Always || Daryl Dixon

Thirteen

"He came back from the run alone, with Otis's gun, not to mention he shaved his hair the first chance he got." Dale explained to mum in what I can only call a hopeful voice.

"Dale I-"

"No, Lori, think about it." Dale cut her off. "His story has holes, just think about it, please." His voice faded off as his footsteps got further away.

Deciding to make myself known I walked out acting as though I hadn't heard a thing.

"Hey mum." I smiled as she spun round in surprise. "Everything good?"

"Uh, yeah, you just scared me that's all, what's up?" She asked as we began walking back towards the house.

"Nothing, just wanted to see how you were, we haven't really spoken recently." I said honesty, we hadn't spoken properly since she basically told me to stay away from Daryl.

"About that, I'm sorry Lyla, I didn't mean to upset you." She said, I smiled thinking that she was about to accept the Dixon brothers, before the next sentence left her lips. "But I still don't want you around them."

I stopped dead, looking at her as though she had just kicked my dog or something, she had no right.

"What? You know I'm 21 right? As in an adult." I said as I stared at her while she looked anywhere but at me. "You don't get to decide who I spend time with anymore mum."

"Lyla, the world isn't how it used to be anymore, I don't care if you're 21 or 30, you need to stay away from the Dixon's. Just because their part of the group doesn't mean they can be trusted." She said as she crossed her arms giving me her 'don't talk back' look that she uses on Carl. Who I am not, so.

"Excuse you? How many times have they put themselves in danger for the sake of the group? Daryl's sacrificed himself more than you ever have or ever will, you're only pissed because your man could never be as brave and kind-hearted as those two 'rednecks'." I almost yelled narrowing my eyes at her. I don't care if she raised me, what right does she have?

"Your father is the most brave, kind-hearted man that I know!" She yelled back, anger covering her face.

"Oh I know, shame it wasn't dad that I was talking about aye Lori!" I yelled once more ignoring the look of shock and hurt on her face as I pushed past her walking off towards the camp.

---------------

"Whats the plan then?" Lori questioned as we all sat around the fire at camp, waiting to know what was to come for the guy currently being held in the barn.

"Daryl's in there now, we'll see what he can find out and we'll go from there." Dad said as his gaze wandered over the group. "Until then, we wait." He shrugged.

Just as dad had said this the banging from the barn door closing caught every bodies attention, looking over I could see Daryl walking towards us wiping his hands on the rag that he usually has in his back pocket. As he got closer I could see the look of anger he had on his face, a hint of worry mixing in as he caught my eye.

"Well?" Carol asked as the hunter took a seat besides her, opposite me, rubbing his hands over his face, making me able to see the bruises and dried blood that coated his rough hands.

"He's got a group, they come through 'ere our men are dead, and our women..." He trailed off as he looked up and made eye contact with me before continuing. "Our women are gunna wish they were." A collective of shocked gasps sounded from some members of our group, but me, I just maintained eye contact with Daryl trying to let him know that I'm okay.

"We can't keep him here Rick, you really wanna put your wife and kids in danger, who knows what could happen to Lyla if they came through here." Shane exclaimed to dad throwing his arms out wide as though that was gunna get his point across further, ass.

"Hey! Leave 'er outta it." Daryl intervened as he stared dangerously into Shane's eyes.

"Oh what? The errand boy got a thing for the Sheriff's daughter? She ain't gunna want shit to do with some redneck hick." Shane yelled at Daryl pointing a finger in his face, bad move.

Just as I expected Daryl shot up from his space besides Carol and lunged towards Shane tackling him to the ground landing one solid punch to his jaw before dad and T-Dog dragged him up and pulled him away. Seeing him looking over at me I gave him a small smile to show that it didn't bother me that he had hit Shane only for him to grunt rolling his eyes before he walked away to his tent a few meters away.

Confused I stood up ready to go after him before Merle beat me to it, standing up he patted my shoulder before he walked past a now sitting up Shane, spitting next to him before he laughed and walked off over to Daryl's tent.

Daryl's POV

"She ain't gunna want shit to do with some redneck hick." Was all Shane had to say to get to me, I flung myself up from the log that I was sitting on throwing myself at the petty excuse for a man that is Shane Walsh.

Swinging my fist I managed to land one solid hit on the side of his face, his head spinning to the side just as to sets of arms grabbed me pulling me away before I could do any real damage. Looking behind me I could see the shocked faces if the rest of the group, Carol and Lori covering their kids eyes. Then I saw her, she flashed me a small smile as though I couldn't see the fear and hatred in her eyes, I've well and truly fucked this up now. Rolling my eyes and grunting I shrugged out off Rick and T-Dog's hold stomping my way back to my tent, away from the others.

"Wha' was tha' baby brother?" Merle's voice came from behind as I slumped down onto the logs I had set up around my small fire pit.

"Wha' was wha'?" I muttered as I picked up a previously discarded arrow from the ground, pulling my knife out and starting to sharpen it, not that it needed it.

"You an' ol' pretty boy cop out there." He said as he took a seat next to me.

"He had it comin'." I mumbled avoiding looking up at Merle, I didn't need to see his disappointment aswell. "Tha' kid man, he aint stayin' 'ere. Tol' me tha' one time his group ran inta some man an' his two teenage girls, they did things to 'em Merle, made the dad stan' thre an' watch. I ain't gunna let that happen to 'er, to any of 'em." I rambled as I threw the arrow onto the ground and let my head drop down into my hands.

"Never knew ya 'ad it in ya, lil brother." Merle chuckled as he roughly patted my shoulder.

"Wha'?"

"You an' dear Lyla over there. You ain't never flipped that easily, even when you were datin' tha' waitress tha' worked in tha' shitty bar. Wha' was 'er name? Summit trashy right? Sugar? Honey?" He laughed knowing that she was a big mistake, she had followed me arund for six months after I told her I was done.

"Candy, an' we weren't datin', just sex." I said with a slight laugh. "She hates me, don't she." I said my tone sounding, the only way I can describe it, pained.

"Who Candy? Think she made tha' clear when she threw 'er shoe at ya." He laughed pretending like he didn't know who I was talking about.

"Not 'er ya dick, Lyla."

"Nah, she don't hate ya, she was gunna come over 'ere, I just wanted to check ya were good 'fore she did." He shrugged.

"I ain't good 'nough for 'er Merle, Shane's right, she ain't gunna want no redneck hick like me." I muttered as I looked up at him, expecting to see him agree with me, but intsead he just looked like he was thinking

"I know I give ya shit little bother, but yer good, might not look it, but ya are. I've seen the way ya look at 'er, like the damn sun shines out of 'er. An' ya know wha' Darylina, she looks at ya the same damn way." He said before he stood up stretching as he did. "Don't mess it up, she don't hate ya yet." He finished as he patted my shoulder and walked back towards the group, probably to Carol.

Watching him go I thought about what he had said, 'she don't hate ya yet' I can make things right, but first, I'm gunna have to talk to Rick.