CHAPTER NINETEEN,
Better Angels.
"DALE COULD GET UNDER YOUR SKIN." Rick said as he pulled Skylin into his side. It had been three days since the death of Dale and they were now holding a funeral for him.
Skylin had taken the news pretty hard, she saw Dale as a grandfather. The little girl was loosing everyone slowly, and in her eyes it wouldn't be long until she was all alone and defenseless.
"He sure got under mine, because he wasn't afraid to say exactly what he thought. How we felt. That kind of honestly is rare, and brave. Whenever I'd make a decision I'd look at Dale." As Rick talked Skylin looked around the group she now consider family, they were all upset, noticing the tears falling from both of her brothers eyes she left Ricks side and stood in between them, taking their hands into hers. "He'd be looking back at me with that look be had, we've all seen it one time or another. I couldn't always read him, but he could read us. He saw people for who they were, he knew things about us. The truth. Who we really are. In the end he was talking about loosing humanity. He said this group was broken.....the best way to honor him is to umbreak it. Set aside our differences and pull together, stop feeling sorry for ourselves and take control of our lives. Our safety. Our future. We're not broken. We're gonna prove him wrong. For now on we are gonna do it his way, that is how we honor Dale."
The group all agreed with what Rick said, they couldn't continue like this. The fighting and the secrets, it all had to end now. They were a family, and it was time they started to act like one.
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"TAKE HIM OUT to Senoia, hour there, hour back give or take. We may loose the light but we'll be halfway home by then. " Rick told Daryl the plan as they leaned against the porch together.
"That little shit will be a distant memory. Good riddance." Daryl grumbled as he hopped up on the porch railing.
Rick nodded in agreement and placed his hands on his hips "Carols putting together some provisions for him, enough to last a few days."
The looked over to see Shane pulling in the driveway.
"That uh, thing you did the other day-" Rick started but was cut off by Daryl.
"Ain't no reason you should do all the heavy lifting."
Rick nodded in response as the car parked in front of the house and Shane got out.
Daryl stood up from his spot. "I'm gonna take a piss." He said before walking inside, clearly not wanting to be near Shane.
Shane reached the house, his hands buried in his pockets. "Hey man you seen Carl lately?" He asked.
"He's inside with his sister's." Rick said as he folded up the map and placed it in his back pocket.
"Okay I wasn't supposed to say anything, he was out at the swamps yesterday and he came across a walker stuck in the mud." Shane said. "He got scared, ran off."
Rick looked down for a moment, one thought crossing his mind. "The same walker that killed Dale?" He asked.
Shane nodded in confirmation. "Thats the one."
Rick sighed and looked out into the field. "I'll have someone talk to him."
"Look I think he wants to talk to his father." She shook his head in disagreement with Ricks words.
"Well I need this Randall thing done already." Rick said harshly. He was sick of Shane trying to tell him how to parent.
"Man that needs to wait. Okay?" Shane narrowed his eyes.
"It's my call." Rick clenched his jaw.
Shane looked away for a moment. "How about I ride out with Daryl? Be good for us to spend a little time together." He changed the subject.
"Nah, I need you here." Rick tilted his head to the side in a sarcastic manner.
"Don't think I'll handle it right huh?" Shane scoffed.
"Didn't say that." Rick shook his head.
"What did you say?" Shane asked before pulling his gun out of his pocket. "You know your son, he gave me this." He held up the gun before placing it on the raling infront of Rick. "You get that back to Daryl huh?" Shane scoffed and started to back away. "Freeing that prisoner, more important to you then those four kids in there."
Rick watched Shane walk away with a clenched jaw. This man was really pushing his buttons and was about to put him on edge.
Shane Walsh had changed, and it wasn't for the better.
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CARL JUMPED A BIT when he heard someone climbing the latter to get to the hayloft. But he called down when the person sat next to him and he realized it was just his father.
"Maggie said you'd be here." Rick broke the silence.
"Told her I would stay on lookout. I get tired of helping around the house" Carl shrugged.
Rick nodded before pulling out the gun Shane had given him and holding it out for the younger boy. "Take it." He told him.
Carl looked from Rick to the gun several times yet made no move to take it.
"What happened to Dale." Rick started. "Had nothing to do with you."
Carl shook his head in disagreement. "He-he died dad."
"Yeah." Rick nodded before looking down. "Feels like there's alot of that going around." He said before looking back over to Carl and placing his hand on his shoulder. "Thats why I need you. No more kid stuff. I wish you could have the childhood I had, but thats not gonna happen. People are gonna die. I'm gonna die. Shane. Daryl." He looked down thinking of his nexts words, it would hurt to say it but he knew it needed to be said. "Hope." He swallowed the lump in his throat. "There's no way you can ever be ready for it. I try to be but I can't. The best we can do now is avoid it as long as we can, keep one step ahead. I wish I had something better to say, something more profound. My father was good like that. But I'm tired son. And one day, one day I'm not gonna be here to protect you and your brother and sisters. Your gonna be all eachother have left. So please." He held the gun out again. "Take it."
Carl hesitated and looked over at his father one last time before taking the gun.
Rick wrapped his arm around his sons shoulders and pulled him into his side as the two welcomed the silence that eloped them.
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"UH GUYS." GLENNS voice sounded from over near the barn. The group who had all been discussing the plan on what to do with Randall all turned their attention over to him. "Randalls missing."
They wasted no time and ran into the barn, looking around and trying to figure out what had happened.
"He slipped out of the cuffs." Rick said as he inspected the handcuffs which were covered in blood from all the boys struggling.
"What happened?" Partica asked as she ran out of the house with the others after hearing all the commotion outside.
"Randalls missing." Glenn told them the truth causing worried looks to take over their faces.
"Missing?" Patrica asked.
"How?" Hershal added as he glanced over to his two daughters who were standing with the Smith kids and Judith.
"The door was secured from the outside." Someone pointed out.
"How long you think hes been gone?" Someone else asked.
Before anything else could be said a scream broke out from their left.
"Rick!" It was Shane. "Rick!"
"What happened?!" Carol yelled back as everyone started to rush towards Shane.
"Hes armed!" Shane walked closer to them allowing them to see how ruff he looked. "He's got my gun!"
"Are you okay?" Carl asked as he pulled Judith closer to his chest as if he were trying to protect her. Ryder did the same with Skylin who looked confused as ever.
"I'm fine, little bastard just snuck up on me. Clocked me in the face." Shane snarled as he made his way closer to them.
"All right Hershal, t-dog! Get everybody back in the house." He yelled before bending down infront of his kids. "You still have that gun?" He asked Carl who nodded. "Alright good. I want you all to go upstairs, to Hopes room. Your gonna stay there until I tell you otherwise okay? Carl lock the door. Don't let anyone in unless you can trust them okay? I trust you guys to be safe." He looked them all in the eyes as they shook their heads. Carl grabbed onto Skylin who was holding onto Ryder and started to drag them towards the house, Judith still in his arms. "Okay, Glenn Daryl. Come with us." He told them as he stood back to his full height.
"T I'm gonna need that gun." Shane said as he stalked towards the mentioned man, blood deipping down his face and his nose twisted at an awkward angle.
Carol shook her head. "Just let him go, that was the plan wasn't it? Just let him go?"
Rick quickly turned down her idea. "The plan was to cut him loose far away from here. Not on our front step with a gun."
"Don't go out there y'all know what can happen." Carol yelled to the men who were now running off into the woods.
"Get everyone back in the house." Rick yelled as he approached the tree line. "Lock all the doors and stay put!"
Everyone quickly obeyed and ran back towards the farmhouse.
"I saw him head up through the trees that way before I blacked out." Shane called out as they made their way through the woods. "I'm not sure how long."
"He couldn't have gotten far." Rick shook his head. "He's hobbled. Exhausted."
"And armed." Glenn added as he glanced around warily.
"So are we." Rick pointed out. "Can you track him?" He asked Daryl.
"No, I don't see nothing." The man with the bow shook his head.
"Hey!" Shane brought the attention to himself. "There ain't no use in tracking him, okay? He went that way. We need to pair up. We spread out just chase him down. That's it."
"Kid ways a buck twenty five soaking wet. You trying to tell us he got the jump on you?" Daryl asked in comfusion, this had to be a joke.
"I say a rock pretty much evens those odds, wouldn't you?" Shane snarked back.
"Alright knock it off." Rick scolded them before turning to Daryl. "You and Glenn start heading up the right flank. Me and Shane will take the left. Remember, Randalls not the only threat out there. Keep an eye out for eachother." He told them before walking off in the direction he assigned himself to.
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BACK AT THE HOUSE Carl stood staring out the window in Hopes room with bernacaulers. He had to make sure he kept the group safe.
"Everything okay?" Ryder whispered as he walked over to Carl, he was trying not to wake the two sleeping girls behind him. Skylin layed next to her mother on the bed, cluching onto her for dear life and Judith layed inbetween Skylin and Hope.
"Yea everything is good. I'm gonna go to the bathroom real quickly. I need you to take the girls and go over to Beths room okay? Carl asked.
Ryder quickly nodded and woke up Skylin, he picked up Judith and the three made their way downstairs to Beth's room as Carl snuck out the back door.
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"LOOKS LIKE YOUR BUSTED pretty bad." Rick said as he and Shane mad their way through the dark forest.
"It's fine man." Shane brushed him off. "Don't worry about me."
"You say he got you with a rock?" Rick asked as he walked into the open feild, Shane right behind him.
"That's what I said." Shane nodded.
"Inside the shed?" Rick asked suspiciously. "Cause that door was shut when T-dog rolled up."
"I saw that too." Shane nodded in agreement. "Must've slipped through the rafters in the roof ."
The two stood in silence for a moment, neither wanting to talk as they stood far away from each other.
Rick reached down and layed his hand on his gun. "So this is where you planned to do it?"
"It's a good place as any." Shane shrugged.
"Atleast have the balls to call this what it is." Rick snapped as he turned around to face Shane, who was pulling out his gun. "Murder."
(
A/N everytime I read that "Murder" part i think of when The Cat in The Hat says it lmao.)
The two men started to circle the other until they found a place they found fit.
"You really believe that if you walk back onto that farm alone, no me no Randall-" Rick was interupted by Shanes harsh voice "I need you to shush up!" He snapped but Rick continued. "You really think they're gonna bye whatever bullshit story you cook up?"
"Thats just it." Shane said. "It ain't no story. I saw that prisoner shoot you down. I ran after him, I snapped his neck. It ain't gonna be easy, but Carl? He'll get over you. He's done it before, he's just gonna have to. And Judith? Well, she won't even remember you." Shane finished before pointing his gun at Ricks head, getting ready to pull the trigger.
"Why?" Rick asked. "Why now? I thought we worked this all out."
Shane started to laugh like a maniac. "We tried to kill eachother man. What you think? We just gonna forget about it all? We gonna ride off into the sunset together?"
"You gonna kill me in cold blood?" Rick asked sarcastically. "Have my children, MY children call you daddy? Is that what you want?" Rick yelled. "That life won't be worth a damn. I know you. You won't be able to live with this."
"What you know about what I can live with? You got no idea what I can live with." Shane yelled. "You wanna talk about what I can do rick? How about what you can do? Here I am." He put his gun in his jeans and held his arms up in surrender. "Common man. Raise your gun."
"No." Rick shook his head. "No, I will not."
"What happend Rick? I thought you wearn't the good guy anymore. Ain't that what you said?" Shane yelled at him. "Even right here right now, you ain't gonna fight for 'em? I'm a better father than you Rick. I'm better than you in every way man. Even Ryder and Skylin, i'd be a way better father to them than you and that lowlife Liam could ever be. I'm a better man for Hope. You really believe shes gonna want you after she wakes up? If she wakes up? You should see the eyes she gave me man, she wanted me. Not you. I could-" Shane went on but Rick soon cut him off.
"Stop it."he snarled. "Don't even say her name. Don't say my kids names. Don't even fucking think about them."
"Thank you, man." Shane went on. "It's cause I'm a better man than you Rick. Cause I can be here and I'll fight for it. You come back here and you just destroy everything!" He screamed. "You have a woman who is basically dead. You got weak kids. You ain't got the first clue on how to fix it."
"Raise your gun." Shane growled as he pointed his gun at Ricks head.
"Your gonna have to kill an unarmed man." Rick spoke softly as he raised his arms in surrender. He didn't look away from the crazed look on Shanes bloody face and he slowely reaches down for his gun. "Watch my hand." He said as his hand got closer and closer to the weapon. "Easy does it."
Rick grabbed his gun and held it out pointed down so Shane would know he meant no harm. "Now listen to me Shane." He said calmly. "There is still a way back from this. Nothing has happened here. We're gonna lay down our guns and were gonna walk back to the farm. Together." He said as they walked closer and closer to eachother. "Back to Carl. Back to Judith. Put this all behind us." He held his gun out for Shane to take, and he did.
The second Shane grabbed for Ricks gun Rick jumped forward and plunged a knife right into Shanes gut. A gun went off and the only nosises were Shanes grunting.
"Shh" Rick told him as he slowely lowered him to the ground. "Damn you for making me do this Shane. This was you. Not me! You did this to us! This was you, Not me! Not me!" Rick yelled out in sobs as he pulled his knife from Shanes body.
Shane layed the chocking on his own blood as Rick continued to sob. "Not me!" He yelled.
After a moment Shane went silent, the only sounds filling the night air was the sobs that left Ricks mouth.
"No you son of a -" he cut himself off as he continued to wail.
After a while Rick grew silent, the tears stopped and he just sat there in his own thoughts.
Until a voice broke filled the silence.
"Dad?" Carl called out causing Rick to turn around.
The young boy stared at the scene in front of him with a look of horror plastered on his face, his gun cluched tightly in his right hand.
"Carl." Rick said as he stood up and started to make his way over to his son. "You know you should be back home with your brother and sisters." He said as he grew closer to the crying boy.
Rick stopped in his tracks as Carl held up his gun up at him, ready to pull the trigger.
Ricks eyes brimmed with tears as he took in the sight in front of him, he was in so much horror thinking his son was about to kill him that he didn't hear the walker creeping up behind him.
Tears started to stream down Carls face as Rick grew closer to him.
"Just- just put the gun down." Rick begged but Carl didn't move. Rick held his hand out to show he meant no harm "it's not what it seems. Please."
Before anything else could be done Carl pulled the trigger and a thump sounded from behind Rick.
Rick furrowed his eyebrows before turning around and seeing his formal best friend hit the ground.
Unknown to the group a herd of walkers that were passing by heard the gun shot and changed direction. Now heading straight towards the farm.
When the rest of the group heard the gunshot they all grew worried. Rick nor Shane wouldn't waste a bullet on a single walker.
But what was most surprising was the fact that when the sound of the gunshot reached the house the eyes of Hope Smith snapped open.
A/N
Bet you didn't see that coming lol
I had fun writing this chapter.
What do you think?
Hope your ready for some Hope (ha get it? Hopeing for Hope? Wow I'm horrible.)
VOTE AND COMMEMT!!!