Something changed. Willow wasn't sure what that might be, but something felt different. Her green sapphires looked out towards the fields as she held her bowl of oatmeal in hand. Life seemed to go back to normal, and the days that followed blurred. Hershel kept his daughters close, Rick took care of his pregnant wife and son, Glenn made a promise to Maggie that he will never leave her. Jodie, despite her loss, took every day in, finding a liking to their newest member, Aya. Sophia was recovering and Carol thanked Daryl tirelessly. While Shane kept his eyes on their captive named Randal closely.
Things began to fall back into place. A certain kind of peace. Yet, Willow wasn't sure how to settle with peace. The realization that she had killed others sunk in and her hands shook almost constantly. While the others were happy to gain back their family, Daryl and Jodie saw the change in Willow.
"Your watch is up," Daryl says besides a daydreaming Willow. She took her eyes from the fields and placed them onto Daryl. Their glances catch the other, trying to figure out each other's minds.
"Okay," Willow breathed, standing to her feet. She gave the roof of Dale's RV an examination as Daryl kept his questioning gaze on her. "I'm fine, Daryl."
"You haven't seen Sophia yet. Aya says she's been asking for ya," Daryl informs coldly, not breaking his stare. Willow kept her glare away from his, unwilling to give him the emotions she betrayed within. Daryl, not letting this go so easily, dragged the second chair upon the roof next to the one she stood behind and took the bowl from her hand. Throwing it down over the RV without care. He then tossed himself down in his seat, pointing for Willow to sit with him.
She sighs, slowly settling back in the lawn chair with her nose wrinkled. Daryl had his habit of giving her life-changing speeches. Today she didn't want to hear it. However, she knew this may just give her some sort of answer to her impressions. Willow gripped the round of her knees whilst Daryl pulled out a new pack of filtered cigarettes, handing her one once he tore open the seal.
With a soft "thank you", she took the cigarette and placed it on her lips.
"What's wrong with you?" Daryl questioned after lighting his cigarette. He watched as Willow leaned forward, allowing the flames from his lighter to burn the tip of the cigarette.
Sitting back, Willow took a long drag, nearly choking. She hadn't smoked since the church back in the woods and took too much steam into her lungs. As she watched her nostrils vapors with smoke, she licked her lips.
"I've never killed anybody before," Willow began, examining her cigarette. "I helped put murderers in prison. Sometimes, I prevented them from going to a life sentence. Never in my life did I think I would have to kill someone's child," Willow paused as her leg began to anxiously bounce. Her skin held old and new bruises. The blood underneath her nails gave her remembrances of the night. The way the stranger gasped from life to death. The smell of burning flesh was imprinted on her flesh; Willow was sure it wouldn't come off no matter how much she washed. All of it made her squirm. Disgusted by the actions. "I don't know how to live with it."
Daryl listened; the way her bottom lip trembled reminded him of the trauma Merle spoke of as kids. Daryl couldn't understand why she felt this way. She saved her life. The fighting got her here. If she had died the night before, she wouldn't be sitting with him and he would feel guilty for allowing her to leave.
Leaning forward with his elbow on his knee, Daryl slowly reached out his hand. At first, he pauses but continues to place a gentle hand onto Willow's thigh. Her leg slowly stops shaking and with lachrymose eyes, she pulled them onto Daryl. His hand squeezes her thigh and he aims to show empathy upon his expression.
"You did what you needed to," Daryl intensely gazed into her sapphires. "Back then, your life was different. Shit worked out for you. Now, now you're just livin' the life everyone is meant to live." Daryl felt Willow take his hand into hers. Squeezing it with a faint smile, she examines them. Appreciating their intimacy. "Don't beat yourself for staying alive, Ms. Lawyer."
"So, we are back to the nickname?" Willow says after chuckling. Wiping away her steady tears with her free hand.
Daryl smirks, tilting his head. His shaggy bangs sway at the tip of his brows. Giving the man a playful childlike look. "That name ain' exactly goin' nowhere."
The two eventually sit in silence after a short laugh. Their eyes watching Willow's thumb circle around his bruised knuckles.
"You probably think I cry too much," Willow spoke with embarrassment in her tone.
"A little," Daryl says behind his cigarette.
"It isn't like you are exactly someone I can stand sometimes," Willow replies playfully.
"Yeah," Daryl breathed in, throwing his cigarette over the RV edge. A loud "hey," from Glenn could be heard. As he walked by, Glenn felt a small thump on the crown of his head and noticed soon after his black hair smoking from Daryl's negligence. Daryl looked over the edge to see Glenn squinting up at him.
"Come on man!" Glenn sighed, brushing his hair with his hands. "I don't want to be bald like T-Dog!"
"I heard that!" T-Dog snarls whilst walking past Glenn with a bucket of water. Glenn awkwardly rubs the side of his jeans before stalking off behind T-Dog to explain what he truly meant.
Daryl went back to Willow who stifles a giggle from Glenn and T-Dog's short encounter. Dixon began to smile, pleased to see the woman he cared for slowly leaving her displeasing thoughts behind. If anyone deserved some type of peace, Willow did.
"Go on and go visit Sophia, she wants to see you," Daryl stood, pulling Willow to her feet. The woman sighs, knowing he is only right to visit the little girl. She needed to see Willow's face. Though Hunter didn't quite believe she had the right to Sophia's forgiveness, nonetheless, the least she could do was give Sophia what she wanted.
As Willow went to leave, Daryl continued to hold her hand to keep her from leaving. With raised brows, Willow looked back at Daryl, confused by his stiffness as he kept her from departing.
"Warn me - the next time you try to kiss me," Daryl struggled to say.
Their kiss wasn't forgotten nor did his reaction leave Willow's mind. She momentarily questioned why he reacted that way. There could be many reasons why. After all, her risk of intimacy was surprising - even to her hours after it happened. At that time, Willow thought it was right. The atmosphere between them so extraordinary. Kissing Daryl just felt like the right thing to do. Now Willow knew better.
As he rested his softened eyes on her, she knew Daryl cared for her as much as she did. But he wasn't the type to jump into something even if the world is ending. Fear mostly got to Dixon and Willow could understand this. She hadn't felt this way for anyone either. Especially for someone who made her grow enraged by just a simple glare not that long ago.
Willow wasn't the type to believe in love or maybe she didn't want to believe in it. Yet, here she stood, holding his hand. A man she barely recognized from five years ago; Fate being a funny thing.
"Hey...." Jodie called out from the side of the latter. Her voice slowly fades as she examined the pair with raised brows. "Oh, am I interrupting something?" Jodie questioned, gripping the sides with a now mischievous smirk.
"No," Willow quickly spoke, wrenching her hand away from Daryl. The man quickly took the unfinished cigarette from Willow's other hand after waving it over. He then completely ignored Jodie's smug look, sitting back on the lawn chair. Grumbling something under his breath. "What's going on?"
"Rick wants to speak to us. About Aya and Randal."
***
"I don't know him," Aya looked down at the young man chained inside the filthy barn. The inside still smelt of the dead and Jodie shuttered at the idea that her dead boyfriend was in here the entire time. Aya looked in between Rick, Shane, Willow, Jodie, and then Daryl. "He's not part of Woodbury."
"Is that what they call it?" Shane questioned beside Rick.
"Yes," Aya nods her head. "It's a small community with survivors. We boarded up the place to keep it safe in the beginning. The Governor - he - well he wasn't always so destructive." The woman began to wring her hands, looking down at Randal. He begged and whimpered in a low whisper, unable to see through the thick blindfold. Daryl had half a mind to punch his jaw in but Willow gave him that look to keep him from inching closer. "He has a first and second in command. They poisoned him or maybe he went mad. I had to escape and it nearly killed me doing so. I left so much behind."
Aya swallowed, remembering her friends. She missed them and she was sure they missed her. Though, they may believe she is dead. That's what this world has become. Once alone, no one can think you can survive independently. Yet, Aya wasn't alone, not completely. She found Sophia and the two kept each other safe. Aya flicked her gaze onto Willow, happy to meet the woman Sophia spoke so fondly of. A beautiful and brave Willow Hunter stood before her. Unaware of how special she is compared to the others.
"Thank you," Willow says after a moment of exchanging thoughtful glances at Aya. "I don't think you realize how much you've made everyone hopeful." With a smile, Willow steps forward, holding out her hand towards Aya. The two souls exchange one last look before their hands connect. "You will always be welcomed with us, Aya. I mean it."
Aya, tearful, shaking Willow's hand, nods her head with gratitude. The weight of being deserted and afraid began to lift from her shoulders. Happy to be accepted by a better group. Optimistic to have a fighting chance. Rick placed his hand on Aya's shoulder, giving her a supportive smile. Closing the deal.
"Well, now that that's over," Daryl snorts, rolling his eyes at the gushy scene before him. Jodie punches his arm, and the pair bicker for a short while. Earning a quick glare from Willow. "What do we do with this dummy?"
The group rests their eyes on Randal. His wounded leg chained and his hands tied behind his back. He sat down on the dirty floor, moving his head around in an attempt to see his surroundings.
"I say we kill em' -" Shane is the first to speak.
"What?!" Willow gasped.
"We let him go, he brings back the rest of his group - we're all dead. You killed a good chunk of their men and I know they ain't gonna let that slid. None of this bullshit won't matter in the end if we let him go," Shane explains with resentment in his voice. Jodie and Willow exchange glances while Aya stares at Shane wide-eyed. Thinking she thought she had left behind this type of chaos behind her.
"No," Rick says, "We talk this out with the rest of the group. This isn't your decision to make." The best friends glare at the other. The tension between them could be cut with a sharp knife. Before Shane could utter another word, Rick walks away. Not looking back. Shane follows with a stomp to every step.
Jodie and Willow glance at each other. Knowing something is about to happen rather they like it or not.
"Calm before the storm?" Jodie says suddenly, looking back down at Randal.
Willow sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Yeah, kid. Unfortunately."