The Walking Dead- Easy Way Out- By: Rancoroftheheart
Chapter- Damn Cheshire Cat
AN: Andreacentric Set during the groups stay at Hershel's Farm on a altered timeline. Inspired by "Easy Way Out" by Gotye.
"Andrea!" Dale called out to the retreating figure. It was late and even though he was mad at the woman he didn't want her wondering off into the night and getting hurt.
"Shove off Dale!" She huffed and kept up her fast walk until she couldn't even see the farm. She was beyond pissed at him for not giving her gun. Sure Hershel didn't want them to carry guns around but even before showing up on the farm he and the others had been treating her like a child. Watching her, getting on to her when she made decisions, and still controlling her property. Hell if she HAD decided to end things she would have already taken a bullet to the head. Why didn't they understand that she was just angry? She should allowed to be angry. But she couldn't help but wish for an easy way out; way to break free of the group without messing things up more.
She sighed and stopped on the road and kicked at some of the loose gravel. The sky was beautiful, stars shining, breeze blowing, and yet it's all a false peace. She put her hands behind her head and stretched a bit.
She looked around and wondered how far she could actually get without them. Go out on her own with no one to rule her decisions and to judge her.
Andrea repeated her stretch and watched the stars; she knew that if she didn't return soon she might cause a panic at the farm and she certainly didn't want someone to get hurt because of-
"Hello there."
She froze, her eyes widened, and she turned to look at her side where the woman's voice had come from.
There she was…a woman with dark hair pulled into a long ponytail with a light weight jacket, pack on the ground by her booted feet, bow and arrows strapped to her back. The woman was watching Andrea with a small smile on her lips and head cocked to the side.
Andrea realized she was waiting for a response, "Uh, hi?"
The smile grew larger and the woman stepped forward slowly with her hand outstretched for a shake. As Andrea slowly broke from her stretch that she had been frozen in she grasped the woman's hand, "I'm Tess."
"Andrea."
Andrea knew her face had to mirror the shock she was still in. The woman had come out of nowhere. Literally; If she had been a snake-or a walker… She was pretty excited despite her shock, besides Hershel and his family they hadn't come across any other survivors in a very long time.
Andrea pulled her hand away from the woman when she realized she had been holding It for far too long, the woman didn't seem to mind, "Uhmm, " Andrea cleared her throat, "Where is your group?"
Tess shook her head, "I don't have one."
"Oh." She wanted to offer to take her to the farm. It wasn't like she could just leave her here right? But then again Hershel would stroke out on her if she brought a stranger to the house without permission. She growled and ran her fingers through her blonde curled hair.
"Something wrong, Sweetie?" Tess stood in front of Andrea, her brows furrowed, and she looked utterly concerned.
Andrea wasn't sure why she felt her face get hot for a second there, "Wha-why?"
Tess's stance and overall features relaxed some, "You were… growling." She ended the statement with a small smile.
Andrea suddenly realized that the woman was rather pretty, she couldn't really tell her actual hair or eye color with just a partial moon lighting everything but the woman had ivory skin and striking features. She suddenly wished for the ability to surf for nice outfits; she was sure this woman would look amazing in anything since she already did in tattered jeans, tank, and lightweight jacket for God's sake…dammit she was staring and zoning again. But once again the woman didn't seem to mind at all and this helped put Andrea at ease.
"I…can't just take you to our camp without permission." She felt like a bitch as she said it out loud.
"I see." The woman looked around and up the road, "I'm guessing you came from the farm up the road? The one with lights on and people guarding it?"
Andrea practically gaped and nodded slowly, "How did-"
"I've been in the area for a few days; wasn't sure how to present myself without being perceived as a threat. But seeing you walking about I thought I'd take a chance."
The blonde watched her.
"It was now or never. If I cannot visit your farm then I will continue on."
Andrea felt slightly panicked at the thought of the woman leaving, "No! I mean, please, let me tell them about you and bring Hershel, the owner of the farm to meet you?"
Tess nodded, "Alright, I'll wait here until you return."
Andrea smiled and starting walking back to the farm, she turned and walked backwards some to look back at the interesting woman, "You promise not to leave?"
"I promise."
"I'll be back real soon!" Andrea turned around and broke into a run.
R
"Hershel!" Andrea ran through the yard, the camp empty with everyone inside talking about fuel issues. She practically flew through the front door and into the den where everyone was congregated, "Hershel!"
Shane, Rick, T-Dog, Hershel, and Daryl all jumped up, ready for bad news. Lori, Carol, and everyone else looked surprised and worried.
Rick crossed the room to her and put a hand on the winded woman, "Andrea what is it?! Didn't something happen? Are you hurt?"
She shrugged off his hand and tried to catch up on some air, "No-no, I'm fine! I found a survivor! Hershel? Can I bring her to the farm?!"
Murmurs broke out and they were all asking questions at the same time. Rick and Shane managed to calm the room enough for Hershel to address the woman.
"A survivor where?"
"On the road!" She was still winded but excited.
"How many are there?"
"Just one. A woman, her name is Tess."
Shane clicked his tongue, "You expect me to believe a woman is out there surviving on her OWN? She has a group out there, this is a trap."
Rick shook his head, "Shane don't jump to conclusions. She could be good at dodging Walkers, we've all managed."
Maggie and a few of the home's residents squirmed as Rick called them Walkers.
Hershel was about to speak but Andrea, who's mood was now reversed jumped in, "No Shane, it's not a trap! She's a woman who travels ALONE." She looked at Rick, her tone calmer as she addressed him, "She knows how to stay hidden; she literally came out of nowhere. There was no one on that road then a second later she was right next to me! She didn't make a sound!"
Shane scoffed, "Ha, you sure this woman was real? I've never met a quiet woman." Daryl smiled a second before receiving a glare from Andrea.
Hershel sat down in his rocking chair, "We'll go see her in the morning. Light will help against a possible ambush."
Rick voiced his agreement and mentioned who could go and how many weapons. Andrea went really quiet. Maggie and Lori noticed and watched her. It was like she was suddenly paralyzed.
Andrea couldn't fathom how these people could do that to a woman out there alone when she's waiting for them out in the open. She suddenly thought of a Walker attacking her before morning; a vision of her lying on the pavement bleeding out as those nasty things fed on her. Her ivory skin stained with bright red-
"NO!" Everyone stopped and looked at the woman.
"We have to go tonight! WHAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO HER!? I promised to be back with you Hershel; right now! Not waiting. It'll be hours!"
Hershel frowned, "I'm sorry Andrea, but our minds are made up. Rick I suggest you calm her till morning."
Andrea made a move for a set of truck keys but Shane blocked her and Rick tried to calm her, "Andrea, you said she can stay hidden. She's been okay this long she will be fine till morning."
Andrea shook her head but couldn't made coherent words form in her mind so she didn't open her mouth.
Lori stood up and grabbed Andrea's wrist, "Come up stairs with me." The blonde tried to pull away but decided to follow.
R
In the bathroom Lori had Andrea wash her face and sit on the edge of the bathtub until she calmed down.
Lori sat next to her, "It's nice seeing you fight for something other than getting that gun of yours."
Andrea snorted.
Lori laughed quietly, "I'll stay up with you till we leave out okay? If I don't Rick's likely to cuff you so you don't run off."
Andrea knew it was true, "He still might have too."
"Fine, I'll go tell him. Either way you're not getting to that woman until morning."
Lori got up and as her fingers reached the bathroom door knob Andrea spoke, "Tess. That woman's name is Tess. You all complain about our humanity but I seem to be the only one worried about her."
Lori turned and looked at the woman; she hadn't seen her look this way since Amy. The woman sighed and sat back down next to her on the tub. Lori put an arm around Andrea's shoulders, "I'm so sorry. I…am worried. I can't imagine waiting out in the open without anyone to help me. She must be a strong woman though… You know we have to take extra precautions…sometimes unnecessary and sometime lifesaving."
Andrea nodded and the two prepared for a long night of waiting.
R
Tess sat on her heels on the side of the road. It had been close to an hour since Andrea ran towards the farm. She wondered if maybe the woman had been hurt on her way. She fought her racing pulse at the thought and walked down the road and up the driveway towards the farm until it was visible. She pulled out a pair of binoculars from her bag and could just make out Andrea's form inside the front room with people. She sighed in relief and went back to her spot and sat on her heels again.
As the hours slowly slid by she began to pace and sing in a whisper to drive off the silence, "Brain-dead from boredom, I'm led to distraction…" She bobbed her head and hummed quietly as she began walking on the main road away from the farm.
R
Andrea jumped out of the back of the blue pickup; Daryl, Shane and Glenn follow her but stay near the truck unlike her. Rick climbs out of the driver seat and tries to keep Andrea close to just in case but she runs to the spot in the road she was sure she left the woman. Hershel gets out of the passenger seat and leans against the hood.
"Tess!"
Rick shushes her; she scrunches her nose at him, and walks around calling the woman's name from time to time.
They wait for an hour. Glenn sitting on top of the truck with Dale's binoculars on; scanning both stretches for any sign of the woman or Walkers, "Well, if this is a trap they reallllly suck."
Rick and Hershel chuckled but both were worried that they had made a mistake waiting to help the woman Andrea had found. Rick tried to be positive, talking loud enough that the blonde rocking back and forth on her heels with a pissed off look on her face could hear him, "She's gotta be fine, no blood stains so there wasn't a fight."
"Fine like Sophia?"
No one spoke a word for another hour. Even Shane, who decided to nap in the bed of the truck.
R
Glenn pulled the binoculars away and rubbed his tired eyes, "I think I see her." He looked again and could see what kinda looked like a woman running towards them. She was a good distance away but seemed to be running pretty fast.
Andrea had jumped up and climbed the truck the second the words, "I think I see" left his mouth. She grabbed the lenses from him; practically strangling him with the strap as she looked through. She zoomed in more and about ten seconds later she started to laugh, "It's her!" She jumped down from the hood as Shane and Daryl stood up in the back of the truck and Rick and Hershel got out again.
"Tess!"
The woman sped up and when she was a little closer Andrea ran to greet her, "You're okay!"
Tess smiled, "Ofcourse!"
Andrea couldn't help herself, when Tess reached her she grabbed the woman and hugged her tight. As she did she noted that the woman had almost black hair, beautiful green eyes, and still very ivory skin.
Tess laughed and hugged her back, "Very nice to see you too!" She waved at the men watching them and pulled away from the blonde slowly, "I'm sorry I worried you," she whispered and she held her at arm length, "I'm glad you came back."
Andrea smiled and nodded, "Come on, you need to meet Hershel. I can yell at you later."
The two approached the truck and Hershel walked up to her, "Ma'am," he held out his hand and she shook it with a lighthearted nod.
"Good morning sir."
"Hershel Greene."
"Tess Hollander."
He sized her up. She was wearing faded, torn, tight jeans with brown leather boot reaching her mid-calf. She had a light blue zip-up jacket on. But it wasn't her clothes that caught his attention. It was her physical appeal, but most of all it was the recurve bow on her back and the quiver of arrows over her shoulder. She nodded when she noticed his attention on her bow. She took off her pack and then the bow and arrows. She held them out for him to hold.
He raised his brows in surprise, as did Shane. Shane was about to do everything possible to get this woman accepted into their group. He wanted her in his tent; at least once…maybe twice.
Rick wanted to laugh; this woman was already managing to win Hershel's favor. He sent up a silent prayer for the poor albeit luck soul that this woman might pursue.
Daryl watched on with slight disbelief, especially when he glanced Andrea's way, he practically snorted as he elbowed Glenn and whispered, "Look at Andrea, grinnin like a damn cheshire cat."
Glenn laughed and tried to listen to Hershel and Tess talk.
The two talked about the bow for a really long time and something no one else could quite catch until he just nodded at her and handed it back to her, "Well come on then, you'll get the same treatment as my other guests."
"Really? I can stay for a while? No other questions-"
"I'm sure you'll get more questions than you can handle once you're at the farm."
R
AN: Please leave reviews!? They motivate me to keep a fanfiction going! :) thank you so much for reading and I hope you've enjoyed what I have up so far?