Dead Silent

The Final Chapter. Daryl

If you only want to read the Negan ending, skip to the next chapter.

Daryl sits on his porch, a cigarette hanging from his mouth, and a knife in his hands. He sharpens it, squinting as smoke trails it's way up into his eyes.

"Daryl," Rick nods, sitting down beside him. Daryl takes a drag of his cigarette before he flicks it away, going back to sharpening his knife. "They should be here in a couple hours."

"Everyone know what they're doin?" Daryl asks.

"Yeah, let's just hope it goes smoothly, i don't wanna lose anyone else."

"Ya think she'll be there?"

Rick looks over at her house, or what was once her house. "I don't know, it's better if she isn't."

"Why?" Daryl frowns.

Rick sighs deeply. "She's been there a long time, Daryl, and she was with him, at least for a little while. I'm pretty sure she's not gonna want to see him die."

Daryl shakes his head. "She loves me."

"I'm not saying she doesn't, but just because she loves you, that doesn't mean that she feels nothing for him. I mean, he did save her life," he reasons.

Daryl stands up, staring at Rick with wide eyes. "You defendin him now? After everythin he's done?"

Rick rises to his feet, running a hand through his hair. "No, i'm not. I know exactly who he is, Daryl, you know that. I'm just saying, this isn't gonna be easy for her. It's best if she isn't here when it goes down, i hope she isn't."

Daryl looks down at his feet, kicking idly at the ground. "She'll be okay though, she'll understand, right?"

Rick looks at him, unsure of any such thing. "I guess she'll have to. This was always gonna happen," he pinches the bridge of his nose, looking away from Daryl. "Christ, none of this would've happened if it weren't for me. I should've kept him away from her, told him to go to hell when he showed up here wanting Kirsty to work with him."

Daryl shrugs his shoulders. "Like ya said at the time, weren't nothin ya could do. It's done now, an we gon make it right, that's all that matters."

~

Kirsty runs through the town, panic setting in as she worries that the truck might be gone. Maybe someone had taken it? Shut up! She frowns, struggling to catch her breath as she races down an alley. Her face lights up, Kirsty breathing a sigh of relief as she sees the truck in the distance.

She opens the door, jumping in the truck and switching on the engine. Kirsty inhales sharply, feeling pressure on her calf, snarls filling her ears. Shit! She mouths, pulling her leg upwards and out of the walker's grasp. Kirsty brings her foot down on it's head, the feel of it's skull breaking sending shockwaves through her leg.

She steps out of the truck, cursing herself for not being more careful. Kirsty drags the walker from under the truck with ease, the dead thing having no bottom half. She sits back in the driver's seat, trying to catch her breath. Kirsty looks down at her leg. She leans over, rolling her jeans up. Kirsty falls back in the seat, a smile crossing her face briefly. Shit that was close! She thinks.

Kirsty closes the door, stepping on the gas.

~

"Do we know how many of his men have turned traitor?" Daryl asks.

"Dwight says there's enough so they won't put up a fight," Rick says.

"And we're supposed ta trust him?"