The scissors snipped across the long blonde locks, cutting them to the shortest length they'd every been. The cut hair fell to the cool tile floor. The carnage from the once long flowing hair had long since been washed down the drain, as had all the gore that covered its owner.
"Princess, ya done in there?" Daryl's voice asked through the white wooden door.
"Ye-yeah, almost. You can come in though..."
Daryl turned the crystal knob. First he saw the fallen golden locks, then he looked up to see the still beautiful Lilian with hair that was just above her shoulders. Daryl looked at her like a doe caught in headlights. His mouth agape, and his blue eyes clearly showed he was shocked.
"Woah..." he said simply.
"Does it look...bad?" Lilian asked shyly.
"It's..." he was searching for a word that wouldn't offend her. "Different."
"In other words...you hate it. Well I'd rather not die!" she exclaimed angrily, and began to storm out of the room. Daryl mentally slapped himself. When she passed him, he grabbed her petite wrist.
"Don't hate it, Princess," he pinned her against the bathroom wall, not roughly but in a dominating fashion, which made Lilian melt like butter. "I jus' ain't got much ta pull on now."
"Mr. Dixson, you dirty, dirty man," she smiled. He grinned back at her and leaned in to kiss her. "No seriously, you reak."
"Yew've been hogin' the shower."
"Take one now."
"Dinner's ready. Everybody's waitin' fer yew."
"They can wait," she said, using his phrase.
"Nope. We're celebratin'. C'mon."
"Not til' you shower."
"Don't think so," he lifted her over his shoulder.
"Let me down!"
"No," he carried the kicking screaming blonde down to the dining room.
There were wine glasses on the table, laid out with venison, two different kinds of vegetables, and even instant mashed potatoes.
"I LOVE MASHED POTATOES!" Lilian shouted happily. Carol chuckled at the young woman's happiness.
"We have wine too."
"I'm more of a whiskey kind of girl," Lilian said. Mason laughed.
"At my wedding," Mason started. "There was this open bar, and Lilian got so drunk-" Lilian shot him a glare, and he shut his mouth quickly.
"That's what I thought," she said, as she swipped a bottle of whiskey from Daryl and took a swig before handing it back to him.
My kind of woman, Daryl thought to himself.
"I don't think we should all get drunk," Rick said.
"Why?" Daryl asked.
"He's right," Lilian agreed. "What if walkers were to come? We'd be fucked."
"Ah, what's the worst that could happen?" Mason said, as he drank more wine.
"Famous last words..." Lilian said. "If any of you get drunk to the point of you can't shoot your weapon, I'll kick your ass. Understand me?" she threatened.
"Yes mom," Mason said.
"Shut it," she told him.
"What are ya gonna do?" he asked tauntingly.
"Kick your ass like I did when we were kids."
"Oo," Glenn said, expecting the rest of the group to join in, but they all stared at him, and he blushed.
"Try me little sister...or should I say brother?" he gestured to her freshly cut hair.
"Don't think I won't put you to shame in front of all these people."
"Try me."
Mason stood from his chair, and Lilian made the first move, but he quickly pinned her to the ground.
"Looks like I win, little brother," he teased.
"Nope," she jabbed her knee into his in the gut, and he landed back on the floor, and she gained the upper hand.
"Okay, that's enough," Rick said.
"You're such a stick in the mud," Lilian pouted. "I agreed with you on the whole drinking thing, and now I can't entertain everyone with kicking my brother's ass?"
"Nope. Now sit."
"Bossy, bossy."
"Somebody's sassy!" Emily laughed.
"And don't you forget it!" Lilian laughed.
When they completed their nice meal, Lilian helped Carol with the dishes.
"Why don't you let me watch Emily tonight," the older woman offered.
"You sure?" Lilian asked. She had to admit, she wanted Daryl to herself tonight.
"Yeah. Have fun."
"Thank you!" Lilian hugged Carol.
"I like the hair by the way."
"At least someone does," she sighed.
"I'm sure Mason was just teasing."
"Not him..."
"Daryl," Carol answered knowing he was the source.
"Well, I don't really know how he feels about it...he seemed like he didn't like it, but then-"
"Lily," Emily came running in.
"What's the matter, sweetheart?"
"That stuff you and Daryl were drinkin' was nasty!"
"He let you try it!?"
"Yeah! It burned my throat!"
Lilian couldn't help but laugh, even though she wanted to kick Daryl's ass at the moment for letting the seven year old drink whiskey.
OoO
After washing the dishes, Lilian and Daryl went to their room. She glared at him for a moment, and he looked at her puzzled.
"Whut?" he asked.
"You gave Em alcohol!"
"Was jus' a sip. Ain't no big deal. Why yew so mad?"
"I'm not..." she sighed, before sitting on the bed and putting her face in her hands.
"Whut's the matter?" Daryl asked.
"I almost died today!" she exclaimed.
"I know...scared the hell outa me."
"Me too! All I was thinking about was how I'd never be able to tell you...to tell you how much I really cared," knots formed in Lilian's stomach. "I love you Daryl."
"LIL!" Mason yelled through the door. "Get your ass out here, we got first watch!"
Lilian didn't look back at Daryl. She couldn't. Her fears that he didn't love her back could be confirmed. Lilian grabbed her bow and ran to the roof, mad at Mason for interrupting the intimate moment between her and Daryl. Why did she have to have watch tonight?
"What's the matter?" Mason asked. They both sat in the lawn chairs that were set up already.
"I told Daryl I loved him."
"What did he say?"
"He didn't get a chance to say anything! You interrupted!"
"Sorry..." he said shyly, not meaning to ruin her confession.
"You should be," she said bitterly.
OoO
Mason and Lilian sat in silence for what seemed like hours. Headlights appeared in the distance.
"What is that?" Lilian readied her bow.
"A car," Mason said sarcastically.
"Shut up! I'm serious. What the hell is a car doing out here?"
"How should I know?"
Lilian got her bow ready, and the car slowing pulled into the hotel parking lot.
"Is that-?"
"No way!"
They could barely make out the features of the man that stepped out of the large black SUV. Lilian ran back inside and down the stairs. Outside, she was met with guns aimed at her face.
"Woah, boys, back off," the leader of the group.
"Phil..." Lilian breathed.
"Well isn't this a surprise," he grinned. "I was comin' here to destroy whatever pathetic group was here...but intead I found my ex wife."
"What are you going to do?"
"I'll tell you what," he drawled. "I'll let your group live, if you, and you alone come with me."
"Promise, you'll leave them alone?" Lilian asked. If he was serious, she didn't want anyone in this group harmed, no matter what happened to her in the process.
"Scouts honor."
AN: What's Lilian gonna do!? Go with Phil or risk the group!? Let me know what you think!