Shadows In Durango

Chapter 129

*:kkxG0fig's POV*Fkkx

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 | had to admit, now that it was finally happening, the nerves were hittinghard.

Emma opened the door quietly, and | stepped inside behind her, my heart pounding as | 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 overat the

sight of him, more awake and alert compared to the first twe 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.

| swallowed back a wave of emotion, forcing myself to stay steady as | 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 seeawake like this, huh?"

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

am. If | 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 | could count on like a true brother that | had always wished for, unlike what |

had actually got...

But seeing him lying there, his face pale and exhausted, brought a thick sense of guilt tothat | couldn't quite

shake.

Regardless of what he said, | would still blmyself 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 | 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 forto sit down beside his bed.

"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 |

laugh dryly at the truth of his statement - | looked a damn mess!

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

How could | even start to explain everything that had happened since he'd been in here? The conversation | just

had with Vincent that leftin a pit of confusion...

"You can tellwhat it is that's bothering you, Sofia, don't think you can't just because I'm stuck in here..."

Daryl said gently, watchingwith an understanding that made it easier to open up to him.

This was the Daryl | had always appreciated, the approachable Daryl who always had my back... and to think

that he almost lost his life trying to save me...

| took a shaky breath, my mind racing.

"Well... It's Vincent... he's trying to help, but things are so messed up after | found out about the entire secret

marriage deal. | want to forgive him, but I just feel like he's putin so much danger. My gut is tellingto run

away from here and to never look back but physically, | can't. | don't want to leave this place... to leave all of

you..." | admit carefully.

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

truth of how | felt.

"S-Sorry, I'm bombarding you and look at what you've been through! Just tellto shut up! My problems are

minuscule compared to yours!" | 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 | don't

want you holding back with me. You have every right to be upset - | was too when | found out about what he did.

Besides, this helps to pass the tforin here!" He chuckles softly.

It had been a long tsince Daryl and | 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 | forget with my father now being so hot on my tail due to his actions?

My father would never letforget him... never... and that was my biggest problem!

"| just... it's hard to know where to even start," | admitted, meeting his gaze. "It's like every t| think that |

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 | knew so well, even as he lay there recovering.

| took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts carefully.

"Vincent, well, he and | 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 | don't know what to do about it. He's apologised for it way

more times than | can count but the one thing I'm still worried about most is that my father now knows where |

am... or at least, who I'm with. He's going to findsoon..." 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 | appreciated.

"I don't agree with what he done Sofia, but | do think now that it was only coming from a good place - I'll at least

give him that. | also want to take this tto apologise to you for how | treated you that night at dinner.

Truthfully, | was only pissed off because | finally realised that you chose him over me." Daryl explains, which

completely catchesoff guard.

Feeling terrible, I jump in to defend; "W-What?! Daryl | never wanted to hurt your feelings, b-but at that time, |

really did think that I liked Vin..."

But before | can carry on, Daryl laughs, waving a weak hand to shutup 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 tbut |

just didn't want to accept it. But | have now, and I'm prepared to get over it as long as we can stay good

friends... and you know where | am if you ever get sick of him too!" He jokes with a wink, as | begin to giggle.

Somehow, hearing his words madefeel a whole lot better - less guilty for how | had felt for Vincent for a long

tnow, 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 | don't doubt for a second that he will find a way to fix

it." Daryl adds, as | push out a small smile.

Why did | now start to feel bad about how | had reacted to Vincent earlier? The way | had completely lost my

temper on him meanwhile Daryl of all people was the one tellingto have faith in him... Who was | 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." | nod, kneading my hands together in my lap as my face flushes at the

thought.

Had | 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 | believe that deep down, he was only trying to help me.

"Yeah | think you should, and | hate to be a spoil sport but... | think | need srest 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?!" | 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 haveon sgood meds! Go talk with Vin and you can come

back and letknow how it goes tomorrow? Thanks for visiting me, it really does mean a lot you know?" His

voice is soft, as | reach forward to grab his hand in mine, offering it a gentle squeeze as he watches the action.

"No, thank you Daryl, you've madefeel 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!" | sigh, as he forces a short laugh, his eyes

dozing over. "Pain? | barely felt it..." He jokes, which makeschuckle next, shaking my head as | watch him

drift off in to another much needed sleep. Wow...

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