Both Eyes Open - Daryl Dixon (under editing)

A Promise to Keep.

"Dale could-- could get under your skin. He sure got under mine, because he wasn't afraid to say exactly what he thought, how he felt" Rick started, taking a deep ragged breath before he continued.

Everyone had gathered around the newest grave in which Dale was laid. Lara was only just approaching the rest of them as Rick spoke. A few teary eyes lifted to offer her a sympathetic expression of understanding, but she paid everyone no heed. She merely walked through the group as Rick continued.

"That kind of honesty is rare and brave. Whenever I'd make a decision, I'd look at Dale. He'd be looking back at me with that look he had. We've all seen it one time or another."

Lara slowly approached the grave, an unreadable look on her face, her hands in her pockets as the stood up at the top of the grave. She sat down, her knees pulled up to her chin and her arms wrapped around her legs and she listened to Ricks voice, and ignored some of the sad eyes watching her.

"I couldn't always read him, but he could read us. He saw people for who they were. He knew things about us-- The truth... Who we really are.

In the end, he was talking about losing our humanity. He said this group was broken. The best way to honor him is to unbreak it. Set aside our differences and pull together, stop feeling sorry for ourselves and take control of our lives... Our safety... our future.

We're not broken. We're gonna prove him wrong. From now on. We're gonna do it his way."

~~~

Lara was helping the others bring their gear and other things into the house, when she noticed Rick and Daryl off to one side of the porch, hunched over a map.

As she went inside the house and into the living room she could hear them speaking through the open windows.

"This little pain in the ass will be a distant memory. Good riddance." Daryls gravelly voice carried through into the room, and she seen him through the window, sitting down on the ledge facing the house, facing her, but looking at Rick.

"Carol's putting together some provisions for him, enough to last a few days." Rick told him. There was an odd pause which Rick filled with,

"That thing you did last night-" Lara tensed, she knew she shouldn't have eavesdropped. She set down the her two bags that she still had in her hands. It was the last thing she needed to bring inside.

"Ain't no reason you should do all the heavy lifting." Daryl answered him.

"So are you good with all this?"

"I don't see you and I trading haymakers on the side of the road. Nobody'd win that fight."

Lara chuckled to herself as she started to pull everything out of both bags. Although they had served her well so far, Beth had an old duffel stashed under her bed that she wanted to give to Lara, for being so nice to her as of late. Lara hadn't even noticed when she had been kind to her, but relished in the knowledge that she was making friends.

"I'm gonna take a piss." Daryl announced rather indelicately, and she heard his footsteps round the house, as he entered through the back door.

She continued packing her limited clothes into the bottom left of the bag and then her weapons atop of them, toward the right hand side, as Daryl walked through the house. She heard his footsteps stop, and hesitate, before carrying on toward the bathroom.

She was nearly done when he came out of the room, drying his hands with a dish towel. Lara straightened up and turned to face him.

"Don't get killed out there Dixon." She said, angrier than she had meant to.

"Huh?" He looked at her in confusion, as his hands, still wrapped in the towel, stopped moving.

Lara sighed and shuffled her feet.

"I can't have you die out there. Alright? I just can't." She admitted, her voice much more reserved than the first time, but still tense and urgent.

"Alrigh'." He nodded, chucking the towel onto the table beside him. He took a few steps closer, but kept his distance, trying to read her emotional state as best he could as he spoke to her.

"How are ye doin'?" He asked gruffly, squinting his eyes at her, as hers lowered to the ground at his feet.

"Im um..." She lowered her head and shook it for a moment before looking back up at him, a little surprised to see him so close to her now, his arms wrapping themselves around her loosely, as if unsure he should even touch her. She didn't hesitate to pull him to her, wrapping her arms around his waist and back, resting her head on his chest.

"Better..." She whispered quietly.

"Good."

After a minute or two, Lara pulled back slightly, but still held onto him. She looked up at him, as he gazed down at her, his eyes softer than she had ever seen them, overwhelmed with respect for her.

"Thank you, Daryl."

"What for?" He frowned.

She smiled softly, a tear escaping her eye.

"Last night. Everything you did. Helping Dale. Looking after me. I've uh-" she gave a saddening, half-hearted laugh before she continued,

"I've never had someone do that for me. I'm so used to just being left alone." She whimpered, trying desperately to hold back a sob.

Daryl watched her struggle through her words, and offered her a kind smile, one that just met his eyes.

"You ain't gotta be alone anymore." Daryl told her.

"Promise me that?" She asked, a strange fear clenched in her chest.

Daryl responded by planting a short but meaningful kiss onto her forehead, before resting his chin on top of her head.

"I promise." He answered, his voice vibrating through his body and soothing Lara as she leant against him again.