The Walking Dead: Danielle Grimes

135. Oceanside

I cross the room in rapid strides and he must of recognised my intent because he drops his backpack and catches me by the waist as I press my lips to his. I deepen the kiss, pressing myself against him. A low chuckle vibrates through his chest.

"Morning darlin'." He drawls, pulling back from the kiss but not so far that I can feel him smile against my lips. "You're up early." He points out.

"Couldn't sleep." I tell him honestly. "You?"
He tips his head to the side and looks into my eyes, a small, pleased smirk on his face. "Slept like the dead."

I shake my head with a small smile and wrap my arms around his waist, snuggling my face into his chest. Daryl reaches up and cups the back of my head, holding me tight against him. He brushes his lips against my hair.

"Ya don't have to go if ya-" he starts to say before he cuts himself off. I feel him shake his head as he hugs me closer to him. "Never mind. Forget I said anything." I chuckle, nodding.

"Ya ready to do this?" He asks and I can hear the worry in his voice. "Not really, but we don't got a choice." I say looking up at him with a small smile. He rubs the back of knuckles against my cheek. "Alright darlin'." He agrees stepping back. He bends down and picks up his backpack before he threads his fingers through mine and leads me outside of the house.

I ride with Daryl on his bike. It's a couple of hours ride but I didn't want to sit in the RV with Tara because I'm still pissed at her. She caused so many problems and didn't even realise it.

When we arrive we all gather in the woods. Rick sends the others out to their groups. When it's just him, Tara, Jesus, me, Liam and Daryl left, he glances over at Tara who's leaning against a tree, pressing the heels of her hands against her eyes. The ability to keep this from turning into a fight is entirely on Tara's shoulders. As angry as I am with her, I do sympathise. It isn't going to be easy to go back in there, facing them again after she made a promise and then try to convince them to just let us walk in and take their guns.

Ricks expression is grave as he studies the layout of the huts. "Are you prepared if this goes south?" He asks.

"It won't." She says resolutely, drawing in a deep breath and standing up a little straighter. I can see the unshed tears in her eyes. "If it does, you don't need to feel bad, it's not your fault." I say softly.

I may still be mad at her but it's not nice feeling guilty.

"I do feel bad, I will." She draws in another breath. "So I guess I better not mess this up huh?" She asks with feigned lightness.

"Tara, you don't have to. This isn't on you. It's on us. On me." Rick says looking at me and Daryl. He still feels guilty over everything.

Tara nods but I can see she doesn't believe him. "Right, well see you guys in five minutes one way or another."

"Clock starts as soon as she's in." Rick comments as we watch Tara walk away. I can hear the nerves in his voice and I don't blame him. "You guys get moving."

I nod and set off through the trees with the boys behind me. We have one charge to set near our hiding spot. Jesus buries the dynamite while Daryl and I run the fuse.

Jesus picks up the crate and follows along behind us as we work. "I should've tried harder to stop Rosita and Sasha, if I had just waited one more day...." He trails off.

Daryl shakes his hair out of his eyes and keeps working. "Well, Sasha's a good shot and Rosita knows how to take care of herself. Probably back at Hilltop right now. Least I hope so, we're gonna need 'em. There's a whole lot of people still got to die."