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The events that happened between Negan, Abraham, and Glenn had impacted the group greatly, riddling their minds with nightmares about the situation every night. It was as if they were living the occurrence over and over again. Like a very shitty version of Groundhog Day. It impacted Daryl greatly, though.
Guilt just flooded over his entire body as he watched Glenn become a victim to Lucille. That was all he thought about as he was being dragged away to the Sanctuary by the Saviors and as he sat in confinement, naked and waiting for his next meal. Even when he started pulling his weight around the place and they had given him clothes in order for him to look semi decent in front of the members of the group.
Daryl worked when needed, but he never submitted to Negan. Never followed under his wing. The first time he even talked without being asked something initially was when Carl hid away in a truck and was at the Sanctuary. That was the first time he got defensive in front of Negan since the lineup. And it was then that Daryl decided that he was determined to get out. Whatever way he could. He had to protect his family. Had to protect his group. But, at that point, he had no idea how.
He was thankful when the door was unlocked and then he was able to escape. He was thankful when Jesus came. He was thankful when he found the clothes. He was thankful when he found the peanut butter. He was thankful when he found his bike. And he was even more thankful when he was able to beat Fat Joey’s head in. He didn't regret it for a single second.
Daryl and Jesus went back to the hilltop. It was then that Daryl reunited with Maggie, Sasha, and Enid. Daryl didn't apologize to Maggie. He knew that she would cry. He knew that he would too. It was too much that he figured the both of them would be able to handle.
After that, Daryl and Rick met once again, they hugged, sharing in a loving embrace. That was the first time since the execution of Abraham and Glenn that he felt like he was actually gonna cry. Like he wanted to hold onto his brother and sob into his chest until the tears would cease to flow. It felt like they never would.
Then came the Kingdom, the place where he was told to stay. The place Rick figured he would be the safest. The place that he found the one person that he originally set out to find: Carol. She was the reason he left the safety of the gates of Alexandria. She was the reason he got shot by Dwight. She was the reason for all of it and he didn't blame her one bit. Never had he blamed her. All he did was care about her.
The first time the door opened and the first time he saw her face in so long, he felt his eyes become red. He felt his heart clench with joy and sadness all at once. He slowly reached forward and wrapped his arms around her. She was still, too shocked to do anything. After a while, she wrapped her arms around him, tightly, lovingly.
They sat inside after that. Down at the dining table, right across from one another. They stared at one another, barely talked. It was just the mere sight of one another that made it all seem complete. Like they never actually separated. Like they always held each other's hands through the horrible times. Through the gunshot. Through the line up. Through Lucille. Through the blood. Through the violence. Through the hate. Through the Sanctuary. Through it all.
At one moment, he moved closer to her. He knelt down on the floor and leaned against her, hugging her stomach tightly, putting his face into her lap. She tensed again, but relaxed sooner than last time. Carol couldn't help the small smile that twisted the corners of her mouth. She placed her hand into his longer looking hair and began to run her fingers through it rhythmically. Daryl felt the tears trail down his face, but he didn't make a sound. He did not sob. He did not sniffle. He just sat there silently and he cried.
Carol leaned her head back against the seat she was in. She, too, made no sound. She didn't hum. She didn't speak. She didn't shift. She just sat there, running her fingers through Daryl’s hair and treated the moment like it was something they did every day and something that they never stopped doing.