RIDE OR DIE | DARYL DIXON

drive them away

RICK CAME TO A DECISION.

Willow stood outside with Rick, Daryl, and Hershel while he discussed it with them, only wanting the three of them to know the plan.

He decided it would be best to hand Michonne over.

Willow had the familiar feeling in her gut that this may be the wrong decision. She was no fortune teller, but something didn't feel right. She hasn't met this 'Governor', but she could already tell he won't show any mercy, whether they decide to hand Michonne over to him or not.

"It's the only way. No one else knows." Rick said, keeping his voice hushed in case anyone came wondering outside.

"You gonna tell 'em?" Daryl questioned from beside Willow.

"Not till after." He responded.

Willow's gut wrenched even more. It didn't feel right.

Rick shifted on his feet. "We have to do it today. It has to be quiet."

Daryl nodded, his eyes small. "You got a plan?"

Rick stepped along the fence. "We tell her we need to talk. Away from the others."

Daryl looked at Rick for a moment before glancing over at Willow and Hershel. Their faces said everything they needed to. Neither one of them felt that this was the path to go down.

"Just ain't us, man." Daryl said quietly, turning his attention back to Rick in front of him. 

"No." Hershel spoke up. "No it isn't." Willow watched as Hershel stepped away, listening to his crutches tap the ground with each step until she couldn't hear it anymore.

Rick sighed. "We do this, we avoid a fight. No one else dies."

Daryl nodded, not wanting to argue. "All right."

"How can we know for sure?" Willow eyed the both of them, wrapping the edges of her jacket around her stomach tightly. "I mean, you met the man, Rick. You think he's a man of his word?"

Rick looked at her blankly, and she knew immediately he wasn't even sure about this decision either. 

"We need someone else." Rick looked back over to Daryl, suggesting his brother.

Daryl nodded shortly. "I'll talk to him."

"I'll do it." Rick insisted.

"I'll go with ya." Daryl suggested again, Rick turning it down.

"No. Just me." He turned around, heading back into the prison to find the other Dixon brother.

"I don't think this is the right choice." Willow said quietly, watching Rick's back slowly come out of view. "We're basically serving her death on a platter. Who's to say he won't still come after us?"

Daryl looked at her quietly, adjusting the crossbow on his back.

"Did you see him?" She turned to him, studying his face. "The Governor?"

He nodded, his head hanging low from the sun.

"Does he look like a man that'll keep his word?"

He shook his head. "No."

She let out a heavy breath, letting herself lean backwards against the wall behind her. 

"You gonna tell me what happened to your eye?" He said, finding a spot next to her on the walker, pulling out a cigarette from a nearly empty pack in his pocket.

"I told you, I fell." She said, refusing to look him in the eyes. 

"Nah, you gonna tell me what really happened?" He flicked open a lighter, the flame igniting lowly, the cigarette sizzling before letting out a puff of smoke.