Long Chapter now. And now stuff happens. And things

Chapter 29

The whole group tensed as the Governor said those words. Shane watched as four men escorted two others out of a room on the side. One was smaller and trying in vain to spit into the guards' faces while the bigger man jerked slightly at the ties on his wrists. The Governor grinned, "I guess you two aren't very valuable to the group after all." Daryl glared at the Governor, "Just wait for it pirate. Shane's going to beat your ass to Pluto and back." Rick hissed something at Daryl that Shane couldn't hear.

The Governor stepped forward and grabbed Daryl by the shirt collar, "You can go first." Shane was up and moving and Glenn couldn't stop him. He had the smoke bombs that they had brought with him. He needed a better vantage point. Glenn was fiercely waving at him to get back but Shane knew where he was going. Sort of. The Governor dragged a struggling Daryl towards the wall of walkers as Rick was yelling some nasty things. "Let him go! Let him go! Let me go first," Rick was yelling. "C'mon you weak piece of shit! You're killing people without giving them a chance to fight back!" Rick was actually pretty good and Shane had to smile.

He headed to the opposite side of the crowd and then, right as the Governor was about to shove Daryl straight into the pile of walkers, blew the first smoke bomb into the arena. Total chaos followed. Glenn and T-Dog headed into the arena. Glenn grabbed Rick and cut his ties and Rick ran for Daryl who was still struggling with the Governor. People were running everywhere. Andrea was near Shane and they both entered the arena as well. Shane saw Daryl get a well placed kick into the Governor and then Rick was there, cutting his ties and then the two men joined Shane.

Daryl was panting, "We have to leave. We don't have enough people to take them on and we aren't in good shape either. We got roughed up a bit." Shane nodded, "Alright guys run!" The group sprinted out of the town and back towards the hill where they met Lori and Carol. Rick and Daryl barely made it. Having been chained up, dragged around, and having a near death experience sure tired people out. Shane helped support Rick and Daryl through their walk back. Glenn was with Daryl on the right and Lori was helping Rick.

As they got back to the house Shane made a decision, "We have to move. He'll come back at us if we don't. We'll leave tomorrow evening so we can drive during the night." The group agreed and they entered the house. Rick was out first. He had gone upstairs and crashed in his room. Daryl went to his room next and then Shane had to follow them. It was very early in the morning by what he could tell. Probably around one or two. It was quiet in their house except for the soft footsteps of the other members downstairs, cleaning up and getting ready for sleep.

He was up the next morning at eight even though it was early and he was exhausted. He knew that he needed to get packing. As he left the house he heard a small shifting of movement and saw Daryl leaning on the fence that surrounded the porch. "Hey, you alright?" Shane asked. Daryl jumped but nodded, "Yea. Fine. Had some trouble sleeping that's all." Shane frowned, "Nightmares or…?" Daryl didn't say anything so he guessed that his assumption was correct. "Do you need to talk?" he asked softly. Daryl shook his head, "No." Shane slid over onto the fence, "Come on. What happened?" Daryl turned away then without warning he blurted, "You won't go back on that promise will you?" Shane raised an eyebrow, "The one where I won't shoot you? No I won't. Was that what it was about?" No answer. Yep.

Finally, "I don't know why I think that." Daryl was looking at him in the eyes, "I don't know why I keep thinking you're going to kill me." Shane smiled slightly, "Your guess is as good as mine is." Daryl nodded, "It wasn't all about that though." Shane stayed quiet. Daryl continued, "You didn't make it in time. Yesterday. And when you did show up you didn't care." Shane put his hand on the kid's shoulder, "And you know that I won't do that." Daryl nodded again but he still looked a little shaky. "Go back to sleep Daryl. You're going to need some rest," Shane said and then turned to go start packing the vehicles. He worked for an hour under the constant watch of the younger man. He really couldn't deal with it, "Daryl go back to sleep. Seriously, I'm absolutely fine. You need to sleep. You can't kill walkers if you fall asleep in the fight." Daryl didn't move until Rick came out and said something quietly to him and then the boy finally went inside. Shane spread his arms in a helpless gesture, "How did you manage that?" Rick smiled slightly, "We talked a little in the Governor's place. I got to know him a little better. Trust relationship now thank god." Shane looked at Rick and then asked, "Rick, what happened there?"

Rick sighed and leaned against the side of the truck, "A lot happened. That Governor, he knows how to mess with your mind. I'm just glad he didn't break Daryl. He was close for sure." Shane cocked his head, "What?" Rick took a breath and began to explain.

Daryl and Rick moved through the thick grass in the woods. "See anything that looks like a paradise?" Rick asked sarcastically. Daryl nodded, "Yea there's a place over there that you are currently not standing in." Rick grinned as they continued on. The kid was definitely a master at sarcasm. Too much time with Shane. He suddenly felt a grip on his shoulder and he spun. "Ssshhh. I heard something," Daryl said. The two crouched down hidden in the overgrown plantation. They waited for ten minutes until they were sure there was no one there. They continued their walk slower and more cautiously. Rick had his hand on his gun the whole time. Daryl was holding his crossbow at the ready.

It happened so fast that Rick didn't know what happened. One minute he was walking with Daryl the next he was surrounded and his friend's life was on the line. The blasted Governor had Daryl with a knife to his throat. Rick pointed his gun at the Governor's head, "Let him go." Daryl squinted at Rick and mouthed: 'that's the best threat you could think of?' The Governor smiled, "You're badly outnumbered. Drop the weapon and I won't slit the kid's throat." Rick didn't see another option. If he shot the Governor he and Daryl would be killed by his men. There was also the chance the Governor would put Daryl in front of him and then he would kill Daryl instead. He dropped the gun and they were led to this little town. "Fancy place you got here," Daryl said, his voice was full of irritation, "Do you bring in a lot of visitors like us?"

The Governor ignored him and led the two men to a small cell in the basement of one of the larger buildings. He left them and Rick went over to Daryl, "You have to stop this sarcasm. It's going to get you killed." Daryl shrugged, "We're going to die anyway Rick." There was that strain in his voice. The kind where Rick could tell that Daryl was trying to hold himself together. Rick shook his head, "We don't know that. Shane will find out somehow and get back here. We could even escape if we come up with a plan." Daryl leaned against the back wall, "I don't like this. The Governor is up to something. He has some kind of plan for us." Rick nodded, "I bet." The two sat in silence until the door opened and Rick found himself sitting protectively in front of Daryl. Daryl glared at him but said nothing.

The Governor entered with two men. He eyed them both and then said, "Get the sarcastic one." Rick stood up and pushed Daryl behind him. The kid had dropped into a fighting stance. "No. Don't touch him," Rick snarled. The Governor sighed, "Martinez." One of the men stepped forward and grabbed Rick. He held Rick's arms behind him and then the other man stepped forward and went at Daryl. He was met with a punch to the face. Rick slammed his foot into Martinez's leg and managed to get free. The Governor's men met them both and the fight started. Rick made sure Daryl didn't leave his sight. Which was probably the reason he'd ended up getting caught. Martinez held a gun to his head, "Stop! Or I'll shoot." Daryl flipped his man over his head and froze.

Rick shook his head at Daryl but the kid wasn't going to fight anymore. The Governor himself grabbed Daryl this time and the other man followed him. Martinez shoved Rick off of him and slammed a foot into his stomach. A following punch to the head had him out. He woke to the sound of their cell door opening. The man Daryl had been fighting shoved a slightly shaking Daryl into the cell and gave him a kick to the ribs for good measure. When the man had left, Rick crawled over to Daryl, "Hey what happened? What did they do?" Daryl shook his head, "I don't know. They tied me down and then the Governor started saying these weird things about the group." Rick frowned, "What did he say?" Daryl shrugged, "Something about them not ever coming to rescue us or something." Rick glanced at the door, "Do you think they'll come back?" Daryl nodded, "Probably."

An hour passed and they came back. Daryl had told Rick not to interfere anymore. If they wanted to escape, Rick couldn't be injured. "Daryl I don't want them to…" Rick had tried but Daryl cut him off, "They haven't touched me so far. It's fine. Don't interfere." The Governor had taken Daryl again. Rick waited and waited. It felt like hours. He knew it wasn't. Probably like a half hour or so before Daryl was thrown back in. Why was it him? Why not Rick? Rick shook his head and moved over to Daryl. Daryl looked over at him, "You think Shane is coming right? He's not going to just leave us here is he?" Rick frowned, "No way. He's coming Daryl. What would make you think that?" Daryl shrugged, "I don't know. I just feel like it would be a waste of time to come back here and get us." Rick shook his head, "No Shane's coming. He's got everyone looking for us." Daryl nodded but he didn't look convinced.

Rick tried again, "Come on he wouldn't leave you Daryl." Daryl looked away, "I'd leave me here. Get out of there and run off. Get away from these people." What was with the kid? Daryl didn't give up like that. Something was going on. He told Daryl to sleep for a minute and the kid complied. When the Governor walked in an hour later Rick was standing. "What are you doing to him?" he asked angrily. The Governor smiled, "Just giving him some information. He needs to realize the truth." Rick growled, "You stop it or I will personally kill you." The Governor just kept that smile on and his two men roughly shook Daryl awake and took him. Rick spent the next agonizing half hour pacing the cell. Daryl was shoved in by the Governor but the other man didn't leave. He watched as Rick moved to Daryl. Rick didn't notice the Governor there and he leaned down, "Daryl are you ok?" Daryl nodded slightly, "Yea. I'm ok." Something was wrong. Daryl didn't seem like his usual self. "Are you sure?" Rick pressed.

Daryl shook slightly, "Rick, I don't think Shane is coming. He's already saved my life a few times. He doesn't need to do it again." Rick looked at him, "Stop. He's coming Daryl. He wouldn't leave you." Daryl turned on him, "Yes he would. If he was smart he would. He doesn't need me. I'm just extra weight in the group. That's all. I don't do anything." Rick shook his head, "No you're wrong. You saved Shane's life. You've fought with us. You got us food. You're valuable. Stop saying this stuff that's not true."

The Governor made his presence known when he laughed, "Don't try Rick. He won't believe you. He knows he's right. It's the truth after all." The man turned to Daryl, "You don't belong there do you? They all hate you there anyway. You're just there until your leader can find a convenient place to drop you off and kill you." The Governor left Rick with Daryl. Rick turned to Daryl, "Daryl please, he's lying to you. The group doesn't hate you. Shane would never kill you." Daryl glared at him, "The group does. Shane told me himself. He would kill me over and over again if he got the chance." Rick reached out for Daryl but the kid scooted away. Rick didn't know what to say. He needed Daryl to come back to reality.

"Daryl, what is one thing you remember about Shane?" Daryl thought for a minute and then shook his head, "It doesn't matter." Rick nodded, "Yes it does." Daryl sighed and then said quietly, "The one night I was having trouble sleeping and he came in my room with a blanket or something. He told me that I could tell him anything and he wouldn't think badly of me." Rick sat back, "Well there you go. He's going to be there for you Daryl. He's coming. But you have to believe me ok? The Governor is putting these thoughts into your head somehow. But you have to shut them out. They're not right." Daryl nodded, "Ok." It was quiet for a long time before Daryl spoke again, "That sick son of a bitch. I want to kill him Rick." Rick smiled and he knew everything would be ok.

Thanks for reading guys. Just so you know, that was Rick's flashback. in Italics. Hope you liked it! Reviews are great!