Author's Notes:

Hello there, name's Learlorde. I've never written a WD fanfiction, only so far been working on an Avenger's story.

However, I was kinda dissatisfied in a way with the WD finale. I'm a huge Daryl fan, I absolutely love his development and have been a fan since his first appearance. I'll be honest, I was not expecting Daryl to get shot and when he did I actually thought he got killed. Nevertheless, about a second later I realized it wasn't a head shot. And I was so intrigued to find out what happened afterwards, but unfortunately we don't even get a glimpse in the 90 minute finale.

So, I wrote this in tribute to what might have happened afterwards.

Thanks, and please enjoy!

1

Downed by Blood

An ashen scent tainted the crisp autumn of the forest; later journeying as a thin haze. It had been awhile, trailing Dwight's posse as they pressed deeper into the woods, shuffling through the dying leaves with Glenn and Michonne as their prisoners. Daryl lightly patrolled the temporary camp from afar, taking careful steps as he studied the Saviors hiving about the crackling fire. Rosita wasn't too far from him, examining the other Saviors that would frequently come and go. Georgia's devil sun was nearly at high noon by the time the Saviors were scattered the most; off doing who knows what. In that moment, the hunter sealed his grip tighter on the crossbow, while gazing over to Rosita; her hands glued to the rifle, and her expression mirroring Daryl's urgency for revenge. Just one bite, just one taste of the justice that was now-a-days. That's all they needed, and they could go home. Sure as hell it was a stupid idea, but Rosita joy rided it anyway; Dennis deserved this. With a mutual nod, they both tentively wove around the brush and up behind the trees. Daryl could clearly see them, Glenn and Michonne, bounded and gagged not too far away. Raising a finger to his mouth in a hush, the recruiter lifted his crossbow. Glenn continued to mumble in warning, though... and then Daryl heard it: click.

"Hi Daryl," the rusty voice muttered smoothly behind him. Just the thought of Dwight made Daryl's lip twitch, but the Alexandrian could feel himself falling still. Shit.

Oh, the rage and guilt that rushed through the Archer's veins… For a short moment, Daryl was hesitant about throwing in a white flag. All he wanted was to turn on his heels and shoot an arrow through Dwight's eye. Daryl could sense the brisk metal of the pistol trained on him, though, and it only got worse when his eyes found his friends. There was a calm yet fearful look spitting in their eyes as they silently pleaded for him to abort the usual risk; because this was different, these people were different. It took a lot of strength to swallow the rash thoughts charging Daryl's mind, but as the Saviors' closed in on him and Rosita, he realized their options were strained. So, he finally dropped the weapon as Rosita did and began turning around - BANG

Crimson splattered against the bark and rained all over the dirt. Glenn couldn't hear anything over the screams in his head, the ones he tried vocalizing aside Michonne's as Daryl collapsed to the ground… No, no, he couldn't be dead… Frantically, he thrashed, trying to rustle with the rope that bitterly restricted his hands. Several times, he tried denying the sudden pit they'd crawled into, but seeing the fallen archer laying motionless; the white shock nailed to Rosita's face. Then there was the blood hanging in the bark, slowing crying its way down the trunk. Glenn tried prying his gaze from the red that seeped from beneath Daryl, from his back, the scarlet that licked his hair. Maybe it wasn't real. Hell, everything was real.. all the blood and deaths, the family they lost.

"You'll be alright." The sudden comment from Dwight forced Glenn's attention towards the Saviors that gripped Daryl by the shoulders. Blood continued to drip the distance of the hunter's shoulder and the dirt, but Glenn nearly sighed in painful relief; hearing the harrowed grunt from his friend as they dragged him over to a tree, leaning him up against it. As they did, Dwight picked up Daryl's crossbow and handed it off towards another Savior. Briefly, Glenn glanced at Michonne; all the worry, all the fear, the realization of the dire situation. It was choking on her too. "I suggest not trying anything," Dwight said, approaching Glenn and Michonne as he flicked the gun towards Daryl in effect, "he's still got another shoulder." Glenn shifted his concern clouded eyes back to Daryl; large splashes of blood clinged to his neck, while red still trickled from the bullet hole… wherever it was. So much blood covered Daryl's shoulder, Glenn couldn't even make out where it was located, but this was serious, shoulder wound or not; their friend was barely conscious, obviously in a deteriorating condition from the point blank injury.

The Saviors occupied Rosita's weapons before herding her over next to Glenn; tying her hands and kneeling down on the foliage. It took a few times mumbling Are you okay? before Rosita timidly whispered, "Yeah." Gritting his teeth, Glenn tugged at the bind; he winced as the rope began cutting at his skin. Rosita started to resist her restraints as well, but Michonne urgently called to them through the gag. They both knew what she was telling them.. Doing this would get Daryl killed. Oh, they needed to find a way out, but the Saviors had Daryl as leverage...

Warmth sprayed Daryl's skin the moment the gunshot shattered through his ears. He instantly crashed to his side, splotches of darkness hinging the archer's vision as mauling pain penetrated through any adrenaline left in his blood. The ringing in his ears failed to suck in any other sound. Everything had fallen quiet, even the messages that nipped at Daryl to get to his feet. It was all gone, it was all limp... Was this it? Was this his end? After all, he could hardly tell where the blood was coming from. The hunter couldn't pull his mind from the black hole it was rapidly falling through; the only memory that flashed in his head was his blood, outstretched and drowning his view of Glenn and Michonne. The liquid washing over the horror living in their eyes- Oh. Daryl released a harsh grunt, he could feel the sharp pain fang at his right shoulder and branch towards his chest as the Saviors grabbed him. Through the pulsing blur, Daryl only caught images of earth, feet, hands, Dwight... But then he saw them: Glenn, Michonne…. Their eyes were full of bewilderment, which was tripled when Rosita joined them not to far away. The archer tried his hardest to keep his eyes on them, but his gaze continued to fall as unconsciousness dangerously loomed.

Daryl soon felt his back hit a tree, and he aimed to take a steady breath as the pain seared again. But, his eyes fell shut as he released a shallow wince. "Listen, Daryl," the words were muffled, but Daryl merely looked up as Dwight knelt before him. The hissing gunfire that deafened Daryl began to cease as the Savior's voice pressed on, "You spared my life, I spared yours- we're square. But I'll be honest, I don't want to kill you. You seem like a good guy." The Alexandrian abided to hold a cold stare on Dwight's fading frame. "Unfortunately, I will kill you if you try anything stupid, which I know you have a habit of doing. So please don't," Dwight finished, getting to his feet. He then pivoted to Michonne, Glenn, and Rosita again. "I'm considering removing those gags, but if I hear any screaming or discussions I don't like, I'll put another round in Daryl. Got it?"

The three of them nodded, to which one of Dwight's people, a woman, came behind Glenn and Michonne to undo the gags. When she did, they all kept their mouths shut and Dwight acknowledged with a smirk, "Good." As he started moving away, he paused once more beside Daryl and pointed the gun towards him. "I'm telling you, Daryl, stay down," he said, adding as he put the firearm down, "We'll find you a blanket or towel or something..." With a crucial grunt, Daryl leaned his head back against the tree as Dwight's footsteps dissolved.

His eyes met the sky, shrouded in dust as the archer's eyesight continued falling in and out. What was he doing? He shouldn't be sitting here, he should be doing something. Pain persisted to gnaw at Daryl's shoulder, and shot along his back, making him grimace deeply. "...Daryl...Daryl..." It was his fault they were all out here, he needed to get them out..he needed to get them out... "..Daryl...No, Daryl... Look at us..Daryl, stay awake...Daryl..." Daryl picked out the heavy words pushing towards him, he even tried drawing his gaze in the direction the feminine voice.. but everything went dark.