Again, I'm so sorry for not updating in forever but I haven't really had any hoopsbah to write in anything! I know, I know, that's rare, but the second season of this chapter is finally starting to draw to a close and then I'll be writing the third season. And speaking I have so much fun shit prepared for the third season, I know I'm gonna be writing more and more. So finally, here's the long awaited next chapter :)

There is a hopeless amount of cursing in this chapter, but that's just Daryl, so who cares? Shane also gets a tooth knocked down his throat. Wanna guess who does it? ;)

HermioneandMarcus: Glad ya loved it :)

missy7293: I know this review wasn't left with the last chapter in mind, but I feel I should address it anyway. Thanks SOOO much for loving my story! It always puts a smile on my face whenever I read reviews that go on and on about how much someone adores and loves my story, as well as someone telling me that I am doing an awesome job of writing Daryl. He's a pretty difficult guy to write so I take that sincerely to heart. So again, thanks! :)

HaloHunter89: Yeah, I was so sad when Dale died. I started crying but when Daryl leaned over him and said "Sorry brother" before pulling the trigger, I started full out sobbing. It was also a pretty difficult part to right too because I wanted to get it just right but I think I did a pretty good job lol.


Favorite Line(s) (Oh my God, so many lines, I almost couldn't decide! XD):

He caught Tessa's eye as she was getting out of the tent, Carol behind her with loaded bags and bins in their hands and she shook her head imperceptibly. He let out a laugh. Even as detached as she was, she could still sense when he was growing pissed off. Woman had ESP when he came to him and his moods.


"Ethan can drive Merle's bike?" She asked as she turned her eyes up to his, and Daryl nodded.

"Jesus, Tess, ya don' think we hunt all tha damn time, do ya? We have to do some fun shit every now and again!"

The funeral for Dale had been a solemn one. Even the one for Otis or the one for Sophia, Shawn and Annette hadn't been more heartrending than this one. Tessa stood in front of Daryl, his hands resting on her shoulders while she found herself quite unable to tear her eyes away from the freshly dug grave in front of them, the dark brown earth almost black in the early morning sun.

"Dale . . . could get underneath your skin like no other person ever could," When Rick had started out speaking, his voice came out thick with emotions and in an entirely forced way. He laughed and shook his head. "He sure got under mine and quite a few of you people, I know . . ." His eyes flickered to each and every person standing there but no one held his gaze. They were all too busy still gazing down at the grave. It had almost a surreal quality, like they were standing at the grave of a stranger and then suddenly Dale would speak up from the top of the Winnebago and ask what the Hell they were doing grouped around a big pile of dirt.

Mournfully Tessa's looked behind them towards the Winnebago, almost as if she was hoping it would be true. When she didn't see his familiar Hawaiian shirt clad form carrying his customary rifle, she turned back to the grave, fresh tears appearing in her eyes. Her hands moved down to the bump of her stomach and she held them there for a moment until she felt Daryl's slip underneath hers and then she took them away, where her fingers entwined with his. She was content with knowing that he was there - that he would always be there and that there was nothing that would change that. Her baby was losing many great people before it could even see its first light of day! She found herself hoping and praying that Ethan and Daryl would remain right there beside her for a very long time.

Daryl's arms tightened slightly around her and she moved closer to his front as Rick continued on with what he had been saying. "He wasn't afraid to say exactly what he thought – how he felt. That kind of honesty is rare and brave. Whenever I'd make a decision, I'd look at Dale. Whenever any of us had a decision to make, we'd look towards Dale," A lone couple of tears ran down Carl's cheek and Lori tightened her arm around him. The woman's eyes briefly flickered to Tessa standing with her own family and she caught them easily. They shared a weak smile but it didn't last. Nothing found themselves lasting these last few days.

"He'd look back at us with that look he had . . . we've all seen it one time or another, I know we have. I couldn't always read him, but he could certainly read us. He saw people for who they were – who was loyal and good and who wasn't. He knew things about each of us – the truth - who we really are inside. And in the end, he was talking about losing our humanity," His eyes flickered to Daryl's then and the man held them unabashedly. "He said this group was broken. And the best way to honor him is to unbreak it – to set aside our differences and pull together – to stop feeling sorry for ourselves and to take control of our lives – our safety and our future, especially now that we have the little ones on the way!" His gazed flickered to Lori standing beside him and then Tessa standing by Daryl and Ethan, his eyes lingering for a moment on Tessa. She felt Daryl's arm tighten around her again as Rick shook his head.

"Despite what has been said, we are not broken! We're gonna prove him wrong and I think that Dale would like that – I think he would like to see us prove him wrong! From now on, we're gonna do it his way," He gazed at each and every person there again and this time, quite a few gazes met his. One of them was Shane's and his eyes lingering on his best friend's, even as Rick's moved away. There an emotion to his eyes, a hidden emotion that Daryl had only seen flickering in the eyes of Merle when their deddy would take Daryl hunting or fishing and not take him. It was a look of jealously and anger . . . a look of a man about to seriously betray your ass.

Daryl's attentions were brought back out of his thoughts that Rick continued words and Daryl made a mental note to look out for the cop. "That, everybody, is how we honor Dale!"

After all . . . why would Daryl seriously want to be the leader if Rick kicked the bucket (because, Hell, everyone knew the role would revert to him and not back to Shane. Shane was, after all, clearly losing it)? Who the Hell would want that?


"It's gon' be crowded in tha' house – at least fifteen people," Daryl spoke up and Tessa shrugged as she continued packing up their things. She had been quiet ever since their night in the tent together after Dale's death and quite frankly, Daryl was worried about her. Their relationship had been going so well – he hated to see it start to go down the shitter again.

"It's for the good of the group, isn't it?" She asked and it took Daryl a moment to realize that her words had been laced with a bitter irony.

"Wait a minute . . . are ya angry 'cause ya think tha group votin' to kill tha kid is what caused Dale's death?" He asked and when Tessa's eyes flickered coldly up to his, he got his answer. With a laugh of disbelief, he moved to retort but they were interrupted by Rick telling Hershel the exact same thing that Daryl had just told Tessa. Hershel shook his head.

"Don't worry about it. With the swamp hardening and the creek drying up . . ." He trailed off and Maggie took over.

"With fifty head of cattle on the property too, we mine-as-well be ringing a damn dinner bell!" Hershel nodded in agreement.

"She's right. We should have moved you guys in a while ago, especially when the news of Lori and Tessa's pregnancies reached us." Rick nodded before he looked around him and raised his voice. Daryl had gotten to his feet at that moment and moved to join them while Tessa stayed where she was packing up her things. She shot her a relieved, small smile when Carol stooped to help her.

"Thank you for helping me, Carol." Tessa murmured and Carol nodded in reply, a soft smile appearing on her face.

"Don't mention it. You look like you've been treading water lately and you don't need to. You have friends here, Tessa – don't hesitate to ask them for help when things get to be a little too much!" She told her and Tessa shot her a grateful smile as they returned to what they were doing as Rick started to shout orders.

"Alright, let's move the vehicles near each of the doors facing out towards the road. We'll build a lookout in the windmill and another in the barn loft. That should give us some pretty good sightlines on both sides of the property," He nodded to T-Dog and the man nodded back as he moved to join them. "T-Dog, you take the perimeter around the house, okay? Keep track of everyone coming and going – including Daryl and Ethan – especially Daryl and Ethan!" His eyes flickered to Tessa on her knees in her tent with Carol packing up her things and while Tessa was blissfully content to ignore him, Carol caught it and almost had to do a double take.

"What about standing guard?" T-Dog asked and Carol turned her eyes up onto Tessa.

"Have you ever noticed how Rick's been . . . paying extra attention to you lately?" She asked and Tessa paused in her picking up for a moment to turn a slightly confused, slightly interested gaze onto the older woman. She finally shrugged and returned to what she was doing.

"Lori has expressed her concerns to me and I, in turn, have expressed those concerns to Rick - although rather vaguely, I must admit. He can want me all he wants to and he can look out for me until the sun goes down, but he knows the only man I want and/or need is Daryl. I'm sorry, but Daryl is more than enough of a lookout for this family - his family! I would appreciate it if we have no one else to interfere with that."

Carol didn't know what to say to that, so she continued on with what she was doing as Rick continued speaking with T-Dog. "I need you and Daryl on double duty when he and Ethan aren't out hunting," He turned to face Daryl then, a slightly interested look appearing in his eyes. "Is your boy good for perimeter watch?" He asked, and Daryl gave a flippant shrug.

"He's been ready for a long time now, Rick! 'Bout time, too - I was startin' to think his only job was to jus' stand 'round here and look pretty!" He grinned and Ethan returned his grin as he also gave a roll of his eyes. Rick nodded as he turned back to T-Dog.

"Throw Ethan in there with ya too; it should stabilize the schedule somewhat." T-Dog nodded and Daryl noticed the look of slight jealously that flickered through Carl's eyes when he heard his dad give Ethan permission to run the perimeter. Here they were, the same age, the same virtual everything, and Carl was sitting at home with his mother like a little boy while Ethan went off hunting and on zombie patrol with his father. And now they were starting to treat him like an adult even though he was thirteen and given perimeter check privileges! Carl shook his head as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. He wished he could do that, but no - Ethan was Daryl's son and no matter how badly Carl wanted it, he couldn't have it because he was too young. And even though Ethan was the same age, he only had the fortune to be born with Daryl Dixon as his father.

The world was so unfair sometimes.

T-Dog nodded as he moved off, Shane adopting a look of terseness as Rick and Daryl returned to the blue truck they had been grouped around minutes before. "I'll stock the basement with food and water," Hershel spoke up. "It'll be enough to where we can all survive there a few days if need be. Daryl and Ethan brought back quite a lot of game, so we should be good on meat for a while."

"What about patrols?" Andrea spoke up as she moved to join them and Rick nodded.

"Let's get this place lockdown and all our ducks in a row first. After that, Shane will assign shifts while me and Daryl take Randall offsite and cut him loose." Andrea nodded as they turned their gazes onto the man leaning against the side of the blue truck.

"We're back to that, now?" He asked and Rick sighed and rolled his eyes as he turned back to face his former best friend.

"Dale and Tessa were right – it was the right plan first time around. It was just poor execution."

"That's a slight understatement . . ." Shane muttered and Daryl immediately wanted to punch him for his obstinacy. He couldn't possibly be the only one who wasn't getting dog sick and fucking tired of this man's constant bullshit! Someone should just go ahead and put a bullet in his head and be done with it. Hell, Daryl would be happy to do it!

He caught Tessa's eye as she was getting out of the tent, Carol behind her with loaded bags and bins in their hands and she shook her head imperceptibly. He let out a laugh. Even as detached as she was, she could still sense when he was growing pissed off. Woman had ESP when he came to him and his moods.

"Look, you don't agree with this, I get it. I realize that and everyone else realizes that – Hell, you haven't exactly made any conscious effort to hide it!" Rick hissed to him, although the both of them knew that everyone could hear. "But this is what is happening so do everyone a favor and swallow it and move the fuck on!"

"You know that Dale's death and the prisoner is two separate things, right?" He asked but a sharp, condescending laugh afterwards immediately caught their attentions. Tessa had a grin of the same emotion on her face as she dropped the stuff she had been carrying and made her quick, purposeful way over to them. Daryl immediately straightened up and moved to her side, however, he ended up behind her than beside her or in front of her like he had planned. Her eyes were snapping with angry electricity as she pinned them on Shane's and her lips pursed with equal anger as she stopped when there was a short distance between them.

"Excuse me, Mr. G.I Joe-My-Shit-Don't-Stink, but do you have a minute to pull your head out of your ass and actually listen to someone's opinion other than yours?" Rick graciously backed away to give her the spot he had been occupying in front of Shane and Daryl followed her closely. His hand hooked around her elbow and while she didn't pull herself away, she had tensed, nonetheless. Shane's jaw tightened as he gazed down at the short, petite and pregnant woman standing before him and so did Daryl. He swore to God, if Shane even touched Tessa he would hit him so hard his ancestors were going to bleed!

Tessa let out a huff of disbelief and shook her head. "How can you honestly stand there and begin to try and hand us the load of bullshit that this kid and Dale's dying had nothing to do with each other? If you boneheads had just gone along with me and Dale in the first place, then you and Rick and Daryl would not have had to attempt to kill the kid. Dale would not have gone walking last night and he would not have stumbled upon the walker in the field. Thus, if you guys had listened to us and tried to search for another way to get rid of the kid that did not include killing him, Dale would still be alive, with his stomach intact instead of ripped the bloody Hell open!" Her eyes narrowed at him slightly and his jaw hardened even more. "But then again, you're the only one of us who isn't mourning for him, are you? You couldn't give a rat's flying ass if he was dead or not because now, that's just one more link in the chain of your humanity gone, ain't it?" She shook her head as Daryl's hand moved upwards from her elbow, to her upper arm. Shane smirked and chuckled as he turned his gaze down to the ground beneath their feet.

"Daryl, do everyone a favor and keep your whore on a leash, okay?"

"Shane, come on, that was -!"

"Oh, ya fuckin' jackass! Come here and let me shut tha' fuckin' mouth for ya -!"

"Daryl -!"

There was a sharp crack that split the air and Shane felt a tooth being knocked from his head as Daryl's fist collided almost cruelly with his jaw. It was a Will Dixon punch – a punch that Daryl immediately became proud of. It was a punch that also immediately made Shane see birds flying around his head as he fell back against the truck. T-Dog, Tessa and Glenn were pulling a spitting and hissing Daryl away from him although Shane was exactly paying attention. He was fighting to get the pounding in his jaw under control. He hadn't broken it but he had damn well made it sore. "If ya ever talk 'bout Tessa in tha' way again, I swear to God tha' ya'll fuckin' regret it!" He hissed and when they were sure that he wouldn't try anything more, they let him go. Tessa flew to Daryl side as he shook his hand, a venomous glare settling on Shane. "Fuckin' Goddamn skinhead!" She heard him mutter and Tessa had to fight to keep a grin from splitting her features. Shane returned the glare of death for a moment before spitting out his tooth and turning an equally venomous glare onto Rick.

"You wanna take Daryl as ya wingman – ya want to adopt him as your best friend now when in the old world you wouldn't have given him the time of day except to search his car for drugs, then be my fuckin' guest!" He stood then and his eyes fell onto Tessa's for a moment, his eyes becoming angry before he returned them to Rick. "But take my advice: when they ask ya to join in, don't do it. God only knows what that bitch has got!"

"Ya Goddamn fuckin' asshole - I swear to God tha' I'll kick tha rest of ya teeth down ya motherfuckin' throat, so don' ya dare fuckin' tempt me -!"

"Daryl, stop it! The piece of shit isn't worth it!" Tessa ordered him as she stood in front of him, her hands immediately moving to his chest. Shane was already walking off at that moment and Tessa stayed in front of Daryl until he had disappeared wherever, just to make sure that he wouldn't go barging after him.

"I swear to God tha' I'll kill tha' fuckin' skinhead – jus' fuckin' watch!" Daryl hissed and Tessa couldn't help but laugh as she moved to wrap her arms around his waist in an embrace.

"Daryl, I love you!" She laughed and she could feel him nod jerkily as his arms wrapped around her and pulled her close. His lips placed a gentle but short kiss on the top of her head.

"Damn, Tess, why do ya gotta keep sayin' shit ya already know tha answer to!" He teased with a grin on his face as he fished around in the front pocket of his jeans for the bike keys before throwing them to Ethan. His son caught them expertly mid-air as Daryl nodded towards the house. "Drive the bike up to the house fer me, would ya Ethan?" Ethan nodded as he took off at a jog for Merle's bike and Tessa's eyebrows furrowed in slight confusion.

"Ethan can drive Merle's bike?" She asked as she turned her eyes up to his, and Daryl nodded.

"Jesus, Tess, ya don' think we hunt all tha damn time, do ya? We have to do some fun shit every now and again!"


"Are you guys getting your customary bedroom?" Lori asked with a grin, and Tessa gave a half shrug as they sorted through the bags and bins in the bed of the truck.

"I suppose we are. I brought up to Hershel where me, Daryl and Ethan were gonna sleep so we could put our things there and he wouldn't hear anything about me and Daryl sleeping on the floor. He alluded to our bedroom still being open, so I suppose we'll have to take it. Ethan, I suppose, will sleep down on the first floor with everyone else if we don't have room in the bedroom, which is inconceivable!" She let out a weak, slightly wry laugh at that and Lori returned it, a tight smiled finding a home on her face. Tessa glanced at her, a wary look appearing in her eyes. Things had become awkward between them again, even after Lori baring her heart and soul to her friend. No matter what they told each other, Tessa still had a man that would fight tooth and nail for her while Lori had a man who all but ignored her. That was a source for major jealously on Lori's part and it would always be a major source of jealously on her part. Hell, everyone treated Tessa's pregnancy like it was a grace from God whereas Lori was looked at like . . . like . . .

Like you're a whore? After all Lori, what woman doesn't even know who the father of her own child is?

Lori shook the haunting voice from her thoughts but couldn't help but give them audience, nonetheless. She glanced over at Tessa out of the corner of her eye and immediately noticed the radiancy of her skin and the way she would lightly hum underneath her breath whenever she would go about doing anything that required work. She could see the light, affectionate kisses and touches that Daryl would afford her – the especial way he would always look out for a rabbit or a squirrel or a turkey whenever him and their son would go hunting, all depending on what she was craving at the time. Everything about them seemed to be a gift from the Heavens – their adoration of each other, their loyalty towards each other – their fucking sex life!

Lori thought that was what she envied the most . . . their amazing damn sex life.

Lori shook her head as Tessa pulled one of the Grimes bins from the back of the truck, T-Dog almost tripping over himself to take it from her. "No, no, Tess, don't strain yourself!" There was a small smile on his face as she handed it to him and Lori doubted all the respect everyone afford her was because Daryl Dixon was her man. Tessa had the kind of personality that was very easily likable and aside from Shane, everyone in the group loved and adored her. Even Andrea admitted she had to respect her. Daryl had little to nothing to do about it.

Tess gave him a smile and so did Lori. "Thanks, T-Dog." She told him and he shook his head.

"Don't mention it, Tess." He spoke and Lori nodded to him

"Rick and Carl and I are taking the corner of the living room." She called to him as he turned around towards the house and T-Dog nodded but Hershel shaking his head as he exited the house, made him pause.

"You can put that in my room," He spoke and Lori and Tessa turned wide-eyed looks of surprise onto him as he moved down the steps to join them. "You'll be more comfortable there," He added and Lori shook his head.

"We can't do that, Hershel!" Hershel smiled as he placed gentle, grandfatherly hands on Tessa and Lori's shoulders.

"Two pregnant women and two children sleeping on the floor while I've got a bed to myself - I won't hear of it! Tessa and her family have the spare bedroom which leaves only you. Take my bed – you need it in your state!" Lori smiled and shook her head but couldn't help but feel a flutter in her heart. At least there was someone who cared about her in this group other than Tessa!

"This is still your house!"

"This is our home," He gently corrected her. "I'll take the couch downstairs – don't worry none. On nights when I came home reeking of bourbon, my wife would lock the bedroom door," T-Dog had returned to take more bins directed by Tessa and Lori only spared him a cursory glance as Hershel continued, "I'm sad to say that couch and I are almost like old friends."

"If you two can't decide, I'll take it . . ." T-Dog mentioned and they all grinned and laughed as Tessa playfully slapped him on the shoulder. Lori allowed a gently hand to run down Hershel's arm.

"Thank you, Hershel . . ." She told him as she turned back to the truck, lest no one see her relieved tears.


Later, when everything was loaded into the house and everyone was settling down for supper, Rick and Daryl found themselves sitting on the porch with a map stretched out between them. "We could take him out to Senoia – hour there, hour back, give or take," Rick began, his finger tracing the path they would take on the map. "We might lose the light but we'll be halfway home by then, so it shouldn't matter too bad," He turned a grin onto Daryl. "We'll have ya back before Tess misses ya too much." Daryl couldn't help but return his grin with a smile as he backed away from the map to sit down on one of the low porch walls.

"Ya damn right 'bout tha'. I'll come home, make love to ma girl and in tha morning, we'll let this little pain in tha fuckin' ass become a distant memory!" He shook his head. "Good fuckin' riddance, I say, too. It's been killin' Tess lately." Rick nodded in agreement as he stood up too and began folding up the map.

"Speaking of Tess, her and Carol are going to be putting together some provisions for him before supper; enough to last a few days if he rations them properly." They turned their gazes outward as Shane's car came speeding up the dirt driveway towards them and the house, throwing up dust clouds at it went. Rick turned an expressionless gaze onto Daryl.

"That thing ya did last night . . ." He shrugged, at a loss for what to say when Daryl turned his eyes up to him. Daryl also shrugged.

"Me and Tess been talkin' . . . there ain' no reason tha' ya have to do all tha heavy liftin', ya know?" Rick nodded in agreement, a slightly relieved look appearing in his eyes as Shane's car pulled up. He waved the map at him.

"So you guys are good with all this? You and Tess . . .?" Daryl shrugged.

"I don' see me and ya tradin' haymakers on tha side of the road and she don' either," He gave a light laugh. "Hell – I don' think tha' anybody would win tha' fight!" Rick laughed and shook his head.

"Just remind me that if it ever does happen, not to bring up Tess. I swear to God Daryl, you blackout whenever someone brings up her in bad word!" Daryl returned the laugh with a shrug.

"She's ma girl, Rick - she's tha only thing in this world tha' keeps me sane. Not-to-mention, she's pregnant with ma little rug-rat," He turned a keen gaze up to him. "A man needs to protect his own," He gave a flippant shrug. "Forgive me if I cross a line here, but it's almost on the same line of eatin' pussy - ya ain' a man if ya don'!" Daryl chuckled when he saw that Rick had no answer to him and he continued to chuckle as he tossed Shane a single cursory glance over his shoulder as the man made his slow way up to them and the house. His chuckling disappeared as he rapped his knuckles on the wooden table in front of them.

"I'm gonna go take a piss, 'kay?" He muttered darkly and Rick nodded as Daryl got to his feet and made a quick retreat towards the front door of the house. He didn't care how good of friends him and Rick were becoming – he still wanted to kick Shane's teeth down his throat.