BOOK ONE • The Archer and The Warrior • [1]

| 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚃𝚎𝚗 | You Don't Mess With A Man's Family

No One's POV

Rick and Shane got out of the car that Rick was driving 18 miles out. He stopped cuz he wanted to have a chat with Shane.

"I thought we were going further." Shane says.

"We are. 18 miles out." Rick says.

"So why are we stopping?" Shane asks.

"I wanted to talk. Been waiting a week till we were gonna do this. I just wanna talk." Rick says.

"We don't need to." Shane says.

"We do." Rick says.

"No, man, we don't. We're doing this. I get it. He was passed out when y'all brought him back, doesn't know where the farm is." Shane says.

"That isn't what I need to talk to you about." Rick says.

He and Shane then had a bit of a stare down.

"I heard what really happened at the school. Was it to survive?" Rick asks.

"Yeah. One of us wasn't gonna make it out. Had to be him. One shot to the leg. Octavia lives. Reality is, he had no business being here- - there. Whatever." Shane says.

"You don't think I would've done it?" Rick asks.

"No, man. I know you wouldn't have." Shane says.

"You don't think that I can keep Lori or Carl or Octavia safe?" Rick asks.

"I didn't say that." Shane says.

"Or my baby? Is it gonna have to be me, too?" Rick asks.

"Rick, you can't just be the good guy and expect to live- - okay? Not anymore." Shane says.

"I'm not the good guy anymore. To save Octavia's life, I would've done anything. Anything! Now, Lori says your dangerous, bud you're not gonna be dangerous. Not to us, not to me, Not anymore. How about you look at me?" Rick asks.

Shane finally looks at Rick.

"You and Lori - - I get what happened. When I figured it out- - and I figured it out pretty quickly- - I wanted to break your jaw. Let you choke on your own teeth. But I didn't. That wasn't weakness. It took everything. That is my wife. That is my son. That is my daughter. That is my unborn child. I will stay alive, to keep them alive." Rick says.

Shane kept his head down the whole time.

"You don't love her. You think you do, but you don't. And I got some information that I'm looking into and if anything comes true, we will be having another conversation... unless I just completely lose it. Now the only way you and me keep on is that you accept everything I just said, right here, right now, and we move forward with that understanding." Rick says.

After some silence and Rick walking a bit away from Shane is when he spoke.

"When it started it was just- - it was just a couple of weird stories on the news. Then- - then it was so quick. Everything. It just happened. Two weeks later, I'm in the hospital and there were soldiers shooting people in the halls. They were shooting people, man, not walkers. Then the walkers came through. You know, I tried to get you out, I tried, but we weren't gonna make it. Man, there was no way and I knew it. But I couldn't live with it. I couldn't live, knowing- - but I had to. I didn't keep Lori and Carl alive, man. Octavia did. And they all kept me alive. I want you to know I didn't look at her before that. Brother, if I could take it all back, I would." Shane says.

Rick contemplated if he should just open his mouth and tackle the thing about Octavia. But he promised himself he'd talk to Octavia first. Get her story and then go after Shane.

All he wanted to do was beat Shane to a bloody pulp. The thought of the man he held so close to his heart doing something so revolting to his daughter... it tore him apart.

"I wanna check the ropes." Rick finally says before walking.

- -

Octavia was with Daryl and Carl by the tent. Octavia was feeling much better today. But Daryl made sure she rested. Carl was her entertainment while Daryl was her pillow and cuddle buddy.

They spent all day together, ignoring the rest of the world. Rick had came by before leaving to check on Octavia and Carl then thanked Daryl for watching them.

- -

Daryl had beat information out of Randall and told the group. Octavia patched him up. Daryl's been in his own world lately. Octavia knew why but it hurt not being as close to him as they were ever since finding Sophia.

Daryl was getting arrows when he sees Dale approaching him.

"The whole point of me coming up here is to get away from you people." Daryl says.

"Gonna take more than that." Dale says.

"Carol send you?" Daryl asks.

"She's not the only one who's concerned about you, your new role in the group." Dale says.

"Oh man, I don't need my head shrunk. This group's broken. I'm better off fending for myself." Daryl says.

"You act like you don't care." Dale says.

"Yeah, it's cuz I don't." Daryl says as he puts on his jacket with Angel wings on the back.

Octavia had found it a while back and finally found it in one of her bags and gave it to him as a gift.

"So live or die, you don't care what happens to Randall?" Dale asks.

"Nope." Daryl says.

"Then why not stand with me, try to save the kids life, if it really doesn't matter one way or the other?" Dale asks.

"Didn't peg you for a desperate son of a bitch." Daryl says.

"Your opinion makes a difference." Dale says.

"Man, ain't nobody looking at me for nothing." Daryl says as it grabs his crossbow.

" Carol is, Octavia is, and I am. Right now. And you obviously- - you and Octavia have Rick's ear." Dale says.

"Rick just looks to Shane.. sometimes he'll turn to Octavia. Let him." Daryl says.

After some more talk and the two talking about how Shane liked Otis, Daryl turned to leaves.

"Now, do me a favor and look out for Octavia and Carl while I'm gone." Daryl says as he leaves.

- -

Rick and Lori talked in the barn. They talked about everything and then talked about what happened on the road.

"Did you confront him about Octavia?" Lori asks.

"I told you I need to talk to Octavia before going there... so I will talk to Octavia and then to Shane." Rick says.

"But-" Lori began.

"No, Lori. I want to hear from Octavia- her part of this- before I take any action." Rick says, before walking away from Lori.

- -

Everyone stood in the room to decide the fate of Randall. Octavia stood with Daryl. Daryl held her close, from behind.

Everyone chimed in.

"Octavia? You've been quiet this whole time. You got anything to say, sweetheart?" Rick asks.

"I have no sympathy for someone who stands idly by and watches what he watched. He's dangerous. You're too sensitive for this world, you won't survive very long. We do what we have to do to protect this group. I don't want that asshole anywhere near my little brother. I'm sorry but I think he needs to be handled." Octavia says.

- -

Everyone ran towards the fields and halted, seeing Dale with his stomach ripped open and a dead walker behind Daryl.

Ultimately, Daryl was the one to finish it for Rick.