stone cold |twd|

chapter 94

MARCIE WAS SAT OUTSIDE ON THE STEPS, THE GOVERNOR'S REVOLVER IN HER HANDS.

The door behind her opened and Daryl stepped out, coming to sit next to her. They sat in silence for a moment before he stated, "We never got ta talk 'bout earlier."

"'M not sure you're gonna like what I have to say."

"As long as 's the truth..."

Now he was worried she was gonna end things between them. She wouldn't do that, not right after they've found each other... right?

Marcie stared down at the gun in her hand for a moment, trying to find the words to explain how she was feeling.

"I'm... struggling to find the will to live. To keep fighting." She refused to meet his gaze, which she could feel on her face, "After I killed the Governor, I felt a sense of relief. It was something I wanted to do for months now, for my parents and for Andrea, but once it was all over, I was alone again. I was alone and I thought everyone was dead, everyone but you." Marcie mustered up the courage to look at him, but she couldn't read his expression, "But days went by and... and I'm glad I found all of you, I am, but so much happened between then and now. So much dark shit and I found pieces of me breaking away."

"So... you wanna die?"

"I'm not gonna put a gun in my mouth or slit my wrists. It's just... every time I see a walker, it's getting harder and harder to raise my knife. I'm not gonna go and kill myself, all I'm saying is that I need time and maybe some support and if you don't want that on your shoulders, I totally understand-"

Daryl interrupted her, kissing her harshly. Marcie let out a small noise of surprise and pulled away, "Dare, what are you-"

"Tryin' ta get ya ta shut up." He mumbled, kissing her again, "I ain't goin' nowhere. Not now, not ever. Yer just goin' through a rough patch, but we're gonna get through it." He spoke against her lips.

She pulled away and returned her gaze to the gun in her hands, "There any bullets left in that thing?" He asked her,

"Nah. It's more of a... a reminder now. Of what he did. Of what he can't do anymore." Marcie sighed, "I almost didn't make it out, you know. I... I wanted to stay and watch as he got ripped apart, even if it meant I would die, too."

"Don't matter if you almost didn't. You did." Daryl told her,

Marcie nodded, "I need to let go. I just don't know how."

"You will." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and brought her into his side, kissing the top of her head, "I'll help ya."

She squeezed his hand that laid over her shoulder, thankful for his support.

A year ago, she never would have guessed she would've been in this position. With this man, with this group. She wouldn't have thought she would have made it this far.

The beaded bracelet she tied around her ankle that sat under her boot weighed heavier than before. Would Lexi like the person she had become?

Marcie sighed and glanced out into the woods, "Is now a good time to mention that Carol wandered away a few minutes ago?"

Daryl sighed and stood up, walking down the steps before reaching his hand out towards her, "C'mon, let's go find her."

The couple walked hand-in-hand into the woods, Marcie following the path that she saw Carol take, the one they were on earlier that day.

"Thanks for understanding." Marcie glanced over at him, "I don't mean to be a burden-"

"Yer not a burden." Daryl removed his hand from hers to wrap his arm around her shoulders, kissing the top of her head, "Ya need a purpose, that's all."

In the moonlight, they spotted her digging through the car they had stopped at only hours ago. A walker approached her and Daryl raised his crossbow.

After killing it, the duo walked out onto the road, where Carol could see them clearly. Marcie grabbed Daryl's bolt while he turned to the older woman, "What are you doing?"

Carol stared at them for a moment, "I don't know."

He nodded back towards the church, "C'mon."

But before any of them could move, the sound of a car filled their ears. Daryl grabbed Marcie's arm and the three of them hid behind the abandoned car, waiting for the other vehicle to pass. Once it did, Daryl sprinted out into the street to catch a look at it,

He ran back towards the other car and bashed in the tail lights with his crossbow, "Whoa, whoa! What are you doing?" Carol questioned him,

"Daryl-"

"They got Beth." He stated, "C'mon." Both Carol and Marcie shared a look, "C'mon, get in."

With a nervous sigh, Marcie got into the passenger seat while Carol climbed into the back.

She guessed her purpose was to find Beth. Because if she's good at anything, it was finding people.

But people tend to die soon after she finds them.