Next chapter is up! Have fun!
Chapter 24
Everyone in the room was staring at Daryl. Shane's mouth had dropped open. He snapped it shut quickly and slowly moved behind Daryl and put his hand on his shoulder, "Hey come outside for a minute ok?" The kid glared at Lori but nodded. The two men walked outside with everyone's eyes on them. When the door shut, Shane let a breath out, "What was that?" Daryl sat down on the porch, "I don't know." Shane sat down next to him, "What was that Daryl?" Daryl sighed, "I'm sick of all this Shane. I'm suck of killing people that are family or are part of a family while the other members watch." Shane nodded, "I know. But it's something we have to do. She probably hasn't died. She's probably fine." Daryl looked at him, "You're lying to me and yourself." Shane turned away, "You don't know that." Daryl shifted, "I do. I can barely survive out there. There's no way she can." Shane shut his eyes, "We're all going out to find her tomorrow ok?" Daryl nodded, "Ok. Just be ready for it."
The two men walked into the house and saw Rick was waiting for them. In two quick strides the sheriff was in front of Daryl and pushing him back into the wall, "Don't let me hear you yelling at Lori again or Carl. They're my family, my responsibility." Daryl glared at him, "I'm sorry. I just thought maybe someone should teach that dog a new trick." Rick shook him a couple times and knocked Daryl's head into the wall once, "You understand that?" Daryl just looked at him, "I'll leave her alone if you take care of things. If you don't do that, I'll interfere." Rick let the kid go and stormed off. Shane moved to Daryl, "You ok?" Daryl nodded, "Fine." They headed upstairs to the bedrooms and Daryl took a room across from Shane's. Shane rolled over in his bed realizing that tomorrow they would probably find Sofia, but not in the way they wanted.
Shane was up the next morning and getting everyone together for their trip to find Sofia. Daryl was banging on all the doors that weren't opened and yelling at the top of his lungs so everyone would get up. Shane was pulling out weapons for everyone and Glenn was out getting the trucks started. Shane yelled out the window, "Glenn we aren't taking the cars! We're searching the woods." Glenn glanced up and waved his acknowledgement. The cars shut off and the group headed on their way through the woods. Daryl jogged a bit ahead of the group to scout yelling if he saw anything. There were a few walkers about but they were taken by Daryl's arrows before they could see the group. Shane was in the back making sure nothing tailed them and so no one got lost. He heard footsteps coming toward him and turned around to see Daryl running through the group. The kid leaned down, "Look I found a barn about a half mile away. I think we should check there. She could've hidden in there." Shane nodded, "Lead the way."
Daryl went back to the front of the group and began the walk towards the barn. Rick slowed down and walked next to Shane. Shane didn't look at him. "What are you so mad about?" Rick asked. Shane glared at him, "You physically assaulted Daryl yesterday over getting a little carried away." Rick looked at him, "That's what you're so upset about? I just wanted to make sure he doesn't mess with her anymore." Shane held his glare, "Rick what happened? You'd never have been this angry before. What's getting you so worked up?" Rick shook his head, "Nothing. Daryl needs to learn that he doesn't have the right to boss people around and yell at them like the leader he's not." Shane shoved Rick a little, "Stop. Daryl's not the leader. I am. I tell him what he can do and he listens to me. So you need to stay out of his business and leave my brother alone." Shane realized that his voice had risen a little bit and he glanced around. Daryl had his head cocked a little bit but it didn't seem like he had heard. Rick turned away from Shane, "So that's what you guys are now? Kick me out to third wheel now?" Shane looked down, "No. I just found Daryl in the woods. That's all." Rick stared at him angrily, "You just called him your brother. That is not a relationship you get from just picking a kid up in the woods." Shane let Rick's anger get to him and said something he wasn't to proud of, "Look, Daryl's just a guy I found in the woods. I brought him back because that's what you would've done. He doesn't mean anything else to me except that. The only reason I'm keeping him around is so he can repay me for saving his life multiple times. All this 'brother' stuff is just a show." He really hoped Daryl was out of earshot because he didn't mean a word of that, it had just come out. He was trying to stop Rick from thinking that he was not involved in the group anymore. "Is that what I really am to you?" a voice said quietly behind Shane. Rick glanced over Shane's shoulder, "Cover's blown. I'm going to lead the group to the barn now." He walked off and left Shane standing with his back to what he knew would be a tortured expression.
He slowly turned to look at Daryl who was looking at the ground. "Daryl I was just trying to-" Shane started but Daryl cut him off. "It's all just a show? Everything that you did was just for show? You kept me here to repay you? You said you wanted nothing back, or was that just part of the show too?" the kid asked still not looking at him. Shane reached out for the kid's arm but Daryl moved back, "Daryl, I didn't mean a word of that. I was trying to get Rick to stop bothering me about you. I don't want anything for saving your life. The stuff I did wasn't a show I promise. I just wanted Rick to get off your back." Daryl glared at him, "So you go and tell him I mean nothing to you? That's an invitation to keep doing what he's doing. God you're so stupid sometimes." Shane looked at him, "What did you want me to tell him? That I'm like your brother and have him get so pissed off that he'd do something crazy?"
Daryl shook his head, "So that's what its about? You just don't want him to leave. You tell him things that I have no idea if they are true or not so he'll stay in the group? Maybe I was wrong. Maybe you aren't as good a leader as I thought. Leaders don't lie to other people to make others stay." Daryl walked past him and went to the front of the line, shoving Rick out of the way, "You don't lead. That's my job." Rick shrugged, "Whatever." He turned away but Daryl stopped him, "Oh yea, and leave him alone."
Thanks for reading guys! Reviews are always welcome!