I Need You (Daryl Dixon Fanfiction)

Chapter 41

Ruth-

The week passed, my leg and shoulder healed very nicely, even though my leg still hurt something fierce, I was able to leave. Diego seemed like he really didn't want me to leave, but reluctantly he said goodbye. I'm sure he was just lonely, probably thought he was the last man left, thought he would never see another woman again. I felt bad for leaving him, but I was still trying to hold on to my "avoiding people" vow. I carried on through Arkansas and landed in Oklahoma where I found Jess' resting spot. I made a more visible cross; I made it out of weaved branches, and stuck it in the ground, carving her name in the tree above. I grabbed large rocks to mark the entire area she was buried.

I started to dig through my pack, finding Jess' bracelets, I sifted through them, admiring them all, then I hung the stack of bracelets onto her grave marker. I sat back admiring her final resting place, I know this would make my mom happy. I rummaged through the envelope of pictures I had, and found one of Jess. She was smiling, hope still in her eyes, her hair being tossed around wildly by the wind. I knew the picture wouldn't last long out here in the elements, but I just wanted everyone that came across this grave to know that beautiful smile.

I now started to remember every moment I shared with Jess since this started. She was smart, she got us out of a lot of dead end situations, like when mom died; we stuck around on the roof for a few days hoping the walkers would thin out, but when they didn't Jess came up with the idea of trying to get one of the car alarms to go off, or start it on fire, whichever came first. Each arrow I shot, we lit on fire, the first car the arrow bounced off, the second arrow stuck in the hood of the car. The third arrow did the trick, and lit up the car, all the walkers shuffling over toward it. We were then able to go back downstairs to collect my mom and dad's stuff.

I remembered one of the conversations we had, we had just fought our way out of a large horde and were now camping out on the catwalk of a water tower." Man I wish this thing had water in it." Jess wiped her face with a damp cloth.

"Yeah we could use the water." I said thinking logically.

"Yeah, that too, but I was thinking it would be a nice bath." She smiled.

"A bath, are you serious?" Tucker mocked.

"Yeah, how long has it been since you two have taken a bath?" She punched Tucker's arm, we were both silent," that's what I thought." She laughed.

"Tomorrow we'll find a stream or something and clean up alright?" I smiled back. We ended up not finding a stream for a few days, but when we did, you best believe we stripped out of our clothes quicker than you could blink. That was one of our better days, that's for sure.

That's when my memories took me back to the moment Jess died." Ugh, how much further to Georgia?" Jess groaned.

"Well according to that sign back a ways, and the map, we're only in Oklahoma." I answered.

"What?" She tore the map from my hands," we have to cross three more states, ugh can we try and find a car, for the rest of the trip, please?" She looked at me handing the map back to me.

"You know dad said cars are a big target." I smiled at her.

"Yeah, but we haven't been getting very far on foot now have we?" She smirked.

"Um, we came all the way from Idaho Jess, we're in Oklahoma now." I mocked.

"Yeah, but it took like years to get this far." She laughed," if we have three more states to go, we need to pick up the pace." She marched ahead of Tucker and I.