The Count Down to Death (Daryl Dixon Love story)

T W E N T Y O N E

I pace the container nervously. Everyone else is making weapons out of anything they can spare but I'm too nervous to do anything. There are some new people in our group, Abraham, Rosita and Eugene, who apparently knows a cure but won't tell anyone. Then there's Tara who keeps on staring at me and blushing when I catch her. I run my hands through my hair and I slam my fists against the walls of the train car causing everyone to gasp and jump.

"Sorry." I mumble, mostly to Hedi and Carl as they cuddle in a corner making something.
Sasha looks up from the floor and sighs annoyed. Daryl and Maggie are talking about Beth, as they make something. Daryl walks over to the door and looks through the gap.
"Four of 'em pricks comin' our way." He says.
"Aim for their eyes, then their throats." Rick's walks forward and passes me a belt with spikes sticking up.
I wrap it around my hand and I move next to Daryl. The Terminus people shout for us to get by the wall but they don't come through the side. The top slides open and I look up just in time to see a canister thrown in.
"Move!" Abraham shouts as we all jump out of the way.
Something flashes and smoke fills the container. I cough my lungs out and a gloved hand grabs my arm, yanking me into the sunlight. I scream only hearing someone shout my name among the coughing. I'm blinded for a moment as they tie my hands together, and a sharp pain goes through the back of my head as I'm knocked out.

I wake up to the sound of a chainsaw as I'm dragged into a room. Bob, Rick, Daryl and Glenn are here with some other guys and I'm shoved to my knees by a large silver sink. I'm next to Glenn and some guy as we all squirm about, trying to free ourselves. I look round and a body is on the table, I gasp against the gag in my mouth. Some blonde kid pales as two men walk up behind him. He's knocked out by a baseball bat and the other one slits his throat. My heart skips a beat as they do it to the guys, slowly making their way up to me. Blood trickles past me and I feel faint for a moment. Gareth walks in and start talking but I'm too shocked by what's happening to register anything. Daryl leans over the sink and looks at me. Tears start falling out of my eyes as they kill the guy next to me. I feel Glenn tenses as they come behind me and everyone leans forward looking at me as I close my eyes.
"Stop!" I hear someone shout.
Gareth walks forward to Bob and starts talking. The men position themselves behind me and I feel the wind as they swing the bat but the stop midway. An explosion goes off and I'm thrown into Glenn from the impact. My ears ring and I shake my head, panicking. Rick, Daryl and Bob are on the floor and the men pull us back up into the positions we were in. The two men start arguing and Rick takes this chance to stab the two guys. Rick runs back and unties us, he stops at me and I nod as more tears fall out of my eyes.
"You okay?" He asks, cutting the ties off me and pulling down my gag.
"Y-Yeh." I mumble, standing up and rushing over to Daryl.
He hugs me and we start walking. Gunshots and groans fill the air and we walk into a room with bits of bodies hanging from the ceiling.
"If you see any of these people kill them, don't hesitate, they won't." Rick says passing me a butchers knife.
I stare in shock at the things that hang from the ceiling and I throw up a yellow, sticky substance.
"They were going to eat us." I say, trembling.
Daryl walks over and holds my hand as we walk further into the room and out of a door.
"If we run we can get past them, they're distracted." Rick points.
"We've gotta let those people out." Glenn looks at us.
Rick nods as Daryl opens the door and runs out first, I follow with Bob, Rick and Glenn running after us. We take out some walkers around the container before Glenn attempts to open it. A man runs out and grabs Glenn shouting insanely. He runs over to Rick and smiles creepily at him before repeating what he said. Rick pushes the man off him and he backs up laughing. A walker comes out of nowhere, making me jump, and bites the man killing him instantly. Glenn kills the walker as Daryl grabs the back of his shirt and pulls him back behind the container. Walkers are everywhere and I feel myself hyperventilating.
"Wait here." Rick says running behind a car.
"Rick!" Daryl shouts, but he's already crouched behind the smashed up car.
A walker creeps up on Rick and Daryl rushes forward, stabbing it in the head with a pipe. I run over ignoring Glenn and Bob just in time to see Rick grab a mans gun and he starts shooting the Terminus people. Screams of terror and pain fill the atmosphere and I cover my ears as we run back to the others. Daryl hugs me tight as Rick start to make a plan. I feel my body being tugged and we run, taking out anything that blocks out path. We turn a corner meeting the rail cart that we were held in. Daryl, Bob, Glenn and I hold off the walkers as Rick opens the door and let's everyone out. Hedi runs out and I hug her before grabbing her arm and running.
"Let's go!" Daryl shouts above the noise.
He looks at us and we run in formation. As we near the fence we push the kids over first. I look round for walkers and something lay on the floor catches my eye. My bow and quiver lie next to my arrows just infront of us. Abraham jumps over after everyone else and I'm supposed to go next but I quickly sprint towards my bow. I gather my arrows, shoving them in my quiver as I catapult myself over the fence and I land in some nettles. Groaning in pain, I stand up and run towards the sound of voices. When they see me coming they start shouting lectures at me but I ignore them as I hug Hedi.
"What happened?" Tara asks.
"They were cannibals. They were going to eat us." I say stroking Hedi's hair to comfort her.
"What the hell are we still around here for?" Abraham asks, walking towards Rick.
"Guns. Supplies. We go round the fences, use the rifles to take out the rest of them." Rick starts digging.
"What?" Glenn asks shocked.
"They don't get to live."
"Rick, we got out. It's over." Glenn says firmly.
Rick grabs a gun and checks the bullets, "It's not over till their all dead."
"I agree with Rick, those sick fucks were gonna eat us." I push Hedi over to Carl and I stand my ground glaring at the others.
"To hell it is, that place is on fire." Rosita glares at me.
I ignore her as I see Carol standing behind Daryl. His blue eyes follow mine and they land on Carol, as he runs over and wraps her into a hug nearly in tears. Seeing Daryl run to her like that gives me mixed emotions. I've never been jealous before and I've never had a reason too. I don't want to sound bitchy but he looks happier to see her than me. I turn away looking at Maggie and she nods, remembering our conversation at the prison. Ignoring her I grab a knife from Rick's bag and I shove it in my belt. Rick hugs her briefly and she walks over to me. Carefully she places a hand in my shoulder and I tension up at her touch.
"Lottie, I need to talk to you." She starts slowly, as I turn to face her folding my arms. "Urm, it's about Chris. He ... He didn't make it."
I'm taken back for a moment and Hedi whimpers from somewhere behind me.
"How did he die?" I ask, sternly.
"Lottie..." Rick warns but I shrug him off, glaring coldly at the group. "It's just grief talking. Don't upset Hedi."
"How did he die?" I ask again.
Carol looks awkwardly round the group, "He died saving me, from a herd of walkers. I was able to get away."
I turn away from her, pawing at my eyes. Everyone looks at me with sympathy and I spin round pulling my knife from my belt. I push her shoulders and she crashes into a tree as I hold my knife to her throat.
"My brother died to save an old bitch like you?" I ask as she pales. "What about Beth? What you gonna tell her?" I scream as hands pull me back. "First T-Dog and now Chris? How many more are going to have to die for you?"
Daryl rushes over to Carol and holds her shoulders.
"So now you're taking Daryl from me?" I snarl as tears fall out of my eyes, and I throw my knife.
I smile as I hear the thud of the blade hitting the tree and Carol holds her ear. When she pulls her hand away blood slowly trickles down her ear. Grinning, I crack my knuckles, we start walking, following Carol somewhere. Daryl tries to hold my hand but I walk slower leaving him with Carol. Maggie waits for me and smiles softly.
"He was glad to see her back that's all." She assures me.
"Sure, he never looks that happy when he's with me." I shrug watching Carl and Hedi as they hold hands. "Them two are lucky, to be young and in love."
Maggie chuckles and we walk up to a house. Tyreese comes out holding a small figure in his hand. I break into a run with Rick and we hug the baby with all our love. I smile at Rick as tears fill my eyes.
"You kept her safe, thank you." I hug Tyreese.
Rick passes me Judith and we carry on walking through the woods. I bounce her on my hip smiling at her sweetly. Daryl wondered off somewhere and Tyreese takes this moment to walk over to me.
"She's gorgeous." He smiles, tickling her cheek.
"Thank you. You have no idea what this means to me, to Rick." I stand on my tippy toes to kiss him on the cheek.
"So what's the deal with Judith? Whose kid is she?" Tyreese asks, straightening his beanie.
"Well, Rick's. His wife died giving birth to her and she told me to look after her like my own." I laugh sarcastically. "I've done a good job of that. I couldn't even keep my own brother safe." I pass Judith over to Tyreese. "She adores you and obviously likes your cuddles. What about Lizzie and Mika, did they get out?"
He hesitates, "No."
Tyreese quickly smiles and holds Judith close to his chest. He catches up with Bob and Sasha and I walk over to Glenn and Maggie. Rustling comes from the bushes next to us and we spin round aiming whatever we have in our hands at the noise. Something walks out of the bushes and I let an arrow fly, barely missing Daryl as he grins at me. He pulls it out of the tree and walks over to me. I hold my hand out for the arrow but he twirls it in his hand.
"I'm gonna keep this." He smirks, placing it in the back of his belt.
We walk in silence for a bit until I gather up enough courage to apologise.
"Daryl, I'm sorry..."
"It's okay, Lottie. Ya goin' through grief. I'd never trade ya for anythin' in the world." He wraps his arm around my shoulder.
"Aww, Daryl, you're gonna make me cry." I chuckle.
Carol briefly turns around and glares at me, but I just shrug the stupid bitch off. We walk for a while longer, with everyone talking in hushed voices. I want to apologise to Hedi, I'm afraid that I upset her, jeez I'm such a bad mom. She seems happy enough with Carl so I'll leave her for now. We stop for a bit to feed everyone and rest. Daryl sits next to me and pulls me into a hug, kissing my forehead. A branch snaps. Daryl and I stand up immediately with our weapons raised.
"It's nothin'." He grunts.
Rick stands us up and we all start walking, but I quickly throw up again. I walk at the front of the group with Daryl. Sasha and Bob start laughing behind us. We fall silent when shouts for help echo through the forest.
"Dad, come on." Carl pleads as his father stares at him blankly. "Dad come on."
Rolling my eyes, I run on ahead to the sounds. Daryl quickly falls in line next to me and we come to a clearing with a preist sat on top of a rock as walkers surround him. Daryl and I shoot the first two walkers and Maggie stabs a third in the head. One more comes round the boulder and just as Carol's about to stab it, I let an arrow fly and it burrows into its skull with a sickening squish. Carol turns round and glares at me but I just smirk and take a bow. The man sits trembling as Rick shouts orders.
"Clear, keep watch."
Daryl passes me my arrows with a kiss and I wipe them clean before replacing them in my quiver. We stare at the man as he jumps off the rock.
"You okay?" Rick asks.
I stand next to the man and he's sick on my shoes.
"Oh, come on." I roll my eyes.
Carol smirks and I just smirk back as Daryl pulls me in for a hug.
"Sorry." He looks at me. "Yes, thank you. I'm Gabriel."
A snort escapes my lips as I struggle to hold it in.
"Sorry." I wave my hand in dismissal.
"Do you have any weapons?" Rick asks.
Gabriel smiles, "Do I look like I have any weapons?"
"We don't give two shits about what it looks like?" Abraham sighs.
"The word of God is all the protection I need."
Daryl and I chuckle.
"Sure didn't look like it." Daryl nudges me.
"I called for help and help came."
I roll my eyes. Never in my life have I believed in God. So being stuck with this guy is going to be hard if he keeps saying shit like that. We glare at him and he stands awkwardly. Judith starts gurgling and he looks at her.
"That's a beautiful child." He says shyly. "Do you have a camp?"
"No." Rick answers immediately. "Do you?"
"I have a church."
Rick sighs and starts searching him.
"How many walkers have you killed?"
"Not any actually." He smiles and turns around.
"How many people have you killed?"
What is Rick doing? I shift all my weight to one leg and I lean on Daryl.
"None."
"Why?"
He says something but I'm too focused on my grumbling tummy to care. He leads us to his church and I walk at the back with Daryl.
"You trust him?" I ask.
Daryl shrugs his shoulders and stays silent. Rolling my eyes we come to a beautiful white church.
"I might set alight if I step in there." I chuckle.
A couple laughs go round the group and Maggie turns towards me.
"Lottie." She shakes her head, but smiles.
Rick opens the door and walks in with Daryl, Glenn and Michonne first. The rest of us wait outside, waiting for Rick's whistle. They start talking but I walk around the back of the church, inspecting the outside. I trace my hands over the wood and I feel a carving. I furrow my brows and I read the writing, that's obviously been carved in by a knife.
You'll burn for this