infection | D. Dixon

chapter twenty-one

arrowhead

It was nearly sunrise when I managed to drag Daryl up over the bank. He tried to walk mostly on his own, but I had hooked my arm up under him and began helping him against his orders. I lifted Daryl a little higher, but it hurt to carry his whole weight on one side. I pushed forward, gritting my teeth.

"Let me walk on my own!" He yelled for the hundredth time, "damn woman!" He said.

I laughed and stopped to look around. "You walk ahead." I said, veering off to pee. He limped on, dragging his crossbow.

By the time I had caught up to him, he was standing on the tree line with the barrel of Anne's gun to his forehead.

"No! Anne, that's Daryl!" I said.

"That's the second time you pointed that thing at someone's head!" Daryl yelled. "Bout time you pull the trigger!" He said, making me smile. Leave it to Daryl to make this into a joke.

Anne lowered the gun and helped me load Daryl in the backseat of my car.

Back at the mall, as the rest of the crew dragged Daryl inside the infirmary, I walked over to Rick. "I didn't ask what he was doing out there, but after I patch him up you can ask him questions," I said softly.

Hershel, the veterinarian, had already removed the arrow when I came back into the infirmary. Daryl was going to be fine, he just needed a lot of stitches and rest. Hershel smiled at me as I started cleaning his side.

"He's lucky you were there," he said, wrapping Daryl's arm.

I scoffed, but a smile cracked across my face. "Daryl didn't need me there. He could have killed those walkers and climbed that bank by himself," I mused as I began the stitches.

Hershel chuckled. "That's probably right," he agreed. "Still, it must have been nice to know he was being taken care of in a time of need."

I sat in the chair by the bed. "Daryl will never admit it, but I think he was glad I was there," I said, swiping the hair out of his face.

Hershel patted me on the shoulder. "I'm sure he was. Whatever you two were arguing about is in the past. You'll be fine," he said.

I looked down at Daryl, who looked like he had seen better days. "I'm not sure it is, but thank you anyway."

+

A couple hours after Hershel left, Daryl woke up. My knees were curled up and I was reading a book. "Ye stayed here?" Daryl asked.

I nodded, "I'm here." I said.

"Why?" he asked. I handed him a glass of water, "Because I stayed for you?"

I shook my head, "I would've stayed anyways." I said. I wanted to say something but I didn't know what. I said the first thing I thought. "Because you're my friend."

Daryl smiled at me, "what 'a load of shit." he laughed. I smiled and stood up. "Where are you going?" He asked.

"The girls cooked up a feed." I said. "I'm going to get some for us."

I walked into the room and everyone looked at me. "How's he doing?" Carol asked.

I smiled, "he's going to be fine." I said. I grabbed a plate and put some food on it for Daryl. I was watched closely until I turned the corner.

"Do you see the way he looks at her?" Maggie asked. "Or the way she looks at him?"

"I don't think they'll get to be much." Carol said.