A/N: This is a work of fan fiction. No infringement intended.
The Country Singer
By Leah Pensotti
Chapter Two
It had been awhile since Melanie had been in a car. The air conditioning felt like a miracle. She and Adam rode with Aaron while Daryl followed on his motorcycle. She caught Aaron looking at her in the rear view twice, and the second time he apologized.
"I'm sorry. You just look really familiar."
Melanie did not want to talk about her old life. None of it mattered anymore.
She shrugged, "I got one of those faces, I guess. The ones that people find familiar."
Aaron nodded, "I suppose so. So are you guys married?"
Adam nearly laughed out loud and Melanie gave him a look, "No. We're co-workers. We were traveling when...it all happened."
"So what did you all do, you know, before?"
Melanie shrugged, "I was a waitress...we were in a bar band. Pretty normal."
They sat in silence for a few minutes and Melanie looked back through the window at Daryl, "Your friend...doesn't talk much."
Aaron smiled, "You'll have to forgive Daryl. He is new to recruiting. He came with a group not to long ago. They were out there a long while. Rough around the edges. He's a good man, very skilled hunter and tracker."
Thoughts raced though her head, they had been out a long time too. We're they like animals? Rough and feral?
She remembered how she looked in the motel mirror, her eyes large and her arms and shoulders practically skin and bones. Adam while hulking and imposing, had also lost weight and his beard and hair had been growing for the better part of a year. The jeans she wore nearly hung off her and she wore a grey t-shirt and a man's maroon western-style shirt. In her backpack she had a change of clothes and underwear. All her worldly possessions
That and a few things she managed to save. Her notebook. The magazine. A few guitar picks with her name from the tour. A picture of her mom.
Another silence hung thick in the air and Aaron pushed a few buttons...and soon music came through the speakers.
Not just any music, but Hank Williams.
Melanie started to cry. She had only heard the music in her head for so long. Her best friend, music...still existed. Hank Williams still existed.
Aaron caught sight of her tears, "I'm sorry I can turn it off, if it uh, makes you upset."
"No...no...it's just...been a long while since I heard a song. It's like magic."
Adam pulled her to him in a bear hug, it was the first time she had smiled in months. She wanted to sing along, but couldn't. She hadn't sang since the year before. Whether it was grief or guilt, she couldn't muster it.
Melanie continued to smile in the darkness, the tears hot and wet on her cheeks. Adam chuckled, "Got any Willie Nelson? I gotta believe that man is in Texas somewhere drinking whiskey, smoking pot and laughing about all this."
Adam woke her up gently, she had fallen asleep in the car. When she looked out the window, Daryl was standing behind a large gate and when it opened, Aaron drove the car through. She slowly climbed out with Adam not far behind.
She looked around and saw a large neighborhood, surrounded by towering walls. The streets were quiet and dark.
Daryl stood to the left, crossbow on his shoulder, "Want me to wake Rick? Deanna?"
Aaron shook his head, "No, they can stay with Eric and I. We can get them interviewed and settled in the morning."
Melanie felt herself bristle, "Interview?"
Aaron brushed it off non-chalantly, "A formality. Deanna likes to do it. You guys follow me. See you in the morning, Daryl."
Daryl grunted in their general direction and Melanie met eyes with him for a moment. She was unnerved.
They followed Aaron down the street to a idyllic two story home with a wrap around porch. As they followed him in, he dropped his bag by the door and called out, "Eric? I'm home."
A man came downstairs in sweatpants and a bathrobe and looked thrilled to see Aaron. They embraced and kissed, while Melanie and Adam were more taken in with the electricity lighting the home.
Everything Aaron had promised was true.
Soon his voice broke through her thoughts, "Eric, this is Adam and Mellie. Found them near the interstate."
Eric smiled and shook Adam's hand, and when Melanie reached out her hand to do the same, he squinted a bit, "Mellie...wait...aren't you that girl? You know, the country singer?"
Aaron spoke up, "I thought she looked familiar..."
Eric smiled, "You had that song...the one about the country songbird...McCall, right? Melanie McCall."
Melanie looked at her hands, "I was that girl. I had a song. It was a long time ago."
Aaron shook his head, "You told me you were a waitress. Not a celebrity."
"I don't really want to talk about it. I'm flattered you know who I am...was. None of that matters anymore...but I worked as a waitress and a bar singer for a long time. A lot longer than I was on the radio. I don't want to be treated any differently. I just want to survive."
Aaron and Eric looked to Adam for confirmation and he merely shrugged, "She's the boss. I follow her lead."
Eric shrugged, "Well I'm thrilled you're here. Things are bound to be a lot less boring with you around. Follow me. You all can sleep in the guest room."
Melanie was overjoyed by washing her face and using a fully operational restroom. When she got into bed, a bed she was sharing with Adam, she looked him dead in the eyes, "This is totally platonic. Do not spoon me."
"You got it, boss lady."
Melanie smacked him playfully with a pillow and he laughed. It had been the best night in a long time. She felt a little hopeful, but remained dubious. She remembered the old saying about looking gift horses in the mouth.
The next morning, Melanie drifted downstairs with Adam to the scent of coffee. She thought the was dreaming. When they reached the kitchen, she saw Eric and Aaron, Daryl and two others she had not met yet. Eric passed her and Adam fresh mugs of coffee and she nearly cried in delight.
"Adam and Melanie...this is Deanna Monroe and Rick Grimes. They just want to ask you a few questions before we set you up with a house and a job and etcetera."
Melanie gave a small wave and did her best to read her audience. Deanna was older, and formidable...clearly in a position of power. Rick was handsome and seemed a bit gruff.
Deanna smiled pleasantly and extended her hand to each of them, "So...Eric tells me you're famous? A country singer?"
Melanie sighed and shrugged, "I mean, I was a country singer. I wasn't Faith Hill famous or anything, but had enough success to have my own tour. One album. One hit song. I was really just kinda starting out when...all of this happened."
Eric smiled, "She's downplaying it. She was all over t.v.! She went platinum and was on the Grammy's."
Melanie shrugged again, "None of that exists anymore. This world doesn't care if you're famous. Or if you have money. I haven't sang in a long time. It doesn't make sense to do it."
She and Adam laid out the whole story. Playing the Ryman, then the outbreak. The bus breaking down. The band being wiped out. The cult they met in West Virginia. The dangerous rovers who attacked them. The farm house she and Adam and Rob stayed at over the winter. Rob getting eaten. Running out of bullets.
Rick didn't say much, just focused in on them with his striking blue eyes. He looked like he was forming a series of questions. Much to her surprise, she liked his face and how he sat in his chair holding a mug of coffee. Daryl on the other hand, leaned in the corner, skulking. She couldn't get a read on him and that made her wary.
When their story was over, Rick stood up, hands on his hips, "I got some more questions, but I think we can set you all up with a house. Some food. Deanna here will wanna set you up with a job. But what I want to know is if you are asked to fight...will you?"
Adam nodded and Melanie answered, "I don't look like much, but I've gotten this far. I'm scrappy. And Adam here is strong, but he can't run for shit."
"Hey!" Adam exclaimed and Deanna laughed.
Rick smirked and asked one last question, "Have you killed any of the living?"
Melanie felt herself darken and looked to Adam. It was something they didn't talk about.
"Just one. A man."
"Why?"
Melanie looked him in the eye and did not waiver, "I think you can guess what he tried. I gutted him before he could."
She saw his features soften and he nodded, "I've got to go check on my kids and then patrol, but Aaron will set you all up with an empty house. I'll send someone by with supplies later."
As he stood, Deanna did too. She smiled warmly, "You all get some rest. We will have a dinner soon so you all can meet everyone."
When Aaron had left to take Melanie and Adam to their home, Daryl finished his coffee and said goodbye to Eric. As he stalked across the Alexandria streets towards Carol's house, he saw Maggie Greene in his periphery, running after him.
"Hey! Daryl!"
He stopped dead in his tracks and tuned to look at her, "Watcha need, Maggie?"
She looked happy, maybe even excited, "Deanna just told me...you brought some new folks back? Is one of them really Melanie McCall?"
Daryl shrugged, he didn't understand what all the fuss was about, "I s'ppose so. She's a skinny ass girl with red hair. Nothin' to hoot and holler about."
Maggie frowned at him, "Daryl...she was Beth's favorite singer. She played that damn cd over and over."
The mere mention of Beth knocked the wind out of him. Beth loved Melanie?
"I know you heard her sing those songs. The one about the bird? That was her big hit."
He knew the song. Beth had sang it over and over while at the prison. Taking care of Judith. He had heard Beth's voice everytime he shut his eyes, ever since the day he carried her limp body out of that hospital.
Maggie sighed, "If I told her about Beth. About how Beth sang her songs to Judith...to all of us. Do you think she'd sing a song for Beth? In her memory? I think it could help..."
Daryl stopped her, "Melanie says she don't sing no more. She says it ain't right to."
A/N: hi lovely readers! I've been excited to write about Melanie. She came to me on Monday night. I saw a preview for "Fear the Walking Dead" and thought about Los Angeles and how one of the characters should be famous on the show. Like a movie star, and it just morphed into Mellie.
Shout outs to Hikari-Hime01 and AngieB! Angie, I have loved all of your reviews for both of my TWD fics :) you are making me feel so loved! i'm not sure, which way to go romantically. I find Daryl tricky to write that way, and well...you know how I fee about Rick ;) I guess we'll have to see where it leads ;)
updating "Redemption" next. Please read and review!