Daryl's Angel (Book One in the Apocalypse Angel Trilogy)

Chapter 62: Living on a Prayer

Daryl's POV

I kneel down next to my bed, folding my hands together.

"Umm...God? Jesus? Whatever you want to be called. I know I don't pray a lot, but right now, I need to try. This whole prison is in danger, and right now, the love of my life is lyin' in a cell block, coughin' her lungs out, waitin' for death. I need a miracle, and I don't know if you're listenin', but if you are...well, keep listenin'. You sent Hope to me, and even though I don't know why you think I deserve someone as amazin' as her, I accept it. Help her through this. Help everyone through this. I can't lose anyone else, especially her..." I stop, feeling tears prick at my eyes again. Damn, why can't I stop crying? I sigh heavily and return to my prayer. "Lord, help us all...amen? Yeah. Amen."

I wipe my face, my hands shaking. I sit on the bed, looking at the books that she reads to me once in while. It's not that I can't read, I just love the way her voice laces the words together so effortlessly. I mean, I listen to her read sappy vampire romance novels just because of that reason.

I hunch over, feeling my heart breaking again. How long is this going to go on?

"Daryl?"

I look up, unfolding my hands and blinking away any tears that have started to show. Rick stands at the door.

"Hope-"

I jump up, moving towards him. "Is she...?" I choke.

"She's still alive. She wants to see you."

"She ok?"

"She looks like she's going through hell, but she's alive."

Rick and I leave the cell block, not speaking.

"Where's Carol?" I ask. I hadn't noticed her around, ever since Rick and her had gone on the run.

Rick stops walking, not meeting my gaze. "She killed Karen and David. I...I couldn't have her here."

"So, you just left her?" I ask, surprised.

"I gave her supplies and a car. She'll be ok."

"I don't doubt that..." I sigh. "Let's keep goin'."

We reach the meeting room, but Hope is nowhere to be seen. Rick moves to the glass and looks in. His face goes white.

He turns and takes off running down the hallway. I don't take time to look into the room, I just follow him. Something must be wrong. Rick throws open the door to cell block A and goes inside, pulling his shirt up to his face like a mask.

"Rick! You can't go in there!" I yell. He doesn't listen.

I grab my bandana and wrap it around my face, taking a deep breath and following him. He's gone down a separate hallway. I go after him, and I round the corner.

Hope's POV

My eyes fly open. There's pressure on my lips and air rushing down my throat, and there's something heavy leaning over me. I shove the thing away and cough into the ground.

I shake my head, my vision still blurry. My lungs ache, but I'm still alive, barely. There's a warm hand resting in between my shoulder blades, and I try to get my lungs to keep working.

"What the hell?" I hear someone exclaim.

I look up to see Daryl and Rick standing over me.

"What...what are you two doing? You'll get infected!" I shout, bringing on another round of coughs.

"Were you kissin' her?" Daryl asks angrily.

"She wasn't breathing," Rick says. "I wouldn't do that to you."

"Daryl, calm down," I plead. I try to stand up but I just stumble and fall again. Daryl's face immediately becomes worried and he catches me. "It was CPR, nothing else." He looks ashamed, and I turn to Rick as I push away from Daryl, not wanting him to touch me. "Why would you do that? I probably just shot this whole sickness into your body! Get out of here, before you get even sicker than I might have already made you."

"I had to save you," Rick says softly, getting up. "We'll go."

A few tears appear in my eyes, and I whisper, "Thank you," hoarsely.

"Daryl, come on."

Daryl looks back at me with a pained expression before they disappear from the cell block. I lean against the window ledge, still shaky.

I stumble from the hallway and immediately run into Hershel.

"What just happened?" he asks sternly.

"I...I collapsed. Rick and Daryl came to visit me," I say, coughing.

"I know. I just saw them leave the cell block."

"Rick ran in and gave me CPR..." I whisper.

"We have air pumps for that!" Hershel says, the worry evident in his tone.

"He had to think fast. I would've died Hershel," I say, and his face becomes kind again. "He's gonna get sick now, and it'll be my fault because I didn't listen to you."

I burst into tears and he helps me to my cell.

"He'll be fine. Both of them will."

"Daryl had a mask on," I sniff. "But...what if that wasn't enough?"

"Get some sleep, and don't leave again."

I lie down on the bed, worried about Rick and Daryl. Rick could very well be sick by tomorrow morning, on his way to A to be quarantined, and it's my fault. I can't even think about Daryl and if he's sick or not. I swallow the pills Hershel left for me, gulping down water immediately after. I shut my eyes, trying to sleep.