A/N:

Nerds, I'm starting a new fic and I know I haven't been quick with updates on „Stranded", but this was ghosting around in my head for quite some time now and I wanted to share it with you. This was actually meant to be a one shot, but by keeping to write it, I thought it could go on a little longer.

What do you think? I just really love Alycia's character on Fear the Walking Dead and I think

there is so much about her that can be explored. Maybe you can give this a chance and I'll be happy to read your thoughts as always . Thank you, if you took the time to read it.

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Her hair was like golden a stream of sunlight in the dark world we were currently living in, her skin smooth and tender from what I could make out from the chair i was currently occupying, watching the girl's unconcious body curiously.

I hated to admit it, but the sight in front of me was probably the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen in my life.

And it scared me to shit since i hadn't had the chance to even exchange one single word with her yet, let alone the fact that I had never thought about another girl that way.

Whatever that way even meant...

Travis had carried her in our safe-house hours ago and explained that he had found her on the beach, thankfully not bitten, alone and dehydrated while I had been out on watch elsewhere that day.

And I for sure didn't put on a fight, when he had asked me to keep an eye on the stranger, who weirdly did not feel like a stranger at all to me.

What I felt was excitement rushing through me, a feeling of being alive when everything else around us was toxic, dead, painful and non-existent.

She must have been around my age I reckoned, her cloth were dirty, her hands bloody and she looked like as if she had fought a lot of battles on her own by now.

Big bags had formed under her eyes and she had a pretty bad cut under her left eyebrow, which definitely screamed for medical attention. The blood had dried though, so it was probably not a fresh wound.

I didn't know why, but a sudden feeling of protectiveness overtook my body which I didn't even feel, when I was with Matt so many month ago. And that took all to completely freak me out...internally of course.

Not freaked out, terrified was more accurate.

I just felt like I needed to make her okay, like it was my personal mission to protect her from any harm and from any pain.

Selfish much? Most likely. I couldn't give a shit, since everybody else in my group thought of me as a weak, naive schoolgirl anyways, so it wouldn't make a difference whatsoever.

I craved for having a purpose so much and I started to imagine I could be that purpose for her at least. That for once in my life I could really matter.

I carefully wiped away the crusty dirt and blood from her face with a wet towl, when suddenly the most amazing, mesmorizing blue eyes I had ever seen were staring at me, like if she without a doubt hit my soul without any effort whatsoever.

I gulped audibly, clenching the towl to my body, not daring to say a word.

There were so many emotions all at once, like tsunami that raged behind her eyes.

Shock? Fear? Disbelieve? Angst? Relief? Terror? Gratitude?

All of the above? I couldn't quite figure it out.

The ocean was scanning my eyes and my stomach suddenly felt so warm and tingly, I wanted to explode right then and there and I all could think of, was to wrap my arms around her wounded body and tell her that she would be safe now and everything would be just fine.

But was she safe? Was I? Were we ever going to be safe again?

„Where...Where am I? Who are you?", a raspy, dark voice, who obviosuly hadn't been used much as of late, enchanted the room and I was completely blown away by it.

There was no way I could deny what this voice did to me in that moment. I cleared my throat, before i trusted myself enough to form a proper sentence without sounding like a total idiot.

„Hey. I'm Alicia. My Stepdad found you unconcious on the beach and he took you here with us. You are safe now", I said, proud that i was able to surpress any shaking in my voice.

The blonde studied me suspiciously, her hand grabbing the sheets underneath her so tightly, her knuckles turned white.

„How...how do you feel?, I asked totally aware oft he fact that it was probably the dumbest question in history and clearly I had no clue how to handle this situation.

I pressed my lips together, mentally slapping myself.

She let out what sounded like a small, raspy chuckle, before her eyes found mine again.

„Peachy", she answered and I could definitely hear an accent. Australian? British?

„Right. I'm sorry. That was stupid...I...uhm, what's your name?", my fingers were fumbling with the sleeves of my shirt and I couldn't stop shifting uncomfortably on my chair.

„Do I make you nervous?", she smiled and my cheeks started to burn.

„What? No. Why...why would you do that?"

„You tell me." Silence fell between us, before she spoke again. „Eliza. Eliza Lex."

„Come again?", I said, completely sucked in by her perfect face.

I miserably failed to wet my lips and my mouth felt like a freaking desert. What the hell was wrong with me?

Her smile grew even wider, even though it was obvious, that she was in physical pain.

„You asked my name, remember?"

„Right. Nice name. Really nice name...is...is there anything I can do for you?" Second mental slap.

Smooth Alicia, super smooth.

„Well, I could definitely think of a few things you could do for me, but right now a glass of water would be to die for", she playfully winked and my stomach dropped all over again.

I quickly got up, hurried out of the room and rested my burning forehead against the cool wood oft he door seperating us.

Get it together. Get it together. Get it together.

I jumped a little, when I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder.

„God, Ofelia. You scared me!", I breathed, my hand resting on my heart.

„I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to. Are you alright, Leash? You seem a little...off."

Brown eyes studied me curiously and that was when I knew, that she knew that I was more than just a little off.

She and I had gotten pretty close over the past few month and I actually considered her my best friend, probably the best and truest friend I've ever had.

She was nothing like these stupid, idiotic Justin Biber fanatics I knew from school.

Of course, she was older and stuff, but it was simply her genuine, friendly and funny personality that had me drawn to her. I trusted her and I knew I could tell her everything, so that's what I decided to do.

„Can we talk for a minute?", I asked, lowering my voice, checking if we were really alone down here.

„Of course, sweety. Always. You know that", she smiled with the warmth I loved so much.

The brunette grabbed my hand, squeezing it lightly, before she let me back to her room.

I nervously sat down on the edge of her bed, nibbling at my lower lip not really sure were to actually start.

„Is it about the girl Travis brought back?"

„How...how did you know?", I asked surprised.

A small smile appeared on the corner of her mouth.

„Let's call it intuition."

„I...I don't even know what...", I sighed. „It's like...god, it even sounds super crazy in my head.

I think i like her. Like like, like you know? Which is totally insane, since i know her for what? 10 minutes or so, plus the fact that we only exchanged 3 sentences.

What is wrong with me? Is that normal? No, it's not, cause...cause I don't like people so quickly and especially not girl-people and..."

„Leash! Breath. Can you do that for me? You look like you are about to have a heartattack!", Ofelia's hand was resting on my knee know and it calmed me a little.

„Am I okay?", I whispered now.

Ofelia smiled and took both of my hands in hers.

„You are more than okay. You know how rare it is to feel that way about someone right away? Most people never have the chance to experience something like that."

„But I don't even know if I'm...if I like girls physically, you know?"

„Alicia, it's not about liking boys or girls, it's about what's in here!", she placed my hand on my heart and I knew then, she was totally right.

„Just give yourself some don't have put any pressure on yourself.

Get to know her, talk to her, figure it out. The rest will play itself out. That's the beauty of life, even if it might not look pretty at first, it finds a way. It alaways does.

We cannot control it. It happens."

I silenty wrapped my arms around her and she pressed a soft kiss to my temple, stroking my hair. I had barely ever felt so safe and content in that moment.

„Thank you!", I whispered into her neck.

„Always. It's gonna be fine, trust me. You are such an amazing girl, Leash. Trust yourself more."

„You are the best friend I've ever had. Can you do me a favor?", I asked when I slowly pulled away.

„Anything."

„Don't...don't ever leave me, okay?"

I could see her tearing up and for a minute I thought I had said something wrong.

„I promise and I love you, too", she winked, smiling widely. „Now go and take care oft he wonderwoman who has stolen my Leashe's heart. And when she's better, I wanna get to know her."

I let a out a laugh. „Definitely. Are you...okay?", I asked, opening the door.

„Fine. Now go!"

I nodded without saying anything else and left my friend behind. I felt a little guilty, that we didn't have the chance to talk much, since Ofelia had been shot and I was worried sick about that stupid wound of hers.

„Did you travel all the way to Mexico to grab me that glass of water?", Eliza said, jokingly, when I finally came back.

„Ha, no. I was just...taking care of something. Here you go. Sorry, it took me so long."

I positioned myself back in the chair that I had left earlier and watched, as super pink, perfect lips were carefully sipping the water.

„So, where you from? I thought I'd heard an accent."

„Observant. I like that. I'm from Australia, actually."

„That's really cool. I always wanted to go, but I guess that ship has sailed now."

„Can't argue with that, as much as I would love to say otherwise."

What brought you to LA in the first place?", I asked, tho I had a feeling that I would hit a sensitive spot and I was right.

Her cocky expression fell from her face and she took another sip of water avoiding my eyes.

„I'm...I'm sorry, Eliza. I didn't mean to pry."

She then just stared at me for what felt like centuries, her blue orbs searching for something that I was not aware of yet.

„My brother.", she said and started shifting, looking so vulnerable all of the sudden that it took me a second to adjust tot he swing in her mood.

„Do you wanna...talk about it?"

She closed her eyes briefly and I could actually smell the war that was raging inside of her.

I didn't know why I did what I did, but I stood up from my safety zone and sat right next to her, grabbing her hand. She looked at me as if I was some kind of miracle.

„Before everything went to shit, he went to LA to start an internship at a health-care center in Midtown. When I heard about what was going on, I jumped on the first and last flight here trying to find him."

„But you never did...", I concluded, feeling a big lump building up in my throat.

„No." Her thumb was natually gliding over the sensitive skin of my knuckles and the shiver inside of me felt like a freaking thunderstorm.

„How...how long were you looking for him until we found you?", I managed to ask.

„Two month. I met some people, picked up some info, went to places...did some shit, but it was all a dead end. I never found him."

„I'm...I'm so sorry. I wish I could do something", I honestly said, looking straight into her blue, sad eyes.

„You already did."