Cowboy

25) Always Am

"Dale could-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. 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 this group was broken. 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. That is how we honor Dale."

"It's gonna be tight, 14 people in one house." Rick said to Hershel.

"Don't worry about that. With the swamp hardening, the creek drying up... With 50 head of cattle on the property, we might as well be ringing a damn dinner bell." Maggie sighed.

"She's right. We should've moved you in a while ago." Hershel nodded.

"All right, let's move the vehicles near each of the doors facing out toward the road." Rick said, his hands on his hips. "We'll build a lookout in the windmill, another in the barn loft. That should give us sightlines both sides of the property. T-Dog, you take the perimeter around the house.
Keep track of everyone coming and going."

"What about standing guard?" He asked.

Rick looked to Daryl. "I need you and Daryl on double duty."

"Gotcha." He nodded.

"What about patrols?" Andrea asked.

"Let's get this area locked down first. After that, Shane'll assign shifts while me and Daryl take Randall offsite and cut him loose." Rick said.

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

"It was the right plan first time around. Poor execution." Rick nodded.

"That's a slight understatement."

"You don't agree, but this what's happening. Swallow it...Move on."

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

"Hey." Daryl said, turning to Alicia. "Why don't you go ahead and help get all of our stuff in, ok?"

Alicia nodded, silently walking away. Daryl sighed, watching her go.

"Is she gonna be ok?" Glenn asked, watching as she unloaded her and Daryl's things from the back of a truck.

"I don't know." Daryl sighed. "Been like that all night and all morning. Just got a far off look in her eyes."

"I'll help her while you and T-Dog do your thing. I don't have that much to unload." Glenn said, looking over at Daryl.

"Thank you."

—————
Alicia sighed, sitting down on a dusty chair. She and Daryl had decided they would take the small attic. It was good enough for them.

Glenn put her bag on the floor, walking over to her. "Talk to me."

"About what?"

"You know what." He sighed. "Daryl's worried about you. I'm worried about you."

"Yeah well there ain't no use in worrying over me." She scoffed. "He's dead Glenn... this is me trying to accept that."

"You don't have to yet." Glenn shook his head. "You don't have to be so strong all the time."

Alicia looked to Glenn, tears welling up in her eyes. "Oh yes I do." She sniffed. "I always do."

"Randall's gone." Daryl said, bursting into the room. "I don't want you to leave this house." He said to Alicia. "Stay with Maggie... please."

He walked over to Alicia who was now standing. "Are you going after him?" She asked.

Daryl put his forehead against her, his hands on her waist. "Yeah."

She let out a breath. "Ok... be carful."

He nodded, kissing her. "Always am."