"Oh no you're not; get back over here this instant!"
Lori hollered at Carl, who had launched himself onto Sadie's back when the group decided to take a pit stop.
"But mom," Carl whined, as Sadie turned around, both making faces.
"But mom!" Sadie mimicked, sticking her tongue out at Lori, who had time in the ride to clear the air since the semi invasion of camp.
"I don't care, Carl, stay where I can see you," Lori smirked slightly.
"We're just goin' to take a look around, not too far, there's a couple cars down that side road, pretty please?" Sadie raised her hands together, as if to pray, Carl's arms and leg clinging onto her.
"And besides, you can see it from here, AND AND," Sadie laughed, overemphasizing, "I'll have my knife."
Rick waltzed from the other side of the car, smiling, "Aw come on Lori, they'll be fine, and Sadie's more than capable."
Lori sighed before nodding quietly. Sadie continued with Carl on her back, speaking over her shoulder, "Why worry? We've got big tough manly men here!"
Sadie and Carl continued down the side road in the small neighborhood, scavenging and scouting the area. The two were mostly silent, the sounds only of their breathing, until Carl pointed an arm in front of her.
"SADIE LOOK." he whispered into her ear, his voice drenched in fear.
Sadie's eyes moved slowly, to where Carl had pointed.
At the end of the street, this wasn't too far away, stood a medium sized herd of twenty or so walker children, as if a school hadn't had time to evacuate. There was an occasional adult, but the majority were Carl's age; their feet dragging they continued walking past. Sadie swallowed, turning her head slightly, beads of sweat beginning to form at her brow.
"Carl," she whispered, "I want you to get back to the group and let them know we have company."
"But what about-?" he whimpered slightly.
"Me?" She chuckled sarcastically, "I'll be fine, gonna try to distract them, just go, run of the grass, it'll be quieter!"
Sadie lowered Carl slowly, "Go!"
As the boy ran back as quietly as he could, Sadie hid behind a station wagon a few yards towards the herd. Opening the door as best she could, she rummaged around, trying to find anything she could use, but much to her dismay, found nothing. As she peered through the window, her heart sank as she saw that a walker had seen Carl run back towards the caravan; a couple others followed suite.
As they continued to drag along, Sadie fiddle under the steering wheel, pulling at random wires until the car alarm began to go off. The walkers head's swerved in the direction of the alarm.
"Shit, shit, fuck!"
Sadie scrambled out of the car, pulling her hunting knife as she exited. The walkers began to snarl, climbing under the station wagon and spilling over the sides. Sadie held her breath as she turned on her heels, bolting back towards the caravan, not before hearing someone shout.
"SADIE, GET DOWN!"
The girl dived onto the cement, her knees dragging underneath her.
"Motherfuck-" she groaned to herself as she scrambled on all fours, as the cavalry had arrived, passing out near someone's boots.
X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
The hot Atlanta sun boiled, sending sweat down Daryl's neck as he stood in front of a cheap grave marker that read 'WADE DIXON', sticking out of the ground.
"Sunavabitch," he mumbled, kicking the ground under his boot.
Daryl had donned a long sleeved button up; he would at least give his father that. No one had shown up; not even his own kin. Merle had been away hunting, and couldn't have given a rat's ass about his old man.
"'Scuse me," a crackly voice sounded behind him.
He turned to be face to face with the last person he ever thought he'd see again.
"Ma?" his voice saturated with disbelief.
"Daryl Alden Dixon, you haven't changed a bit," the woman stepped a foot closer, trying to raise a hand to his cheek, causing Daryl to step a foot back.
"What the hell are you doin' here Ma?"
"I heard that Wade, y'know," she motioned to the grave marker, shrugging her shoulders.
"Yeah, heart attack."
"Just thought I'd pop over and-"
"Go home," he mumbled, walking past her, and towards his truck.
"Now just one second young man," the woman raised her voice, flustered, her cheeks becoming a dark shade of pink.
Daryl froze, raising a finger to her face, his eyes narrowed.
"No, you don't get to talk like that to me; you lost that right that night you left."
"You don't understand Daryl," she interjected.
"I understand enough," he shook his head, trying to move around the woman who blocked his path to his truck.
"Your father, you know what kind of man he was..."
"And YOU FUCKIN' LEFT US WITH HIM YOU SELFISH BITCH!"
Daryl's voice echoed across the silent graveyard.
"Daryl, please." The woman began to tremble, her body shaking.
"No, I got shit to do, fuck off." He dismissed the woman, pushing her aside; stomping over to his truck, he started the engine, and drove off in a cloud of smoke.
X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
"Sadie, Sadie, Come on!"
She felt a palm, lightly tapping her cheek, frantically.
"Move over Jackie Chan," growled a voice beside him.
A moment later, a handful of water was dumped on her face, causing Sadie to shoot up from the back of a truck bed.
"Holy shit," she sputtered, wiping the water from her eyes to be face to face with Glenn and Daryl; both of whom had wandering eyes, as the water had soaked the upper part of her top.
"Well that wasn't cool," Sadie scoffed, twirling a chunk of her hair around her hand.
"What were you thinkin'?" Daryl growled, hip checking Glenn from in front of her, placing his hands on the truck bed, on either side of her legs; his face inches from hers.
"What are you talkin' about?" She cocked her head to the right, shrugging her shoulders.
"Car alarm and walkers," mutter Glenn from Daryl's right.
"Yeah, what he said," Daryl mumbled.
"If the two of you would fuckin' realize," she puffed her chest before taking both palms, gently shoving Daryl backwards, "that I'm a fuckin' adult, I can take care of myself."
Sadie stood, wiping her hands on shorts.
"Carl & I wanted to see what was around," Sadie eyed a pile in the distance of walkers, "and it looks like y'all took care of it fine, I wanted Carl safe, so SUE ME!"
She raised her voice, not before feeling something sticky run from her knees.
"Ah shit," remembering she had dove on her knees what was probably moments earlier.
"Lemme take care of that for you," Daryl took a step forward, pointing towards her knees, rummaging with another hand for a first aid kid.
"I'm fine," Sadie winced, pushing on her knees like a child.
"Sadie," Glenn stepped a bit closer. Her eyes darted between the Korean and backwoods man. She inhaled, trying to ignore the small breeze that stung her exposed skin.
"Okay fine," she scoffed, walking back to the bed of the truck.
"Y'alright?" Rick rested his arms on the side of the vehicle, "Sadie, what you did earlier was..."
"I know I know," Sadie moaned, rolling her eyes, "It was stupid, reckless, and..."
"Everyone' fine, just don't do it again," Rick mussed her hair, over to Lori and Carl.
She chuckled to herself, her face changing back to a serious pout at the Daryl and Glenn.
"Well?"
Daryl turned to Glenn, "I can handle it Stir Fry."
Glenn shrugged his shoulders, patting the top of Sadie's hand as he headed to the RV. Daryl had by this time pulled out some antiseptic, and bandages. Sadie watched silently as he pulled a rag from his back pocket and poured the liquid on the rag; he ran a hand in the bend of her knee, while the other covered the scrape. Sadie hissed as the wound began to foam.
"Fuck," she whispered, biting her lip.
"Don't be a pussy," Daryl responded, smirking to himself, wrapping the first knee.
"Shut up asshole, it hurts." she narrowed her eyes.
"Sadie Rollins, hurt?" He mocked.
"Keep it up Dixon, or I'll kick your ass."
"Whoa, don't threaten me with a good time." He chuckled, running a hand up her shin before wrapping the second bandage.
Sadie leaned forward, grabbing the back of Daryl's head, bringing his forehead to hers, her eyes boring holes into his.
".Off," she growled through gritted teeth.
"Or what," he growled back at her, grabbing at her necklace underneath her still wet shirt.
"Let go of it Daryl," her mood changing suddenly, her smooth hand over his calloused one.
X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
The screen door slammed shut behind as Daryl reached for the bourbon in the trailer that he had lived in all his life. Twisting the cap, he kicked off his shoes, making his way back to his bed, bottle in hand.
"Goddamn," he sighed to himself, unbuttoning his shirt, flopping back onto the bed.
"Well what do we have here?" a familiar voice spoke over his head.
Daryl opened his eyes to find his brother standing over him.
"Just got back from huntin'," Merle belched a beer already in hand.
"Just got back from Pa's funeral," Daryl retorted.
"That was today? That why y'all dressed up like a clown?"
"I ain't no clown, shut up."
Daryl stood, swallowing his own alcohol, following his brother into the living room. Merle turned on the TV, popping his feet up.
"So," Daryl breathed, lighting a cigarette, "guess who should up to Pa's?"
"No idea," Merle mumbled, snorting a bit of white stuff from his knuckle, "But I bet you're gonna tell me."
"Ma."
Merle's eye grew momentarily before leering at his brother, "That ungrateful cunt of a woman showed up, well I'll be damned."
"Yeah bro," Daryl exhaled a plume of smoke.
"So whatcha do?"
"I called her a selfish bitch and left."
"Look at you," Merle smiled, slapping his brother's thigh, "you're not the little pussy I thought you was."
"Shut the fuck up," Daryl pushed his hand away.
"Aww what's wrong baby brother, can't hack it?"
"You best shut the hell up!"
Daryl stood, stomping out of the trailer.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
"Daryl, did you hear me? Let it go." Sadie's voiced stammered.
"What's yer problem SeeSee?"
"Don't call me that!" Her eyes adverted his, his hand still on the necklace.
"Why not?" He lowered his voice.
"Oh come on," Sadie bit her lip, tears forming; "Can't you just fuck off?"
"Sorry, no can do, I'm invested."
"Daryl, let go of my necklace now."
She raised her other hand, pulling at his hair.
"I just want to see it, damnit!" Daryl stumbled back, rubbing the back of his head. His brow furrowed, cheeks flared.
"FINE," she huffed, hopping off the trunk bed, grabbing the corners of her shirt and yanking them downwards. Her breasts bounced once before settling. And then he saw it.
He stepped forward, his body almost touching hers. He didn't care if anyone else saw, running his fingers down the chain, his breath hitching as his finger caught on the familiar twenty five cent ring he'd got her when they were kids.
"Satisfied?" Sadie whispered through gritted teeth.
"Not even close," he leaned in close, whispering against her lips.
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oh, what an evil wench I am. hope y'all enjoyed tonight's episode, I thought it was awesome. but you know the drill; reviews, comments, concerns, requests? xx