Alexandria

Chapter 10

"What's going to happen when we find him?" Rachel asks as she walks through the woods .

Daryl shrugs, aiming his crossbow at a walker and quickly putting it down. "Don't care. Quick bullet to the head should do it," he mumbles as he collects his arrow.

Rachel turns to him with a frown. "You're joking right?"

"He coulda killed Rick," Daryl says.

"Vincent was scared, and angry."

"So. Ya really want someone like that around our people?" Daryl asks.

"He is our people."

Daryl grunts. "Shoulda known you'd say that."

"Can we not. You're like a broken record," she frowns. "Let's just find him."

"Ya think Rick's just gon let him live?"

"Yes. That's what Rick's all about. Vincent could have killed him if he wanted to, but he didn't," she points out.

"Guess we'll see. But i reckon Rick's gonna put a bullet straight between the eyes. Make an example of him."

"Well i guess we'll just have to disagree on that."

Daryl holds up his hand, pointing ahead of them. "Ya hear that?"

Rachel nods. "You think it's him?"

"Who else is gon be out here?" Daryl steps forward cautiously, his crossbow at eye level.

Vincent stands in the clearing, his face that of a deer caught in headlights.

"Get ya hands up!" Daryl orders.

"I.. i'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"Shut the hell up! An get ya hands up!" Daryl shouts.

Vincent lifts his hands above his head as Rachel steps forward. She digs through her rucksack and pulls out a length of rope, tying his hands behind his back.

"Are you gonna kill me?" Vincent asks shakily.

"No, we're not," Rachel assures him.

"But Rick will if he's got a lick a sense," Daryl sneers.

Rachel throws him a look of distaste. "Don't listen to him. He hasn't had any breakfast, he's always grumpy when he hasn't at least got a squirrel in him," she smiles.

"Ain't the time for makin jokes," Daryl frowns.

"Who said i'm joking?" She asks. Rachel turns to Vincent. "Honestly, i don't know what's going to happen. We're going to take you back to Alexandria. And hopefully, Rick's going to be lenient on you."

Vincent nods, sweat dripping down his temples. "I'm sorry. We were only meant to scare him. I didn't want him to get hurt like that."

"I know," Rachel nods. "Rick's smart. So i'm hoping he knows the same."

~

Rachel and Daryl head through the gates of Alexandria with Vincent.

"You found him," Gabe says in surprise as he closes the gate. "Rick's gathered everyone at the church."

Rachel nods as she heads that way, Vincent visibly shaking as she leads him towards the church. "It'll be okay," she whispers, unsure of any such thing.

~

Rick stands at the altar of the church. His face is a mess of bruises, and his nose swollen from being freshly set.

"Some of you may not have heard i was attacked last night, by two of our own. My attackers felt i wasn't taking action fast enough, and maybe they were right. The truth is, i've been afraid. I still am, truth be told. I'm scared of things going back the way they were. I think back on the days before we arrived here, before we found other communities, before we were safe, and it terrifies me. I'm sure you all remember those days, your version of those days. In my version, i lost my wife, and more friends than i can count. So many, i forget some. I can't return to those days, i won't. We can't return to those days."