If asked, Daryl would say the same thing has not happened to Rick, compared to Shane. Sure, Shane was quicker on the trigger from early on, he was ready to embrace the darkness - but he wasn't doing it for altruism, or from a position of leadership. Daryl had known since he and Merle first rolled up on that group outside Atlanta: Shane was a coward. He sat at the camp and bossed people around but never lifted a finger himself to so much as sit on watch, much less anything as risky as go hunt or go on supply runs. He was selfish and just wanted to clutch Lori and Carl to him, everyone else be damned. He was nothing like the man Rick's become.

That fateful night when Shane framed that kid, murdered him, led Rick off-- Daryl'd known what was going on in an instant. He could have easily followed the two of them, but he had complete faith that Shane wasn't going to be the one coming back. They had to handle it, and Rick had to win. And that was that.

"Naw. Gotta make sure y'all get your protein. Fall comin' up, I wonder if there are any bears around still. Bear'd feed everybody in there for the whole season. Kinda gross though."

Daryl puts his hand beneath Rick's upper arm, fixing his posture. Hm.