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LET THE WOMEN and children sleep. That's what they said, though it was unspoken. That's what they did. Rick and Daryl sat outside of the car, mostly catching up. Let the women and children sleep, put the women and children first, like nothing was different. Like the new common acceptance wasn't having such little chance to survive day-to-day that they needed to pull someone apart with their teeth. Let the women and child sleep, because it was what felt right. Hold onto a piece of their old selves. The moral compass was still intact. Though, the three bundled up in the car hadn't had a lick of sleep. Only Carl slightly, whose head lay in Michonne's lap.
West stared out the crack in the windshield, getting to know more about Daryl and Rick's relationship. It wasn't by choice, the lack of insulation in the beaten down vehicle led to easy intrusion into their conversation. She'd drift in and out of consciousness. Michonne would shove her lightly, ensuring she wouldn't fall asleep, at least until they got to terminus. Sleep while having a concussion was never a smart decision. West would roll her eyes when she did so, promising she was fine, but no part of anything felt fine.
The sun rose fast. It was a lot faster when the only thing West was doing was replaying the situation over and over in her head. It wasn't that she was scared, just unnerved. At least, that's the reassurance she delivered to herself. Killing someone, taking a life, it never felt any different for her. And though it hurt to admit it, due to her humanity, she was happier that they were killed, and in the way they were too.
He mentioned someone. Tyreese. It seemed the whole car was listening at this point, to Rick speaking on what he had done last night. "Hey, what you did last night..." Daryl trailed off. "Anybody would have done that."
"No, not that," Rick responded.
"Something happened," Daryl was doing his best to reassure him. "That ain't you." He had said.
"Daryl, you saw what I did to Tyreese. It ain't all of it, but, that's me. That's why I'm here now. That's why Carl is. I want to keep him safe. That's all that matters."
West was unsure of who that was, or what it meant, or what he did. But, it seemed everyday, she cared less and less. So far, Rick hadn't let her down with his decisions. Everything he did was everything she'd have done for her family. It was a scary feeling, to have someone like him around, but the good kind of fear.
When the duo fell silent, she yearned for a walk to clear her head, and that's exactly what she did. West hoped she'd be able to just pass them by without a comment, but knowing how much Rick enjoyed getting under her skin, it wasn't likely. She sighed as she stepped past them.
"Hey," The gruff, unexpected voice surprised her. West turned back to face the duo, who were sat next to each other, in the same exact position as the other. "You saved me." Daryl said.
