A/N: Chapter 30! Well done all of us, we've made it a long way! Thanks to everyone who followed and favorited.

- 18: I have no idea when you're going to get to this chapter, but Helloooo! Thanks and glad you like it and that you agree about Daryl and Carol...the new season just solidifies that for me, but no spoilers. Don't worry about your English, I read it just fine!

-Captainjf: Yayy! I know, everytime I watch the show I'm like "why did you not keep things in the car!" I would do that just in case I had to leave quickly because in the apocalypse I could see that happening...and it did.

-KaneCenaZombie12: Yeah, I made Dale a little pushy, but I think that is how he acts when he thinks that he is right. We'll see how Daryl reacts later in this chapter.

-cemmia: I hope this chapter will explain, more of why Anna didn't want to kill Randall and there will be some Daryl/Anna tension concerning her choice.

That evening we all stood in Hershel's living room, waiting for someone to talk. Finally Maggie spoke up.

"So what do we do? Put it to a vote."

"Way I see it there's no need, only one option."

"You mean kill him." Dale turned to Shane.

"No, if anyone is against this I want to know." Rik looked at Shane hard before turning to Dale. "What did you find out."

"There aren't many people. Maybe just me, Glenn and Anna." I felt Daryl stiffen beside me and turn his head to look at me. I stared straight ahead and looked at Dale with the rest of the group. He and Glenn were looking at each other.

"You know I think you're right about pretty much everything, but not this." Dale looked utterly disappointed.

"What if we keep him tied up, or someone watches him?" Maggie was still desperate for another solution.

"And who plays guard dog?"

"I will." Dale looked over at Shane.

"I'm not sure about killing him, but there just aren't any other viable options. He's just another mouth to feed." Andrea looked at Dale.

"This is a young man's life we're talking about! It deserves more than five minutes!"

"I don't care what you do, but leave me out of it. I'm sick of all this fighting." I looked over at my mom and she looked about ready to break down. She still wasn't fully over finding Sophia.

"Not deciding is the same as killing him." Dale looked around at all of us. "Society ended, but we're still here. We have to create the rules we live by. Killing an innocent man because we're scared, what kind of justice is that? If we do this were no better than them."

"He's right." We all turned to look at Andrea. "We have to find another way."

"Anyone else?" Rick looked around the group, but no one spoke up. Dale looked down, his eyes rimmed with red.

"Are you all going to watch too?" He turned and walked past us to the door. Before he passed by he stopped and turned to Daryl. "You were right, this group is broken."

We all stood in silence for a few moments before, Rick and Shane started speaking. I couldn't stand being in the house anymore and I turned and walked out the door onto the porch. I sighed and leaned against the porch rail looking out at the fields.

"What the hell are ya thinkin'?" I turned around looking a t Daryl surprised. I hadn't seen him look so angry in a while. Maybe when Shane cornered me at the Rv that day.

"What do you mean?"

"I tell ya that his boys are gonna come here and kill us, then they're gonna rape ya and ya want to let him go?!" He was shouting at me and I didn't know what to do.

"I didn't say that!" Daryl scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"So you just wanna tether him up outside the barn and keep him as a pet!" I could feel my eyes watering, but I was mad too. I couldn't believe Daryl was treating me like this.

"No! I just.."

"Yer so stupid sometimes I just can' believe it." My mouth dropped as Daryl stormed up to me. "Ya got no plan about what to do with a guy who would sooner slit yer throat as…"

"I JUST DON'T WANT ANYMORE DEATH!" Daryl looked shocked at me as I panted. "I just want to live." I took a step forward and leaned against his chest. "I just want to live. After everything that happened with my dad and then the world going to shit and all the people we've lost. I don't want to play executioner to some kid who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Even if he may deserve it, for things he did before we found him."

Daryl wrapped his arms around me and held me tight. He laid his head on top of mine and I sighed relaxing against him. We stood there for a few minutes before Daryl pulled back and looked me in the eye. He put a hand on my cheek and I put my hand on top of his.

"I don't want ya to change." I looked him confused. "Yer too sweet for this world. Yer kind and soft. That's why I like ya. I don't want ya to turn into some hardass bitch. Say that ya don't want to kill him, I'll say kill him for ya. I won't let anythin' happen to ya and if that means that I have to be the one to put a bullet in his head, then I will."

"He scares me." I knew that I should tell Daryl how I felt. "Just cause I don't want to kill him doesn't mean I want him to live here with us. I could never do that."

Sharp screams pierced the air and we both turned to look out at the field. It was too dark to see anything, but it was clear that is where the screams were coming from. Rick and Shane were shouting from the other side of the house and Daryl let go of me quickly running off into the field. I heard the door open behind me and turned to see Maggie.

"What's going on?" I shook my head at her.

"I don't know." I looked back to see see Rick and Shane run across the lawn.

"Here." I turned and took the flashlight Patricia was holding out to me before running into the field Maggie close behind me. Most of the group was gathered in a spot in the field. Maggie and I slowed down and we both gasped when we saw Dale lying on the ground his stomach ripped open with a dead walker a few feet away. I turned away looking at Maggie trying not to throw up.

"Go get your dad. Quick."

She nodded before turning and running back to the house. I thrust the flashlight towards Shane and he took it without looking away from Dale. I moved forward kneeling next to Dale and looked at him stomach. I wanted to try to stop the bleeding, but I had no idea where to put pressure. I felt completely overwhelmed and tried to keep calming breaths. Finally I just put a hand under his neck to make sure his airway wasn't blocked. He turned his head looking at me as he raised a hand and dragged it across my cheek. I could feel myself choking up.

"It's going to be ok. Hershel's coming." He couldn't talk, but noises came from his throat.

"Oh god, Dale!" I heard Andrea and watched as collapsed on his other side.

"Hershel, get ready. We'll take him to the house." Rick grabbed me and moved me out of the way. I stood and stepped back looking down at my hands and they had gotten covered in blood.

"It's no use Rick, he won't make the trip." Rick looked up at him shocked.

"Well then do the surgery here. What do you need?" Hershel shook his head.

"Rick, there's nothing I can do. I'm sorry." I let out a sob, but then swallowed thickly. I felt hands on my shoulders, I looked over my shoulder and saw Daryl. He gripped my shoulders tightly. Dale continued to groan and Andrea looked up and around at us.

"He's suffering. Someone do something." Rick stood up and pulled his pistol from his from his holster. He held out the gun pointing it at Dale's head, but hesitated. Daryl released my shoulders and stepped forward. He reached out and took the gun from Rick's hand. He pointed the gun, as Dale reached his hand up towards the gun. He turned back to me.

"Don't look." I turned my head away, but I could still hear Daryl. "I'm sorry brother."

I jumped, when I heard the gunshot.