While Philip and his men began making their way back toward Woodbury, Daryl and the others watched from a distance, confusion written across their faces.
"Why are they retreating?" Shane voiced the question everyone was thinking.
Merle shrugged. "No idea."
"Did Woodbury get attacked?" Daryl wondered aloud.
"I doubt it," Merle replied. "If Woodbury was under attack, they wouldn't have waited for that small group to regroup with them first."
The three men fell silent as they watched Philip's group disappear into the darkness.
"Is it possible that Michael and the others took another road?" Daryl asked after a moment.
Merle turned toward his brother.
"You know where they're at?"
"Yeah."
"Then let's go check it out."
Without another word, Merle rose to his feet. Daryl followed immediately.
"Hold on. That's a terrible idea."
Shane's eyes widened as he hurried after them, but neither brother stopped walking.
"The city's even more dangerous at night," Shane continued. "We should head back to the Prison, leave at first light, and bring more people."
Still ignored, Shane quickened his pace and stepped in front of them.
"What do you want?" Daryl asked irritably. "We're going."
"No. You two are being stupid."
Merle snorted. "That's rich coming from you."
Shane ignored the jab.
"It doesn't matter if they took another road or decided to stay somewhere for the night. Going into the city after dark is asking for trouble."
He pointed toward the distant skyline.
"The walkers aren't the biggest threat anymore. It's the people. We'd be driving around like a lighthouse in the dark. Every scavenger, murderer, and lunatic would know exactly where we are."
That made both brothers hesitate.
Seeing an opening, Shane pressed on.
"And Michael's with them."
Neither Daryl nor Merle responded.
"You know damn well those walkers aren't a threat to him. Hell, half the city probably isn't a threat to him. If you're still dead set on this, fine. But I'm not going. I'll head back to the Prison and wait for you there."
The brothers exchanged a glance.
Merle reluctantly clicked his tongue.
"Hate to admit it, but he's got a point."
"Yeah," Daryl muttered. His expression darkened. "I hate hearing it from him."
Daryl grumbled before bumping his shoulder against Shane as he walked by.
"We're heading back."
Shane merely chuckled, a faint grin tugging at the corner of his lips.
Merle looked at him for a moment before shaking his head.
"I don't know what you're planning, man, but I hope you came with good intentions. Because if not, you're dead. They aren't the same people we knew back at the quarry anymore."
The grin slowly faded from Shane's face.
"What do you mean?"
Merle didn't answer.
Instead, he gave Shane a couple of firm pats on the shoulder before turning and heading back toward the vehicle.
Shane remained where he was.
His eyes narrowed slightly as he watched Merle's retreating back. The older Dixon's words lingered in his mind.
Things had changed.
The people he once knew had survived, suffered, adapted, and moved on without him.
How much of the old group was even left?
"Hey, you coming or what?"
Merle's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
Shane blinked before quickly making his way toward the vehicle.
As soon as he climbed into the back seat, Daryl glanced at him through the rearview mirror.
"You ain't thinking of doing something stupid, right?"
"I already told you what my purpose is," Shane replied.
Daryl held his gaze for another second before looking back at the road.
"It better stay that way. The group's gotten bigger. Not everyone's gonna tolerate your bullshit if you screw up again."
Shane simply nodded.
The vehicle pulled out from its hiding spot and bounced roughly onto the road.
Daryl quickly corrected the steering wheel to stabilize the vehicle.
Soon, they were making their way back toward the Prison.
For several minutes, nobody spoke.
The only sounds inside the vehicle were the growl of the engine and the occasional crunch of debris beneath the tires.
Merle stared out the window before suddenly chuckling to himself.
Daryl immediately became suspicious. That never meant anything good.
"What?"
Merle turned around in his seat and looked directly at Shane.
"Hey. You're actually here to see the kid in Lori's belly, aren't you?"
The silence inside the car instantly became heavier.
"Don't bother lying," Merle continued. "Everybody knows how much you've been screwing that woman."
Shane didn't even look surprised.
If anything, he looked resigned.
Daryl, on the other hand, nearly swerved the vehicle.
"The fuck?"
His head snapped toward Merle.
"You told him?"
Smack!
His palm connected with Merle's shoulder hard enough to make the older man wince.
Merle merely shrugged.
"We were drinking."
"You dumbass."
"And I accidentally let it slip."
"You are such an asshole."
Merle didn't look remotely apologetic.
"Well, he'd find out eventually."
Daryl let out a long sigh.
"No, he wouldn't."
"What?" Merle blinked.
"If you hadn't told him, he wouldn't even be here tonight."
The vehicle continued rolling through the darkness.
"By the time he ever met the kid, the kid would've already grown up. He'd never know for sure whether it was his or not. Hell, we don't even know if that fool would still be alive to see the kid."
Daryl shot a look at Shane through the mirror.
"And do you seriously think that dumbass in the back would've kept his mouth shut once he got there?"
Shane frowned but didn't argue.
Truthfully, even he wasn't sure he'd be able to hold himself back and not cause trouble.
"Should we kill him then?" Merle asked while glancing over his shoulder.
The words were delivered so casually that anyone else might have thought he was serious.
Bam!
"You know I'm not deaf, right?" Shane snapped, slamming his palm against the headrest behind Merle.
"Shut it," Merle shot back. "We're already being nice by bringing you with us. Your return's gonna cause enough tension at the Prison as it is."
Shane snorted.
"You make it sound like you never did any shitty things to them."
For a moment, silence filled the vehicle.
Then Daryl and Merle exchanged a look.
The older Dixon burst out laughing.
"Hahahaha!"
Even Daryl had to bite back a grin.
"Fuck you, man," Shane muttered.
Merle only laughed harder.
The rest of the ride passed without much conversation.
The vehicle continued cutting through the darkness while the shadowy silhouette of the city slowly disappeared behind them.
No matter what happened tonight, tomorrow was bound to be interesting.