While the bodies of the walkers burned, we loaded the dead camp members into the back of Daryl's truck and brought them to the hill where they were to be buried. Daryl and I brought the truck to the top where Shane and Rick were digging the graves. The men continued their work as the two of us approached them.

"I still think it's a mistake not burning these bodies," Daryl said. "It's what we said we'd do, right? Burn 'em all, wasn't that that the idea?"

The rest of the group were headed up the hill as Shane answered. "At first."

"The Chinaman gets all emotional, says it's not the thing to do, we just follow him along?" Daryl's anger today was beyond normal. I knew his mood was bad, but damn he could at least take a breather before showing it. "These people need to know who the hell's in charge here, what the rules are."

"There are no rules," Rick told Daryl.

Lori was able to hear Rick's answer, even though she was quite a ways away. "Well, that's a problem. We haven't had one minute to hold onto anything of our old selves. We need time to mourn and we need to bury our dead. It's what people do." This bitch is really getting on my nerves. She needs to butt out of everyone's buisness.

A short while later, after Daryl and I helped dig the remaining holes, a small service was held to honor the ones that were lost. Andrea had Amy wrapped in a white blanket as she lowered her sister into her final resting place. Dale offered his help, but Andrea refused it.

Everyone was silent as the holes were filled with the bodies and dirt. No words were said. No one really knew what to say anyway. After a short time of silence, everyone dispersed.

Daryl moved his truck back to its original parking space. I ran over, trying to catch up before he takes off again. He got out of his truck and saw me heading his way. Instead of waving me off, he waited. He knew I was going to question him sooner or later.

"Hey, can I talk to you?" I asked as I drew nearer.

"What?" He was irritated, annoyed that I was bothering him.

"What the hell's your problem today?" I stared into Daryl's light blue eyes, a splitting image of mine, seeing the dissapointment he held.

"Nothin'."

"Bullshit." His one word answer was empty. I needed more. I was truly concerned about him. "You're bein' pissier than usual. All I want to know is why?"

"'Cause my brother is running 'round the fucking streets of Atlanta with a very low chance of surviving." I rolled my eyes. Merle's the one who left. Get over it. He's more than likely alive. "And I got a sister who don't give a shit anymore 'bout nothin'."

"I'm sorry. What's that s'pose to mean?" It pained me whenever Daryl took shots at me when he was like this. I was the only one there for him and he would just push me away.

"Let me clear that up for ya. You gave up looking for Merle as soon as we got that bag of guns. You insist on talkin' to that sumbitch that had me in a headlock not too damn long ago and you ignore me when I specically said to stay away from him. I said he's bad news and you don't listen. You never do. You better get it through your thick head, Ariel, that he's trouble. You're gonna get hurt and don't come cryin' back to me when you do. The only thing I'm gonna tell you is 'I told you so.'" Daryl stormed passed me without allowing me to respond.

"Fuck you," I mumbled under my breath. I stood there, not knowing what to feel. My brother had just told me how he felt and it was nothing that I was expecting. It angered me that he would have the nerve to say such a thing. Of course I cared that Merle could be dead and of course I listen to Daryl, but it's time that he start letting me live. There isn't much time for me to live and he's making me waste it. Then he blamed me for disobeying him. I'm not his. I'm old enough to take care of my own and it's about time he learned that.

Suddenly, something touched my shoulder. I reached for my knife and spinned quickly around, ready to kill any walker that fucked with me now. To my relief, it was only Shane. "Christ," I said as I put my knife back in its rightful place. "Don't sneak up on me like that."

"Sorry. I just saw you and Daryl talking. Things looked like they got a little heated. You all right?" Why was he watching Daryl and me? We were just having a little brother-sister discussion. Oh, who am I kidding? We were ready to rip out each other's throuts.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Daryl's just being an asshole." I answered him half truthfully. Daryl was being an asshole, but I wasn't fine. His words hurt more than any fist in my face. I hated when Daryl thought less of me than was expected. I hated disappointing him. He was the only one I cared to impress.

"Okay, well, I was wondering about your thoughts on leaving." His brown eyes stared into mine. I could feel something strange when he looked at me that way. I just couldn't put my finger on what exactly that was.

"What about them?" I asked him, breaking my eyes away from his. Daryl may have been an asshole, but he may have been right. I don't need this right now. All I needed to focus on was surviving.

"Do you want to go to the CDC?" I couldn't tell if he was asking as a person who was taking a vote or a person who cared about my opinion. I treated it as both.

"Well, it's a long shot. But so is everythin' these days." It was the truth and that's what he wanted, even if he didn't like it.

"What about Fort Benning?" Shane argued. "It would be a hell of a lot safer than going to the city. Even if it's a bust, we'll be far away from here."

I honestly didn't know what to decide. "That's even a longer shot. Listen, I'm goin' where ever Daryl's goin. I'll go ask him now." I walked away from Shane and for once, he didn't follow. He was clearly pissed off because he didn't get the answer he wanted. Shane wants someone to side with him on this and not Rick. I wasn't going to be that person that he had hoped.

Shane, Rick, and Dale went for a perimeter check not too long after our little discussion. Shane was more than likely giving Rick an earfull about this CDC idea. It was risky, but we needed a sanctuary. Maybe this CDC could be it, maybe not. We were never going to know if we don't try.

Most of the group, including Daryl and me, were sitting around the fire pit when the three men returned. "I've, uh, I've thinking about Rick's plan," Shane said as he placed his gun down next to me. "Now look, there are no, uh, there are no guarantees either way. I'll be the first one to admit that. I've known this man a long time. I trust his insticts." This shocked Lori, who was sitting on the other side of me. The look she gave Shane gave that away. "I say the most important thing here is we need to stay together. So those of you that agree, we leave first thing in the morning. Okay?" Shane stood there for a few seconds before walking back over to Rick.

The rest of us went back to our tents to talk with our family members and loved ones about the options that we were handed. Daryl knew that I would go where ever he thought was safest. "You wanna go?" I asked him.

"I think bein' with people is that safest and smartest way to go." Daryl was right. The more of us there are, the less chance we have of being eaten alive.

"The CDC then?"

"Looks like it." He paused and thought for a moment. There was something that he wanted to say, but didn't know how.

"What's on your mind, man?" His uncertainty was getting on my nerves and I couldn't take it anymore. I knew I was going to regret asking, but I shot my mouth off anyway. I knew that it had something to do with our earlier talk. Maybe he wasn't finished with telling me how bad of a person I was being.

Daryl calmly looked down at me. He was trying to contain himself. "Are ya goin' 'cause of me?"

"Who else would I be goin' for?"

Daryl raised his eyebrow. That let me know exactly who he was talking about.

"Oh my God, Daryl. I'm not goin' 'cause of Shane. Fucking drop it with him." I hoped that concinced him. I wasn't sure myself. I wanted to be around Shane, but then I didn't. I didn't know if it was my fear of Daryl or I got truly annoyed by Shane. Everything was so mixed up nowadays. I only needed Daryl to think that CDC was good idea for him to let us go. If he didn't think that I was going for safety, then we would be on the road again. Away from people. Away from Shane.