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Safe Haven in the Chaos	By : IdrilsSecret Category: S through Z > The Walking Dead Views: 6517 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the walking dead or any of the characters. No money is being made from the writing of these stories

Chapter List
- 21
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- 23
Chapter 22 Never Give Up

Daryl was home working on his bike. His garage wasn’t as nice as Aaron’s, and it was hardly big enough, but it would do. The bike and what tools he had fit. There wasn’t much room for all those spare parts that Aaron had collected on his many outings so he had to leave them behind. Most of them weren’t the right fit for the Honda Nighthawk, but some of them worked, and Daryl made sure to take those with him.
Since everything that happened with Aaron and Eric moving back in together, and Aaron’s amnesia, Daryl decided to keep his distance, especially after their last confrontation. Aaron seemed happier with Eric, and maybe that’s the way it should have always been. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t miss Aaron, but as long as his memories weren’t there, they could at least remain friends, he’d tell himself. But he was only fooling himself to think that was enough. The truth was, Daryl was empty inside, maybe more than ever before. Aaron had filled that void in his chest, the one put there by his father and his brother, by Jake. They had put the darkness inside him, but it was Aaron who shined a light so bright it couldn’t be ignored. Maybe Carol was right when she said he gave up too easily, but a part of him felt at fault for what happened. He didn’t know whether he deserved Aaron’s heart, especially since he had been such a prick about giving it up. Perhaps that’s why Aaron’s memory failed him when it came to what they had. With his mind broken, it gave his heart the chance to close Daryl out.
“I gotta get the fuck out of here,” Daryl said to himself as he made the final adjustments to his bike.
“Where you going?” Aaron said, making Daryl whip around and reach for the knife he kept on his belt.
“Jesus, you scared the shit out of me,” Daryl complained, heart pounding out of his chest.
“Sorry. I saw your door was open, and I just wanted to–”
“What do you want?” Daryl demanded, returning to his aloofness rather easily.
Aaron came into the garage and picked up a wrench, mindlessly playing with it in his hands. “I thought you needed to know something before I went to Deanna. I thought it was only fair to our friendship.”
Daryl reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He had a feeling he’d need to spend one of his precious smokes for whatever Aaron was about to say to him. He struck a match and lit the end until it was glowing red.
Aaron watched him closely, a new serge of memories trying to burst through the protective bubble. “I thought you left those behind in the car.”
Daryl inhaled deep, plucked the cigarette from his lips and blew smoke out with a steady stream. “How come you can remember small details like that, but you can’t remember–” Daryl stopped himself before he went any further. It didn’t matter anymore.
“I don’t have any control over it. I see something, hear a sound or smell a familiar scent, and suddenly a piece falls into place. It’s kind of like putting together a jigsaw puzzle from the middle to the edges,” Aaron explained.
“So, what do you want to tell me?” Daryl asked, getting back on subject.
“Oh, um, well, it’s about our partnership … our recruiting partnership,” he said to make sure Daryl understood. “I’ve, uh, I’ve decided that maybe we shouldn’t work together anymore. I’m quitting.”
“Oh?” Daryl questioned, taking another drag on his smoke, and trying to act like it was no big deal.
“Yeah, I just don’t want it to become awkward between us.”
“Huh,” Daryl huffed. “Awkward how?”
“I-I’m not really sure, but I can’t help feeling as if something happened that maybe shouldn’t have. I’m still working on the memory, but one thing I do remember is kissing you in that car. Maybe it was one of those ‘it may be the last thing I do before I die’ moments or maybe it was–”
“What do you think it was?” Daryl interrupted.
“I don’t know. I have nothing to base it on. I have no concept of the time that existed before or after that moment. I just know that something transpired while we were trapped in the car.”
“Maybe that’s what you need to focus in on,” Daryl suggested. The cigarette was almost gone. He took one more drag and snuffed it out in an ashtray sitting on his workbench.
“So what are you saying?” Aaron asked. “Was there something more going on that I can’t remember?”
Daryl had his back to Aaron, and picked up a screwdriver from the workbench. He walked back to the bike and crouched down. He started to do something, but stopped and hung his head. “Look, man, I could tell you everything I know … about us, about you and Eric, but it doesn’t mean a damn thing if you can’t recall anything. Like you said, you feel like you’re looking through someone else’s eyes. It’s never going to be real to you unless it comes from your memories.” Daryl stood and finally looked at Aaron. “I wish more than anything you could remember me.”
“I do remember you. You’re Daryl. You came in with Rick’s group. You like to keep to yourself. You distance yourself from just about everyone, including me, apparently.”
“I didn’t always distance myself … not from you,” Daryl said.
“Daryl, what happened?” Aaron pleaded. “Did we have an affair? Were we sleeping together behind Eric’s back?”
That little prick, Daryl thought. He knew it. He had a feeling that’s what Eric was up to. Daryl could feel the heat rising up from the collar of his shirt. Right now he wanted to storm out, go find Eric and beat the crap out of him, but that wouldn’t do anything to help Aaron remember what actually went on between them. Instead, he took a deep breath, deciding how much to say. “You want to know what happened between us? Fine. I’ll tell you exactly what happened. You brought me and my group in. You became my friend. You helped me see my way through my past. You showed me how to exercise my demons, how to keep the good memories and control the bad. The truth is, you did a lot for me, and what you asked for in return, I couldn’t give to you until it was too late. Now, you don’t remember, so it’s like it never happened. But at least I can tell you this much.” Daryl stood before Aaron and clapped a hand to his shoulder. “What you did for me changed me for the better, and without you, I’d still be miserable.” He released Aaron’s shoulder and backed away. “So if you want to believe that what happened between us was just some frivolous affair, I can’t stop you. I know what happened, and that’s all that matters. Now, here’s the real kicker. Of all the people in this town, it’s Eric that you remember the most. It was Eric you called out for when you woke up from your coma, not me. The way I see it, it doesn’t matter what you think might have happened between us before the attack. It’s what you recall now that’s made its way through the fog. So that must count for something, right?” Daryl turned back to his bike, jumped on and grabbed the handlebars. “Thanks for telling me before you went to Deanna.”
“That’s it? You’re not going to explain it? You’re not going to address it? You just agree with me that–”
“What the fuck do you want from me, Aaron? You don’t want to work together anymore. Fine. I’m not going to argue because there’s no point. Obviously, you think certain things happened between us that makes you feel awkward now, so who am I to disagree with someone whose memory has been wiped clean. This is how you feel, so let’s do this.” Daryl picked up a screwdriver and waved it in the air as though it was a magic wand. “I release you from any further obligations, claims, or awkwardness. Nothing happened, Eric is your lover, and I’m just the guy you saved from the terrible horrible world outside.” Daryl finished his act and slammed the screwdriver down on the workbench. “Now leave. I gotta meet Caleb.”
Aaron stared at Daryl, wanting to say something but not knowing what. Something was trapped within him, something he couldn’t recall, but that he felt was important. He just came here to tell Daryl he didn’t want to partner with him anymore. So why did he feel so bad?
“Dar–” Aaron started to say in apology, but Daryl started up the bike, the intimidating machine roaring to life. Daryl walked it outside and down the driveway. He picked up his feet, anchoring them to the bike, and turned out onto the street. He never even looked back at Aaron, didn’t say goodbye or see you later. He just rode away, like all the things Aaron couldn’t remember … another memory vanished that he might never get back.
>>------->
Daryl rode over to Rick’s house where Caleb was waiting for him. He was taking the boy out to hunt and practice shooting. Caleb was standing on the porch waiting with his bow. As soon as he saw Daryl, he ran out to the sidewalk. Daryl stopped, Caleb jumped on, and they headed out. They arrived at their usual spot, parked and made their way into the woods.
“You’re quiet today,” Caleb said.
“Yeah, well, we’re supposed to be hunting not talking,” Daryl snapped back. He kept walking and Caleb followed behind.
“You know what today is?” Caleb asked, ignoring Daryl’s sour mood.
“Another day we’re alive?” Daryl guessed.
“It’s Halloween. Well, it would have been if the world wasn’t ruined,” Caleb said sadly.
“Every day is Halloween now,” Daryl mumbled.
Caleb ignored the comment and continued. “Carl said there’s going to be a party tonight in one of the empty houses. Him and Enid, and a few of the other kids in town are going to be there,” Caleb told him.
“You sure you should be telling me this?” Daryl asked.
“Naw, man, you’re cool. I know you won’t rat us out. Besides, we’re just hanging out, listening to music. Michonne got Carl a shit load of comic books. He’s bringing them too.”
Daryl stopped and turned quickly, making Caleb almost run into him. “Again, why are you telling me this?” He knew Caleb was up to something.
Caleb slumped his shoulders. He knew Daryl would be suspicious, but his friends made him do it. “Dude, it’s Halloween, and life around here has been pretty shitty. We just want to have some fun for a change.”
“What do you want?” Daryl demanded.
“We, uh, we were just wondering if maybe you could … uh … score us some hooch.”
Daryl stared at Caleb with narrowed eyes, as though he was waiting for the punchline. Then, he huffed and turned back towards the trail. “No,” he said tersely.
“Just like that? No?” Caleb said, tagging along behind.
“That’s right. No.”
“Come on, Daryl. Man, you were a kid once. You partied in your youth. We’re not asking for a lot, just enough for a couple shots each. That’s it.”
Daryl stopped and faced him again. “Oh, is that all? Well, maybe I could swing that. Oh, wait a minute. Uh … No.” He took off again, following a trail of deer tracks.
“I thought you were fun. I thought you’d get it,” Caleb complained.
“Well, I guess I’m not fun, but I sure as hell get it. You think I’m gonna set you kids up with moonshine, and risk their parents finding out? Give Deanna one more reason to kick my ass out, that’s what I’m risking. And what do you think Rick would do if he knew Carl got drunk, and I was the one who supplied the liquor? No fucking thank you. So you and your little friends are going to have to just find another way to entertain yourselves.”
“Alright, alright,” Caleb said, throwing his hands in the air. “Geez, you don’t have to be a complaining douche about it.”
“More hunting, less jaw flapping,” Daryl reminded him.
They went along through the woods, and Caleb had bagged two squirrels so far. Daryl got a rabbit, but he was still trying to follow the trail left by a deer. He might have looked like he was seriously hunting, but his mind was elsewhere, and his heart was still nailed to the workbench in his garage. So it was really over between him and Aaron. Should he be surprised after the way he seemed to string him along, never giving himself completely over? Why would Aaron remember him? Eric was the one who never hesitated to express his feelings for Aaron, and that’s who came to his mind first. Now, he didn’t even want to work together anymore. Daryl knew Eric had everything to do with that. It was the perfect opportunity. It was too easy to fill Aaron’s head with all kinds of things. He obviously led Aaron to believe that there had been an affair. He probably made Aaron feel guilty about it, and then he played the pity card, and pretended to take Aaron back, especially since he couldn’t remember anything. Eric would make it look like Daryl was the bad guy in all of this, seducing poor unsuspecting Aaron, and jeopardizing their pretend relationship. Daryl started to think of ways to get rid of Eric. It wouldn’t be difficult to fake an accidental death. The little piss ant was so sure of himself now. Still, there was the fact that Aaron believed anything Eric told him. Bring any kind of harm to Eric right now, and it would throw Daryl in a bad light. Daryl wouldn’t play into Eric’s games, but time was his friend, and eventually Eric would get his.
“Is everything ok, Daryl?” Caleb asked some time later. “Are you still pissed about the hooch?”
They’d been tracking for a couple hours. It was time for a break anyways, Daryl justified to himself. He found a log and sat down, gesturing for Caleb to sit too. “I’m not pissed about the hooch.”
“Really?” Caleb said hopefully.
“I’m still not getting you any either. Besides, my guy’s well has run dry with all the shit that’s gone down with Alison’s group and Rick.”
“What’s going to happen to her?” Caleb asked.
Daryl shrugged. “I don’t know. If it was up to me, I’d send her ass out here. I doubt she’d make it a day.”
“You don’t agree with Morgan?” Caleb said carefully.
“What does Morgan say?” Daryl wondered.
“He says we should all come to an agreement to live peacefully with each other.”
Daryl laughed cynically. “That’s never going to happen. No one lives in peace anymore. That bitch, Alison, wants to kick me out for being a queer. She wants Rick out because he’s had to kill people.”
“And Rick wants her out because she doesn’t agree with his rules,” Caleb said. “The way I see it, everyone wants everything their own way, and no one is willing to compromise.”
“So what are you saying? You think Alison’s way is right?” Daryl said in an accusatory tone.
“No, but she’s not completely wrong. If we’re going to make Alexandria work, it has to be more than just a safe place to be. She’s right that it needs to be a new way to live and to grow. She’s wrong that it should only be for select people like some kind of country club,” Caleb explained. “Rick, on the other hand, he’s right that we need to be prepared for anything to happen. We need to be ready and able to protect Alexandria, but we don’t want it to be like the Wild West either. He can’t just shoot someone or throw him or her out whenever they don’t agree with him. That’s not productive. You know, you and Aaron have the most important job of anyone in this place. You are bringing survivors here, giving them a chance that they may otherwise not have out there.”
“Yeah, well, that’s not going to happen anymore.” Daryl picked up a stick and pushed leaves around. “I saw Aaron this morning. He quit.”
“What? But you guys work so great together. Why would he do that?” Caleb said with disappointment and shock.
“He doesn’t remember, plain and simple.”
“Shit, man, I’m sorry to hear it,” Caleb said with genuine affection.
“Yeah, me too. Aaron’s, uh, he’s made a different choice, and I’m not part of it.”
“He went back to Eric?”
Daryl nodded. “Actually, he thinks they’ve been together all along, and what he does remember about us, he thinks was just a fling, a mistake.”
“But that’s bullshit,” Caleb said with anger. “It’s Eric, isn’t it? He’s letting him believe that. Fucker, I knew I didn’t like him, but I never thought he’d have the balls to–”
“I don’t want to talk about it. It’s over and done with. Besides, there’s more important things to worry about right now.”
“Yeah, I know, but … this is you and Aaron. You’re not just going to sit back and throw in the towel, are you?”
“What the fuck else am I supposed to do? Eric wins. Game fucking over. The redneck gets blamed again. Meanwhile, Rick is gearing for war, Alison is building her own army, no one is working together, and there’s a new threat out here somewhere. I ain’t got time for no relationship drama bullshit.”
Caleb remained quiet for a while to let Daryl cool down, but he wasn’t finished with his opinion. Caleb had been there from the beginning of Daryl and Aaron’s relationship. Even though they were careful and didn’t speak about it in front of the boy, Caleb felt the chemistry between them as it was developing. Caleb had been in the middle of it all, when Daryl and Aaron found him and saved him from those wicked men. It had been Daryl and Aaron who took him back to see his mother one last time, and who had brought him into Alexandria and saw to it that he got help and a home. And throughout it all, Caleb had witnessed them grow closer, gain each other’s trust and respect, and become more than just friends.
“You can’t just give up, Daryl. If there’s one thing you taught me that’s stuck with me and has been my guiding words, it’s that you never give up.”
Daryl, feeling defeated by Caleb’s insistency, now hung his head, and let the stick slip from his fingers. “I don’t know what to do. I really don’t. Aaron thinks we had an affair. Eric’s making him think this is their second chance. It’s obvious he’s convinced Aaron to quit being a recruiter. I feel like anything I say to Aaron, he’ll see as a lie and a way to manipulate him. I could tell him the truth about us, but he’s not going to listen. Eric’s got his claws in him. There’s nothing else I can do unless Aaron’s memory reboots.”
“Then that’s what you need to do. You got to find that one important life changing moment, something you both shared, and shove it right in his face without making it seem like you’re doing it. You know, like one of those ‘been here before’ things. You just play dumb and say, ‘wow, that’s weird’, or whatever. You know what I mean? Force the memories back without actually telling him. You have to show him and let his mind figure it out.”
Daryl was starting to feel refreshed about his situation. “You know, that not half bad, for a punk kid,” Daryl said, ruffling Caleb’s hair.
“Hey, it’s the least I can do. After all, it was you and Aaron that found me and brought me to Alexandria. If it wasn’t for you two, I don’t know what would have happened to me out there.” Caleb paused to shove leaves with the toe of his sneaker. “You know what else? It’s not just me who feels this way. You may not know it, but you’ve got more people on your side than you think. Unfortunately, with everything else going on, no one has had time to tell you.”
Daryl let Caleb’s words sink in. Out of all the people, leave it to a kid to see things for how they really should be. He bumped his shoulder against Caleb’s. “Thanks.”
Caleb shrugged his shoulders. “It’s just the way I see it. Doesn’t mean a whole hell of a lot.”
“It means a lot more than you know, kid,” Daryl said with a rare smile.
“Cool,” Caleb said, satisfied that he could help. “So, now that I’ve helped in some small way, perhaps you might change your mind about scoring some hooch for the party?” he asked carefully.
“Still no. Sorry. Now come on. We got more hunting to do,” Daryl said to him. They stood from the log, brushed the dirt from their pants and went on their way. An idea started to form in Daryl’s head. It was time to get back on track, and stop mourning the loss of Aaron to Eric. He was going to stop moping around, and reclaim what was his. He’d seen the look in Aaron’s eyes when he remembered the kiss in the car. It was there, everything that they’d ever meant to each other, but it was locked away. Daryl just needed to figure out how to break down that barrier. But first and foremost, Caleb shed some interesting light on the situation with the townspeople versus Rick. Daryl wanted to talk to someone about Caleb’s thoughts on Alexandria. It wasn’t too late to find mutual ground. Something could be done, but it needed to happen soon. For now, lines were drawn and everyone was on their good behavior, but the tension building between the two sides would eventually stretch too thin and pop. And once that happened, things would get real ugly, real fast.
“Hey, Daryl. Look at this,” Caleb said, interrupting Daryl’s thoughts.
Daryl looked back and found Caleb looking at a tree. There was a W carved into it. “Shit,” he said quietly.
“Is that the same as the walkers you talked about, the ones with the W on their heads?” Caleb asked.
“Looks like it. Whoever it is, it’s like they’re marking their territory like a dog,” Daryl said.
“Or a wolf,” Caleb mentioned.
The word struck Daryl so suddenly, he forgot to take his next breath. “I’ve seen that.”
“Seen what?”
“Wolf. I’ve seen that word somewhere. It was painted on a wall of some burnt out community we passed by,” Daryl said, putting the pieces together. He still didn’t understand what was going on. “It said, Wolves not far. I didn’t thinking much of it. It was just some graffiti painted on a wall. Now I’m wondering if it’s connected with the marked walkers.”
“I don’t want to stay around and find out,” Caleb said nervously looking around.
“Better not. Let’s get back.” Daryl led the way out of the forest and back to the bike. They hopped on and rode straight back to town without stopping.
>>------->
When Daryl got back, he went to Michonne instead of Rick about the carving on the tree. He wasn’t sure about Rick anymore. He had changed lately. The whole thing about running the town was beginning to run Rick. He was preoccupied with the safety of Alexandria and keeping Alison at a distance. He wasn’t seeing beyond the walls lately, and there was definitely something brewing out there, creeping closer like a fog slowly rolling across the land. Michonne said she would see what she could do, and start by increasing the number of guards in the watchtower to keep a look out for any signs of invaders. But without a direct threat, there wasn’t much else to do for now. Staying alert was about it.
The next thing on his agenda was to try to see what he could do about Aaron. He needed to find a way to get him alone without Eric around, spend some time with him, maybe get him to remember something that they shared. Daryl hadn’t seen much of Aaron lately. Eric was doing a thorough job of monitoring him. The little shit was up to something, but Daryl didn’t know what. He decided to enlist Carol to help him. She was glad to do it. She wanted to see Aaron back with Daryl as much as Daryl wanted it. He went to her place, and together they tried to think up a plan.
“What about a dinner party. We invite them. I keep Eric occupied and you get Aaron to yourself,” she suggested as she rummaged through the fridge.
“For one, no one is doing parties anymore, not since all that shit went down.” Daryl was not impressed. He went into the living room and sat on the couch.
“You said he likes to play cards. I could ask him to sub at one of the older ladies’ bridge groups.”
Daryl shook his head. “It needs to be more of a distraction.”
Carol rolled her eyes as she closed the fridge door, emerging from the kitchen with two beers. “How ‘bout I just stick a fucking gun to his head and shove him in a damn closet.” She shoved one of the beers at him.
“Well, shit! I don’t fucking know,” he complained loudly. “I ain’t never had to do anything like this before.”
“You want to know what I think?” She took a swig of her beer and sat next to him. “I say you just march right on over there, knock on their door, and demand to see Aaron. Then you whisk him away after you threaten to punch Eric’s head into his neck if he tries to follow you, and you and Aaron spend some time together reminiscing. Hopefully, something will strike a chord and he’ll start to remember.”
Daryl stared at Carol a moment, not sure what to think. She could still surprise him sometimes. “Punch his head into his neck?” he repeated.
Carol’s mouth flapped like a fish gasping to breath. Then, realizing how straight forward she could be, she laughed, and Daryl joined in. “I don’t know what you want me to tell you,” she said when she caught her breath. They calmed and both leaned back into the couch. “I know you miss him.”
“It’s more than that. Yeah, I miss him, but … shit, sometimes I wish we’d had a fight and split up. It would be easier to deal with than to have him look at me like a stranger or an acquaintance. I don’t understand. He used to see me and his whole face would light up. Now he sees me and it’s, ‘here comes that Daryl guy again’. How can he not remember?”
Carol laid her head on his shoulder and snuggled into him. “He’s in there somewhere. He’s just trapped. Aaron loves you and you know that. What you need to do is find his trigger. There’s something that the two of you shared that has a significance to it, something that will make his mind blow open and allow all those memories to come pouring back to the surface. It could be a word or a gesture. It could be an object, a touch, a smell, but whatever it is, that’s the key and you hold it.”
“I just don’t know what that key is,” Daryl said discouragingly.
“First thing you need to do is stop making yourself scarce. He’s never going to remember if he never sees you. So if you see him, go to him, make casual talk, throw in something that only you and he would know. Get him thinking. That’s what you need to do.” Carol lifted her head and kissed his cheek. “I’ll do anything you need me to do to help you out.”
“Thanks, Carol,” he said, as he looked bashful. Of all the people around him, besides Aaron, Carol knew him best. She was his constant support, and there were times when he thought he could never make it without her.
Daryl went home and laid in bed, trying to think of certain things that might jog Aaron’s memory, but it was difficult. It had to be something important, something only they shared. A word, a saying, a smell, a look, a touch, the list went on and on, but he couldn’t pinpoint anything trigger worthy. There was one thing, but it wouldn’t be easy, and he couldn’t bring it to Aaron. He had to bring Aaron to it. That would be a tough thing to carry out, especially now that Aaron made it clear he didn’t want to go out on any more runs. So, how could he pull this off without Eric getting in the way? He gave a second thought to Carol’s offer to shove him in a closet, and laughed. If worse came to worse, he might resort to that, but he’d have to try things his way first. It might take a little help from someone besides Carol, and he knew just the person.
>>------->
“Are you sure this is going to work?” Glenn asked. It was a few days later, and Daryl had come up with a plan.
“It has to. It’s the only way I can get Aaron to go with me,” Daryl assured him.
“Alright. So, where do you want to do this?” Glenn wondered.
“I know he goes to meet Eric at the pantry everyday around eleven, and then they have lunch by the lake. Luckily, the shortcut to and from the construction site goes right by there.” Daryl had been watching Eric and Aaron to see what their daily routine was.
“Did we have to fake an injury? What if they want to see my foot?” Glenn said nervously.
“That’s why we stuck a nail in your shoe. If they want proof, we show them the sole.” Daryl looked down at Glenn’s sneakers. “Is it ok? It’s not actually hurting your foot is it?”
“No, it doesn’t go all the way through.” They walked a few more steps closer to the bushes where they decided to wait until they saw Eric and Aaron. Glenn still seemed unsure. “What happens if I get to the infirmary, and Eric waits around to see the injury?”
“I got you covered. Carol will be there. If Eric causes any kind of trouble, she’ll get him out of there. You might have to limp around for a couple days.”
Glenn rolled his eyes. “Well, I hope for your sake they buy this routine. You know I don’t do well in these situations.”
“You’ll do just fine. Stick to the script and everything will work out,” Daryl assured him. He watched from his hiding spot and saw Aaron and Eric just making their way to the lake. “Look. There they are. You ready?”
“As I’ll ever be,” Glenn said reluctantly.
They made their way towards Aaron and Eric behind bushes and trees until they were closer. When they came into view, they started the show. Glenn threw his arm around Daryl’s shoulders, and Daryl played the role of Glenn’s crutch. Glenn started moaning as though in pain, limping and favoring his right foot. Daryl quietly coaxed him to keep moving.
“Ah shit, it fucking hurts,” Glenn complained.
“I know, man, but it’s not much further to the infirmary,” Daryl told him.
Eric and Aaron heard the commotion and looked up. Instantly, Aaron’s brows furrowed with concern, and he left Eric to see if he could help. Without a thought, he took Glenn’s other side to help him walk. “Oh my God, what happened?”
“I was at the construction site talking to Abraham, and as I was leaving, I stepped on a fucking nail,” Glenn said.
Now Eric was there, and he looked down at Glenn’s foot. “That can be dangerous. How bad is it?”
“It’s gone into his foot,” Daryl said. “I got to get him to Denise so she can have a look.”
“Yeah,” Glenn continued. “What sucks is that me and Daryl were about to make a run for some construction supplies. Abe and his team are in need of basics, screws, nails, hammers, and any electric tools we can find.”
Daryl took over the story. “They’re in the middle of an expansion and that area is vulnerable to a breech. Me and Glenn said we would run out and see what we could find, bring it back ASAP so they could at least get the last couple panels up in the wall.”
“The wall is vulnerable?” Eric asked looking uneasy by that information.
“They’re going to keep guards on it until it’s fixed, but yeah, it isn’t going to be very secure until we get back with supplies,” Glenn told him. He shook his head and looked at Daryl. “Now that my foot is hurt, we’re going to have to hold off until I can get a replacement, and it’s not easy to find someone on such short notice.”
“I’ll go,” Aaron volunteered out of nowhere.
Immediately, Eric was shaking his head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why not? I used to do runs all the time,” Aaron said to convince him.
“W-Well, you’re still recovering. You don’t have all your strength back yet,” Eric said to make an argument.
“I haven’t done much of anything lately,” Aaron countered. “I don’t feel like I’m carrying my weight around here.”
“For once I agree with Eric,” Daryl said, speaking up. “I’m not sure you’re ready yet. Remember shooting practice? You were way off your mark.”
“I’ve gotten better,” Aaron argued. “I’ve been practicing.”
Daryl was a little thrown off. He hadn’t known. “You have?”
“Yeah, I … uh … I’ve been getting a little help from Sasha,” Aaron said.
“Really. She didn’t say anything,” Daryl hinted.
“I asked her not to.”
“And obviously she keeps her word because I didn’t know anything about this either,” Eric scolded.
“I knew you’d try to talk me out of it. I just want to be useful again,” Aaron told them.
“Listen, I’d love to stand around and argue, but I’ve got a fucking nail in my foot, so if you don’t mind,” Glenn chimed in. He was doing a good job of faking an injury so far.
“Eric, come here,” Aaron demanded, and Eric listened. Aaron lifted Glenn’s arm from his shoulders, and put it on Eric’s. “Help get him to Denise. I’m going with Daryl.”
“What? No!” Eric said in a panic.
“I’m not asking for your help,” Daryl told him.
“I know you’re not, but you said that without these supplies, Alexandria is vulnerable. I want to make sure that’s not the case.”
“Aaron,” Eric pleaded.
“Foot’s really killing me here,” Glenn said to speed things along.
Aaron kissed Eric’s forehead and smiled. “I’ll be fine. It’s only for a day or two, right?” he said turning to Daryl.
“Depends on how far we gotta go to find supplies. Could be a few more days than that.”
Aaron nodded. “Whatever it takes, but the longer we stand here and argue, the longer the town is vulnerable. Eric, go ahead and get Glenn to the infirmary. Daryl and I are heading out.”
“I really wish you wouldn’t,” Eric pleaded again.
“I know you want to protect me, but I’m ready. I need to get back out there,” Aaron said.
Eric put his hand on Aaron’s chest and looked at him with worry. “You always were the type that did whatever you wanted. Get something stuck in your mind and you don’t stop until it’s done. Just be careful out there, and come back as soon as you can.”
“I will,” Aaron smiled. He and Daryl watched Eric take a hobbling Glenn off to the infirmary.
Daryl waited until they were far enough away before he spoke. “You positive you want to do this … with me? Wasn’t but a few days ago you told me you didn’t want to work together anymore.”
“I know, but this is kind of an emergency. I’ll make an exception this time.”
“Alright, well … we should probably take your car.”
“Ok. Just let me get a few supplies together, and I’ll meet you at the gate.”
>>------->
A little while later, Aaron pulled up to the gate in his car. Daryl walked around to the driver’s side and stood there. Aaron just looked at him, not sure what he wanted. Daryl opened the door. “I’ll drive,” he said.
“I know how to drive a car, Daryl. I didn’t lose all of my memory,” Aaron complained.
“You don’t know where we are going and I do. It’ll be faster if I drive.”
Aaron glared at him a moment, and then got out of the car, went around to the passenger side, and got in. He didn’t look very happy, but he didn’t argue anymore. Daryl filled the driver’s seat, and they were off.
“Where we going?” Aaron asked after they got out on the open road.
“I got a couple places in mind.” He got quiet again, not knowing what to say. It felt like he was deceiving Aaron, like he was kidnapping him. In a way he was, at least from Eric. This was the only way, though. “I really appreciate you doing this. You didn’t have to you know.”
“I know, but you were in a tight spot. I thought it was the least I could do.” Aaron got quiet this time, and that awkwardness crept back in between them. “So, uh, we used to do this all the time, huh?”
“Pretty much. Usually I’d take my bike and you’d take the car, but it’s a bit cold for the bike.”
Aaron closed his eyes and thought hard. “I hate not remembering things. You can tell me anything, and I just have to take your word for it.”
“You know I’d never lie to you, right?” Daryl said.
“I trust you. You haven’t done anything to make me doubt you.”
Not until now, Daryl thought to himself. “So, how’s life with Eric?”
Aaron squirmed a bit in his seat. “It’s good. He’s helped me a lot. I … I just, never mind.”
“You just what?” Daryl asked.
“I know he’s watching out for me, but I wish he’d let up a bit. Sometimes I feel like he’s my guardian, like he’s got me on a short leash.”
“Sounds like trouble in paradise if you ask me,” Daryl commented.
“We have our ups and downs, the highs and the lows. But I know he loves me, and he just wants what’s best for me … for us.” Aaron shook his head. “I’m sorry. You don’t want to hear about that.”
“Not really,” Daryl murmured.
They drove on a little further, and Daryl quietly contemplated what all Eric must have told Aaron. Had he painted him to look like a real douchebag? It wouldn’t be surprising if he had. What must Aaron really think of Daryl with Eric’s opinion as the only source of information? Carol was right. He should never have abandoned Aaron. He should have fought harder to get him back. Instead, he left Aaron to Eric’s devices, who filled Aaron’s mind with who knew how many untruths. Would his plan even work now or was Aaron’s memory too far gone after Eric replaced it with his lies?
Finally, Daryl reached their destination, and he stopped the car, pulling it off into a stand of trees and undergrowth to hide it. He got out and went to the trunk, handed Aaron his bag and took his own.
“Where are we at?” Aaron asked. “I thought we were driving to some abandoned neighborhood.”
“Yeah, we are, but there’s a place I want to check out first. I saw it a long time ago, but I didn’t stop. Looked like an old shack or something. I figure a place like that out in the middle of nowhere would have tools and whatever.”
It was Daryl’s plan to take Aaron back to their cabin in the woods, but to not tell him about it. He wanted to recreate the day they found the cabin, and hoped it would spark something in Aaron’s mind. The cabin was significant to their relationship. They shared many firsts there. It had always been a symbol of safety, a place where they could be themselves without any reservations. Daryl hoped this atmosphere would loosen Aaron’s memories too. He also hoped that the cabin was still deserted. It had been a long time since they had been there.
They walked through the forest for a while, and luckily there had been no walkers or anyone else. Daryl paid close attention to their surroundings. There were no recent tracks, no fresh broken branches. Everything was going according to plan. Time to put on a show.
“Damn it,” Daryl said.
“What is it?” Aaron asked, reaching for his revolver. “Did you see something?”
“It’s what I’m not seeing. We should have reached this place by now. I could have sworn it was around here somewhere.”
“Well, are you sure this is the right area? I mean, how can you tell one tree from another? Honestly, I don’t know how you do it,” Aaron commented.
“I was sure this was it. It’s set back pretty far off the beaten path.” Daryl paced back and forth. “Maybe this isn’t it. I hate it when I’m fucking wrong.”
“Uh, Daryl?” Aaron said from behind.
“What,” Daryl said out of feigned frustration. He turned to find Aaron looking off into the distance, and Daryl smiled to himself. It worked.
“I think I see something that way. Could that be it?”
“Only one way to find out. Let’s go have a look.” Daryl led the way and Aaron followed behind.
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Safe Haven in the Chaos