Last One Standing ~ TWD Daryl Dixon

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Okay, here it is, I hope you like it!!!!

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Jo

We were on the road early the next morning. Michonne had everyone up at dawn. Her excitement to get on the road was palpable and the others fed off it. Rick had managed to find another car and he, Michonne, Carl and Judith all rode together. We got Eric settled in the bedroom in the back of the motor home. Aaron hadn't left Eric's side since his returned the night before. It was obvious how much they loved one another and the rest of us were giving them time together. Every single one of us understood what it was like to think they had lost a loved one.

Abraham was driving while Rosita rode shot gun with a map spread open across her lap. Carol was sitting behind them watching anxiously out the window. Everyone else was squeezed into the benches around the table. Michonne's good mood had been infectious and the group was still enjoying it. They were laughing and chatting while playing a game with a deck of cards Glenn found in one of the cabinets.

I was sitting on the floor again leaning back against the paneled kitchen cabinet. I was exhausted. I felt like the stress from the last few days, hell the last few weeks, was all catching up to me at once. I couldn't think of the last time I simply sat down and rested. Though, just because my body was resting didn't mean my mind was able to shut off. I was running through every possible outcome both negative and positive of us going to this community. I wouldn't say I was nervous about it, I just wanted this whole situation to be done one way or the other. I couldn't stand not knowing what we were walking into.

Daryl was sitting next to me, his head back and his eyes closed. His crossbow was sitting in his lap, his hands resting lightly on it. When I woke up that morning, though Rick was up and out on watch, Daryl was still awake and even more on edge. Now, he was dozing off and on. He would fall asleep and then jerk awake only minutes later. I think in many ways he was even more apprehensive about this move than I was. While I would certainly fight for the group, I was not one of the leaders, and in the end this wasn't my call. It was however Rick, Michonne and Daryl's, and Daryl was obviously feeling the pressure.

"Hey Abraham, look," Rosita said from the front.

Everyone suddenly began to chatter excitedly. I opened my eyes and saw they had all turned in their seats and were facing the front. I half rose so I could see what they were all looking at out the windshield. Stretching out across the horizon before us was Washington DC.

I sucked in a breath.

DC was a very large city with a very high population before the turn which meant there would be a huge population of walkers now. It was a city none of us were familiar with. We could not go anywhere near that city.

Daryl bumped my shoulder with his own and when I looked at him he frowned. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding and shook my head. There was no point burdening him with my own fears and paranoia he had enough on his mind.

I leaned my head back and closed my eyes praying we passed DC without incident. It would be just our luck to get mixed up in some kind of trouble here. I silently began running through all the information I knew about the city. I had visited a few times, been to capitol hill and of course all the museum's. Tommy had always driven when we visited though, so I didn't have a good geographical feel for the city itself.

Someone who was not Daryl cleared their throat next to me. I flinched and my eyes snapped open. I was surprised to find Carol crouched next to me. She was worrying her lip and she looked preoccupied.