𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆 | 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘺𝘭 𝘋𝘪𝘹𝘰𝘯 ¹

𝑭𝒊𝒇𝒕𝒚 𝑻𝒘𝒐

Chapter Fifty Two,
They're Screwing With The Wrong People

DARYL POURED water onto a cloth and held it out to Rick, who was stained with blood. "We should save that water for drinking," Rick suggested.

"You can't see yourself, they can," Daryl replied. He didn't want Chloe to witness them in this condition, especially after what she had gone through the previous night. "I didn't know what they were."

"How did you end up with them?"

"We were with Beth. We got out together. We stuck with her for a while."

"Is she dead?"

"She's just gone. After that, that's when they found us. They wanted us with them, I mean, I knew they were bad, but they had a code. It was simple. Stupid, but it was something. It was enough. They said they were looking for some guy. Last night they said they spotted him. We were hanging back. We were gonna leave, Chloe wanted to. But in the end, we decided to stay. That's when I saw it was you four. Right when you saw me. I didn't know what they could do. I mean the one who could is dead, the rest seemed different. "

"It's not your fault, Daryl. Hey. It's not on you."

"But it is on me. They... He almost..."

"She's safe now. Being back here with us is what matters. You're family, like a brother."

"Listen, what you did last night... anyone would've done that." Daryl sensed that it was weighing heavily on Rick. Carl had seen him and had been stunned by the sight.

"No, not just that."

"Something happened. That's not who you are."

"Daryl, you saw what I did to Tyreese. It's not the whole picture, but it's part of me. That's why I'm here now. That's why Carl is. I'm determined to keep him safe. That's all that counts."

⋆

"Hey, you okay?" Daryl asked Chloe, as they walked together toward the same poster they had all seen with the word 'Terminus' on it.

"Yeah, and you?"

"Hmm. I'm sorry that happened to ya."

"It wasn't your fault."

They paused by the poster once again.

"We're getting close. We'll make it there before sundown," Merle announced.

"Now we move through the woods. We don't know who they are," Rick cautioned.

"Rick," Chloe whispered, catching his attention. He turned toward her. "Thank you," she said, removing Rick's jacket before extending it to him.

"Keep it if you want. It's getting cold."

"Mine will suffice; it's enough."

"Alright."

"We all spread out, watch for a while, see what we see, and get ready. We all stay close," Rick said as they stood just outside the fences of Terminus.