A/N: Alright so... Yeah, this is filler. And really, it's not even good filler. I'm in a hurry to catch up to 'Pretty Much Dead Already', so y'all are just gonna have to live with it lol. Also, just a quick little aside... I made this chapter a bit longer, but I wanted to let you guys know that you have a choice here. I can either update three or four times a week, with short twelve hundred word chapters, or I can update once every week and a half with a five thousand word chapter. So... yeah. That being said, thanks to everyone for reading, special thanks for reviewing. : )
Jesse sighed as she stretched back out on the blanket, crossing her arms behind her head as she closed her eyes again, determined to get at least an hour's worth of sleep. After Daryl had stomped off last night, she'd spent the rest of the night tossing and turning, trying to figure out what she'd done wrong.
"Uh... I um... Maggie brought us some peaches and jerky. Did you want some?"
Jesse had to fight back the groan that threatened to escape her lips as Glen's shadow blocked out the sun.
"What?"
"I've got peaches. And jerky. Did you want some?" The Asian repeated, giving her a nervous smile.
Jesse sat up, practically drooling. "Peaches?"
"Yeah. They're pretty good," He chuckled, sitting down a few feet away, and tossing one of the golden fruits to her. "So uh... Daryl's been biting everyone's head off this morning."
Jesse glared as she ripped into the peach, swiping at her chin as a bit of the juice escaped her mouth, dripping down onto her chest. "And? How the hell is that my problem?" She finally muttered.
"Well... Me an' Dale jus' thought that... since you two are... Well, you know..." He finished awkwardly.
"No. I don't. Why don't ya tell me jus' what the fuck y'all think me an' him are, huh? Jesus, ain't none a y'all got nothin' better ta do than sit an' fuckin' gossip? We's jus' friends; hell, I ain't even sure we're that after last night."
"So you two did have a fight."
"Glen... I like ya. So I'm gonna give ya a warnin', a'ight? Get the fuck outta here 'fore I bash ya damn skull in."
"How you feeling?"
Daryl grunted, rolling over to face Dale as the older man entered the small tent. "Don't y'all have somethin' better ta do than bug the shit outta me?" He muttered.
To his surprise, Dale only chuckled. "To be honest... No, not really. I was visiting with Glen, but he ran off to offer Jesse some of the peaches he got from Hershel, so I figured I'd come check on you."
"Don't need a damn baby-sitter, ol' man. M'fine. Why don't ya go bother the midget?"
He fought back a groan as the older man situated himself on the other cot. What the hell was so damn complicated about 'leave me alone'? He didn't need everybody coming in, babying him; hell, he was pretty sure Carol would of wiped his damn ass if he'd asked her too. Everybody had taken their damn turn 'checking on him' before they'd all went off to 'target practice' or some stupid shit.
More like they was all just wasting time, instead of being out looking for Sophia.
"You know... My sister and I... We were always going at it. Like cats and dogs," Dale said with a smile. "I remember this one time... I don't even know what started the fight, but we didn't talk to each other for almost a week."
"Ya got a point with this, Dale, or ya jus' ramblin'?"
"My point is... Whatever you and Jesse are arguing about... It's not worth it. At the end of the day, you have to ask yourself if whatever's going on between you two is worth your friendship."
"Christ Almighty. What, Lori's little threesome ain't causin' no problems? Y'all ain't got nothin' better ta talk 'bout than me an' Shorty? Ya ever stop ta think that maybe we jus' needed some damn space? Since y'all been sittin' 'round on yer asses, me an' her spent the past four days together tryin' ta find Sophia," He said with a pointed glare. "So why don't ya jus' leave us the hell alone, huh?"
Dale took a deep breath, pursing his lips together as he stood, nodding as he moved towards the door. "Fair enough, I guess. Sorry for bothering you."
Daryl and Jesse were still avoiding each other, Carol noticed absently, as everyone gathered around the fire for dinner that night. They sat on opposite sides of the fire, avoiding even looking at each other.
"How you two holdin' up?"
Rick's voice cut through the chatter, and Carol wished that he'd just kept his damn mouth shut for once as Daryl muttered something under his breath, staring at the ground, and Jesse glared.
"Dunno 'bout him, but I'm goin' back out tomorrow," Jesse snapped, rolling her shoulders angrily, practically vibrating in her anger. "Seein' as how y'all let the trail go cold today while ya wasted time an' ammo playin' cowboys."
Daryl's loud snort pulled every eye in his direction, and Carol started wondering just how bad things were going to get as he spoke.
"Oh yeah, that's jus' fuckin' brilliant, Shorty. Already stitched that leg up three times; what's a few more?"
"You got any better ideas, I'd like ta hear 'em," Jesse retorted, pushing herself unsteadily to her feet.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Rick interjected. "Aren't neither of you going anywhere. Not until Hershel says otherwise."
"Oh yeah? Says who? You?" Jesse asked dismissively. "You ain't my dad, an' I sure as hell ain't yer bitch."
An uneasy silence fell over the camp as Jesse stormed off into the darkness, nobody looking at anybody else for a few moments, before Carol sighed.
"Suppose I ought to go talk to her."
She was surprised when Shane set his hand on her shoulder, and she looked up at the deputy questioningly.
"Lemme do it. Don't think she needs any more mothering right now," He said quietly, gently pushing her back down.
Shane followed the girl halfway across the field, before she finally stopped, turning to glare at him.
"What? Ya come out here ta try an' force me ta sit on my ass?" She snapped, her eyes flashing darkly.
"Nope. You wanna go out an' get yourself killed, be my guest," He said simply, kneeling down on the soft dirt. He almost chuckled at the surprised look that flashed across the girl's face.
"Then why the hell ya follow me out here?"
"How old're you?"
"What?"
"I asked you how old you were," Shane repeated patiently, looking up at her.
"'Bout eighteen. What the hell's that got ta do with anythin'?"
"Eighteen. An' you know all there is to know, right? Lemme ask you somethin': do you have any idea what you's killin' yourself for? I mean, you seem like a smart girl to me. You gotta know you ain't gonna find Sophia," He said quietly. "At least, you ain't gonna find her alive."
"No shit," She retorted, still glaring. "Doubt she made it more than two days out there by herself."
"Alright then. So tell me, what's a few days difference gonna make?"
"Ya know what? How 'bout I ask you a fuckin' question, huh? You don't like me; hell, you ain't liked me since I tried ta gut ya. So why the hell's it matter to you what I do? An' don't give me some bullshit 'bout me bein' part a the damn group. You's right, I ain't stupid. The only thing you care 'bout is Lori an' her damn kid. What, ya think nobody else's figured it out?" She said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "Hell, everybody but Glen knows. So c'mon then, tell me why the hell ya chased me out here, actin' like ya give a shit what I do."
Shane was quiet for a few minutes. Really, the girl was right; mostly, anyways. Finally, he nodded. "You's right. At the end a the damn day, it ain't gonna break my heart if you go out there tomorrow, and don't come back. That don't mean I don't like ya; jus' means that you ain't my problem. So you wanna go out, an' kill yourself over a little girl that you already admitted is dead, be my guest. Ain't no skin off a my nose.
"But it matters to the group. Matters to Carol; sure as hell matters to Daryl. And whatever you may think 'bout me... I'm jus' doin' what needs to be done to keep this group safe. Every choice I make is to protect the damn group.
"Now, you were right with what you told Rick. I'm not your daddy. I can't force ya to do anything. But you just stop and take a second to think 'bout what it's gonna do to Carol if you go out tomorrow. What it's gonna do to her if somethin' happens to you. So instead of actin' like a damn child, why don't you grow the hell up, and start thinkin' 'bout somebody other than yourself, hmm?"
