Cassie took in the sight in front of her with a heavy breath not fully accepting it. In front of her stood a heavily bleeding Daryl. He had what looked like the remains of his sleeved shirt tied around his waist in an attempt to stop the bleeding coming from his side as well as blood coming down from the side of his head. He was covered in dirt and looked liked he'd been through hell. Cassie thought he had gotten bit and turned into a walker same as everyone else.
"Thats the third time you've pointed that thing at my head. You gonna pull the trigger or what" Daryl growled as Cassie took in a sigh of relief that he was okay. Rick lowered his gun and Cassie was about to make her way over to him when all of a sudden a gun shot rang out through the air.
"Daryl!" She screamed running over and immediately going down to the ground taking his head in her hands. "Please Daryl stay with me" she pleaded as she heard Rick shouting "No!" over and over at Andrea who had ended up shooting Daryl. Her fingers lightly brushed against his forehead realising he had just been grazed by the bullet.
She felt a tear run down her face as Glenn gently pulled her body away from Daryl's so that Rick and Shane could grab him. They each took one of Daryl's arms round their necks and began to carry him back to camp.
"I was kidding" Daryl groaned before losing consciousness falling limp in between Rick and Shane.
Andrea and Dale came running came running as they carried him back to the farm. After Rick reassured Andrea that Daryl was simply unconscious as the bullet had only grazed him did Cassie see what was hanging around his neck and so did Glenn.
"What the hell happened he's wearing ears" Glenn pointed out in disgust. Cassie and Rick shared a look knowing that Hershel wouldn't be very happy to see this.
"Let's keep that to ourselves" Rick decided as he took off Daryl's ear necklace and shoved it into his shirt pocket. They continued walking until the sound of T-dogs voice caused them all to stop and turn.
"Hey guys isn't this Sophia's?" He asked holding up the small girls doll Daryl had been carrying.
As Shane and Rick walked ahead carrying Daryl the others walked slightly behind. It was only when she noticed her brother had walked a good bit in front of them when she finally turned to Andrea.
Cassie thought about what she could do for a minute before she let her actions take over. She lunged at Andrea knocking them both over into the grass. Cassie was on top of Andrea now and despite her cries and the shouts of everyone around her she punched Andrea on the face over and over hoping she'd break bone. She could only see red at this point.
T-dog had ran ahead and swapped places with Rick so he could run back and pull his sister off the women.
"Cass stop!" He yelled once she was stood upright next to her brother and Andrea was beside Dale.
"She could have killed him!" She yelled back in defence "if someone yells don't shoot, you don't shoot! If she had better aim he'd be dead!"
"Okay,okay. Cmon let's go see him" he calmed her down pulling her towards the house.
Once they reached the house Rick left Cassie set with Lori outside Daryl's room a cold wash cloth on her knuckles after the hard punches she had given Andrea. Lori rubbed the girls arm attempting to calm her down.
Cassie swiped furiously at the tears that fell hoping Lori wouldn't notice but she did.
"You care about him" Lori told her as she leaned close to her sister in law.
"What? No I don't no" she began to ramble trying to deny the women's theory and Lori simply laughed at her worried look.
"It's okay Cassie" she told her as the door to Daryl's room opened Hershel stepping out followed by Rick and Shane "I think you'd be good together" she told her standing up and going over to Rick and Shane. When she stood up to enter the room Rick approached her.
"You can see him now Cass" he told her to which she nodded her head before stepping into the room closing the door behind her.
She turned to face Daryl and felt her face heat up at the fact he was shirtless. She didn't know what to say to him. I mean what do you say to someone who nearly died and you've been crying over? She felt confused and stood at the door twirling the ring on her finger.
"You alright?" Daryl asked her causing her to look up at him. She slowly made her way over to the bed still unsure of herself.
"Yeah are you?You look like shit no offence" she said with a small laugh even though it probably wasn't the best time to be making jokes.
"I feel like shit" he replied with a small smile that tugged the corner of his cheeks until he saw Cassie's bloodied knuckles and the smile fell. "What the hell happened" he asked reaching for her hand and gently running a thumb over her knuckles
"Oh nothing I'm fine. I can't say the same for Andrea's face though" she told him looking down at their intertwined hands.
"Cass yo-" he began but Cassie cut him off.
"No. I thought you were dead. What if that bullet hadn't grazed you and you had died." At this point Cassie was getting more and more angry with every word "you could have died Daryl. Then you know what I would do? I'd go crazy without you cause I care about you so much I-" Cassie stopped the realisation of what she had said hitting her. "I care about you" she repeated more to herself than anything. She paused for a moment thinking carefully about what she was about to ask. She looked up into those blue eyes she fell for so easily and took a deep breath. "Do you care about me?" She asked hopeful her feelings weren't about to be totally rejected.
But Daryl never said a word instead leaning forward and pressing his lips against hers. Her hands went to his neck as she pulled him closer smiling against his lips. The kiss wasn't like one Cassie had had before it was better. When they finally pulled away from each other Cassie rested her forehead in Daryl's and he leaned against hers in return.
"Can I take that as a yes?" She said with a laugh as Daryl gently brushed her arm with his fingers. He nodded his head and Cassie couldn't help the smile that yet again grew on her face. She leaned forward and quickly placed a soft kiss to his lips before standing up to leave. "I'll let you rest" she told him smiling and walking out the door.
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As Cassie entered the dining room she could feel the uncomfortable atmosphere in the air. Hershel was clearly not the groups biggest fan and them all sitting round the table together was not going to end well. Cassie gathered some food onto her plate and was about to go find a quiet to place to eat her dinner when she saw Carol preparing a tray to bring to Daryl.
"I'll take that" she offered as Carol turned to face the young woman. She placed her own plate in the tray next to Daryl's with two glasses of water.
"Thank you honey" Carol said placing a gentle hand before going to join the others. Cassie gently grabbed the tray and made her way slowly to the room Daryl was in careful not to spill anything. She knocked on the door and heard a gruff 'come in'
She lightly kicked the door open then close again once she entered the room placing the tray on Daryl's bedside. He sat up with his back against the wall as Cassie handed him a plate then took her own and sat in the chair next to Daryl's bed.
Daryl looked over to where she was sat biting into a bread roll. When she looked up and their eyes met he looked away some how slightly nervous for a second.
"You need to eat" Cassie told him after seeing he hadn't touched his food. She didn't stop looking at him until she saw him take a bite of food.
"Why you sat through here with me? Wouldn't you rather be out there with all them?" He asked causing her to look up from her own plate.
"I may or may not have used you as an excuse to get out of what was probably the most awkward dinner party ever" she said with a soft laugh "also I figured you'd like the company"
He offered her a nod and slight smile in return and both went back to their food this having been the first proper meal they'd had in awhile. They ate in the comfortable silence they always came back to somehow.
Once they both had finished Cassie was unsure of what to do or say so she piled the plates together on the tray about to leave the room before Daryl stopped her by gently grabbing her wrist.
"You can stay if you want" he told her causing her to let go of the tray placing it back down and sitting back down in the seat beside Daryl's bed. He saw her sat with her knees tucked up against her chest trying to get comfortable. He nodded his head towards the bed patting the space beside him motioning for her to move over beside him. She got up from where the seat was and moved round to the other side of the bed kicking off her converse.
She sat down on the other side of the bed carefully so as not to hurt Daryl. Daryl looked down at the blonde sat beside him and began to gnaw on his thumb anxious about the question he was going to ask.
"Did ya mean it" he started causing her to turn to face him "Or did you only say it cause ye thought I was gonna die"
"I meant it" she told him "I meant it all" After Cassie had said that he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding before letting his hand trail down her arm as it had before.
His hand stopped when he reached her hand stopping the twirling of her ring placing his hand on top of hers. They intertwined their fingers and Cassie felt her cheeks heat up as she noticed how her hand fit perfectly into Daryl's.
She looked up from where their hands where connected to face him again and this time she initiated the kiss pulling him down gently by the neck for his lips to meet hers. The kiss grew heated and Daryl reached for Cassie's hips pulling her closer to him causing a small squeal to leave her which made himself laugh.
His hands squeezed her hips as he began to kiss his way up her neck his stubble brushing against her skin causing a breathy chuckle from her. When Daryl reached a certain point on her neck near her ear a small moan escaped her lips. Her hands made their way up to his hair as she began to play with the hair at the nape of his neck. Cassie was sure there'd be a small mark from Daryl's assault on her neck the next morning but she didn't care she loved the feeling too much to push him away. When their lips met again Daryl let out a small groan as Cassie bit his lip slightly.
Just then a knock at the door pulled them away from each other Cassie letting out a small whine at having to pull away. She got up as Daryl readjusted himself in the bed. When she opened the door Carol was stood there with a smile on her face.
"Hi Cassie I just came to speak to Daryl" Carol told her. She turned to Daryl who nodded his head letting Cassie know she could let Carol in.
She stepped aside to let Carol in then turned to leave. "I'll give you guys a minute" she told them walking out the door.
Once she had left she gently closed the door before leaning against the wall beside it with a huge grin on her face. Her fingers trailed along the side of her neck where Daryl's lips had been and then gently on her own lips. She couldn't help the massive grin on her face or the swarms of butterflies in her stomach.
After about a minute Carol stepped out the room with a small smile. "He's all yours dear" she told her as she began to walk back through to the kitchen.
When Cassie returned to the room Daryl was on his good side faced away from the door. The small part o this back Cassie could see he seemed to have some type of scar on it but Cassie decided she wouldn't bring it up incase it was a sensitive topic. She knew if she said one thing wrong to Daryl she could severely piss him off and that was the last thing she wanted. When he heard the door close behind him Daryl slowly turned to face Cassie.
"What did Carol say?" She asked as she sat down on the bed in her original position.
"Just said I was a good man and stuff" Daryl told her shrugging his shoulders. Cassie wondered if anyone ever told him he was a good man before.
She took one of his hands in hers before saying "You are" he turned to face her at her words and Cassie could swear she saw him tear up just a little. "You are one of the greatest men I know."
After hearing it from Cassie Daryl believed they maybe he was a good man unlike his father and brother. He wanted to thank her for her words so he leaned down and pressed a slow soft kiss to her lips. He didn't know why but with Cassie he felt safe. She really was his sunshine.
The two stayed up and talked for a while just enjoying the others company. Any time Cassie would laugh or smile he felt a warmth in him that he was able to make her feel so good. He wasn't sure when it was but at some point Cassie had fallen asleep next to him. She looked so peaceful not bothered by the cruel world that lay outside the room. He carefully moved to lay down beside her wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her close to him as he slowly drifted to sleep himself.
A/N: Thank you so much for 2k reads i really appreciate it :)
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