Daryl's Lullaby ~ Daryl Dixon x Reader

Ch.49 ~ Reunited/ The Highway

A/N: Why oh Why do I always end up writing too much 😭 had to split this last chapter into two but it's not too bad cause then we'd be starting Season 3 in Ch.51. Anyway been sitting on this one for a few days cause something just was rubbing me off wrong about it. Think I've fixed it but eh idc anymore just want the chapter uploaded and not taunting me.

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Y/n's POV

Hours passed since Nelly and I bolted away from the farm. My tears had stopped but left trails along my mud and blood stained face. By the time the birds awoke and the sky began to fade from black into blue and grey into red I had sat up and began to lead the horse in the direction of the highway.

It had been at least an hour since we saw a Walker, the last being about 2 maybe three miles back. It became obvious to me the further into the forest we headed that this had been the direction the walkers had come. It was easy to tell from the hundreds of foot tracks which migrated in the direction we had come from.

I felt numb as I rode Nelly, the wound on my hand having stopped bleeding hours ago leaving dark red blood to dry and flake on my skin. I still held her collar in my hand while I held the reins, never wanting to let it go. It had been a long night and my eyes were droopy but something compelled me not to close them.

Nelly was walking calmly through the forest, the sound of the foliage crunching under her hooves accompanied the twittering sounds of the morning birds. We kept riding, never stopping until dawn came. Glancing up through the top of the trees revealing the blood red clouds I knew would lie in the skies this morning. A clear sign and remembrance that blood had been spilt during the night.

Another few hours passed and we still weren't on the highway. A yawn left my lips disturbing the peacefulness which settled between myself and the horse. Dawn had faded and the trees were becoming less and less indicating that we were close to arriving at our destination. With the knowledge that the walkers had come this way I tucked Skylla's collar into my pocket with a reluctant sigh. Pulling my bow and an arrow from my pack, I finally rode out of the tree line blinded by a white light of late morning.

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3rd Person POV

The engine of a red car pulled to a stop on the highway just after dawn had graced the skies. The clouds were red mixing into hues of orange and yellow as the sun rose along the horizon. A very tired Rick opened his door, jumping out the car followed by his son and Hershel.

Much like Y/n, his first thought was to rendezvou at the highway where they had left the supplies for Sophia, he had guessed that would be everyone else's first thought, if anyone was able to escape the farm like they had.

He was a little shocked to find he and the two others were the first to make it there, for if everyone had escaped moments before or after him they should be here by now.

"Well, where's mum?" Carl asked, throwing his hands out as he looked around, standing next to the car where the message for Sophia to 'stay put' was once painted onto the windscreen.

Rick had walked to stand in front of the car with the message, gazing at the words which had started to fade away. At his son's question his head quirked, gaze dancing around the highway as he pivoted in a circle looking around.

"You said she'd be here?" Carl exclaimed, quivering with panic as he realised they were the only ones to make it to the highway so far.

"We gotta go back for her." He declared. The boy in the cowboy hat and red jumper began to turn on his heels to walk back to the car but a hand prevented him from moving. Rick bent down to be eye level with his son.