Chapter 16: Fire Meet Gasoline

Blurb: ~ This chapter is titled after the song Fire Meet Gasoline- by Sia.~

Begin:

Ellen was surprised when the truck pulled up to the camp after ten minutes of rough terrain. Most of the group was already present in the camp, apart from those in the truck. The group was scurrying around, collecting their belongings. They were packing…. But they didn't look panicked.

Confused, Ellen hopped out of the truck as soon as the engine silenced. Rick met them at the truck bed, immediately offering an explanation. "Hershel wants to move all of us into the house. It'll be tight, fourteen people in one house."

Hershel stood behind Ellen and answered Rick then, "Don't worry about that. With the swamp hardening, the creek drying up…"

Maggie cut in, "And with fifty head of cattle on the property, we might as well be ringing the damn dinner bell."

Hershel nodded, "She's right. We should have moved you in a while ago."

Rick kicked into leadership mode then, "Alright, lets move the vehicles near each of the doors toward the road. We'll build a look out in the windmill, another in the barn loft. That should give us site-lines of both sides of the property. T-Dog, you take the perimeter around the house. Keep track of everyone comin' and goin'."

Ellen heard T-Dog ask privately, "What about standing guard?"

"I need you and Daryl on double duty."

Accepting this, T-Dog turned to his task, "Gotchya."

Ellen barely noticed Hershel walk past her with a few baskets of supplies. He was informing Rick about stocking up the basement with enough food and water to last a few days, should anything happen. Ellen was too distracted by Daryl to focus on the two men.

Daryl was standing to the side of the truck bed with his crossbow slung over his shoulder. He stood at ease, but everything about his expression told Ellen that he fully intended to speak to Rick A. S. A. Freaking. P.

Ellen shifted her gaze, suddenly uncomfortable with the situation. At this point, Daryl was a ticking time bomb. He might actually explode if he didn't get this problem with Shane fixed NOW.

But Rick's attention was still on the others. He was talking to Andrea about patrols and explaining that Shane should assign duties. But then Rick delivered the kicker: "Daryl and I will take Randall off-site and… cut him loose."

Shane looked like he had just swallowed fire. "We're back to that now?"

"It's what I planned first time around, poor execution," Rick explained.

Shane invalidated Rick's reply, "That's a slight understatement."

Rick stood firm, "You don't agree, but this is what's happen'. Swallow it- move on."

Shane spoke bitterly, "You know that Dale's death and the prisoner- that's two separate things, right? You wanna take Daryl as your wing man? Be my guest."

"Thank you," Rick replied with a mixture of sarcasm and strength.

"You got it."

Rick turned to head back toward the house, effectively ending his conversation with Shane.

Seeing his opportunity to head after Rick, Daryl started to follow in his direction. Concerned, Ellen took a few steps after Daryl.

Daryl noticed Ellen shadowing him and looked back at her. He held one long arm out, blocking her path, "You help the others. I'll talk to Rick."

Ellen stared at him hard, "But Daryl, you can't just-…"

"I can, and you will. Get goin' now. I'll handle it."

Ellen stood still, effectively glued to her spot in the grassy campsite. Since Ellen remained stationary, Daryl took the opportunity to keep heading for Rick. He turned and jogged down the property.

Ellen could hardly believe she let him go. She was going to let a man go take care of HER business. She was flabbergasted by the whole situation. All she could do was watch, motionless, as the wings on Daryl's vest shadowed his movements.

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Ellen was hauling a tub of makeshift camping gear and kitchenware into the house when she noticed Rick. He was talking to Daryl on the side of the house, where they wouldn't be bothered.

Noticing Rick had Ellen's attention, he motioned for her to put the tub of camping gear down and come over to them.

Seeing no other option, Ellen did as she was directed, leaving the tub in the dirt outside the house. She casually made her way toward the two men.

Daryl and Rick had been in a deep, heated discussion for about twenty minutes now. Ellen found it extremely frustrating to be on the outside looking in on a conversation that revolved around her. It made her feel powerless. And in this world, powerlessness lead to death.

When she reached them, Ellen squared her shoulders, "So, what's the verdict?"

Ellen's words brought a small smile to Rick's face, "Well, Ellen. I don't think it's any secret that Shane has been a problem for a while now… And not just for you, believe me! It's just gotten to the point where we're concerned about your safety on the property around him. We don't want anything to happen to you while this is being resolved."

Ellen's brows furrowed, "Resolved how, exactly?"

Rick sighed heavily, "At this point, I'm not totally sure. But Shane is running on his last straw right now. If anything else happens- anything blatant- then we'll deal with him…. In whatever way is necessary."

Ellen let Rick's words sink in. Rick was willing to go to extreme lengths to protect the group. Even if that meant exiling, or possibly even killing, his best friend.

Shane was digging his own grave.

Ellen met Rick's gaze, "What should I do in the meantime? He's still out and about right now… free to walk around without question."

Rick nodded and looked to Daryl, "Daryl and I were discussing that. You see, I need to take Daryl out with me to take care of Randall. It will be a quick trip, there and back. But we can't leave you here without someone watching your back."

"Wait- you want me to go with you?"

Daryl shook his head, "It ain't about what we want, Ellen. It's what has to happen."

Ellen could hardly contemplate the idea of leaving the property. She hadn't wandered far from the farm since the walker epidemic. And even when she had ventured outside the farm limits, it was in the woods under Daryl's protection. They had been close enough to the farm that either of them could have gone for help if something had happened.

But on this run, they would be miles away. And if something bad happened, she might not make it back.

Ellen shoved the fear aside, "When do you plan on leaving?"

"Just as soon as everyone is settled," Rick answered.

Ellen nodded in acknowledgement, allowing silence to fall between them.

Rick spoke up then, "I want you within site of either me or Daryl at all times, whether we're off the farm or not. I won't have Shane causing trouble for you. And if he does, we'll be there to catch it."

"Thank you, Rick."

Satisfied with Ellen's submission to his plans, Rick turned to Daryl and finished up their discussion. "You'll pack up and move in, right? We need you in the house. Especially with Ellen under the same roof as Shane."

Daryl didn't hesitate. He grunted in affirmation.

Taking this as his queue to leave, Rick headed toward camp. After a few steps, he turned and called to Daryl, "You'll check on the shed, too? It might need some repairs. Let me know if you need help."

Daryl nodded, "Yup."

When Rick was out of earshot, Daryl turned to Ellen. "You okay with all of this?"

Ellen shrugged, "I don't have much of a choice. Besides, I couldn't spend forever on the farm. We all have to leave at some point."

Daryl studied her expression carefully. He saw the worry there, despite the strength in her words. He sought to reassure her, "It ain't all bad, Ellen. It'll be a quick trip, like Rick said. We'll look at the map again ta make sure, before we head out. It should be a 'there and back' deal."

Ellen looked up at Daryl then, "You're probably right. I just don't really know how to process all of this. Stepping outside the farm's boarders is going to totally change things for me…"

"You ain't gotta be afraid o' changin', Ellen."

Ellen's brows furrowed, "But that's the problem. I do need to be afraid of change, no matter how necessary it is. Because with change, there always seems to come more death."

Silence fell between the two companions as they remembered Dale. Ellen's words were painfully true. Daryl felt a burning sensation resonate in his chest as he mulled over the thought of Ellen in danger on the upcoming run. He couldn't totally protect her from the dangers of the world, but he could damn sure try.

Daryl decided to break the tension that hung in the air by nudging Ellen's arm with his elbow. It was a light, gentle gesture- one in which he was totally in control. Ellen was surprised Daryl had touched her of his own free will at all, knowing he was so sensitive about his personal space. But he had held her before- in urgent and dangerous situations- and only to protect her. It was different than this small gesture.

Ellen met Daryl's gaze with a question in her eyes, not understanding why Daryl was nudging her. He avoided her eyes. "You ain't gotta be afraid o' nothin'."

Ellen didn't understand. Why would she not be afraid of anything? What did he mean? She let silence hang between them for a few long moments.

Realizing Ellen didn't fully understand his meaning, Daryl continued, "I ain't goin' anywhere. And I sure as hell won't let anything get close ta you."

Ellen couldn't help herself. A wide smile brimmed across her face, and she grinned at Daryl without apology.

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Daryl had a bundle of his camping gear in his hands, his crossbow on his back, his pillow on top of his gear. The pillow was still clad in the solid hunter green pillowcase Ellen had brought for him when he was injured, not long before. Daryl was walking through the Greene's dining room, following Lori's orders to head towards the "men's side". He nearly tripped over Glenn's sleeping bag, which was sitting near the dining room chairs. Cursing quietly, Daryl hobbled through the house with his things like an injured dog.

Ellen came down the stairs then. Seeing Daryl with his things, she called out to him, "Daryl, wait! You and Glenn can take my room. You should rotate on the bed. It'll be better than down here."

Daryl peered over at Ellen over his meager pile of belongings, "Where the hell are you going to sleep?"

Ellen let a small smile grace her lips, "With Maggie, of course."

Daryl nodded in acceptance, "Aight', is Glenn up there?"

Ellen shrugged, "I haven't seen him. So I guess you get first dibs on the bed. C'mon, you know where it is."

Daryl followed Ellen up the stairs to the second floor without hesitation. When they reached Ellen's room, Ellen sidestepped to allow Daryl to enter first.

The first thing Daryl noticed about the room was that it no longer contained many traces of Ellen. All of her belongings had been moved out, except for a few clothes in the closet on the left. The front door also still held Ellen's plaque, which held a bow and her name. The rest of the room was distinctly male, indicating that the room had belonged to one of Maggie's brother's.

Daryl stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, taking in the baseball posters and photographs with hesitation. This room was like a time capsule. How had Ellen stayed in here before? And how had he been comfortable in here before? Oh… he was distracted by Ellen's goddamn concussion. That's right.

Ellen noticed Daryl's hesitation immediately, "Daryl, you can put your stuff anywhere. No one is going to bite you."

Daryl let out a huff of air and moved forward, stepping further into this frozen space. He then plopped all of his camping gear and other belongings unceremoniously on the bed. Ellen watched him sift through his stuff, and laughed.

Daryl whirled around to look at her, not much caring whether she was laughing at him or not. "What's so funny, Peaches?"

"You…. In a house…." Ellen smiled.

Daryl's shoulders went rigid. Ellen had struck a sensitive point, and she recognized it immediately.

An awkward silence followed Ellen's comment. But she broke it bravely, "Daryl, I didn't mean-… I only meant that you're just so… woodsy."

Daryl didn't laugh at her attempt to lighten the mood. He just continued organizing his few belongings. "Ain't because you think I'm not good enough for a roof?"

"NO! Daryl, that's ridiculous. I would never think so poorly of you."

Daryl met Ellen's gaze then. He searched her eyes for any sign of dishonesty. It was true that Daryl had many insecurities. But so did Ellen. And she was willing to work with him.

Daryl let a soft grunt serve as his acknowledgement of her position. This girl was getting under his skin. And he wasn't sure if she would be able to handle what she found there.