Chapter 9

This Chapter involves some violent descriptions so be warned.

Apologies this chapter isn't as long as the rest! I just wanted to leave it on a specific bit.

I had spent most of the morning attempting to avoid being lured into a conversation with Rick about the events of being on watch with Daryl. I didn't want to lie to him, but I also did not want him to know that we had almost killed each other once again.

The point of going on watch was to burn our bridges and call a truce, but that idea had crashed and burned instantly.

No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't seem to build a civil relationship with the redneck and I definitely couldn't now he'd seen me break down like the weak feeble woman I seemed to have become.

Whilst I checked for any disturbances at the fences I kept vigorously cursing myself for letting my guard down for a split second. I was mortified that he of all people had seen it. I'd spent so long keeping all the turmoil inside me hidden, one weak moment and the flood gates burst.

At least I would never let it happen again.

It also disturbed me that his instant assumption to my outburst was to think I'd act irrational and harm myself, as if I had no back bone. I'd been through too much, seen too much to give up now and he should know that.

Because I had tried to avoid Rick and a specific Redneck, I had somehow found myself roped into helping Carol do the laundry. One of things I did not miss from post apocalyptic times.

Cleaning the men's filth ridden underpants was not my idea of fun. It would only be remotely interesting if I had some itching powder to place in Daryl's boxes, but I think Carol wouldn't take lightly to that thought.

As I watched her hum quietly to herself as she scrubbed away at a pair of stained jeans, I couldn't help but want to question her about her relationship with Daryl.

For what I'd witnessed I didn't think Daryl was capable of holding a stable relationship, any use of contact he used had been quick or aggressive but maybe that's just the way he behaved towards me.

Who am I to assume that he isn't a loving caring person in the arms of Carol. Though I have to admit I had to resist the urge to laugh at that thought.

He wasn't exactly Romeo.

"Are you and Daryl an item?" I blurted out the words coming out in streams. I really wanted to slap myself seeing as it had been twice in two days that I couldn't seem to keep my thoughts to myself. I guess my brain didn't understand the concept of shutting the hell up.

Carol paused in her actively, her blue eyes widening as she stared directly at me, her cheeks flushing a deep red.

"What do you mean?" She questioned, the embarrassment evident on her features. From her reaction I already knew the answer, it was all a matter of spoken proof.

"Are you and Daryl dating?" I asked calmly, finding my confidence to delve into her personal life.

I know it wasn't my place to pry, but when the world had turned to shit, you found yourself trying to amuse yourself with any signs of harmless gossip. Also, Daryl actually caring about another human being, sparked interest within me. I had him down as a lone wolf forced to work with a pack, not Casanova.

"Why would you ask that?" There was a hint of defence in her tone which pretty much answered my question.

I shrugged cooly "I just see things"

"What things?" She resorted back a sense of panic in her movement as she quickly placed the jeans back into the soapy bucket.

Just as I was about to delve into the specific "things" I was side tracked by Maggie's entrance.

"Hey Aria, would you mind helping out at the fences?" She smiled warmly, her short brown hair sticking to the side of her face due to the heat. She quickly brushed it away as she waited for my reply, which was instant wanting to get as far away from laundry as possible.

"Sure no problem" I roughly dumped the crumpled shirt that was in my hands back into the wash bucket and straightened out my disheveled clothes before following Maggie's retreating frame out into the courtyard. I could feel Carol's eyes boring into my back and I knew she'd want to press me further on the subject of Daryl later.

I found it quite hilarious how embarrassed she had got over my questions. It reminded me of a school girl crush. Don't get me wrong, It was a pleasant sight to see, being a massive contrast to all the death and destruction happening around us.

As soon as I stepped outside, I was greeted by the warm heat radiating from the beaming sun, I squinted my eyes through the brightness as I tried to focus on where Maggie's silhouette was heading.

I stumbled when a tall figure quickly blocked my path and I glanced up, my heart accelerating when I found Rick standing before me, his blue eyes surveying my face.

I inwardly cursed for my stupidity at thinking I could avoid the sheriff all day, I was bound to see him in such a small enclosure.

"Hey Rick" I said awkwardly swaying on my feet, looking over his shoulder to find Maggie had stopped her movement and was patiently waiting for me. I silently thanked her, knowing that she could be an excuse to leave and help me avoid this train crash conversation.

"Aria haven't seen you in a while" Rick said with slight suspicion in his tone and I knew he knew I had been purposely avoiding him.

"Just been helping Carol with laundry" I itched the top of my head and glanced around the courtyard diverting my attention to anything other than Rick's intimidating stare.

Lori and Carl were situated by the benches, Lori reading what seemed to be a text book to a bored looking Carl. T-dog was creating tonight's dinner, enthusiastically mixing the bland ingredients in a plastic bowl. I had no idea where Andrea was, and I already knew where Daryl was. I had to know so I wouldn't bump into him.

"Thought you might be avoiding me" He stated in a matter of fact tone and I almost choked on my saliva at his bluntness. He sure as hell didn't miss a thing.

I quickly regained myself and cringed when my voice came out a few octaves higher than my usual tone.

"Of course not Rick"

"You got something to tell me?" I couldn't help but want to squirm away from his question.

How could I tell him, that I'd done the opposite of what he had asked and fueled more hatred between the redneck and I.

I wanted to be part of his group and like he had said before, Daryl was a valuable member, I couldn't go around provoking him. It just didn't help that I fantasied about killing him half the time.

I gulped, my throat suddenly feeling dry and I could feel my cheeks heating up "There's nothing to tell Rick"

"Daryl said last night was okay, said you made a agreement to be civil"

"He did?" I tried to hide the surprise evident in my tone.

I couldn't understand why Daryl would lie about last nights events. Surely he would want to show Rick what a liability I was and hopefully get rid of me. After all, he hated my guts, he had protested it to me and others many of times. Telling the truth about how I had lost it and potentially caused danger for the group would work out in Daryl's favour.

So why did he lie?

"Yeah, why did that not happen?" Rick quirked a brow in question and I quickly shook my head, not wanting to rat Daryl out. Knowing that if the truth did come out, it would only look bad on myself.

"No that did happen"

"Cause I do want both of you to work well, gonna need you on the supply run"

"Don't worry Rick, we won't cause a problem" I half lied, knowing that I wouldn't purposely provoke him unless he decided to push my temper. I wasn't going to let him walk over me that was sure.

"Okay good to hear" He said still not convinced and I noticed how his eyes flickered over to his son and wife, a distant look forming on his face.

"I better go help Maggie clean the fences" I stated grabbing his attention after a few seconds. He nodded his head in agreement and began to walk towards his family, his strides forced and detached.

I saw that Maggie had been watching our whole exchanged and I smiled at her in suggestion that we should continue our journey and was pleased when she carried on walking.

As we passed the looming guard tower I purposely diverted my eyes to the ground, not wanting to catch sight of the person I had been avoiding all day.

I paused in my movement as soon as Maggie stopped short, watching as she leant over to pick up the weapons used to disperse the Walkers crawling at the fences.

I caught the crowbar she threw towards me with both hands and began to follow her towards the fences, trying not to gag at the rancid scent of death purging the air. I pinched my nose and blinked a few times, letting the water exit my eyes, numbing the sting the smell had caused.

As we moved in closer to the edge of the fence my eyes scanned the worryingly amount of walkers scattered across the open. Since yesterday they seemed to have multiplied. My stupid stunt yesterday most likely being the cause of it.

"Ain't looking good is it?" Maggie asked staring straight ahead at the heaps of decomposed bodies fighting to get to their next meal.

It was terrifying how determined they were to sink their teeth into flesh.

I swallowed the vile that I had formed at the back of my throat "No not at all"

"Those planks should hold the fence up, for now all we gotta do is kill as many as we can" She stated before lunging her pole straight into the eye socket of a male Walker.

I tried not to let my stomach contents erupt as I heard the loud squelching sound of their brains being destroyed.

There were once people. People I would walk past in the street, people I'd speak to at the bus stop. Someones cousin, parent, son and daughter. I would never be able to get used to it.

"The more we kill the less pushing the fence"

When she killed another, I brought myself back to reality and sucked in a deep breath calming my shaking hands before violently shoved the end of my crowbar into a Walkers head, dodging backwards to avoid the blood splatter.

"You sure is ugly" I scrunched my face up in disgust as I pulled the metal out from its skull.

This routine continued for a while until I no longer felt bothered by the destruction before me.I had gotten through a good amount of Walkers when a sight in the clearing caused me to pause in my action. I moved closer to the fence attempting to get a closer inspection at the figure that seemed to be running in the distance.

"Aria do you see that? Is someone run-"

It was that familiar waves of brown hair that caused my weapon to slip through my fingers and plummet to the cold ground. It was that fresh olive skin peeking out from underneath the dirt, grime and dried blood that had me sprinting towards the opening gate despite Maggie's protests. It was that tall lean frame that once held bulk to it that had me roughly unlocking the gate.

And it was those bright green eyes that had me running out into the opening, the smell of death so intoxicating and breath taking, hundreds of disfigured arms reaching out to snatch my flesh causing my heart to pound so aggressively against my rib cage that I was afraid it would burst through my chest.

"Girl what the hell are ya doing? I'm telling yer get back here now!"

"Aria no, you can't go out there, there's too many, come back, it's not safe"

"I swear to fucking Christ Woman, don't make me come after yer"

"What the hell is happening? Are you insane? It's too dangerous"

"Everyone grab a weapon, if they get too close we shoot them down, do it now that's a order"

I didn't care that in the distance I could hear every curse word under the sun escaping Daryl's throat as he watched me run, I didn't care that Maggie was screaming frantically for me to come back, I didn't care that Rick was already ordering people to grab their weapons ready to shoot down the Walkers surrounding my sprinting frame.

All I cared about was getting to him.

I needed to save him.

And then I was going to kill him.