rag doll | TWD

[44] first time again

"But-" JJ began to argue, huffing as Glenn interrupted. 

"I'm in."

"I'd like to help as well." Gabriel raised a finger. 

Rick shot him down faster than he had his sister. "No...who else? We need more."

"There's gotta be another play." Carter suggested, anxiously. "We can't just control that many."

"I said it before, walkers herd up. They'll follow a path if something's drawing them. That's how we can get 'em all at once."

"So, what? We're supposed to just take your word for it?" Carter challenged. "We're all supposed to just fall in line behind you after..."

"After what?" Rick's voice lowered. 

JJ kept a close eye on her brother's movements. 

"After you wave a gun around screaming, pointing it at people. After you shoot a man in the face. After you-"

Deanna jolted around, "enough!" She easily quieted the room. 

"I'll do it." Heath broke the silence. 

"Me too." A woman raised her hand. 

Tobin leaned to Rick, "Whatever you need, I'm in."

"Now who else?" Deanna questioned. 

Nicholas looked to Glenn, who warned him not to volunteered, but he did anyway. "I'll go. We have to do this. I need to help."

"You sure you can handle it?" Rick checked. 

"You need people."

Rick hesitated but nodded. "We'll make this work. We'll keep this place safe. Keep our families safe. We will."

"The plan. Go through it again." Carter insisted. 

"Man, he just said it." Daryl sassed. 

"Every part...again. The exact plan."

♮♮♮

JJ sat on the curb and watched as Daryl worked on his bike. 

"So, what do you think of the plan?"

"Don't think we have a choice." He answered her. 

"I should be out there too."

Daryl looked back at her, "Nah, you shouldn't. It'll be better you stay here with Carl n' Little Ass Kicker. Safer."

"I can defend myself." JJ stated.

"Yeah, I know.  I just- already got too many to worry about while we're out there already."

"You don't have to protect me, Daryl."

"That's not what I'm worried about. If you go out there, everyone else is at risk. Cause I'd put you above anyone else."

JJ smiled, "I know that wasn't really a good thing, but what you said...-it was really hot."

Daryl scoffed, "stop." 

Rick walked out, catching the two-off guard.

"He good?" Daryl asked, referring to Morgan. 

"He is." Rick told him, "He told me what happened out there with the trucks."

JJ perked up. Daryl hadn't told her any of the details of his and Aaron's run. 

Daryl stood up, "he tell you about those guys he met? The Ws?"

"Like that walker we saw, yeah."

"The walker with the W carved into his forehead?" JJ asked, still sitting on the ground. 

Rick looked as if it were obvious but got snarky with his sister. "No..."

JJ rolled her eyes, "no need for the tude."

"We need more watch points. And I'm gonna tell Deanna we don't need to go looking for people anymore." Rick decided. Daryl remained quiet. "You feel different about it?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Well, people out there, they gotta take care of themselves, just like us." Rick began to walk away, "I gotta go talk with Carter and the others. I'll be back."

"You think he's wrong? About looking for more people."

"Yeah." Daryl admitted. "Finding' people...that's takin' care of ourselves."

♮♮♮
[JJ]

I stood with Maggie and Tara watching as Rick's plan came to life. 

Maggie eyed Nicholas. 

"He got Noah killed?" Tara clarified. 

"He did. He did more than that." Maggie seethed with anger. "He lured Glenn into the woods and tried to kill him."

"What?" My jaw dropped. "Want me to beat his ass? I'll beat his ass."

"Yeah," Tara agreed. "I'll back 'er up too."

"Glenn told me I could tell everyone if that's what I wanted to do. Could get Nicholas exiled. He'd die out there. Could've done that. Could do that right now."

"He got Noah killed and he tried to kill Glenn?" Tara repeated. 

I huffed, "all I'm hearing are reasons to kick his ass."

"Glenn saves people. Even people like that." Maggie looked back over to the two. "I couldn't accept it either. But then I thought about you, Tara. How we were on different sides of that fence on the worst day of my life. And now you're on of the most important people in the world to me. Things can get better. We can make them better." Maggie told Tara, who looked hurt. "You tell me what you want to do?"

Tara sniffled, "I'm just gonna follow your lead, okay?"

Maggie pulled her into a hug. "That means if you want JJ to beat his ass, you can."

"Just give me the word. I'm ready." I assured. 

"Thanks, JJ." Tara nodded. 

I placed a hand on her shoulder, "anytime."

♮♮♮

"So...today's just a test run, right?" I double checked as Daryl got on his bike. 

"Surprised you're even up." He ignored the question. 

I crossed my arms, looking off. 

"What's botherin' ya?"

"I don't know." I shook my head. "I just have a bad feeling about this. Plus, you just got back from the other run."

"It's gonna be fine. We'll be back before you know it."

I nodded, still not 100% convinced. 

"Hey." He got my attention by tapping my arm. "I'll find you after."

"You better."