Next day. Morning.

I walked downstairs into the living room and saw Daryl creeping out of the window.

I raised an eyebrow and crossed my arms over my chest "You okay?"

He jumped a little and turned to me "how long...?"

Me "long enough to wonder when you turned into a creeper"

I walked to him and gave him a quick kiss.

Daryl eyed me "you okay?"

Me "i'm worried about dad."

Daryl "don't worry. Ric's a tough guy"

I sighed and rubbed my temples "Dad expects me to change Ezekiel's mind. And i don't even have any idea how to do that. If i fuck this up, then we all are fucked, D. "

Daryl "then don't fuck up"

I shot him a look.

Daryl "hey, look at me"

I looked at him.

Daryl "You are the toughest girl i know."

I looked at him confused "well, how many girls do you know?"

He shot me a look.

I nodded "i know what you mean"

Daryl "You're my girl. I know you. You can do it"

He looked out of the window again and then walked to the door.

I asked confused "and where the hell are you going now?"

Daryl walked out and stopped on the porch.

I followed him and saw Morgan talking to a kid on the middle of the streets.

Daryl "hey. Where'd you go in them trucks?"

Morgan to the kid "I need to speak to Daryl alone."

The kid nodded "Yeah, I'll get you something for that cut."

Then he left.

Daryl walked to Morgan and i walked up behind him "You went to see them, right?"

Morgan nodded " Yeah."

Daryl "Part of your deal? What the hell's wrong with you? You're bleeding. They did that to you. You know what they are."

Morgan nodded "I do."

Daryl "You know, if Carol were here, she saw all that if she knew about Abraham and Glenn she'd be leading us right to them, ready to kill them all."

Morgan nodded "She would. And that's why she left, man."

Suddenly we heard horses.

Daryl scoffed and walked away. I sighed and followed him.

I saw him walking to Richard who was shooting arrows at targets.

Richard fired another arrow "I'm practicing. Gonna have to start using these more. The Saviors are smart enough to know I shouldn't have a gun around them."

Then he looked at Daryl "Morgan said you're a bowman."

He offered Daryl a crossbow and i smiled a little.

Daryl hesitated but then took it " "Why?"

Richard " 'Cause we want the same things. I need your help."

i watched how Daryl aimed the crossbow at the painted circle.

Into the woods.

Richard was leading Daryl and me to a hidden RV.We walked inside and Richard handed Daryl a gun.

Richard"We need something to move Ezekiel.This is it. Alexandria, the Hilltop, and the Kingdom hitting first, hitting hard, and then we wipe the Saviors from the Earth.Keeping people -- dozens and dozens and dozens of good people keeping them safe"

Richard handed me two ring daggers.

I looked at them surprised.

Richard "Jesus mentioned that you were good with sharp things"

I smiled, taking them "Thanks"

He nodded.

On a road.

The three of us made our way to a big truck that was standing outside the kingdom.We walked behind the truck.

Richard "They ride this road. If we see cars, it's the Saviors. They've been coming in packs of two or three lately.That's why I need you.I can't take them alone. We're gonna hit them with the guns first and then the Molotovs. Then back to the guns until they're dead."

We put our stuff down.

Me "Why the fire? "

Richard "Needs to look bad.The Saviors who discover what's left we want them to be angry.I left a trail from here to the weapons cache I planted, to the cabin of that someone Ezekiel cares about."

Daryl "Who's that? "

Richard "It's just some loner he met.Sometimes he brings food."

Me "then why don't they live in the Kingdom?"

Richard shrugged " I don't know. She lives out there, she'll die out there."

I asked surprised "It's a woman? "

Richard "What does that matter? She's got more balls than you and me.She's gonna die either way."

I looked at Daryl who was already looking at me.

Richard "When the Saviors come and find their buddies dead, if they know their elbow from their asshole and can follow an obvious spoor, they're gonna go to the weapons cache and then to the cabin, and they're gonna attack this woman."

Daryl "What's her name? "

Richard "Maybe they kill her, maybe they don't, but it's gonna show Ezekiel what he needs to do."

Daryl snapped "Her name.What is it?"

Richard " She's tough.Maybe she'll live."

I yelled "Just say her name!"

He sighed "Carol."

I breathed out leaning against the truck.

Richard "I hoped you didn't know her, but I didn't think you'd care, 'cause you know what needs to happen."

Daryl grabbed his bag "No."

Richard tried to stop him "Maybe she'll live.Look, this -- this is how -- this is how this could happen.This is how we can get rid of the Saviors, how we all can have a future.She's living out there on her own, just waiting to die."

Daryl shook his head "No!"

Richard yelled " If we don't do anything, a hell of a lot more people are gonna die, people who want to live! "

Daryl came at him "You stay the hell away from Carol, you hear me? "

I got in between them and pushed Daryl a bit back "Not the right place, D."

He looked at me and went to say something but got cut off by Vehicles.

Daryl dropped his bag.

Richard "It's them.Look, we can wait for things to go bad, we lose people or we can do the hard thing and choose our fate for ourselves."

Daryl "No."

richard "Sorry."

He went to walk out of the hidding spot but Daryl grabbed him by his hsoulders and pushed him to the ground. Daryl held him down. And punched him over and over again.

Richard kicked him off and Daryl grabbed his crossbow. Richard grabbed the gun and aimed it at me the second Daryl aimed the crossbow at him.

I breathed in.

Richard "There'll be more.Or those -- they're gonna ride back this way later.We'll have another chance. But we're running out of time.If you and your people want to move against the Saviors you need to do it soon, and you need the Kingdom.What we have to do requires sacrifice one way or another.Guys like us we've already lost so much."

Daryl shook his head "You don't know me."

Richard "I know that Carol, living on her own like that she might as well be dead right now."

Daryl "drop the gun"

Richard "drop the crossbow first"

I looked at Daryl who didn't look like we wanted to drop the crossbow.

Daryl met my eyes for a sec and i shot him a look.

I nodded "it's okay. Drop it"

Daryl lowered the crossbow "She gets hurt or anything -- anything happens to her, I'll kill you."

Richard dropped the gun "I would die for the Kingdom."

I breathed out relieved.

Daryl "Why don't you? "

Then he grabbed his bag and then my bag before walking away.

I followed him "Daryl!"

No answer.

I ran and walked back normal next to him "Daryl"

He handed me my bag.

I took it and put it on my back "Daryl"

Then i grabbed his arm and turned him to me.

Daryl looked at me "what?"

I shook my head "Don't be like that"

Daryl "like what?"

I shook my head "don't shut me out"

Daryl scoffed.

I asked irritated "the hell are you giving me this attitude for?!"

He didn't say anything.

I raised my voice irritated "Daryl, I'm talking to you!"

He looked at me for a second before starting to walk again.

I called after him "asshole!"

then i followed him.