the walking dead: the wife

chapter vi: secrets

The two leaders decided to return after all the tension had worn off, finding a cozy scene even, with the two groups of survivors mingling with each other and the laughter of the couple by the hose (those two made Rick smile, happy to see that his best friend had reunited with the woman he loved). However, someone was missing, Rick's someone: Daryl. For a moment he suspected that the redneck might have been inside the house alongside Lori, whom he could see through the window and he gave her a warm smile when she looked up at him, but Rick was wrong.

Maggie ran over to them as soon as she saw them, asking her father if he was okay before telling him everything that had happened – including the well situation and the disappearance of one of their horses. Obviously Hershel chose to focus on the latter.

"Did one of your people take it?"

"I assume Daryl must have" the former deputy cleared his throat awkwardly, shifting his weight from one foot to another "I'll have a word with him"

"Keep it simple, Rick" the old man said both as a warning and an advice "I control my people, you control yours"

Hershel walked away with his daughter by his side, leaving Rick somewhat confused and frustrated with his own people. A few feet away, on the right side of the farm's main building, Shane and Sierra watched the scene silently – all while he tried to dry her hair with an old cloth. They said nothing, but it wasn't necessary either because they were both thinking the same thing: Rick was kissing Hershel's ass to keep this place as a new camp, even if the old man wouldn't let the group in his home.

"I didn't do any of that to be able stay"

"Old man accepted you just like that?"

"Must have been my pretty face" she teased putting both hands under her chin, bringing attention to her face. He chuckled and stepped around to be in front of her, replacing her hands with his. For a moment she thought he was going to kiss her, when he lifted her chin she wanted to think that what just happened with the well made him realize he wanted to be with her – but no, he just needed a better angle to clean her face. Although it felt very intimate. The way he carefully caressed her skin with the wet fabric, so concentrated to do it in the most delicate way possible. While she could not take her eyes off his face, analyzing each wrinkle and scar to memorize it in case they were separated again.

"Told him I could be useful" she sighed closing her eyes to enjoy the relaxing feeling "I would bring them all types of supplies, and they would let me take a room in exchange"

"Smart woman" he smirked proudly.

"Dumb blondes are a myth"

"I know, you've proved it a handful of times"

The small bath was cut short right when Shane was about to clean her exposed chest, but it's not like they could ignore a scream to continue to be intimate (especially when the scream was Walker!). It came from Andrea, who was on the roof of the RV with a sniper guarding the area for the undead (or walkers, as they called them). In the distance there was what looked like one of them, moving slowly towards the farm, thus being a perfect target for the sniper – but Shane and Dale agreed to not let the woman take the shot. Rick was the only one to protest, saying something about Hershel wanting to deal with walkers himself.

"What for, man? We got it covered" Shane said limping towards the walker, Sierra behind him.

So they ran towards the walker, followed by Rick and T-Dog and armed with a pickaxe carried by Shane and the leader's revolver. Once they were close enough to shoot the walker, they realized that he was more alive than he appeared.

"Isn't that Daryl?"

It was him. Covered in mud and blood, his skin glistening with sweat and practically unrecognizable – but yes, it was the goddamn redneck.