Spitfire

My eyes fluttered open, the soft sweet sound of birds chirping filled my ears. Swallowing hard, I sat up, confusion wiping over my body. Where was I? I looked around me, all I saw was grass and fields going on and on. My eyes couldn't find an end. I stood up, looking down at my body, I was wearing a white dress, confusion lacing over me again. My hands felt the fabric, it was soft in my hands a deep contrast against my bare feet on the rough ground.

I tried to rack my brain on how I could have ended up here. Everything was so peaceful, as if this place was secluded from the world that I had been living in. I walked a few minutes before I heard a voice I hadn't heard in a long time.

"Anabel!"

Spinning around fast, my breath stopped short in my throat. Blinking rapidly, I croaked out, "Nate?" My hand flew to my mouth, this couldn't be real. He was just a few feet away, I could almost touch him. He took a step forward which caused me to take a step back. "What is going on? This isn't real. You're not real."

He gave me a warm smile, "This is real, Bel." He took another step forward, holding out his hand, motioning for me to reach for it, "It's okay."

I shook my head, backing away, "Why am I here? What is this?"

Nate sighed, dropping his hand, looking at me with his piercing hazel eyes, "I can't tell you why you're here, I don't know." He motioned around us, giving me another soft smile, "This is whatever you want it be."

I suddenly felt numb, looking down at my body, looking at my hands and then back at Nate, "Am I-am I dead?"

Nate shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets, "Dunno. It's your call."

"What do you mean it's my call?"

He took a seat on the ground, plucking at the blades of grass in front of him, "You have the choice to stay or go back."

I collapsed onto my knees, feeling so empty, "I'm dying?" Tears started to brim my eyes, how could this be? What had happened to have caused this confusing fucked up dream.

Nate let out a soft groan, "Apparently so, Bel." He squinted his eyes, giving me a hard look, "What are you even doing here?"

I shook my head, "I don't know."

Nate leaned forward, cupping my face, "I thought I made a fighter not a quitter out of you." He pushed away from me, getting slightly angry. "I don't want to see you here, Bel. You can't stay."

My voice trembled, "Why not?"

He sighed, "It's not your time. People need you."

"I needed you and you left."

Nate shook his head, running a hand through his brown curls, "No, you didn't. Look at how far you've come now, Bel." Smiling, "They need you. Doc, Tess, Shaun, Mattie, and that new group of yours."

I looked away from him, biting my lip, "They don't need me like I need you." I said softly.

"What about that Daryl guy?"

My head snapped up towards him, "What?"

"I've seen the way he looks at you, Bel. I see the way you look at him."

I avoided his stare, looking down at my lap, fiddling with a peice of the dress. Daryl and I had nothing but a friendship, we had grown on each other. There was nothing more than that. I took Carol's advice and stopped ignoring him, I made a friend. And that was it. "I don't look at him any differently."

He laughed softly, "God, you're stubborn, sis." Nate plopped down on the ground again, sitting with his leg propped up, "You two need each other to survive. He's keeping you grounded, Bel. And you're keeping him sane and wanting to fight. Whether or not you're too blind to see, you need each other."

"He's just a friend, Nate. Nothing more."

Nate placed a hand on my shoulder, twirling one of my curls, "You are so naive. Always have been, always will." He stood up, dusting himself off, he looked behind him. "I should get going and you should be waking up now."

"Please don't go, Nate!" I begged.

"I have too, Bel."

I stood up fast, "You said it was my choice to stay or go. I don't want to go back, I want to stay."
Nate chewed the inside of his cheek, "Bel, I love you so much, I've always wanted what was best for you. Being here isn't it. I know it's hell back there, but you need to find happiness. You being here is not going to make you happy. You're going to be constantly worrying about them." He pulled me into a hug, "I'm going crazy, hoping that I don't see you or any of them. Please, just go back and fight."

I watched as he walked away from me, half of me wanted to run after him. Run after him and tell him that I didn't care about happiness. All I wanted was to be with my brother, the one person who knew me inside and out, the one person who made me feel safe. I went to take a step forward but shrieked in pain, my whole body felt tight and sore. I collasped onto the floor, hugging my sides, I clamped my eyes shut.

Opening them again, I was no longer in the field, I was staring into a lamp. My eyes fluttered, I tried to sit up, feeling a strong but gentle hand guide me back down. I tried to focus on who it was, my vision was blurry, but after a few seconds, I knew who it was. I managed to croak out, "What happened."

I heard Doc rushing over towards me, "Oh my god." She kissed my forehead, breathing a sigh of relief, she grabbed a hold of my hand, "How are you feeling, love?"

I swallowed, my eyes still fluttering, "I feel like shit."

I heard her chuckle, "I'm so glad your awake now." She let go of my hand and started to rummage through papers, muttering a few words to herself here and there. After a minute or two, she came back, "I think I've narrowed down what happened to you. But, unfortunately without the equipment, I can't be a hundred percent sure."

I heard Rick speak up, "Well?"

She sighed, "I believe she had a transient ischemic attack-"

"-English, Doc." I heard Daryl mutter.

"It's like a stroke-"

"-Stroke?" Daryl shrieked.

Doc sighed again, annoyance ringing loud and clear through her voice, "Let me finish. It's like a stroke, but it lasts a few minutes and causes no permanent damage. It seems to have been a milder version, though. She was unconscious longer than she was supposed to." She bit her lip, "When people have transient ischemic attacks, there's most likely an underlying problem. However, I just think it was caused by dehydration which sent you into hypertension-low blood pressure-and then caused this mini stroke."

I groaned, "Fuck."

I felt her rub my shoulder, "I think you'll be okay, Anabel." She reached for my wrist, looking at her watch, she timed my pulse, "It's progressing back to normal."

I sat up slowly, looking at the people who stood patiently around me. I smiled softly, "You guys didn't have to come down here."

Rick shook his head, "We wanted to make sure you were alright."

Maggie nodded, "You had us worried sick, Anabel." I saw her wipe away a tear. I guess you could say I had bonded with her, she was really the only other girl friend that I aside from Tess. But, Tess was a different story. She was like the annoying little sister I never wanted or had.

I used Daryl's shoulder to get off the table, giving him a look, I turned back to them, "Thank you." I chewed my lip as I thought of my encounter with Nate. There was no way it was a dream, it was so real, I had touched him. He was standing in front of me, I could feel his energy.

Doc cleared her throat, taking her stethoscope off her around her neck, "Daryl, would you mind taking her up to her room. She needs bed rest and I'll be up shortly to keep an eye on her."

He nodded, placing a firm hand around my waist, he guided me up the basement steps and into the house, I couldn't help but think back to what Nate had said. I never noticed anything different in the way Daryl would look at me. I wasn't sure why everyone was adamndent on wanting Daryl and I to be together. This wasn't the time to play matchmaker or cupid. It was a time to fight and survive. Soon, we reached my room.

"Thank you." I murmured as I climbed into bed. Daryl shrugged, taking a seat in the armchair, staring hard. I sighed, "What did I do now?"

He scoffed, "Why ya assumin' ya did somethin'?"

"Your giving me that look like I did." I stated.

"I ain't givin' ya no damn look."

This time I scoffed, placing a pillow over my face, "You are downright frustrating."

"So are ya."

I ripped the pillow off, glaring at him, "I am not. You're all mister one word answer. I have to spend hours trying to decode what you mean half the time."

He chuckled, "Spend a lot of time thinkin' 'bout me, do ya?"

I glared again, "Stop."

"What?"

I sat up slightly, "You know what."

He shrugged, crossing his arms, "Don' know what ya talkin' bout, woman." I groaned, pulling the pillow over my face again. I heard his voice get low, "Had me worried sick, though. Everyon was freakin' out. Dint know what was wrong with ya."

"Well, sorry." I mumbled.

"Ya always do this to people?"

"Do what?" I asked.

"Make them worry 'bout ya constantly and then almos' give them a God damn heartattack when somethin' happens?"

I sat up completely, "No..." I chewed my lip, staring into those blue eyes, "Honestly, you're probably the only other guy aside from my brother, I've spent the most time with."

He snorted, "Yeah right."

"I'm being serious. I was socially awkward. I didn't know how to communicate with guys."

"Don' have a problem talkin' with me, do ya?"

I shook my head, rubbing the corner of my blanket, "No. But, it's a different time." Looking at him sideways, I smiled, "I'd probably run in the other direction if I saw you back then. You're kind of scary."

He scoffed, "Ya wouldn't have given me the time of day, that's for sure."

I shrugged, "You never know. I'm giving you the time of day now, aren't I? That should count for something."

"That's 'cause ya have to."

I smirked, "No I don't. I could ignore you."

"Doubt it," He replied back, smirking too.

My mouth dropped open, "I so could. I hated your guts in the beginning."

He smiled softly, "Ya still hate me now?"

I hesitated, I really didn't. I didn't know what I was feeling about him actually. "No. I don't hate you." It was just nice to have a friend. But, maybe I was missing something more? Even if I wanted to pursue anything with Daryl, I wouldn't. That would be a downright disaster.

"Good." He stated, looking away from me, he murmured, "Ya startin' to grow on me."