Red ~ TWD (Daryl Dixon)

Whatever It Takes

Rick stumbled as the three dead walkers fell at his feet, turning and peering up at the water tower before nodding slightly and continuing forward. I angled my rifle forward, checking their anticipated route, but saw no additional walkers and relaxed, letting my rifle drop slightly.

I felt T's stare boring into the side of my head and looked at him.

"What?"

"Boo-boo, you got some made skills."

I rolled my eyes, smothering my smile as I continued scanning for danger. Glad the T I knew and loved was back. If he got emotional then I'd get emotional and then we really would have a situation on our hands.

I focused on the mission, even if it pissed me off. The sound suppressor on my rifle made it the perfect long distance weapon so I was never surprised when my number was called for sniper duty, but it didn't mean I liked it. I enjoyed it even less when it involved being stuck in a giant, rusty, water tower on the verge of collapse as the rest of the group raided a town straight out of a horror flick.

Unfortunately our options were severely limited for this shitty detail. The only other person capable of pulling off a shot at this distance was Daryl and he was on Rapunzel duty last go-round. He protested extra loud when I tried to volunteer him for the duty behind his back.

"Ain't no chance in hell Red," he declared, giving me a look that made most people pee their pants. It made my sausage wallet swoon like it was in a Jane Austen novel.

"Actually, it is. That's how 'not it' works. You said it last so you're stuck in the rickety water tower of death. Get it ?"

Rick buried his face in his hands as he stood in-between us. I bet he felt more like a referee than an apocalyptic group leader when the two of us went head-to-head. In my defense if Daryl hadn't snuck up on us while I was throwing him under the bus none of this would be happening.

"Ya ain't going into that town without..."

"But you can go into without me?"

"Woman if you'd let me finish a damn sentence."

I pointed my finger in his face. "Don't take that tone with me Hanna."

Rick groaned. "Jesus, I thought you guys sounded like an old, married couple before you started sleeping together."

He left his statement hanging in the air like dirty laundry as Daryl's jaw snapped shut with such force he probably cracked a tooth, the tips of his ears going red. He liked living in fantasy land where no one knew we cuddled naked. I, on the other hand, didn't give a flying fuck who knew and they all knew.

"He's the one with a splinter in his boot," I accused, "And let's not forget his entire point doesn't amount to a mountain of beans."

Daryl crossed his hands over his chest as he shook his head at me.

"That made about as much sense as tits on a bull."

It didn't take a genius to know I got the expression wrong, again. Why in the mother bitch couldn't I get these sayings right? I was fluent in four languages for fuck's sake, but somehow I still couldn't communicate in basic hillbilly.

"Listen Oliver Queen..."

"Enough!" Rick roared, interrupting us. Both our heads rotated to him as we stepped away from each other. "Daryl you're with Carol on the north side of town. Alex, you're in the tower."

Before I could lodge a detailed complaint regarding his organizational skills he was gone and so was Daryl, throwing a shit eating grin over his shoulder as he sauntered off. I decided to handle the loss like a mature adult so I flipped him off, walking to the water tower that was doing a spot on impression of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, not even trying to hide my pout. When this thing fell over and I died he was going to be really sorry.