This New World We Live In (A Walking Dead fanfic)

They're Alive (Chapter 22)

Author's note: Excuse the language in this chapter. But it just makes everything sound better.

And please read the A/N at the end.

Enjoy :) 

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Daryl's POV

Sophia's gone. She's gone. I spent so much time looking for her, scouring the woods, putting my life at risk. Katie almost friggin' died! For a girl who was dead all along!

I took a deep breath to calm myself down. I tightened my hold on Katie. I held her still in my arms as we watched Shane put Sophia down. I cringed as the bang went off. I watched Sophia fall on top of Carol. Katie cried even louder when Sophia's body hit the ground with a thud.

After a few moments of crying, Katie suddenly stopped making noise. Her body was still shaking, but she turned towards me anyways. She sat on the ground, legs crossed, facing me. Her eyes went wide, and her hands quickly came up to her red, swollen eyes and wiped away the tears that trickled down her cheeks. She closed her eyes shut tightly and rubbed her hands furiously up and down on her cheeks.

When she was done, she looked up at me with sympathetic expression.

"I'm so sorry for breaking down like that. I-I don't even know why that happened. It's just... Shawn a-and Maya... and now Sophia and Carol...It's too much." She said, stammering.

I angered at the mention of Sophia's name. Countless hours! Countless hours of searching, of going out of my way for a little dead girl.

Jesus.

The anger was too much. I could sense it coursing through my veins as it made its way from my core to the tips of my being.

Katie couldn't see me like this. I wouldn't let her.

I stood up abruptly. I didn't even give Katie a second glance before storming over towards my tent. I heard Herschel tell Shane something about getting off his land, but I wasn't focused on that.

"Daryl?" Katie asked softly, from not too far behind me.

I heard quicker footsteps approach me. I looked beside me and Katie was there, keeping perfect pace with me. I needed to be alone. For once, this girl just needed to find someone else to talk to! Good Lord.

When I didn't answer her, her tone got sharper. "Daryl, where are you going?" She asked. But again, I ignored her. "What the hell, Daryl? Answer me!"

I kept my eyes forward, but then I stopped walking in my tracks. She just angered me more because she didn't understand. And she didn't seem to get that she almost died for a girl that was long gone. Her life almost ended. For nothing.

"You want an answer?" I snapped. She stood her ground and crossed her arms over her chest. I continued. "How about leave me the hell alone! Goddamn it, woman! You're like a lost puppy! Go find some other damn people to pester! I'm getting real tired of your shit!" I yelled angrily, getting up in her face.

As I approached her with my angry, loud tone, she flinched slightly.

What? Why?

I knit my eyebrows together in confusion.

"Why'd ya-" I started, but then she interrupted me.

"Phillip Blake." She responded curtly, glaring at me. "And we're sure as hell not talking about it again. You know what happened."

I scoffed. "Fine." I retorted, and I spun on my heel to walk away.

"So, that's it?" She asked me, slightly surprised.