Watching Daryl walk off Rick looked back to the Walker lying on the ground dead. How was he supposed to react to what had just happened? Daryl had just come up out of nowhere and saved his life, and he'd just verbally thanked him. He felt like he should've done more than say a simple 'Thank you'… He shook the thought from his head and suddenly realized that Lori might be worried about him.
With that he rushed inside the building and his friends all looked at him with clear relief in their expressions. Lori stood up and ran over to him, hugging him tightly with Carl sitting on a worn blanket gazing up at him. "Are you okay?" She murmured in his ear. With a slight nod and a grimace from the stiff pain that ran up to his shoulder he indicated to her that he was just fine.
"Just messed up my shoulder pretty bad; but I'll be fine in a few days." He assured her. She pulled away, her eyes widened as she now noticed the bloodstain on his uniform. Reaching to touch it but hesitating, she rested her hand gingerly where the injured spot was, making Rick flinch a little.
"Might not want to do that." Daryl said audibly from the back of the crowd, walking through them and standing before both of them. "We don't want it to get worse." He said gravely. She lowered her hand and put them on her hips with a stern expression.
"I'm sorry, do you think I'm too dirty to touch my husband?" she asked testily. He chuckled and muttered something under his breath before saying:
"No. Just as fresh as that wound is it could easily get worse. But by all means, if you want him to lose an arm when the infection gets the better of him, go right on ahead." He said simply. "Fucking bitch…" He mumbled to himself. Rick raised his eyebrows in surprise but said nothing out of respect for both himself and his friends.
"Hah. I didn't realize you were a doctor, Dixon. Last time I checked you were just some redneck who can shoot a crossbow." She snapped. With a tight, faint smile, Daryl nodded and held up the crossbow.
"The crossbow that saved your husband's ass. You best be respecting me for that or it'd be him out there on the ground instead of that Walker." He said roughly. Lori gasped and stared at Rick from what he'd said.
"Is that true Rick?" She asked. Rick smiled at Daryl then peered back at his wife.
"Yes. It caught me by surprise. If Daryl wasn't there I would've been good as dead." He agreed. "And he's right Lori; I've got to keep it on the low with this thing for the next few days. Just take the man's advice." He insisted, gesturing to his shoulder weakly. With a grunt of annoyance she crossed her arms.
"Are you really defending him right now?" She mumbled. Before Rick could speak, Shane walked over to the group of three and looked to all of them.
"Okay everyone. I think we've all heard enough." He said decisively. Lori glared at him and awkwardly suggested he move back with her eyes, but he stubbornly stood his ground. "Rick, you should take your wife's side instead of some guy you barely know." He added. Rick cocked his head to the side with a raise of an eyebrow and stared at the muscular man.
"You should mind your own business instead of getting involved with mine." He quipped. Shane laughed harshly with a shake of his head.
"You know man-…" He scoffed, but trailed off after thinking about what he was going to say. Lori gawked at Shane in worry and unease and nervously laughed, stuffing her hands in her pockets.
"I think Carl just said my name. I'll be right back." She said, inelegantly moving back to her son and kneeling down in front of him while murmuring something to him. Shane bit his tongue and walked over to her, leaning over her and saying quiet assurances to her, making Rick glower in his direction. He was tempted to go over there, but Daryl put a hand on his good shoulder and stopped him.
"Honestly, I think we've had enough trouble today, don't you think?" He pointed out. The deputy lowered his eyes and silently gave in, letting Daryl lead him away from the three uncertainly.
"I just want to know what's going on…" He said suddenly, then cursing under his breath for saying it. Daryl peered at Rick with a surprised flicker in his eyes, both of them pausing in an empty hallway.
"What do you mean?" He asked, concern light in his tone out of knowledge that Rick had something bothering him. With a partial shrug he leaned against the wall.
"I-I… Nothing. Really I was just talking to myself is all..." He said so uncertainly even Rick himself didn't believe what he was saying. With a roll of his eyes the younger man crossed his arms.
"Listen man; you're stressed out. I could try making a guess on what it is, but I'd rather hear it from the person." He said. Rick gazed respectfully at Daryl and smiled faintly; of all people to be concerned, the last person he expected was Daryl Dixon to be him. He was quiet for a moment, but finally breathed in and nodded.
"I uh… I'm just feeling tentative toward Lori right now… Ever since I've been here she's been different. Less social, high strung, even a little shifty. I wonder if it was me who changed or her. I know I'm different than I used to be…" Daryl grunted in agreement and he continued. "…But I thought it was a good different." Daryl nodded and gestured Rick to go into the room nearby. When they walked in the room Daryl sat down on a worn couch and Rick sat beside him. With that Daryl turned to him and sighed, saying with a decisive tone:
"I think it's time you learned about what happened here when Lori and Carl thought you were 'dead'"
To be continued!