Turning Tables

"Hey there." Daryl said to Abi, sneaking up behind her as we sat near the edge of the lake. I closed my eyes and bit down on my lip.

So much for avoiding him.

I'd done good not speaking to him or looking at him all day, mostly because I'd been down here washing clothes with Abi. I had a washboard in hand and a bucket of clothes next to me. Andrea and Dale were in a tin boat in the bright blue waters, relaxed back with their fishing poles. Carol and Lori were on further down the shore doing the same thing as Abi and I, and gave a peculiar look while Daryl stood there.

"Mr. Daryl!" Abi said, tipping her head upside down to see him, giggling.

"You havin' fun?" He asked her.

"Yeah." She brought her head back to its' natural position and looked to me. "Aren't we, Bellie?"

I smiled. "Loads."

She laughed wildly at my laundry pun. Daryl tugged at the sort of French braid I'd put in her hair this morning.

"This your creation?" He asked me, with a raised eyebrow."

I didn't meet his eyes. "Shouldn't you be the run with Rick and Glenn?" My voice was cold.

He grunted. "We just got back."

I stared back down at my laundry, dipping the blue shirt that I think belonged to Glenn into the water then rubbed it hard against the washboard.

"Where did you go last night?" Abi asked me suddenly, and I realized I'd missed part of their conversation.

"Yeah, Arken?" Daryl asked, with sarcasm Abi wouldn't be able to detect.

I glared in his direction. "It wasn't important, Abilene. Just something stupid I had to take care of."

"What was it?" She asked.

"Why didn't you tell me you were awake, Abi?" I said, trying to distract her from the subject.

"I was faking asleep."

I smiled and nudged her with my shoulder. "No duh."

"I heard Mr. Daryl last night, too. Was he with you?"

My face was hot as I glanced back at Daryl, who stared at me through narrow eyes, but they weren't angry.

"Yes. He was helping me with something."

"What was he helping you with?"

I sighed. "Really, Abi, it was nothing." I paused to look at Abi then back to the blue shirt. "I shouldn't have gone."

"Why's that?" Daryl asked from behind me. His tone was mocking.

I rung the shirt out, threw it back in the basket and glared up at him. Two can play at that game.

"Because it was a waste of time." I began. "I think only one of us needed help, but the other decided it'd be better to just watch them struggle with it for a while, help them out for a moment, then push them away again."

Daryl chuckled for a moment then looked to Abi. "Your sister's gotta good eye."

I huffed then turned back around. I heard Carol call Abi from down the shore, and in an instant Abi was on her feet running toward Carol, who I'm sure thought was doing me a favor for leaving me and Daryl alone. If only I could tell her it wasn't.

"Just us." He said, taking Abi's spot. I nearly choked on air.

My face whipped toward his. "Are you kidding?"

He shrugged. "Lil bit."

I scowled. "Stop. Really, just stop." I stammered.

"What?"

"You know what. You know exactly what." I turned away from him and grabbed another shirt. "We shouldn't be spending time on whatever this is anyways, Daryl. We all go jobs, like Hershel says."

He snorted. "Thought you really liked me." His voice was mocking.

"People change all the time."

"You don't."

"Oh well."

"So what does this mean…. For us?" He said, mimicking what I said last night. He was making fun of me. My blood boiled.

"Nothing." I snapped. "Leave."

"No."

"Fine. Then I'll leave." I said, getting to my feet and grabbing the basket of half-finished laundry.

"You ain't goanna finish?"

"Not if you're here."

"You're a bitch."

I ignored him and began walking away. Then I stopped and turned back around, changing my mind. I knew he wouldn't follow me. And there were things I still needed to know, and now was not a time to be stubborn. In a way it was my only chance. As much as he infuriated me, I couldn't go on not knowing.

"If I told you I liked you, what would you say?" I asked him, cautiously.

He looked at me up and down. "Decide to stay?"

"Answer."

He snorted. "Well I wouldn't say it back."

"You want to."

His eyes narrowed. "You need to stop bein' so naïve."

I set my basket back and walked toward him. "You need to stop acting like there's nothing going on here."

"There isn't."

"You're the one who kissed me." I snapped.

He laughed. "You're the one who told me to."

"You didn't have to."

He paused for a second. "Maybe I wanted to."

"Well…do you want to again?"

"Here? No."

I scowled and looked quickly over at Abi down the bank. She wasn't looking at us but Lori was. "Of course not here."

Someone approached us from behind and I turned around to Shane stalking toward us, his deputy hat low over his eyes.

"Dixon! We need you back at camp."

Daryl gave him a stone look.

"Why?" But it sounded more like "Whah?"

"Need ya to move all the trucks. We're movin' into the house."

I turned around to meet Shanes' stare. "Why are we moving into the house?"

"Gon get cold soon. And Hershel insisted there's enough room."

I turned back to Daryl who was already moving his way past me to join Shane.

"Later." He said, and then he disappeared.

The tents were taken down by the time Lori, Abi, Carol and I got back to camp. My truck was pulled up to the house, and Carl and Shane were sitting in the tailgate, talking. It was strange to see the spot where our tents had been almost completely bare. I only felt a bang of sadness when I saw the campfire we all used to gather around as nothing but a black spot.

"We were talkin about movin' in to the house. Didn't think there was enough room." Lori said as we approached the house.

"I'm guessing some of us will be sleeping on the couch." I joked.

She stopped me in front of the porch suddenly, and let the others walk ahead of us into the house. Abi was holding Carols basket of clothes and didn't even know I stopped. Lori looked at me, unsmiling. "Is there something going on between you and Dixon?"

I was quiet for a moment, not knowing what to say. So I told the truth.

"I don't know yet."

She sighed. "That's not a good idea."

I stared at her. "Why's that?"

"Dixon's…trouble." I tired to cut in but she cut me off. "Yes, he helps out far more than is expected of him and I think he's a good man, I really do, but that's just what he is. A grown man."

I'm sure my expression was shocked. "And what does that make me? A child? Lori, I'm twenty t-"

"Twenty-two, I know, but there's a significant difference there. And ya'll are just payin' attention to each other, what are you not paying attention to? The group."

"Lori, I don't think it's you place to tell me what I can and can't do. It's like me telling you that you cant have a husband because it's too distracting."

"Now, that's different."

"No, it's not. I appreciate your concern, but you should start treating me as your friend or at least a group member instead of a child."

She tucked a lock of her brown hair behind here ear. "Fine, then I'm telling you as a friend don't get tangled up with Daryl. He's going to do what he has to to survive and if you're not a part of that plan he'll drop you like a fly."

"I don't believe that." I said, quickly.

She shook her head. "You don't know Dixon very well then, do you?"

Not nearly as much as I'd like.

"I guess not."

She set a hand on my shoulder. "Don't get attached, that's all." She turned away before turning back for a moment. "Or pregnant."

My jaw dropped a little. She mouthed sorry then turned to go up the steps to the porch. Daryl was just coming down them.

How convenient.

"Arken." He said. I nodded at him.

"Got everything moved in?" I asked.

"Yeah. Tight on space. Looks like you and me are sharing a room."

I gaped at him, words escaping my mouth. He chuckled.

"Kidding."

I let out a sigh of relief. "Don't do that."

"What? Joke?"

I scowled.

"Alright." He said. "But I overheard you and Lori." He looked around, awkwardly. I looked at the ground.

"Oh…" I managed to say.

"Yeah." He said, then nodded and turned back to the house.

"Hey, wait." I called after him. "You're not going to say anything about it?" I asked, stopping him on the first step.

He turned back. "What's there to say?"

I shrugged. "More than that, I guess."

He smirked. "She's right, ya know."

I stared firmly at him. "I don't care."

He stepped down, closer to me. "You don't think she's telling the truth."

I shook my head.

"You know you don't mean that much to me."

Ow. I sucked in my breath.

"So if you had to leave right now, without me…?"

"Wouldn't even look back."

I turned away from him, anger turning my skin a dangerous red. "Then why even bother?"

He grabbed my arm and pulled me back to face him, but he didn't say anything. He didn't try to justify his words because even though they were cruel and harsh, they were true. His pale eyes searched mine until Glenn walked up from behind us.

"Whoa." He said. "You guys aren't going to kiss, are you?"

Daryl tore his eyes from mine. "No."

He turned away from me and walked up the porch stairs calmly while I stared after him anger and nerves and desire electricuting my body.

I really think he gets some sort of sick pleasure out of seeing me sink.

I turned to Glenn, who had a raised eyebrow. "I don't need the lecture from you. Lori beat you at that."

He shrugged. "Hey, no judgments here. But that does seem a little hypocritical of her."

I took a few steps closer. "What do you mean?"

He looked up at the house and then back at me. "You don't know, do you? About her and Shane?"

"No.."

He laughed. "Makes sense. Having an affair with your husbands best friend isn't the first thing you tell people."

I gaped at him. "Lori and Shane?"

He nodded. "It was before Rick got here. Lori and Carl and Shane all came here together. We all thought they were together until I found Rick in Atlanta and brought him back here. You wouldn't imagine their reunion."

"Oh my God."

"I know. But I guess she thought Rick was dead, or whatever."

"So the first thing she did was have sex with Shane?"
"She was grieving." He said. "And when Rick got back she dropped Shane."

I laughed. "No wonder Shane's such a dick."

He shrugged. "So hey, I wouldn't take relationship advice from Lori. If you like Dixon, just fuck him."

"Glenn!" I shouted.

He laughed long, and heavy while I punched his arm. When the laughter died down he held his arms up in defense. "Okay, okay." He breathed.

"I'll tell your girlfriend on you." I warned.

"Maggie?" He blushed. "She's not my girlfriend."

"Yet."

He rolled his eyes, still a little embarrassed and I waved goodbye to him and headed up the stairs.

` Things were a little hectic inside. It seemed that everyone was moving something and the rooms were crowded with blankets and cushions and the things that used to crowd our tents.

"Hershel, there isn't enough room." Rick said, putting a box down.

"We'll make room." Hershel replied. I hurried quickly over to them.

"What's the room situation?" I asked.

The men looked at me. "Well," Hershel began, "Beth, Patricia and Maggie are sharin' the only small one upstairs. Lori, Carl and Rick get the one in the dining room, and I guess everyone else gets the living room. Except for Dale. He's staying in the camper."

A quick thought occurred to me as I looked around. "I'll stay outside. I like my tent."

Rick shook his head. "I can't ask you to do that, Arken."

"You're not. I'm offering."

Hershel looked from Rick to me. "Now, we could use the space, however it really will be to cold for the little one." He nodded to Abi, who was laying out a blanket with Carol.

"She'll stay in here."

"If that's what you want, then the tents are in the tailgate of the white truck. Should start puttin' it up early before dinner."

I nodded. "I'll get right on it."

Rick still looked not very fond of the idea as I turned back to go outside.

I found my green tent in the tailgate and flung it over my shoulder. I picked a spot close by the camper to set up my tent and got to work. I layed out the tarp, hammered the stakes into the ground, connected the poles and laced them through slits, then brought it up. It only took me about 20 minutes.

"You're stayin' outside?" Dale called from the camper.

I nodded. "Yeah. Figured you can't do the job all by yourself."

I heard him chuckle as I jogged back up to the house. I nearly ran into Daryl on the way up the porch steps.

"What are you doin'?" He asked me, skeptically.

"Getting my stuff."

"Why?"

"I'm staying outside." I tried to push past him, but he caught my arm.

"Why?"

"We're kind of…limited on space. Plus, I like the outdoors." He let go of my arm and I finished the rest of the stairs. I found Abi and Carol inside.

"Hey, uh, where'd you put our stuff?"

Carol looked up then nodded to a chair. "Whatever was in your tent should be on that chair."

"Thanks." I said, grabbing my bag of clothes, my lantern and my paperback copy of 'Gone with The Wind' and started back outside.

"Bellie, where are you going?" Abi asked, stopping me at the door.

I turned around and kneeled down to her height. Her bright hazel eyes searched mine.

"Abilene, can I talk to you like a big girl?"

She nodded quickly.

"Well, there isn't a lot of space in the house so I'm going to stay in the tent outside and I want you to stay here Hershel's nice, warm house and sleep with Carol. Can you do that for me?"

Her eyes twisted into confusion. "Why can't I sleep with you, Bellie?"

"It's going to get real cold."

"I don't care! I swear I don't!"

I set my book down and put a hand on her shoulder. "I want you to be nice and warm and not out in the cold."

She looked like she was going to either cry or protest. I pulled her into a hug. "I need you to be a big girl, okay." I felt her nod into my shoulder.

I pulled back. "Now go help Carol. I'll be back before you know it." I picked up my book and watched her walk back to Carol, reluctantly.

I sighed and turned back to go outside, but when I opened the door my eyes shot open wide.

Daryl was setting his dull orange tent up beside mine.

I walked as quick as my feet could carry me to our tents. He greeted me with an almost sarcastic smile.

"What are you doing?" I demanded.

"What does it look like?"

I rolled my eyes. "You don't have to do that, Daryl. I'm perfectly fine out here by myself.

He laughed. "I'm not doing it for you."

"So you just randomly decided that Dale needed extra help before I set my tent up?"

He shook his head. "No, after. Around the time we had the conversation on the steps."

I scowled. "So you are doing this for me?"

"Because of you. Not for you."

I sighed.

He raised an eyebrow. "You don't seem as thrilled as I thought you'd be."

"That's because I'm not."

He smirked.

"You can put your tent back, Daryl. I don't need you to look after me." I snapped. I regretted it almost immediately. This wasn't going well for me.

He turned away and started digging a stake back out of the ground.

"Sorry." I said, quickly. "You don't have to do that."

"You told me too. And hey, sharing a tent with you wont be that bad, will it? You're ain't a snorer, are you?"

"No!"

"Good. I am." He said with a playful smile.

I punched him as hard as I could in the arm. "No, I mean about sharing a tent." I glanced to the house. "I mean, what would they think? What would Abi think?'

"Who gives a shit?" He said, standing up straight and rubbing his arm. "Gotta hell of a punch, by the way."

"Really?" My voice was almost too hopeful.

"No." He said, snorting. I rolled my eyes.

"We're not sharing a tent." I said, sternly.

"Alright. But if you get lonely around, say, midnight, you know where I'll be." He kicked the stake back into the ground with his boot.

I laughed. "Don't hold your breath."

"Do you enjoy eating your words, Arken?"

I scowled and turned to my tent. "We'll see about that."

I threw my stuff down to the corner and headed back up for the house realizing I had nothing to sleep on. I felt something soft hit my back before I could make it too far. I turned around, almost tripping on the sleeping bag Daryl had thrown at me.

"Musta grabbed an extra one." He said.

I picked it up. "Thanks."

"Yep."

I headed back for my tent, and threw the sleeping bag inside, crawling in after it. I flattened it out, and returned outside to find Daryl gone.

Wiping my hands off, I started again for the house. I'd probably end up helping Patricia with dinner or playing with Abi, but a nagging feeling just wanted to go back to my tent and wait for Daryl.

That was nonsense. Daryl wasn't my chore or my priority, and like Hershel says, we all got jobs.

I bounded up the stairs and headed inside.