Once A Dixon, Always A Dixon (Daryl Dixon)

A New Face

Setting: The Prison, Season Three

*Nico's POV*

Daryl and I ran into the cell block to hear Rick cock a gun.

"We're not leaving," he growls.

"We can't stay here," Hershel argues. Wait, Hershel wanted to leave? That's insane! This is the first good place we've had in months!

"What if there's another sniper?" Maggie asks. "A wood pallet won't stop one of those rounds!"

"We can't even go outside!" Beth adds.

"Look, if Rick says we're not running, we're not running!" Glenn snaps.

"No," Merle says from outside the block. "Better to live like rats."

"You got a better idea?" Rick snaps.

"Hell, we should've slid on outta here last night, live to fight another day!" Merle responds. "And we lost that window, didn't we? I'm sure he's got scouts on every road by this place now."

"We ain't scared of that prick," Daryl muttered. I shuddered. I certainly was. Not very brave of me.

"Y'all should be," Merle says as if he can read my mind. "That truck through the fence thing? Tha's just him ringin' the doorbell. We might have some thick walls to hide behind, but he's got the guns and the numbers. And if he takes the high ground around this place? He could starve us out if he wanted to."

"Let's put him in another cell block," Maggie mumbles.

"I don't think so, Maggie," I hiss.

"No, he's got a point," Daryl argues.

"This is all you!" Maggie yells to Merle. "You started this!"

"What's the difference who's fault it is?" Beth asks. "What do we do?"

"I say we should leave," Hershel presses on.

"I've got a damn baby on the way, I ain't givin' birth to it in some ditch!" I snap. Merle's head snaps up.

"You're pregnant?" he asks.

"We'll talk about it later!" I say.

"Now Axel's dead!" Hershel continues. "We can't just sit here!"

Rick walks away, as sign of either giving up or apathy.

"Get back here!" Hershel shouts. I flinch, I've never heard him raise his voice like that before. Rick stops and Hershel hobbles over to him.

"You're slipping, Rick," Hershel starts. "We've all seen it, we understand why, but now is not the time! You once said this isn't a democracy, now you have to own up to that! I put my family's life in your hands, so get your head clear, and do something!"

---

Rick handed Maggie some keys for watch duty.

"Stay watch, keep your head down," he says. She nods. "Field's filled with walkers. I didn't see any snipers out there but we're keeping Maggie on watch."

"I could get up in the guard tower," Daryl offers. "See how the walkers are doing against the fence."

"We could use some of the cars to put the bus in place," Michonne suggests.

"We can't reclaim the field without burning through our bullets," Hershel points out.

"So we're trapped in here," Glenn spits. "We have barely any food or ammo."