A case could be made that Simmie represented Riley's humanity. Her emotions, her reason, her sense of right-and-wrong all resided in one woman. While Simmie was around, Riley was human. She gave thought to her decisions, albeit very little, and always put up with the consequences of her actions.

But take away a person's humanity, and what does that leave you with? Certainly someone not human. A block of ice; cruel, unyielding, and cold. Riley was ice. How useful is ice? All it does is cool someone's sweet tea and melt.

But all it took was a block of ice to sink the Titanic.

Riley was drowning.

She scrambled desperately, grabbing at her captor's strong hands entangled in her hair. She struggled, kicking and sucking the water deep into her lungs.
She started coughing, sending scours of bubbles to the top of the dirty basin she currently had her head thrust in. Her head got dizzy, and the grimy water started to blur and fade away.

Riley's eyes snapped open, and she greedily inhaled the crisp Georgia air. She coughed, pushing her sweaty hair back from her face and staring up at the dark stars through the trees.

"You 'kay?" Daryl grunted beside her, not bothering to open his eyes.

"Just a nightmare," Riley answered, glancing around at their straggling group splayed in the clearing. T-Dog, who was on watch, nodded at her.

"Sleep," Daryl commanded groggily before he fell back asleep.

Riley sniffed, laying back down next to Daryl. She knew she wouldn't get anymore sleep that night, but she didn't protest against him. She knew how worried he was about her, and she didn't want to stress him any further. If there was anything she cared about now, it was Daryl.

In the morning, they were going to go check out the prison Rick and Daryl had found yesterday. Riley knew how much the group needed this prison; it could be home for them. She was planning to do whatever it takes to clear it.

With the thoughts of slaying walkers in her mind, Riley waited patiently for morning.

Life Goes On

"If we can just get across and shut that gate, we'll be fine," Rick stated.

"I'll do it," Glenn immediately, valiantly offered. "I'm the fastest."

"No, I can do it," Maggie countered.

They'd been through this same ordeal multiple times during the winter. Rick proposed a risky situation, they cycled through the viable people, but it always usually ended up being Riley or Rick. Riley had a suspicion that she was the only one he trusted to be able to get a job done, other than himself. Of course, he trusted Daryl more, but Riley was the better killer.

"No, I'm gonna do it," Rick stated in his deep drawl. "Riley'll back me up."

Riley listened as Rick instructed the rest of the group to their appropriate positions. She shared a nod with Daryl before Rick opened the gate.

They both slipped in behind an overturned car, pulling their weapons out from their belts. A bit of their group was doing a good job of distracting the bulk of the walkers, but there were still a few stragglers.

Riley twirled the machetes in her hands before tightening her grip and sprinting across the field beside Rick. She went out of her way to decapitate a few of the monsters before Rick finally reprimanded her with a sharp hiss.

Riley fell back into step beside him, and they made it all the way to the gate before the walkers at the fence noticed them. They began to stumble over, and Riley slit across their faces, dancing around the demons and keeping them as far away as possible.

Rick disappeared up in the guard tower, climbing all the way to the top.

"Riley!" Daryl shouted, trying to get her out of the way; she was blocking everyone's shot.

She ignored him, too caught up in her blood lust to recognize anything other than the dying gurgles of the walkers as they choked on their own flesh.

Rick shook his head, sharing an irritated glance with Daryl from across the field. All winter she'd been like this; any glance with Daryl from across the field. All winter she'd been like this; any chance she got to kill a walker, even if it was unnecessary, she took it. It didn't take a genius to understand that she had a personal vendetta with the things. Ever since Simmie's death, this was how she was getting revenge.

The dozen or so walkers were scattered around the field, and Riley sprinted around the enclosure, knocking each one down like a ping-pong ball.

Rick shot the last few, and Riley slid to a stop. She whirled around, narrowing her eyes and fixing him with a glare that would make someone else tremble. He returned it unflinchingly, and she spat on the ground, stalking away to the door.

She opened the gate, and the rest of their group filed into the pasture. Lori reached out to touch the agent's shoulder, but Riley shrugged away, hard eyes focused on something distant. She headed up the hill towards the gate they just shut, passing Daryl and Carol on the way.

"Hey!" Daryl called.

Riley ignored him, set on her destination.

"Hey, I'm talkin' ta ya!" Daryl exclaimed, jogging after her and spinning her around. She had that damn mask on her face, the one that made it near impossible for him to tell what she was thinking. "That was pretty intense," he told her.

Riley didn't answer.

"Ri, you're scarin' folks," Daryl pointed out in a mutter, glancing over at Carl, who was staring anxiously at them. As soon as he noticed the couple was staring back at him, he quickly looked away.

"Carl's not scared of me," Riley denied. "I train him."

"You scare everybody," Daryl admitted in a whisper, a faint smirk crossing his lips.

Riley's stiffness melted, and Daryl knew she wasn't on defense anymore. "Fear means respect," she told him, and the pair headed back towards the group.

"Naw, fear means you end up with a knife in the back o' yer head," Daryl retorted, kicking away a corpse on the ground.

"I'd like to see someone try," Riley said. Back on the farm, that would've been accompanied with a small smile and maybe a nudge with the shoulder. Now she wore her trademark scowl, though it was barely there.

If Daryl had thought she was hard to read before, it was nothing compared to now. Before she'd been masked for the sake of protecting herself; now she was as cruel and unyielding as her mask. Her eyes were what gave her away now; that and her shoulders. When she was content, the upper lid would lift and the corners would crease just slightly. Upset, the ends would dip down.

Riley, T-Dog, Glenn, and Maggie went on cleanup duty while Daryl kept watch, Rick examined the fence, and the women tended to Lori.

"You gon' kill yourself, girl," T-Dog stated, watching as Riley attempted to haul three walkers at the same time.

"It's good exercise," she answered, pulling her hand across the cadaver's arm, his rotting skin sticking to her palm.

"Aw, tha's nasty," T-Dog said, his face turning green.

"What, this?" Riley asked, waving her hand up in the air, skin still hanging from her palm.

"Man, keep the hell away from me!"

Riley cocked a brow, standing up and stepping towards him.

"Shit!" T-Dog cursed, nearly face-planting in his desperate scramble to get away.

A hesitant smile split across Riley's face, as T-Dog staggered up from his knees. He turned around, his eyes huge as the skin finally dropped from her palm. He laughed, rubbing his sweaty head.

"Geez, 007," he muttered, barking another laugh.

Riley slowly chuckled, reaching down and tossing the decayed skin over the fence.

When night finally came, Riley stretched out next to the fire, turning her back to the group. She keenly watched Daryl on top of the car with Carol, narrowing her eyes as he began to rub the older woman's shoulders.

Riley sighed, a small bit of pain squirming in her chest as she looked away. She'd done a good job of keeping her emotions bottled up, but when it came to Daryl she felt like an open book. Daryl was so keen and smart, especially when it came to her. He had her down; he could read any of her emotions.

Rick finally came down from the fence and dropped the bomb that they would have to fight some more tomorrow. Of course, to Riley, it wasn't a problem, but to the others it was an ordeal. They did put up a good face, however.

"We're running low on ammo," Rick announced. "So we'll have to go hand-to-hand. Riley can give us a quick lesson in the morning, if that's alright with her."

Riley knew Rick was purposely trying to draw her into the group; he always pulled annoying crap like that. Riley held a thumb's up over her hip, refusing to turn over.
There were a few snorts and chuckles around the fire, and Daryl and Carol finally walked up.

Daryl came over to Riley, pushing her up and sitting back down, setting her head in his lap. She sighed, staring up at him.

"We have to clear the courtyard tomorrow. No guns," Riley informed, her voice low and quiet.

Beth began to sing, filling the air with the sweet melody of the Parting Glass.

"Lucky you," Daryl stated.

"Daryl," Riley started, making Daryl glance down at her in surprise at her seriousness. "Do I need to be jealous of Carol?"

He smirked. "Ya're jealous?"

"I'm serious," Riley retorted, the corner of her lips tugging up slightly.

Daryl smirked even wider, leaning down and pressing his lips against hers. He pulled away, his blue eyes reflecting in the fire.

Riley smiled very faintly, closing her eyes and crossing her hands over her stomach.

"I miss ya singin'," Daryl stated as Maggie joined in with Beth.

Riley just grunted, not bothering to open her eyes.

"Why don't ya sing?"

Riley just opened her eyes, the corners dipping down. "I don't want to," she whispered.

"An' fill ta me," Daryl started singing, his voice hoarse and way off tune. Riley furrowed her brow, looking up at him in surprise. "The partin' glass."

She snorted, glancing over at the fire. The few people closest to them had heard Daryl and were staring like he'd grown another head.

"Come on, Ri," he urged, bouncing his legs. "An' drink a health whate'er befalls."

"Whate'er befalls," Riley began, her voice mingling with his his. She rolled her eyes but continued to sing, harmonizing with the two other girls.

"Goodnight and joy be with you all," Riley finished in a whisper, glancing back up at Daryl.

He smirked, and she slapped his stomach, sitting up. "Shut up." She stood, and the two of them retreated away from the group to lay down by themselves.

"Ya gon' sleep tonight?" Daryl asked as Riley got comfortable next to him.

"Doubt it," she answered.

Daryl sighed, propping up his head with his arm.

"Go to sleep," Riley ordered.

"Don' tell me what to do, bitch."

"Dick," she shot back, closing her eyes.

"Brat."

"Shut up."