A/N: Credit to leesbackpocket for the cover image!


A Morning Encounter

The river water was ice cold, chilling Lilly as it flowed over her bare skin. It was far from the warm shower she craved, but she desperately needed to wash. Dipping her hair into the freezing water, she kept quiet and listened for signs of danger.

The early morning's mist kept her fairly well-cloaked from the eyes of intruders. As she bathed, she hoped the human scent she carried on her would diminish. That way, the Walkers would be less likely to find her. It was crucial to her survival, she convinced herself. That was why she was out there risking her life.

A snapping twig immediately shifted her attention to her surroundings. The fog made it difficult to see farther than a few yards. She fumbled for her nearby pistol, regretting the fact that she had left her clothing out of reach on the riverbank.

Footsteps echoed through the forest – too fast to be a Walker's. Shit. She didn't really care if a Walker saw her naked, but random humans were a different story. Scared and flustered, she crawled toward the shore.

As she grabbed for her jeans, another twig snapped close by. Lilly hastily covered herself as best she could, kneeling on the riverbank.

From out of the woods, Lee emerged. His gun was out, as though he had been hunting. When he spotted Lilly in the midst, he emitted a startled cry and quickly averted his eyes. "Jesus, Lilly! I'm sorry, I didn't-" He trailed off, taking a step back.

Lilly scrambled to pull her clothes on. "What the hell are you doing out here so early?" She demanded as she wrung her sopping-wet hair out, masking her embarrassment with anger. "And my clothes are on, you don't have to keep your eyes closed."

Lee slowly opened them, noticing Lilly was, indeed, fully clothed. "I was trying to find us some food." He mumbled. "Didn't expect to find, uh...naked women."

Lilly stopped drying her hair as a blush crept up her cheeks. "I didn't think anyone else was even awake." She muttered.

Lee took a few steps into the clearing, still alert to possible dangers. "So how often do you do this? Because you know it's dangerous as hell to be out here all alone. Especially while you're distracted."

"I don't know about you, but I prefer to bathe alone." She fingercombed her long hair, trying to make it look presentable. Lee watched her silently, making her strangely self-conscious. "And who the fuck am I supposed to bring with me, anyway? Carley?" She could only imagine the cattiness that would ensue from the two of them sharing the same washing space.

Lee couldn't help but chuckle at her outburst. She was always so cranky. "Y'know, we could take shifts looking out for each other. I know Clementine would love to wash her hair every once in a while."

Lilly got to her feet. "Only if everyone promises to keep their backs turned. I don't want anyone else stumbling across me while I'm fucking naked."

Lee laughed. "Well, I promise, but I can't speak for anyone else."

Lilly folded her arms. "Then I guess you'll be my partner."

"Works for me." He paused, still studying the scowling woman. Her wet clothes clung to her wiry body, her auburn hair hanging in damp tendrils around her shoulders and face. Although she was fairly tall, at that moment she looked small and vulnerable. A tiny, almost imperceptible shudder ran through her as the fall breeze picked up around them.

Lilly noticed him staring at her. She felt she should be uncomfortable, but his gaze wasn't perverse or intimidating. It was the kind of look that showed a genuine interest, a desire to be familiar with and to understand another person. It was the way her father used to look at her mother, back when everything was still normal.

She briefly considered just collapsing into his arms, hiding from her responsibilities and her sadness.

But she was too unsure of herself. Too unsure of him. And besides, survival was the most important thing she was supposed to worry about. Not petty romance. But still, it would be nice...

"We should head back to the Motel." Lee broke the silence, snapping Lilly back into leadership mode.

"...Right. It's not safe here. And I need to get today's rations figured out." The spark that had been momentarily ignited in her eyes was extinguished as she returned to her usual, stressed-out self. Lee watched the metamorphosis with a sinking heart, realizing just how thinly-stretched the poor woman was.