Cowboy

26) Burn

Alicia paced the living room, her hands nervously fiddling with each other. "God they're out there with Shane." She sighed. Daryl and Glenn had just come back, telling everyone what had happened. Daryl had gone back out there.

Maggie grabbed her shoulders, stopping her from pacing. "Daryl's gonna be just fine." She assured her. "Don't worry."

Alicia sighed, sitting down on the couch beside Maggie. "Why did we let Rick drag him on his man hunt?"

"Because they're smart. Both of them. They're gonna come back alright." Maggie nodded. Alicia sighed. It sounded more like she was trying to convince herself.

Hershel rushed inside, closing the door. "Patricia kill the lights." He ordered.

Alicia stood up, rushing to the windows. She gasped, seeing the giant herd that was moving towards them. "Daryl." She breathed.

They all walked onto the porch, evaluating the scene outside. "Maybe they're just passing, like the herd on the highway. Should we just go inside?" Andrea suggested.

"Not unless there's a tunnel downstairs I don't know about."

"A herd that size would rip the house down." Alicia breathed.

Lori rushed outside, obviously panicking. "Carl's gone!"

Alicia groaned. "We're gonna find him."

"He's supposed to be upstairs. I'm not leaving without my boy." She cried.

"We're not." Alicia nodded. "Hershel, Maggie, Glenn... can yall hold off the Walkers?" They nodded. "Andrea, Patricia, Carol, Beth... help Lori find Carl." She looked out towards the barn. "Damn it!"

Glenn put his hand on her shoulder, nodding to her. "You go find them. We've got this."

She smiled, kissing his cheek. "Don't die." She said, running off.

"Wasn't going to!" She heard him yell back. She continued running, raising her gun to shoot a few walkers.

"Daryl!" She yelled. "Daryl!" She saw him, firing at walkers from his motorcycle. "Thank God you're ok!" She breathed, running up to him.

"What the hell are you doing out here?" He asked, looking down at her.

"Helping." She got on the back of his motorcycle. "You drive, I'll shoot."

He sighed, watching as she pulled out yer gun, firing off rounds as he drove. She as Maggie and Glenn doing the same thing. T-Dog as well.

The fence started to break where they were circling around, he groaned, driving over to Jimmy in the R.V.

"Yo! Must've been Rick or Shane who started that fire. Maybe they're trying to get out back! Why don't you circle around? Go!" Daryl ordered.

Jimmy nodded. "Got it!"

He continued to drive around, Alicia on the back, shooting as many walkers as she could. She reached to his front, pulling his gun from his waistband when hers ran out of ammunition.

"Take me out to dinner first." He said back to her, circling close to the fence.

"Not the time." She muttered, continuing to shoot walkers.

Eventually they stopped, completely out of amo. "We gotta go." Alicia sighed. "I saw Glenn and Maggie leave, the other probably left to." She sighed.

Daryl nodded, staring out at the barn as it burned. Alicia's jumped, heading a scream. "Sounds like Carol."

Daryl nodded, revving the motorcycle before taking off. The reached Carol, Alicia smiling.

"Carol!"

"Cmon I ain't got all day!" Daryl yelled to her.

Carol climbed on behind Alicia. It was a tight squeeze but it worked. "Let's go."

————
They had decided to go back to the spot they left for Sophia. Alicia figured it was their best bet.

She laid her head on Daryl's back, focusing on his breathing pattern, trying to calm herself down. She could feel Carol holding on behind her.

She reached around his waist, holding onto him tighter. Inhaling deeply, Alicia could smell her perfume on his jacket.

It was the one she had sprayed on it to annoy him back at the farm. He had thought it was stupid that in the middle of the apocalypse she decided to bring perfume.

"The world ends and your survival bag has lipstick and perfume." He chuckled.

She flipped him, lying down on the makeshift bed. "I'd rather die smelling like strawberries than smelling like you."

Alicia smiled to herself as they came upon a car. "Bet that's Glenn and Maggie!" Alicia laughed over the sound of the motor.

They followed them, pulling to a stop along the highway.

"Oh thank God!" Alicia breathed, getting out to hug Maggie and Glenn. A few seconds later T-Dog, Lori, and Beth pulled up. She ran over to hug Beth. "I'm so glad you're ok."

Beth nodded, hugging her back just as tight. "Me too."