Once A Dixon, Always A Dixon (Daryl Dixon)

The Day Everything Went Wrong

Setting: Leading the Herd Away, Season Six

*Daryl's POV*

I can hear the horn. I radio Rick.

"Rick!" I exclaim. "What's goin' on back there?"

"Half of them broke off," Rick tells me. "They're going toward Alexandria."

"Towards you?" Abraham says into his radio. 

"We ran ahead," Rick explains. "There's a horn or something. Loud, coming from the east. It's not stopping."

Something bad's happened at Alexandria, I can feel it. 

"I'm gonna gas it up, turn back," I say.

"We have it," Rick assures. "You keep going."

"They're gonna need our help!" I exclaim.

"Gotta keep the herd moving!" Rick orders.

"Not if it's goin' down, we don't," I argue.

"The rest of that herd turns around, the bad back there gets worse," Rick says. I go silent. 

"Daryl?" Rick says.

"Yeah, I heard you," I say solemnly. My head is telling me to obey Rick and keep the herd moving. My heart is telling to go back and protect my family. 

Only problem is, both choices will put people in danger. 

As we keep driving, I hear the horn stop.

"You hear that?" I yell at Abraham and Sasha. The two nod. 

"Now, we have a better chance to get this thing back on track," Abraham grins. He sees the look on my face.

"Look, man, I know you're worried about Nico," he says. "I am, too, she's a close friend of mine. But the mission has to come first." I nod. 

A move my bike closer to the car, "Hey, we gone five miles out yet?"

"Give or take some yardage," Abraham responds. "You got a reason for asking?"

"Next intersection, we're gonna spin around and go back," I say.

"The plan is to go fifteen more," Sasha argues.

"Yeah, I'm gonna change that," I say. "Five's gonna have to work."

"The magic number's twenty," Abraham counters. "That's the mission. That's making sure they're off munching on infirm raccoons the rest of their undead lives instead of any of us."

"You want to go, we can't stop you," Sasha says. "But without you, they could stop us."

I think. I see a sign that is advertising Alexandria. 

I think about Nico, Merle, Harley, Sebastian, Carol, Maggie, Carl, Judith, everyone I care about back home. 

If anyone of them dies because I couldn't protect them, I'll never forgive myself. No, not after Beth. I make my decision

"Nah, I got faith in you," I say. I hit the gas and start driving away.

"Daryl!" Sasha yells.

"Don't do it, man!" Abraham shouts. I drive on.

Did I make the right choice?

I drive for a while until I hear Rick's voice over my radio.

"Daryl?" he asks.

"I'm here," I say over the sound of my bike.

"Won't be long now," Rick says. "They're almost here. I'll get 'em going your way again."