All these chapters are done, I'm just staggering the upload because I'm too busy with half a dozen other fics. Wow, some stress, huh?
The timeline is admittedly a bit off, it will work with what I'm building. Can you guess what that is? A Daryl hug? Cookie for you, genius.
3.
Andrea is a fighter, or so she would like to think. She may have had to kill her sister, but that is not strength, that is responsibility to the rest of the team. She took up an interest in guns, just after her interest in suicide, which was more cowardice than strength. She expects and demands perfection with herself, not really caring who she hurts along the way trying to achieve it. On better days, she expects that from the rest of the team, but most of the time that causes conflict.
There is nothing more than these people can give. They are giving it their all, trying their best and hardly surviving.
She was one of the first to give up on Sophia. She wanted out. Out from the group, the search, this life. Everything. Tired people are dangerous. That's when she turned to Shane.
Shane wanted out, too. He was fed up with the humanity these people had and was ready to make it on his own. Overhearing him and Lori, Andrea figured this was her ticket out.
They never left, but both Shane and Lori continued to grow. They grew together as Shane became wicked and she careless.
She was merciless in her words, her actions and often left people upset. She was becoming an outcast, of sorts, and she thought so too. Her desperate attempt to be like Shane was lost when she didn't know if she liked him or wanted to be like him. Maybe both, maybe neither. Maybe she just didn't care.
She gave up on the search for Sophie at the farm. Hope was lost, why fight the inevitable?
As she got better with her guns, she started taking watch. Walkers were so few and far between, nobody really minded handing her that rifle. She wasn't actually going to use it.
But she was cocky, and didn't like taking shit from anyone, so when Daryl walked out of the forest as far gone as he was, it was fair to take him as a walker, but everyone told her not to shoot.
Of course she did. It would be harsh to call her an idiot, but she jeopardized the entire group by going against what the entire group was saying.
As the men were rushing toward the walker, they were all a bit taken aback to find it Daryl. No harm done! Let's go inside and care for your wounds! You sound Sophia's doll? Lovely!
She pulled the trigger. Good think she's as cocky as she is. She missed and skimmed Daryl's head.
Realizing her mistake she rushed after them, but the men were already toting Daryl into the the house as fast as they could.
Herschel tended to him, and Andrea was in distress, she went to sit downstairs and waited until she got the okay to go see him.
She raced up the steps and into the room and found Daryl standing in the doorframe to the bathroom, with one hand on his hip and the other holding the frame above him. Before he had even time to respond, she was threading her arms underneath his and holding onto his shoulders. She lost it and was crying too hard to be clear.
Daryl rolled his head back, along with his eyes and conked Andrea on the head. She was on her tip-toes resting her head on the nape of his neck. He winced at the jab to where the bullet grazed him and Andrea froze.
"I just keep hurting you! I'm so sorry! I should have listened!" Daryl didn't say anything, just waited for her to be finished, and gave his trademark huff when tears began to roll down his shirtless back. His head rolled forward this time, and only now could Andrea sense his disdain.
"I'm bothering you! I'm sorry! So sorry, Daryl! I'll go." And without another word or look, Andrea ran from the room.
She wasn't even this emotional the rest of the time, dammit! Why does everyone come crying and hugging to him!
Is it really so hard? Don't look, touch, talk or think about Daryl. None of that, no conflict.
Women. All of them.