Last One Standing ~ TWD Daryl Dixon

22

Daryl

It was still early evening when Rick pulled me out to the far side of the courtyard. He and Hershel both looked stressed and fidgety. I frowned at them, not sure what this was about. I didn't think anything had happened with Merle but I hadn't seen him in a few hours. I glanced over my shoulder but Jo was still sitting on the deck of the guard tower, my rifle up as she scanned the area.

"What's go'in on man?" I asked in a quiet voice.

Rick licked his lips and looked back at Hershel for a moment. "The Governor set terms, he wants Michonne. In exchange for peace."

Rick didn't say anything as I processed what he was saying. I couldn't believe Rick would even consider giving up one of our people. He must have seen the look on my face because he continued.

"It's the only way," Rick said with conviction. "No one knows but us."

"Ya gonna tell 'em?"

Rick shifted his weight uncomfortably. "Not until after. We have to do it tomorrow morning and it has to be quiet."

I didn't like it. I shifted my weight as I thought about it. "Ya got a plan?"

Rick stepped up closer to me nodding. "We tell her we need to talk. Away from the others."

I looked over Rick's shoulder to Hershel. He wasn't happy about this either and he wouldn't hold my gaze. He looked down at his foot. I frowned, flattening my lips into a hard line and shook my head once. "Just ain't us man."

Hershel immediately agreed. "No, no it isn't." And he left, swinging away on his crutches.

Rick watched him go, then leaned in towards me. I shifted my weight back and tightened my grip on my crossbow. "We do this, we avoid a fight. No one else dies." He lifted his gaze to where I knew Jo was over my shoulder and then looked back to me his meaning clear.

I let out a slow sigh. We didn't know her. Michonne wasn't really one of us, not yet. I pinched my lips together again and dipped my chin in agreement. "All right." I breathed, not liking it.

Rick nodded "We need someone else." He said and I knew that this time he wasn't meaning Jo.

"I'll talk to him," I agreed. I knew Merle would agree with Rick's plan. It wouldn't take any effort to convince my brother to hand over Michonne to save himself.

"I'll do it." Rick said quickly.

"I'll go with you." Just because Merle and Rick would be in agreement didn't mean Merle would necessarily be easy to talk to.

"No," Rick responded almost too quickly and I frowned at him. I couldn't help feeling like there was something else up, something Rick wasn't saying.

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Jo

That night I was back out on the deck of the guard tower. Dinner had been tense and silent, as usual I sat at a table between Merle and Daryl. No one spoke, everyone was afraid of the fight that was coming. Once people had headed off to their beds I slipped back up here. I sat down on the metal deck and let my legs hang over the edge and rested my arms on the lower bar. Daryl's rifle was sitting on the ground beside me, but there was nothing to see at night. Even They were quiet tonight. It felt like the whole world was holding it's breath in anticipation of what was to come. A cool breeze picked up and I wrapped my jacket tighter around myself.

There was a quiet scuff of a shoe behind me.

"Getting sloppy Dixon." I observed without looking. I smirked, feeling pretty impressed with myself for hearing Daryl. The man moved like a cat.