"Why are you doing this?" I asked, jogging to keep up with Daryl's speedy pace. He merely shrugged, and I gritted my teeth.

I didn't realise that he had moved his tent away from camp while we were gone, and knowing that he was away from all of us got me really worried. He wouldn't even say why!

"Is it because of something? Someone?" I asked, my eyes low as I strode beside him. Once again, he shrugged.

"So what happens if a walker stumbles on you while you're asleep?" I asked, frowning.

"I'll be fine." He drawled, his eyes still facing forward.

Eugh, I wanted to kick him.

"Daryl." I huffed, thrusting my hands in my jean pockets.

I could feel his eyes on me which I tried to ignore, but I gave in. I looked up at him to see a raised eyebrow.

"Why d'ya even care?" He asked.

"Because you're an important member of this group. And I don't want you to die." I said quickly, and immediately bit my lip. I know he doesn't appreciate human contact, but damn it! He was still a member of this group. I expected him to start an argument with me and push me away.

But he didn't. He gave me a sidelong glance and gritted his teeth. I slowed my pace down and so did he, but I wasn't going to walk with him any more.

"Just be careful." I sighed, before taking a couple steps backwards.

It was only when he met my eyes that I finally tuned and began making my way back to the rest of camp. I ran a harsh hand through my hair and over my face as I trudged uphill.

Well done Sam. Put your foot in it once again.

He could just take it for what it was. Its hard keeping people you know alive, and I didn't want another member of this group to die, right? No, he should just take it literally. I shoved my hands roughly in my pockets and sighed.

But what if he thinks there's a hidden meaning in my words? There isn't, of course not, but he's not as stupid as he appears. I know that now. He could be forming all sorts of ideas that could put whatever relationship we managed to scrape together in jeopardy... No. I just said the blatant truth. He can't read any more into that.

I walked through the tall and slightly dewy grass, my hands still in my pockets as I made my was through the field back to camp.

It was still early morning, and after the events of yesterday, I would be surprised if people didn't emerge from their tents until at least midday. Our return with an extra and possibly dangerous person in tow isn't exactly the nicest of things to wake up to.

Dale was awake, and was doing a watch on top of the RV. I looked around the empty campsite and decided that I'd join him.

I crawled up the ladder and smiled at the older man. He smiled at me as he paced the RV, his brow slightly furred.

"What's up?" I asked as I sat in the chair.

"Nothing, Sam. Just thinking." he sighed.

"Dale." I sighed, giving him an imploring look.

He looked at me briefly before relaxing his shoulders.

"Shane."

I nodded, realising I should've known sooner. It's no surprise really. I knew I wasn't the only one in the group who didn't agree with Shane, but I was surprised it was Dale. He's the most stable and agreeable person in the group.

"What's on your mind about him?" I asked. Dale took a minute to think before he sighed heavily, as if giving up.

"He's dangerous." he sighed.

I moved off the chair and sat on the roof of the RV, signalling him to sit in the chair. He sagged in the seat, his eyes looking tired. I took a deep breath and chose my words carefully.

"He's a bit of a loose cannon, but dangerous? As in 'lives at stake' dangerous?" I asked slowly.

"I'm telling you Sam, there's nothing moral about him. If he ever had that in him, it's gone now." He sighed, placing the rifle on the floor.

I took the binoculars from his hand and quickly looked around the area. I then brought ten down from my face and looked at Dale. He seemed slightly tortured.

"I think you're right. After what happened with the barn, his way with us all and... Yeah. But I can't help but feel like he's entirely to blame. There's something that's driving him through this. I know it's not an excuse but... I don't know." I faltered.

I didn't want to believe Shane was entirely bad, but he was being reckless. Heartless at times. But I then remembered what Amy had said about Shane and Lori being together before Rick came back. Maybe that was affecting him more than he had let on. Maybe he had even known Lori was pregnant. But how was I ever going to know?

"I know Sam. But we've all been through difficult and the hardest things we've had to face, and we all seem to be doing okay." He levelled, and I agreed. But then again, people are good at hiding things when they need to.

We sat in silence for a few minutes, contemplating. I'd been struggling to keep something to myself, and then seemed like the right time to say.

"I... I think Shane killed Otis." I said cautiously.

Dale looked at me, but I was shocked to find that he didn't seem surprised. Actually, he looked like he agreed.

"I think the same. There was something odd about him at Otis' memorial. I couldn't place it, buy I didn't believe him. Why do you think that?"

This was moving fast. I mean, we agreed that something had happened to Shane to mke him... I dunno. Foolhardy. But blaming him for Otis' death? I don't know if I should have said anything. A quick look at Dale didn't show disgust or shame. Just a need. A need to know what I thought. And I knew I could entrust what I thought, be it true or not.

"I used to go hunting with him, just to learn for the future and to help him in thanks for letting us stay here. I mean, yeah. The guy got out of breath, buy he could track a deer for days. In fact he did, which is how Carl got shot, and how we all... well, you know that part. He could definitely hold his own, and if he knew where and what he was doing like he did with the school, it would've worked in his favour, not get him killed. And... And Shane's Remington looked like Otis'. I know that's weak, but I feel it in my gut." I gushed, my eyes fixed off in the distance.

Dale took a minute to digest that. Eventually he nodded, and I sighed in relief. At least I had told someone. It was best that I told Dale out of everyone, especially if he agreed.

"That... it worries me, but it makes sense. This stays between us. We'll keep our eye on him. If he just gets out of hand, we'll tell Rick." He nodded, mostly to himself.

"If Rick hasn't already noticed by then, yeah. They were close at some point. He must know the old Shane and this new Shane." I mumbled.

"I know," Dale shrugged, before quickly leaning forward to take the binoculars from my hands. "But that's what happens with people you love. You tend to overlook all their crap."

I followed his line of sight to see Daryl walking across the field, squirrels and a small animal attached to his belt and in hand. He wasn't looking up to camp as he walked, but merely shouldered his crossbow as he made his way towards where he had moved his tent to.

"Why has he moved away?" I asked weakly to Dale, cringing at how pathetic I sounded.

"I don't know. You were the first person that tried to stop him, though." Dale said, his eyes scanning my face.

I bit my tongue and turned my head away from Dale back to Daryl. To my strange relief, you could just about see his tent through the trees from the RV. That relaxed me a little. At least he wasn't totally on his own. We could see it there was anything approaching him and his tent. I took a deep breath and pulled my legs up to my chest, ignoring the slight bite I felt in my ribs.

Daryl had obviously just been hunting, but I didn't know if he was going to give any of what he caught to us. I wouldn't blame him. He doesn't owe us anything. But thinking about Otis and him showing me things, maybe I could go out and do it on my own. It wouldn't be difficult, Otis taught me some things. And I couldn't get into a situation any worse than what I did when I was looking for Sophia.

Besides, sitting around camp is killing me. I needed to get fit, and being on my toes would help with that, all I'd have to do is motivate myself.

"Oh boy." Dale sighed.

I looked at him and followed his eyes round to see Rick and Shane almost dragging Randall towards what looked like the barn.

Shane looked extremely pissed, and for a second, so did Rick. I sighed as the men disappeared into the barn with the kid, and I turned back round to look out to the field.

I was definitely going hunting. Because I'm not staying here while Shane has a set idea about what should happen to Randall, none of it human or sane, for that matter.

"Woah, Glenn, wait up!"

I gave Dale a goodbye squeeze on his arm and scrambled down the ladder of the RV. He looked back at me, and seeing me in pursuit, he hurried faster away towards a truck. Confused, I broke out into a jog.

"Glenn! What the hell?" I called.

He clambered into his truck and started the engine. As quickly as I could, I ripped open the backdoor when it just started moving and climbed in as the truck began to pick up pace.

"Sam! What are you doing?" Glenn gasped.

"What am I doing? What are you doing?!" I shrieked.

The truck carried on zooming through the Greene's land towards the exit while I scrambled to get into the front passenger seat.

"Why did you run from me? I just wanted to talk to you." I asked, scanning his face.

"I wasn't running... I was... I was late going to town. The supply run. It'll be dark soon." He rambled, and I snorted.

"Come off it Glenn. You haven't been right since we went after Hershel. What's wrong?" I asked, suppressing my angry tone of voice.

"Nothing's wrong. I'm fine." He snapped.

I didn't wince. I wasn't even offended. I was just worried. Okay, maybe I was a little frustrated at how he was behaving. He slammed the car to a halt and jumped out to swing open the gate. I waited patiently, and ignored the fact that I was going on a supply run with him. And without a weapon. But finding out what was wrong with Glenn was more important than some walkers.

He climbed back in and started the truck back up again, this time at a slower pace. We got out and shut the gate again, and this time we were breezing down the main road in silence. Just for a little while.

"I'm sorry." He rushed. I looked at him and waited patiently. I knew it wouldn't take him long to talk. We had been through a lot together, after all.

"I just, I couldn't face myself. You and Rick were going to stay back and make sure Hershel and I got out. It was only a couple guys, right? But I just froze." He sighed, his eyes glued to the road in front.

"You froze?" I asked softly.

"I just saw the guys, and I heard the walkers, and I just seized up. You guys did all the work. You all made sure we got out of there. I was just a dead weight. I'm sorry." His voice cracked as he spoke, and I sighed sadly. So that was why he wouldn't talk to me. He felt guilty.

"Glenn, there's nothing to be sorry for! I freeze up all the time. I panic, I want to cry and scream. But we all deal differently and at different times." I smiled sadly.

"But that's not an excuse! I just shouldn't bother anymore." He sighed in frustration, his shoulder sagging.

"So that's it, then. Just give up? Then you really will become a dead weight." I snapped, annoyed and worried about what Glenn was saying.

"It's the best thing for me-"

"Not it's not Glenn!" I yelped.

He looked at me and sighed, our spat affecting both of us. We'd never argued. Especially over something this important. He couldn't just give up! He was our backbone.

I decided to change tactic. I had to make him believe he's just as good as all of us, if not better. Because he was.

"But... But what about the supply runs?"

"What about them?" He asked quizzically.

"You go. you go alone, and you face a huge number of walkers, just so we can eat for a few days-"

"I sneak around. It isn't exactly heroic." He cut in sarcastically.

"It is! None of us could do it. But you do. You always provide for us, and not anyone can do that." I said, tentatively placing my hand on his.

He didn't move me off him, but he didn't respond either.

"You're one of the bravest guys I know. So what if you froze? You can't hold it together all the time. And It's not a battle of strengths or who can do what. It's about making sure everyone survives in whatever way we can." I continued.

He let that sink in for a minute, and so we sat in silence. After a while, he looked at me and gave me a small but genuine smile.

"Thanks Sam. I mean, I still don't believe you, but I feel better." He said, but I saw through it and realised he was talking honestly.

"Forget about it. Because when did Short Round ever let himself get knocked down and stay down?" I joked, remembering what Daryl said one our hunt for Merle.

"Please, please don't start calling me that. It's enough with Daryl doing it." He laughed.

"I won't. Just take note of what I said, okay?" I smiled.

"Sure." He sighed, re-arranging his cap.

"Now," I said, swinging round to face the road. "Let's go get some grub!"

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- Loré. X