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Daryl woke with a start, rolling over on the hard ground to see what had woken him but saw nothing. Aaron had wandered off it seemed, but Daryl knew he’d be back. They’d been together on the road for almost three weeks and they had worked out a nice routine. Basically, who ever had the early morning shift also had to try and catch some breakfast; Aaron sucked at it for the most part, but when Daryl heard more twigs snapping, he was happy to see Aaron had a big, fat rabbit in his hand.
“Breakfast!” Aaron called, and Daryl scrambled to his feet to take it so he could skin and prep it, his mouth already watering.
“Man, wish we had some fucking salt,” he griped once the rabbit was cooking over the open flame that Aaron had built up. Aaron nodded sleepily. Daryl didn’t mind the lack of salt really, fuck knew he’d gone plenty of times with out it, but sometimes it just sucked he didn’t have something so basic.
After breakfast, they got up, cleared up their camp and started down the road some more. After three or four hours of seeing nothing but walkers, Daryl started to feel a little drowsy. He yawned, blinked back the sleep, and kept going. Out of the corner or his eye he kept seeing yellow strands of something, but when he turned to look, it would be gone. Eventually, he pulled to the side and stopped his bike, and Aaron pulled up beside him.
“You ok?” The other man asked and Daryl nodded.
“Think there’s a river over that way...” Daryl waved with his hand. “Wanna-?” But Aaron was already getting out of the car and they walked in silence down to the river. It was wide with a smooth but strong current. The water looked so clear.
“Why don’tcha take your boots off, Daryl? If you’re not too much of a chicken?” A voice asked. Daryl turned quickly, but no one was there. He bit his lip and pulled out his water bottle, filling it.
“Aww come on... Take a few hours off...” Another softer voice called. Daryl turned, eyes wide. He knew that voice. That voice wasn’t possible. Heart beating, he turned to Aaron who didn’t seem to be the least bit perturbed.
“’S fuckin’ hot,” Daryl managed, his throat dry. He took a long drink of water as Aaron nodded in agreement as he sat and took off his shoes.
“Fuck... The water feels great...” Aaron sighed. Daryl stood up, watching him. He distinctly heard a little girl giggle, and Daryl squeezed his eyes shut. It’s not real... He told himself. It’s not real. They’re gone. He jerked when cold water splashed across his face. “I said, ‘Let’s take a break and just stick here for a while...’” Aaron repeated. Daryl blinked but nodded as he walked a few yards back to a shady tree. Everything was too quiet. There were no walkers and it made Daryl uneasy. “Just relax,” Aaron said and Daryl just shook his head.
“Just take your break, man,” Daryl grunted. Aaron kept sighing and glancing at Daryl like the water was the best thing ever, and more and more Daryl had to fight the urge to not shoot the other man. “I’ll be right back,” Daryl finally managed as he got to his feet, turning to walk up the river aways. He wasn’t sure how long he was walking before he realized someone was following him. Someone small, with small precise foot steps. Daryl tried to not look back. He knew who it was, always knew who it was. She followed him everywhere; he could never escape her. He just kept walking, eyes forward looking for something, he wasn’t quite sure, and he didn’t even falter when he felt her small hand slid into his, didn’t look down; he just readjusted his crossbow and kept walking.
“You never were one for sticking around, Daryl Dixon,” a soft voice drawled and Daryl actually tripped over a tree stump. He looked up and saw Beth Greene, arms crossed and lips pursed.
“You’re- You’re-”
“As real as that little girl’s whose hand you’re holding,” Beth groused. Daryl looked up and Sophia smiled down at him as his chest tightened. He could feel the tears he’d been holding back for so long start to build. “You should go back...” Beth persisted.
“Back to what?” He grunted. “Back to another chance to fail?”
“Is that what you think you did, Daryl? Fail me?”
“’S all I do! Fuck up and fuck up other people’s lives. I can’t- I shouldn’t!”
“Every loss isn’t your failure,” Sophia said softly.
“You were my responsibility,” Daryl muttered. “And so was she. Had to kill my own fucking brother and wasn’t as-” He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. Something was coming, something big. He jumped to his feet, crossbow in hand, turning to meet whatever, arrow almost unleashed, but at the last moment he stopped himself when he saw it was just Aaron finally catching up to him. Daryl dropped the bow and sat hard on his ass, a root jamming hard in his hip.
“You alright there, Daryl?” Aaron asked. “Who are your friends?” Daryl looked up in alarm.
“You can see them?” He asked and Aaron laughed.
“Of course! Are you alright?” He repeated and Daryl shook his head looking at his two ghost girls, tears filling his eyes.
“The barn? The storm?” He asked Beth and she nodded.
“You fought so hard, but you don’t have to fight any more...” Andrea said startling him. Behind her he could see all the others they’d lost along the way, his brother included.
“Come back with us, son,” Hershel drawled. He stood tall and proud next to Rick who stood next to Lori, their fingers entwined.
“So what? Alexandria was a lie? A nothing?” Daryl asked.
“Some go quietly, some fight,” Beth said walking to him. “Stop fighting it...”
“Come back with us, Daryl...” Sophia pleaded.
“Come with us...” The others murmured and Daryl felt a chill run through him. “Come home...”
***
“Daryl we gotta go!” Aaron yelled. Daryl woke with a start. They were surrounded by walkers and the sun was barely rising. He got up, grabbed his bow and started shooting and slashing his way through the group like always. This was where he belonged; fighting off the undead. It was easier this way; less people to get attached to, and way harder to fuck up. Killing walkers was what Daryl Dixon was born to do. Once the herd had been thinned down a little, they started their respective vehicles and he and Aaron took off trying to find anyone one else, Daryl expecting to find no one, with only the the ghosts to keep his mind company, Carol too far off to tell him off.