Survivor (Daryl Dixon Fanfiction) *COMPLETED* {The WATTYS 2021}

Chapter 13: Grief And Guilt

The picture above is obviously of Daryl talking to Dale, but please do try to imagine Dylan O'Brien in place of Dale. Thank you!

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"One of the hardest lessons in life is letting go, Whether it's guilt, anger, Love, loss or betrayal. Change is never easy, We fight to hold on and we fight to let go." - Unknown

Daryl's POV:

Dylan had pulled me aside and handed me a picture of her with her Brothers holding her close with mischievous looks on their faces, Des with a big goofy smile on her face, her Sister and Parents smiling in the background. 

Clearly, she was extremely close ta Both of 'er Brothers and no' so much her Sister or parents. 

"Des always puts others, before herself and right now, I think that she is struggling with keeping her emotions in check or Just letting go." Dylan sighed, as he stood in front o' me, lookin' frustrated. 

"She is sometimes, far to caring and respectful of others, when she should be Mourning, like the rest of us." Dylan interrupted my thoughts and I sighed, because I knew exactly what he was talking about. 

"She had enough reason to run, to escape the blame and hate from Dad. She is tough enough to make it in this world on her own, she is more than capable enough, but she decided to stay with our parents, because she still had us." Dylan sighed as he wiped his nose on his shirt. 

He was tryin' ta discreetly wipe away any tears that may have fallen, I wasn't about to say anythin' about him cryin', he just lost a sibling...again? 

"I love my Sister, but I don't want her to continue to allow this pain to fester inside her. I can't and Won't, sit back and watch as my Sister is torn apart mentally, because my Dad won't take the blame. It wasn't her fault, Faith Mom and I know that." Dylan spoke like a Big Brother who would NEVER abandon his siblings. 

"I know that You do, obviously she has told you about Adam and opened up to you. You've gotten closer to her, then Faith and I have since Adam." He spoke almost as if he was a bit frustrated at me. 

"So, I just wanted to tell you, that you have my blessing to be with my Sister." He told me throwing me for a loop, I never asked for her hand in marriage or to be her boyfriend; so this was weird. 

"Please help her through this, even if you don't want to be with her romantically, just yet, at least comfort her, please; because I believe your the only one, that can help her." Dylan concluded, begging me to help His sister, as if I wasn't all ready going to. 

"Yeah, I will, I was gonna anyway. 'm sorry fer yer loss and thanks." I told him as I handed him the picture. 

Des is a lot like Dylan, in the way that he continued ta talk and I barely got a word in edgewise. 

I stood outside of the room that Hershel had her set up in, jus' waitin' fer sum sort o' news o' how she was. 

Finally, after what seemed like days later, Hershel came walkin' out, wiping his hands on a towel, that was now red with blood. 

"She'll be fine, she got lucky, it didn't Pierce anything vital, but she does have a concussion, so she needs to stay in bed, until the wound in her side heals and we're going to have to keep her awake for twenty-four hours, because of her concussion." Hershel explained to us and I stood to my feet. 

"Can I go in?" I asked him, as I stood there feeling Awkward, 'cause 'er Family was there and should be the first ones to see her, but she was important to me to.

I reminded myself ta get Shane back fer doin' this ta Destiny and 'er family. 

Hershel, had let 'er Family see 'er first, but only two at a time, so it was a while, before I saw her and when I did finally make it in, her face twisted in pain. 

Though when she heard someone come in, she wiped off the pained face, as I sat down in the seat next to her bed.

She was trying to mask her pain, with a smile, because she didn't want anyone to know how badly she was actually hurting.

She looked at me and I saw tears forming in her eyes, but I knew that she wouldn't want it spoken out loud that she was in pain, either mental or physical, it doesn't Matter.

I suck with trying to make someone feel better so, I figured, that just sitting here with her and Watching her back while she is letting her emotions run free, was pretty considerate. 

I know that I wouldn't want to hear any bullshit, about understanding what just happened, because I don't know how it'd feel to watch your sibling die. 

"Oh god, Daryl, I thought in that brief moment when he came out, I thought that he was alive...Then when Rick held me back, I realized that he was a walker." She whimpered and she just looked as if she had given up.

"I failed him..." She whispered, as sobs shook her body, making her hiss in pain and I shook my head. 

"None o' this, was yer fault, Ya tried ta help yer Brother Des, ya know that as well as, Yer Mom, Dylan, Faith and I do. Ya ain't no' failure, ya tried and that is all anyone can ask." I told her but she just nodded her head.

"Yer a great sister, so quit blamin' yourself and quit letting yer Dad blame ya." I told her, as I grasped her hand and held it tightly in mine, trying to reassure her. 

"I knew he was dead, I just wished that Dad would've killed him before he became that monster, Adam never would've wanted that and I guess that is what upset me the most about that." She continued to cry, I continued to listen to her and hold her. 

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