The Sharpest Lives

It was quiet.

There was a soft hum coming down below from the RV and the occasional flutter of a bug in the glowing night. The moon was at it's highest point, illuminating Dale's face just enough for Ace to become lost in his expression.

Dale hadn't said anything, but Ace could see all the questions run through his eyes, and all the worrying in the way they bulged out. She could see his chest rise and fall in her peripheral vision and followed as he shook his head a bit.

Ace could feel her heart thumping in her chest, scared and uncertain. She had no play, no plan or way to adapt to this situation, for this was something she had never experienced before. She had never shared her cancer with anyone else, besides the doctors when she first got it. It was always her burden, her secret, and she never, ever had someone to help her. She never experienced that.

Dale was the one to break their eye contact, letting out a broken huff and leaning back in his chair. He had his hand on his chin, rubbing over his mouth as he looked out into the night. It was his soft, dry chuckle that caught Ace by surprise and cut through her silent trance. "I'm not sure what question to ask first," Dale shook his head, talking with his hands out.

Ace looked down, staying quiet. She wasn't sure either.

Dale glanced over at Ace again and felt like he was seeing her for the first time. He saw some bones that stuck out just a little too much, the paleness of her skin, the bags under her eyes, and even the fineness of her hair.They were things that someone probably wouldn't notice unless they knew what they were looking for. And Dale had seen it all before.

"How long?" He asked, looking at Ace with that worry that creased up his whole face.

Ace didn't look up, just toyed with her hands. "Had it before... before all of this," she looked up, signaling around her.

"Did they remove it?" Dale asked, sitting up, completely intrigued and waiting for every word Ace was going to say.

Ace nodded, meeting his eyes for a split second.

"Where?"

Ace couldn't form the words so she turned around in her seat, untucking her shirt. Dale took his glasses out of his shirt pocket and let them rest down his nose, scooting to the edge of his chair to see the scar that Ace showed on her lower back.

"I had a feelin' it came back," Ace said, looking out at the tents as she held up her shirt. "At the CDC.. Jenner confirmed it."

Dale was shocked out of words, placing his hand on Ace's for a moment to tell her he was done looking. He took his glasses off and put them back in his pocket as Ace turned back around to face him.

He couldn't think of what to say for a moment, just looked at her with those eyes again. Ace was about to look away when he reached over and took one of her hands in his. He smiled, patting the top of it.

Ace glanced down and then back into his eyes, not sure of what she was feeling right now. She liked Dale, he was sweet and caring, like a father, but she barely knew him and vice versa. What is it that he could do or say to make this less of a curse?

"There was nothing I could do for Irma.. I couldn't help her, it was too late," Dale said, only small amount of sadness in his voice. He had made peace... peace that Ace just ruined for him and herself. "But Ace... You don't have to go through this on your own. Will you let me help you?"

Ace gulped, looking into Dale's eyes.

No one had ever said that to her, no one had truly offered her help. She's always been on her own, always dealt with her disease on her own. How does she accept help? How can anyone help her? Not even the doctors could because what they were supposed to fix came back.

"How?" Ace's voice was so quiet that it cracked, coming out weak and lost. That was almost realization enough that maybe, just maybe help is exactly what Ace needs.

Dale flashed a small, caring smile.

He was going to help her. And Ace was going to let him.

She had no choice.

--

Usually Ace was an early riser, up before the first signs of dawn. But not today.

After the small chat last night, Dale had told her, or forced her, to go get some sleep while he stayed on watch. He let her take his spot in the passenger seat of the RV that had a lever to lean the top back.

He first had tried to make her take the big bed in the back because she was 'sick', but she immediately refused. She did not need it and there was no way she was goin to tell Carol (who was sleeping in it at the time) she either had to move over or move out. No way.

But after a day of pills, symptoms, and non-stop moving, the RV seat had sucked Ace in and she immediately passed out. For as sick as she was, she probably could have slept the whole day.

But Daryl wouldn't have that.

It was him pulling open the door to the RV Ace was leaning against that made her lose her head rest and jolt up, awakening in surprise. Through her fogginess, she reached to her side and grabbed her gun, immediately on guard and pointing it at what she thought was a threat.

Instead she was greeted with a pair of angry blue eyes and a scowl.

"Mornin' to ya, too, princess," he sarcastically said, still using that dumb sleeping beauty, princess joke. "Been tryin' to find ya all mornin' so could ya get that damn gun out of my face so we can get movin'."

Ace let out a breath and put her gun down, leaning her head back against the seat, remembering she was going searchin' with Daryl today. She feels bad for sleeping in for so long, but she felt like she just woke up from the dead.... Funny.

"Rick's callin' us over for a meetin' by the car," Daryl signaled over to the hood of Carol's Cherokee. Ace glanced over through the windshield to see people gathering around. "Up n' at 'em," Daryl grumbled loudly, hitting the top of the RV before stalking off to Rick.

Ace sighed and pushed herself up, feeling her back nearly scream at her as she did. She knew she had to take her pills again this morning and that just made her feel even worse.

She hopped out of the front of RV, reaching to grab her gun and put it in her waistband before shutting the side door and shuffling over to the entrance to the back, going up the stairs.

Dale was inside, making a bunch of ruckus as he was digging through his cabinets and walking around. When he noticed Ace he smiled and pointed to the table across from him. "Breakfast," Ace followed his finger to see a glass of orange juice and a banana on the table. "I got it from Hershel."

Ace immediately looked to Dale, panic almost coming out of her.

"Don't worry I didn't say anything," Dale held his hands up in the air. "You just need a decent breakfast and shouldn't be taking any pills on an empty stomach."

Ace was surprised, her mouth forming an 'o' as she looked back to the breakfast Dale had kindly gotten for her. She felt guilty for having food wasted on her, especially having taken it from their host.

"I've been looking around, finding some of Irma's old pills," Dale mentioned, coming to sit down at the table across from Ace. She felt a pit form in her stomach, thinking about the pills and what they will do to her, and had to gulp it down with the orange juice.

It tasted sweet but made Ace bitter as it reminded her of home.

Setting the glass down, Ace remembered something, and turned to grab her bag which was underneath the table. Dale watched her as she dug through her organized materials and grabbed the folder Jenner had given her, making Dale raise an eyebrow.

"Jenner gave me a list," she said quietly, just pulling out the messy list of weird names that he wrote her and slid it over to Dale. She put the rest back into her bag and started to pull out her pills. She felt the hopelessness come back up as she did.

Dale grabbed his glasses to put on and held up the list, reading it over and nodding as he did. After he scanned it, he got up and went over to his cabinet, looking up on the top shelf and pulling some pill bottles down.

Ace watched as he did, drinking a little of the orange juice at a slow pace to not upset her stomach.

"Xeloda," he read, coming back over to hand to Ace. She took it from him curiously and looked at the label as he spoke. "A very generic chemo drug that will help stop it from spreading, plus, side effects are pretty uncommon ."

Ace nodded and popped the cap open. She recognized the pill inside and had to stop for a moment. All of her cancer memories came rushing back up to her, making her feel sick. She didn't want to go through this again, even with Dale's help.

"Take one twice a day," he said, handing the list back to Ace and making her snap out of it. She started to swallow pills with her orange juice. "Are you going out with Daryl today?"

"Yeah," Ace nodded.

"Does he know?" Dale looked down at her and Ace froze, glancing back up at him for a moment. It was the look alone that told Dale the answer. He can't know, no one can.. not now. How would she even tell anyone?

Dale nodded slowly, eyeing Ace as he did. She could tell he had an opinion on it but thankfully he didn't say anything about it... yet. "Just make sure you drink a lot of water, alright?"

Ace finished taking all of the medication she had in front of her and nodded, glancing down to her hands shyly. Dale came over, putting a hand on her shoulder. "We'll get through this."

Ace forced as convincing of a smile as she could before looking away and starting to put everything back in her bag, except for her gun and knives that she put on her hip and her canteen of water for today.

Her smile fell as soon as it came because not for a second did she believe Dale's words.

"Don't forget your banana," Dale urged as Ace stood up, holstering her gun and throwing the strap of her canteen over her shoulder. He could tell she was going to try to run out without it. Ace sent a shy smile and grabbed it before turning for the door.

She stopped at the top of the steps and turned back to Dale standing there in his Hawaiian button up and floppy sun hat. "Thank you," she said quietly. "For all of this."

One of Dale's caring smiles took over his face as he nodded. "Be careful out there."

Ace sent one last nod before breaking their eye contact and going down the RV steps, into the sunlight. She squinted her eyes as she went to her left, walking towards the dark figures of people by the same car they met at yesterday.

Ace walked through the campsite which was now completely set up. There were tents scattered around in a circle along with some lawn chairs surrounding the embers of a fire the group must of been eatin' at this morning. Carol and Lori were hanging up laundry on a line they must of put on and Dale even set up that mini grill he was talkin' about.

She heard Carol and Lori talking about 'laundry day' and Ace realized she must have missed that invitation. Ace doubts she would have even given her own clothes to one of them to wash, part because of a lack of trust but also part of her bein' so reserved. She wasn't one to make others do her laundry, either. Didn't seem right.

But apparently she doesn't even have that to worry about, them not likin' her.

Ace diverted her attention when she came over to the small group at the car. She found herself searching to see where Daryl was at, but instead made eye contact with Shane first. He was sitting in the passenger seat of the car, facing her as she walked over.

They had a silent conversation with their eyes, one that Ace felt made up for her bein' snappy yesterday.

Ace walked around to the other side of the car, near Daryl, but still stayed a bit behind everyone else.

"Ace," Rick acknowledged her, getting everyone to glance back, and completely catching Ace of guard. She froze, shocked that he even noticed her. "Thanks for joinin' us," he said, actually seeming to welcome her. After the talk they had last night, he seemed to go out of his way to add her in. "I was just informin' everybody about setting up new search grids based on that house you and Daryl found yesterday."

Ace nodded, feeling uncomfortable under the gazes of everyone.

It was one of Hershel's people, Jimmy, that got everyone's attention off of Ace as he asked about helping. She let out a breath as they now all watched him, but as she looked away she met eyes with Daryl who was glancing back at her. He sent her a nod and turned away again.

"Nothin' about what they found screams Sophia to me," Shane announced as the conversation with Jimmy died down. Ace felt her jaw clench as she glanced to where Shane was sitting, except he wasn't looking or facing anyone else as he spoke. He just had to challenge it, didn't he? "Anybody could'a been hold up in that farm house."

"Anybody includes her, right?" Andrea interjected.

"Well whoever slept in tha' cupboard was no bigger than yay high," Daryl held out his hand, being surprisingly calm for how hot headed he got when people were bein' stupid.

"Good lead," Andrea agreed.

Ace was glancing between them, but watched Daryl as he grabbed his flannel that hung off his crossbow and lifted up his arms to slide it on over his dirty tank top. It was so worn and dirty that the material had faded away, making it lighter and softer.

After being distracted by his movement, Rick brought her attention back by asking if they might be able to pick up Sophia's trail again.

"Ain't no maybe about it," Daryl shrugged, scratching at his nose. "We gonna head back out, to the house."

Ace had an idea that she had been thinking about last night, but was hesitant to voice it. She didn't want to squeeze in where she wasn't welcome, but she knew this was about findin' Sophia, and she thinks her idea might help.

She took a step forward, her hands holding tightly onto the banana Dale gave her. "I was thinkin' we could head up to a ridge," she interjected, getting everyone to stop and look at her again. Daryl spun to his side to watch her, but also allowed her room by the car.

She glanced at him before coming closer and pointing to a spot across the map. Everyone watched. "Right here. Can get a birds eye view of the whole grid, maybe cut it in half again."

Daryl looked down at her, nodding slightly as the wheels in his head turned. "Alright, yeah. Can borrow a horse, head up there. If she's out there, we'll spot'er."

"Good idea," Rick nodded, looking to Ace.

Ace was just caught up on the horse aspect of it.

"Hey, maybe you'll see your Chupacabra up their too," T-dog joked, grabbing a gun from the bag Dale had just came over with. Ace hadn't even noticed him come up, but wanted to listen about the Chupacabra so she didn't let herself get distracted. She remembered that name from a couple of stories some of her buddies used to tell back in training.

"Chupacabra?" Rick asked, his head tilting to the side.

"What, you never heard that?" Dale asked, his eyebrows raise. "First night in camp, Daryl tells us the whole thing reminds us of the time he went squirrel hunting and saw a Chupacabra."

Jimmy snorted.

"What ya brainin' at, jackass?" Daryl asks, squinting his eyes.

"So you believe in a blood sucking dog?" Rick stops Jimmy from responding, grabbing a gun from Dale.

Daryl leaned back, rubbing his face with the back of his hand. "You believe in dead people walkin' around?"

With that Daryl pretty much got everyone to drop it and Ace bit her cheek, backing away from the car as they moved on to different conversations. Dale looked over to her and made eye contact, signaling down to the banana in her hand, raising a fatherly-like eyebrow.

Ace gnawed on her cheek and huffed, starting to peel the banana and holding it up to Dale jokingly as she did. He smirked and turned away.

Ace started to peel the rest of it as she waited for Daryl, watching him grab his crossbow and toss it onto his shoulder. He turned and came over to her, looking down at the banana in her hand. She saw him looking and broke off the top half, handing it to him shyly.

He glanced at it, then her, but didn't hesitate to take it from her and lean back to drop the whole piece in his mouth, wiping his hands on his shirt after. "Let's go," he said through a mouth full and indicated her to follow as he started off.

Ace rolled her eyes, breaking off a piece for herself and putting it in her mouth as she followed after. She was actually able to keep up with him easily this time, probably since her pills hadn't kicked in yet. But who knows, maybe today will be better?

They walked over to the barn that the horses were in, Daryl yanking the door and letting it swing open for Ace. It smelled like the usual barn, but it didn't phase Daryl or Ace. It's just shit, they've smelt worse..

"They okay with you takin' one?" Ace asked as she went over to the nearest horse, reaching out to pet the top of it's head. When it seemed to like her, she fed it the rest of her banana. Daryl looked over as he grabbed the saddle from the rack on the opposite side of the barn.

"I would'a ate that," he grumbled, a bit jokingly, as he walked over with the saddle in tow.

Ace smiled small as she rubbed the horse's head, tossing the peel into a trashcan across from the stable.

"I'm thinkin' you take a horse up the ridge and I'll circle around, see how high up I can get from the other side, meet you in the middle," Ace said lowly, leaning against the stable as she watched Daryl get his saddle ready.

"Ya don't wanna take one?" He signaled up to the horse.

Ace shook her head. "Better on my feet."

Ace was much, much better on her feet and way more confident, too. She liked being stealthy and fast which is not somethin' she could do prancin' around on a horse.

Daryl nodded in understanding, sliding off his crossbow and handing it to Ace to hold. Ace grabbed it and watched as he went over to the side of the horse's stable, slinging the saddle onto it's back. He then walked back over to Ace and took his crossbow from her, slinging it onto his shoulder as he started to make kissy noises at the horse, opening up the stable to lead it out.

"Wont be too far, call me over if ya see somethin'," Daryl stopped to say to Ace. She nodded. "Whistle if there's walkers," he added, knowing Ace could take care of herself, but slightly feeling if somethin' went wrong he'd want to get over there. Ain't no clue what could go down.

"Wha' if I see a Chupacabra?" Ace asked, almost afraid to push it, but dying to ask. It wasn't like she was making fun of him or laughin'.

Daryl looked over, giving her a look but then loosening up and snorting. "Let's go," he ignored it sarcastically and started to lead the horse out of the barn.

Ace smirked and followed, ready for another day of searchin' for Sophia. Hopefully they will find her this time.