She's a Dixon (Daryl Dixon story)

Chapter 25

Rick and I spent the entire day out searching the never ending woods for Daryl. We weren't anywhere close to finding a clue to give us a lead in this investigation. I was hurt inside although I tried to hide it. All I wanted was to have him back, but I knew that I wouldn't find him, although deep down I still had the motivation to search, hoping that I can prove myself wrong.

Rick and I both walked back to our camp. Just by looking at him, I could tell that he was just as disappointed as I was, but there was nothing that we could do at this point.

"I'm sorry you have to go through this Julie. I get how hard it must be to deal with this," Rick said.

I gave him a small, sad smile in return, "It will all be okay in the end. I know we can find him, and we will," I say with determination, "But I just don't know where to start."

"Well, at this moment, you would be the only person who knows him well enough to think of where he could be at," Rick told me.

Considering what Rick had just told me, I began to brainstorm all of the possible places that he could be at, but I couldn't come up with just one place, which angered me. Until I thought that he could possibly still be lingering around the woods back at our destroyed gated community.

"Well, he was left in the woods back at our old camp. He could still be there. I think it would be possible," I tell Rick.

"You think so?" he questioned me.

"Yeah. It's worth a try to go look," I reply.

Rick pondered the thought for a moment before replying, "If you think he is there, I won't hold you back from going to look. I'll even take you back myself and we could go look together."

I smiled towards him, "Thank you Rick. That means so much to me."

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Rick and I arrived at the house and rushed to get our needed supplies for the trip. I threw open the front door, and it hit the wall. The noise recieved the attention of Carol, Glenn, and Peter who were at the kitchen table. Their heads all snapped up at the same time, with a look of fear and startle until they saw me.

I ran past the three of them and picked up an empty duffle bag that was thrown on the floor in the living room. Normally I would give a lecture about the neccesity of being neat and orderly in case we had to leave immediately, but I temporarily brushed it off and began to pack the bag with food, water and some weapons. I heard the stairs creek as Rick rushed upstairs to pack some clothes and other needs for the trip.

Once I had finished, I pushed past everyone and headed outside where I met up with Rick and we packed the bags into the trunk of the car. Rick had informed me that he needed to go grab some additional ammo. As he ran back to the house, I stayed outside, leaning against the side of the car waiting for him to come back. I heard footsteps in the distance and looked up, hoping to see Rick, but seeing Peter walking over towards me.

"What do you want?" I demand, before he can get anywhere close to me.

"I want to know where you think you and Rick are going," he says.

"Really it's none of your buisness,"

"Oh but it is Julie. We are in the same group trying to survive and it's everyone's responsability to look out for each other, so where do you think you're going," Peter snarled at me.

I was just about to lose it, until Rick came back and pushed Peter back, creating some space. Rick got up in Peter's face, trying to be intimidating.

"Don't you ever talk to her, or anyone in this group like that ever again. You also need to stop thinking that you are a member of this group. I'm still watching you, same with everyone else, and we are still deciding on whether or not to keep you around. Acting up isn't going to get you to stay. If I see you disrespect any women in this group or act up then I will throw your ass out onto the street and you can go back to fending for yourself, got it?" Rick whispered to Peter through clenched teeth.

Peter nodded and Rick whispered something else to him before Peter walked off. Rick placed a hand on my shoulder and guided me to the passenger seat, opened the door and shut it once I got in the car.  Rick got in the car and we drove back towards our former camp, stopping periodically to switch off driving.

Because we left our camp very late in the day, we spent the night driving back, and we arrived around dawn. I drove the entire night, even though Rick wanted me to wake him up so I could sleep. Honestly, he needed it more than I did. I pulled up to the burned down housing development, parked the car and turned off the engine. I saw the ashes of the houses we stayed in, and the gate that was pressed firmly into the soil, and I couldn't help but think of what happened the night we were forced to leave. I sat in the driver's seat for a few moments before I tried to wake up Rick.

"Rick. Wake up, we're here." I said softly.

Rick stirred and his eyes fluttered open a few moments later.

"Morning," he said while yawning.

Rick looked around and saw where we were.

"Why didn't you wake me up so you could sleep?" Rick asked, looking over at me.

"You needed it more than I did," I replied.

We both sat in silence for a few more moments until Rick suggested that we should get ready to go search for him. Once I agreed, we got out of the car, and went to the trunk to remove some of the bags. The air still held a strong scent of the smoke, and I covered my mouth and nose with the fabric of my shirt to help me breathe a little easier.  We both shuffled through the bags to find a few weapons. I shut the trunk and saw Rick looking out towards the woods. I walked up next to him, and stood next to him, thinking and hoping that today would be the day that we would find Daryl and bring him back to the group.

"Shall we go?" Rick asked, breaking the silence.

I nodded, and we both walked up the dirt trail and into the forest.