Without A Voice

Chapter 21: Dale

~word count: 1239~

~ Jane's POV ~

I didnt want to be there. I knew everyone was probably annoyed at me so I left. Andrea and I went to go find Dale in the dark. We knew he went off somewhere to cool down we just didn't know where. Suddenly Andrea jumped. She looked scared. Her flashlight bobbed in the darkness and I chased it. I could see the others with their flashlights too, running towards something. When Andrea finally stopped she was frozen. I looked down. It was Dale. He was on the ground clutching his stomach. My knees buckled beneath me as my chest grew tight. I knelt next to him and held his hand. Now everyone was there, gathering around us.

Andrea was sitting next to me, "Hang on Dale."

He nodded weakly but he wasn't looking at anyone else. Just me. I could feel the tears falling down my cheeks until my face was dripping.

Rick was trying to keep him conscious, "Dale, we're getting help. We're here."

We both had our hands on his stomach, trying to stop the bleeding. There was so much blood. I couldn't look down. I just kept my eyes on his mouth, just in case he wanted to tell me something. Rick was supporting his head while asking Hershel all kinds of questions. Glenn was pacing back and forth and Andrea was just sobbing.

Hershel put his hand on Rick's shoulder, "Rick..."

That's when I knew it was over. He was going to die. I watched through tears as his face grew pale. I couldn't even blink. His life was over.

"He's suffering!" Andrea cried out, "Do something!"

Rick pulled his gun out of his holster and pointed it at Dale's head. He knew what he had to do but he couldn't do it. Not after Sophia. His hands were shaking. Tears brimmed in his eyes as I gently took the gun from Rick's hand. Dale was looking at me. He wanted me to do it. I've never fired a gun before but I didn't care.

"Sorry." He weakly signed.

I took in a sharp breath, "Me too." Before pulling the trigger.

My hands were covered in blood. My face was red and puffy from crying. I couldn't even let go of the gun. The grip I had on it was so tight Rick had to pry it out of my hands while Glenn held me against his chest. Was this how the rest of my life was going to go? Constantly running? Constantly killing? The people I consider family dying one by one until it was my turn? No. I've lost enough.

~ Authors POV ~

Jane spent most of her morning picking flowers for Dale's funeral. Everyone kept glancing over at her. She never even held a gun before last night. Carol walked over to her when the time came. His grave was right next to Sophia's. Two people she loved deeply six feet under right in front of her eyes. She stood next to Daryl. Her hand brushed against his. Their skin touching for only a few milliseconds. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it, holding it with what little strength she had left.

"Dale could get under your skin. He sure got under mine, because he wasn't afraid to say exactly what he thought, how he felt. That kind of honesty is rare and brave. Whenever I'd make a decision, I'd look at Dale. He'd be looking back at me with that look he had. We've all seen it one time or another. I couldn't always read him, but he could read us." Jane sniffled and wiped the tears from her face as Rick continued, "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 losing our humanity. He said the group was broken.

Jane recalled everything Dale had said the other night. The speech he gave in that farmhouse. Everything he had said was true.

"The best way to honor him is to unbreak 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. From now on we're gonna do it his way. This is how we honor Dale."

After the funeral, Hershel let everyone move into the house. Except Shane. But Jane didnt care at that point. She didn't care about anything anymore. Most of the group was taking down their setups and bringing them inside. It didn't take her long since she didnt have much to begin with. The rest of them were setting up parameters and using their cars to barricade the farm's entrance. She walked over to Rick and Shane who were discussing Randall.

"Are you letting him go?" Jane asked Rick with glimmering eyes.

"Yeah, we'll take him offsite and cut him loose."

Shane scoffed, "We're back to that now?"

"It was the right plan first time around. Poor execution." Rick looked at Jane with a nod.

"That's a slight understatement."

Rick stepped closer to him, "You don't agree, but this is what's happening. Swallow it. Move on."

Shane shook his head, "You know that Dale's death and the prisoner, that's two separate things, right?" He sighed, "You wanna take Daryl as your wingman, be my guest."

"Thank you." Rick stated as Shane walked away.

"I'm going too. Dale is-" Jane corrected herself, "Was my friend."

Rick nodded, "Of course."

Jane looked around before pulling out her notepad and pen.

CAN I TALK TO YOU IN PRIVATE?

He read it and then looked at her with furrowed brows before responding.

"Maybe later. I've still got to figure out all this stuff with Randall."

She shook her head then scribbled on her notepad.

PLEASE IT'S ABOUT SHANE

Rick took in a sharp breath before nodding, "Okay. Come here." He pulled her around the side of the farmhouse before looking around to make sure nobody was watching, "Okay. What is it?"

DALE WANTED ME TO TELL YOU BUT I KEPT PUTTING IT OFF. NOW THAT HE'S GONE I CAN'T HOLD IT IN

Tears brimmed in her eyes.

BEFORE WE FOUND SOPHIA DALE AND I WENT TO GO HIDE THE BAG OUR GUNS WERE IN IN THE SWAMP

She let him read it before continuing.

WE WERE SCARED SHANE WOULD DO SOMETHING STUPID

Rick looked on in anticipation as Jane scribbled on her paper.

HE FOLLOWED US AND HELD ME IN A CHOKEHOLD UNTIL DALE GAVE HIM THE GUNS I TOLD DARYL THAT IS WHY HE PUNCHED SHANE THE OTHER DAY

Rick's gears were turning before turning back to Jane. He put a hand on her shoulder and looked her in the eyes.

"It's okay. Just stay away from him for now and I'll handle it." He comforted her.

She nodded after reading his lips, knowing it probably wouldn't end well. But she had to tell him. She had no other choice. Dale was pushing on her conscience. They both left to go back to what they were doing, Rick immediately heading over to Andrea. Jane went to set up her sleeping bag in a secluded corner of the dining room when Daryl came up to her.

"You okay?" He signed lowly, nervous someone would see him.

She nodded but it was a lie.

"See you later." Jane signed with a fake smile before heading outside.