Between Arrows and Hearts - Daryl Dixon

Fastest delivery in the whole city

As Glenn slowed the car, Cass decided to sit up. They must be arriving.

"He'd better be okay. It's my only word on the matter." Daryl growled, his tone dripping with menace as he directed his words at T-Dog.

"I told you the geeks can't get at him. The only thing that's gonna get through that door is us."

Cass felt her patience thinning. The stress of the situation was already enough to make her stomach churn, but Daryl's relentless bad attitude wasn't helping anyone. He was acting like they weren't risking their lives for his brother, like they didn't feel the weight of their mistake just as much as he did.

She let out an involuntary snort, the sound escaping before she could stop it.

Daryl's head snapped toward her like a hawk catching movement. "Got a problem?" He barked, his voice sharp and accusing.

Cass met his gaze head-on, her pulse quickening but her resolve holding firm. "Yeah, actually," She said, her tone clipped but not hostile. "Look, we screwed up. We know that. But we're here now, and we want to help." She gestured to the group around them. "You have every right in the world to be mad. No one's denying that. But your shitty attitude isn't helping anyone."

Daryl's glare didn't waver, his eyes narrowing like he was daring her to keep going.

Cass hesitated for a moment but pushed on, her voice softening just slightly. "And... yeah, nobody deserves to be abandoned. But Merle got himself handcuffed in the first place."

The silence that followed felt heavy, charged with unspoken words. Cass could feel the weight of Daryl's stare, unflinching and unimpressed.

A tired laugh bubbled out of her, a mix of nerves and tension. "Good thing you're so great at talking about your feelings," She added with a sarcastic edge. "I don't know what we'd do without all this open communication."

A faint chuckle escaped Glenn before he quickly clamped his mouth shut when Daryl shot him a deadly look.

Cass bit back another laugh. The truth was, she understood Daryl's attitude, even if it bothered her. But that didn't mean she could let it slide. They were all in this mess together, and they needed to act like it. 

She didn't know if her words had made any difference, but at least she'd said them. That had to count for something. 

"We walk from here."

"Great." Cass said sarcastically as she got out of the van. "More cardio."

Glenn adjusted his backpack spoke to his friend. "Just start walking." 

The group start jogging toward the city. When they reached a fence, Glenn began to move a gap, just big enough for everyone to slip through.

"Merle first or guns?" Rick asked.

Daryl, not giving anyone else a chance to comment, spoke. "Merle! We ain't even havin' this conversation."

"We are." Rick emphasized firmly. "You know the geography. It's your call." He pointed at Glenn.

"Merle's closest. The guns would mean doubling back. Merle first."

Once they reached the building, they entered quietly. Rick took the lead, signaling when to move or to stop. 

They paused in the store. A walker was there. 

With a quick signal, Rick communicated with Daryl, who moved in.

"Damn. 'Yer one ugly skank." He muttered, releasing an arrow that went straight through the eye. Then, he stepped forward and yanked his bolt out of the corpse.