RIDE OR DIE | DARYL DIXON

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THE GROUP GATHERED in the farmhouse dining room, eager to get answers from Rick. He shared with them that during their run into town, two men drew their guns on the three of them, Rick acted quick and he shot both of them. A few more men showed up, trying to break their way into the bar to find their friends, ultimately ending in a shoot out. A couple of the men abandoned Randall when he jumped down from a roof, landing roughly on a fence, one of the fence poles piercing through his leg. Being the hero Rick is, he insisted that they brought him back before he was the next meal of the walkers that raided the streets.

"We couldn't just leave him behind, he would've bled out." Rick tried to reason with the group, but most of them were obviously on edge about it.

"What do we do with him?" Andrea leaned against the wall.

"I repaired his calf muscle, as best I can, but he'll probably have nerve damage." Hershel trailed into the room, wiping his hands on a towel. "Won't be on his feet for at least a week."

"When he is, we get him a canteen, take him out to the main road, send him on his way." Rick spoke as if the plan was already decided.

"So, you are saying we keep him here until he's ready to leave?" Willow crossed her arms. "Did you not just tell us that him and his friends were shooting at the three of you in that bar?"

Rick nodded, shifting his body uncomfortably at her detest.

"Great." She muttered under her breath, stepping away from the table and towards the door, but Daryl stepped inside, looking down at her, blocking the exit.

"Just gonna let him go?" Shane asked. "He knows where we are."

"He was blindfolded the whole way here." Rick added, as if it were going to help his case. "He's not a threat."

"Not a threat?" Shane scoffed. "How many of them were there? You killed three of their men, you took one of them hostage, but they just ain't gonna come lookin'?"

"They left him for dead." Rick argued, his jaw clenching. "No one is looking."

"We should still post a guard." T-Dog suggested.

"I'm leaving, Daryl." Willow stepped to the side to squeeze around him, but he stepped back into her way, putting his hand on her shoulder and turning her back around to face the group.

"He's out cold right now, will be for hours." Hershel spoke across the room to Willow, trying to make her feel a bit better about the situation.

"You know what?" Willow spoke up sarcastically. "I'm gonna go get him some flowers and candy. Maybe a 'get better soon' balloon too!" She turned back around to the exit, bumping her face into Daryl's chest. She looked up at him in annoyance. "You going to move?"

"You goin' to make me?" He shot back, still standing firmly in front of her. He leaned down next to her ear. "I don't like this any more than you do, alright?"

She closed her eyes in frustration, letting out a heavy sigh while turning back around to face the group, her eyes catching on Shane coming towards the exit, yelling out behind him. "Look at this folks, we're back in fantasyland."

Hershel went after him. "You know, we haven't even dealt with what you did at my barn yet." Shane turned towards the old man. "Let me make this perfectly clear, once and for all- this is my farm. Now, I wanted you gone. Rick talked me out of it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. So do us both a favor- keep your mouth shut."

Willow wanted to throw a damn party to honor those genius words.

Shane looked around at everyone before pushing past Willow and Daryl, slamming the screen door on his way out.