Chapter 19 - Chupacabra

[Daryl's POV - Part way after confession.]

"I'm heading back." she said as she started to brush past me. To think she would like a person like me. As Shane said, why would she want someone like me? I grabbed her arm stopping her. I couldn't believe what I was hearing and my head was starting to swim. She looked at me with an annoyed expression. I knew if I didn't act now she would leave me. And I knew I wouldn't get her back. Without thinking I sent my lips crashing against her. She closed her eyes and I felt her smile against my lips as I pulled away. She opened her eyes and looked at me with a smile. I glanced away, feeling completely embarrassed by my actions. "So is that my answer?" she asks with a smirk. I couldn't bring myself to answer that so I cleared my throat, grunted, and turned around. I walked off ahead without her. I didn't need to look behind me to know she was following me. She came up beside me and looked at my face causing me to stiffen. I relaxed when she stopped looking at me. Then out of nowhere she reached for my hand. I was tempted to pull away, but I knew she would get upset, so I let her. She laced our fingers and we walked hand in hand. "So I guess you've come to like an 'arrogant bitch like me'?" she asked cockily. I know, very surprising... I thought to myself. "Really can tell the world's gone to shit." I retorted. I glanced over at her and saw her roll her eyes. We continued to walk back and every time I glanced at her she had a smile on her face. She really looked beautiful when she smiles.

We made it to the tree line and I came to a stop. I cleared my throat and looked at her. She noticed and pulled her hand from mine, looking slightly upset. "Becca, I-" I started. "It's okay. I understand... You're not the show-affection in public." she said, looking down. I let out a frustrated sigh. I brush my hand against her cheek and she looks up. I bring our lips together and pull apart. "Ya' know you're important to me." I say to her. She nods and gives me a quick peck on the lips and walks out ahead of me. I watch her walk ahead and I come out shortly after. She walks over to the camp where everyone is sitting. "Look what I caught." she says as she holds up the squirrels and rabbits triumphantly. "That's so much." Carl exclaimed as he came over. "Nice job. I'm glad I let you go out." Rick said as he patted her on the shoulder. She smiled and nodded. I noticed Shane staring at her from the back. I walked over and stood next to her. Rick gave me a confused look, but I just looked at Shane. "Well how 'bout we hang 'em up till we skin them." I said to her. She nodded and walked over to the porch and strung the animals across the porch. She headed inside and I went and sat on the porch.

[Rebecca's POV]

I walked into the house and into the kitchen. I sat down and rested my head on the table. His words replayed in my mind.

Ya' know you're important to me...

Important to me...

You are...

I smiled at the thought. Me. Rebecca Evans is important to Daryl Dixon. "What are you smiling about?" said a voice. I jumped and looked up to see Haley. "Nothing." I replied. I could feel my face heat up. "Oh really?" she retorted with a smirk. I looked away. "It's nothing." I said quietly. "Hmmm, is that so? You sure it has nothing to do with a certain redneck?" she asked. I looked over at her as she took a seat across from me. "No. Well... yes... no." I say quieter. "I saw the way he acted out there. I mean, after ignoring you for this long and then suddenly after a trip in the woods you're all buddy buddy." she continues with a smirk. I look up at her and she raises an eyebrow and I look back down. "So are you a thing?" My face heats up and I slightly nod. She squeals and smiles more. "Did you kiss?" she continues to prod. I nod causing her smile to grow bigger. "How about anything else?" I quickly look up at her. "No. No no no no." I quickly say. "Oh well that sucks." she says. I roll my eyes. "You can't tell anyone. He's not the most.... open person." I explain. She lets out a sigh. "That's for sure. He is very stubborn. Should've seen him when he first got her. Slammed me with questions, even threatened me." she said, acting dramatic at the last part. "And did you do anything to provoke him? I know you're not the most 'warm' person." I asked. She looked away and I raised an eyebrow. "I may or may not have had a smart comment for everything he said." she said quietly. "Sounds more like it." I joke. She looks at me and pouts.

[Daryl's POV]

"We all get new search grids today." Rick said as I walked over to him. "If she made as far as the farmhouse Daryl found, then she may have gone farther east than we've been so far." Rick continued. "I want to help." Jimmy interrupted. I pulled on a long sleeve shirt as they talked. "Alright then. Thanks." Rick nodded. "Nothing about what Daryl found screams Sophia." Shane stated. He was really starting to piss me off. On top of what he tried on Becca, he has been trying to make us give up on the search for Sophia since day 1. "Anyone could have been holed up in that farmhouse." he continued. "Anybody includes her right?" Andrea asked. "Whoever slept in that cupboard was no bigger than yay high." I said, holding my hand out to show her size. "Good lead." Andrea agreed. "Maybe we will pick up on her trail again." Rick said as he glanced back down at the map. "No maybe not. I'm gonna borrow a horse." I started as I leaned against the truck. "Head up to this ridge here," I pointed on the map and traced the trail. "Take a bird's eye view of the whole grid. She's up there I will see her." They all nodded. "Good idea. Maybe you will see your Chupacabra too." T-dog jokes. "Chupacabra?" Rick asked. I let out an annoyed sigh. "What, you never heard this?" Dale asked. "Our first night in camp, Daryl tells us that the whole thing reminds him of a time he went squirrel hunting and he saw a chupacabra." Jimmy laughed. "Whatcha brayin' at jackass?" I growled at him. "So you believe in a blood sucking dog?" Rick asked. "Do you believe dead people walking around?" I retorted. Jimmy reached forward and started to grab a shotgun. "Hey hey." Rick said as he grabbed his hand. "Ever fire one before?" Rick asked. "Well, if I'm going out. I want one." he stated. I let out a scoff. Just what we need, some jackass getting hold of a gun and shootin' 'imself. I thought to myself. "Yeah, and people in hell want Slurpees." I retorted as I slung my crossbow on my shoulder. I walked off, tired of their conversation.

*****

I slow the horse to a trot when something in the water catches my eye. I hop off the horse and tie it to a tree as I head down. I kneel down and pick up the thing floating in the water, Sophia's doll. If this is here, maybe she is close by. I thought as I looked around. "Sophia!" I called. I walked around, looking. I climbed back up the drop off and hopped on the horse. The horse went up the hill slowly as I looked around for any tracks. Suddenly birds flew up in front of us, startling the horse a little. "Easy, easy." I said as I patted it. It calmed down and we continued. I looked around as we came through a thinning in the view. All of a sudden the horse started to buck. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" I said in attempt to calm it down. The attempts failed and I was thrown off the horse. I tumbled down the drop off. I tried to grab onto something to stop it, but I couldn't the world spun as I slammed into a rock and slid down the stream. I felt a sharp pain in my side and my head. "Son of a bitch." I growled as I looked down my side. One of my bolts pierced my side. I staggered as I attempted to stand. My hand gripped my side as I staggered through the water to the land. I cut my sleeve off my shirt and ripped the other one off. I tied the sleeves around my side around the arrow. I grunted in pain as I tightened it. I looked up the hill of the drop off, where I fell. I stood up and picked up a branch to use to find my crossbow. My head snapped up when I heard rustling I glanced and waited for something to come out, but nothing did. I fished through the water and finally came across my crossbow. I carefully slung it around my shoulder and attempted to climb the hill. I grunted in pain at the movement of the arrow, still lodged in me. I leaned against the hill breathing heavy, dreading to go up any farther. I looked up and was damned if I was going to give up and be some pussy. I stabbed the stick into the ground and pulled myself up. I grabbed onto a nearby branch and pulled myself up, grunting in pain.

I pulled myself up majority of the way and threw down the stick. Didn't really need it being this close. I let out a couple few breath and looked up. "Come on. You've done half. Stop being such a pussy." I said to myself. I anchored myself and pulled myself up slightly and grabbed a vine. It snapped and I lost my footing. I started sliding back down. i tried to grab a branch, but couldn't reach it. I was sent tumbling back down the hill. I slammed back down against the ground before everything went black.

[Rebecca's POV]

I walked over to Rick who was over by the campfire. "Hey, seen Daryl?" I asked. He looked up from his hands and nodded. "He went out to look for Sophia a while back." he replied. "Shouldn't he be back?" I asked, getting worried. "Nah, you know Daryl. Won't come back unless he finds something." he said reassuring. I let out a sigh and nod. I was fully aware of Daryl's attitude. He was the most stubborn bastard you could find. I walked back over to the porch and sat down. I looked out at the woods. Please, be safe Daryl. I thought to myself.

*****

A/N:

This felt extremely rushed, but okay. Enjoy. Yeah... Okay then...

I had a snow day today, woop woop! 2 hour delay tomorrow... Anyways, I hope you enjoy this. I'm already typing out a new Daryl Dixon fanfic, but I won't be publishing it any time soon.

Night, don't let the walkers bite.