Cowboy

4) Decisions

"It's what he says he wants." Rick said to the group. Jim had just told him that he wanted them to leave him.

"And he's lucid?" Carol asked skeptically, raising her eyebrows as Rick.

"He seemed to be. I would say, yes." Rick nodded.

Alicia looked to Dale who was standing across from her. He shrugged and turned back to Rick, beginning to speak.

"Back in the camp when I said Daryl might be right and you shut me down, you misunderstood. I would never go along with callously killing a man. I was just gonna suggest that we ask Jim what he wants. And I think we have an answer." He said.

"We just leave him here? We take off? Man I'm not sure if I could live with that." The way Shane said this made Alicia narrow her eyes. Something in the back of her head made her think he could live with it.

She got bad vibes from Shane.

Lori interjected into the conversation. "It's not your call, either one of you." She had a good point.

"If it's what Jim wants... then who are we to say no?" Alicia looked around the group. "He's dying either way... let him decide if he goes in pain or not. It's be wrong of us to force him to stay in the RV where he can turn any minute and kill one of you. Besides it's hurting him. Let's keep what little humanity we have left."

Dale flashed her a proud smile, nodding his head. She smiled back. "It's settled then." He smiled.

Shane and Rick went into the RV to get Jim. Dale walked over to Alicia. "Thank you." He said, patting her shoulder.

"For what?" She asked, looking up at the older man.

"For standing up for Jim like that. I'm not sure Rick or Shane would have been so keen on leaving him if you'd hadn't said that." He sighed.

She shrugged. "Well like Lori said. Nobody can make the decision for him. It's not our job."

Dale shook his head. "I wish we had more people who thought like that in this camp."

Alicia grinned. "Well aren't you lucky to have me." She nudged Dales shoulder.

The two laughed. "Yes, we are."

—————
Daryl and Alicia walked back to his truck together. "Still not gonna let me drive?" She nudged his arm.

He smirked. "You can drive as long as you let me play DJ."

She grinned, practically bouncing to the driver side. "Deal."

Daryl chuckled to himself as she got in, smiling behind the wheel. He realized the more he watched her the cuter she got.

Maybe she's not so bad. He thought to himself. He shook his head. There was no time for thoughts like that.

—————
Alicia pulled into the abandoned parking lot of the CDC behind the rest of the group. "I guess this is it." She looked over to Daryl.

He nodded, sitting up straighter in his seat. "Don't see what all the excitements about."

She sighed, shutting the engine off. "Hell... maybe they've found a cure."

He looked at her with raised eyebrows. "Keep dreaming."

"If nothing else, maybe they have hot water." She grinned, rubbing her hands together.

Daryl snorted, opening his door. "Cmon, let's go."

"Keep it together. Come on." Shane said as they approached the doors.

"We're almost there, baby." Lori whispered to her son.

Shane began to pound on the door. "Nothing?" He groaned, pounding some more.

"There's nobody here." T-dog said, obviously irritated.

"Then why are these shutters down?" Rick snapped.

Daryl looked behind the group. "Walkers!" He warned, shooting one in the head. "You led us into a graveyard!" He yelled to Rick.

"He made a call." Shane defended his friend.

"It was the wrong Damn call!" Alicia tried to call Daryl down, putting her hand on his arm. He hesitated for a moment before backing up to stand beside her.

"Just shut up. You hear? Shut up. Shut up! Rick, this is a dead end." Shane yelled at Rick.

The group continued to argue. Alicia agreed with Lori. It didn't matter where they went, they just needed to get out of here.

"The camera... it moved." Rick breathed, staring up at the security cameras.

"You imagined it." Shane countered, pulling his friend back.

"It moved." Rick argued. "It moved."

"Rick, it is dead, man. It's an automated device. It's gears, okay? They're just winding down. Now come on."

Alicia's eyes widened as Rick began to holler and scream at the cameras acting like a mad man. It was beginning to get a little concerning.

Reminds me of dad. She thought to herself.

They were all arguing now, trying ti get Rick to let it go.

"Rick cmon, there's nothing here-" The doors began to open and Alicia cut herself off. "Holy shit."