This chapter is going to be different. This group is going to split. Some will go on with the mission to take Eugene to DC. The others will look for a place to settle at least for the winter. So we get the viewpoints of those that want to settle.

Who Do You Trust?

Morgan

Morgan looked back at the occupants in the big Suburban that he was driving and smiled. It was strange how close they had become in just a few days. This vehicle had filled up quickly this morning. Tyreese was in the seat beside him and behind him was Carol, Sasha, and Daryl. The last row was still Beth and Elijah. Bob and Michonne had gotten there too late and were shuttled back to Rick's vehicle.

Morgan woke up every day and questioned why he was still with this group. Not because he didn't like and trust them as individuals, but this quest to take Eugene to DC was crazy. Washington DC was a major metropolitan area. There was no way that research labs would be set up in an area that would have a target for a nuclear bomb. They wouldn't be in Atlanta either. North Dakota or the Rockies. Some place with lots of room and almost no people.

Morgan had joined them originally because they all wanted to flee Terminus. He was tired of being alone and wanted to be with a group that he could trust. He still didn't want to be alone but he was beginning to think that this was a suicide mission. He didn't want to die alone, but he wasn't going to blindly follow Rick and Abraham. Rick had thrown Carol out so he couldn't put too much faith in his decision making process. Abraham would do anything to ensure that his "mission" was accomplished. That was a damn scary thought; he would throw someone else under the bus to save Eugene.

Winter was coming even here in the South. They needed to find a place that would shelter them all and start storing food. They had a baby here who needed a warm dry place to live. Judith should be their first thought. He hadn't talked about this with Carol, but he knew her well enough to know that she had to be having doubts. He liked and trusted Carol; he needed to talk to her about finding a place to settle.

Daryl

Daryl stretched out in the big vehicle and closed his eyes. He was tired. He had had watch last night and then he had followed Carol into the office. Carol had went to sleep in his arms and he had pulled her even closer to him and went to sleep too. He tried not to think of Carol in his arms right now because he was sitting beside of Sasha and she would probably smack him if he got a hard on beside her.

He smiled when he remembered the look on Bob's face when he realized that his habitual tardiness had cost him not riding with Sasha. Daryl had hustled out early and thrown his stuff in the back as if he always rode this vehicle. Sasha was between him and Carol but he was in the damn car. He would be right here if anything happened.

She had been busy this morning with Judith and he hadn't talked to her. Carol had lost control last night and she would be cool to him today. Last night she had let him hold her and today she would be regretting that weakness. Daryl didn't think that convincing Carol that she should trust him again would be easy. She might never love him the way he loved her. She might always be the untouchable Queen and he would have to be satisfied to be the knight that protected her. He had been that for her on the farm; the gallant knight searching for Sophia only for them both to find Sophia coming out of the barn. He had saved Carol from being bitten that day; that was his mission then and it would be from now on.

Daryl thought about this mission they were on. He was supposed to think this Eugene was some genius who make a cure in DC. Why did he have to go halfway across a walker filled continent to DC to do it? This whole thing was fucked up; this mission was endangering Carol and Judith. He was going to find someplace for them to settle.

Daryl knew that it wouldn't just be the three of them; there was more safety in numbers anyway. He knew that everybody in this vehicle trusted Morgan. He was a quiet guy but when he talked everybody listened. Morgan and Tyreese were good men and he hoped they would want to find someplace to settle too.

Daryl glanced back at Elijah and Beth. They were talking quietly. Elijah was new to the group and he had gravitated toward this vehicle. He seemed comfortable here and Beth had jumped over yesterday and didn't want to go back.

Daryl was never good with words but the people in this vehicle had some things in common. They could fight, but most people would say that they were kind. They teased each other but never cruelly. That found things to laugh about. He was always wary of people but he trusted these people.

Trust. It didn't matter that Abraham was a good fighter. He didn't trust him. He couldn't fully trust Rick because Rick had thrown Carol out. Morgan might have been bat shit crazy a year ago but Daryl trusted him to protect Carol and Judith.

Carol

Carol was tired and out of sorts. Judith had been fussy this morning and Carol understood why. Judith had been on the move for too long. She needed a safe warm home and some sense of normalcy in her life. Carol wanted that for the both of them.

Carol remembered her dream last night. It wasn't the accusing nightmare that she had before; the girls were not looking at her with anger and disappointment at all. Sophia had put her arm around her as they made the pralines. Lizzie had laughed as she ate the sweet treat. Mika had pulled the pralines of the oven with a contented sign. She had felt their love for her and the sorrow had come from her knowing that she would never see them again. That sadness had overwhelmed her when she woke up; she had fled to the solitude of the office to bear it alone. Daryl had followed her and he had held her while she wept. He had held her close and murmured kind things to her. He had been kind to her when Sophia had been killed but never held her as he had last night.

Carol didn't know what to say to Daryl about last night. She didn't know how to talk to him anymore. She had felt so betrayed that he had agreed with Rick. She had accepted banishment because Daryl wasn't there; she was afraid of the Rick on that run. She thought that Daryl would come and bring her back. Daryl would find her and make this right. Daryl would never let her die out there, but he had never come looking for her. Then, she had come back close to the prison because she wanted to see the girls only to find everything they had worked for the last year completely destroyed. She had tracked Tyreese, Lizzie, and Mika down. Daryl had never found them; he had been according to Beth sunk in some sort of depression. Daryl had been foolish and careless. Beth had gotten captured and Daryl had joined up with a vile bunch that had attacked Rick's group. None of that seemed liked the protective cautious man who worked tirelessly to keep them alive. He had risked his life for Sophia and he had not bothered to look for her or for any of the others.

She was both angry and mystified by him. He hadn't come for her and had acted like an ass with Beth. He had acted as if she didn't exist for days. He had sulked around this group for more days and then yesterday he had stood guard so close to her that she had literally bumped into him. He was in this vehicle yesterday afternoon and had slept not five feet away from her last night. Daryl had settled himself in this vehicle and didn't look as if he was interested in leaving. He was protecting her now, but he would never go against Rick. If she found a place to settle then Daryl would leave with Rick.

Carol decided that she needed to talk with Tyreese and Morgan to see how they felt about settling somewhere. She trusted them more than anyone else. Tyreese had forgiven her. Morgan had accepted her as she was. They had went to war together to save this group. Maybe they could find a way to save this group by finding a safer place to live.

TWDTWDTWD

The lunch break was close to the North Carolina border at a church with a picnic shelter. Carol had sat with Morgan and Tyreese and they talked about finding someplace to settle. The three of them agreed that they wanted to start all over in North Carolina or Virginia.

Carol knew Daryl was listening to their conversation. He had been standing while he ate so that he could watch their surroundings. He had turned to make eye contact with her and she saw him make a small almost imperceptible nod to her. Daryl was in.

Rick and Michonne had been watching Carol, Morgan, and Tyreese. "She is up to something," Rick had told Michonne, "Tyreese and Morgan are like putty in her hands. She can talk them into anything".

Michonne said, "Like risking their lives to save us at Terminus. Like keeping Judith alive out there. They did right by us. Morgan won't do anything that he doesn't want to do." Michonne had seen Daryl's nod to Carol. The man had been shadowing Carol since yesterday.

"Morgan is not thinking with the right head. He is a lonely man and she is a pretty woman." Rick was dismissive. Michonne had winced at his comment but knew there may be some truth in it. She watched Daryl. He was talking to all of three of them now. She knew that Daryl loved Carol, always had and always would. Carol had had a bad couple of weeks and Daryl had in Carol's mind completely deserted her. Carol had adored Daryl and she might not be so trusting next time. "Rick, leave her the hell alone this time. You fucked the duck and screwed the pooch when you threw her out. They are up to something, but that doesn't mean it is anything bad. You see those three men with her. Those are three good men. They are in her corner, and this time she won't be fighting all alone." Michonne was furious with Rick. She didn't want to get back in the car with him; she wanted to ride with Morgan and listen to him as the miles slid by. She loved Carl but she was rapidly becoming disenchanted with Rick.

Morgan

Morgan was relieved to find that Carol and Tyreese were both wanting off the mission to take Eugene to DC. He didn't want to cause problems but he didn't want to risk everyone's safety on the off chance that Eugene really could do this. Daryl was a surprise but he figured the man would do whatever Rick wanted in the end.

Michonne and Rick were watching them and Morgan wondered how serious that relationship was. Rick should be happy to have a woman like that by his side, but he looked pissed off. Probably thought that they were going to start an insurrection. He had not intentions of derailing their mission, but he was about to get off the train.

Daryl

Rick wasn't going to be happy about this, and Daryl had a sinking feeling that Rick was going to be really pissy about it. He hated to go against Rick, but this time he was going with Carol. Rick could go off on his adventure but he wanted to hang out with Carol. Forever.

Michonne needed to go with them. She was an incredible warrior and she and Carol were close. She and Morgan could have many happy years together, just as soon as he figured out how to make them fall in love.

Carol

Daryl was looking at Morgan and half smiling. Daryl had nodded, but would he fold like a deck of cards when Rick played the "brother" card? She shouldn't get her hopes up that Daryl would go with them. When had he ever went against Rick? He had agreed with Rick's plan to give Michonne to the Governor? Rick had changed his mind before it happened but Merle wound up dead that day.

TWDTWDTWD

Morgan, Tyreese, Carol, Daryl, and Rick talked that night at the hilltop hotel that was their home until the morning. They told Rick that they wanted to start looking for a place for the winter and begin bringing in supplies. Rick agreed to slow down the pace so that each day they could look around to find a place to stay. Rick would have cut them loose to go their own way but Daryl was with them.

AN

I can't write characters stupid enough to believe that trekking through DC in a ZA is a good idea. The double whammy of stupidity is believing that Eugene is going to find a cure: he could have stayed in Houston and found a cure there. I can't take Rosita and Abraham seriously either.

I am not all that fond of Rick either so he won't be written in the rosy glow of adulation. I could get behind a Morgan-Michonne pairing, and Daryl is trying to find a way to put them together.

Review please; I do read them and occasionally follow advice.