Chapter Text
In the next nine days, Daryl endured paralyzing headaches, nausea, and extreme pain from his unseeing eyes.
Throughout the entire ordeal, he could still make out shadows and light, Hershel and Rick begging him the whole time to keep his hopes up and fight the pain, not to give up on regaining his sight. Not just yet.
They kept the fact that he was possibly beginning to see a secret from the rest of the group, not wanting to get anyone's hopes too high. Things could still go wrong, but Daryl tried to stay positive.
On the tenth day, Daryl's hopes sky-rocketed, only to tumble into utter joy.
It was still early morning when he opened his eyes, only to be blinded by light.
Blinking rapidly, Daryl squinted up at the window above his head.
Through his lashes, he could just make out the sky, deep and blue, full of clouds, fluffy and white, floating along slowly. After a few moments of letting his eyes adjust, he could make out the trees surrounding the cabin, the woods as the sunlight bathed and warmed the frozen earth.
Daryl stumbled to his feet, still blinking and rubbing his eyes.
He could see! He really, truly could see!
"Rick!" he whispered, shaking the other man and smiling broadly when the former lawman finally stirred awake, giving him a perturbed look that only made him grin all the more. "Rick!! I can see you!!"
"Of course you can, Daryl..." Rick mumbled, rolling over and snuggling back down into the blankets. "What else is ne---"
With a sudden jolt, Rick was sitting bolt upright, staring stupidly at the hunter, still grinning at him like a cheshire cat.
"What?!"
"I can see!!!"
Rick quickly shushed him, looking around the room to see if they had woken anyone.
"Let's keep that to ourselves," Rick whispers with a mischievous grin. "Wait 'til everybody's up, then go about your business like you usually would. You know, like before."
"See how long it takes 'em all t' figure it out," Daryl grins in agreement.
And so, the pair keep his returned sight a secret.
The group is up not long after their little exchange and everyone moves about doing their own thing.
Daryl waits patiently until Carol and Lori begin to serve the rest of them breakfast to reveal the big surprise.
Slowly, he gets up, approaching the fireplace and holding his hands out in front of the flames with a yawn, then makes his way over to the two women, taking a bowl of porridge Carol hands him without hesitation.
"Nice mornin', ain't it?" he asks casually, barely able to hide his smirk when neither of them take note of his comment.
"It sure is," Lori says without a thought, attention drifting to Carl as the boy approaches, snatching a bowl from her when she hands it to him.
"Hi Daryl!" Carl says cheerfully, eyes big and full of childish questions as always, and for the first time since meeting the rambunctious kid, Daryl is actually pleased to see those bright, inquisitive eyes.
"Hey, there, squirt!" he grins, ruffling the boy's hair affectionately.
Carl gave him a long, hard look, suspicion clearly etched on his face. "You alright, Daryl?"
"Course I am, boy!" the hunter grins again, sitting down beside Rick on the floor. "Why wouldn't I be?"
Carl shrugs, plopping down beside his father and getting started on his porridge.
"Looks like it's gonna be a nice day," Daryl says, once again trying to sound as natural as possible. "Think I might head out an' take in a little huntin'. See if I can get us some fresh meat since we lost that deer."
"Don't get lost again," Rick chuckles, giving the hunter a sideways glance and a smirk.
"Me? Lost?" Daryl puffed up his chest in mock indignance. "If you would'a marked our trail like a good hunter would, we wouldn't'a got lost in the first place!"
"How're you gonna go huntin', Daryl?" Carl asked suddenly, looking confused. "You can't see."
"I can see as good as you can!" Daryl says matter-of-factly, eyes twinkling.
"What---?" Carl's eyes widened with realization. "MOM!! CAROL!! EVERYBODY!! DARYL CAN SEE AGAIN!!! HE CAN SEE!!!!!"
The entire room exploded with gasps and cries of joy and congratulations, causing Daryl to feel quite embarrassed. He mumbled quiet 'thank you's', and 'no big deal', he'd been through worse, and when breakfast was over, he had his crossbow in hand and was headed for the woods before anyone could stop him.
The morning was cold and crisp, the snow blanketing the earth appearing to be crystal as it shimmered in the sun, glittering and seeming to dance brightly in the warm light.
Daryl felt exhilarated to be in the woods again. Able to see, vision sharp as ever.
It was the greatest feeling in the world to be able to see the beauty nature still held, even in the cold, and Daryl felt blessed.
Extremely and utterly blessed...