Cassie and Jack belong to me AriesBalorPrincess. Amber and Erin belong to Amber. And they can not be used without our permission. Again there is swearing in this chapter. Enjoy!
Cassidy's POV
When I don't go out with Daryl, convincing him to teach me how to track an animal, I go for an early-morning walk, look for any wild fruit or berries that could be growing nearby. Along with the fact that it does help to clear your head of any drama going on, because even while there are walkers freely roaming around there is still plenty of drama to be had.
Hearing a twig snap, I spin around coming face to face with a groaning walker. Unfortunately for me, I didn't have my knife on me, not thinking clearly and being on the stupid side this morning I left it behind.
The last thing I wanted to be doing is fighting a walker like we're in a WWE ring. Amidst the struggle to keep the walker from clawing or biting me, I ended up tripping over a fallen log, landing on my back, bringing the rotten pile of flesh with me. I can't reach my gun, instead holding him off with my left hand, while I use my feet to help push him off, I use my right hand to search for something I can use to bash his head in with. I by-pass the multiple sticks and grab hold of a rock.
Before I even have a chance of using the rock to start smashing away on the undead, I am staring up at the now dead walker with a knife sticking out of its head, while the blood has a steady drip, coating my chest in the blood of our enemy.
"I didn't need your help," I hiss, shoving the rotten flesh from my body.
"Didn't seem that way to me," she smirked, wiping the blood from her knife. "Most people say thanks when someone saves their life."
I growl, pushing myself up from the ground wiping what dirt and leaves I can off. "I didn't need or want your help, Amber, so I won't say shit to you," I snark out pushing past her, heading back in the direction of camp.
"That might actually be more peaceful," she laughed. I flip her off, walking faster to get away from her. All I wanted to do is get back to camp and clean up the best I can, as I didn't want to have walker blood all over me any longer than I had too.
In a little over a week, one would think that you could learn how to get along with someone you don't like, but that wasn't the case with Amber. At first, I thought it would be fun to be at odds with someone, but when your kid becomes best friends with public enemy number one, it would be nice to at least be on civil terms; it just won't happen because stubbornness runs in my blood, and I can see it runs in hers as well. Daryl kept us separate knowing what would happen if we were to be alone together in the middle of the woods. Soon enough the others caught on that it would be best if we were kept separate. I had no problem with Shane or Lori; I got on with those two easily, and a friendship of sorts was built between us. I adored Carl and Erin. As did Jack. Wherever Jack was at Erin would be right there and vice versa, Carl spending a bit more of his time with Sophia.
"This tastes really bland," I sighed, swallowing the small bite of food I had in my mouth. I didn't get sick easily; it was one of the things I prided myself on is having such an amazing immune system. However, the rare times that I got sick it was awful, like bedridden for a week awful. I couldn't afford to be sick, not in this world.
"Huh. I don't know why," Carol stated with a frown, taking a bite of her own food. "I made it the same as I always do."
"It tastes just fine, Carol," Amber stated with a smile. "Maybe you got bit by that walker earlier," she sneered.
"Like I am stupid enough to let a walker bite me," I glared at her. Sure it came close enough, and it had been a tassel for a moment until I could reach for something sharp, to bash it's grotesque rotten flesh of a head in, as I only had my .308 handgun on me. A handgun I had fallen in love with when I was 19. I didn't want to waste what ammo I had left for it, even if I had been able to reach it.
"Why don't ya go take a walk and cool off, before you say something stupid," Daryl said, giving me a pointed look.
I rolled my eyes, not happy that I had to be the one to go, but I got up and walked off, since I couldn't eat the food to begin with. Maybe I was coming down with something. Whatever was going on I just hoped that it wouldn't turn me into rotten walking flesh.
While I sat in the middle of a clearing watching my surroundings, I looked over my body seeing if I could spot scratch marks, as the walker's mouth got nowhere close enough to bite me.
"Here, drink this," Daryl gruffly said, thrusting a cup of water in my face. "Feeling any better?" He asked, sitting on the log next to me.
"I wasn't even feeling sick," I respond, slowly sipping at the water. "I mean I feel fine," I shrugged. I wasn't feeling sick; I didn't have the need to throw up; I didn't feel weak.
"Do you get bitten or even scratched by a walker?" He asked. I punched his shoulder for even asking the question.
"Does it look like I was?" I retorted. "Trust me the only scratch marks I have on me are from your brother, and those are tales I don't need to be telling you," I stated with a shudder. No way would I be telling the little brother of the guy I am fooling around with what our sex life is like.
"I don't even want to know," he pointed out. "Maybe you're pregnant," he suggested, the second I took a drink of water.
"Hell no," I said, spitting some of the water out. "There is no way in hell that I am with baby. It's not freaking possible," I shrieked, shaking my head violently.
"Cass, I know you're not a stupid broad. But with the way you go at it with my brother and not having protection of any kind can and will lead to a baby," he pointed out.
"I know how sex and baby making works, dumbass," I retort, standing up to pace. "You don't understand, Daryl. I am not pregnant; I will never be pregnant; it is physically impossible," I told him slowly. "I wish it were possible. I wish everyday that I had been able to carry Jack for nine months instead of him having a hooker for a mother who cared for nothing else but the stupid street corner," I spewed, my eyes searching the woods for not only walkers but for anyone in the group to come looking for us. It wasn't very often that walkers found their way up here.
"Shit, that's tough," Daryl sighed. "That's gotta be hard, but Cass you have given him a really great life."
"How the fuck do you know that?" I snapped the question at him. "You've only known me for a short amount of time. You didn't know me back when the world was alive and thriving, not this dead piece of shit world we're living in now."
"All of that crap is true as shit, Cass," he retorted. "But you not giving birth to your son changes very little. You love him endlessly, that I can see, and I can see that Jack, your little boy loves the shit outta you. He doesn't care if you gave birth to him, you gave him a home, a family to be proud of," he told her with a rare smile. "You did that without being asked to do it."
"I did do that without being asked," I smiled. "You getting all sentimental on my ass now?" I teased, shoving his shoulder.
"Believe it or not, Cass, I like you. You're the annoying little sister I never wanted or needed," he stated getting up. "Just don't let that shit go to that big-ass head of yours," he laughed, holding a hand out to help me up.
"I feel the same about you," I confessed. I had already told him too much about my past, adding more truths to that wouldn't do much.
"Now who is getting all sentimental up in this bitch?" He joked.
I again, I rolled my eyes at him, freezing when we heard a stick break out in the woods. He reached for his knife, pushing me behind him. We stood there, our eyes trained on the thick overgrown bushes, seeing nothing. And no longer able to hear anything.
The walk back to the campsite was done so in silence and in stealth mode, keeping an eye and an ear on what was going on around us. Once we got back to camp not seeing any walkers, we chalked it up to an animal running through the woods.
"Mom, mom," Jack said eagerly running up to me, wrapping his arms around my waist. The boy is growing way too fast for my liking. "Can Erin sleep in our tent tonight? Can she?" He asked, ready to stick his lip out to have a full-blown pout on his face.
"I honestly don't know Jack. That is up to Amber more than it is me. Did you ask Amber?" I ask him, kneeling down to be at eye level with him. He shook his head, looking down at the ground. "I think you should talk to not only Amber but Erin as well to make sure it is something she wants and to make sure her mom is okay with it," I told him softly, pushing some of his hair from his forehead.
"Can you come with me?" He asked softly. I smiled, taking his little hand in mine, walking to where Amber stood talking to Carol, Andrea and Amy.
"I am sorry about my comment earlier, Carol. I do enjoy your cooking and the creations you can come up with out here," I apologized, giving her a smile.
"It's fine, sweetie. You feeling okay?" She asked, concern laced in her voice. The one thing I liked about Carol is how motherly she could be to you without a second thought as to what she was doing.
"I'm feeling fine," I assure her. "Can we borrow Amber for just a moment?" I asked, looking from Carol to Amber.
"What's this about?" She asked, remaining as civil as possible with Jack standing in front of me, my hands resting on his little shoulders.
"Jack is wondering if Erin can have a sleep over with him tonight. We understand if she can't," I said, feeling how nervous Jack is becoming.
"I'll have to talk with Erin about it," she answered. I nodded, letting Jack run off. "Merle best not be anywhere near your tent with my little girl spending the night in your tent if that is what she truly wants," she hissed, stepping closer to me.
"I'm not some sick person," I retorted with a growl. "I would never do that, not while my son is sleeping inches from where I am at," I responded. I didn't let what I did with Merle cross-over to my daily life with Jack. He is too young to understand what is going on, and it's one of the things he doesn't need to know about. "For your daughter's sake, I really hope she turns out nothing like you," I told her. "The last thing we need is another judgmental bitch around here," I snapped.
"Have you looked in a damn mirror? Kettle meet pot," she seethed through clenched teeth. "You've been judging me the second I stepped into this camp. Your son would've been better off with his real mother," she sneered with a smirk.
"You little bitch," I snarled, ready to hit her, ready to fight her. One look at my son and his very best friend, running right to us, had me reigning in my anger at her. Erin's rushed Mommy pierced the air around us, washing out the anger we held.
"Hey, buddy, what's up?" I ask, pulling him into my side. Having him in my arms always calmed me down. I didn't think that would ever change.
"Erin wanted to ask her mom about the sleep over," he shrugged.
With the okay from Amber, they ran off again. I glared at her and walked off, looking for something I could do to help before I needed to get my son ready for bed. I gave half a smile seeing Lori walk up to me.
"Don't listen to what she says," Lori said. "Half the time I don't think she is all there." I nodded, keeping quiet not wanting to say the wrong thing. I had nothing against Lori. Not that I really interacted with her that much. "I wanted to offer my services as I will be cutting Carl's hair in the upcoming days, and I wouldn't mind cutting Jack's hair, if that's okay with you."
"That's totally fine. He'll tell you how short to cut it, if he agrees to it. I like for him to make those choices as it is his hair. But I am fine with it," I smiled. I liked to let Jack do as he pleased to his body as long as it was safe and legal to do so. If it would hurt him, I would put my foot down.
"Okay," she nodded walking off.
Sighing I look around seeing Glenn getting ready for the run a select few were going on. It didn't bother me that I wasn't going on the run with them, instead going hunting with Daryl.
"Can I get you anything special?" He asked with a laugh, spotting me approach. I laugh shaking my head.
"I think Jack would like a little something more than I would. I just want you to come back in one piece or without bites or scratches covering you," I quip out. "But the same whenever I go or someone special goes," I smiled sweetly.
"I can look and see if I can find some ammo for you. We both know that isn't an easy task. Something special for Jack, that I can do," he nodded. "You doing okay?" I raise an eyebrow at him waiting for him to explain further. "Earlier and all."
"I'm fine. I'm not feeling sick and I've kept my food down, so it's not something I am really going to stress over," I shrug. It had to have been a little virus of sorts as I don't feel any different than I normally do. If I happen to feel worse than I will worry about it then. It's not as if I could show up at the hospital and get the answers everyone expects me to have.
"Okay," he nodded.
"Be careful tomorrow, Glenn," I tell him, making my escape to get my son ready for bed and his little sleep over with Erin, knowing it would be a good chunk of time before they actually fell asleep for the night. Not that I really minded as I liked seeing my son with a smile on his face.