A/N: Thanks to everyone for following and favoriting, and of course reviewing. Sorry this is late, but I got locked out of my computer at work and I thought I somehow got fired. I didn't so no worries, but it weirded me out. It caused me to write less.
-cemmia: I know, I thought it was a very Shane move. Glad you liked it!
-redangel2463: Thanks, glad you liked it!
-Captainjf: I'm still up in the air about whether they were up to something before the outbreak, but I kinda feel like there wasn't…..either way glad you like it! (I am still in the process of reading your's, but I read some whenever I get a chance….work had to come home with me last weekend ugh!)
-smclendon: Glad you're enjoying it! I am pretty good about negative reviews because you're totally right you can't please everyone, but there's always that initial sadness right after reading one.
-KaneCenaZombie12: I sort of have no idea how Daryl would react….guess we'll find out…maybe...glad you're loving it!
-Nandita21unexplained: Thanks, new chapters on Wednesdays(in theory...)
I woke up the next morning after a restless sleep. I had nightmares about babies, mixed in with a few good dreams. I rolled over and Daryl was gone. He had probably gone into town, but I didn't know for what. All he had said was that he would 'see what he could do' and that could mean anything. I dressed quickly, getting out of the tent and stumbling a bit as I did. I rubbed my eyes hoping to get rid of the tired feeling. It was going to be a long day. I yawned and saw Maggie approaching from the main camp. I smiled at her and she smiled back.
"I thought I should let you know that everyone is moving into the house." She stopped in front of me. "With everything going on it's probably safer."
"It's been getting colder at night, so I am fine with whatever reasoning gets us inside." I smiled at her and she smiled once more before turning away. I watched as she stopped and turned back.
"It isn't really my business, but I was curious with the talk that's been going on." She looked at me nervously. "Are you pregnant?" I stared at her a bit. "It doesn't matter if you are! I just wondered."
"No, I'm not." I looked down before looking back at her smiling slightly. "At least not that I know of." She gave me a wide smile.
"I always thought there was something between you and Daryl, but it was hard to tell. I just found out today you were sharing a tent." She walked back over to me. "I talked to my dad and he's letting you guys share the spare bedroom. Do you want any help packing?"
"Sure that'd be great!"
"I have been dying for another girl to talk to. Beth is great, but she's too young to really talk to and everyone else is too old." She pushed some of her hair back behind her ear. "You're the first girl close to my age I've seen since this all happened."
"Same here." There had been Amy back at the quarry, but with my dad around I didn't have much of a chance to make friends. "Let's start packing." I crawled into the tent and Maggie followed me. I looked around the tent before pointing at my side.
"You better pack my stuff, I don't know if Daryl would want you touching his stuff."
"I don't know if I want to touch Daryl's stuff." We both laughed before getting to work. We chatted while we packed before Maggie held up the small bag by the tent's entrance. "What should I do with this?"
"Oh that's our go bag. It's for incase we have to leave suddenly. It's got some clothes in it and some medical stuff." Maggies set the bag back down.
"Smart, you should keep it in one of the cars. Then you won't have to remember it."
"That is a great idea." I tossed the pillows over to Maggie to start a pile of things to carry. "I can totally see myself forgetting it."
"Come on, we're having a talk."
We both turned surprise to see Rick crouching by the tent door. We hadn't even heard him come up, but he looked upset. He stood up heading back to the main camp. We looked at each other before leaving the tent. We walked together, we saw the group gathered beneath the trees. It appeared to be everyone, but I didn't see Daryl. Maggie and I stood at the edge of the group near Rick.
"Where's Daryl?"
"Coming." Rick wouldn't look at me. "We need to talk about what we're going g to do with Randall." I looked at Maggie confused.
"The boy they brought back, he's in the barn." I made an 'o' shape with my mouth and nodded.
"The way I see it there's only one thing to do." Shane stood with his hands on his hips, staring at Rick.
"Kill him?" We turned to Dale. "That can't be a possibility, we know nothing about him."
"Daryl went to talk to him. When he comes we'll know more about the situation." Rick was trying to keep the peace, but he was clearly stressed. "Here he is."
I turned and saw Daryl approaching from the barn he had his crossbow strapped to his back. I hope he had time this morning to figure something out because I wanted him. Bad. I shifted my legs around and tried to think of something else. Daryl came close and stood beside me in the circle of our group. He glanced over at me before looking ahead again.
"Well?" Rick looked to Daryl and everyone else did as well.
"He's got a group of about thirty, a lot of guns. f they roll up here are men are dead and our women...they'll wish they were." He reached up and gripped the strap of his crossbow. I gasped, his knuckles were red and bloody.
"What happened?" I raised my hand and ran it along his knuckles. He pulled back slightly.
"Don' worry 'bout it." I dropped my hand and stared at him.
"Well that's all there is to it."
Rick turned and walked away. Dale moved to catch up with him and they started talking. The rest of the group dispersed and Daryl turned and walked back to our camp. I followed after him. He glanced at the tent and saw the stack of things by the door. He turned back and looked at me. He seemed nervous and guarded.
"Hershel invited us all into the house." He nodded and looked relieved. I tilted my head. "Did you think I was leaving you?"
Daryl scoffed and turned away sitting with his back against the chimney. I smiled softly at him before I kneeled next to him. I grabbed one of his hands and pulled it close to me. I looked at the knuckles and they were covered in small cuts, blood and were red from irritation. I ran a finger over them lightly before looking up at Daryl.
"What happened?" He pulled his hand away and looked down at it.
"He wasn't talkin'." I watched Daryl closely. He wouldn't look at me. "Had to know about his group. They had already shot at Rick and Glenn when they went to get Hershel, and they killed two of their group at least. We have to know what we're up against." He turned and looked at me. "I'd do it again."
"I trust you." I didn't like it, but I knew Daryl was a reasonable person. A good man. "No matter what, I trust you."
"He told me a story." He looked away from me again. "His group found a man campin' out in the woods with his two daughters. They raped 'em, repeatedly and made the father watch. He said he didn' do anythin', but the way he said it. Like he was back trackin' to cover his ass." I looked at Daryl in horror. "Promise me you won' go to the barn. For anythin'."
"I promise." Daryl nodded at me. I stood and picked up the go bag from inside the tent. "Will you put this in one of the cars for me?"
"What's it for?" He looked inside.
"It's some clothes and medical stuff, in case we don't have time to pack before leaving." He looked up at me and smirked.
"Smart girl." He stood up and walked off towards the cars. As he left I saw Dale approaching.
"Hi, Dale." He took off his hat and looked at me sadly.
"I'm here on business. Rick said he would give me today to convince the group to let Randall live." I looked at him surprised. "After what you've lived through, what you've overcome, you have to know that murdering an innocent, young man isn't right." I wrapped my arms around my middle.
"I'm not so sure he's innocent." Dale nodded slowly before he proceeded slowly.
"You have lived a hard life. One filled with violence and injustice." I tensed, but let him continue. "You have suffered, but you are still kind. In adversity we all react differently. Randall may have taken actions he deemed necessary to survive, but if we kill him now, we are no better than the man he travelled with. I know you don't want to live in a world where capital punishment can be handed out so easily."
I looked out at the farm. This place had seemed like paradise. No walkers, no outsiders. Almost like the world was just the same as it had been before the end. I watched the grass roll in the wind and took a deep shaky breath. This felt like living. At the quarry, it was just surviving. On the road it was just surviving. I didn't want to just survive, I want to live. That needed stability and order, but Dale was right. I didn't want to live in a world of needless violence.
"I don't want him here. I wouldn't feel safe." Dale held a hand as if he meant to continue. "But, if you are going to make a case to save his life, I'll stand with you. For some sort of compromise." Dale sighed and smiled at me, I returned the smile before heading into the tent to keep packing.