I rubbed my nose on the back of my hand, sniffling. It's getting colder. That's gonna be a problem soon.

I don't know exactly what time of year it is, but it's gotta be mid to late Fall by now.

Last year it started snowing in October. If this year is the same, we don't have a lot a time before winter decides to drop in for the holidays. Call me crazy but I don't think flimsy fabric tents will protect us against a snowstorm.

We're either gonna have to work something out with Hershel, or move on; find somewhere to hole up from the cold.

We're gonna need warmer clothes, winter boots, plenty of fuel, stock up on food like we're going into hibernation.

I moved along behind Daryl, but we've been hunting for almost 4 hours now and haven't found anything but more walkers, squirrels (cue shutter), and the highway we were stranded on not too long ago.

Daryl stopped in the middle of the street, looking in both empty directions. Only thing I can see is the carjam we got stuck in before.

I scratched my head, sharing a look with him. This was a waste of time. A nice idea, but ultimately we've just wasted our time.

Only game we've got are those furry vomit peels and I think I'd rather eat my own shoe.

It took me a minute to notice Daryl was staring at the cars, but only because I was looking at them the exact same way.

I clenched my teeth, swallowing hard. I couldn't take looking at them anymore, so I moved my gaze to the street. A rusty penny staring back up at me.

We thought the kids were safe with all of us around, but the truth is, they're not any safer than we are. Our chances of survival are all the same— have been from the start.

The odds are stacked against every single person left on this —literally— Godforsaken rock.

We're stronger together. That much has proven true, but it doesn't mean we're invincible. If the group continues to divide, we're all gonna end up breaking into smaller and smaller groups. What happens then? How many of us will make it?

I know Daryl and I —if I were to go with him— would probably be alright, for awhile at least. But what about the rest?

Most of the adults can handle themselves well enough, but what about Carol? I don't think she even knows how to shoot a moving target. What about Glenn? Would he stick with the Greene's? If we went our separate ways, would I ever see him again?

"Come on. Let's head back. Ain't nothin' out 'ere." Daryl moved past me and I followed in silence.

It took us about half an hour to get back, we got lucky and found a little more game on our way. The tense silence we'd left the road in, faded but the guilt pooling in my gut only grew as we made it back to camp and began skinning and prepping what we'd hauled.

The rest of the day went by in a blur and before I knew it, I'd spent all day with Daryl at his secluded campsite.

Not even the gross smell of cooking squirrel on the fire stirred me.

I can't stop. I can't stop thinking about what Rick and I worked out. My head is spinning listing all the reasons why I shouldn't stay in the group, and half of them are precisely why I have to.

I put my head in my hands, sliding clawed fingers through my hair.

Daryl's POV

I glanced at Eve, half expecting her to have that disgusted look on her face. But she didn't, and that made me tense.

She's been quiet all day. Not her usual quiet —this is just, vacant.

She's been acting different since this mornin'. Soon as she got back from whatever she was up to with Rick.

Looked like she'd seen a ghost then. Had the same look when we got to the highway.

She met 'im in the barn. Only thing that connects the barn and the highway is Sophia. Is that why?

No, wait. That's not the only thing. Shane was involved with both. The way she looks at 'im has changed. She's been watching 'im like a hawk.

I couldn't help my curiosity any longer. Eve's been actin' strange towards him for awhile now. It got worse after the barn, after… And I been meanin' to ask 'er about it. Now's as good a time as any. "What's been goin' on with you and Shane?"

I thought she'd work it out and be back to normal, like she always does but it's lingering.

Her gaze shifted to me, head turning from it's hung position.

"You think ain't nobody noticed? You been lookin' at the guy like he's the enemy. Haven't gone near 'im unless you had to since before the highway." Normally I wouldn't a given a shit, but it's Eve. When she's off, it don't sit right. Makes me anxious when she's always on 'er toes like this.

Her jaw shifted before clamping her teeth and directed her gaze at 'er hands. "...I don't trust him."

"I don't trust him neither, don't mean he's gonna attack you."

Eve didn't respond and my eyes narrowed.

Wait.

Does she—? Is she actually expectin' to be attacked?

She sighed, running a hand through her shorter hair, pulling it back over her head, out of her face. And I thought I had trust issues.

"Don't bullshit me, Daryl. I know you've seen it too. He's starting to act like—..." She trailed off, shaking her head at her hands.

"Ma brother?" Her eyes slowly came to meet mine but I didn't read into the look for a change. "Yeah, I seen it. But I ain't the one who fixed to shoot 'im yesterday in front a that barn."

Eve shifted, looking down as if she regrets it, but I get the sense she's ashamed that she don't feel guilty 'bout it.

"It ain't difficult to figure out. Ya tense up every time ya so's much as hear the man's name."

"You been noticin' a lot lately." Her jaw clenched and my eye was drawn to the pulse on 'er neck as it started thumping harder.

"And you been talkin' an awful lot last couple days. Now quit avoidin' the damn question. What's the deal?" My voice was rough but the question didn't come across that way, like it usually does.

She shifted, licking her lips and I stared her down; waitin' for her to give in.

Eve's POV

God damnit, Dixon— that's a foul. Using my own fudge-nutting tricks against me.

I sighed, rubbing my eyes with my fingers before my hand settled over my forehead, elbows resting on my knees as those eyes came back to haunt me, like the damn ghost of Christmas past. This time side by side with their doubles from the CDC.

"He reminds me of someone." I swallowed.

I watched blue eyes turn to my shoulder but it took me half a second to realize I had unconsciously rolled it.

It was quiet for a long minute. Just the fire crackling as it chewed on the dead wood tossed into its jaws. Monstrous shadows from the roasting squirrel cast over the ground in the almost faded light of the evening sun.

I don't know if he isn't saying anything because he's run out of questions, because he got his answer, or simply because there's nothing left to say.

The fire crackled, whooshing with the light breeze that swept low under the canopy, crawling over the cooling earth to chill my ankles of all things.

"You think he'll try somethin'?" Daryl looked at me, the atmosphere taking on a heavy serious undertone that wasn't there before. The way he said it… I can't help but feel like he's asking what I see farther down this road that he doesn't.

"You think he won't?" I looked Daryl dead in the eyes. "Look at what he's already done. You and I both remember what he was like when everything first went down. The Shane I knew back then —the one I trusted—… he never would've even considered half the shit he's pulled in recent days."

"It's not a matter of if, anymore. It's when." I glanced back at the fire, watching the flames creep closer and closer to one particular spot on a log.

The fire flickered, morphing the shadows on the ground as I pulled the squirrel stick away before it starts burning and makes me sick to my stomach.

"I honestly don't know what he's gonna do, or how he's gonna do it, but in my experience" my mind wandered back to dangerous places, and I found myself resisting the urge to stretch my neck; to get my head as far from my shoulder as possible. "people who do things like that —without a second thought— are never idle for long."