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JUDITH COOS SOFTLY as Aria clutches the baby in her arms, the ride beginning to become bumpy. She wanted to go with Noah and the others but Michonne had insisted that she didn't because she's been through a lot and needs rest. Aria didn't like it but she went along with it, only because she wasn't up for arguing.
Aria has guilt built up inside her and she can't take it; it hurts. Guilt is a demon that messes with you from the inside and it kills you softly. They say all you have to do is apologize and move on but how are you supposed to apologize to people who have died when you couldn't save them? You can't. Because no matter what happens, you still feel guilty for their death. You feel like you could've done something to stop them from dying. You blame yourself and you can't help it.
Pushing her fallen hair out of her face, Aria runs her hand over Judith's head, smoothing the baby's hair down. Aria raises her eyes, looking over towards Daryl. She hasn't tried talking to him. He hasn't really spoken to anyone and Aria isn't about to force him to speak to her if he doesn't want to. Judith cries out loudly and Aria sighs, reaching down and grabbing her bottle. Turning the baby in her arms, Aria holds the bottle in place as Judith sucks the milk out of it, her eyes closing as she does.
Softly humming a tune, Aria gently pulls the bottle away, setting it in the cup holder. Pulling the baby up to her chest, Aria rocks back and forth, trying to help Judith fall asleep. "You'd be a good mom." Tara speaks up from behind Aria. Slightly turning her head to the side, Aria chuckles lightly, shaking her head. "Too late for that." Tara quirks up an eyebrow, confusion on her face. Before Tara can question Aria, Aria points towards a clearing. "We should stop here." She tells Daryl, glancing over at him. As he slows the car to a stop, Aria pushes open the car door, quietly getting out of the van.
Pulling the baby bag around her shoulder, Aria gently closes the car door, walking around the white van. Out of the corner of her eye, Aria notices Daryl walking off into the woods alone, a solemn expression on his face. "I should go make sure he's okay." Aria utters, handing the baby off to Carol. "You want me to come?" Aria shakes her head, looking back towards the woods. Blowing out a breath, Aria sets the baby bag down before walking towards the woods, following the path Daryl went. She had said that she wasn't going to force him to talk and she's not, she just needs to make sure it's okay and he's not going to make a mistake.
"Daryl — are you okay?" She asks quietly, touching his shoulder. Daryl shrugs her hand off, glancing behind him. "Go away Aria." Frowning, Aria rubs her sweaty palms on her jeans, her lip in between her teeth. "I just have to make sure you're safe." She whispers and Daryl swings around, his eyes narrowed into slits as his eyes bore into hers. "Just like you made sure Beth was safe?" He snaps angrily and Aria takes a step back, her eyes wide in fear and shock. "Get the fuck away!" Daryl growls and Aria walks backwards, tears burning in her eyes.
A small whimper escapes her dry lips and she spins around, walking away from him. She knew it, she knew the group blamed her. Aria's body rams into something and she snaps out of her daze, growls feeling her ears. Pulling her knife out, Aria shoves the walker against the tree before plunging the knife into its head over and over again, tears falling freely down her face. "Aria — Aria!" A voice calls out, grabbing onto her arm before she can shove her knife back into its butchered skull.
Aria turns her head, her eyes meeting Carol's. "What happened?" Aria licks her lips, wiping the tears off her face with her shirt sleeve. "He's giving me shit for trying. And — I tried, Carol. I tried so hard. But I didn't try hard enough. I told myself I would keep them safe and I didn't. I failed." Aria's voice trembles as she admits her feelings to Carol. She's a failure and she knows it now. She tried but she didn't try hard enough because a poor girl died when it could've been prevented.
