AN: Welcome to the sequel of Life is For the Living. If you have stumbled onto this story and have not read that one, please backtrack and start with that one. You could read this one first—I mean it's not like I have a gun to your head—but you may be a bit confused. This is a Carl/OC story and a Daryl/OC story, obviously two different Ocs, otherwise that may be a bit strange. So, I hope you enjoy. I do not own TWD. Oh, and reviews are welcome...please don't flame. It's hurtful, I write for fun, not for perfection. If you don't like it, don't read it.
The group had been reunited. However, it hadn't been the blissful reunion that they had hoped for, instead, they were in a train car waiting to be slaughtered like cattle. New people had been added to the group to make up for the ones that they had lost. Now, there was Abraham, a tall man with leadership skills, Eugene, some kind of super genius, and Rosita, a badass who could handle herself on any given day. Daryl had stayed close to Marlene, he had blamed himself for her being gone so much that now that she was here, alive―barely―he had to protect her with his life.
"Redneck," she whispered as she used his thigh for a pillow.
"Hmm?"
"Are my wrists bleeding again? Have they seeped through again?" she asked, holding them up.
"No," he said, examining them.
"Good..." she murmured. "Thank you," she added. "You've done so much for me and―"
"Shh," he told her. Normally, he wouldn't let anyone this close to him, but it was like Marlene had become the exception. She was more than just some chick now. She was someone that he felt the need to protect.
Across the train car, Carl was also a pillow. McKenna had been sitting beside him with her head on his shoulder and apparently she had fallen asleep. He was more scared than he ever had been. All he wanted was to go back out into the world full of walkers. At least then, he wouldn't be trapped like a rat and his fate wouldn't be so definite. He knew that if they stayed in this train car, they were all doomed, it was only a matter of time.
"Drink something," Michonne said, holding a water bottle out to Carl, he took a sip and started to hand it to McKenna, but he realised that she was still asleep. "Let her rest, the water will be here later," Michonne knew that this was the first time that McKenna had slept in two days so it was important.
"Do they have a plan yet?" Michonne nodded. "When can we get out."
"I'll probably be a while. The two of you just need to stay over here and be prepared," Michonne then walked back to the middle of the car where the rest of the group had congregated.
"Look, I know the plan isn't much," Rick said. "But it's all we've got."
"It's better than standin' here scratchin' our assholes," Abraham agreed. "Well, let's get to work," he said and they all began making their own weapons.
It wasn't until a few hours later that the people of Terminus came. They took Rick, Glenn, Bob, and Daryl before disappearing. McKenna had been awake for a while and it was her turn to be there for Carl. They had migrated to the side with Marlene to sit.
"Fucking assholes, I swear to God they will wish they never started their pathetic ass lives by the time we're done with them," Marlene commented.
"Is this because they took Daryl?" McKenna asked.
"And Rick, Bob, and Glenn. They're pieces of shit. But little do they know that between Rick and Daryl, they've got another thing coming. Those two are downright deadly. Don't you worry Carl, your dad and my pillow will come back."
"Your pillow?" McKenna questioned.
"Yeah, Daryl is pretty comfortable..."
XxX
The next thing the group knew, they were fleeing through the woods because Terminus had been attacked. Eugene and Bob practically carried Marlene―Daryl hadn't because he was more needed in the shooting department. Carol had been the one to heroically save them and she was leading them to Tyreese. They soon arrived at a hilltop cabin and neither Rick nor Carl could believe their eyes. Judith was there as well. The two ran for the little baby and McKenna held back.
"Look at that, pip squeak," Marlene said, now being supported by Daryl. "Miracles do come true."
"I knew that...I mean how else do you explain you being alive?" McKenna replied.
"Miracles had nothing to do with that. It was one very determined munchkin and a dirty redneck," she smirked at Daryl as she said the last part.
"Not to mention the pain in my ass that's too stubborn to die," Daryl added.
"Mm, maybe that too," she agreed. "Admit it, Dixon, you couldn't stand to loose me anyway," she smirked. "I'm your favourite pain in the ass."
He had to give her that one. Whether he liked it or not, she had wormed her way in. She was special to Daryl Dixon.
"Judith, you remember McKenna, don't you?" Carl asked, the baby. "My girlfriend." McKenna felt her cheeks get red.
"Holy hell! You two are a couple?" Marlene asked. "Did you hear that, Redneck? The kid has a girlfriend and you don't," she smirked. "When did this happen, anyway?"
The two just kind of shrugged and McKenna held the baby. "Ever think I don' want no girlfriend, just 'nother person to worry 'bout," Daryl stated.
"Well that and you've got me," she laughed. "No other girl is getting near my redneck."
"An' yer my pain in the ass to worry 'bout."
The gravity of what they had just said took them a minute to realise. McKenna caught it much sooner and she just looked at the baby, pretending to not have heard what they had just admitted. They cared for each other.
XxX
The found themselves at a church after following a priest there―they had saved his life. Carl and McKenna took Judith and went to one of the corners of the room and sat. McKenna looked around the room and thought about Beth. They had been notified that she had been alive when they left the prison but she was not any more and then she thought of Bentley. They had sent him into Terminus alone and now he was gone...She didn't know how long she had been zoned out, but Carl's arm nudging hers pulled her out of her trance.
"Sorry," she murmured.
"It's okay," he gave her a small smile and bravely, she pressed her lips to his. He kissed her back slowly―they were both figuring out how all of this worked. Once they finally got a little bit of a hang of it, they had to pull away for air. "What was that for?" he asked.
"Don't ever die on me...please," she whispered. He pecked her lips quickly.
"I won't," he promised. She nodded and looked to the rest of the group. They were gathered in a circle and Rick made a plan while holding Judith. Marlene sat on one of the pews and she had pulled Daryl to sit beside her.
"Did you see that?" Marlene asked, punching his arm.
"What?" he looked at her and she pointed to Carl and McKenna.
"They're so cute! Young love," she grinned. "I remember my first boyfriend, he was even more shy than Carl."
"Probably 'cause you were his girlfriend. What'd you do? Drag 'im through the sandbox an' threaten 'im into bein' yer boyfriend?"
"No, and besides, I'm sure your caveman approach was probably worse. 'Me Daryl, you girlfriend'," she tried mimicking his voice.
"Pain in my ass," he complained.
"Redneck," she grinned. He just rolled his eyes. He knew that he could leave at any time...but he didn't want to.
XxX
Sleeping that night was a weird situation. Marlene had practically forced Daryl to sleep, rather than taking watch. She made him lie beside her and it only added fuel to his theory about her dragging her first boyfriend through the sandbox.
"Once ya fall asleep, 'm jus' gonna take watch anyway," he said.
"Not if I do this," she repositioned herself so that her head was on his chest and she through an arm over him. His muscles tensed at first but she looked at him with her hazel eyes and he paused. She wasn't going anywhere, he knew it, so he just had to accept it instead. "Now go to sleep, Redneck."
"No," he said and she looked at him once more, this time she looked annoyed.
"I said go to sleep, Dixon, or I'll make you."
"No," he said. "Might wanna shut yer mouth otherwise you'll wake the rest of 'em."
"I don't give a fu―" his mouth covered hers, effectively silencing her. Marlene kissed back with all she had. Her batteries were running close to empty for the night, but she used up the rest of the juice she had to kiss him.
"Now shut up and go to sleep," he smirked, pulling away. Marlene was going to argue again, but she decided against it, going to sleep on his chest.
Carl and McKenna lay on the other side of the church neither of them ready to fall asleep. They were focused on one another for the longest time, neither of them speaking. Carl didn't understand how he could just sit quietly with her. They didn't have to speak. She gave him a smile. It was weird for her to think that not so long ago, she would've felt guilty for her smile, she would have felt like it was something that didn't belong because of all the death around her. But, she deserved to feel joy, even if those whom they had lost, could not. "We should get some sleep," he said quietly.
"I'm not tired," she murmured. "I wish we had comic books..." The people of Terminus had taken everything. They had nothing left, not even the Batman Comic Carl had found a while ago.
"I could tell you a story," he offered her.
"Okay," she yawned and moved closer to him.
"There was a once was a superhero. He could smash walls, fly, freeze his enemies, and he had super strength," she smiled a little with her eyes closed. "He went to save the beautiful damsel in distress when―"
"Um no damsels in distress," she said.
"Shh, this is my story," he told her. "He went to save the damsel in distress when she suddenly ran off and his super partner appeared. Together they flew to fight Dr. Rotten Brain," she giggled a little and moved closer to him before locking at him expectantly. "That's all I got for tonight. Let's go to sleep..."
"Okay," she said and he gave her another kiss, much like the one they had shared earlier.
"Sweet dreams, McKenna."
