𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐒.
chapter fifty-eight; RV Rummy
" Love you, kid. "
THE GROUP SET out just as the sun began to dip beneath the horizon. Glenn, Michonne, and Rick would be driving with Aaron, leading the path, while the rest of the group piled into an RV.
And everything was fine until the highway was covered in walkers. Until the car was plowing through them and the RV had to be redirected.
They drove for a short time before finding an area to set up; where they located a man who had been trapped under a broken-down car. After helping him out and tending to his injuries, the group quickly realized he was the other person Aaron had emerged with, and they sent up his flare.
A short while later, the entire group was back together. Rick, Michonne, Glenn, and Aaron had found them, and after Aaron and Eric reunited, the former spoke to the whole group.
"Excuse me," He said, gathering attention, "Everyone. . . Thank you. You saved Eric. I owe you, all of you. And I will make sure that debt is paid in full when we get to our community. When we get to Alexandria. Now, I'm not sure about you, but I'd rather not do any more driving tonight. . . Um, maybe we can hit the road tomorrow morning."
"That sounds fine," Rick said, "But if we're staying here for the night, you're sleeping over there."
"You really think we gotta do that?"
"It's the safe play. We don't know you."
"The only way you're gonna stop me from being with him right now is by shooting me."
Aaron took a step toward Rick, who was blocking the doorway to Eric's room. But Glenn put out a hand, and after a quiet and brief conversation, Rick stepped back. He agreed.
And they slept that night in peace before taking off the following morning.
Zeppelin climbed into the RV with Dean, but as everyone continued loading up, she elected to face the only thing currently bothering her.
Daryl was helping set up Eric in the back room; he and Maggie had assisted him in walking on his broken ankle, and as Daryl turned to leave, Zeppelin knew it was time.
She mustered up every ounce of courage she had ever felt in her entire life, and called his name.
Daryl met her eyes and joined her at the small table when she waved in beckoning. She glanced out of the window, seeing her mother still gathering their people and supplies.
"What did I do?"
"Huh?"
"What did I do that made you ignore me?"
Zeppelin had her hands linked and resting on the tabletop like she was a police officer interrogating her inmate. She was trying to keep her voice steady and face stony, and somehow it hurt Daryl more knowing she was so tense because of him.
"Nothing."
"So. . . why??" Zeppelin said, her expression melting into childlike confusion and pain. "I just. . ."
"It was my fault," Daryl said quietly, "Hey, it was my fault. I screwed up. Not you."
Zeppelin frowned deeper.
"Is it cause you miss Bethie?"
Daryl felt his vocal cords constrict.
"Cause I miss her, too," Zeppelin admitted, shrinking in her seat, tucking her hands under her thighs, "She was my first real friend. My only one 'til I met Carl. . . And I felt really guilty being around Carl for a little while, too. Like. . . me being friends with him even after she was gone meant that I was replacing her. But. . . But I know Bethie would've been real disappointed in me if I did something like that. 'Cause she only wanted me to be happy, you know?"
Daryl did know. It wasn't the same, his relationship with Beth or the feelings that came after her death, but he understood.
"Uncle Dean misses her, too," Zeppelin continued, chewing on the inside of her cheek briefly, "He knew her since she was a little kid. . ."
Daryl knew that. He knew that because Dean had come to Grady Memorial Hospital to save Beth Greene. Because he had talked to Dean about Beth. Because Dean had told him Beth had this way of giving people hope. Of never giving up on them. Because Dean had recognized that Beth had done that for Daryl, because he said Beth had done that for him.
Daryl knew Dean missed Beth because he had seen what Dean had done after Beth was shot. He had seen the rage and agony that engulfed him; Daryl had been the one to pull Dean back, because even though Daryl himself felt everything Dean did, even he could see beating a corpse was an exceptional kind of cruelty, even if it was Beth's killer.
"I just thought I did something," Zeppelin breathed out, bringing Daryl back to the RV, "That made you. . . not like me anymore."
"Nothin' you could do, Zep."
Zeppelin smiled softly, scooting out from her seat only to squeeze herself beside Daryl. And he didn't argue as she hugged him tightly; he just hugged her back.
And he could have sworn she whispered the words "I love you." But he couldn't be sure.
Vex climbed in the RV after everyone else had. Daryl found her eyes immediately, and he knew.
"Love you, kid."
Zeppelin squeezed him tighter, before letting go just as her mother ruffled her hair.
"I'm gonna sit with Carl," She announced with a bright smile.
"Alright, baby," Vex said, sliding into the seat across from Daryl.
Zeppelin nearly skipped to the seat beside Carl, earning a laugh from Vex.
"She seems chipper," Vex noted, turning to the man, "I take it you two are good now?"
But Daryl didn't say anything. He just stared at her.
"Hey, you okay?"
Vex reached a hand across the table, gently resting it on Daryl's forearm.
"Yeah," He said, twisting his hand to grab hers, "I'm alright."
Vex smiled softly, squeezing his hand.
"Great. Lemme kick your ass at Rummy, then."
Daryl scoffed, but as the RV lurched into motion, he pulled out a deck of cards from his back pocket and started shuffling.
They'd be at Alexandria by lunchtime.