Surviving. (Book Two.)

Chapter Twenty Five.

*Daryl's POV*

Sarah came back just after Deanna left. The woman was a little startled to see that we were all camped out in the one house but then she called us smart for sticking together. 

When the door opened again, signalling Sarah's return, Zeus came running into the room, his claws on the wood flooring making him slip all over the place before he crashed into Carl.

Judith squealed happily in Rick's arms, clapping her small hands together while her brother pushed the dog away. 

Sarah took a seat beside me on the floor and shrugged out of her hoodie, "What did Deanna want?" 

"To talk to Rick." I muttered, wrapping my arm around her shoulder when she leant into me. 

"I told her that I'd do the teaching job," she murmured, "Just until they find someone else." 

"Well, that's good," I said quietly, "Maybe you'll enjoy it."

"Maybe." she agreed, watching as Rick came in.

"I'm sorry that you all have to do this."

Abraham shook his head, "You're worried for your family. We all understand that." 

"Us," Rick corrected, "I'm worried for us." 

The room descended into silence and I pulled Sarah down so we were laying down and she moved closer so her nose was pressed against my exposed collarbone. 

My hand rubbed her back as we dozed off, "Ye' comfortable enough?"

"I'd be more comfortable in the bed across the street." she mumbled, causing me to smile.

"Tomorrow nigh', ye'll be in there." 

"Mhmm and you'll be there too." 

"Of course," I whispered, "'m not gonna let ye' enjoy tha' bed without me." 

"As if I could." 

******************

The next morning, everyone filed out of the house to go their separate ways; most of the group going to wherever they had been assigned work. 

"You're having a shower!" Sarah groaned, attempting to drag me back across to the bungalow. 

"No, I ain't," I argued, "I ain't gonna have a shower jus' to go back out 'nd get dirty again."

"We'll hose you down, Dixon!" Carol yelled from where she was coming out of her own place. 

"Oh my god!" Sarah snorted, "What are you wearing?" 

I turned to look at her and saw that she was dressed in a horrible looking cardigan and some khakis.

"What?" she asked as she passed us, "You don't like it?" 

"You look ridiculous." 

"Have a shower, Daryl," she said, ignoring my insult, "Impressions matter here." 

"Not to me they don't," I retorted, pulling Sarah to a halt, "I don't care wha' these people think or say 'bout me." 

She gave the two of  us a wave over her shoulder, "Whatever you say." 

"C'mon Daryl," Sarah huffed, "Take a damn shower. I'm telling you, you'll feel so much better after it!" 

"No. Don't you have to go to work?" 

She grinned, "Nope. Not till tomorrow. So you, you have me all day." She then wrapped her arms around my torso, "And what could we do all day?" 

I shake my head and look over when I heard the gates opening. Glenn, Tara and Noah had all been taken out on a run with a couple of people but judging by the looks on their faces, things hadn't gone well and their raised voices tore through the otherwise silent streets. 

"You tied up walkers?" Glenn asked the guy in front of him. I think it was Deanna's son; Aiden. 

"It killed our friend!" the guy snapped, "Look, I'm not having this conversation. Out there, you obey my orders." 

Sarah moves towards them and I follow, along with a bunch of people from the community. 

"We do that then we're just as screwed as your last run crew." Glenn hissed and Aiden stopped, turning and walking up to him so they were chest to chest. 

"Say that again." 

"Back off, Aiden." Tara warns but he ignores her and gives Glenn a light shove.

*****************

*Sarah's POV* 

As things get more and more heated between the two men, I take a look up at Daryl to see him watching the scene unfold with a clenched jaw and I placed my hand on his arm, silently willing him to stay calm if this gets out of hand.

Deanna's now on the scene, demanding to know what's going on. 

"This guy's got a problem with the way we do things," her son answers, "Why'd you let these people in?" 

"Because unlike you," Glenn hissed, "We actually know what we're doing out there."

He ducks when Aiden swings for him, tackling him to the ground easily and Nicholas goes to aid his friend. 

It's then that I notice that Daryl is no longer beside me. He's a few steps ahead and he shrugs me off when I try to grab his arm to tug him back and he rams into Nicholas before pinning him to the ground.

"Daryl, no!" I yell as Deanna calls out to her son, "Daryl, stop!" 

Rick suddenly appears as if from nowhere and he grabs onto the back of Daryl's vest, hauling him off of Nicholas, "Let's not do this now, yeah?" 

He gives Daryl a small push backwards and I move in front of him, placing my hands on his chest when he tries to move past me. "No, no, no," I whisper, "Look at me. Right at me." 

His chest is heaving underneath my hands as he glares over my head at Nicholas and I then give him another gentle push, "Come on, let's take a walk." 

He reluctantly turned away and started walking and I quickly started following. 

"Look like she's got him on a pretty tight leash." I heard Nicholas scoff and Daryl turned to try and go for him. 

"Daryl, for goodness sake stop!" I growl, "Let's just get out of here." I then turned around to glare at Nicholas, only to be met with Rick. 

"Will you get him out of here?" he asks and I nod. 

"He finally came back from the crowd and walked away while I followed behind him again. 

"Jackass," he muttered, pulling out a cigarette from his pocket and he turned around to listen to Deanna as she spoke to Rick. 

"I want you to be our constable," she tells Rick, "Michonne too. Will you accept?" 

Daryl scoffs when he agrees, picking up his crossbow that he'd thrown down before glancing down at me, "Give me a couple of minutes, yeah? I'll meet ye' back at the bungalow." 

I nod and watch him as he walks down the street, ignoring those who give him questioning glances, not looking at Rick when he came to stand beside me. 

"You have to talk to him." 

"And I will," I muttered, "I'm letting him cool off, just like he asked me to and then I'll talk."