𝑵𝑬𝑼𝑹𝑶𝑻𝑰𝑪
𝘊𝘏𝘈𝘗𝘛𝘌𝘙 𝘍𝘐𝘍𝘛𝘌𝘌𝘕
☼
"Ya know that aint gonna make it better..." Delaney's eyes lingered on the half empty bottle of whiskey that Abraham had been steadily drinking on and off since he'd found it in one of the car trunks. She could smell the strong alcohol from where she was walking beside him, having gravitated there after realizing that Rick and Daryl were both steadfastly ignoring her today. Abraham didn't ask questions. Abraham didn't care. He was just trying to drown his sorrows in his tiny bottle of drink.
His blue eyes snapped down to look at where she was slowly walking beside him, draped in the coat that was much too large for her, still. It was hot as fuck out there and for whatever reason Delaney did not look in the least bit bothered by it. She wasn't sweating and in fact, he was sure he'd seen her shiver a few times - a concerning thing considering the sweltering fucking heat.
"It's not for the thirst."
Delaney scoffed audibly at his bland answer, rolling her eyes in response, "I meant it aint gonna make ya feel better." Drowning ones sorrows wasn't the most helpful thing in the world, and did not fix anything in the long run. It may have made things better in the moment, but in a situation like theirs it was as dangerous as much as it was stupid. She didn't peg Abraham Ford as an idiot by any means, and yet, there he was still drinkin from the neck of the bottle, holding her eye contact the entire time as if proving he did not give a flying ass. He hummed lowly in his chest after the liquid had burnt it's way down his throat,
"Sure as dick doing somethin'."
"Ya...makin' ya stupid." She saw his amber mustache twitch at her grumbled insult, and a wheeze of a laugh escaped him. Again, she rolled her eyes, shaking her head slightly at the stupidity of the situation. He lent a fraction closer to where she was walking, his bare arm brushing against her shoulder. He held out the bottle, shaking it and the contents into her view as if he figured she had been jealous. "Do ya want me ta die?" she groused, lifting her slightly bloodshot eyes toward him.
He sighed at this and pulled back both himself and the bottle of alcohol. He screwed the cap back onto the bottle and stuffed it into the bag he'd been carrying - her bag, and continued marching forward slowly beside her.
A few minutes passed and Abraham decided to make small talk - or at least what he considered to be. "Officer Rick up there, is mighty pissed today." It wasn't quite a question but not, not a question either. Her brows cinched a little, her eyes flashing down to the floor at the realization that he was, indeed, going to ask her about what had happened. She could tell that many of the others had noticed the strange vibe too, not just him. Carl had been sending her confused looks for almost the entirety of the morning, wondering why she wasn't walking up ahead with him like she'd done the day before.
Rick, since the Hospital, had been a little clingy. She supposed having been through Beth's death, and having been a part of that mad scramble to save Tyreese's life, had brought him closer to her. She wondered if it was a caretaker kind of thing, because, God, knew he liked to take care of them. It was a leadership thing - definitely. He had started to check in on her more notably during the past couple of weeks, and sometimes it became something of a speculation - not that it was anything more than a simple concern on his behalf.
Today, however, he had not looked at her once and it was obvious.
"Maybe he's on his period." Delaney bluntly shot in response, making Abraham snort. "What's it matter, anyway?"
"It don't."
Abraham shrugged his broad shoulders, and then following a short silence, "You fight or somethin'?" Delaney turned her head to the side and shot him a single look, a huff of disbelief leaving her nose as she wondered what on earth possessed him to even want to know. She had half a mind to tell him to mind his business, but instead she watched as he scrutinized her for an answer, "Somethin' happen in the woods?" The accusing, questioning look in his blue eyes made her heart beat a little harder in her chest, even more so when his eyes darkly shot further up the road to where Rick was leading them all.
She was floored for a second, because that look was so similar to the kind Merle used to do whenever she mentioned any form of boyfriend - or potential partner. What'cha need tha' fer - he so much 'a looks at ya funny... She almost snorted, but with that thought came a soft ache and she bowed her head slightly.
Reaching up, Delaney pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed through her nose again. She figured that, yeah, it had looked a little misleading she supposed. Rick had disappeared into the woods, looking for her, a gunshot had gone off. Daryl had stormed out fuming and then Rick and she had followed - both mad too. She'd shoved him violently in front of everyone, for goodness sake, so the surprise she felt at his accusing tone, shouldn't have really been there.
Some small part of her hated that he was thinking along those lines - thinking as if Rick had gone in there and done something ungentlemanly. The only ungentlemanly thing he'd done was wrestle her to the ground so that she didn't kill herself.
"Nah." she answered, shaking her head a little more as she pulled her hand back from her eyes, "Nothin' happened. He's prolly jus' worried for us all." She shrugged her shoulder, curling her fingers over the edge of the coat's sleeve. The old brown thing really did swamp her, but she found that she didn't really mind. It was comfortable and it was keeping the burning sunshine off of her skin, not to mention it was actually keeping her a little warm.
Who would have thought that being so skinny would actually affect how cold you got, even in the burning heat of a summer sun.
Her eyes traveled slightly further up the group to where Glenn and Maggie were quietly walking side by side. She had seen Glenn try multiple times to engage Maggie in a conversation and the poor woman was simply not able to hold it. Her mind was too distraught, still stuck on that numbness that had come with losing her home, her daddy and her sister in the span of a week. It was awfully sad to see, but Delaney could tell she was trying at least.
Don't disappear on 'em.
She was trying not to.
Delaney wished she could help more, she wished she could do something for her. There was little anyone could do but try and be there for when she needed to talk, or for if she needed someone to simply listen.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Abraham's insensitive mind,
"So...you're not umping buglies?"
Delaney's head snapped his direction, well and truly baffled by his mind today. He had delivered the question so stoically with a completely straight face, gaze focusing on the way that she blinked up at him. She had no idea why she didn't immediately say no, perhaps it was the surprise of the unexpected question, but she stared at him dumbly. Then a snort forced it's way out and she shook her head answering with a rough, no.
"Not sure we got the stamina right now..." Abraham hacked out a rough laugh at her dry response, his hand slapping against his chest over the white wife beater he was wearing. The noise was a warming to a degree, her eyes following the movement of genuine laughter she'd managed to spark in him, feeling the littlest bit triumphant. He had been very straight-forward and dull for the past few weeks, and their conversations hadn't been more than a few words at a time. She never had the energy to keep up the conversation and he was, mostly, a man of few words.
Her lips brushed against the fleece collar of Rick's coat, her eyes dancing in humor as she watched Abraham enjoy that fleeting moment of her humor. She had her cheek against the collar, admiring, until he stopped chuckling and cleared his throat. His eyes darted down to her and he subtly jerked a brow and returned his eyes front and center. Following the look, Delaney turned to see what had made him sober up, and she was surprised to find that Rick Grimes was looking back at them both, eyebrows pinched, expression hard.
"Think he heard?" Abraham whispered through the side of his mouth, and she cracked up. She snorted into a giggle, tearing her eyes off of Rick to tell Abraham to, shut up.
When she next looked Rick was back to facing the front - back to ignoring her. She huffed quietly at this, shaking her head slightly. Asshole. It wasn't as if her death would have made him suffer in anyway - who was she to him?...no one. Delaney wasn't family. She wasn't as close to him as everyone else seemed to be. Hell, it had taken her three weeks to really sort of warm up to him.
She understood Daryl's reaction. God, she understood his anger and his disbelief, but Ricks...not a fucking clue.
Daryl had continued his trips into the woods, leaving every now to search for food or water, always coming up short. He still tried, still looked, but part of Delaney knew he was also doing it to just be alone. He needed the time to grieve for Beth, and he was trying to take it.
"Is tha' water?" Delaney squinted at the collection of bottles in the middle of the road, ominously left by someone. Abraham huffed a noise from beside her and straightened up his spine, fingers tightening around his weapon, "...the fuck." she hissed beneath her breath, cursing the fact that she had no weapon to protect herself or the others. Her rifle was still firmly strapped across Rick's stupidly toned back and she was left like a sitting duck.
There was a piece of paper on top of the water that said From A Friend, in black pen. Rick snatched it up into his hand, the thing crinkling slightly in his firm grasp. Like Abraham, everyone else was tense with their various weapons in their grasp, as if expecting someone to jump out of the bushes.
Biting at the skin on her lip, unnerved with the potential eyes on them, Delaney move from Abraham's side and made it a few paces until she was standing in front of Rick. His eyes darted to her immediately, surprised by the boldness of her approach. "Rifle." She held out her hand, not against grabbing for it, if he didn't relinquish it's grip. He twisted away from her hand, barely, whilst his blue eyes narrowed dangerously down on her. "I aint gonna ask again." She grunted beneath her breath, scowl forming on her features.
Rick relented. He let out a heavy sigh through his nose and shifted the weapon over his head, holding it out to her. She took hold of it, grateful to have the familiar thing back in her hands.
Methodically she checked the rifle over and made sure she had some rounds, before she shouldered it. "I'm gonna check the woods." Was what she roughed out, her eyes darting to Abraham as if she figured he might have wanted to come, but before she could quite ask him, Rick demanded her attention with his sharp,
"No."
No. She internally laughed, because fuck this guy. She wasn't in the business of letting a man tell her what to do, hadn't ever been and didn't plan on doing it not. Rick had no hold over her, no power, and he certainly had no right to tell her what to do. Whether it was born from concern or something else, she didn't care. She squared her shoulders and noticed the way that Abraham's blue eyes darkly looked Rick up and down. "Ya gonna stop me?" Through her clenched teeth, Delaney turned to face Rick, staring through her black lashes with barely concealed venom. "Whoever left tha' water, is prolly out there watchin' us."
She spoke through hissed breaths, "An' unless ya forgot, ma brother is out there."
Rick didn't flinch at her hostility, and if anything, he took a step closer to her. "We're stayin' together."
"If We don't check the woods, We'll die together too."
The look of genuine annoyance that flashed across his filthy features, might have worried her, but as far as she was concerned she was the one holding the gun right now. She continued to glare.
"Let's just all calm down." Michonne interjected before Rick could respond, her arm sliding between the two to somewhat separate them. "We don't have the energy to fight right now and what good would it do?" There was palpable exhaustion in her voice and Delaney felt a little sorry for making it worse, but Rick, Rick, was getting on her nerves - and if she was honest, she did not forgive him for saving her life.
As slightly lifted as her spirits had been that day, Delaney was still suffering. Everything still hurt and every step still felt like she was walking along shattered glass. The food last night and the meager sips of water were not helping.
"Ya, well, tell him ta leave me the fuck alone..."
"I can check the woods with you." Abraham physically backed her up, standing behind her with his gun shouldered, eyes staring Rick down, though his words had been directed to Delaney. She twisted to agree, but there was a sudden rustling from the bushes and the lot of them turned to point their weapons at the potential threat.
To their relief it was only Daryl, of whom faltered when he noticed them all standing together and aiming their weapons his direction. His dirty features scrunched slightly, trying to piece together the information he did not have, though he spotted the water and Rick held out the paper to him.
Delaney meanwhile tilted her head to look up toward the sky, feeling a change in the temperature. The sky had been clouding all day and now, now there was very little sun at all. It looked like it was going to rain.
"What else are we gonna do?" Tara questioned with a small voice. Everyone was understandably on edge, Daryl included, as he quickly swept his bow off of his shoulder to hold it, ready. He joined them, each debating what the best option to do.
"Not this." Rick answered, gesturing to the water, "We don't know who left 'em."
Delaney tightened her grasp on her rifle, pointing the muzzle down at the ground as she stared at the bottles. They were all pondering, quiet, no one suggesting anything. So, she shrugged a shoulder and stepped forward into the middle of their circle, intending to open a bottle and sniff it, because at least she might be able to tell if there was anything else in it, besides water. However, she made it only a few paces before the back of Rick's jacket was snagged in a grasp, jerking her backwards. "Don't fuckin' think 'about it." Daryl nastily snarled, pretty much shoving her backwards to keep her distance from it. She hissed at the pain of her hair being yanked with the jacket, sending him a foul look once he released her.
"I was gonna sniff it. Fuck - " She pulled away from him as a hand rose to grasp at the back of her head, frustrated.
"If this is a trap, we already happen to be in it." Eugene stated rushed. He was standing like a fucking brick in the middle of everyone else, useless and unarmed, staring down at the water. She could see exactly what he was going to do before it happened and she wondered if anyone would stop him. "But I, for one, would like to think it is indeed from a friend." She huffed through her nose at his naïve thinking. Shouldering her gun she listened to Carol state that there could be something else inside it, but Eugene didn't answer. Instead he darted forward and snatched a bottle off of the ground, earning himself a few questioning stares and a few, what the fuck are you doing's.
Delaney included, "The fuck ya doin'."
"Quality assurance." Was what he replied with, uncapping the bottle ready to take a mouthful. Abraham suddenly lunged out of formation and smacked the bottle right out of his grasp, sending it splattering everywhere, across Eugene and the concrete respectively. There was a tense silence, and Delaney watched Abraham during it. His expression was stoic and then almost, a little confused as if he couldn't quite fathom why on earth he'd moved in the first place.
God knew, Abraham was pissed with Eugene. He hadn't looked at him or spoken to him since the whole D.C lie. Him saving Eugene's life had long stopped being a must, and yet, perhaps it was engrained in him now, because he'd done that without a second thought. That fact surprised him, clearly, as much as it had surprised Eugene.
"We can't." Rick emphasized, shaking his head.
Another silence began, all of them not entirely sure how to handle the situation. Then a clap of thunder sounded in the near distance and their eyes lifted to the sky, which was rapidly darkening now. A few spots of rain began to trickle down, and then it began to pour. It was such a relief, and had come at such a ironic moment that many of the group let out laughs of disbelief. It was quickly soaking them and their things and their surroundings, and everyone relaxed in their own way.
Delaney kept her head tilted up to the sky, closing her eyes as the droplets of rain pelted down against her sunburnt skin, stinging. She didn't smile or laugh like the rest of them, but some part of her body did sigh at the knowledge that there was water. Beside her Daryl was standing just as still, his head pointed down to the ground rather than to the sky, similar to Delaney. He wasn't smiling or laughing or rejoicing like many of the others, stuck in his own wave of grief and numbness. That applied to Maggie too, who stood with her eyes far away, hands on her gun.
Delaney lowered her head after a while, feeling the chill of the cold water. Rick's jacket was heavy but keeping her surprisingly dry beneath. Her hair was plastered to her neck and her forehead, the water gathering on her lashes. She noted that Rick's gaze was on her, watching, and observing her reaction, his hand combing through his soaked, curly hair. She blinked, the water on her lashes dripping down her cheeks, "We should collect it."
Thunder rumbled in the distance once more and Rick turned his attention to everyone else, "Everybody get the bags. Anything you can find." He seconded her thoughts and at his command everyone began to get things to catch the water. Bottles and bowls, anything they could find.
Delaney winced at the violence of the following thunder claps, her eyes darting back to the clouds, black with their heaviness, great big crackles of lightening zigzagging across them. A storm. Everyone else seemed to understand that it wasn't just rain, not as the wind picked up, tossing the icy water back and forth. It startled Judith who was in Carl's arms, and her eyes snapped toward the children, heart heavy with the sounds of the baby girls fear.
Delaney flinched at another crackle of thunder, using the sleeve of Rick's coat to try and get the water out of her eyes.
"Carl!" She called for the boy, ducking down as she quickly made it to where he was standing beside his father. She took no time in shimmying off the coat she had been wearing, grimacing as her dry t-shirt was suddenly being soaked through. The boy's eyes were searching her, as he tried to hush the baby in his arms, barely able to hear everyone over the thunderous noise. Draping the coat around him, she pulled the two ends together and zipped it up to more or less cover Judith.
She shivered and pressed her hand to Carl's hat to keep it on his head, "We gotta move." She whirled to the side to look at Rick, her dark hair more than plastered to her face now, "It's gonna - " she jumped at the crackling boom above them.
There was a mad scramble to gather all of their things, everyone slinging bags onto their backs and holding out their bottles to catch the water whilst they got ready to follow Daryl. He'd told them that he had found a barn not too far away and whilst he hadn't cleared it, it would make a decent shelter for the time being - just until the storm passed.
Whilst the rain had brought a brief sense of relief, it was now cause for concern. Judith was wailing somewhere up ahead in the line, and Delaney was somewhere at the back, shivering, with her clothes sticking to her like a second skin. She had her hand holding onto Tyreese' back, keeping herself steady, whilst behind her, Noah was holding onto her shoulder. "How far is this dang barn!" Noah hollered over the howling wind and pelting rain, earning himself a snort of amusement from Delaney, who merely reached up and grabbed for his hand, squeezing it.
Luckily, the barn wasn't actually that far away and once they'd passed the stretch of woods, they came to the sight of it in the near distance.
They gathered by the door, with only a few of them entering to clear out the space and make sure it was safe enough for the rest of them. Meanwhile those who weren't helping were standing out in the cold rain, shivering and huddling together. "She's okay," Delaney muttered to Carl, who was pressing himself into Michonne and she, to try and hide from the rain. Judith was still beneath the coat, dry enough, whilst the poor teenager looked like a little drowned rat. His hat was dripping and his eyes were blinking rapidly to try and clear them from the rain water.
"You okay?" He asked her, teeth chattering slightly. She nodded her head, bringing her arm around him to try and shield them from the rain a little more, earning herself a soft look off of Michonne when she noticed.
It couldn't have been soon enough for Carol to pop her head through the crack in the door telling them all that it was safe to enter.
There was nothing complex about what had been found inside of the structure. It was a simple barn as far as Delaney was concerned and a dry place for them to wait out the thunderous storm raging on outside. It had a distinct smell, of course, which wasn't pleasant but it wasn't altogether revolting, and something she somewhat got used to after being inside for a few minutes.
"We should use the bowls to catch the water." Tyreese suggested after they'd all caught their breath, "Leave 'em outside." He shifted his weight, the straw scuffing beneath his feet. His suggestion was a good one and soon enough, Glenn, Maggie and Tara were all helping him find every available thing to catch the rainwater. As they were doing that several of the others began to try and start a fire, some of them stripping off their outer layers to dry them off on various poles and railings.
Tiredly, Delaney slumped against one of the beams, sliding down until her ass was on the floor. She combed her hand through her sodden hair, gathering it at the base to wring some of the water out onto the floor beside her. The dirt and straw stuck to her clothes, but she couldn't find it in herself to really care much. She lent her head back against the wood behind her and sighed through her nose, taking a moment. The noise of the others milling around was enough to lull her slightly, but the grouse and roughed out curse from her brother made her peek an eye open.
"Nah, don't bother, it's too wet." He tossed the damp stick back onto the ground, plonking himself onto the floor near by Rick.
Delaney looked at the pitiful little fire they had going, shivering at the chill she felt. Hauling herself to her feet, she brushed her dirty hands against her thighs and briefly looked to where Judith was still sobbing, quieter, but still no less calm. Rick took her off of Carl and began trying to calm her down, which for the most part, worked.
Figuring everything was fine, as everyone was accounted for and back inside of the barn, Delaney began to peruse the things inside. As she saw nor heard any leaks, she figured that if she could break some of the wooden slats, then they could use that for fire wood. She grimaced at the dust and the cobwebs, dancing her fingers along the items that were of absolutely no use.
She kicked her boots around on the floor, scuffing the straw, before toeing at an old box crate. Tilting her head slightly, Delaney reached for it to check whether or not it was wet to any degree.
"Hey, Red!"
She got no answer,
"Mustache!"
"What!" Abraham grumpily shot back from what sounded like the opposite end of the barn, She toed at the box again,
"Come 'ere!"
She heard a grumble and then several heavy footsteps, his body suddenly stepping up beside her. Tilting her head up to look at him, she flashed a small smile, "Think ya can break the box? I'd kick it but - " She shrugged, not needing to explain how fucking tired she was. He scrutinized her for a moment before doing as she asked, sinking his boot heavily into the box, splintering the wood. The noise was quite loud, but the wind seemed to drown out most of it as he went to town on it. By the time he'd finished taking out his anger, the wood was shattered and it no longer resembled a box.
Slowly, Delaney bent to grab it. A few pieces were loaded beneath her arm, gaze flashing up to Abraham who was glaring down at the floor, not saying a word. "thanks." She breathed, giving his arm a pat as she passed, deciding to leave him be - not that she wanted or needed to ask questions anyway.
As she entered the main area she saw everyone was somewhat spreading themselves out and she wondered why. All of them were cold and wet, and there was only one fire. Sasha and Tyreese were sitting together, the sisters head resting on his shoulder, his head on top of hers, looking both exhausted. Her eyes darted to his arm, and she frowned some. God, she wished they had a doctor. He was doing fine, mostly, but she couldn't imaging their slap job was at all comfortable for him, not to mention he needed medication.
Nevertheless she was grateful he was there and alive.
She still got flashbacks from it sometimes. The screaming and the blood and the agony.
Letting out a whistled breath, Delaney continued back over to the pitiful fire and dumped the wood she'd found down onto the floor with a clatter, making Daryl and Glenn snap their gazes to her, "It's dry." is all she said, before she turned her gaze to Carl, who was sitting up, his chin in his palms, eyes on the fire. Judith was still crying, fidgeting in Rick's arms. She wiped at her still wet face with her equally as wet arm and turned away from them all, intending to find somewhere else to go and sit.
"Del?" Carl quickly called for her, hesitantly.
"What's up?" Delaney turned to face him, tucking her wet hair behind her ear, brows knitting together. The teenager was looking her up and down, before he gestured for her to come over with a wave of his hand.
"You can sit here." He motioned to the spot empty beside him, his blue eyes expectantly staring up at her as if he knew she couldn't say no to him, which in turn made her snort. Her boots kicked the straw a little as she walked over, her hand playfully knocking the rim of his wet hat as she lowered herself to the floor beside him, "You look like kind 'a pathetic." He muttered, his lips curving into a small smile as Delaney's gaze narrowed playfully.
"Wasn't gonna say nothin' but ya look like a wet rat."
"Oh yeah?" Carl scoffed, lifting his head a little more from where it had been somewhat bowed. Daryl was snapping some of the wood she'd brought over, the sound nothing but background noise as Delaney shifted to get more comfortable on the floor, flinching slightly when Carl tossed some of the straw at her. It stuck to her wet skin and she scrunched her nose up.
"I wouldn't start a war, ya can't win, kid." Delaney heard Glenn's snort and her eyes darted his direction to see he was watching her and Carl, his knee's tucked to his chin. In fact, as she absentmindedly tossed a handful of straw back at Carl, she noticed Carol and Michonne were also watching her, the two of them with their own hesitant smiles. It was as if, before she'd come over, they'd been sitting in a dismal silence. She hadn't much looked at them, but there was something daringly light beginning to show in their expressions.
"Hey," Carl whined, and she turned her head to look at him, the boy was batting the straw away from his head, plucking it out of his hair,
"Told ya."
"You doin' okay?" Glenn questioned her, his smile still there but lesser as he looked her up and down. Her wet clothes were sticking to her in a way that made her look so tiny, the items looking much too big for her now. Delaney didn't look at Rick or Daryl, the latter of whom was sitting beside her, and shrugged a shoulder in response.
"Aint gonna lie, it sucks..." She side glanced when Judith let out a wheezy cry at the sudden clap of thunder from outside. The wind was howling and the rain was pattering against the tin roof. It was all so horribly loud. "Aint much ta do 'bout it."
"Well, you're doing pretty good, all things considered." Michonne softly stated and Delaney had to sigh, a noise loud enough for them to all hear,
"Ya...all things considered..."
Her eyes drew down to the amber flames of the fire, dancing vibrantly in the darkness. For a long time, she kept her eyes on it, watching the little embers spit up as the wood crackled and burned. She absentmindedly picked at her cast, a habit she'd formed over the weeks it had been on her, ignoring the faint ache of her healing bones.
"Del?" Carl spoke up yet again, softer this time, much quieter. He moved beside her and her head turned, her cheek resting down against her shoulder as she followed the orange light that flickered around on his features - his sweet little freckles visible to the naked eye. "Do you think you can get her to sleep again?" There was an obvious nervousness in his tone as he regarded his baby sister with soft eyes. It was somewhat reminiscent of the Church, when she had sobbed so loudly she had begun to attract the dead.
"It's the wind, buddy." Delaney sighed, "I can't do nothin' 'bout that."
"Yeah, but she liked your singing..."
Delaney licked her lips, awkwardly dropping her eyes to the ground. She had no idea what Rick would do, and she had yet to even look at him. She was too tired for his scrutinizing stare, far too tired to deal with the anger he always summoned in her. The soft please, from the boy prompted her to lift her head and look at Rick. He was staring right back at her, gaze slightly narrowed, but not exactly in anger. It was more like he was remembering the last time she'd held his baby, how she had freaked out and handed her back within a minute.
He didn't say no, and actually shifted to hand Judith over. Delaney didn't object, rising to her knee's to receive the little girl into her arms. Her warmth and her weight was a strange comfort and Delaney's lips tucked up into a smile. "Hi," She whispered, sinking back down to sit on her feet. Judith hiccupped sweetly, her eyes big and wide with their tears. Mesmerized as much as she had been the time before, Delaney observed her little features.
"Ya, I know." Delaney lifted Judith up and lent her against her shoulder, whilst she rose to her feet, grateful she didn't wobble unevenly. The eyes following her movements made her rather uncomfortable, knowing that unlike Carl they were seeing this mostly for the first time. Holding Judith in the Church, she had been calm and happy, but she was wailing now, sobbing her little heart out in fear and panic.
Delaney didn't blame her, the wind and the thunder were certainly loud.
"Ya'll are gonna make me blush." Delaney stated, sending them all a brief look as she tucked Judith closer, wrapping her little blanket around her to keep her mostly dry against her clothes, "Can ya stop watchin'?"
"Why?" Carol said with an obvious smile in her voice, "It's kind 'a cute."
Muttering beneath her breath, Delaney rolled her eyes at the other woman, who continued to observe her with the rest of them. Trying to ignore them, Delaney focused on the baby who was clinging onto her and softly hiccupping. With some gentle swaying and some very soft humming, Delaney managed by some miracle to get Judith to quiet down, and like before she was dozing in and out of sleep by the time that Delaney had returned her to Rick.
His eyes were on Judith at first as Delaney lent down to hand his child back to him, his gaze scanning her features as they scrunched slightly - though she otherwise remained undisturbed. Then his gaze lifted to meet Delaney's eyes, which made her increasingly awkward. She backed up, grimacing visibly before turning to walk back to her spot.
The rush of standing upright quickly, sent a nausea inducing wave of dizziness and Delaney stopped still before she could sit herself down. She blinked heavily at the suddenness of the feeling, hating that she knew it. With a wheeze of breath she reached out her hand to Daryl blindly and muttered a weak but rushed, "I'm g- gonna pass out - "
He shot up as soon as she said so, barely reaching her in time to catch her before she dropped, grunting as he fumbled down to a knee. She limply hung in his arms as he shifted to hold her better, casting a look back over to the others who looked half ready to come over and check in on her, "Wake up, Deli - " Daryl gave her face a few taps, and it took a moment, but she responded with a groan. "Tha' fuck ya doin' passin' out." Her lashes fluttered and a confused, huh, passed her lips,
"She's still weak." Michonne sighed, moving around to grab for her bag, "Give her some water..."
Daryl was holding her face in his hand, trying to rouse her further as she grumbled beneath her breath. She wasn't making much sense, mumbling nonsense, before she said the name Merle. Daryl's eyes searched her features as Michonne handed him the bottle, "Merle aint here - " Daryl grunted, shifting Delaney so that she was sitting further upright.
She grimaced and flinched when he slapped at her cheek again, "Open ya eyes."
A mumbled curse left her mouth and she opened her eyes upon request. Her mouth felt dry, and a slight ache throbbed behind her eyes. "Stop slappin' me." Delaney slapped in response at Daryl's hand, grimacing, "Did ya catch me?"
Daryl grunted in response, holding the water in front of her face. She took it without question, drinking a sip of it eagerly to sort out her dry mouth and sore throat.
"How did you know you were going to pass out?" Carl questioned her in confusion, kneeling beside her, looking down with those blue eyes, concerned, "You okay?"
"Ya can feel it sometimes." she responded, sitting straighter, "I'm fine, don't ya worry." She was fine to a certain extent, though she was still leaning against her brother as she regained her bearings. Daryl didn't move from where he was now sitting and she was grateful for it, exhaling heavily though her nose, her eyes moving to where Rick was sitting with Judith still in his arms, his eyes searching her like Carl's had been.
This was the fuckin' reason I wanted ta go, she thought, wincing at the exhaustion that made her sink further into Daryl's arm. Everything was aching now and a steady thumping headache was stirring right behind her eyes. She felt like shit all over again and tears began to sting in her eyes, tearing her gaze away from Rick before he could really notice them -
He noticed them.
Something guilty was aching in his chest as he watched her limply sit there, looking sheet white and sweaty, wincing at intervals. She looked so sick in this lighting, and he was again reminded of the pain she must have been going through. And he'd let her walk around with his baby in her arms, trying to soothe her, when it was his job to do so - and she'd fucking passed out. She passed out, because she was too weak to hold a baby.
God, it made him feel sick to his stomach.
-
REVISED 09/12/2022