Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to The Walking Dead, AMC or any of their affiliates. This is purely for entertainment purposes and is a fan created fiction. This story does not reflect the actual Walking Dead series and doesn't claim to be anything but a fan (me) expressing my appreciation for the characters and the wonder that is The Walking Dead. All OFC's (Original Fictional Characters) are a product of my own imagination. Any resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental.
Do or die trying
Chapter 3
Rick opened the screen door after his knock went unanswered. He heard voices coming from the second floor. He could make out Lori's voice as she questioned Dylan. Rick waited a few minutes knowing Hershel would come to the kitchen to talk. He wasn't alone when he finally did make his way down the stairs. Lori was hot on his heels. Rick sighed. He really didn't want Lori party to the conversation he was about to have with Hershel. He knew he couldn't ask her to leave because she wouldn't go even if he did.
"I don't know what you expect me to do for the young woman." Hershel was rolling up his sleeves all the same. "She seems to be healthy although I am not positive about her mental state. I'm not that kind of a doctor."
"Why would she need the morning after pill?" Lori spoke up, unafraid to ask that question in front of their host.
"She's pregnant? I will not stand for abortions being done on my property!"
Lori closed her mouth tightly grinding her teeth together. If Hershel knew what she had tried he would throw them off his land.
Rick took a deep breath. "I don't know if she's pregnant. We heard the scream…Daryl killed the man…in the act. I killed one of them and Shane did the third."
"They were rapping her?" Lori covered her mouth afraid to say anything else. Hershel held onto a chair for support. No one noticed Dylan standing on the steps.
"Yes he tried. And I am not pregnant!" Dylan ran down the steps stopping at the door. "Where is my bag?"
"Just hold on." Rick reached out to Dylan, but refrained from touching her.
"Please just let me go. I didn't …don't want anyone to treat me like this. Like I'm different!"
"The man that attacked you was bit. And so was his partner, as far as I could tell the younger man wasn't." Dylan fell to her knees where she remained. Tears ran down her face as she hugged herself. Rick got down to her level. "Please let the women check you and then Hershel. For our safety and yours."
Dylan didn't argue in fact she didn't speak for the rest of the afternoon. Lori was begining to worry that something was really wrong with her other than the outbreak. She was going tot alk to Rick later, make sure he understood that adding another person to their group was just stupid. And one that was unstable, they already had enough of that kind of thing with Shane.
"You already isolate yourself from the rest of the group." Rick had found Daryl near his tent, inspecting his bow. This was the only solution he could think of for the woman.
"Yeah so that means I'm automatically supposed to babysit the chick?" Daryl looked up with only his eyes, hoping the stare would make Rick turn around and leave him alone. "Maybe I don't fuckin want to!"
"I'll take you out of rotation. You can sleep during the day when she's up. All you have to do is make sure she isn't showing any signs."
Daryl stood up, pulling a knife from his belt. He sat back down, slamming a squirrel onto the log he was straddling. "That ain't out of rotation! Bullshit! That is walker duty every damn night! Why's it always gotta be me? What about your boy or the Korean? You people are pathetic. Can't do shit on your own."
Rick watched him gut the animal. He was instantly reminded of the way Daryl had done the same to a walker they thought might have eaten Sophia. His stomach flip-flopped making Rick cough on the bile that rose in his throat.
Daryl shot him a look of disgust. "All this time and you can't handle a little blood from your dinner? Fucking pathetic!"
"I'm fine!" Rick held up his hand while he took a deep breath. "Look I chose you. Because I know you can do this. I also…" Rick hated saying it. Hated admitting he needed Daryl Dixon. Only one thing could be worse and that would be having to trust his brother Merle. "I know you won't do anything to her unless it had to be done. I also know you won't hesitate if it did. I have faith in you."
His whole life no one had faith in him. His family, his school, everyone assumed he was a loser, not worth a damn. Daryl didn't know how to take this change in attitude. Did Rick really mean it or was he just trying to get his way? The knife stilled and then was suddenly pointed in Rick's face. The blade picked up the light, sending a blinding flash into Rick's eyes. "You got two weeks. If she ain't foaming at the mouth and trying to bite someone's head off by then, she's your fucking problem! Got that? You finish this I'm going back to fucking bed!"
.
Glenn raised his eyebrows when he heard Daryl ranting. He called him the Korean and not some other rude remark. Was Daryl getting soft? Could he actually be starting to mesh with all of them? Maybe that is why he moved out of camp but didn't leave yet. Maggie believed Daryl was going to disappear, yet here he was still pissing in everyone's cheerios. Only he was doing it in a slightly nicer way.
Maggie tousled Glenn's hair when she walked up behind him. "What are you laughing about?"
"I'm the Korean!" Glenn pointed at Daryl.
"He said that? He should be a little friendlier, do the world a favor."
Glenn laughed and stole Maggie's hat. While running away he yelled, "That is as friendly as Daryl gets."