Living Memories

The summer sun was high as Carl approached the house. Maggie was on the front porch on guard duty as he headed up the stairs.

"Dad sent me. There's a group of people heading down the road. He says not to make any noise. He and Glen are following them. There are five in all, three men and two women."

"Alright, go inside and protect Beth and the kids." Maggie said.

He nodded as Maggie followed him inside. Soon the children were gathered in the library under Carl's watch as the rest took up various positions around the house. Lu and Daryl were on a small hill hidden in the grass. Lu kept watch with binoculars focusing on the driveway. Others had taken up positions around the house hidden from view, as Lu had instructed. Carol was in the attic window hidden in shadows while Maggie had her gun positioned straight down the drive from the living room window. About forty minutes later, they saw five people at the fence line. It was usual for people to see a nice house and turn towards it, seeking food and shelter. Not surprising to anyone, they turned down the drive to their house. As they approached, Hershel left the house and met them on the drive. They had decided that Hershel was the least threatening of the group. Everyone watched and waited as the strange group stopped and held up their hands, showing that they meant no harm. The tall, burly man with red hair approached. He seemed to be leading the group.

"We don't want any trouble. We're just looking for some food and somewhere to stay."

It was then that the older man whose face they couldn't see because his hat was pulled down low, spoke.

"Abraham, they're two more just walked up behind us." He warned.

They all turned to see Rick and Glenn approaching them.

"That's all of their group. There's no one else on the road but a couple of walkers." Glenn said.

The red-haired guy nodded and spoke.

"Yeah, we've had some bad luck. We're all that's left."

Rick circled them and stood in front of the one called Abraham, studying each one cautiously. He knew from experience that just because they had two older people and one young girl, looking to be mid-teens, didn't mean that they were harmless. Still, in all, there was only five, and Rick knew that his group had the numbers.

"You their leader?" Rick asked the red-haired man.

"unofficially, yes. My name is Abraham."

"How many walkers have you killed?"

"I couldn't even begin to count."

"How many people have you killed?"

He saw Abraham grow quiet and thoughtful as if wondering if he should answer the question.

"Several." He finally answered.

"Why?" Rick finished.

"Hurt my family." He responded, looking Rick in the eyes.

Rick looked over at Hershel, a silent conversation.

"Do you vouch for these people?" Rick questioned.

"Yeah. We've been on the road for a while now. We've saved one other at different times along the way. They're all good people."

Again, Rick looked over at Hershel, this time, Hershel gave a silent nod. Rick lowered his weapon and nodded.

"There are a lot of us here. One wrong move and all of you will be gone. Understand?"

"We understand." Abraham nodded.

He turned to the others and started introducing everyone. When he reached the old man, the guy took off his hat, and Rick could now get a good look at him. He studied him a moment longer. Years of police training told him that his guy was dangerous and immediately put on guard. On the hill where Lu watched everyone through her binoculars, she lowered them and rolled over onto her back. She lay there for a moment panting with an apparent panic attack effectively settling in. Grabbing the binoculars from her, Daryl spoke.

"What is it?'

"Look at the two old people. That man and woman."

Focusing the binoculars, he growled out.

"Damn, ain't this a bitch."

On the roadway, Abraham continued speaking.

"This guy is Eugene. He ain't no fighter but a wizard at creating stuff."

Rick looked over at him. Eugene nodded and mumbled.

"Hello."

As he returned to his nervous posture, Rick looked at him, trying to remember the last time he saw a mullet haircut. Abraham introduced the young girl.

"This young woman we picked up a few months ago. Her name is Stacy. She doesn't talk much."

Rick studied her for a moment as well. She looked like she was a little younger than Beth and certainly not a fighter. Then Abraham introduced the last two. They both looked a few years older than Hershel.

"These two old geezers are Jack and Etta. Picked them up a while back outside of Atlanta. Jack's one tough son-of-a-bitch to, I'll tell you."

Rick nodded. He was still immediately on guard around this old guy. Every police instinct within him sounded every warning bell he had. Before he could say anything, one of Daryl's arrows landed at his feet. Immediately everyone went on the defensive. Abraham sensed the sudden change in everyone and spoke.

"What's the arrow for?"

"It's a warning. It means trouble for your group."

Looking to the side, he saw Daryl approaching them, weapon ready. The group stood confused as he moved to stand beside Rick.

"I don't know the young girl, red here, or mullet man but I do know these two codgers and if they want to see tomorrow, they'll keep walking."

"Who are they?" Rick asked.

"They're from our past, from before."

Rick noticed that he used the term 'our' meaning his and Lu's past. From before was obviously before everything went dark. The old couple studied him as he kept his crossbow pointed straight at the old man's head. Abraham spoke.

"Look I don't know what happened between you before, but they've helped us out a lot since we met. We wouldn't be here if it weren't for them."

"Fair enough." Daryl said. "If you are going to couch for them, I'm questioning your character as well. Why don't all of you turn around and keep walking. We don't need people like them and if you stand with them then we don't need you either."

The tension continued to mount as Abraham tried to reason with them, and Daryl refused to back down. Finally, the old man started laughing.

"Holy shit, the people you meet nowadays. Daryl Dixon, damn kid you grew up. Put that weapon down."

"The only place I'm putting this weapon is through your skull Jack."

Jack smiled at him; his hands were raised in a nonthreatening manner.

"Daryl, you have every reason to hate us. I understand. Can I show you something before you condemn us?"

"What?"

"It's in my pocket."

Rick stepped forward.

"I'll get it."

Moving behind Jack, he patted him down, finding what felt like a book inside his jean pocket.

"You used to be a cop, didn't ya?" Jack asked, looking at Rick.

"Yeah, I was. Sheriff." Rick answered.

Jack nodded.

"I knew it. I've been frisked so many times in my life that I can always spot a cop. Even in today's world."

Pulling the book from his pocket Rick looked at it then to him and spoke.

"A bible?"

"Yes, the only thing of my personal possessions that I brought from home. I was in jail and awaiting trial when I read it and I realized what a horrible person I was. Believe me, I am not the same person that you remember."

Rick handed him back his bible as Hershel looked over at Daryl.

"People change, Daryl. I know that you have since this all began. Should we condemn him because of his past sins?"

Daryl nodded.

"Fine by me."

"No." Rick said. "We outnumber them. Let them stay tonight, it's late. We'll decide tomorrow."

Reluctantly Daryl lowered his crossbow. Everyone relaxed when suddenly, a shot rang out in the quiet air. Jack jumped as a bullet hit the ground directly in front of him. Rick turned to the attic window.

"Hold it." He shouted. "Daryl, who's in the attic?"

"It's Carol, but she wouldn't shoot without reason." His face paled as the answer came to him. "She wouldn't, but Lu would."

"Get her down from there." Rick said as Daryl ran into the house.

Standing in front of Jack, he shouted once again.

"Don't shoot."

"Did he say Lu?" Etta asked. "She's here with you?"

Rick looked at them and nodded as she cried.

"She's alive. I can still tell her I'm sorry. I had given up hope. Every night I would pray for her forgiveness."

Upstairs the attic door opened as Daryl rushed in.

"Lu, what in the hell are you doing?"

"He hasn't changed. You know that as well as I do."

"Hershel says to give him, and chance and Rick agrees."

"Sometimes Rick is to kindhearted."

"Look, if you wanted to kill him then he would be dead. You shot the ground in front of him."

"Because I want them to leave. If I just kill them, I'll be the bad guy and be forced out of the group. He hasn't changed and you know it as well as I do."

It was then that she felt Carol's hand on her shoulder. Looking at her, Carol spoke.

"I understand your anger and hatred. If Ed showed up now, I'd probably feel the same way. People do change. Can you try to accept that?"

"Even if they have changed, I cannot forget what happened to me. Every time I look at my arms I'm reminded. Every time I see a baby I'm reminded. How can I live under the same roof with the constant reminder of my pain?"

Daryl took her gun and handed it over to Carol. Shouting out the window, he yelled.

"It's okay. I've got her."

Everyone headed inside while Lu just looked at him.

"It's not okay Daryl, and you know it."

"I won't let them hurt you. You're my wife and now I can protect you."

Holding her close, she eventually calmed down. Glancing over at Carol, she spoke.

"My old man never touched me, but he did like young girls. Keep an eye on Beth and Mercedes. You might want to warn Carl too. He's been known to cross that line on a couple of occasions."

Carol nodded as Daryl took Lu to their room. Setting on the mattress, she looked up at him, giving her a slight smile he spoke.

"I want you to stay here. I'll go downstairs and talk to them, see if they've really changed."

"Without the access to drugs my mother might have, but him, don't you believe him. People have been using the 'found religion' angle since prison was first introduced into society."

Daryl nodded and answered.

"I know, my old man 'found Jesus' at least three times that I know of for a reduced sentence."

She nodded as he turned and left the room. Rick was waiting at the bottom of the stairs.

"Most of the group seems like good people. They were all completely surprised at the accusations."

"Accusations?" Daryl shouted.

"I know, they're true but they don't. Is Lu still upstairs?"

"Yeah, I told her to stay in our room for a while. Even if they are telling the truth and have become God fearing people there is still a lot of pain to deal with."

Rick nodded as they headed into the kitchen, where the five newcomers were all eating dinner.

"I can't believe that you guys have steak." The one called Abraham said.

"Deer meat." Daryl corrected.

"Damn good, whatever it is." He nodded.

After the group had finished eating, they all headed into the living room as Rick spoke.

"I guess everyone has had a bit of a surprise today."

Etta stood up and spoke.

"I have to see Lu. I need to see my daughter."

Daryl looked at her and spoke.

"She don't wanna see you."

"Daryl, please. There's so much I want to say to her. So much that needs to be said."

"Like what? Sorry that for your fifteenth birthday I started selling you to paying customers. How about you, Jack, what are you going to say? Sorry for selling you off? Sorry for making all those drugs? Sorry for all your scars? Sorry that you can't have children? Which one of those do you want to talk about? Any? All?"

Abraham looked over at him and spoke.

"Is all of that true?"

Jack nodded.

"Yeah, it's all true. Lu's real name is Lucifer. I thought that it would be funny to have a child named that."

Daryl studied him. He seemed sincere, but something told him to be careful. Was it just memories of the past, or was it his survival instincts? Etta stood up and crossed over to him.

"Please, Daryl."

"I'll take you to our room, but seeing you is up to her."

He and Etta headed upstairs. Opening the door, Daryl spoke.

"Hey, Etta wants to see you."

"Fine, just as long as you stay in here too. Not ready to be alone with either of them."

He nodded as they entered the room. Etta stood there, staring at Lu for a few minutes, unsure of where to begin. Taking a deep breath, finally, she spoke.

"Hello, Lu. I'm so happy to see you again."

"Well, here I am. What do you want?"

"I hope to be able to start over."

"Bullshit." Lu snorted.

"No, I mean it. I've been clean for almost ten years now. No drugs or alcohol whatsoever. I have truly changed."

"You did, huh? Tell me, did you 'find God' as well?'

"Yes, but more than that I found myself. I found a weak, pathetic, strung-out woman and I helped her get the strength to stand. I spent time in rehab and got myself cleaned up. Of course, you were out of the system by then and I never tried to make contact. I looked you up once and found out that you were a lawyer in Atlanta. I thought that it was best that I just disappear, but I always wanted to see you one more time. I prayed that one day, I would have the courage to look you in the eye and stand before you clean and sober. I want to tell you that I am terribly sorry for what I allowed to happen to you."

"What about Jack? Are you saying that a self-proclaimed Satanist has now found God?"

"It has happened before but, in his case, no. It sounds good and he's surviving."

"So, you've changed but he hasn't?"

"No, he's changed, just not in the same way. We're both old now and since the world ended, he can't get his Viagra refilled. So, he just talks a good game and relives the past."

"And you're telling me all this, Why? Do you want Daryl and I to speak with the others and force him out?"

Etta sighed and nodded.

"I wouldn't bother me. If you give him half a chance, he'll be mixing up some drug in the kitchen."

Daryl nodded and spoke.

"I ain't gonna force him out but I'll have Rick speak with him."

"Please, let the group stay. They're good people and as long as you watch Jack then things will be fine. He's harmless now, he's too old to run."

"That's why I'm so defensive." Lu answered. "You both seem to be old and weak. You both may look harmless but too many memories prove otherwise."

"I understand. Lu, please. The chair in front of you. May I sit down and talk to you, my back hurts to bad to stand any longer."

Looking at her a moment, Lu finally nodded as she moved to set down in front of her. Smiling at her, she spoke.

"You have grown up into a truly beautiful lady."

Soon they were talking about Lu's life after being taken away and her being a lawyer. Then they spoke about Etta becoming clean and sober. Through it all, Daryl sat there holding Lu's hand. Occasionally, Etta would say something, and Daryl would feel Lu signaling against his palm. A few hours later, Etta stood to leave. Both Daryl and Lu stood as well.

"Are you heading back downstairs as well?" She asked.

Lu nodded.

"I can't avoid him forever."

The three of them soon entered the living room where Jack was talking theology with Hershel. They all looked at her as she spoke.

"People being allowed to stay or not ain't my call. If Rick and the others say that your group can stay, I won't cause any problems. That also means I ain't gonna try to shoot at Jack again."

"Thank you, Lu." Jack smiled.

She looked at that cold dead smile and moved closer to Daryl. His smile never reached his eyes. They were as dead and lifeless as an old fish, glazed and non-seeing.

"Come on, let's go to bed. Been a long day." Daryl said.

She nodded, and they headed upstairs to their room. Soon everyone who wasn't on outdoor watch settled down to sleep as Rick sent Mercedes to learn all that she could about the newcomers without using to much pressure. Upstairs in their bedroom, Daryl and Lu were both laying there staring at one another.

"I'm sorry, Daryl. I can't, not tonight. Too many painful memories I thought were gone."

Touching her cheek, he nodded.

"It's alright. I'm really not up to it either. In more ways than one."

Curling up into his embrace, they drifted off to sleep. The next morning, they headed downstairs for breakfast. Everyone was already awake and moving as Daryl and Lu noticed Rick and Michonne standing nearby. Heading over to them, Rick smiled and spoke.

"Mercedes has already reported in to us this morning. Everyone seems good except for Jack. Etta is well liked and seems to have taken on a motherly role within the group. When Mercedes interviewed Jack, she said she became nervous around him. She didn't know why because he didn't say anything wrong, but she was very uneasy. Also, she noticed that the girl Stacy is extremely nervous around Jack as well. While she was talking to her, she noticed that she wouldn't talk at all with Jack around. She completely shut down until after he had gone and even then, she wouldn't talk about him, but she would talk about everyone else. The red-haired guy Abraham was in the military and seems to be and honest person. The one called Eugene is a self-proclaimed genius and as she spoke to him, she seems to back him up on that claim. Of course, I don't know how much faith to put into Mercedes idea of genius."

Lu looked a little bit puzzled at the report.

"What is it, Lu? Don't you believe he's capable of secretly attacking someone like Stacy?"

"Absolutely, but Etta said that he's incapable of doing that because he no longer can get Viagra and he doesn't work without it anymore."

"Maybe not with her." Daryl said. "But someone young, like Stacy? Besides, even if he can't actually get it up don't mean he ain't touching."

She nodded.

"Yeah, that's true. With Stacy refusing to speak with him around and not afraid of the others she is showing all the signs."

Rick looked at her and nodded.

"Alright, I'll keep one of the group near him all the time."

"Keep Beth, Mercedes and Carl away from him as well." Lu warned, once again. "He mostly liked young girls, but he did like boys Carl's age on occasion."

"She's right." Daryl nodded. "Carl needs to know that he might be in danger if left alone with that guy."

"I'll talk to him. What bout the two of you? What are you going to do today?"

"We were thinking. Because now there are so many here, we'd go get some of that lumber from down the road. That way we can start on the addition we've been talking about. We'll take the hearse."

"Eat some breakfast then grab something for lunch, take your time." Rick said.

They nodded and ate a quick breakfast before grabbing several large pieces of venison jerky and a couple of fruit cans. They had come across a nice food dehydrator, and Lu had lost no time in drying out the remaining deer steaks. Soon they were in the hearse and heading down the road to the next house. Pulling up at the second house, they pulled around back to where the building materials were located. Getting out of the hearse, they walked around for a moment, checking out the area for walkers. Not finding any Daryl heard Lu calling him from the open back door of the hearse. He watched as she smiled at him and crawled up into the back, he nodded and soon followed.

"Make-out session in the back of a hearse. Sounds about right." He smiled.

It was late that evening when they returned and quickly unloaded the boards from the vehicle. Michonne smiled at her and spoke.

"That's not much lumber for being gone all day."

"We had to stop and get the shock absorbers tested first."

"Mm-hmm." Michonne smiled again.

Soon the day was over as they all headed off to bed. They would be bringing back as much lumber to build the addition that they had discussed previously. Soon the days continued as the addition began to take shape.