Her Downfall - The Walking Dead

Part 5

Daryl looks between Shane and I as he paces for a moment. "There was a- uh. There was a problem in Atlanta." Shane states. Daryl looks around at the group before his eyes land on me. "Is he dead?" Daryl asks. "We're not sure." I answer softly.

The redneck looks at me angrily now stepping forward. Staying in place, I keep my eyes trained on him. "Either he his or he ain't!" Daryl growls angrily. "There's no easy way to say this, so I'll just say it." Rick states as Shane pulls me back away from Daryl.

Rolling my eyes at the three men and their egos, I lean against the RV with Lori, Amy and Andrea. "Who are you?" Daryl asks looking at Rick. "Rick Grimes." he answers. "Rick Grimes, you got something you wanna tell me?" Daryl mocks. 

Taking a deep breath, I look at Amy and shake my head. "They messed up." I mumble looking at the women next to me. "Your brother was a danger to us all, so I handcuffed him on a roof, hooked him to a piece of metal. He's still there." Rick informs.

I hold my breath waiting for Daryl's reaction. "Hold on. Let me process this." Daryl mutters rubbing his eyes. I step forward cautiously knowing I had never seen him cry before. "You handcuffed my brother to a roof and you left him there?" Daryl yells.

Stepping forward, I hold an arm out. "Yeah." Rick replies looking away. "Daryl." I warn just as he lunges for Rick. "Hey." Shane mutters tackling him over. "Watch the knife!" T exclaims. "Daryl! Put it down!" I exclaim as T pulls me back away from the fight.

Rick and Shane quickly disarm Daryl before Shane puts him in a headlock dragging him to the ground. "That's one way to do it." I mutter. "You best let me go!" Daryl yells. "Nah, I think it's better if I don't." Shane grunts in response.

Stifling a smirk, I glance at the others watching. "Choke hold's illegal!" Daryl grunts. "Yeah, you can file a complaint." Shane replies. Moving Rick to the side, I look at Daryl carefully. "Daryl, stop. Just let them talk." I state softly. "Think you can handle that?" I ask. 

When he doesn't reply or fight against Shane anymore, I nod for him to be released. Shane throws him further to the ground if that's even possible. Daryl scoots back pointing at Shane angrily. "What I did was not on a whim." Rick states getting level with Daryl. "Your brother does not work or play well with others." Rick adds.

"It's not Rick's fault. I had the key. I dropped it." T states causing me to curse under my breath. "You couldn't pick it up?" Daryl asks exasperated. "Well, I dropped it in a drain." T answers. Daryl scoffs pushing my hand away as I offer to help him up. 

Daryl throws a fist full of dirt to the ground looking past me at T. "If it's supposed to make me feel better, it don't." Daryl grumbles. "Well, maybe this will." T begins. "Look, I chained the door to the roof- so the geeks couldn't get at him, with a padlock." T states. 

Rick and I look at the redneck. "It's gotta count for something." Rick states. "Hell with all ya'll!" Daryl yells swinging his arm as he begins to tear up. "Just tell me where he is, so I can go get him." Daryl states.

Looking at the broken man, I turn to look at Rick and the others. "He'll show you. Isn't that right?" Lori asks. After a moment of silence, Rick nods his head. "I'm going back." he confirms. sending a look to Glenn and I.

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After a few moments, Rick and Shane walk back up to the camp. "-could you just, could you just throw me a bone here, man? Could you just tell me why? Why would you risk your life for a douche bag like Merle Dixon?" Shane asks. 

Glancing at Daryl I shrug. "Hey, you chose your words more carefully." Daryl mutters. "Oh no, I did. Douche bag's what I meant." Shane mutters. "He's being nice with douche bag." I nod earning a look from Daryl.

I'm brought out of my conversation by Lori asking the question of the day. "So you and Daryl, that's your big plan?" she asks. Rick sends a look to Glenn and I to which Glenn grumbles. "Oh, come on." Glenn groans. "You know the way, you've been there before, in and out. No problem. You said so yourself." Rick states.

Looking at Glenn, I nudge his shoulder. "Maybe we'll get you a new car." I wink in an attempt to convince the man. "It's not fair of me to ask, I know that. But I'd feel a lot better with you along. I know she would too." Rick adds pointing to his wife. 

Shane huffs. "That's just great. Now you're gonna risk three men and Rowan?" he asks. "Four." T adds. "My day just keeps getting better and better. Don't it?" Daryl scoffs. "You see anybody else here stepping up to save your brother's cracker ass?" T asks. "Why you?" Daryl asks looking at T. "You wouldn't even begin to understand. You don't speak my language." T answers.

Rolling my eyes at the childishness, I look at Shane. "That's four." Dale states. "That's not just four. You're putting every single one of us at risk. Just know that, Rick. Come on, you saw that walker. It was here, it was in camp. They're moving out of the cities. They come back, we need every able body we've got. We need 'em here. We need 'em to protect camp." Shane argues.

Rick looks at his friend and fellow officer. "Seems to me what you really need most here, are more guns." Rick states. "Right, the guns." Glenn agrees. "Wait, what guns?" Shane asks. "Six shotguns, two high powered rifles, over a dozen handguns. I cleaned out the cage back at the station before I left. I dropped the bag in Atlanta when I got swarmed. It's just sittin there on the street waiting to be picked up." Rick states.

Shane shakes his head contemplating the situation. "Ammo?" he asks. "seven-hundred rounds, assorted." Rick answers. "You went through hell to find us. You just got here and you're gonna turn around and leave?" Lori asks.

Sighing, I look at the woman. "You said it yourself, he has to show us where Merle is. We can't let him die of exposure. No matter how much of an asshole he is." I state. "Dad, I don't want you to go." Carl states sitting next to his mother. "To hell with the guns. Shane is right. Merle Dixon? He's not worth one of your lives even with guns thrown in." Lori exclaims. 

Grabbing Daryl's arm, I pull him away from the group. I'd rather him not kill the group in annoyance. "Why do you care if Merle lives?" Daryl grumbles tearing his arm out of my grip. "I don't. But I'd prefer it if you didn't." I mutter. "Why, you ain't even like me." Daryl grumbles. "That may be true, but it'd suck if I had to do all the hunting by myself." I wink.

Climbing into the box car, I place my bow and arrows in the back. "You wouldn't last hunting alone." Daryl grumbles. "Exactly, so as much as I don't care for your brother, I do care that you live." I state as Glenn climbs into the drivers seat.

Sitting behind Glenn I watch as Daryl impatiently begins pacing. "Are they gonna keep jerkin each other off or can we go?" Daryl grumbles before stepping over me and hitting the steering wheel horn with his foot. "Come on, let's go!" he yells pacing again. 

After a moment, Rick and T climb into the box car and close the latch. Glenn starts the engine as we look around before heading off to Atlanta.