thank you for all the reviews, reads, favorites, follows you all kept me from just stepping away altogether.
Daryl chuckled as Hannah appeared some time later asking why their bed was pink. Mac just shrugged though looking at her as steady as can be giving her his famous look. It spoke volumes about the man himself. He looked her right in the eye and told her because he wanted the bed to be fucking pink. Sophia had snorted next to him but Mac had kept his face even. Brian just looked confused by the pair of them and told Daryl they were both stupid.
Merle though was there now talking to the men left in his unit. Walkers were starting to come around more and more. It meant more of them were putting their lives on the line killing them but they were quick and efficient. Each man had time under his belt with dealing with combative people and served time overseas. They didn't see taking on walkers as much as a challenge when they worked together so fluidly.
"So on this next run we're going to be dividing where people go. Carter and his are going to head on down to towards Senoia." Merle ran his fingers over the map, "When you get there keep a look out for anything that could help reinforce the walls."
The men nodded to him and moved away to get ready. Daryl leaned over and ran his finger the opposite direction. "I'll be heading this way."
Mac shoved closer to him locking eyes with him, "You sure about this?" Mac's voice held tension that grabbed daryl and forced his eyes to stay steady on his, "If I go with you we can move just as fast."
Daryl's eyes went to Sophia and Brian who were close by. Both were interested in whatever they were talking about ignoring the adults around them. Mac followed his eyes and blew out a breath. Daryl raised a brow at him and Mac sneered reading his mind.
"I hate you." Mac hissed.
Daryl shot him the finger, "No you don't. One of us has to stay here and you aren't near as good as I am with tracking. If that group is close by it could be hers, I made her a fucking promise."
Mac grabbed his arm pulling him away from the table. Merle followed shaking his head at Sophia and Brian to stay put. Mac was working himself up and Daryl wasn't going to be guilted. He couldn't stand by when there was a good chance that Sophia's mother was close by. He seen that group but didn't get a good look at them. He should have tried to talk to them then but everything had happened so fast that hindsight was twenty twenty.
Merle cleared his throat and grabbed Mac forcing him back away from Daryl. Mac immediately released him but he could see the nerves in his face with the thought of being separated. Mac and him had always been close and as they grew up it became even stronger. They done everything together and you'd be hard pressed to find a time they weren't together. They were at team. But Daryl also knew that Mac was volatile and to anyone else he looked like danger personified. Not that Daryl was any better but it'd be easier to talk to the group if there wasn't too threatening looking men there. He wasn't even sure this was her group but for Sophia he was willing to chance that but not his brother.
"You sure about this?" Merle's voice was deep and serious. He didn't break eye contact with Daryl forcing him to keep his own, "You said yourself you didn't see any of the group. It might not be hers...you sure you can pick up a trail?"
Daryl gave him an icy glare, "I didn't see them but I heard two women. That's better than any lead we've had so far."
"If you thought she could have been with them why didn't you do something then?" Martinez questioned his face passive.
Daryl raised a brow and shook his head, "That'd looked real good strange man step out of the dark and shit on two women. If that'd be us out there and some man done that to Hannah or Sophia he'd got killed."
Mac snarled at the thought and nodded, "He has a point. Fuck, I don't like this."
Sophia was watching him closely as he started out of the gate. The look on her face was serious. She demanded he promise to come back or she would never forgive him. She didn't cry in front of the others but he seen the it the moment they were alone. She cracked and damn near climbed him like a tree. It broke his heart and stunned him all the same that the girl was so attached to him. She kept mumbling but he didn't focus on what she was saying refusing to let himself get overwhelmed. Mac had made similar demands but his was more of if you don't come back I'll beat you to death when I find you. He didn't expect anything less from him truthfully. Merle kept his eyes focused and Daryl focused as Mac turned into a raging mess.
Brain grinned at him as he walked by and Daryl shook his head at him before he disappeared from view. He didn't look back and started in the direction of the place he last seen the group. The area wasn't real large but it wasn't tiny either and that was adding in that there was back-roads and everything else around here. He didn't know it real well but good enough since he spent a decent amount of time coming to get his nephew when Mac wasn't able to.
Daryl stopped at the library pulling his bike into a side street and tucking his bike away. He moved silently checking each place as he came and smiled when he seen it wasn't completely picked over. Whoever he seen that day might come back. Hell he might not catch this time but maybe he could leave some message the girls group would understand and someone else would pass over. He had some hope after all and maybe Sophia could have her mother again. The thought sent a wave of pain through him remembering how Sophia had acted with him leaving. He wasn't sure where that'd leave things but the girl deserved her mother.
Moving from his crouch in the hardware store his eyes went out the window. This wasn't the first time he swung back by this place. He knew there was a group close. He just hoped that whatever happened didn't leave him dead in a ditch. Daryl still stuck by his decision to not bring Mac. His brother would have just made things difficult to navigate when tensions ran high.
Daryl stepped out on the street ready to find somewhere to hunker down since the sun was getting ready to set. It was getting dark around the edges with shadows reaching and grabbing for him. Daryl swung his eyes around and paused heart thundering hard feeling like he was having a heart attack he stared straight in the hungry eyes of a herd. How the fuck had they come up on him so quietly? Daryl swallowed and backed up hoping they didn't all notice him at once. Taking another step backwards he cringed when his boot hit glass and sharp scraping noises sounded.
The ones that hadn't noticed him before were now in pursuit with the others. Turning and darting further away Daryl swallowed. He had to get to the bike but he'd have to get around the herd to do that. They were between him and it. Looking behind him he darted down an alley and started weaving around garbage and things strewn around. It was a fucking mess. A groan to his right had his eyes locking on to a lunging woman that's face was half destroyed her teeth bared intending to him harm. Bow raised she fell and he snatched his arrow as he ran by. He needed to get out of here. He didn't need to get boxed in with a herd coming down on him.
Daryl burst back out of the alley behind the herd and jerked his knife free in seconds as he swung his bow over his shoulder and onto his back. A walker was almost on him that was straggling behind. It's rotted hands clawing and grabbing at his leather jacket. Daryl slammed the knife through the eye black blood and brain matter spraying over his shirt. Moving fluidly his knife met it's home in the next walker there to take the place of the one that just fell.
Panting hard Daryl fought away and towards his bike his eyes searching for something, anything, to get him away from the herd. Panting from exertion feeling his jacket caught in more hands he snarled swinging out and kicking the walker back into the others. He couldn't fucking die here. He made a promise. His family needed him, Sophia needed him. He promised her.
"Goddamn it not today." Daryl snarled, "Motherfucker!" He bellowed his breath carrying his curse further.
Feeling his chest rising and falling harder from lack of air as he breathed in the thick smell of death and decay Daryl spun on his heel. He had a small gap between him and the walkers trying to take him down. They were tripping over the fallen bodies of the walkers he'd killed giving him a chance to sprint. Tightening his grip on his knife he felt it wet in his hands from blood and guts that had covered him in the fight.
Running harder at the sounds of groaning and shuffling echoed like his own death calling to him. Panting and pushing harder he could just start to see the library and his bike. It was clear. It was fucking clear. Daryl smiled laughing as he ran even harder not looking away as he pushed further away from the shambling herd. He was almost out of here.
He didn't hear it at first and when he did it came seconds to late. Light washed over him blinding him causing him to throw his arm up to shield his eyes. Stumbling Daryl felt his body knocked to the ground and all the air in him leave at once as he was slammed to the concrete hard. A sharp snap and crack had his head meeting black top and he groaned rolling his head to the side. Eyes landing on the shambling feet of the walkers just in the distance had his heart double timing but he couldn't seem to find the strength to move. His ears were ringing like hell and he felt like he was going to puke as his body started picking apart each part of him that hurt.
Trying to lift his arm he groaned again closing his eyes against the pain starting to radiate through his head. The taste of blood was thick in his mouth and he could smell it all around him. Trying to spit the blood from his mouth he coughed and closed his eyes again against the pain. Cracking his eyes open again he frowned at the pair of boots in his face feeling his vision fading and the pain starting to pull him under. He had to get up. Had to get out of here before something worse happened. What the fuck was he doing on the ground?
"...hurrtt...hia" Daryl mumbled his eyes closing as the darkness claimed him.