Shadows In Durango

Chapter 129

*****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.

door, leaving us in a silence that was

at me, and he motioned weakly for me to

been to hell and back." He comments, as I laugh dryly at the truth of

say that. It's been... a lot to recover from." I hesitated, not knowing where to

since he'd been in here? The

can't just because I'm stuck in here..." Daryl said gently,

I had always appreciated, the approachable Daryl who always had my back...

a shaky breath, my

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

to offload, feeling that he of all people

me to shut up! My problems are minuscule

and I don't want you holding back with me. You have every right to be upset - I

and I had spoke on good terms like

that actually mattered now. Sure, Daryl had his moments, but that

nel5s.org, you might be missing out on the complete story. Head over there to dive into

on with those you care for... so perhaps forgiving

to just forgive

I forget with my father now being so hot on my tail due to

him... never... and that

his gaze. "It's like every time I think that I have a grip on things, something else just... spirals. I've only ever

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

a deep breath, gathering my

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

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

to hurt your

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