Chapter: New Faces

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….. Six Months Later: …..

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There was an old clinic that was on the outskirt of Atlanta City that was the hiding spot of Nakkita Dixon for the last couple of months. The windows were boarded up and Nakkita made sure that all exit doors were secured and boarded up too.

Precaution in this type of world was never a bad thing.

At the moment, Nakkita was sitting on the floor and was finishing up with putting her handgun back together after she cleaned it. A soft squeal came from to her left.

An instant smile came onto her lips as she turned her attention to the left where there was a baby seat containing a six and a half month old baby named Xavier Anthony Dixon. He was babbling nonsense and was kicking his feet around.

Xavier had been born a week after the outbreak was in full scale. He was early, which Nakkita believed that he was born early was because of all the stress that came down onto her with running away from all the dead walking people and trying to find a safe haven. Though, she had luck on her side that day as Nakkita came across an older couple where the wife used to be a mid-wife. The couple had helped Nakkita to perfectly deliver a healthy seven pound and three oz. baby boy in this new chaotic world.

After staying with the older couple for a week to recover, Nakkita asked them to join her as she didn't want to stay in the one spot for too long. It wasn't a safe area as it was near a large neighborhood that clearly had the dead walking around. Also, Nakkita was searching for her husband too. The couple had ended up refusing her offer and they stated that they will be fine. All Nakkita could do was thank them for their help and she left with Xavier.

When Nakkita had left that day, she found a small baby store and raided it for baby food, medicine, and other baby things. Anything to keep her little one strong and healthy all the time.

Setting the gun aside and she wiped her hands off on a rag, Nakkita turned onto her knees to reach out and lift Xavier out of his baby seat. A sound came from outside causing Nakkita to turn her attention to the front of the clinic, straining her hearing.

Her eyes met the sound of horse hooves clicking across the pavement.

Slowly, Nakkita set Xavier back down into this baby seat, grabbed her handgun and she made her way to the board up windows near the front door to peek out of one of the cracks in the boards.

On top of a chocolate brown color horse was a man wearing a tan sheriff uniform with a dark brown cowboy hat that went along with his sheriff uniform. He was staring around his surrounding like a lost boy.

Biting her bottom lip, Nakkita was quickly debating against her conscience mind and weighing the options of confronting this man. She did get the vibe that he was trustworthy.

Readjusting her grip on her handgun, Nakkita moved to the door where she pushed the heavy desk away from the door and she unlocked the door. Poking her head out, she stared right at the man.

The man eyes were instantly drawn to her and he pulled the reins of the horse to a stop. There was a mixture of clear shock and relief on his face upon seeing a living person.

Nakkita slowly stepped out of the clinic and she raised her left hand in the air with a friendly grin.

"Hi there, um, sheriff."

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….. Few Minutes Later: …..

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After the awkward greeting to the sheriff that Nakkita found out that his name was Rick Grimes.

Letting him in the clinic with her, Nakkita got information out of him, or rather, his life story in this new world thus far.

The story of Rick thus far was that six months ago he had been shot at a crime scene and he ended up into a coma after that. Then he had just woke up a couple days ago to be greeted by the walking dead people. Rick went onto explaining how he knew that his wife and son were still alive and so he was searching for them. As soon as Rick finished his story, Nakkita gave him her story and how she was looking for her spouse too.

"Thank you for this." Rick said as he held up a bowl that was filled with chicken noodle soup.

When Rick had been explaining his story, Nakkita had cooked them chicken noodle soup on a small portable stove that she found in a store.

"You're welcome." Nakkita nodded as she adjusted Xavier in her arms.

Her left hand was in the small hands of Xavier. He was highly entertained with Nakkita's engagement and wedding rings. Nakkita looked away from Xavier playing with her rings to look back at Rick, seeing him grinning at the sight of Xavier.

"How old is he?"

"He is six almost seven months." Nakkita answered, her eyes flickering back down to Xavier and she laid a feathery kiss on top of his head.

Nakkita caressed one of Xavier's smooth chubby cheeks and she looked back up at Rick, who stood up after placing his empty bowl aside him.

"Come with me into the Atlanta city."

"That is a bit dangerous, Rick."

"I know. But I need to find something. Something more. I don't want to leave you or Xavier behind, Nakkita." Rick admitted as he pulled his sheriff cowboy hat back onto his head.

The last survivor that Nakkita ran into was two months ago and they had tried to forcefully get into Nakkita's pants on a supply run. It led to a last resort situation and Nakkita had ended up kicking the person off a high bridge. Now, here was another man, but Nakkita knew that Rick was a good man with a good heart. He clearly wanted her to come along with him and keep her close to keep her safe.

Idealistically, Nakkita knew that she couldn't, or rather, shouldn't stay hiding in this place forever because more walkers will be roaming around or migrating to different areas. She didn't want to be impractical and stay here with already taking out a few walkers already with her compound bow and arrows.

Therefore, Nakkita stood up with Xavier in her arms and she gave Rick a knowledgeable nod.

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The Mustang was slowly driving alongside Rick riding on top of the horse. Her driver's side window was down to have conversation with Rick and getting to know one another.

When Rick held his right hand up to her, Nakkita stopped the Mustang and put it into park. Rick got off his horse and he stepped up to her window with a reasoning look.

"I'm going to go ahead and check things out. If I don't come back in a while, drive around or get out of here. Got me?"

"Yes." Nakkita affirmed with a nod.

"Take this."

Rick handed over a walkie talkie to her with a mild grin and he turned away, getting back onto the horse. Nakkita rolled the window and sat back as she watched Rick ride away into the city. He did glance back once back at her and then he disappeared around a street corner.

A sigh mix with nervousness and concern escaped from her. She was more nervous for the good-nature sheriff than she was parked on the road that led into the city.

For now, it was a waiting game and to keep look out.

Nakkita eyes scanned around the area, taking in everything from side to side and even high to low. Her sense were on high alert the whole time.

In her head, she had been counting up to sixty and keeping track of every minute. Ten times she counted to sixty making her to believe that she was close to ten minutes. When Nakkita started counting again, her eyes widen and she leaned forward in her seat when she saw a group of ten walkers stumbling down the street that Rick had gone down earlier.

"Oh fuck-y fuck." Nakkita blurted out as she turned on the Mustang and she slowly pulled the Mustang into the alleyway, away from any of the walkers view.

Putting the Mustang into park, Nakkita eyes flicker to the rearview mirror to check up on Xavier in the backseat in his baby seat. The little one was peacefully sleeping with his hands clenching his baby blue blanket.

Nakkita couldn't help but to shake her head at how peaceful Xavier was when there's complete chaos outside.

The walkie talkie sitting in the passenger seat began to crackle causing Nakkita to jump in her seat. An annoyed growled escaped from her at being caught off guard. She reached over to the seat to pick up the walkie talkie. Hitting the button on the side and messing with the knobs until she heard a voice flawlessly come through the speaker.

"Hey, hey, are you Nakkita?"

"Who is this?" Nakkita inquired as she glanced down at the walkie talkie with raised eyebrows at this was a new unknown person that clearly wasn't Rick on the wavelength now.

"Never mind about that. Rick told me to contact you somehow. And—"

"What happen to Rick?"

"Let me explain this in a real short story. The cowboy is stuck in a military tank. I'm telling him how to get out now. Now, he had told me that there was a woman and a child that was with him. That is you. And so, he wants you to drive pass the road that he went down, but take a left on another road right after that." This unknown person explained to her.

"Alright, I got it. But any funny business and I'm putting an arrow through your ass."

"Great. Now, I'm going to get Rick out. So start going."

Tossing the walkie talkie into the passenger seat, Nakkita put the Mustang into drive. She pulled out of the alleyway that she hid in and she began to drive into the direction that the unknown young man told her to go down.

A few colorful profanity words had slipped out of her mouth when she had to dodge a group of walkers staggering in the streets. Thankfully, Nakkita was driving a fast muscle car. She easily drove around these walkers as they didn't move that fast.

Not wanting to endanger anyone or the unknown young man by attracting the walkers toward where the man was. She drove a few blocks to throw off the walkers before she went down the road that she was instructed to go down.

"Nakkita?" The walkie talkie came to life again, but this time, it was Rick's voice that came over it.

A smile came onto her lips at the sound of Rick again. She reached over to the seat to grab the walkie talkie, hitting the button on the side of it to talk into it while keeping her eyes on the street.

"Rick? Am I glad to hear you voice, cowboy."

"Ha ha. Listen we are with a group at a clothing store. It is on the road that Glenn told you to go down. Pull into an alleyway where you will see two men with bats. They are going to let you in this chain-link fence gate that leads to the stores loading docks."

"You got it." Nakkita confirmed, setting the walkie talkie back down as she pushed her foot down on the gas.

Driving down the street for another minute until Nakkita slowed up to see two men opening up a chain linked gate while at the same time, managing to push walkers away with wooden bats. Quickly, Nakkita pulled the Mustang through and the two men immediately shut the gate after she pulled in.

The two men came running up on either side of her Mustang. They kept watch on the gate where walkers were pressing against it, reaching for them. When Nakkita was outside the car, she put on the baby harness then she slipped Xavier into it.

With Xavier in the harness, Nakkita was able to move more with him with her. With being moved around, Xavier was now awake from his napping. He looked around with curious eyes before he reached out to play with Nakkita's necklace. While Xavier was occupied with her necklace, Nakkita reached back into the Mustang to grab her compound bow and the pouch filled with arrows. She slipped the arrow pouch onto her back.

The two men clearly showed how they were going through a very rough time as they were still panting and sweating from just beating down the walkers to let her into the area. They led Nakkita through the docking area of the building then they got inside where they soon met up with the rest of their group.

"Whoa, I thought that you said kid, not baby." The voice was the one that spoke over the walkie talkie.

Nakkita turn her attention straight to the person that said this to see who exactly they were. She found herself staring at a young adult, who was an Asian descendent. He kept glancing at Rick with wide eyes, but at the sight of Nakkita glaring at him for his comment, he gulped as he found her staring intense.

"And is that a problem?" Nakkita snapped.

The young man quickly shook his head with a faint flick of fear flashing across his face. He manage to escape Nakkita's stare and looked away, trying to find something else to stare at other than her eyes.

Nakkita looked away with a satisfy look at getting the young man uncomfortable after his comment. She glanced around at the other people that were present in the room.

With her present, the rest of the group stepped forward to introduce themselves to her as they already did to Rick. After their introduction, Nakkita took notice that their facial expression held an uneasily look that was directed at her. Nakkita looked over to Rick with a curious look, looking for answers for the groups uneasily expressions that were aimed at her after they introduced themselves.

"I told them your full name." Rick told her.

"Ok, and what's so bad about that?" Nakkita shrugged her shoulders as she saw no big deal about Rick introducing her name to everybody.

The African-American woman named Jacqui took a step forward to stand before the group drawing Nakkita's attention to her.

"Do you happen to be related to a Merle Dixon?"

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…..Up On the Roof: …..

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The roof door slammed open with a loud bang causing Merle Dixon to try looking over his shoulder to see if it was the group coming back onto the roof to get him. Adjusting his position, Merle watched as the group slowly made their way back over to stand before him.

The reason behind Merle being unable to move was because Officer Friendly Rick had decided to handcuff him to a set of pipes on the roof of the building. Thus, Merle was stuck sitting on the roof cobblestone ground and flailing around like a fish would do on a fishing hook whenever he tried to move.

As the group stepped up closer to Merle, Merle's eyes scan over each of their faces with a glare then his eyes widen when his eyes landed on a very familiar face that stood beside Officer Friendly.

"Shit, Merle, what did you do now? It's the end of the freaking world and you still get in trouble." Nakkita snapped at him, shaking her head as she saw that nothing was new with the older Dixon as he was handcuffed to the roof.

"Well, I'll be damn. You are alive. And what is this?" Merle asked, staring at the baby harness on Nakkita's front, not paying any mind to what she just said.

Stepping up to Merle then kneeling down beside her handcuff brother-in-law, Nakkita showed him the precious gift that Daryl and she made.

Nakkita eyed Merle and the handcuffs. She found out the reason why Rick had handcuffed him to the roof. Rick had explained to her that Merle was being reckless and strung out on drugs that he was putting the group in danger. With that simple explanation from Rick, Nakkita agreed with his decision as she knew that Merle did become very harmful when he was drugged up or he got into his asshole ways where he will not listen to anyone.

"This is Xavier. Daryl and I son."

"So this is my nephew." Merle grinned as he stared down at the baby and let a few chuckles escape from him when he took notice that Xavier had the same color eyes as Daryl. The artic blue color eyes.

"He has the Dixon eyes. Good."

"He has Daryl's eyes. Is Daryl alive?"

"Yeah. He is fine. Perfectly fine. But I won't know any more if I am not un-cuff soon." Merle snapped, shooting everyone a glare, especially toward Rick.

"Well, Merle, you deserve it." Nakkita slowly stood up with her hands resting on Xavier's back.

Though before she fully stood up to her full height, she made sure to give him a small punishment.

"What does that me—OW! Dammit woman!"

The other two women that were present in this group, Andrea and Jacqui, turned away to not laugh in front of Merle. The men stared with wide eyes in complete shock as they couldn't believe that they had just witnessed Nakkita giving Merle a good smack upside the head. They knew that no one dare to go around the Dixon brothers or better yet, touch them. But here was Nakkita, not caring as she prove it by giving Merle a hefty slap upside his head.

"You have no right to call people by such names, especially a racist slur."

"But he is a—"

"This isn't the fucking olden days, Merle Dixon." Nakkita sharply stated, glaring him down.

Seeing Nakkita's greenish blue eyes staring him down, Merle shut his mouth knowing that it was a lost cause to even fight with her. No matter what, Nakkita always got the last word when it came to him. He could admit that the one thing that he didn't miss before the walkers, was the arguments with Nakkita.

Being at full height now, Nakkita took a step away from the grumbling Merle to walk back over to the group.

From there, they stood near the edge to figure out a plan on how to get out of this building and then out of the city. When Nakkita saw the way that Rick's face lit up, she was waiting for a lightbulb to appear over his head. Though when he looked at everyone with a sheepish look, she knew that it was definitely not going to be a fun plan.

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…..The Building Docking Section: …..

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"This smell is horrible."

"Don't watch this, Nakkita." Rick stammered as he stood over a walker that he took out earlier.

Rick held one of those emergency fire axes in his hands, standing over the walker and staring at it with a disgusted expression.

Taking his word immediately, Nakkita took a few steps back and turned her back as Rick started to hack up the walker, trying to not gag himself.

The rest of the group were trying to be bold and brave to watch Rick work, but within seconds they were turning away, gagging and trying not to throw up at the sight, sound and smell. The suction sound of the axe being pulled out of the walker's body wasn't helping the situation of trying not to throw up.

When the walker was officially hacked up to nothing but lumpy blackish red blood and chucks, those that had on rubber gloves began to take handfuls of the gruesome pile of hacked up walker then began to smear it onto Rick and Glen.

Both Rick and Glenn had on these long rain coats with long elbow length rubber gloves. The walker's blood, organs and anything else was rubbed against their bodies, sticking to the rain coats. The purpose was to mask their scent from the other walkers by smelling like walkers. Hopefully, it will work as they will be making a break to a truck that they saw down the road. That'll be their getaway vehicle out of the building and the city.

Nakkita took a glance over her shoulder to see how the process was going for she kept her back to the scene the whole time for Xavier to not get any of the smell. Nakkita gently caressed the back of Xavier's soft tuft of brown hair, softly humming underneath her breath.

Glancing at Rick and Glenn again, Nakkita found herself slightly grinning in amusement when she listen to Glenn muttering under his breath about all of this before he quickly turned away from everyone to throw up. Nakkita shook her head and once again looked away to stare down at Xavier.

For a few seconds it was quiet making Nakkita to turn around to face everyone. Her nose twitched at the horrid stench that hit her nose full blast. Her eyes landed on Rick and Glenn, both were downright cover in walker's blood and organs to mask their smell. The two men look completely traumatized with what they were doing in order to make the plan work.

This will definitely be a story to remember.

"This is mess up, but it's going to work. I can feel it." Nakkita couldn't help but say.

The others slowly nodded as they found themselves thinking that this may be a crazy idea, but it might work. Or rather, they were praying it'll work.

Calming themselves down with the walker gore on them, Rick and Glenn left the area to begin leaving the building grounds. When they were outside, the rest of them quickly moved back to the roof to keep an eye on them from a birds view.

It was a waiting game now.

Minutes passed and when the sound of low rumbling of thunder began to echo across the sky, it made Nakkita to look up at the greying sky and take in a deep inhale. The scent in the air began to change and she could literally smell the scent of rain coming. Her eyes flicker to everyone else to notice they had distraught expression at the sound of the thunder coming closer and closer to them.

"Ah, shit." Nakkita hissed as the rainfall scent was getting stronger.

"What?" Morales pulled the binoculars away from his face to glance at Nakkita.

"It's going to rain any moment now. Rick and Glenn better get to that truck fast before the rain comes down and washes the walker scent off of them." Nakkita replied, feeling anxiety butterflies fluttering around in her stomach at the thought of Rick and Glenn down there.

Their eyes focus on the street again, hoping that Rick and Glenn were getting close to the truck. Every so often they occasionally looked at the sky to see it darkening by the second. Then after a few minutes, raindrops started to fall then it began to pour.

Immediately, Nakkita unzipped her hoodie and pulled it off of her to put around Xavier to prevent him from getting wet as she didn't need her little boy to get sick from the cold rain.

The walkie talkie in T-Dog's hand began to crackle to life until Rick's voice came over. It was as if Rick's voice was sweet music to their ears.

"Everyone get ready out back. I'm coming. Glenn is distracting the walkers for us." Rick informed them.

With much excitement that they were escaping thanks to Rick and Glenn's success, they waste no precious time on quickly making a run to the roof door to head back down stairs.

Though Nakkita did pause near the roof door at the sight of her brother-in-law still handcuffed to the roof pipes with a defenseless look upon his face. When he looked up at everyone leaving the roof once again, his eyes came to rest on her then on Xavier then back on her. He gave her a small nod for her to go without him. That made her to slowly nod back then rushed off down the stairs. Though T-Dog shouted from behind that he got Merle and will go get him.

Running back out to the back of the store loading docks, the group ran out there to see the truck. Nakkita quickly got into her Mustang, not leaving that behind. She safety strapped Xavier into his baby seat and once that was all set, she got into the driver's side, started the muscle car up and got ready for everyone else.

When Rick got everyone in the truck, Nakkita followed right after him through the streets of the city. She hit the gas to pull ahead of him to cruise on the highway and get the hell out of the city.

Few minutes on the highway, Nakkita slowed up to ride alongside the truck. She smiled at Rick, waving then looked back ahead. Now, they were going back to camp where the group that they came across was originally from. She was just happy that there were other survivors and Xavier and she will not be alone anymore.

Taking a glance in the rearview mirror, Nakkita eyes landed on Xavier and gently laughed as he was making all sorts of noises with his mouth, kicking his feet about. The sight of him and every move he makes was adorable and he always brought this delightful happiness to Nakkita.

When she looked back forward, her eyes flicker to the side mirror on her driver's side to see a yellow Dodge challenger coming fast up the highway and soon went flying by Rick and her. She looked at Rick and he only shook his head, grinning. That made Nakkita to know it was Glenn behind the wheel and enjoying himself.

Continuing driver, Nakkita let her mind wander for a bit at the thought of her husband and she couldn't wait to be reunited with him after being apart from him for almost a full year.

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Hi Everyone,

This chapter had been redone as of 7/12/16.

Thanks!