Chapter 013

The days were becoming colder now that summer was coming to an end, causing the camp to prepare for the colder months. Daryl hunted more to try and bring in more food, Rick and Glenn often tried to travel from town to town in hopes to find warmer clothes for everyone with barely any luck, and the rest of us tried to keep camp alive while they were gone. Shane and T-Dog took turns guarding the shed now that Randall was awake and functioning despite being tied and cuffed. Andrea and Dale took turns keeping watch on the RV, taking out walkers when needed.

Lori and Carol would sit with Sophia and Carl to help them with schoolwork, while Maggie and Patricia kept things together in the house. Hershel spent most of his time tending to Beth, hoping to get her out of whatever depressive state she is in. And when Carl and Sophia weren't stuck in the workbooks, they often played with the chickens or helped Maggie with the horses. I tried to keep myself busy with what I could do as I tried not to overwork myself due to my pregnancy.

Sophia ended up finding out about the pregnancy as she grew worried about why I kept throwing up. Despite making her promise not to tell anyone, she is excited to become a big sister. She has came to terms with Carol not wanting her anymore, and while she is still hurting over that, she has tried to move on. It has only been a week since Carol dropped that on her, so I don't expect her to fully be recovered.

Today was no different than the others, as we all woke up in the morning, ate breakfast and went on with the daily chores. Only this time, Daryl didn't go hunting, while Rick and Glenn also stayed. We were finally going to discuss the entire Randall business after a failed attempt to release him a few days ago. We are all gathered just outside of the shed, pulling our jackets close to shield ourselves from the cool breeze.

Rick had asked Daryl to go in to have a chat with Randall to try and get all the information we needed to know our next move. I knew what Daryl was doing inside of that shed and I'd hate to see how Randall turns out. Folding my arms across my belly, I look toward Andrea as she moves to stand next to Lori. "We'd all feel better if knew the plan." Andrea says as she looks toward Rick and Shane.

"Is there a plan? We gonna keep him here?" Lori asks as she pulls Carl close to her, instinctively protecting him from whatever harm there is. Sophia stood next to me, her own arms folded across her chest as she peers up any everyone. "We'll know soon enough." Dale mutters as he turns to look toward the shed, causing me to do the same. Daryl walks out, massaging his knuckles from the beating he probably gave the boy.

"Boy there's got a gang, thirty men," Daryl informs slowly as he lets his hands fall to his side, his eyes locking with mine as a new sense of anxiety forms within. "They have heavy artillery and they ain't lookin' to make friends," Allowing my arms to drop, I begin picking at the dead skin around my fingernails. I could see where this was going and I didn't like it. "They roll through here, our boys are dead. And our women.... they're gonna - they're gonna wish they were."

Daryl's eyes never left mine as his spoke those words, noting the picking at my own fingers as he finished. His words are unsettling as we all grasp at the information given. Forcing my hands apart, I wrap my right arm over Sophia's shoulders, pulling her close with ease. "What did you do?" Carol suddenly ask, taking note of Daryl's bloody knuckles.

"Had a little chat." Daryl answers nonchalantly before he walks away, not daring to give anyone else the time of day. Sparing a glance toward Lori, I carefully push Sophia in her direction before turning to go after Daryl. I already knew the fate of Randall, just by the look of disgust written on Rick Grimes' face. So I didn't need to be here for that discussion.

Jogging to catch up to Daryl, as he had already made it halfway to our makeshift camp, I grab his hand to gain his attention. He stops abruptly before turning to face me, allowing me to take in the damages done. His knuckles were cracked up, blood seeping through the cuts as bruises form along his hand. I haven't seen his hands like that since him and Merle got into it right before the world ended.

"Let's go get your hand cleaned up."

Entering our tent, I force him to sit down before grabbing the first aid kit. Carefully cleaning the blood off of his hand, I begin to disinfect the cuts before wrapping his hands incase of a fracture. I know that when Daryl punches, he doesn't go easy - he broke Merle's nose once with one solid punch while drunk. So I can only imagine what Randall looks like after receiving a few blows from Daryl.

"Look, I want you to stay close to the house. You and Sophia," Daryl states as he locks our hands together to make sure my attention was on him. His eyes were full of fear, no doubt thoughts running through his head of what Randall and his men could do if they found this place. And with Randall knowing Maggie, knowing where the farm is - it's very likely that his men are on their way. "I want to make sure you two are safe. I'll stay out this way and you guys can take the house or the RV."

"I can take care of myself. I'm not going to just leave you out here alone while a militia of dangerous criminals could be on their way," I argue, not wanting him to just push Sophia and I out when people could be watching our every move. They could be stalking us as we speak, watching for our weak spots, before planning their attacks. "You said it yourself, that our men would be dead if they strolled through here. Who's to say they're not out in those woods right now, watching us, taking notes and making plans to attack. If you want Sophia and I to go up to that house, you'll come up with us."

"Kat, you're pregnant. You need to come to terms with that," Daryl says softly, his eyes lingering on my flat belly for a moment before he looks back toward my face. I could see the fear and uncertainty in his blue orbs, not knowing if he could even protect us like he wants to. "I know that you can take care of yourself, you've done it before. But there is a baby involved, our baby."

"I know that, Daryl. It scares the absolute shit out of me knowing I'm pregnant," I admit as I stand up to my full height, feeling more aggravated as we continue to argue. Bringing a child into this world was something I did not want to do, yet here we are. "But that isn't how it's suppose to be. We are suppose to take care of each other, fight for each other, survive for each other. Just like we promised each other when we first came across those things!"

"You don't think it scares me too?" Daryl snaps, no doubt raising his voice as I notice the veins popping out by his throat. I wince a little, knowing that he was angry and knowing what could come from it even thought that isn't who he is. "I don't know how to be a parent! I don't know shit about kids or babies! We didn't exactly have the most fairytale upbringing either! But damn it, I'm trying to keep you, Sophia and our baby safe and right here isn't safe!"

"Don't tell me what is and isn't safe! This world has gone to shit, was shit before and it's even shittier now," I sign, my brows knitting together as I stare directly at Daryl. At this point, I don't care if anyone in the group heard Daryl yelling or caught glimpse of our argument through his words - I simply did not care. "It is selfish to bring a child into a world where we don't know if we'll survive to see tomorrow. Nowhere is safe, Daryl."

Before Daryl could yell some more, I turn away from him and walk out of the tent. Keeping my head down in case anyone was watching, I storm toward the house in hopes to be alone a little. Once I reach the house, I walk in and toward the living area where the books are. Grabbing The Outsiders, a book I have been reading the last couple of days after finishing How To Kill A Mockingbird, I sit down on the couch and pick up where I left off.

><><><><

Turning a page of the book, I felt a dip next to me which causes me to look up from where I was reading. Tilting my head to get a look at who sat next to me, I notice it was Beth. Noticing the bandage on her wrist, I let out a soft sigh at the remembrance of her trying to take her life yesterday. But despite that, Andrea had been right; Beth Greene chose to live and we are all grateful for that.

She had a book of her own, one by the same author who wrote The Outsiders, called Tex. She offers a small smile before she opens the book and begins to read it, causing me to go back to mine. I just finished the part where the church caught fire and the boys saved the kids, so I know the end of the book is near. Bringing my knees to my chest, I catch a glimpse of others beginning to walk into the room, causing me to mark my spot and close the book. Looking outside, I notice the sun has set which causes me to sigh.

"Let's gather up."

"So how do we do this? Just take a vote?" Andrea asks as she folds her arms over her chest, eyes locked with Shane and Rick's. Wanting to know the answer to that myself, I tilt my head to look at the men. "Well.... let's - let's see where everyone stands, then we can walk through the options." Rick says as he begins to look around the room, toward everyone but Dale. I had been informed from Maggie that Dale had been busy going around the farm, trying to get people to side with him to spare Randall's life.

Thankfully he hasn't came to me because I don't even know where I stand on this topic. Randall's just a kid, but then again he ran with such a dangerous group that could wipe out all of our men. And God only knows what they'd do to Carl and Sophia, much less our women and me. Apart of me wants to spare him because he is just a kid, but what if he got loose and brought his men down on us?

"Well, where I sit there is only one way to move forward." Shane states as he spares a glance toward Rick before looking over everyone else. He has wanted to kill the kid before we even knew what him and his group were capable of. He never wanted to give Randall a chance, let alone for Hershel to use our medical supplies to fix him up. "Killing him, right?" Dale pushes as he looks toward Shane and Rick with disbelief. "I mean, why even bother to take a vote? It's clear which way the wind's blowing."

"Well, if people believe we should spare him, I wanna know." Rick states, his hands resting on his hips as he stares at Dale. It was clear that Rick was growing annoyed with the older man, feeling tied between doing the right thing or the wrong thing. "Well I can tell you it's a small group. Maybe just me and Glenn." Dale says in defeat, as he knows there probably isn't a way to win this argument. Glancing at Daryl, I notice that he was biting the dead skin around his thumb nail as he listened in to the conversation.

"Look, I.... I think you're right about pretty much everything all the time, but this...."

"They've got you scared!"

"He's not one of us. And we've - we've lost too many people already."

As the group starts talking over one another, cutting each other off and trying to come to a compromise - I begin to feel overwhelmed. My hands start to shake as my chest begins to feel tight, no doubt the start of an attack. Trying to breathe through it, I look away from everyone and down toward my hands, clutching them close to prevent them from shaking. In doing so, Millie's head comes into view as she presses her head into my hands, forcing them to open.

As I run my fingers through her matted fur, she occasionally licks my wrist as a way to keep my focus on her. Breathing through the tightness in my chest and the anxiety that is flooding my body, I press my forehead into hers. A smile leaves my lips as she begins to smother my face with licks, causing me to back away from her a bit which causes me to look toward Dale as he walks toward Daryl.

"You're right, this group is broken."

Knitting my brows at Dale's choice of words, I let my hands fall from Millie's fur as I watch Dale walk out of the home. It must have been decided, Randall is set to die. Watching as Rick shares a look with Daryl, Daryl gives a curt nod before they walk out of the house too, Shane following closely behind. Looking around at everyone else who didn't dare to move, I finally understand the agreement they came to.

Daryl was going to be apart of it. Shane was going to be apart of it. Rick was going to be the one to do it.

><><><><

Nobody has left the house since Dale stormed out, followed by Shane, Daryl and Rick. I had moved my way to the kitchen for a glass of water in hopes to calm myself down some more. Beth had moved her way upstairs to sit with Jimmy, Carl and Sophia, while the others remained in their spots in the living area. None of us know what they are doing to Randall and frankly, I don't think any of us want to know.

Placing my cup in the sink, I place my hand on my belly as a wave of nausea passes through me. I'm not sure why people have called this morning sickness, it has been everyday and all day for the last week and a half. I'm over it and the tiredness. Feeling a hand rest on my shoulder, I tense up as I remove my hand from my belly quickly.

Tilting my head I notice Lori is standing next to me, concern evident in her brown eyes. She must've witnessed the subtle attack I had in the living room and followed me into the kitchen. Had she seen me holding my belly? Is she beginning to figure out the secrete Daryl and I share?

"Are you okay, hun?" Lori questions as she removes her head from my should. She rubs my back a bit before allowing her hand to fall to her side, but her eyes never left me. "Yeah, I'm fine," I lie with ease, hoping and wishing she wouldn't catch on to my symptoms. I didn't need people worrying about two pregnant women in a world like this. "Just overwhelmed, is all."

Before Lori could say more, she quickly turns her head to the living area, causing me to see the same. Rick stood in the doorway between the hallway and living area, Carl and Sophia not far behind him. Why were the kids with him? Sharing a look of confusion with Lori, we walk into the space occupied by the others.

"Sophia?" "What happened?"

"We're going to keep him in custody for now." Rick informs with a look of relief before he glances down toward his son. It is clear that the kids had snuck out and went to the barn to witness what was planned. I knew eventually I'd have to sit down and talk to Sophia, but what in the world would I say? "I'm gonna find Dale." Andrea says with a smile, knowing that Dale will be happy to hear Randall isn't dead.

Just before anyone could move, everyone's head snaps toward the only window in the room. Their faces were full of worry at whatever they heard, as they all began to look around at everyone else. "Carl, Sophia stay here." Rick orders as he turns and runs out of the door. Following after the man, I rush out of the farmhouse.

Rick and I start running toward the field where I could faint see Daryl waving his arms around, hoping to gain our attention. I knew the others were following closely behind, however I just don't know how close. Heaving by the time we reach Daryl, I am instantly greeted with the site of Dale. He laid on the ground with tears in his eyes, gasping and struggling to breathe.

Nausea quickly invades my senses as I stare down at his belly, torn open with his internal organs falling beside him. There is so much blood, so much of it that it is pooling next to the older man. Placing my hand on my belly as I use my other one to cover my mouth, I felt the tears burning my eyes. He was dying, someone who has so much wisdom and compassion for people is dying.

Dale, the man who took Andrea, Amy and I in as family. Dale, the man who loved and cared fiercely for those around him and wanted nothing but good. Dale, the man who would give the clothes off his back to someone in need, even if that meant he went without. Dale, the man who showed me what it was to be loved by someone who was meant to be a father and grandfather.

Andrea is quick to rush to the dying man, tears in her eyes as she begged for someone to help him. Rick did the same, begging Hershel to do something to save the man on the ground. Being snapped out of my trance as someone runs into me, holding me close, I look down to see a mop of blonde hair - Sophia. I can feel her tears soaking into my shirt as she sobbed over Dale's state.

Wrapping my arms around Sophia, I held her tight as she cried into my chest, allowing a few tears to fall myself. I know that Hershel couldn't fix Dale up, I knew it was a lost cause for asking and begging. But it still didn't stop Rick and Andrea as they continued to plead with the veterinarian. Dale is going to die, Dale is dying and there is nothing we can do.

Rick finally stands in front of Dale, tears soaking his face as he looks down at the man. I can see a faint nod from Dale, as the man accepts his fate and places his life in the former Sheriff's hands. Rick Grimes raises his gun, shakily pointing in at Dale's head. Only he never shot the gun, he couldn't as he stared down at Dale.

I watch as Daryl steps forward, nodding at Rick as he takes the man's gun. I watch as my boyfriend, the love of my life points the pistol at a man I considered a father. Daryl blinks a few times, steading his hands so he wouldn't miss the shot.

"I'm sorry, brother."

And with that, I fell to the ground with Sophia in my arms, the two of us sobbing over Dale's death.

____Word Count: 3,394

Hello to all of the old, new and anyone in between readers! I am back with a long awaited chapter and I hope you guys enjoy it!

Lots of Love,Crimson Rose