Shadows In Durango

*****Sofia's POV*****

Seeing Daryl awake, hearing his voice - it was something I'd longed for since that night, after Ashton landed him here in that hospital bed...

But I had to admit, now that it was finally happening, the nerves were hitting me hard.

Emma opened the door quietly, and I stepped inside behind her, my heart pounding as I saw Daryl propped up in bed, his eyes half-open, a faint smile tugging at his lips when seeing the pair of us. Relief washed over me at the sight of him, more awake and alert compared to the first time we had both visited his room...

"Sofia," he rasped out, his voice weak but warm.

His gaze met mine, his eyes filled with that familiar mixture of warmth and strength that had always been Daryl since the day we first met.

I swallowed back a wave of emotion, forcing myself to stay steady as I walked closer to his bedside. "Daryl... you have no idea how good it is to see you awake again."

He managed a chuckle, though it sounded more like a soft cough. "Good to see you too. From the look on your face, I'm guessing you didn't think you'd see me awake like this, huh?"

"Not after what happened," I admitted, my voice shaking slightly. "Daryl, I... I can't even begin to say how sorry I am. If I hadn't have "

"No, stop." His voice held a faint edge of authority that only he could pull off, even now. "Whatever you're thinking, don't. I'd do it all over again if it meant freeing you from that nutcase." My chest tightened at his words.

Daryl had always been a person I could count on like a true brother that I had always wished for, unlike what I had actually got...

But seeing him lying there, his face pale and exhausted, brought a thick sense of guilt to me that I couldn't quite shake.

Regardless of what he said, I would still blame myself for him winding up here like he did...

Emma, sensing my nerves, cleared her throat and gave my shoulder a comforting squeeze. "I'll give you both a few minutes alone," she said softly, which I nodded, thankful for.

She slipped out of the door, leaving us in a silence that was both comforting and raw...

Daryl's eyes softened as he looked up at me, and he motioned weakly for me to sit down beside his bed.NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

"So, what's been going on while I've been out of it? It looks like you've been to hell and back." He comments, as I laugh dryly at the truth of his statement - I looked a damn mess!

"Yeah, you could say that. It's been... a lot to recover from." I hesitated, not knowing where to even begin.

How could I even start to explain everything that had happened since he'd been in here? The conversation I just had with Vincent that left me in a pit of confusion...

"You can tell me what it is that's bothering you, Sofia, don't think you can't just because I'm stuck in here..." Daryl said gently, watching me with an understanding that made it easier to open up to him.

This was the Daryl I had always appreciated, the approachable Daryl who always had my back... and to think that he almost lost his life trying to save me...

I took a shaky breath, my mind racing.

"Well... It's Vincent... he's trying to help, but things are so messed up after I found out about the entire secret marriage deal. I want to forgive him, but I just feel like he's put me in so much danger. My gut is telling me to run away from here and to never look back but physically, I can't. I don't want to leave this place... to leave all of you..." I admit carefully.

I was shocked at how quickly I had began to offload, feeling that he of all people somehow deserved to know the truth of how I felt.

"S-Sorry, I'm bombarding you and look at what you've been through! Just tell me to shut up! My problems are minuscule compared to yours!" I babble out suddenly, pushing my hair back from my face.

Daryl shook his head, his hand lifting slightly before dropping back down, the movement slow but filled with resolve. "Sofia, don't do that," he said, his voice soft but steady. "Your problems aren't minuscule, and I don't want you holding back with me. You have every right to be upset - I was too when I found out about what he did. Besides, this helps to pass the time for me in here!" He chuckles softly.

It had been a long time since Daryl and I had spoke on good terms like this, with our friendship having been on the rocks due to his previous disagreements with Vincent.

But the fact that we almost lost him made us all realise that none of that actually mattered now. Sure, Daryl had his moments, but that certainly didn't make him a bad person...

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We quickly realised that life is far too short not to move on with those you care for... so perhaps forgiving Vincent actually doesn't seem so wild or bizarre?

Was it best to just forgive and forget about what he done?

But how could I forget with my father now being so hot on my tail due to his actions?

My father would never let me forget him... never... and that was my biggest problem!

"I just... it's hard to know where to even start," I admitted, meeting his gaze. "It's like every time I think that I have a grip on things, something else just... spirals. I've only ever wanted to be happy Daryl and it seems like I'm the unluckiest girl alive!"

With a heavy sigh, Daryl shakes his head, "I know, and none of this is fair on you, but you will be happy one day. Let's talk about it and maybe you'll feel better? Just start wherever you want to." His voice had that familiar strength I knew so well, even as he lay there recovering.

I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts carefully.

"Vincent, well, he and I spoke about everything he done behind my back today... with contacting my father... and to cut a long story short, I'm really hurt over it all and I don't know what to do about it. He's apologised for it way more times than I can count but the one thing I'm still worried about most is that my father now knows where I am... or at least, who I'm with. He's going to find me soon..." I lick my drying lips, my voice quiet when discussing my father out in the open. Daryl takes a second to digest my words, nodding along to show that he was listening which I appreciated.

"I don't agree with what he done Sofia, but I do think now that it was only coming from a good place - I'll at least give him that. I also want to take this time to apologise to you for how I treated you that night at dinner. Truthfully, I was only pissed off because I finally realised that you chose him over me." Daryl explains, which completely catches me off guard.

Feeling terrible, I jump in to defend; "W-What?! Daryl I never wanted to hurt your feelings, b-but at that time, I really did think that I liked Vin..."

But before I can carry on, Daryl laughs, waving a weak hand to shut me up before speaking- "Don't apologise for it. I've accepted now that you have romantic feelings for him, and truthfully, I've known that for a long time but I just didn't want to accept it. But I have now, and I'm prepared to get over it as long as we can stay good friends... and you know where I am if you ever get sick of him too!" He jokes with a wink, as I begin to giggle.

Somehow, hearing his words made me feel a whole lot better - less guilty for how I had felt for Vincent for a long time now, before he had fucked up that is.

"I guess you could say that getting shot teaches you things... life is too short!" Daryl adds, continuing to bring light back in to my dark situations.

He's right...

Life is way too short to spend it miserable like how I was...

He was living proof of that!

"You can't help how you feel about Vincent, and I'll have to give him credit too since I've never actually seen him this crazy over a girl either! He made a mistake Sof, but I don't doubt for a second that he will find a way to fix it." Daryl adds, as I push out a small smile.

Why did I now start to feel bad about how I had reacted to Vincent earlier? The way I had completely lost my temper on him meanwhile Daryl of all people was the one telling me to have faith in him... Who was I to question Daryl after he had just nearly lost his life trying to help me?!

"M-Maybe I'll try to talk with him again." I nod, kneading my hands together in my lap as my face flushes at the thought.

Had I been a total bitch to Vincent? Maybe... although I still don't commend him for what he's done... but his intentions were what mattered most, and I believe that deep down, he was only trying to help me.

"Yeah I think you should, and I hate to be a spoil sport but... I think I need some rest again." Daryl's eyes look tired, as he coughs and wheezes a little - holding at his abdomen as my eyes grow wide. "Are you ok?! Do you need the nurse?!" I panic, standing to look him as he shakes his head before shuffling to get comfier.

"I'll be fine, I'm just a little sore still but they have me on some good meds! Go talk with Vin and you can come back and let me know how it goes tomorrow? Thanks for visiting me, it really does mean a lot you know?" His voice is soft, as I reach forward to grab his hand in mine, offering it a gentle squeeze as he watches the action.

"No, thank you Daryl, you've made me feel a whole lot better already... and thank you again, for doing what you did to save me, I'm sorry that it left you in so much pain though!" I sigh, as he forces a short laugh, his eyes dozing over. "Pain? I barely felt it..." He jokes, which makes me chuckle next, shaking my head as I watch him drift off in to another much needed sleep. Wow...

I need to find Vincent and tell him that I'm sorry for lashing out!