Favorite Line(s):
"After all, you did survive for nine days on berries and wiping your ass on poison oak, right?" She asked and he continued to grin.
"I told ya, don' make fun of ma itchy ass!"
The farmhouse they pulled up to that next morning seemed like something out of a dream – out of their wildest dreams, in fact. A giant white clapboard farmhouse with a wraparound porch found itself nestled within fields lowing with cattle, fat horses and ramshackle barns. The morning was beautiful as well – a perfect representation of a Southern dewy morning around seven o'clock. It looked so peaceful, in fact, that for a moment, it seemed like all their worries could be forgotten.
"Don' let down ya guard too easy, babydoll - nothin' is this innocent and peaceful in this world anymore . . ." Tessa heard Daryl tell her over the roar of the bike's motor as they drove down the long, winding driveway to the front of the house, the Winnebago and Shane's new car rolling behind them. He felt Tessa nod in agreement against his back as they saw everyone gather around the front door on the porch as they finally reached the house.
Daryl had just enough time to cut off the engine before Tessa was swinging herself off of the bike and running up the steps to Lori, where the two friends hugged tightly. Lori had tears in her eyes as they broke apart, where Tessa immediately began inquiring as to how she was doing. Lori nodded as a smile of gratefulness appeared on her face at her friend's concern. The rest of their conversation was inaudible as the rest of the people filed out of the Winnebago and the car.
"How is he doing?" Dale asked, directing his question towards Rick as a look of concern creasing his brow, and Rick adopted a look of intense relief on his face as he nodded, his eyes ghosting over slightly with tears as well.
"He'll pull through!" Lori told him as a look of relief and joy appeared on her face as her and Tessa ended their conversation. Tessa moved to stand beside her friend and smiled in thankfulness. At least something good had managed to happen amidst this shitstorm that had been their lives lately. "Thanks to Hershel and his people, he'll live." She spoke as she turned to look at the old man standing behind him flanked by a pretty brunette and an aging woman with golden blonde hair. The older man – Hershel – looked slightly wary as he took in all the new people and when Tessa and Daryl's eyes connected, she immediately knew that it was Hershel that Daryl meant when he said that not everything was as innocent and peaceful anymore. He held a much too way expression on his face for Daryl's liking.
"And Shane," Rick quickly adding, gesturing to a man standing not far away from them and for a moment, they had to blink in shock. "We would have lost Carl if not for him."
The man Rick had gestured to, for a moment, looked nothing like the Shane they had been separated from for a day or two. This Shane was wearing clothes two sizes too big for him as well as sporting a new shaved head. Daryl thought he vaguely looked like a skinhead, a quip that Ethan, who was standing beside him, laughed at when he muttered it to him. Shane shot him a look across the lawn, a look that Daryl immediately shot back. Fuckin' Shane . . . bring it on, Daryl would take him and beat his ass into the ground any day of the week!
Dale, however, had a look of abject relief on his face as he hugged Rick, everyone moving in for hugs too. Lori once again hugged Tessa tightly again and in that tight hug, she could feel every ounce of stress and grief that weighed on her soul. When they broke apart, Lori's eyebrows immediately furrowed in concern. "Oh my God, honey, what's wrong?" She asked, her hand moving to cup her cheek, and Tessa sighed and shook her head.
"Its . . . it's a very long story, Lori. I'll . . . maybe tell ya later." She told her, and Lori nodded, shooting her a look that practically screamed 'You better!' before Rick swept her up in a big bear hug too. Tessa couldn't help but laugh at the embrace and Rick smiled as he released her.
"Thank you for being here, Tess," He murmured to her. "I know you'll be a great comfort for Lori while Carl finishes mending." Tessa nodded and waved away his worries like they didn't matter as Daryl stepped forward and shook Rick's hand. He moved to embrace Ethan afterwards and so did Lori as Daryl moved to stand beside Tessa, his arm moving to wrap around her waist as he did so.
"How did it happen?" Dale asked with interest filling his tone, and Rick gave a weak, still slightly flabbergasted shrug.
"It was a hunting accident. That's all it was – just a stupid hunting accident!" He replied and Dale shook his head and patted him on the back as Daryl leaned in slightly towards Tessa.
"If it's okay with ya, I think I'm gonna pitch our tents a little ways away from tha others," He told her, his voice hushed, and she immediately pinned a slightly confused, slightly curious look on him.
"Why?"
He nodded imperceptibly towards Shane still hanging on the fringes of the group. He accepted hugs and pats on the back whenever they came his way, but other than that, he hung back, not really in the mood to socialize. "Look at him – look at tha way he's actin'," He told her and when she turned her gaze onto him, he continued: "He looks jus' like a whipped dog – someone who had recently been dealt a very shitty hand!" She glanced back at him then and his lips pursed. "Or he just dealt someone else a very shitty hand," He shook his head. "I didn' trust him before and I certainly ain' trustin' him now - especially 'round ya. He's already made his attraction to ya plain - I don' aim to give him an excuse, nor a chance to act on 'em." Tessa nodded in agreement and patted him on the chest.
"Yeah . . . yeah, you do that. I've learned to trust your instincts since I've come back and rarely have they steered us wrong so far," She turned a fierce gaze onto him then and Daryl felt himself relax slightly. Great – he was starting to get the old Tessa back – the Tessa that he knew how to act around. "I don't want us being around him any longer than we absolutely have to. We can go down to the main campsite for food or whenever we feel sociable or whatever. When we sleep, however, I don't want to sleep around him. The darkness of night has a habit of bringing out the darkness in people's souls." Daryl nodded in agreement as they both turned an expressionless gaze onto him.
"Yeah, he's changed, alright . . ." Daryl added, his voice still quiet as his hand curved around her hip, bringing her closer to him, and he shook his head as he did so. "And I don' like it one bit!"
They turned their attention onto Hershel then as he placed a gentle hand on Rick's shoulder and smiled. "We were just about to have the funeral for Otis, if you all would like to join us. He went with Shane to retrieve the supplies we needed to save Carl and unfortunately, he perished on the return trip," He continued to smile as he nodded towards the oak trees where a stack of rocks was already being built. "We would appreciate it mightily if you all would join us!"
Everyone readily agreed and made a slow way to the pile of rocks. Tessa had to partially drag Daryl, however, and even then, the entire time he wore a scowl on his face. Daryl had never been one for funerals – especially funerals of people he didn't know. However, this one turned out to be interesting in more than one way, namely the way that Shane looked like a cornered rabbit the entire time.
Daryl watched Shane with interest as Hershel started out by saying a few passages from the Bible, talking about how Otis was in a much better place now and how he had died a hero by sacrificing himself so that . . . hold up . . . so that Shane could get out and save the boy? Daryl couldn't help but cover his mouth as a grin split his face. Oh this was rich . . . so very rich! And it only got better when Hershel turned to Shane and asked him if he would say a few words for Otis – being as he was there with him in his final moments and all. Shane at first tried to brush off the request but eventually, when Patricia (who Daryl assumed to be Otis's wife) turned her tear-stained eyes onto him and begged him to, he finally relented. His voice started out feeble and nervous but gained momentum and confidence as he continued on. Everyone seemed to have tears in their eyes as he spoke and lauded Otis's bravery.
Everyone was fooled, of course, but Daryl.
He found himself wondered if Shane was silently thanking the Academy whenever he got done with his little speech in memory of Otis.
Otis sacrificing himself for Shane, his ass! Daryl would bet anything that it wasn't nearly that cut and dry. Nothing with Shane was that cut and dry!
When the funeral was over and done with, Rick quietly told everyone to start getting everything unpacked and set up over near a copse of oak tress not that far from the house but far enough away to where they wouldn't be a bother. Daryl took a firm hold of Tessa's arm as everyone started walking away, causing them to hang back, and Tessa gave him a slightly wide-eyed look of surprise. "Jus' for tonight, can ya set up our tents with tha others? I have a feelin' tha' Rick's gonna want us out and lookin' for Sophia and I won' have time to look for a place tha' would satisfy ma paranoia. Make sure they are away from Shane's, though, okay?" He asked her, his voice coming out a tad bitter, and Tessa smiled and nodded as she cupped his cheek and pressed a loving kiss to his lips, a kiss he didn't hesitate to return.
"Of course, I don't mind, just as long as it's for one night only!" She told him before turning an uneasy gaze onto Shane as she trailed off, and Daryl pursed his lips as he followed her gaze. She turned hers back onto him and smiled again. "Take Ethan with ya, though, okay? It'd make me feel better since we're in a new place and besides, the kid's been rearing to go out with you again, anyway!" She begged him and he gave her a slightly confused look that bordered on teasing.
"Oh come on babydoll, we're in Georgia, not tha mountains of Tibet! I'm pretty sure I'm fine on ma own!" He told her and she couldn't help but slap him on the chest in playful indignation as he grinned and laughed.
"After all, you did survive for nine days on berries and wiping your ass on poison oak, right?" She asked and he continued to grin.
"I told ya, don' make fun of ma itchy ass!" He growled as he wrapped his arms around her and brought her closer to him, his lips falling onto hers as he squeezed her unnecessarily harder than warranted. She laughed, though, and when he had lowered her back down onto her feet, his arms moving into a more relaxed position around her waist, she smoothed her hands over his chest and pinned him with a serious stare.
"In all seriousness, take him with you, Daryl, okay? It'd mean a lot to him!" She told him and he nodded, his playful air disappearing in favor of his typical solemn one. He let go of her and moved to adjust the crossbow hanging around him.
"Yeah, I will, but ya have to do somethin' for me, okay?" She nodded and he once again threw a look at Shane's back. "Ya stick with tha others at all times. I mean, I'm sure ya not gonna be able to tear Lori off of ya ass anyway, but jus' in case . . . stick with tha others, okay - preferably tha ones with tha guns!" Tessa nodded as she moved up on her tiptoes to press a loving kiss to his cheek before lowering herself back down again.
"I promise that I will. And you're right – Lori and I do have a lot to catch up on!" She admitted as they finally started making their way to the rest of the group. Daryl gestured Ethan over to him before nodding to where Shane, Andrea, Rick and Hershel were grouped around the map spread on the Cherokee's hood. Ethan's face immediately brightened as he ducked into the Winnebago to retrieve his bow and rifle before jogging over to him. Tessa grinned as she planted a kiss on his cheek and as Daryl affectionately ruffled his hair. He still thought it was a little bit creepy on how much Ethan resembled his Native American ancestors, but yet also totally resembled him as well, in both looks and mannerisms.
"I'll see you two later, okay?" Tessa told them and they nodded as she shot them each a smile before moving off to the Winnebago to collect their things. Daryl and Ethan moved over to the people grouped around the map right around the time when Hershel was admonishing Shane and Rick for thinking they could go out and search in their current conditions.
"You gave three units of blood," He began, his attention on Rick standing beside him. "You wouldn't be hiking five minutes in this heat before passing out," He turned his eyes onto Shane then. "And your ankle – push it now and you'll be laid up for a month, no good to anybody then." Daryl sighed then as he shifted to get a better look at the map in front of him.
"Guess tha' leaves jus' me and ma boy!" He spoke up in a tone that suggested he had been suspecting that very thing to happen, and everyone turned expectant gazes onto him as he cocked his head slightly to the side in order to better read the map. He leaned over and gestured to what looked like the creek they had been at earlier. "We gon' head back up to tha creek and work our way down from there," He glanced at Ethan standing beside him. "Is all tha' good with ya?" Ethan gave a shrug and nodded.
"Sure. I saw a couple of tracks when we were there the first time – around the time we had to head back 'cause it was gettin' dark. If they're still there, I wanna have a look at 'em. They looked like they might fit Sophia's size and gait easy." Daryl shot Rick a proud look and Rick could barely keep the smile from his face as Shane piped up then:
"Well, I can still be useful. I'll drive up to the interstate and see if Sophia's wandered back there." Rick nodded, feeling a tad frustrated that he wasn't able to go but by the look of relief on Daryl's, he got the feeling that he was. It was nothing personal towards Rick, after all, the more people they had out looking for her, the quicker they would find her, but with Rick there at least Daryl knew with one hundred percent certainty that Shane would have on a leash on him.
"Alright, tomorrow then," He spoke before sighing. "It's about time we start doing this thing right!" Shane nodded.
"That means we can't have our people out there with just knives. They need the gun training we've been promising them." Rick nodded while Hershel tensed.
"I would prefer that you not carry guns on my property," He told them, his voice firm and brooking no argument. "We've managed so far without turning this into an armed camp and we aim to keep it that way!"
"With all due respect," Shane spoke up, Hershel's eyes moving to him. "But you get a crowd of those things wandering in here . . ." He let out a snort of amusement and Rick hastily moved to smooth things over.
"Look, whether we agree with it or not, we are guests here," He reminded him, pinning Shane with a glare as he did so. "This is your property," He nodded towards Hershel then before pinning Shane with another glare. "And we will respect that." As if to pound his point home, he withdrew the pistol from the holster at his side and planted it on the map on top of the truck. Shane glared at him for a moment before reluctantly doing the same.
"First things first: set up camp and then find Sophia." He told them and Shane shook his head.
"Look, I hate to bring shit up but I gotta ask. What do we do if we find her and she's bit? I think we should all be clear on how we handle that." Rick stood there and thought for a moment before finally replying.
"You do what has to be done."
"And what about her mother - what do you tell her?" Maggie Greene, Hershel's daughter, asked.
"We tell her the truth." Andrea answered in turn and only Daryl seemed to notice the imperceptible shake of the head that Hershel sent his daughter. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion and when he glanced back at Ethan to see if the boy had picked it up, he was happy to see a look of confusion gracing his features as well. For the love of God why did everything here make Daryl feel like there was a secret and a deceiving word at every twist and turn?
Finally, he shook his head and gestured for Ethan to follow him. "Come on, we best head out . . . we're burnin' daylight." He told him and Ethan nodded in agreement as they moved off, leaving the others still grouped around the map. He shook his head when they were far enough away so that there were no risks of being eavesdropped on. "We're in no big hurry really; I jus' wanted to get away from tha'. I don' like this, Ethan - I don' like this at all! Nothin' 'bout this place sits well with me. It seems too good to be true here . . ." He spoke and Ethan nodded in agreement
"I know what ya mean. Did you notice that shake of the head that Hershel sent his daughter when she asked what we would tell Carol if we ever had to shoot Sophia because she was bitten or a walker?" Daryl nodded.
"It was plain as day to me and ya, but apparently not to tha others," He glanced at him. "Ya watch ya back here, ya understand? Ya watch ya back and ya watch ya momma's back when I'm not around. I love Tess to death but she's not exactly deadly with a weapon! Not-to-mention, she's not exactly in a good place right now . . ." Ethan nodded in agreement and snorted out a laugh.
"Ya don't have to tell me twice, deddy." He told him, his voice solemn, and Daryl couldn't help the grin that threatened to turn up his features as they headed for the forest tree line.
"Atta boy, Ethan -"
Daryl was interrupted, however, and they stopped when they heard Rick's voice calling them back. Daryl and Ethan both turned around to face him. "You guys gonna be okay on your own?" He asked them, and Daryl glanced at Ethan and shrugged.
"We're Dixons – we're better on our own. Don' worry, though, we'll be before dark." He replied and Rick sighed as he put his hands on his hips.
"I mean . . . we got a base, now. We can get this search properly organized now." Ethan saw Daryl's jaw harden slightly as he took a couple of steps towards Rick.
"Ya got a point, or are we jus' chattin'?"
"My point," Rick replied, his voice nothing but patience. "Is that this new base lets you and your own off the hook. You don't owe us anything. You guys can even leave if you want – we won't stop you!" He told them and Daryl sighed as he glanced back at Ethan waiting patiently behind him, his face expressionless. When he first arrived, he had actually considered that. It was like he said to both Tessa and Ethan – nothing about this place put him as ease. However, when he looked at Ethan and then subsequently looked back at Tessa standing across the way laughing with Lori and having the first fun she has had since the onset of her so-called 'depression', he found that he didn't have the strength to anymore. There was safety in numbers, after all, and who was he to tear his family away from the only family they had become to know since this damned apocalypse started – ramshackle and broken as it was.
Eventually, he sighed as he turned around and headed back towards Ethan. "Yeah, well, ya in luck - ma other plans fell through . . ."
Tessa watched Daryl and Ethan walk away from the others grouped around the map and the Cherokee with interest as she busied herself with getting everything set up with Lori. Glenn and Dale were busy setting up the two tents her and Daryl and Ethan used since she herself didn't actually know how to set them up herself (she had never been a big camper) and Lori smiled as she gently knocked her hip into her friend's.
"So . . . you ready to tell me about all this shit that you've been going through for the past few days?" She asked her, her tone cheerful, and Tessa heaved a sigh and shook her head.
"It's just . . . It's so complicated, Lor!" She began, and Lori nodded.
"Yeah, Dale told me it was a little bit complicated." She murmured and Tessa nodded.
"He wasn't lying. I never told him anything substantial, though . . ." She trailed off and Lori glanced at her.
"You know . . . if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here. God knows I've been through my fair share of shit too these past couple of days!" She told her with a weary laugh and Tessa laughed as well and shook her head. They worked in silence for a moment before Tessa sighed and stood up, her hands moving to plant on her hips.
"Ya know something?" She asked her and Lori turned her eyes up to Tessa's, eyes squinting in the sunlight. "What I have to say, I have to tell Daryl. There's no skirting around it any longer – I have to tell him!" She shifted a little uneasily from foot to foot then. "It'd make me feel tons better if I told someone else before him though . . . ya know, to work out what I'm gonna say . . .?" Lori smiled a small smile and nodded as she got to her feet.
"You got it, honey. Carol, can you and the guys handle things from here on out?" She asked, and the older woman nodded as she straightened up and looked around them. The camp was already close to being finished up and she nodded again.
"Yeah, I think we can. Why?" Lori shrugged as she turned her gaze onto Tessa standing beside her.
"Oh no reason – just some much needed girl talk!" She spoke and Carol nodded as Lori took Tessa's hand and led her off then, towards a crumbling chimney up on a hill a ways away from the camp. Dale shouted at them to not go far and they both turned around and shouted back that they wouldn't. In fact, they didn't walk all the way up to the chimney on the hill, but they did stop midway there, where they turned to face each other. "Okay . . . lay it on me!" Lori told with a sigh and Tessa pursed her lips for a moment before launching into everything. She started at the rape in the barn at the hands of Merle and his druggie friend being the real reason why she left Daryl and even a more recent thing that was, possibly, even more important than whatever had happened in the past. When she was done, Lori's eyes were wide with shock and she shook her head as she stepped forward and gently took her hands.
"Tessa, honey, I'm so sorry that happened to you – no woman on earth deserves that! Hell, I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy – especially from Merle of all men! But, your right -you have to tell him! This is something that he needs to know about!" She told her and Tessa nodded in agreement.
"I know, Lor, I know. It's just . . ." She gave a weak shrug. "I just don't know how to tell him without him freaking out." Lori grinned.
"Why would he freak out, though? It's amazing news – I would think he would be happy!" Tessa shrugged then and looked away.
"I know Daryl and it wouldn't matter how joyful the news was, as soon as I mention the fact that he helped me and not-to-mention why he helped me in the first place, he'd be so mad that chances are, he would stomp off in a huff before I could even finish!" She shook her head. "Daryl had always been difficult to tell things too. There is no reason that this time would be any different."
