The Last Flame

Chapter 10

The next morning everyone was up for Dales funeral. Rick was speaking in honor of Dale, but Bell only caught a few words here and there. She was still a bit shocked by the previous nights events. It's not like she hadn't seen death before, she just hadn't expected another loss so soon.

After the funeral everyone was moving there stuff into the house, the Greenes were letting them move in, especially with the cold weather approaching and a pregnant Lori.

"Bella, T-dog, Daryl, I need y'all to take perimeter around the house, keep track of anyone coming or going." Rick said to the three.

Bell nodded. "What about standing guard?" She asked, referring to Randal, who they had decided to spare.

"I need y'all on double duty." The three nodded their heads in response and continued on with their duties.

A little while later Daryl, Bell, and Rick were standing around a map, going over where to drop Randall off. Bell couldn't go considering her ankle was all swollen from the night before, but she wanted to know nonetheless in case something happened out there and she needed to go help them.

"Soon this little pain in the ass will just be a distant memory." Daryl spoke when Rick was done explaining the plan. "Good riddance."

Rick nodded in agreement. "Carols setting up some provisions for him, should last him a few days." He looked up as Shane approached in his hatchback. "Hey, that thing you did last night.." he said referring to Daryl putting down Dale.

Daryl just shook his head. "Ain't no reason you should do all the heavy lifting." Bell smiled to herself, Daryl was an important part of this group, and he didn't even seem to realize.

"And you're good with all this?" He asked.

He just shrugged. "I don't see you and I trading haymakers on the side of the road. No one would win that fight." He replied.

As the three watched Shane approach they started to disperse. "I'm gonna take a piss" Daryl grumbled before walking off.

Bell started to walk into the house before Rick grabbed her by the arm. She looked at him waiting to hear whatever it is he wanted to say. "I just have to say, thank you. For everything you've done." He said with sincerity.

Bell just shook her head. "I haven't done much really-" she started to say but Rick cut her off.

"You helped with Sophia, you make Carl laugh, you're always there to help anyone who needs it. You've done more than you know." He said waiting a second before continuing. "I gotta ask, now that we've found somewhere to stay, and the Sophia thing is done with, you still plan on finding your unit?" He asked.

Truth be told Rick  didn't want her to leave, he had meant what he said, she was an asset to the group, but he wouldn't blame her if she did.

Bell bit the inside bottom of her lip as she thought for a second. To be honest, she hadn't really thought about it, so much had happened ever since she joined this group, that her unit had slipped her mind.

She looked to her left, noticing Daryl walking in the distance. She smiled a bit, not realizing that Rick looked to where she was looking and saw what she was smiling at. She looked back to the man and gave a small nod. "I think I'm gonna stay for a bit, if that's alright with you?" She asked.

He just gave her a knowing smile and nodded. "Of course. Not sure what we would do without you." He said, putting a hand on her shoulder before turning around to face Shane. Bell walked away from the conversation and into the house.

It's not that she didn't find her unit, she was curious as to where they could be, but after all the time that had passed since she'd been with the group, there was no telling where they could be. Besides, she knew they could take care of themselves and they would understand, that this group needed her. And she needed them.