The Sharpest Lives

Ace watched as clouds of dust surrounded the windows of the RV as it sped down the dirt road. Anything was better than looking at the grieving mother across from her. They rode in an awkward silence, Ace not able to even look at Carol. She felt guilty enough, especially now that she wanted to leave. She just wasn't needing Carol's accusations in this moment.

Carol sat across the table from her, looking almost as bad as Ace is. She hasn't stopped crying, and barely sleeps anymore. It can be seen on her.

But that was different than Ace. Now that Ace had settled down, her stomach did too. The fact that she had nothing left inside her to hurl up helped. She still felt her bones ache with each movement, and she felt very light headed, but she could manage it right now.

At least they are close to the farm. Dale had been talking about Carl, how he hoped the doctor their could do something. It was at that moment that Ace remembered there was a doctor there.

Ace was hit with a wave of nervousness as she continued to look out the window. She hoped Carl was okay, she really did, she couldn't take losing anymore children. But she didn't know what to expect, and more importantly, she didn't know what to do.

Should she run? Slip away now before it's too late? Or should she stay... If the doctor here helped Carl, maybe he would be able to help her...

As much as she knew it was more logical to just leave, end all these ties with this broken group, make things less complicated.. her heart was leaning towards staying. She wanted to find Sophia. She wanted to help look... Her ties were already starting to grow too deep in this group.

She won't admit that she's made friends, if that's what you can even call them. But she liked Carl and Sophia. She liked Dale. Even Shane was growing on her. And she enjoyed pairing up with Daryl, even if he is the cause for all her complications.

But she also knows she is the outsider here. The one with secrets that are bound to come bite her in her ass..

"We're here," Dale pointed out, getting Ace and Carol to turn to him. Ace carefully got out of her seat, needed an excuse to get away from Carol's glares and full of curiosity as she went to stand behind the driver's seat.

Through the dust clouds and past Daryl's motorcycle and the car Andrea was driving, a large white farm house started to appear. It was further back, miles of farm land surrounding it on every angle. Each side fenced in by wooden barricades.

Ace couldn't tear her eyes away. It was so secluded, so away from all the gore they've witnessed, especially on the highway. It was so... Peaceful.

Dale and Ace shared a look, both of them thinking the same thing.

It was a long driveway down, but as soon as Andrea's break lights went on, Dale was stopping the RV.

No one said anything as they all stepped outside. No one really knew what to even think, let alone feel.

Rick, Lori, Glenn, T-dog and three people Ace didn't recognize stepped out of the house to great them. One was an older man, his posture tall and serious. He looked like he ran the place. Ace wondered if he was the doctor... Behind him stood an older women, her hair was blond and tied back and she seemed to hold herself away unsurely. To her left was a younger girl that seemed almost of similar age of Ace. Her hair was short and she scrunched her face at the new people.

Ace then looked at the people she knew. Both Lori and Rick had exhaustion written all over their faces, but T-dog seemed to be much better. Glenn seemed like the same old Glenn, never really phased by much.

Ace walked closer, but still stayed behind everyone, not feeling she had a place in this. She glanced forward and saw Daryl was bent over, fixing something on the back of his bike before grabbing his knife and putting back in the sheath he had on his side. He only gave squinted glances at the people who came out to greet them.

When they all came out, Dale immediately went over. "How is he?"

A ghost of a smile danced over Lori's face. "He'll pull through."

Relief hit Ace in her weak stomach, causing her to let out a breath. She was so glad Carl was okay. Especially with Sophia and all...

"Thanks to Hershel and his people..." Lori looked at them. Ace identified the older man as Hershel.

"And Shane," Rick added in. "We would have lost Carl if not for him."

It was at this point that Ace looked over to see Shane and two others walk over. Ace didn't even notice the two unknown faces, too caught up in Shane's appearance. He was wearing clothes that had to be over two times his size, so much so that he had to hold the overalls up when he walked.

It was that, that caused Ace to notice his limp. And then when she looked up at him, she saw all his hair was gone. He'd shaved it off.

Rick looked back at Shane, giving him a nod before turning back to Dale and embracing him in a hug. Carol went over and did the same to Lori, confessing how worried she was. Andrea went over to T-dog. Daryl just watched, swinging his arm at his side. And Ace just stayed back, as usual.

But Ace couldn't take her eyes of Shane. He had no response to any of it, just this look on his face and in his eyes that gave Ace a bad feeling. What had happened?

"How'd it happen?" Dale asked Rick.

"Hunting accident. Just a stupid, stupid accident..." Rick laughed a little. It was now that Shane shifted on his feet and looked up, catching Ace's eyes. She saw something...

"Our man Otis," the man, Hershel said, his voice serious. Ace saw Shane almost twitch at the sound of his name. She could read him too well. She was always good at that.

"He shot Carl?" Daryl asked, his voice gruff and accusing. Accident or not, Otis should pay the price in his mind.

"He didn't mean to," the woman behind Hershel said, her voice upset. "He made it right," she cried.

"She's right," Rick spoke to Daryl, getting him to ease up. "He went with Shane to go get some more supplies from the high school a few miles down. They got ambushed by walkers... He didn't make it out," Rick looked down, feeling the sadness that came off of the members of the farm. "But if it weren't for him..."

Daryl just nodded and let it be.

"We'll be having a service for him in an hour," Hershel cut to a different subject. "It mean a lot if you came to honor him."

Ace was still looking at Shane as he spoke, and she saw something that looked like guilt in him. He never broke the eye contact they'd made, but he knows he will regret that. He could tell she could read him, that she'd understand what happened.

It was after that, that the group dispersed. Hershel's people all went inside to get ready for the service, leaving their group all out here.

"Can we see him?" Carol asked.

Lori nodded and smiled, holding out her arm to lead Carol and Andrea inside. The rest of them followed, except for Ace and Daryl.

"Think it's right," Daryl grumbled as he went to grab his crossbow off of his bike.

Ace didn't know what he meant, and Daryl could tell that by her silence.

"That their man didn' make it," he stated, looking up to her. Ace was a little taken aback.

"It was an accident," Ace offered quietly. Daryl just shrugged.

"He shot the kid, only seems fair."

Ace had to take in his logic for a moment and couldn't help relate it back to herself. Those people she had gotten killed in the Marine's, that was an accident... By Daryl's opinion, maybe her cancer was the way of the world makin' it fair..

Ace felt sick again. "Can't be..."

"Wha'? Ya can't tell me that it ain't," Daryl staggered over to her, a little bit agitated. "It would'a been the kid or him. Makes sense that it's him. Thought ya would agree."

Daryl had a point, but Ace just wasn't able to fully catch on with him. She doesn't know why he thought she'd agree, but brushed it off. People shouldn't have to die, she thought. She just nodded and kept quiet. Daryl sighed and eyed her a bit. "Gonna go lookin' again after the service, for the girl," he chewed on his cheek.

Ace now looked up at him fully.

"Ya comin' with?" Daryl asked. Ace simply nodded, Daryl giving her one in return before spinning and heading off into the house where the other's were. Ace watched him, biting on the inside of her lip.

She's glad he asked her to come look for Sophia, she happily will, but she's still got to decide if her best decision is to leave or not. Especially now that Daryl will have more time to ask questions if he choses to, even if he seems alright with her now...

Either way, she's got to start figuring out her options.