Epilogue

Three days later, after Hershel had examined him, Daryl was allowed to leave his bed and to walk around by himself. Of course, he wasn't strong enough to go hunting or to kill walkers outside the fences, but he didn't need to have someone keeping an eye on him anymore. And he was really glad about it. The group was happy as well, because the redneck was very cranky and everyone was being annoyed by Daryl's constant complaints. Only Rick didn't mind going outside for a short walk with him or keeping him company when he was in the cell.

After these three days, Daryl could go back to his own cell to the second floor. His thigh was hurting a little when he had to use the staircase but he didn't care, as long as he could be around his stuff. He would still tire quickly so he had to take a nap in the morning and in the afternoon, but he was spending the rest of the time with the rest of the group. He was anxious to go back in the woods or to make runs, he missed the actions. Rick knew how the hunter was feeling, so he would make sure to keep him busy. He asked him to take care of the weapons, to update their maps with the road blocks and their runs, to help in the garden or to keep an eye on Judith.

About a week later, everyone was very excited. It was Glenn's and Maggie's wedding day. When Daryl learned that they had waited for him to be back before celebrating their engagement, the redneck thought it was stupid. They didn't need him and they didn't even know if he was going to make it. When Glenn tried to explain how important he was for them, Daryl had just grunt and shrug before walking away. The redneck couldn't help it he wasn't at ease when it was time to talk about feelings.

After his discussion with Daryl, Glenn went to talk with Carol and Rick about it. He didn't understand that after all this time spent together since the quarry the redneck could still think like he wasn't really part of their family. That he couldn't see how much he was loved. Carol explained to them without entering in the details because she guessed she was the only one in the confidence, that Daryl wasn't used to belong to a group, a family. He had never really experienced it in his life before this and almost everyone he had cared about in his past had hurt him or abandoned him. So he always thought he deserved to be treated like he was nothing even if everyone of their group was telling him he was wrong.

"We should to something special for him tonight," Glenn proposed.

"Even if it's yours and Maggie's day?" Carol wondered.

"Yea…With everything that happened at Woodbury and with the Governor, we didn't take the time to show how much we appreciate each other in the group. We know with what happened to our world that no one is safe. So we shouldn't wait before telling when we care about someone because it may be our last day. So I think tonight it's a good time to celebrate the fact that we are together and alive!"

"Glenn is right," Rick agreed. "We almost lost Daryl a few weeks ago; he has to know how hard it was for us to think about losing him."

"So, what do you want to do?" Carol asked.

"Maybe everyone who thinks Daryl is important for the group could say a word about what he did for them."

"Yea, it's a good idea…"

"Well, he won't listen. He will feel uncomfortable and run away…"

"I'll cuff him to a chair," Rick proposed, laughing.

At the end of the afternoon, everyone gathered in the yard looking at their best. It hadn't been easy, but Tyreese, Glenn, Michonne and Karen had proposed to make a few runs to gather clothes more appropriate for the wedding. It was nothing really fancy, but at least, it was different of what they were wearing every day. Even Daryl had accepted to make an effort; he was wearing new grey cargo pants and a dark blue shirt that Carol had forbidden him to cut the sleeves.

Hershel acted as the celebrant and planned a ceremony not too long because he knew it would be a bit cold outside. When he was done and his daughter kissed her new husband, the group moved inside. The kids with the help of a few women had decorated the common room and lined a few tables together so they could all eat together. Daryl had gone hunting the day before with Rick and Michonne and had brought back two wild turkeys and a few hares. With the latest veggies coming from the garden and the fruits and nuts they had found in the woods, they managed to prepare a real feast. During one of their runs, Tyreese had found beers and wine and had kept them hidden until they began to eat. The adults were very glad about it and thanked the black man many times during the evening.

A moment at the end of the dinner, after Hershel had made a toast for Maggie and Glenn, Rick made sure everyone had something to drink again and stood up on his chair. He asked a moment of silence and when he had the attention of everyone in the group, he turned to face Daryl who sat between Carol and Michonne.

"I would like to propose a toast to someone who's really special for all of us," Rick said, raising his glass. "He always has my back and he's like a brother to me. He took care of my daughter when I couldn't…"

"He's always ready to go hunting out there to keep us fed, even if he knows it's really dangerous," Karen added.

Before Karen had finished her sentence, Daryl realized they were talking about him. Immediately, the hunter began to blush and feel uneasy. He lowered his head too shy to look at the people around him. When Carol noted that he was uncomfortable, she wrapped an arm around his shoulders. First, he tensed at her touch, but calmed down when he realized it was only her.

"He taught me how to track and hunt animals," Carl said, proudly.

"After what happened at Woodbury, he brought us here and agreed to give us a new home," a woman from Woodbury explained, smiling to Daryl.

"It wasn't only me," the redneck protested in a whisper to Michonne. "You and Rick were there too…"

"He's the person you want to team up with when you're going for a run," Michonne said, standing up and making a funny face to Daryl. "With him, you are sure to stay in one piece!"

The redneck looked at her, shook his head in denial and buried his head in his hands. He just wanted to disappear.

"He's taking care of us, making sure we're safe," Beth said. "And he's good with Lil Asskicker…"

"He saved my life several times," Glenn said.

They kept going like that and Daryl couldn't take it anymore. He was going to stand up and leave when he glanced at Carol who gave him a warning look. He sat back, sulking. It was not that he didn't like what the group were saying about him, it was just that he didn't know what to do, didn't know how to behave when someone was complimenting him.

After a few other people had shared their appreciation toward the redneck, Carol stood up.

"A few months ago, I lost my daughter," she began, the emotion obvious in her shaking voice. She wasn't used to talk about Sophia anymore; it was too painful. "When she disappeared, Daryl was out almost each day looking for her even if we didn't have any evidence that she was still alive. He never gave up, even after he almost died."

Daryl raised his head and looked at her; it was still painful for him to think about Sophia as well. He had hoped so much to bring the little girl to her mother and when he saw her turned into a walker, getting out of the barn, he thought he had failed both of them, Sophia and Carol. He had never been able to forgive himself.

"Since then, he saved my life more than once and he became my guardian angel, my best friend," Carol said, a tear running down her cheek. "I can't imagine our life without him, my life without him…Thank you for everything Daryl," she added, before hugging him. She wanted to say more to him, but she knew he wasn't ready for that, yet.

"To Daryl, hoping he'll stay around as long as possible even if sometimes he thinks we're taking too much space!" Rick said smiling to the redneck whose face meant the former sheriff would have to pay for this.

"To Daryl!"

Later that night, when everyone headed to their cell to get some sleep, Daryl went to the guard tower to replace Tyreese who was on watch. After the two men shared a few words the black man left and the redneck leaned against the wall and looked at the herds of walkers crowding the field the other side of the fences. He thought about was the group had said about him earlier in the evening. He had never imagined that what he was doing could mean that much to them. In his mind, he was just doing what had to be done without thinking twice. And apparently, the others appreciated it. He was glad he could make them happy and make them feel safe. He was smiling remembering certain comments when he heard footsteps climbing up the stairs. By the sound of them, he knew it was Rick.

"Hey," he said when the other man reached the staircase.

"Hey, Daryl…How are you doing?"

"Good…Except that you have to pay for what you did during dinner," the redneck reminded, playfully.

"I wasn't the only one who planned that and we thought you needed to hear what everyone was thinking about you. Don't tell me it didn't feel good…"

"Well…I just wished that I could have disappeared…" Daryl confessed, lowering his head.

"Oh, man, please…"

"You know I'm not good with that shit…You should have warned me."

"Yea, so you could have sneaked out of the room without being seen before we started," Rick teased. "No way !"

The redneck glanced at the other man with a thin smile on his lips. Rick knew him so well. For a while, they both stayed side by side, in silence, looking at the yard.

"It feels good to know that the Governor isn't around anymore," Rick said. "I thought this moment would never happen; feeling safe again like that."

"Yea…But we're not allowed to think we are safe now, because we're not and we'll never be," Daryl supposed, sighing. "We don't know what's going to happen tomorrow and who will cross our path. I met a lot of crazy people in my life and I know that there's more than only one governor out there."

"You're right. We just need to be ready…"

"And stay together…As a family."

"Yea…And whatever will happen, I'm sure we'll work something out, like we always did."

"Because it's what we do, right?"

"Yep, it's what we do!"

The End

Please, leave me a last comment to tell me if you liked the story...And thank you for reading it. Don't miss my other Walking Dead fanfic "Bait and Hook".