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The Darkest Storm

Shattered Gates

The foyer was empty.

Darcy removes the lighter given to her by Daryl from her pocket and flicks it open and closed. The lock of the metal door clicks, and before pressing it open she puts the keys back on her belt and peers into the cellblock to see what it looked like without her.

Through the large gapes she could just make out the illumination from the moon over the cell doors. Since they had started cleaning, the main hallway seemed rather cramped, littered with odd bits of broken furniture with cobwebs trailing down the corners at peculiar angles and everywhere inches thick in dust and questionable ooze.

The north wall of the room was nothing but darkness. Nothing but blood-curdling thoughts enters her mind at the sight. Her eyes tried to gradually adjust to the shadows but didn’t much like what they saw. Nevertheless she entered the black hole of a cellblock and closed and locked the door behind her.

The cool darkness inside the prison felt as pleasant as the night outside. It was quiet. Her steps are slow and steady at this time. She is being sure to not wake anyone up at this unreasonable hour. Glenn and Maggie have taken over watch in the guard tower. Darcy anxiously makes her way back to her cell for some sleep.

She takes one step at a time at an agonizingly slow pace. She is too exhausted to think of anything – she doesn’t even pay attention or notice that Daryl isn’t on his mattress at the top of the stairs.

Darcy unzips her jacket and puts the lighter back in her pocket. She pushes her long bangs away from her forehead and rounds the sharp corner into her cell, stopping in her tracks as soon as she sees a fidgety Daryl sitting on her bed.

“Why aren’t you asleep?” Her voice croaked in the silence. She walks over to the small desk and lays out her weapons and jacket on top. Turning, Daryl is now standing in front of her.

“Didn’ really get a chance to talk about what happened.” His breath is warm on her face and it’s comforting at how close he is to her. He slides his hands awkwardly in his pockets but stands strong.

“You want to do that now?” Darcy reaches up and pinches the bridge of her nose.

“Good a time as any.” He gives a solid nod and switches on his feet. Darcy can read the tiredness that matches hers in his voice, crackly and thick.

“You were right.” She leans up against the desk and puts her hands on either side of the edge. “There isn’t much more to talk about.”

Daryl takes an inch of a step towards her. His eyes bore into hers, trying to read her as best as he could in such bad circumstances. “Ya killed a man today. Ya tellin’ me you just brushed it off your shoulders?”

Darcy nodded. “It’s been done before.”

He leaned back and narrowed his eyes in confusion. “When?”

“That day I went into town looking for Rick.” She blinks and adverts her eyes as the scene flashes through her mind about Dave and Tony. “There were two men in a bar who drew on us. I just didn’t - didn’t need to think about it. It just happened.” She sighs and lifts her head confidently to his, “And I don’t regret it to this day.”

Daryl nods, pushing aside her avowal. “I’m not sayin’ it was wrong. Hell, I’d a done it myself if Rick gave me the chance.” He shrugs. “Just makin’ sure you’re alright. Been a rough couple of days.”

“They were a threat.” Darcy nods slowly; Daryl knew she was quickly getting over her actions that most likely would have been carried out by Rick or himself sooner or later.

For a brief moment Darcy’s rushing mind tries to convince herself that he’s aiming at nothing more than just what he’s telling her. Alas, it was no use, and it ached her to find out what it was. She knew damn well that there was something else going on in Daryl’s mind that was making him seem restless in front of her – after all, showing up in her cell waiting for her to return from watch in the way too early hours of the morning screamed at her this wasn’t just some casual conversation.

“You do that a lot.” Her eyes are steadily brought up to his. “Make sure I’m in my right mind, I mean.” She lets out a small, quiet laugh.

Daryl falters and shifts his weight between his feet awkwardly. They fall in silence as he bites his lip and feels heat rise to his cheeks. If it wasn’t so dark, Darcy could see the blush through his features. She has accidentally made him uncomfortable as he figures out what to say.

“Thank you.” She suddenly tells him. “For doing what you did.”

“Would do it again if I had to.” He tells her honestly.

Darcy sighs, not willing to admit what she was about to tell him. “And next time, if there is one, I’ll stay back. I won’t argue.”

“’S not gonna happen again, Rick won’t let it.” Daryl picks at his fingers. “Trusting outsiders is not gonna come easy now I reckon.”

“Bound to happen eventually.” Darcy huffed agreeably as Daryl looked to the ground. She bites her lip, “I’m gonna turn in.”

In a weak attempt, Darcy tries to slide past Daryl but only succeeded in breathing in a head-full of something heady and warm, like oak wood and sweat, deliciously illicit. Darcy’s eyes scan slowly over his tantalizing jaw line and she coughs to divert her own attention more than anything, and to quickly end the conversation. She feels his hand reach out towards her and gently takes hold of her fingertips. Unconsciously, she intertwines them together.

“There’s somethin’ else I needed to tell ya.” He says quietly in a hoarse whisper that makes her go weak in the knees. The familiar twist of Darcy’s stomach is in full force. “I know what I want.”

Daryl quickly glanced at her mouth, plump and red. Her tongue darted across her bottom lip as she became steadily flustered, a hot canvas of pink creeping up and kissing her cheekbones. He swallowed quickly, trying to overcome his nerves and be who he needed to be for this woman.

“What is it then?” Darcy’s voice was barely above a whisper.

Daryl shifted himself slightly, and he just realized how close they were actually standing. When Darcy had stood up from the desk, their feet had become entangled. One of his knees wedged between hers and their torsos were mere inches apart, bumping together whenever either of them shifted their weight, which happened more than it should. Though he was a good head taller than her, his desire to get what he wanted out in the open had him leering over her small frame and bringing them almost eye to eye, nose to nose – or lip to lip.

“Wherever we go, wherever we end up…whatever we have to get through – We will go together. I want you next to me through it all.” He shrugs innocently and admittedly. He brings his focus into amber eyes of the woman’s in front of him and confidently tells her, “That’s what I want.”

Darcy’s heart skips and takes a sharp unexpected breath in. She bites the inside of her cheek to keep her from showing too much, directing her focus to the floor and closing her eyes in silent relief.

She suddenly feels a warm hand on the crook of her neck, holding her gently as if she’d break, and feeling slight trembling as he brings her face up to his again. Daryl has never done anything like this at any point in his life – he anxiously awaits her answer.

“Me too.” Darcy softly speaks, blinking the tears of complete joy and relief away from the corners of her eyes.

Daryl then gives a short smile, a true, genuine, teeth-showing smile. Tilting her chin slightly, he bent his head down to hers, kissing her with a slow deep urgency. He leaned into her, pushing her back into the desk and clutching at her small waist. She quickly responded, her hands roaming over his sharp arms in a desperate attempt to get even closer.

Daryl pinned her ever more up against the desk, hoisting her hips up and setting her down on top, clutching her lower back with one hand and grabbing a handful of hair with the other. He crushed his mouth against hers once more. His lips fought against hers roughly, but more to the point where they had waited so long for the other to fully admit their feelings, it was a frenzied attempt to get everything that had been bottled up for so long out.

The slight hint of cigarette smoke allured the other to dig deeper, their breath hitched and Daryl stood himself between her legs and lifted them up to wrap around his waist. He fussed with her boot strings, tossing them in the corner of the cell while still wholly focused on the girl in front of him.

Darcy felt his arms slide around her back once more, pulling her closer as far as possible into him although there wasn’t any space left. After what felt like eternity, she felt his tongue pushing gently up against her lips and she didn’t hesitate in parting them. In an instant, Daryl took the chance and moaned into the kiss, deepening it softly and yet passionately as if he had to hold himself back from loosing control.

Darcy’s body was flushed, feeling a quiver by her navel and she wrapped her arms around his neck, breathing in his scent of musk and woods. She slid her fingers through his hair, growing impatient and tugging at the long locks. She ran her tongue slowly and gently across his bottom lip, nipping at it slightly.

Something between a laugh and a growl was emitted in Daryl’s throat and Darcy now found herself being picked up with her legs still wrapped around his waist and lips still locked together as she was brought over to her mattress.

Climbing over her, Daryl broke the kiss and moved to her jawline, leaving hurried kisses and nips at every inch until Darcy uttered a slight whimper at a sensitive spot near her collarbone. Daryl brought his hips down into hers, reaching up to palm one of her breasts roughly through the fabric of her shirt as she fumbled with the buttons on his own.

As her hands roamed his chest, the sharp breath he took through gritted teeth against her mouth sent shivers of pure pleasure straight down below her navel, and she responded by rolling her hips against him eagerly.

With a grunt, Daryl gripped her left thigh roughly and pulled her legs apart, wedging himself between her legs and leaving five burning pinpricks against her skin through her jeans, his hardness now digging into the inside of her thigh.

He impatiently began lifting the hem of her shirt and feeling her soft skin. He felt Darcy jerk at his touch, overwhelmed by the bone-chilling sensation he gave her. Darcy’s pulse was beating furiously in her ears and all her senses as his teeth scraped against her lips, his kiss sucking the very air from her lungs before he pulled back, suddenly.

Daryl stared at the auburn haired woman beneath him and her right back. They were breathing heavily, the swell of her chest pushing against him with every gasp of air. Her hair had come loose of its braid, messy waves splayed out across her neck and dirt from the sweat and grind of a long day. She met his gaze, amber catching blue and he’d be damned if he’d ever seen anymore breathtaking in his life. And Daryl, with his brow furrowed beneath his even more disheveled brown hair, his skin an unusual shade of pink even beneath all the grime, he never looked more handsome.

Darcy leaned up to continue the kiss and Daryl’s hands even more so made their way south towards the hem of her jeans. Holding her in his grasp, he undid the button and tugged them off, feeling a warming sensation radiating off of her. Darcy’s hands were in no time working away at his as well, and soon his scuffed up pants joined hers in frenzy on the prison floor.

-

The sun’s rays came through the metal bars of her door and she squinted at the brightness. Lifting her head up, Darcy looked at the pillow next to her that was bare. She sat up, looking around the room and seeing her jeans were now folded next to the bed, along side her boots and tossed aside panties from the night before.

Darcy bit her lip and brought her knees up on the metal bar to rest her elbow on them and her chin in her palm. She quickly sat in remembrance, never experiencing quite so thrilling yet so intimate at the same time in her life. She knew for certain then and there she was absolutely head over heals for the country boy, and he was for her as well.

Darcy quickly got dressed and prepared herself for the day ahead, feeling a sensation of pure, honest joy. She ached to see him, see his all-knowing nod he would assumably give her that held the sacred hidden meaning held dear to both of them.

Her feet took her hastily down the stairs and saw no one. She must’ve slept in because no one except Hershel who was still resting was in the prison. It was until she rounded the corner to the eating area that she almost runs into Glen and Maggie; hair tousled and cheeks stark red.

It was them that took notice of the smile plastered on her face before she even knew it was there. “Why are you so giddy?” Glenn asks, turning around and facing Darcy as she continues to walk out of the prison.

She shrugs it off, “Why are you both so red?”

“We uh-“ Glenn points with his thumb towards the guard tower but Maggie elbows his side and shakes her head.

“Everyone thinks they’re funny today.” She finishes for him. Not entirely sure what she means, Darcy blinks a few times and continues her way outside and doesn’t address the topic further.

The sun gleamed overhead. Darcy felt her body take in its warmth gladly, relaxing and closing her eyes for just a few moments before scanning the yard. The wind rushed in her ears and through her locks when she sees four familiar faces by the gate. She suddenly becomes nervous when she reaches up and redoes her braid, letting it fall over her left shoulder with a few stray pieces forming around her face and makes her way over to them.

“Okay, let’s get in the other car in.” She sees Rick waving to T-Dog as Carol backs up their new pick-up truck found abandoned on a run. “We’ll park ‘em in the west entry of the yard.”

“Good.” Daryl walks around the side of the bus, not seeing her yet. “Our vehicles are parked out there lookin’ like a giant “vacancy” sign.”

Rick turns around at the sound of footsteps and nods at her, probably to greet her but more to thank her again for her determined spirit to keep the group safe, something that matched his own.

“Look who decided to join us.” He gives her a genuine smile, teasing her at best. “I don’t remember the last time any of us were up before you, Darcy.” He turns around and looks at Daryl. “You both were up late today.”

Daryl’s head shot up at her name, and her heart is suddenly in her throat. He fidgets with a rope in his hands and squints one eye from the sun, “You get a good night’s sleep?”

Darcy puts her hands casually on her hips and nods trying to hide her grin, “Best I’ve had in a long time.”

He puts on a smirk and nods up at her, “Me too.” Darcy turns her head back toward the prison and hides her reddened face from the others while she runs a hand through her hair.

“Alright.” Rick turns back and forth between the two of them and tries to figure out why they are acting so blissful. He shakes his head and ignores it, “Well I’m glad you’re up, we can use a hand taking the corpses over there and start burning them.”

Darcy nods, “Sure.”

“Gonna be a long day.” T-Dog sighs from behind Daryl. They turn to bring up the rest of the vehicles when T-Dog turns slightly at two strange figures on the other side of the fence. “Hey, Rick.” He says.

The smile quickly fades from Rick’s face at the sight of the other two prisoners. He doesn’t hesitate walking up to the fence, the others close behind. He doesn’t need to, but he tells them, “Come with me.”

Axel and Oscar are slowly approaching, meeting the group halfway. “That’s close enough.” Rick tells them. “We had an agreement.”

“Please, mister.” Axel pleads and crosses his arms. “We know that. We made a deal. But you gotta understand…we can’t live in that place another minute. You follow me?” Axel looks to Oscar for reassurance. “All the bodies – people we knew. Blood, brains everywhere. There’s ghosts.”

“Why don’t you move the bodies out?” Daryl asks, venom in his voice.

“You should be burning them.” T adds lazily as he leans up against a shovel.

“We tried.” Axel nods again. “We did.”

“The fence is down on the far side of the prison.” Oscar fidgets with his fingers down at his side. “Every time we drag a body out, those things just line up. We end up droppin’ the body and just running back inside.”

Axel sighs loudly and raises his hands in defense. “Look, we had nothing to do with Tomas and Andrew. Nothing.” He takes closer steps towards Rick. “You trying to prove a point? You proved it, bro. We’ll do whatever it takes to be part of your group. Just please, please…” He begs. “Don’t make us live in that place.”

Rick wears a heavy scowl, shown in defense and is silent and strong as a brick wall. “Our deal is non-negotiable. You either live in your cell block, or you leave.”

“I told you this was a waste of time.” Oscar told Axel. “They ain’t no different than the pricks who shot up our boys. You know how many friends’ corpses we had to drag out this week? Just threw ‘em out like..”

He shakes his head. “These were good guys. Good guys, who had our backs against the really bad dudes in the joint, like Tomas and Andrew. Now, we’ve all made mistakes to get in here, chief. And I’m not gonna pretend to be a saint, but believe me…we’ve paid our due – enough that we would rather hit that road than to go back into that shithole.”

Rick purses his lips; thinking over the prisoner’s words one by one. With just a mere glance back at Daryl and a shake of his head in return, in no time the two were being locked behind the outside gates, giving them Rick’s final answer.

Daryl comes back over to the small huddle while the others are discussing things over and stands close to Darcy, who has her arms crossed and weight leaning on one leg.

“Are you serious?” Rick whispers. “You want them living in a cell next to you?”

T-Dog was the only one who spoke against what he’d decided, thinking it was just as bad as killing the prisoners themselves if they let them go off on the road alone.

“They’ll just be waiting for a chance to grab our weapons.” Rick talks with his hands, “You want to go back to sleeping with one eye open?”

T-Dog shook his head as if Rick doesn’t understand. “I never stopped.” He talks with mercy and compassion. “Bring them into the fold. If we send them off packing, we might as well execute them ourselves.” He repeats his idea.

“After all we’ve been through?” Carol whispers. “We fought so hard for all of this, what if they decide to take it?”

“It’s just been us for so long.” Darcy shakes her head. “They’re strangers. I don’t – it feels weird all of a sudden having other people around.”

“Maggie and Hershel –“ T-Dog looks towards the prison. “They brought us in.”

“We turned up with Carl shot in Rick’s arms by their own man we didn’t give them much of a choice.” Darcy retorted strongly. “They can’t even kill walkers – it was a wonder how they made it out alive yesterday.”

“They’re convicts bottom line.” Carol shakes her head.

“Those two might actually have less blood on their hands than we do.” T-Dog argues.

“I get guys like this.” Daryl finally spoke up, quiet but sound. “Hell, I grew up with ‘em. They’re degenerates, but they ain’t psychos. I could ‘a been in there with them just as easy as I’m out here with you guys.”

“So you’re with me?” T-Dog asks.

Daryl lets out a insulting laugh, “Hell, no.” T’s head whips back to face him. “Let them take their chances out on the road just like we did.”

“What I’m saying, Daryl –“

“When I was a rookie, I arrested this kid.” Rick interrupted. “Nineteen years old, wanted for stabbing his girlfriend. The kid blubbered like a baby during the interrogation, during the trial – suckered the jury. He was acquitted due to insufficient evidence. Then two weeks later, shot another girl.”

Rick shakes his head and takes a step forward to T-Dog. “We’ve been through too much. Our deal with them stands. Let’s get those vehicles moved.”

-

It was nearing evening when Darcy and Daryl finally collapsed together against the main north guard tower, sweating profusely from the relentless outside heat and tired from the drawn out day of pulling bodies together and burning them, all the while keeping a watchful eye on the prisoners who resembled lost puppies on the other side of the fence.

Darcy leans her head back against the wall. Her bangs stick to her forehead with sweat and she feels the trickling beads falling down the sides of her face and her chest. Her black, razor back tank top clings to her from the wetness. It was another long day of work and she wasn’t even getting paid; not that that even matters anymore.

She tilts her head to see Daryl wiping his forehead with a black bandana before he blinks repeatedly to focus his eyes again and look at her. He pushes one of her legs and she sits up to be handed a water bottle. She takes it eagerly and lets a few sips cover her throat. She pours some in her hand and rubs it on the back of her neck. Handing it back to him, she mutters a thank you.

They sat in silence, and it was comforting. They watch as Rick continues to talk to T-Dog, who is still unsure about the prisoners and what he’s chosen to have them resort to. They look over to the flames of the burning bodies, signaling another day of survival and triumph of clearing this place. It was peaceful; in a sense.

Darcy had just rested her head back up against the wall with her eyes shut, allowing the slight cool rush of the wind to toss the ends of her hair about gently when all of a sudden Maggie had made her way over to the two.

“Darcy, my dad wants to talk to you.”

Darcy squints up at the girl and doesn’t say anything but lets out her breath and forces herself to stand. She follows Maggie back into the prison but before she reaches the gate, she turns and gets a nod from Daryl saying he would see her later. That damn nod and those puppy dog eyes that she was sure had had no idea he did would be the end of her.

Darcy reaches Hershel’s cell, glad to see that he was sitting up in his bed and looking a bit pinker in his cheeks rather than a blanched expression.

“Glad to see you looking better.” She gives a sincere closed-mouth smile as she sits in the chair across from him.

“It’s all thanks to you.” He tells her. “That’s why I asked you here.”

Darcy was taken aback. “It’s Rick who you should be thanking.”

“I know.” He nods. “And I will. But I want to thank every one of you personally. I don’t believe I would have made it if not even one of you weren’t there. I’m sitting here now because of all of you, and for that, thank you Darcy.”

Darcy nodded, “Then I need to thank you for all you’ve done for us, since I don’t believe I ever had.”

Hershel shook his head, “Not in words, no. But I could always see it from you, in your eyes, the way you acted on the farm. You were so grateful, and I knew that. I knew you respected me, my family, my farm. You are a strong woman, Darcy. I sure am glad you found us that day on the road. I believe you are a large part of how this group gets by to survive everyday, especially Daryl.”

Darcy lifts her head, “Thank you.”

Hershel nods, lifting his gaze to the cell door and seeing Beth and Lori holding crutches with an excited smile.

“All right.” Lori says, holding them out for him to grab. “Just take your time.”

Darcy stands up and lets Hershel grab onto her hand for support. He pulls himself up and leans on the crutches, slightly shaking from the awkward amount of pressure on one leg for lack thereof.

“Daddy, don’t push yourself.” Beth says worriedly.

He chuckles slightly, “What else am I going to do? I can’t stand looking up at that bottom of that bunk any longer.” Darcy holds Hershel’s shoulder and Beth the other. She just notices Carl standing at the entry way and he was smiling.

Hershel taps the butt ends of the crutches on the floor, getting used to the feeling in his hands. “You know, I think I’m pretty steady.” He tells her, and she understands and lets go of him slowly.

“That’s a good start.” Lori smiles. “You wanna take a rest?”

Hershel looks at her with insulted eyes, “Rest? Let’s go for a little stroll.”

Slow and steady, the four of them make their way to the entrance and slide the old rusted door open. Hershel breathes in and takes in his surroundings, and he seems truly happy in that moment. He takes his time on the steps down, wobbling a little back and forth but he has the support and encouragement from those around him.

Darcy looks up to see the vehicles are now moved and safe inside the fences as does Hershel. “You moved all those bodies out?” He asks. “It’s starting to look like a place we could actually live in.”

“Hershel, you are one tough son of a bitch I gotta say.” Darcy laughs, watching him with her hands on her hips as he is now going off by himself up to the gate.

“Ready to race, Hershel?” Carl asks.

“You give me another day, I’ll take you on.” He winks.

If only for a moment, there was complete bliss and happiness. The group watches each other from the other side of the fences and feels a stronger connection between each other than ever before, and it was a feeling that would continue to grow each day.

Darcy had a hand up to cover the sun and gaze across the yard towards the three men, Rick, Glenn, and finally Daryl who had scanned the outer areas. She knew he was looking at her, hiding his charming smirk and her doing the same, feeling the extreme giddiness from the feelings built up inside and that they both finally knew.

That damn nod. She saw it even if it was the most faint. She shakes her head with a smile spread across her rose lips, turning around from bashfulness but that cheer quickly dropped. Her features became visibly blanched at the sight of at least a dozen walkers inside the fences, stomping with their arms outstretched lunging for her.

Notes

*clears throat*

Comments

Please update this is such an amazing story and I'm dying to know what happens next!!!

Ash8 Ash8
1/22/19

@LoriG
Part 66 is up ;)

@aphishinthec
Argh you got my hopes up- I saw an update, but it was you replying to my last messaege! Please can you update @bikingthroughflowers ? Thank you!

LoriG LoriG
6/25/18

@LoriG Right?!?! Need to know how she would handle Negan.

I'm also desperate to know how Darcy would fare in the storyline now. Pleeeeeease don't give up on this fic, I'm reading it AGAIN! <3<3<3

aphishinthec aphishinthec
4/6/18

I’d love to know how Darcy would deal with Negan... you need to update surely?! Still love this story, and just read it again!

LoriG LoriG
7/31/17