One day later from where we left off in Chapter Five. Liv is about to head out on a run with Abraham, and Marco.
*DISCLAIMER DO NOT OWN The Walking Dead*
CHAPTER 6: The Worst Part About Being Strong
Liv walked out to the car where Abraham and Marco stood waiting for her. She always was late to whatever she needed to do, just because she would stop and talk to others in the community, and she tried to make sure everything was running smoothly before she left off somewhere.
"It takes you this long to get out here?" Marco teased, just as Abraham let out a smirk.
Liv gave him a scarce look, raising an eyebrow. "I see how it is-"
"Liv!" Daryl yelled cutting her off from saying anything else.
"What's wrong?" She turned around quickly to face her brother.
"Nothin' jus' wanted to let ya know I'm comin' with." He stated making himself clear.
Liv was taken back a bit she was used to always being the one telling people what was going to happen. "Oh. Maybe it's best you stay here... were just going out and clearing a few little shops down west."
Daryl looked at her with no expression on his face. "Mm'kay... I'm still gonna go."
Liv looked to Abraham, who nodded his head. Liv knew that meant 'bring him along'. She knew Daryl was very skilled and could be great help to them on this trip but she just didn't know what he has been put through. She much rather have him there at the base camp, where he would be safe and would be able to relax. "Let's go then." She sighed, getting into the passenger seat of the car as the three men stared at each other for a moment before joining Liv in the car. Marco drove as usual, with Abraham and Daryl in the back seat of the Hummer that was previously owned by Jack, before he died.
In the car Marco gave the game plan of how they would clear the shops. "I say we kill the walkers clearing the front… that seems to work better for us." He said looking over to Liv who had provided that idea a few days ago.
"I don't know... didn't you guys lose someone that way?" Abraham imposed.
"It was an accident that was cause by a fellow soldier, not by a walker." Liv said, focused on the road as she spoke.
"Don't stick up for those man eating monsters." Abraham enforced, feeling partly disrespected.
"I'm unsure if your talking about humans or walkers..." Liv keenly replied.
"Dont be a smart ass, Liv." Daryl butted in.
Marco kept driving, he didn't say anything but was shocked and felt kind-of awkward seeing someone talk to Liv that way, though he didn't say anything because Daryl was Liv's older brother.
"So, are we clearing the front then going in?" Marco asked to everyone in the car at the fact that he was still unsure of the plan, when he pulled up to the first shop.
"Yes." Abraham answered, the car came to a stopped and he was the first one to get out hitting a walker over the head with the back of his sniper.
Daryl got out the car as Marco did the same. Liv took a deep breath before getting out of the car, pulling out her knives.
"Come on! Come get me!" Abraham yelled to a few walkers coming toward him as he stabbed one from underneath the chin and up with the blade at the end of his sniper. Taking his hand knife he kept on his right hip out with his other hand, he stabbed the face of a walker that was coming from the back of him.
"Use your gun bro to shoot them bro!" Marco yelled to Abraham as he pushed a male walker off him before shooting it right between the eyes.
"This is for when we get inside." Abraham said loading the gun as he ran over to help Marco who was getting surrounded by walkers for all directions.
Daryl stood in one spot as he shot walkers down one by one with his cross bow. "Liv be careful!" He shouted as Liv got out the car.
Liv looked back to Daryl and nodded her head. "Got it!" She relied. With her machete in hand she swung it at a walker coming up on her but before her knife came crashing into it's skull Daryl had shot it, as it fell before Liv's feet "I could have had that one." She calmly shouted to Daryl who was ten or-so feet away. Liv again heard a walker coming from behind, with her knife still in hand she spun around, lifted her machete above the head of the walker as it fell dead without her touching it. Seeing the arrow the was poking out of the other side of the walkers head she slightly turned to face her brother. "Daryl? What the hell are you doing?"
"What does it look like." He stated more than asked, turning to the other guys and running over to help Macro who was on the ground, but not injured.
Liv stood in disbelief before running to the front of one of the shops that was now cleared of walkers from the front. She banged on the door to get a clue of how many walkers were inside. After a few moments Liv could see walkers coming towards her.
"Are we gonna just let em' pile up?" Daryl asked.
"Yeah… we will open the doors in a minute…" Liv clarified, moment after moment more walkers appeared as the four stood watching through the clear glass doors.
"Now!" Abraham said, the other three moved aside when he chucked a good sized rock shattering one side of the doubled doors.
Liv ran up to the door and pulled it wide open for the walkers to come out. Immediately she began to kill walkers one after one, not letting anyone else get a chance to. She was trying to show Daryl that she didn't need his help. It was working for the most part but there was just too many for her to take on alone.
"Liv!" Daryl yelled getting frustrated at her disobedience. "Liv slow yourself!" He tried once more but nothing. He finally went up behind her and wrapped his arms around her upper torso, picked her up and moved her aside. At that point Marco and Abraham took Liv's place in killing the walkers.
"Stop!" She shouted over to Daryl, before quickly calming down.
"Check yourself before ya get us all killed." Daryl discreetly noted.
Liv stood there in front of Daryl for a short moment before walking in the shop.
"It's clear…" Marco said acknowledging Liv's presents. "Usually the walkers in shops like this are the owner and their families… sad really." He added.
"Yeah." Abraham agreed, remembering when he was with is family in a store before he found them outside, dead.
"Okay.." Liv said noticing Abraham's expression changed to an unsettled look. "Is there anything in here that we need." Liv asked trying to change the subject, while looking around the shop.
"Nothing much here…" Daryl replied, Liv turn to him as they made eye contact she gave him an annoyed looked. As usual Daryl shrugged it off.
They went to the other little store next to the one they were previously in, it was clear so Liv took out a spray paint can, that was a dark blue. In front of the two stores she wrote 'NO DEAD INSIDE'. With that they headed back to the car and set off back to the base camp. The car ride back was silent, though half of the way back Marco hummed to the song Danny Boy softly, as he drove. They pulled up to the gates and it slowly opened, once the car came to a stop Liv quickly got out before the other three. She walked in a fast pace when Rick, holding baby Judith, seen her coming his way.
"Hey! How was everything?" He asked, but Liv didn't answer. She walked past him angrily keeping her eyes on the ground. At this point Rick was a bit confused, and thought he might have done something to anger her, until he seen Daryl walking after her. "What happened?" Rick asked Daryl trying to get a response but nothing from him as well.
"Liv!" Daryl shouted to her but she just kept walking, this grabbed others attention. Daryl needed to do something to get her attention. He want to tell the people looking their way to 'F' off, but he tried to stay focused on Liv. "Olivia Snow!" He shouted once more, knowing that only her father called her by her full name.
Liv stopped dead in her tracks, shock and discombobulated. She spun around to face Daryl, and in the near distance she could her Sasha say, 'Her full name is Olivia?'. Daryl walked closer as Liv just stood still.
"Hey…" He softly spoke as Liv kept eyeing on the ground. "I only did what I did to keep you safe, an' before you say anything... I know you can keep yourself safe." He said as Michonne, Rick, Carl, Sasha, Maggie and Glenn along with a few soldiers came a bit closer to the two, just to hear what was being said. "I know you are strong an' you're always okay an-"
"I'm not though." Liv said cutting off Daryl as he gave her a confused look not understanding what she meant. "The worst part about being 'strong' is that no one ever asks if you're okay." Liv said as she looked at all of them who stood near, then looked down from the group who was staring at her. Daryl looked into his sister's watery eyes before looking down as well, he couldn't believe that he didn't take the time to ask her how she was before today and for that he was angry at himself.
"I'm sorry." Daryl apologized, he was never good at expressing himself and now he felt more pressure than ever, since he had an audience.
Liv looked at her brother then notice others were still standing around. She leaned into him and whispered "This is awkward." She said as she motioned with her eyes to the others.
Daryl stood there and nodded his head in agreement as he whispered back. "Maybe if we hug it out or something they'll walk away." This time Liv shook her head in agreement, and embraced Daryl.
-~The Worst Part About Being Strong~-
LATER ON THAT DAY.
"Carol." Daryl came to the outside calling out for Carol when he seen her.
"Hey, how's Liv doing?" Carol asked a bit concerned.
"Better you know how it is." Daryl shrugged it off.
Carol thought about when she felt like no one was there for her, taking her back to the time Rick told her she couldn't go back to the prison. "Yeah, and it's scary... being alone that is." She said talking a little longer to think about it.
Daryl thought of what to say. "You're okay now... right?" He asked still unsure of how all this comforting thing works.
"Now I am." She smiled at his effort but couldn't help to laugh a little.
"Stop, I'm trying." He said feeling the burn on the back of his neck.
"I know you're trying. Thank-you." She really appreciated his efforts, he always tried and that was more than any man ever did for her.
"I'm glad you're okay, cause then I'm okay." He tried to express, he was doing considerably well.
Carol felt warm inside, she leaned over and kissed Daryl on the cheek.
"What was that for?" He asked as he felt the heat move from the back of his neck to his cheeks.
"Just cause." She smiled and left him as he sat on a bench thinking more and more about her, Carol.
Liv was walking down the little path as she passed by Carol. "Hey, Carol." Liv greeted.
"Hey." Carol said briefly.
Liv continued to walk when she ran into a brooding Daryl. "What's going on with you?" Liv asked.
"I have a problem." He said low key.
Liv laughed. Usual when Daryl talked like that it wasn't really a problem, more of a tiny personal issue. "Okay what's that?" Liv questioned taking a seat.
"I can't get Carol outta my head." He confessed.
"Oh brother… Literally." Liv sighed, rolling her eyes. "So you like Carol?" Liv asked already knowing the answer.
"I mean, yeah." He nervously stated. Even though he was just talking to his sister he still felt nervous saying it, though Daryl looked completely calm on the outside. He never got into relationships because of his older brother. Merle, thought they were just a waste of time... hence the reason why Daryl is was still single.
"I say take it slow… Carol's not the type to just hit it and quit it if you know what I mean." Liv explained.
"I don't know what ya mean though." He said as Liv gave him an 'are you serious' look. She stood up, their was nothing more she could do if he didn't know what 'hit it and quite it' meant. She began to walk away from him leaving him more confused of what to do then before. Again she continued down the path, when she seen Rick heading her way, she hadn't got the chance to talk to him since she and him hooked up.
"Hey." Rick said coming up to her.
Liv really hated awkward situations so she thought to herself that this didn't have to be awkward. "hey... where's the kids?" She asked making 'small talk'.
"Somewhere around here." Rick said looking around before adding, "How have you been, Liv?"
"I could be better." She openly replied with a shrug. She was definitely better with how to express herself than Daryl but she was still learning how to deal with it all.
"Yeah, me too." He agreed.
"How so?" Liv asked knowing what he was going to bring up. It was now or never, and honestly she wanted to get the 'talk' over with.
"I think we need to talk 'bout the elephant in the room." He stated clearly.
There it was, but as usual she turned to the only thing she knew, was childish humor. It was just how she dealt with things. "Well we aren't in a room, but go ahead."
"Liv, I'm serious. We had... relations the other day, and I think we need to talk about it." He explain to her as she nodded her head and cleared her mind of all her fears for just a few moments.
"Yeah. No, I understand… what do you impose?"
"I think we can work. I want us to work. Take it slow, because I have a lot of respect for you... granted I did sleep with you first." He started in.
Liv thought for a moment. "I agree with you. I think we both will put the kids before us, we can be strong. I don't want this world to make me shut down a chance for love. This is that chance, and I don't want to try with anyone else, but you."
Rick smiled. He knew Liv and Carl were pretty close. He also knew he was making the right move to be with Liv. "I think you are really going to help us as a family." He added as Liv smiled just hearing that. "You make me happy. You make the kids happy."
"I'm glad Rick. I really care about him and Judith. I just want you to know how much I mean that." She gabbed his hand and held it in hers. He nodded his head before she spoke again "Oh, I have a lot of work I got to do... have you seen Abraham?" Liv remember she had been looking for him in the start.
"Mm, no, but I'm gonna go find the kids get them ready for bed." Rick said before pulling Liv into an amorous hug.
Liv for the second time headed down the path to their gun range where Abraham was setting off a few rounds. "Abe!" Liv shouted trying to be louder then the gun, it seem to work because he soon stopped.
"Is there something you need?" He asked with his full attention on her now.
"Yeah, They finished setting up the lab with some new equipment, I want you to come down with me to take a look at it, see if you like it." She explained.
"Yeah cool, I'm down." He agreed then the two made their way down to the new lab.
Once in the lab they met up with a woman named Suri who was a doctor before the apocalypse. "Wow, Look at this place!" Liv gasped in amazement as she and Abraham both looked around.
"Yeah. Most of this stuff was equipment we found the was in pretty good shape." Suri explained. "They don't take much power, that's why we got them. It's good for our generator."
"So whats the purpose of this?" Abraham asked, still looking around more.
"The only way we can stop this, is to understand it first, so we will just be running tests on walkers and what not." Suri once again explained.
"I see he said turning to look at Liv who seemed to be fixated on something. "What is it?" He asked to Liv.
"Mm, I don't know, Suri what is it?" Liv questioned as well standing in front of the machine as Suri and Abraham walked closer.
"Oh, that's a DNA sequencing machine, for DNA results and such. We only took it because it was in such great condition." Suri stated looking to Liv before adding. "Yeah, but I don't think we will ever use it."
"So what does it take for the results… like blood or something?" Liv asked curiously. Abraham hope she was trying to do what he thinks she might do.
Suri smiled at the fact that Liv seemed very intrigued about this machine. "Um some take blood, others take a piece of hair, but this one takes a cotton swab to the mouth."
"Oh really…" Liv said thinking for a moment, as she placed a hand on her chin.
"Yeah, if you guys can excuse me I have an appointment in five minutes just close up when you're finished." Suri said before walking out the door.
"Abrah-" Liv started but got cut off.
"No" Abraham's stern tone made Liv jump a little. He had already caught on to what was going to happen next.
"Oh, so you know about Judith then?" She asked a bit unsure.
"Yes. Glenn had mentioned it to me previously." He answered still not showing any expressions.
"Abraham I'm going to do this." She stated.
"I can't stop you Liv, but I'm not going to be apart of this." He refused.
"I need someones help..." She said as she thought to herself for a moment, thinking of a way to get Abraham on board. "How about you help me set this up tomorrow, and I'll take the swabs from Rick and Judith… and I won't even tell you the results even if he is her father." She argued.
Abraham looked at her knowing this would be a bad idea, but he wasn't going to let her go down alone. "Fine." He huffed. "But you promise me you won't tell me no matter what." He affirmed.
"Promise." She agreed to his terms. "And no matter what, Rick will always be Judith's father. He loves her and nothing is going to change that." Liv assured.
"Okay. I just don't know how you're going to put a swab in Ricks mouth without him being curious." Abraham stated, as Liv lifted an eyebrow, wondering the same thing.
-~The Worst Part About Being Strong~-
The next day Abraham was at the table eating breakfast with everyone else, when from the corner of his eye he seen Liv approaching. He held his breath... this was going to be, interesting.
"Okay listen up I need a mouth swab from one of y'all." Liv said plainly, holding up a cotton swab as she looked around the table, avoiding eye contact with Abraham.
Abraham wanted to laugh at her attempt to this, so he wanted to make this task... just a little bit harder for her. "Yeah, what for?" He said as she squinted her eyes and glared at him.
"Well…" She didn't know what to say. "The lab just opened and our kind and wonderful Dr. Suri, asked me to come down here and ask for a swab of someone's mouth. She said no questions asked and not to worry, she won't try to make a clone of you." Abraham was a bit surprised that what Liv said, some-what made sense… for being put on the spot.
"So why us and not the others?" Abraham continued to question.
Liv looked to him with a 'really?' she felt like flying across the table to strangle him. "Because, she wants someone knew I guess... no more questions!" Liv stated a bit frustrated with Abraham's little games. "So? Who will do it?" Liv asked, hoping Rick would be that one to volunteer. She looked towards his way and when they made eye contact she made sure to hold his gaze.
Rick looked around as everyone was doing the same. "If it's that important to her... I don't mind." Rick finally answered, getting up from where he sat and made his way to Liv.
"Perfect!" Liv enthused, looking to Abraham who was now out of his seat and heading his way to Rick and Liv.
Once in the lab Rick took a seat and Liv grabbed the cotton swab as Abraham took a seat on the counter top, to watch. "Okay, open wide." Liv said, she felt like she was talking to a little kid.
Ricks stared at her from a moment before he opened his mouth. Liv put the swab in and moved it around in circular motion getting the DNA molecules she needed. Once she was finished she put the swab in a tube. "Okay you're all done." Liv said giving his a smile.
"What no lollipop?" Rick joked, getting up from his seat when Abraham smirked.
With that Liv put the tube in a cabinet after labeling it 'A' then left with the two. Liv kept the other cotton swab in her jacket pocket, that was kept in it's sealed tube. Back at the table Rick finished eating the rest of his food on his plate when the opportunity for Liv to be with Judith alone, came.
"Oh, boy I think she's gonna need a changing." Carol said while hold Judith.
"I'll get it!" Liv said jumping up, before grabbing Judith.
Everyone looked a little shocked, but didn't want to intrude on Liv changing the dirty diaper. Liv took Judith to her room put a small blanket down before laying Judith on top of it. She quickly changed Judith's diaper, then got the cotton swab out as she carefully stuck it in Judith's mouth. The door knob turned and someone came in without warning.
"Um... Liv what are you doing?" The person behind her questioned.
Liv shot her head up, then turned around to reveal a confused Maggie. She sighed. "The truth or the lie?" Liv asked knowing there is no going back now.
"The truth would be nice…" Maggie stated, folding her arms across her chest.
"They have a DNA machine in the lab." Before Liv could add any more she noticed Maggie rolling her eyes. "So, I guess I don't need to explain any further." Liv said sitting down on the bed next to Judith.
Maggie closed the door behind her and took a long look at Judith. "Well, you should finish." She said, as Liv shot her head up to her friend in shock.
"Really?" Liv asked.
"I would want to know if she was my child." Maggie said openly.
Liv took the cotton swab out and repeated the steps she had previously done on Rick and labeled the tube 'B'. "Maggie, before I go any further… what color eyes did this other man have... if you knew him." Liv asked, slipping the tube in her pocket again and picking up Judith.
"Brown." Maggie answer confused.
"And the mother of Judith and Carl?"
"Lori… she had brown too, why?"
Liv looked a little more at ease, though Maggie still looked confused so Liv began to explain. "A child usually will end up with the father's eye color, though sometimes if the mother has darker eyes the child will get the most dominant eye color. In this case Judith got Rick's eyes…"
"So Judith is Rick's daughter?" again Maggie was confused.
"Well, two browns don't make a blue." Liv said before adding. "Unless the guy had a parent with blue eyes…" Liv looked to Maggie before handing her Judith. "Do you want to know the results?"
"When will they come in?"
"In forty-eight hours.."
"Mm. Yes and even if she is not." Maggie said kissing Judith on the head and watched Liv leave the room.
Liv left and went to work on the lab results with Abraham, Dr. Suri did help get the machine running, though she didn't know who the two DNA samples belonged to and she didn't ask. Liv was grateful for that... the less people to know the better.
-~The Worst Part About Being Strong~-
48 HOURS LATER.
"Liv!" Someone called out across the yard.
Liv turned to see it was Dr. Suri. "Yeah?" Liv questioned as she lightweight jogged to Suri.
"The results are in." The woman stated before she and Liv made there way to the lab.
"Suri… I'm nervous." Liv said putting her hand out to show it was shaking.
Suri looked to her then got the two clear pieces of paper and put them under a bright light. "Do you want them to be related or do you not want them to be related?" She questioned.
"I want them to." Liv answered anxiously.
"What is the relationship you think the two might share?" Suri asked, so she can get the correct reading off the paper.
"Father and daughter." Liv answered, eyeing the transparent paper that was being held out in front of her.
"Oh… Well the first row would be the genes she gets from her father, the second row is from her mother... and the last row is both combined." She explain. "Now when I put person A's paper in front of person B's paper..." Suri spoke while doing so. "You can see that the first row of person B almost matches up with person A." She said showing Liv.
"What does that mean?!" Liv asked feeling her stomach turn.
Suri smiled a bit. "This means that person B is the child of person A."
Hope you enjoyed, thought I'd give you guys an earlier one.
JaliceJelsa4eva - Thanks for your funny reviews I personally like the ship name, Lick... for Liv and Rick.
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-~Until Next Time~-