When Daryl and Dog arrive at the bridge, the same broken bridge where Rick was lost, Leah is already there, holding a badly beaten Carol at gunpoint. They’re standing dangerously close to the edge.
Dog reacts first, barking fiercely as he runs to them. Daryl isn’t far behind. Leah smiles, at least happy to see one of them.
Leah: It’s okay. It’s okay, Dog. It’s just me. Hush.
But Dog won’t stop barking.
Daryl: Maybe if you put the gun down. He thinks you might hurt her.
Daryl and Carol make eye contact, silently checking in on each other.
Leah: He’s a smart boy. Aren’t you?
Dog’s barks turn to high-pitched whines. Daryl half-heartedly aims his crossbow.
Daryl: Put it down. Please.
Leah: Or what, Daryl? I know you won’t kill me. I tried to save you, remember? You were all alone by this damn river, and I tried to bring you back. I tried to give you more. I tried to give you love, but you wouldn’t take it.
Daryl: I shouldn’t have left you like that. If I’d known something was gonna happen to you—
Leah: Nothing happened to me. I was found. I have my squad again. My family.
Daryl: Your family destroys people’s homes, people’s lives. Why be a part of that when you can be a part of a family that works to build something good? Build a future. Come back to Alexandria with us. Help us get things back in order, so you can see what you’ve been missing.
Leah: Don’t try to sell the white picket fence to me now. I know what your communities are really like. Everyone playing pretend with each other just to distract themselves from the pain. How’s that king you told me so much about? He still sitting on his throne?
Carol throws Daryl a quizzical look. He averts his gaze.
Leah: And Michonne? Still heading up that council she was so proud of? I bet your friend Maggie isn’t feeling too optimistic right now. Everything she wrote to you about in her letters and then some is gone. Remember you used to share those with me?
All at once, everything seems to come together for Daryl and it makes him sick. He doesn’t know the woman standing in front of him. Maybe he never did.
Leah: You never talked about her. But you’re willing to be here for her at the cost of that family you care so much about. Whatever my people didn’t take before, they’re taking now. All those pretty homes. All those lives. What kind of hero lets that happen?
Carol: No one has to die. Call off the attack. And then you can go. Both of you. Pick up right where you left off.
She looks at Daryl, silently urging him to play along. He doesn’t react.
Leah: I’m right where I belong. Daryl had his chance.
Carol: He came back for you. He was ready to be with you. There’s a note. It’s still there, right where he left it.
That seems to crack Leah’s resolve. She meets his eyes, hopeful.
Daryl glances between the two women, lingering on Carol. She nods as if to let him know it’s okay.
Daryl: I wanted you to find me. I waited for you at my camp. I was alone just like you said, and I thought you were the one who was supposed to fix that. But you weren’t.
Off Leah and Carol, both confused now...
Daryl: I couldn’t talk about Carol because it hurt too much. I couldn’t admit to myself that she was happy without me, that she didn’t need me anymore. And that’s why I couldn’t love you. Because I always loved her. She’s the one who found me. She’s the one who brought me back, gave me more to live for, to fight for, hope for. She and I belong together.
Carol looks like she’s forgotten how to breath. Leah resumes her cold stare, seething.
Leah: Well. You have my blessing.
She trains the gun on Daryl, about to pull the trigger. Carol bumps her and the gun fires off into the distance. Dog starts barking again. Carol tries to wrestle the gun out of Leah’s hand, but Leah’s in much better physical condition. Daryl aims his crossbow just as Leah’s about to shoot Carol. He shoots first, putting Leah down with a bolt to the head. But as she begins to fall, she takes Carol with her.
He runs to the end of the bridge, but it’s too late. He hears a big splash. Wild with panic, he looks down only to find that both Carol and Leah have disappeared underneath the dark water.
