The Sharpest Lives

There's a wet sensation on the top of her forehead that gets Ace to blink open her eyes, only to be blinded by the sun coming down from above. Slowly, Ace starts to come to her senses, squinting and feeling like she was just woken up from a coma by how horrible and weak her body feels. There was even a slight burning in the back of her throat.

Ace tried to ignore it, but the faint feeling started to grow and grow until...

"Fuck," Daryl jumps as Ace quickly rolls out of his grip to throw up violently once again onto the ground.

Ace coughs and gags until the burning goes away, and luckily this time it does. She just had to get that last one out of her system. She had nothing left to get up.

Sitting up slowly, she wipes her mouth with the back of her hand and takes in her surroundings. She has no idea where she is, but sees that she now sits at the edge of a small stream. Daryl must have brought her here... tried to wake her up.

Ace wondered why he would do that for her, or why he would not just take her back. She thought if she would do the same for him.

Ace looked over to Daryl, feeling like hell. Her head was light and dizzy and her whole body ached. Sweat matted her hair down and her mouth tasted awful. this wasn't new to her, though. She's been through this treatment before, even if she swore she'd rather die than do it again...

Daryl met her eyes with a look on his face that showed he had a thousand questions, even seeming a little angry about it. He wanted to understand Ace because he just couldn't fucking read her anymore. He got along with her better than the rest of the group, hell they made a fucking pair, and couldn't deny that he trusted her, but he just needed answers. He had no idea who she was and she was hiding somethin'. She was being too weird not to be.

Daryl knows that he's sure as hell is not an open book, but it's because he's just some hick. He's got nothin' to hide, not really, he just doesn't want anyone in his business. But Ace... Maybe it's cause he can't figure her out, but he just doesn't feel right about not knowin'.

"Sorry," Ace said quietly, pushing herself up with every weak muscle she had left in her body. She wished Daryl didn't have to witness her sickness, for many reasons, but she might have died if he wasn't here.

"Waters clean... Should drink some," Daryl grumbled, pointing to the stream he carried her to.

Ace now was aware of the burn in her throat that ached for water. She sweat and puked most of it out...

She turned onto her knees, her body wobbling as she did, and leaned down to the water, cupping her hands together. She brought them up to her mouth and slowly slurped the water, not wanting to have it come back up.

After doing this multiple times, she then started rubbing the water on her face and neck. The blood from the dead was now dried and crusting on her skin. She could feel it with every movement and it made her want to be sick again. She quickly rubbed her hands all over her skin, wanting to erase the memory by taking off the blood.

Daryl was watching her this whole time, gnawing on his finger tips and squinting his eyes as he inspected her. But he never said a thing, just waited for her to finish up. She wasn't a slow poke like the rest of the group, so he didn't have to grow agitated and complain at the time she didn't waste.

When Ace started to stand, Daryl pushed himself up as well, watching as she shook a bit. She still looked sick, all pale and everything.

"Can ya walk?" He questioned, slinging his crossbow over his shoulder.

Ace nodded. She probably would have said yes even if she couldn't just because she was done being so weak. And what was Daryl going to do, carry her? Thats one awkward situation she would easily avoid.

She really just wanted to get away from this situation in general. "How long have we been gone?." She asks lowly.

Daryl gnawed on his cheek. "An hour, maybe two tops. Probably back there gettin' their panties all in a bunch," he grumbled. They'd all be on his ass for takin too long when they get back. Ain't his damn fault and an hour of waiting won't kill 'em.

Ace nodded, patting her waist for her knife. "I don't have my knife..." she said aloud. She must have dropped it when when she passed out... That was her good knife.

"Mm," Daryl hummed as he spun and reached down, grabbing it from the grass. "Brought it back for ya. 'S'a nice blade," he said as he handed it to her.

Ace was relieved, and very thankful, but could tell Daryl was a little suspicious. He wasn't dumb, he knew a military blade when he saw one.

"Thanks," Ace said simply. Daryl gave a nod and a 'mhm' in return, leaving them to stand in silence.

Ace was waiting for him to start asking questions, knowing they had to be coming. He noticed nearly everything she was trying to hide.

But he didn't. "Better head back. 'for they come lookin'," Daryl starting heading back, leaving Ace to feel relieved, for now, and turn to walk as well.

Her whole body felt like it was near collapsing, but she kept pushing through it. Maybe Daryl just thought it was from all the walkers... Maybe she could skate by. For now, at least...

Daryl kept his crossbow ready the whole way back, not wanting to be spooked by walkers again. And 'cause he knows Ace wouldn't be able to fight one off without passing out again, so he had her to watch for as well. He was always doing that for this group.

He kept taking glances over to her, seeing how she looked close to death. He needed to get her back and get some food in her system or something. Before she died on him...

He couldn't help the idea that sparked in his head and had him hesitating. He thought about it earlier, when Ace was passed out, and nearly got himself ready to shoot her in the head when she woke up, cause maybe she was going to wake up as a walker...

Maybe she was bit..

She said she wasn't last night and Daryl believed her, but it was starting to make more and more sense to him. She's obviously hiding something... and it's obviously more serious than he thought. Its not about how shy she is or any of that shit. She's sick.

He didn't think to feel her head for a fever..

Daryl was on the verge of freaking out. Any other time he would have, just like he did to Jim, but for some reason he didn't now.

He just didn't know. And any question he asks her right now is gonna get disregarded. He's just gotta keep an eye on her... And he's gotta think up a different way to get through to her.

The rest of the time back they walked in silence to the road, Ace pushing through how tired and flat out awful she felt. She was glad Daryl wasn't asking anything, even though she couldn't stop thinking about what he might know, or might think. He wouldn't stop glancing at her. But she just needed to get back right now. Drink some water, maybe try to hold some food down. It's just her medication. It's gotta ease up.

But she knows it won't. She remembers the times that she'd nearly choke on her on vomit, and cough up blood from her previous treatment.

She pushed the memory away.

Either way, they're going to this farm soon. Maybe there will be something for her there...

Maybe there they can get ahold of their search and find Sophia. Then she can leave to be sick without questions and go find her sister before her last moments arrive. Before the group notices what is wrong.