𝐍𝐄𝐅𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐒 | daryl dixon

- 𝟏𝟕

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     FROM A distance, rosaline could hear rick calling out to daryl. she couldn't help but listen in, stopping the fiddling of a stick between her hands, also alerting rhaegar.

     "daryl." rick called out, "you okay on your own?"

     daryl looked at him as if he was being ridiculous, "i'm better on my own. i'll be back before dark." he replied continuing on.

     rosaline you have to start pulling your weight. go ask. she thought to herself.

     "actually daryl," rosaline stood up walking over but rick managed to interrupt her.

     "we've got a base now." he said, "we can get this search organized properly now."

     daryl seemed to ignore her for a moment to challenge rick's statement, "you got a point, or are we just chatting?"

     "my point is, it lets you off the hook." rick told him, lowering his voice slightly, "you don't owe us anything."

     it was almost as if rick was admitting wanting to let daryl go because of what happened with his brother. rosaline couldn't help but look at him in disbelief. he had proved himself to be a valuable member of the group - and rick was just willing to let him leave?

     daryl frowned at him before turning away and walking towards the direction of the woods, "my other plans fell through." he replied, clearly meaning the disappearance of his elder brother.

     rick glanced at rosaline making her shake her head, "come on. he's proving himself to you now more than ever. he's desperate to find that girl, can't you see?"

     "i know." rick said looking off to where the marksman was making his way to sticking his hat back on the top of his head.

     "daryl has done more than anyone here when you were gone. he would bring back the food and skin the kills before you found us, fix things, hell even merle contributed sometimes because he asked him to. if not, we'd probably be living off slim pickings." rosaline admitted, "acknowledge his effort. he's pulling through just as much as anybody else."

     with that, she started off after the redneck, deciding that she definitely wanted to go and help him. rhaegar raced past her, bounding over to daryl who stopped to look at her, "what is it?"

     "he wants to go with you." rosaline said, "i do as well."

     "don't expect me to cover your ass." daryl said shaking his head and giving her a wave of the arm. it seemed like he was tired of arguing.

     she grinned, "wouldn't dream of it."

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