Future Ghosts • TWD

137. Lure.

Rosie and Daryl were heading down the room Henry, Lydia, and Ian were boarding up to tell them that the time to prepare was over. When they got there, though, they could hear Henry and Lydia talking more about running away together. Rosie wanted to roll her eyes, but she didn't because she wasn't supposed to be sour about this. She was supposed to accept it and move on, just like Ian did. But it was much easier said than done.

When Rosie pushed open the door, she was met with the sight of Henry and Lydia sharing a long, gross kiss. She turned her head away, letting her eyes scan over the room for Ian, instead.

"Hey," Daryl spoke, making both Lydia and Henry jump back and snap their heads toward him. He stared at the two of them for a moment, contemplating. "C'mon. We're headed up to keep watch," he eventually said.

"Yeah. Sure," Henry said, nodding. His voice was shaky and nervous, embarrassed to have been caught. He and Lydia shared a moment of painfully awkward eye contact before stepping further away from each other and heading over to Daryl and Rosie by the door.

"Where's Ian?" Rosie asked as the two approached. Ian was supposed to be with them, but he wasn't in sight. Rosie wouldn't have blamed him if he decided to run away. She wouldn't want to listen to or see Henry and Lydia making out and being all cheesy, either.

"Oh, uh, I think he went out on the balcony," Henry said, gesturing to the unfinished sliding glass doors on the opposite wall.

Rosie nodded, her lips pressed together. "Hm. Yeah, too busy sucking each other's faces to pay any attention to him. I get it," she murmured, shoving her hands into her pockets.

She felt Daryl put his hand on her back, shoving her forward, toward the door to the balcony. "Just go get him," he said.

Despite wanting to make more rude comments about Henry and Lydia's little makeout session, Rosie went ahead and made her way towards the balcony. She slid the glass door open and stepped outside. The balcony was one of those balconies that are kind of pointless. There was barely enough room to even step out onto it. She didn't get why they even made balconies that thin in the first place. Anyway, to her left, she saw Ian standing with his elbow leaning against the railing.

"Hey. We're headin' up to keep watch," Rosie said, startling the other boy a little bit.

"Alright. They done in there?" Ian asked, referring to Henry and Lydia. Rosie scoffed out a laugh and nodded.

When they got back into the room, they could see that Henry and Lydia had already passed through the doorway and were headed upstairs. Daryl was still holding the door open, so Ian and Rosie quickened their steps to make it so he didn't have to wait any longer. When they reached the door, Ian stepped through, but Daryl stopped Rosie for a second.

"I want you on the top floor with Connie. Take out as many of the walkers as you can," Daryl said, taking his crossbow off of his shoulder and passing it over to Rosie. He could see Rosie ready to almost immediately start to argue, but he shoved the crossbow into her hands, anyway. "They're usin' walkers as protection. It ain't because I don't think you can handle yourself against one a' the livin'. It's 'cause you're a good shot. Go," Daryl said, patting her back to get her to move.

"What about Beta? What if you need help?" Rosie asked, furrowing her eyebrows with concern. She felt like Daryl was dangerously underestimating Beta and his ability.

"I'mma be fine," Daryl assured her.

"Hey, I don't have any weapons, by the way. They took everything," Ian chimed in hesitantly.

"Find a stick or somethin'," Daryl said dismissively. Henry had his stick and he had even found one for Lydia, but Ian remained weaponless. Besides, Ian didn't even know how to use a stick in the way that Henry did.