Until the End

Chapter Thirteen: The return.

It wasn't long before the sun rose up into the sky, making it known how many people were actually killed during last night's attack. Kirby, Lori, and Carol kept the children away from the bodies while the others went around making sure the dead stayed dead.

"Oh my god, Jim! Is that a bite?" Jacqui's voice reached out to Kirby and she stood up.

"Lori, could you watch Mallorie for me. I want to go see what the shouting is all about." Kirby said.

Lori nodded and went back to watching Carl and Sophia teaching Mallorie the ABC's. Kirby made her way over to Jim, who was currently the object of a tug-of-war battle of life and death.

"Is Jim alright?" Kirby asked the person nearest to her.

It turned out to be Shane and he shook his head 'no'.

"Jim's been bitten." Shane stated, glancing down at Kirby.

Her eyes were on a frightened Jim. Daryl and Rick were debating on whether or not to kill Jim right then a there. For the safety of others, Daryl wanted to put Jim out of his misery. Rick, being who he was, didn't want to kill a living person.

"He's dangerous! If we let him live, he could become a walker and kill someone!" Daryl shouted at Rick, his knuckles going white from his grip on the pick ax he held.

Kirby noted that Daryl was holding it with his right hand and frowned.

"We can't kill a living being, Daryl! Jim may be infected, but he's still alive and I refuse to let someone put him down." Rick shouted right back, his revolver in his grasp.

"Ya wouldn't hesitate if it was me or my brother!" Daryl growled, lifting the pick ax up.

Rick pointed his gun at Daryl's head and cocked it.

"What happened on the roof was Merle's fault. I don't want to kill the living, Daryl, but that doesn't mean I won't." Rick said, his voice thick with authority.

Daryl's eyes narrow when he finished shifting the pick ax to rest on his shoulder, causing Rick to pause.

"Goddamn it Rick, what the fuck! He wasn't going to do anything." Kirby cried out, moving to Daryl's side, in the way of Rick's aim.

Rick lowered his gun, his mouth slightly gaped.

"Sorry, I just thought..."

"Thought what? That Daryl would just kill Jim?" Kirby asked, her face covered with shock and disbelief.

"Well, yeah. He was clearly implying it." Rick stated.

Kirby scoffed.

"No one is killing anyone. I'll patch Jim up and he's coming with us for as long as he can handle it. And you." Kirby turned to Daryl just to smack him upside the head, causing some to gasp and others to hide their laughter behind a cough.

"The hell was that for?!" Daryl yelled, rubbing the back of his head with his left hand.

Kirby grabbed Daryl's right arm by the wrist and brought it up in view.

"I have to re-stitch your hand, that's what the smack was for." Kirby said, before dragging Daryl away. "I'll be with you in a moment, Jim!" Kirby called from over her shoulder.

"Do you think Daryl knows he's in love?" Andrea whispered to Dale.

Dale shook his head.

"No, he's just as oblivious as Amy is to Glenn." Dale stated.

"What?" Andrea asked, her eyes wide.

"Um, never mind. I don't know where that came from." Dale lied and walked away, pretending to be busy with something else.