Daryls Sister {Book One}

177

Rick's POV:

It was light outside but I didn't want to leave Maddie's side just in case she wakes up. The door opened and I looked up and saw Maggie.

"Rick we need your help with burying our people." She said. As much as I didn't want to leave Maddie's side, I knew I had to help.

"Okay." I said, standing up and followed her outside. We started burying our people who died then we mourned them.

"What's wrong?" Dianna asked Maggie.

"The cost." Maggie replied. I looked down and walked away back to Maddie to see if she woke up. I saw Daryl walking out of the room and he saw me.

"Did she wake up?" I asked him. He shook his head no and I looked down.

"She'll wake up Rick. She's a strong woman because she has the Dixon blood in her." He said. I knew he was right, I knew she would wake up but I can't help thinking about what would happen if I ever lost her. "I know you don't want to lose her, neither do I but she'll make it, you know that." He said. "Now go in there with her and stay by her side because she'll want to see you when she wakes up." He said.

"Okay." I said, walking into the room.

I sat back down beside her and grabbed her hand into mine. I looked down, praying that she'll wake up.

"Please wake up Maddie. I don't want to lose you, I can't lose you." I said, a tear falling down my left cheek. The door opened and Siddiq walked inside and saw that she wasn't awake.

"I have to check her vitals but you can still hold her hand." He said, picking up her other hand and put two fingers against her wrist.

"I'm sorry for being cold towards you." I said, looking at him.

"You don't have to apologize, I understand." He assured.

"But that's no reason to be cold to you though, it wasn't your fault." I said.

"It's alright, it'll take time for you to heal from what happened. I understand, I lost my mom and dad." He told me. I looked at Maddie with her neck wrapped with a bandage. I hate seeing her like this, she's too sweet of a person to deserve this.

Maddie's POV:

I can hear Rick talking but I can't open my eyes, no matter how hard I try to. I want to let him know that I'm still here. I have to tell him that I'm going to be okay. He has to know that I won't leave him. Not now, not ever. I can't leave him, Daryl, Liam, Judith, Maggie, Paul, Carol and everyone else.

I was in some sort of dream that I can't escape. I saw Alexandria rebuilt and everyone alive. I saw Liam and Judith playing with Paul and I also saw Negan working at a garden. Everyone was getting along and we were living like there's no walkers around. I saw me and Rick walking hand in hand down the street smiling at everyone. I even saw my belly was sticking out meaning I was pregnant again. I saw Aaron with a grown up Gracie and she was having fun, running around playing with him.

Daryl was working on his motorcycle and Liam ran to him and they started play fighting with each other. I feel like I'm smiling but I don't think anyone sees it. The last thing I remember seeing is Rick laying me on a bed, Siddiq hovering over me, and Daryl looking over the bed looking at me with tears in his eyes then that's when everything went black.

"Maddie, what are you doing here? You should be with my dad." Carl said.

"I can't wake up Carl." I said.

"Yes you can Maddie. You have to, my dad needs you. Daryl needs you. Judith and Liam needs you. Everyone there needs you." He said.

"I'm trying to wake up Carl. I can't." I said, tears in my eyes.

"Do you hear my dad talking to you? He's praying. For you to wake up, he can't lose you too. Not right after he lost his son. Daryl can't lose his sister. Liam and Judith can't lose their mother. They need you, you're their mother even if Judith isn't your daughter by blood but you're raising her like she's your own." Carl said.

"Mads, go back to them. Little brother needs you with him." Merle said.

"Rick needs you Maddie. Go back to him." Lori said.

"Don't leave them Maddie. My sister needs you more than ever." Beth said.

"Maddie, I need you to watch over my wife. I need you to keep her and my unborn child safe." Glenn said.

"Come on Mads, you have to wake up. It's not your time to join us." Merle said.

"I'm trying but I can't." I said, crying.

"You have to fight Maddie. We believe in you." Carl said.

"Yeah Maddie, you can do it." Lizzie said.

"Come on Maddie, you're not supposed to come here yet." Dale said.

"Everyone needs you Maddie. They can't live without you." Andrea said.

"You need to fight it Mads. You have to win this fight." Merle said.

"Maddie, you're strong. I know you can fight this." Shane said.

"You have to live for us Maddie." Glenn said.

"How am I supposed to wake up? I'm trying everything I can and I can't wake up." I said. "I don't want to leave you all." I added.

"You have to leave us Maddie. They need you more than we do." Sophia said.

"I'm trying as hard as I can! I can't! My eyes won't open!" I said.

"You have to try. Come on Mads, you can do it! You're a Dixon, you can wake up! Just try harder!" Merle said.

They all started to disappear from my sight.

"You're doing it Maddie! Keep going! You're almost there!" Lizzie said.

"We'll see you when it's your time Maddie." Carl said, before they all disappeared.

My eyes fluttered open and I turned and saw Rick asleep next to me while holding my hand. I looked ahead and saw Daryl asleep in the chair across from the bed. He woke and saw me awake and came over.

"Rick wake up. She's awake." Daryl said. "I'm so happy you woke up Maddie." He said, kissing my forehead.

"You scared us Maddie. We were so worried." Rick said, squeezing my hand while kissing the top of my head.