The Best of Me ( Rickyl )

Chapter 5

"Uh.. No." Rick stuttered, not really knowing how he should answer that.

"We're not-" Daryl added, having the same problem as Rick before Andrea just nodded in understanding and continued.

"When he was in the hospital, he wrote these." She explained, handing them both a letter each and Daryl smiled sadly recognising Dales scribble handwriting on the front as Rick began to open his own letter. "Sorry. He would like you to read them on your own." Andrea informed and Rick instantly stopped with a nod as he put the letter in his lap while Daryl folded his and tucked it in the pocket on the inside of his vest.

Andrea talked for a few minutes and asked if either of them had any questions, but they both just shook their heads and she gave them the urn of Dales ashes before they left the office. Neither of them said anything until they walked out the building and began walking down the street in the direction of their cars.

"You still live around here?" Rick asked, breaking the awkward silence between them as they slowly followed the footpath down the main street. Their silence never used to be awkward, it was always comfortable, but a lot of things had changed, not just their looks. They had whole different lives now, lives that didn't include each other.

"Nah." Daryl muttered, but he didn't elaborate any further, not wanting Rick to know that he'd just been living in a trailer on the outskirts of the woods. Rick didn't need to know that, but it wasn't that Daryl didn't like his trailer. He actually quite liked it, it was small, but it had everything he needed and it was quiet. But, he knew how bad it sounded, so he didn't go into details.

Rick looked over at him for a few seconds, waiting to see if the other man would continue talking, but Rick quickly realised that after 20 years he was still the silent type, which Rick liked. He was glad that Daryl was still the same... well, he wasn't the same. A lot had changed in him over the years and Rick figured jail had been a big part of that.

He watched Daryl for a few seconds while the man fished for his keys out the front pocket of his jeans and although a lot had changed Rick still found the man drop dead gorgeous. His hair was darker and longer, covering half his face. His arms were still dense with muscle, more muscle than what he had when they were teenagers and he still wore the same style clothing and that leather vest. But, Rick did notice a thick scar that ran over Daryl's left eye.

He didn't spot it yesterday, probably because he was too focused on the fact that Daryl was actually there, but sitting beside him at the attorneys he saw it. The scar cuts through his left eyebrow, narrowly missing his eye and starts again directly below his eye for a few centimetres down his cheek.

He wondered how Daryl got it, whether it was during his time in jail and he pissed off the wrong person or if it happened after somehow. But, Rick couldn't figure out what it would be from and he hated that Daryl had to go through more pain and scars, the man had too many of them as it was, he didn't deserve that.

Daryl never said anything else until he stopped in front of his truck that was parked on the side of the road, Rick's BMW parked a little further down the street. But, Daryl still didn't say anything as he stood beside his truck, staring at the keys in his hands and Rick sighed, taking the hint.

"I get it, we're not here for a reunion. We're here for Dale, so... how about this? You go to the house today and I'll go there tomorrow, and we'll meet out at the cabin tomorrow afternoon, we'll say our goodbyes to him. Does that work for you?" Rick asked, sensing that Daryl didn't really want to hang around to chat, which was fair enough. It's been 20 years, he's probably moved on with his life just like Rick had... although now that he thought about it, maybe he hadn't moved on as much as he thought. Damn it, why did Daryl still have to look so good with that same if not more gruffer sexy southern accent?