I'm so excited for this chapter! It's much, much longer than usual. I was up until 3 am writing it out and putting off the studying I had to do for my midterm the next day ;) Thanks to my excellent Beta, here you go!
Before this shit show happened, Leah had virtually nobody. And quite honestly, that was A-O-fucking-K with her. She was absolutely fine with nobody but her own damn self to deal with. She was a fucking trip all herself. She worked too damn hard to get to a place in her life where she was fine with the shitty childhood she was dealt. After shit went down with her family, she worked her damn ass off. She paid her way through college. Got a job and her own apartment. Sure it wasn't the greatest apartment and her job was fucking draining. But she had a life, a damn good life too. And thanks to the jackass upstairs (if there was one, she was starting to doubt) with a sick sense of humor, she was thrown through yet another loop. In the form of Daryl fucking Dixon. And then boom, every god damn painful memory of her past trudged its way to the forefront of her mind. Everything that she thought she worked past turned out to just be buried. Just beneath the damn surface.
The crackling of the small fire she sat in front of drew her attention from her internal thoughts to the small group of people staring at her, waiting for her to say something. Perfect.
'Way to look competent Leah' she chastised herself. She cleared her throat and gave a shy smile as her eyes roamed over her audience before darting back to her hands, rubbing them together.
"So Daryl, want to introduce your friend?" Leah looked up to a tall dark haired man and her brows instantly furrowed at his tone. Apparently Daryl felt the same. She watched as he rolled his eyes and shifted his gaze to the other man.
"She's got a mouth Shane, I'm sure she can use it."
Nearby another man tiredly ran his hand down his face and turned to the woman awkwardly.
"I'm Rick, Rick Grimes," he said, offering his hand out to her.
"Leah Mason," she smiled and shook his hand politely. Shaking her head she chuckled. "End of the damn world and I run into one of the most cordial men yet." At that the tension seemed to alleviate and everyone started chuckling.
Still smiling Rick began the introductions. "My wife, Lori" he put his hand on the shoulder of the pretty brunette by his side he gestured to the young boy sitting by Lori's feet. "Carl, my son", the boy smiled up at her and she shot her own back. "You've met Andrea… This is Shane," the dark haired man from earlier gave her a small apologetic smile. "T-dog" he said and she was rewarded with a large grin from the big man as he waved a bandaged arm at her. "That's Glenn over there, a young Asian man gave her a shy smile and a quick "Hello". Lastly he gestured to an older man still wearing that silly fishing hat from earlier, "and that's Dale."
TWD~
Daryl leaned casually against the RV, arms crossed as he watched Leah. A ghost right out of his fukin'past. She looked different from what he remembered. Hell he probably looked different too. Gone was the scrawny teenager he used to sneak beers into the shed with and in her place was a tall, slim woman with a mess of dark blonde hair and tan skin. Her eyes were what were the most different about her. While his had probably always been hard and steely, Leah's, no matter how shitty her life was or how banged up she was from her no good son of a bitch father, had always, always been full of laughter. The girl he remembered covered up everything with a good joke. He noticed during the introductions and her nervous ice-breaker quip about Rick that that fact had not changed. But the thing about her big brown eyes was that they held a faraway, distant look. The change in her was immense. He now looked upon a woman who clearly had resigned herself to her fate. To that he could relate. This was life now, and maybe this is the life they'd been designed for. A life where it was necessary to bury things and move on in order to survive. Hell they'd been doing that since they were little. It was clear neither of them had grown out of it. But he knew for a fact that Daryl Dixon was not gonna let her back into his damn good graces just because they crossed paths again at the end of the fuckin' world. With that final thought Daryl stomped his way by the group around the fire and into the RV.
Daryl's stomp into the RV sobered the laughing group around the fire. With a few "goodnights" here and there everyone began making their way to their respective sleeping places and Leah was left with Rick and Shane.
"We were really only here for a night at the most… But due to some unforeseen circumstances, we seem to be stuck here for a bit longer" Rick started "So naturally we really don't have any true assigned sleeping places, but we do have a look out if you'd like to make yourself comfortable in one of the vehicles…"
"It's fine, honestly… I'll probably be out of your hair tomorrow-"At that Rick cut her off with a serious look.
"No way. Seriously, we can't just let you go back out on your own. It's not safe. We got a good thing goin' here. We might be slightly unorganized, but were family now. We stick together, even Daryl. You are by all means welcome here. Wouldn't hurt to have some extra eyes looking for Sophia either and from what Andrea's been tellin' me you're pretty good in the woods. We could use that." A few moments of silence passed by as Leah thought things through.
"Rick… What I know about this world is the woods aren't the same's they used to be. No place for a little girl. I'd like to help as best I can". At that Rick smiled at her and his hand went to her shoulder.
"Thank you Leah. I really mean that." And with a nod, Rick and Shane walked off leaving Leah to her own devices.
TWD~
Before the sun had even fully risen, Leah abandoned her attempt at sleeping any longer. Too much was going through her mind. She sat up from the backseat of the car she had spent the night in and looked out the window at the few members of the group already up. Daryl being one of them… No surprise there though. With a sigh she climbed out of the vehicle and stretched her cramped muscles and made her way through the mess of vehicles littering the highway. As she reached the group Lori smiled at her and handed her a water bottle. Taking a seat by the fire she nodded in greeting to Dale perched on the RV. Across from her Daryl seemed to be tending to his bolts, for the crossbow leaning against his lawn chair. Funny how after so many years she could still tell when he was stressed by how every once in a while he would raise his thumb to his lips and chew at the skin around his nail. She let out a low chuckle and he looked up and shot her a little glare before looking down again. So very Daryl like it brought a grin to her lips.
"Hey Leah," T-dog said as he made his way to the chair beside her "Daryl," he acknowledged and exchanged a nod with the rough man.
"Not lookin' so good T." He muttered. It was true. The man looked positively weak.
"You bit?" Leah asked wide eyed. She had noticed the bandaged covered arm last night but had never really processed it in the middle of everything.
"Nah, tore it up pretty bad on a busted piece of metal yesterday, bled quite a bit."
Leah turned to him then. "I should have realized earlier. I can probably help you with that. Any longer and you could have run the risk of infection."
At that both men looked up at her shocked. "You a doctor er somethin'?" Daryl asked.
"Nurse actually," She noticed the incredulous looks directed at her. "Just cuz I sound backwoods and know my way 'round a weapon don't mean I ain't educated. Jesus!"
"S'not that but from what I remember you weren't 'xactly nurturin'." He smirked at her then, "I remember a certain incident with a kid by the name a Jimmy Rollins."
"Shit. You remember that?" She laughed then and T-dog looked curious.
"Mind sharin'?" He chuckled. Leah looked over at him remembering he was there suddenly, and a smile lit her face.
"Hey baby I'm headin' out for my shift at the diner. Your daddies gone for a while, not sure when he's gonna be back" Leah looked up to her mother from her spot in front of her mirror.
"Yah mama. See ya later".
"Alright honey, see ya Daryl" She smiled but it didn't quite reach her worn out eyes and left the room, closing Leah's door behind her.
"She means well ya know." Daryl told her from his sprawled out position on her small bed flipping through her collection of tapes.
"Course she does. She's my mama. Just doesn't know how ta take care of me." She said as she finished putting her long hair into a braid.
"Least you got a mama still." Turning around she plopped down beside Daryl shoving his legs aside and almost shoving him completely off the bed in the process. He gave her a playful glare as he adjusted himself on the crowded bed.
"What're ya getting' all fancied up for anyways girl?" He looked over at her neatly done hair and smirked at the damn earrings in her ears. What the hell?
"I got a date tonight Daryl. I told you that. You just don't listen."
"Hey! I listen."
"Sure ya do." She rolled her eyes and he gave her a playful shove.
"So who ya goin' out with?"
"Jimmy Rollins" She said picking at the almost foreign polish on her nails and looking up at Daryl from the corner of her eyes nervously.
"The fuck? Rollins? Ain't he like 17?"
"Ya, so?"
"We're fuckin' 15 Leah. What the hell do ya think a guy like that guy would want from you, huh?" He almost growled at her. "Jesus, Leah what the hell are ya thinkin'?"
"I'm thinking that I would like to go on a date Daryl. I've been taking care of myself since I was little. I can take care of myself now too". Daryl frowned at her response and rolled his eyes. A few minutes passed in silence before Leah turned to him again.
"I'll be ok Daryl, you know me. Hell you and Merle made damn sure I can put up a fight. Besides I really don't think you need to worry."
"Fine," He grumbled "you know where to find me if you wind up down shit creek."
"Jesus Daryl" she rolled her eyes.
"Don't even know why I would wanna help a stubborn kid like you."
"You're barely older than me!"
He smirked at her. "Whatever. You better be ready in the morning though. Were hikin' up to the hunting cabin remember? I got a new bow. Thought we'd go test her out."
She smiled up at him as a horn blasted out front. "Alright Daryl. Don't have to be so grumpy. Jeez," and just to push her luck she leaned over and smacked a big kiss on his cheek. "Almost like you like me or something."
"Dammit Leah!" He snarled as he wiped his cheek with his shirt sleeve. She grinned over at him before grabbing her jacket and walking out.
"Lock up after yourself!" She yelled back.
Three hours later Leah found herself walking home, tears sliding down her face and busted knuckles stinging as she clenched her hands. She let out a frustrated scream as rain began to fall. "Fuckin' perfect' she thought. Luckily she wasn't too far from the run down little house she called home. She angrily changed out of her wet clothes, too upset at her own stupidity to pick them up. Storming into her room she shoved off the pile of tapes Daryl had left on her bed. She began to sob as she realized the extent of her own stupidity. She should have listened to Daryl. She wouldn't have been in this damn situation if she would have just fuckin' listened to him. Similar thoughts flew through her mind as she continued to berate herself, eventually crying herself to sleep.
Eight in the morning came too fast for Daryl, but he knew they needed to get a head start on the hike up to the cabin; they still had to stop by the store and pick up a few supplies for the hike. He knocked on Leah's door and waited for her to answer. After a few minutes of nothing he rolled his eyes and let himself in. Wandering to the back of the small house to her bedroom he felt slightly uneasy. When he entered her bedroom he knew why. Her face swollen from clearly crying herself to sleep and her hair a complete rats nest. He rolled his eyes again and sat down beside her on the bed, shaking her gently awake.
"Leah?" She stirred "Jesus Leah, the hell happened?"
Groggily she pushed herself up. "Times' it?"
"Little after eight. You gonna tell me what happened?" He put his arm around her as she leaned her head into his shoulder.
"Not really. You can probably guess anyways." She mumbled into his shoulder.
He let it go as he rubbed her shoulder. "Need me to take care of it?" She shook her head. "Alright. Better clean up were still heading up to the damn cabin". She nodded and stood up, grabbing some clothes out of her dresser and padded her way to the bathroom. Leaving Daryl to run his hands through his hair and bringing his thumb to his lips.
Half an hour later found Leah and Daryl inside the small convenience store. They were in separate isles each picking out different types of junk food and other various supplies needed for the trip into the woods. Daryl glanced out the window at a tan pick-up outside and did a double take, a smirk lighting up his lips as he realized exactly whose truck that was. Leah watched as his smirk turned into a god damn grin as 17 year old Jimmy Rollins walked to his truck from a shop down the street. The reason behind that fuckin' grin? 17 year old Jimmy damn Rollins. The fucking football player Jimmy fuckin' Rollins was sporting a nice shiner, busted lip and a nice bruised up face. Leah walked over and Daryl grabbed her right hand, staring at the busted knuckles. He let out a loud laugh.
"Jesus Christ woman."