RIDE OR DIE | DARYL DIXON

make it work

CAROL held four small guns in her hands. "Take your pick."

Rick looked at all of them before taking the small revolver and sticking it in his waistband.

"We're keeping these with us?" Willow questioned the both of them. "I thought we were keeping them here."

Rick tugged his jacket to cover the gun. "Better safe than sorry."

"Look, I've been thinkin'. Do we really need these?" Daryl said, gesturing to the guns in Carol's hands. "I mean, things go bad, yeah, sure. We do what we gotta do, but it's like you said. We don't need these for that."

"Right now we don't." Carol said, still holding the guns out to them. 

Daryl looked at her and Willow. "You wanted me to try, right?" He shook his head. "I'm good."

He was right. They wanted him to try, and he has. After their dinner with Aaron and Eric, Willow could tell something in him changed. It was actually him that had woken her up this morning, dragging her out of bed to meet Rick and Carol at their spot. It was as if he finally had the urge to live amongst others.

Willow, however, gave in. She took one of the small handguns and put it in her own waistband, untucking her shirt from her pants. Carol kept the other guns to herself, hiding them in her pockets as they walked back to Alexandria. 

"What's on the agenda for today?" Willow asked no one in particular.

"Headin' out with Aaron." Daryl said, ducking under a tree branch.

"Glenn, Tara and Eugene are going on another run. Maybe you could join them?" Rick held the branch out of the way for Willow and Carol.

Willow shrugged. "Yeah, maybe. Could use some more time outside. Carol, would you mind-"

Carol already nodded. "I've got her, don't worry."

She smiled. "Maybe you could make her some of your famous cookies. I've heard a lot about them."

"I'll see what I can get from the pantry." Carol responded.

A woman who guarded the gates let them in once they got back without any question. Rick and Carol went separate directions to avoid suspicion, but Willow and Daryl stood together further down the road. 

"Any estimate on how long you'll be gone?" She looked at him, squinting against the early sun.

He shook his head. "Could be a day, could be more."

She didn't like his answer, but she wasn't going to argue. She nodded and wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him tight like it was the last time she'd ever see him. Nowadays, there was no telling. 

"Be careful." Her words were muffled against his chest.

He returned the tight embrace, sensing her disappointment. He bent down and lifted her up in a swift motion, spinning her around once before setting her back down. She couldn't hide the smile that came to her.

He kissed the top of her head. "Always am."

-

Willow tossed her bag into the back of the van, grabbing her gun from Maggie as they waited for everyone else to load up.

"You got everything?" Reg asked Aiden.

Aiden nodded. "First aid kits, yellow pages. Glenn made a checklist. We're good, I swear."

"I know." Reg leaned back against the edge of the garage, adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose. "I'm just a worrier. That's how that wall wound up around us."