Trust Me | Daryl Dixon

Part 63

As day turned into night and the air became cooler, I found myself back in my house, the bed where Daryl and I once laid now half empty and almost begging to be filled.
I sat with an old magazine in my lap as I waited anxiously for the two to return, only wanting them back inside the walls and Daryl to be close to me again, where I knew he was safe.

I knew that him and Rick could handle themselves outside of Alexandria, hell, almost everyone here could, but after everything that happened-- after those two guys in the convenience store and whoever Sasha, Abraham, and Daryl ran into before, I felt like the danger of searching for supplies was hugely increased.

My thoughts were then momentarily paused as I heard the front door downstairs open and close, followed shortly by the sound of footsteps. I hurriedly got up, excited to see the person I'd been thinking about all day, when my heart nearly sunk.

"Liz? You still awake?" A familiar voice said before Rick's frame came into view, our eyes locking as a gave him a confused look.

"Please don't-- don't tell me-" I breathed, my voice weak as my mind went to the worst possible place.

"No, no, no!" Rick quickly said, cutting me off and rushing to my side, "Daryl's fine-- everyone's fine, but something came up on the run and he's taking care of it now, okay? He just doesn't want you alone over here right now and I agree with him-"

"Rick, what happened? Where is he?" I stopped him, wanting answers even though I felt so lost already.

Rick sighed, grabbing my gun and knife off the dresser and handing them to me before gesturing to follow him downstairs, "We ran into someone when we made a pitstop-- said his name's Jesus."

"Do you think he was from that group?" I asked, a concerned tone in my voice as I slipped on my shoes before following him out the door.

Rick shook his head, "Can't know for sure, but from what you all have been describing, I don't think so."

I let out a defeated sigh, "So there are even more groups out there now.."

Rick shrugged, "He told us he was on his own, but whatever the truth is, we'll find out one way or another."

"What do you mean?" I furrowed my eyebrows at him, "Did you guys track him or something?"

He shook his head, looking down at the road beneath our feet for a moment before back over at me, the words on his tongue not yet ready to be spoken, "We brought him back-- we had to."

I stopped in my tracks, a continued look of confusion still painted on my face, "He's here? What if he's crazy or- or like all those other people?"

"Hey, it's ok," he said in a whispered tone, the sleeping town around us still unaware of what was going on, "He got knocked out so we set him up down at the unfinished house around the corner and Daryl and Denise have volunteered to watch him in case he comes to."

I shook my head, unable to even comprehend all the information I was getting fed this late at night, before I started walking towards the house again.

"This isn't the ideal situation, I know that, Daryl knows that, but we couldn't just leave him out there for the walkers. You get that, don't you?" He explained.

"I'm just tired of being scared, Rick, that's all." I shrugged.

"Well, that wasn't my intention-- to scare you, wasn't Daryl's either and that's why he wants you staying with us."

"I know, I get it." I nodded, "I just wasn't expecting all of this."

Rick chuckled, "Yeah, neither were we."

***

I laid under the covers in the bed of Daryl's room; the familiar, comforting scent of him nearly lulling me to sleep while my restless mind kept jerking me awake with the thoughts that haunted my nightmares when he wasn't around.

I turned over on my back, my eyes now open as I stared up at the ceiling, searching for answers to questions that could never be solve, when I suddenly heard shuffling from the hall.
I quietly pushed myself up, sitting at the edge of the bed and listening more closely; maybe it was Daryl or it could be Rick, unable to sleep as well.. or maybe it was the stranger inside our walls.

Another creek from the hallways wooden floors sent a chill up my spine, causing me to immediately stand, clutching my gun from the nightstand as my palms already began to sweat, not knowing what was on the other side of that bedroom door.

As I got closer to the opening, I heard the mumbling of a familiar voice-- Carl's to be exact, and a not so familiar voice.
My heart nearly stopped at the thought of him being alone with the stranger Rick had mentioned earlier, causing me to quickly open up door, only to see him standing at the end of the hall; the strangers voice now clear as day.

"Hi, I'm Jesus." He finished.

"Carl?" I breathed as I slowly walked closer, catching his attention as he glanced back, the gun he was pointing at the man now in full view.

"Stay back, Liz." Carl instructed, adjusting his grip on his gun.

The man looked back at me, "Hi, Liz-" He said calmly, causing me to furrow my eyebrows at his demeanor.

"Don't talk to her." Carl stopped him, his gun still pointed at the strangers head.

"Carl-- Liz-" Rick's familiar voice stuttered as he and Michonne quickly rushed down the hall, breathing heavy and clothing distressed, "Hey, uhm-" he paused again as the sound of the front door loudly swinging open followed by multiple heavy foots steps engulfed the once peaceful house.

Daryl, Glenn, Maggie and Abraham quickly appeared on the stairs, guns drawn and ready, all pointed at the man who sat at the top.

"It's okay." Michonne stopped them.

Daryl's eyes immediately locked with mine before scanning the length of me; his glance darting back and forth between my frame and the danger that threatened it before I nodded, letting him know that I was fine.

"You said we should talked," Rick spoke as he fumbled with the shirt in his hands, "So let's talk."

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Sorry for the late upload again, but I hope this chapter makes up for it.
There weren't any parts with Daryl and Liz but there was quite a few with Liz and Rick and even a small part with Liz and Carl, where he showed that he may be trying to take on a 'protective big brother' role, even though he is younger than her.

Any thoughts?