Chapter 57: Chase
RPOV
~A few months ago~
Kat slowly had wandered over to me, her bright blue eyes wide and her smile was slightly forced. I was focused on planting more tomatoes, hopeful that they'd grow with time and noticed how she'd glance between myself and Carl awkwardly. "Kat, what's up?" I asked her, surprised she hadn't left with Daryl or Michonne yet, as I saw Michonne stood in the back while Daryl had left earlier to go hunting in the woods outside of the prison.
Licking her lips, she sniffed a little and hesitated to speak. Something told me this was important to her, and something that was difficult for her to say in front of her baby brother. "Dad, there's something I want to talk to you about...privately," she tried to hint at me subtly, but it wasn't working that way and Carl glanced between the pair of us.
Nodding, I realized I was the one who had to move away from Carl, to separate myself from Carl and what I was doing in order to speak to Kat. "Ok," I agreed, as we walked away to a different area, we stopped beside the pigs and Kat smiled at them, stroking them softly and not looking towards my direction. "So, what is it?" I asked her. "What's got you acting up like this?" I questioned what was going on with her, unsure if what I thought she was going to talk to me about was actually what she was going to converse about.
Part of me thought she was going to talk to me about Daryl and herself, but what came out of her next surprised me more than I was lead to believe was possible. "I know it's wrong for me to say this but...if you do find someone you can be happy with again, take that opportunity," she encouraged me to not fear finding love again. "You deserve to be happy, to find love again," she sighed out as she looked up at me, her bright blues serious as she stared at me. "I know mom wouldn't want you to be upset over her for the rest of your life."
The way she spoke, made me respect her more as she thought of the things that happened in life and just how long it had been since I had lost her mother. Lori was the love of my life, but since she was gone, I was lost and I wasn't sure if anyone was going to bring me back like that. The only ones who could, were Carl, Judith and Kat. "Why are you saying this to me now?" I asked her as I furrowed my brows at her curiously.
As Kat spoke, I stared at her, seeing just how similar she looked to her mother in some ways, I could also see myself in her. But at this moment, I didn't see myself or Lori. I saw Kat, her unique mind and her warm heart. "Because I didn't want it to be too soon," she sighed, her hair swaying as she shook her head slightly. "I wanted to make sure you were back to being who you were, not what you are," Kat smiled softly, a side of her lips curved upwards as she stared at me kindly.
Watching her, I was enchanted by just the way she spoke and how she held herself. She was capable of anything, she was strong, smart and her mother would of been proud of her. That much, was all I knew, because as her father, I couldn't have been prouder to be the man to have raised her. "I see," I nodded as I took in her words. "If I ever do get the chance to be happy, I'll do it," I agreed. "But here's the deal..." I countered what she was wanting from me, knowing that she too deserved to be happy, just as much as I did.
Everyone in the prison could see and feel the chemistry Daryl and Kat had with each other. We all noticed how they stared at one another, would spend endless time together and had a great friendship. The way they worried and looked out for each other, was just another sign of their interest in each other. "If you like Daryl, make sure to tell him, before it's too late," I encouraged her to do the same. "If you want to be with him, you have my blessing," I assured her that it would be alright with me if she wanted to be with Daryl. "He treats you right, makes you happy and that's all I can ask for," I told her all the things he did that made me agree with them being together, if that was what they both wanted.
Present day...RPOV
Myself, Carol and Daryl decided to head out, away from the walls to discuss what we had thought about Alexandria, of its people and our standing positions with them. Should we trust them? Shoud we not? It was all things we had to consider, not only for ourselves, but for our family. "I don't see it, but it's close," Daryl informed us as he looked out for any nearby walkers. "There's just one of 'em," he assured us that we wouldn't be surrounded, at least, not yet.
Looking left and right, my hands were on my hips as I looked from side to side, noticing how Carol looked around in case of walkers or maybe even spies. Daryl wandered back to me and the three of us stood in a small circle. "We won't be here long," I assured them we'd only be out here for as long as we needed to be. "So what do you think?" I asked them, curious to know what their thoughts were about the town and its people, along with their system and atmosphere.
Looking to me, Carol glanced briefly to Daryl but spoke mostly to me. She had given the storage to the armory a good look, seeing what she could do to get us inside if we needed to get access to our guns. "We can go in when it's empty," she told us, but it made me wonder how that would be possible.
My brows furrowed, deep in thought whilst I tried to gather as much information I could about the storage room Alexandria had. "How is that?" I asked her, wanting to know more about the building itself. "It's locked up at night," I reminded her of something that would be the only barrier to keep us from going into the building.
Carol surprised me a lot, she had come so far with so little to look out for. Then, there was me, who lost my wife but still has three wonderful children, safe and alive. Carol amazed me and gained my upmost respect. "The window. There's just a latch. I can leave it open," she informed me as much as she possibly could. Repeating her answer, it made me wonder if we really were that safe, as anyone could of had the same idea she had. "Yeah," she confirmed my surprised and questioning repeat of her words.
"What if one of those pricks shuts it?" Daryl asked as he glanced between myself and Carol, making sure that we had all our ground covered in case our plan didn't work.
Somehow, Carol didn't even have to think of something to do if that was the case. Instead, she instantly knew what to do if that were to happen. "Wait a couple of days, leave it open again," she shrugged, like it was going to be that easy. I was a little worried if it would happen again, they'd be more weary and would possibly keep a closer eye on us.
The sound of the walker snarling became louder, closer, which made Daryl step away from us and towards the sound. "It's getting closer," he warned us, to which I had appreciated him doing so. Yet, I knew that for now, we'd be fine as Daryl had told us it was just one walker.
Continuing with our conversation, I knew I needed to get them to agree with me with what had to happen, how it all needed to go in order for us to surivive and to continue living. "We need to do it sooner than later," I told them. "Right now, they're not watching us. Not worrying about meetings like this," I stated how they weren't keeping a watchful eye on us in that moment, the sad thing was, they weren't considering their threats, they were just trusting that we were 'good' people. "We may need the guns, we may not," I shrugged.
In all truth, we were good people, we just did bad things if they had to be done. We got this far because of it and I wasn't going to put my family at risk, by family, it was all of us and I especially wasn't going to risk the lives of my children again. "We will whatever way it goes," Carol stated, knowing that sooner or later, another threat would find its way to us. People or walkers, we always would need guns.
I had to agree with Carol, she knew what was up and so did I. Even Daryl knew that we would need guns for whatever reasons in future. Perhaps someone hurts us, threatens us, tries to kill us or walkers attack. We would need guns to protect ourselves. "They're the luckiest damn people I ever met. And they just keep getting luckier," I shook my head, completely stunned by how these people were fortunate in ever sense plausible.
Giving me a once over, Daryl didn't know what I had meant by the people of Alexandria being lucky. "How's that?" he asked me.
Squinting at him because of the sun and because I was deep in my thoughts. I thought about how we had endured hell and back, while the others sat around in their pretty white houses, waiting for help to come and building a comunity. Not once, having stepped outside their walls and knowing the real world for what it was like now. "We're here now," I stated to Daryl with a very small shrug.
We all knew we were the stronger group, we had gone through so much and got this far. "They've got a couple of footlockers just full of 9 millimeter autos, Rugers, Kel-Tecs," Carol informed us of the types of guns they held inside the storage room. "Just tossed in there. They don't use them. They're never gonna know they're gone," she assured us which made me glance between the three of them, to gauge a reaction from anyone to this plan to take these guns.
Standing quietly for a moment, Daryl looked between the two of us. "Someone's got one now, right?" he asked us, to which I looked at Carol who gave me a look that proved to be she was able to confirm that. Humming, I knew what I was about to say next could be a little offensive to Daryl.
Pausing for a moment, my hands on my hips, I looked between the pair and knew that both myself and Carol had to tell Daryl this carefully. Thankful that she was here, as she knew how to tell him what he needed to know better than what I could. "Listen, the others, we want them to try," I tried to tell him what we were expecting from everyone within our group.
"You, too," Carol finished for me.
He didn't seem to react badly, so I decided to keep talking whilst he stayed quiet and would pace around on the spot. "So we keep it quiet. Just us," I told them before the sound of a walker snarling interrupted our conversation. "Here it comes," I spotted it between the trees and nod at it, encouraging Daryl to get it with his silent and fast weapon.
Preparing himself, crossbow in hand, he made his way towards the walker and nods to me while looking over his shoulder at me. "I got him," Daryl assured me, but Carol was following after him and she held her gun close to her.
Something told me she had another, brighter idea than what myself and Daryl had. "Hey, wait," she stopped Daryl before he could take care of the walker that was gradually coming closer to us. Aiming her gun up, she began to give it some body shots until she shot it square in the head. Both myself and Daryl stared at her in confusion until she explained why she had done that. "We said we were taking me out shooting. I couldn't go back with a full mag," she reminded us of the excuse we had used to come out here. Smart. Very smart.
Daryl too looked surprised by Carol's smarts and it only made more sense that she would of done that, despite the waste of bullets it was. We had to make sure we weren't suspicious and that was the perfect way. "Lucky he came by," Daryl commented before he began to make his way back to Alexandria.
Glancing around, I knew we had plenty of time to get back, but I didn't know how many threats there could be out here in these woods. "We should get back," I said before I looked back at the others and followed after them to the body. "You'll pull the latch, we'll pick our moment. Us, we don't need to be lucky," I gave out the plan for the three of us to work on when it came to getting the weapons.
Passing the body, Daryl had spotted something before any of us could. Stopping in his tracks, he moved around to get a better look at what he was investigating. "What the hell's that? Is that a W?" he asked, to which Carol responded with a 'Yeah.' Carved out on the walker's forehead, was a bloody W, crouching down, I glanced up at them and had a gut feeling that this, was nothing good.
MPOV
Standing in front of the mirror, I saw how I looked in my new uniform. How it looked strange, but good and how the ropes dangled too far down my legs for my comfort. Using my sword, I sliced at the rope ends and made it shorter, but part of me didn't know how else I could use the weapon anymore. We were safe, surely there wouldn't be much need for it anymore. "I don't know if this is some kind of play, handing authority to strangers," Rick said, making me turn to look at him as he watched me fix myself.
Deciding that being more playful was the best way to go, I knew that Rick needed to let go of some of that tension and stress that was building up in him. The man was always alert. Always looking for something. At times, I wondered what exactly he was looking for, if there was a threat or if there was something to possibly go wrong. "The authority to break up fistfights," I joked in a dry and sarcastic tone.
Leaning lazily against the door frame, I saw how he looked and I could imagine him as the cop everyone once claimed him to be. Or at least, the one Kat kept telling me stories of. He was handsome in the uniform, it suited him more than it did me. "If it was just that, she should have given one of these to Daryl," Rick pointed out and something told me that Daryl wouldn't of accepted the offer anyhow.
Looking to the side, I shook my head and looked at him after a moment of deep thought. Daryl was unlikely to accept the job offer and he wasn't exactly fit for the job either. He was like a big alley cat in a room with a pack of dogs. "I don't know if it's for us or for them," I sighed, unsure what game Deanna was playing. "Or maybe Deanna's trying to get rid of us and them. You put these jackets on me and you, have the people see it," I tried to give him one of my original ideas, a plan that was bound to work if we kept up the appearances. "If that's the play, that'd be smart. And she seems smart," I was complimenting the woman, because she was a political figure and she knew how to manipulate people into seeing things.
Somehow, I could tell Rick could agree that this play was the best and quickest way of separating the two groups and making us all form into one. I could see he knew that this was the way it was all being laid out. "Smart for then or smart for now?" he asked, taking into account my idea and no longer holding the eye contact he was previously holding whilst I spoke.
"This is now," I assured him, reminding him that what was going on was all in the present and would continue to be. He was always looking ahead and sensing dangers that may not even be there in the first place. I could sense his worry and I knew he needed to get through this with our help. He needed to get out of that mode of always needing to be in charge of us. It got us this far, but now, he needed a break and he deserved one.
KPOV
Dad had woken up earlier than Carl, so it was naturally my job to wake up my baby brother and I had already fed the rest of our group. Wandering up the stairs, I had greeted Carol, who was going to go out and do her business. "Carl, it's time to wake up," I encouraged as I knocked on Carl's door. "You've got to get up, get ready for school and have breakfast," I said as I opened up the door and stepped into the room. "The others have all had theirs," I stated more information for him to take in.
I knew the words and information I was feeding his brain with, was probably only making Carl want to continue sleeping, like he would react whenever I was the one to take him to school when he was a kid. "What?" Carl mumbled as he sat up and wiped the sleep from his eyes. The way he looked, made me smile and giggle softly.
Crossing my arms over my chest, I glanced around the room and was examining how big it was. Everything about the house, the town and the people made me remember times when it wasn't so necessary to survive physically. Before, it had been mentally and socially, along with the economy that we no longer had. "I made them breakfast," I informed him, as the smile slowly faded from my lips.
Taking a deep breath, he inhaled the scent of the food I had made for those within our group. I had also saved Carl some of the pancake mix, so he could have a few too and I knew he would have missed mine, a little more than mom's. "Well, at least it smells better than what mom used to make," Carl teased, chuckling roughly as his voice was still full of sleep.
Snickering softly, I had remembered the time I shared with my parents and sibling, when times were different and life had seemed easier. At this point, I no longer knew what was easy or hard. "The majority of the time, I made breakfast," I reminded him, shaking my head as I remembered the arguments I would get into with mom over making pancakes for breakfast.
Laughing at the memory, he looked to a spot, possibly remembering how mom used to be, just the same way I was in that moment. Mom was a huge piece of my happiness, and I had loved her more than anything, when I had found out she died, it was like I had lost a part of me. "Didn't mean she didn't insist on making breakfast though," Carl intervened in my thoughts, making me laugh again at the memory. "She always somehow burned it," he grumbled the last part, as though he was still surprised of mom's cooking inabilities.
Thrown back into the past, I could see my mom, her long brown hair soft and straight. Her big eyes wide and focused on the pan. The mixture burning on the stove, her skinny hands working away and her pink lips forming a hard line. A smile grew on my lips, and when Carl's hand reached out to touch mine, I was pulled back to reality. The smell of burnt pancakes lingered in my nostrils, like a ghost. Tears had began to build in my eyes, making me blink them away and laugh. "Because the woman didn't know the first thing about cooking and smoke detectors," I teased my dead mom about her cooking to my brother. "Yeah, I know...I miss her too," I sighed out after a few moments of silence, where Carl and myself were caressing eachother's hand with our thumbs. "Everyday."
Turning to leave, I sniffed and wiped at the tears that began to slide down the curves of my face. Carl had loosened his hold on me, but as I went to leave, he pulled me back and gripped my hand firmly. "Kat?" he called to me, his tone was one of questioning and I could tell he had something to say or ask me.
"Yeah?" I replied as I faced him once again.
Slowly, Carl had let go of my hand and stared down at his lap with a small sigh. "I've been thinking...Judith's never going to know what mom was like," Carl began with a small voice, sad and timid in a way. "She's never going to have mom in her life. Not like we did at least," he shrugged a shoulder before his bright blues met mine and stayed staring into mine.
Furrowing my eyebrows, I smiled at him sadly and I could tell he was upset about this thought. Just as sad as I was, I knew that Carl was only thinking of his sister and the lack of connection she will have with our mom. "We'll tell her stories, like about her cooking," I assured him that mom wouldn't be forgotten. "She won't know her like we did, but she'll know her," I nodded as I went to leave again.
Just when I thought I was about to leave, Carl had pulled me back by raising his voice a little more, to grab hold of my attention again. "But she needs someone to be there for her, she needs that motherly love that mom gave us," Carl tried to briefly point out what he was trying to tell me. "I think that person should be you," Carl said, making me turn back to him and furrow my eyebrows in surprise and confused shock. "I think it will be you," he spoke confidently. "You should raise Judith like she was your daughter. You should be Judith's mom."
The lists of things he was wanting me to be to Judith, was endless. A mother was lot of responsibilty, and none of them were ones I could share with my father. As it wasn't in my right to. "Being a mother takes a lot of responsibility, a lot of decisions too and it would be a lot of pressure on my shoulders," I tried to explain the difficulties it would be for me to be Judith's mother. "Only dad has that role, as he rightfully should," I stated clearly that I wasn't the biological mother, so I couldn't have control over Judith like a mother could in order to keep her safe and guide her through life.
Carl's gaze was kind, soft and caring. I could tell he was really considering the love Judith needed from a mother. A part of me realized that he was seeking that from myself too, now that mom had left us both. I was his mother figure, along with the sister I always would be to both of them. "And he shouldn't," Carl replied quickly. "You said it yourself, it takes responsibility and you have millions of it as it is with her," he stated the honest truth as I knew I did lots for Judith as it was. "He shouldn't make all the decisions on his own. She needs a mother too, not just a father and I don't think there could be a better woman for the job, but you," he encouraged me once more. "I know you can do it, I have faith in you."
Carl's words struck out to me. Making me feel more important than I maybe would or should have been. Truthfully, I knew I was looking out for Judith and caring for her the way mom would of. But something told me that Carl wanted me to be a mother figure to him too, as he stared at me with much admiration illuminating from his eyes. Nodding, I knew I had to think it over and discuss this with dad. "I'll talk to him about it," I assured Carl that I would look into it with our dad. "Now come on, or you'll be late on your first day at school," I encouraged him again to get up, leaving him to get ready and then I'd make him his breakfast.
DPOV
Unable to stay in that same, squeezed up house while everyone had their jobs and things to do, I decided to go take a walk in the woods, alone. Looking for food or anything to keep myself away from all those people, from the people who'd stare at me like I was some kind of animal. For society changing, nothing felt different when I was inside Alexandria's walls and it was like I was back to the redneck asshole everyone feared or were disgusted by. Keeping to myself was my best option. Leaves rustling closer made me grasp hold of my crossbow and aimed it up at the direction the footsteps came from. "Come out! Now!" I ordered firmly.
An overwhelming sensation of someone following me was driving me crazy and I knew it had to be someone, I could tell by the sounds and the slow stalking it would do. Stepping out from the trees, hands raised and head ducked, it was Aaron. Once he stepped into the clear area, I lowered my crossbow and he lowered his raised hands. "You can tell the difference between walkers and humans by sound?" Aaron asked me, surprised that I was that good of a tracker and that smart to tell the difference. "Can you tell the difference between a good guy and a bad guy?" he asked me, reminding me of a conversation I had with Beth a while back, before she was kidnapped and killed. "Rick doesn't seem to be an expert at that."
Evidently, he knew nothing about the outside world and about Rick. Rick had been through plenty, as have all of us to not care if people were good or bad. They all had a purpose and were all willing to feed us all lies to save their own skins. We were tired of it and Rick was only protecting us and his children. "There ain't much of a difference no more," I growled, knowing that this world twisted both the slowly worst and the best of people. Taking innocent, good lives and leaving us with good people who did bad things or simply bad people.
This only seemed to make Aaron more curious as to what the real meaning behind my words were saying. Yet, I didn't care what he thought, nor was I going to elaborate on my grumblings. "That how you feel about your people?" he asked me, to which I wasn't going to answer him and I wasn't going to allow him paint my people as bad. They only had the best intentions, but had to do bad things. It's what we all had to do in order to continue living.
Stepping closer to him, I got close enough to attempt to intimidate him and he didn't flinch. "Why you following me?" I questioned him, my voice angered and my eyes glaring at him. He only looked around, confused and stunned that I had caught onto him following after me. He was keeping an eye on me and he was going to act like he didn't know anything.
Fumbling to find the right words, he looked around confused and surprised that I had even said those words to him. Claiming him to be stalking me, he acted as though he had no idea how to respond to such an accusation. "I didn't know I was," he replied calmly. "I came out to hunt rabbits," he explained what he was doing out here in the woods. "I know why you're out here," he spoke as though I would really care what he'd think or what he knew about me. He don't know shit. "Mind if I join?" he asked me.
Something in the calmness of his voice, how he didn't flinch and how he didn't really take much notice that he was right on my trail, sounded honest to me. Or at least, honest to an extent. He was not trying to find out more about me and my group, but I promised myself I wouldn't say a single word than what I had to, to him."Keep up," I ordered lowly as I made my way back on my becomingly cold trail. "And keep quiet," I barked out my commands, making sure he knew who was boss before he began to follow after me and gradually kept up with my pace.
KPOV
Gathered at the table, I sat beside Maggie and listened to Deanna speak. Michonne sat opposite me, all while my dad and Deanna stood on their feet. Dad was watching and listening vigilantly, while Deanna was stating her ideas and the possibilities of the future. "You protect and serve. You patrol, walk the wall, watch out for the kids. If there's a conflict, you solve it. And people will listen to you," she told them of their role as cops, which, of course my father already knew all about.
I could see how Maggie stared at Deanna with appreciation, I too thought Deanna was a very respectable woman, but when I'd glance into my father's eyes, I could sense he was unsure. "Because we're wearing windbreakers?" Michonne questioned dryly.
Looking between Michonne and Deanna, Deanna didn't hesitate to answer Michonne. "Because they believe in this," she corrected my dear friend. "Because I'm telling them to," she further stated. "A police officer used to live here. So we had these jackets and I wanted to make it official. So it's official," she informed them about the uniforms she found whilst she took a seat at the head of the table. "There's gonna be a government here one day. That's why I want Maggie and Kat working with me," she explained why exactly myself and Maggie were here with her. "There's gonna be a police force. That's why I want you two to start it," she gestured to both Michonne and my dad. "I see a vibrant community here with industry, commerce, civilization. Real lives," she was enthusiastic in her views of the future, in her hope for the future. "It might be horses and mills, but-what? Does that sound like pie in the sky?" she asked around us.
All of us answered her with a no, shaking our heads and speaking clearly. All of us kept consistant eye contact as she looked to each of us. First Maggie, then me, then Michonne and finally, my father. Staring up at him, he glanced to me first quickly and saw the curiousity that formed on my features. This was before he removed his gaze from me and turned it towards Deanna.
"No," he replied to her question. "Can we talk security?" he asked her, somehow, I knew he would ask her for this as he was always looking out for things to change, to make it safer. Nodding, Deanna agreed and tried to get a conversation going, but dad interupted her and explained it would be best if he showed her and explained what needed to be done. "We need a constant patrol along the walls. Not just looking for damage, but signs that anyone climbed in from outside," dad explained whilst we all walked out, beyond the walls and to look at the perimeter. "You can move right up the supports. That's what I'd do," dad further explained why this needed to be done, whilst they stood at a stand still and Deanna looked at my father confused. "People are the real threat now," dad stated what was the god honest truth.
Deanna looked at my dad straight in the eyes before she took a slow step towards him. She was calculating, taking in his words now and evidently, everything he had said to her prior. "Rick, I know you think that we should all be armed within the walls," she reminded him of something they must of spoke about another time, possibly during interviews. "I can't do that," she shook her head and kept her gaze glued to my dad.
Staring into one another's eyes, I could feel that both of them had very different views of the world and what people should and shouldn't be doing. People needed to know how to fight, how to defend themselves, because one day or another, something bad was bound to happen. "That's fine. You make these changes, we won't need to," dad encouraged her to change at least something, so they didn't need to watch their backs 24/7. To not have to be alert all the time.
Sasha had returned from whatever it was she was doing outside so early on in the morning. Stalking towards us, she clearly was listening in on the conversation we were having together. "Excuse me," Sasha excused herself into the conversation. "I want to volunteer to be one of the lookouts in the clock tower," she volunteered to keep watch on the wall, to make sure that nothing was going to make its way into Alexandria.
Turning her head in Sasha's direction, as though both tired and annoyed. She probably didn't like the talk of protection and guns. "There are no lookouts in the clock tower," Deanna answered Sasha with a serious look in her eye. Something told me she wasn't lying and it made my stomach twist in knotts.
This news surprised my dad and only made him step closer and look at her with disbelief. He couldn't believe that she was playing with all their lives and I could read that right off of his expression. "What?" he asked her in shock horror.
"We saw someone up there earlier," Michonne argued what she had seen, what all of us had seen and felt when we were once entering or leaving, one way or another.
Her chin tucked in while she began to speak. "That was an empty rifle my son Spencer put up there," she stated who had put it there in a low tone. "He mans it sometimes, but not often," Deanna explained further. Yet everyone fell silent, my father looked around in a blind surprise, unsure how to make out all of this. "Look, there hasn't been the need," she tried to reason why she didn't have anyone on look out.
Side stepping and changing the weight on his feet, dad would shake his head and look around with an angered expression on his face. He needed things to go his way, for the better and for all our safety. "We need a lookout in that tower right now, 24/7," he ordered in a harsh and angered tone.
All this time, I had been silent, vigilant and taking in everything everyone was saying and putting my own thoughts into it. This was something I had to agree with my father on. We weren't going to be safe unless we had look outs, as one day or another, we were bound to get hit by someone. "It's the only way we'll be able to see if someone's coming at us," I spoke up, deciding to back up my father and let Deanna see the importance of it.
Staring at me for a good, long, silent moment, Deanna nods and looked at me with a firm nod. "Okay, okay," she agreed as she shut her eyes and looked back to my father. "We'll make shifts," she assured them that she was going to get on with it, to make sure that we were protected at all times.
"I'll take those shifts, as many as possible," Sasha spoke up again, offering herself up and making Deanna look at her with a curious and concerned look in her eyes.
Something told me that Sasha had her own agenda, other than looking out for us. She'd lost enough and so had Maggie, but Maggie was still strong. She had us, she had Glenn. Sasha had us, but she didn't have her brother or Bob with her anymore. "Why?" Deanna asked her, wanting to get to the bottom of her motives.
Backing Sasha up, Maggie glanced between the two women and decided to stick up for our group friend. Sasha had been through enough and we knew she was capable of keeping people out of Alexandria's walls, but part of me worried for her current mental state. "Sasha's one of our best shots," Maggie reassured Deanna that Sasha could do it. "She can do it."
Deanna seemed to really respect myself and Maggie's ideas, but then again, we were working with her to make a better future for Alexandria. "I'm gonna put Spencer up there today," she had already made her decision. "I'll consider you being our primary lookout, but I want something in return," she negotiated firmly, but her expression turned soft at the end. "Tonight I'm hosting a welcome for all of you at my home," she told all of us while she glanced at each of our faces. "I want you to be there," she said this part to Sasha directly.
"Why?" Sasha asked Deanna the same question she had asked her in return.
Sasha seemed genuinely unsure why her, of all people, needed to be there for some fancy meal and to be surrounded by people she didn't know. To be in a room filled with familiar, friendly faces and in the same room with strangers. "Come tonight," Deanna encouraged her again. "Then we'll talk about it," she assured Sasha that only if she came, would they speak of what and why she wanted her there. What the hell is going on?
RPOV
Walking back into the gates after a conversation between myself, Michonne, Kat, Deanna, Maggie and Sasha, we all went our separate ways and I found Carol stood around a group of women. Saying a quick farewell, Carol rushed down the steps and began to walk steadily beside me. "You've heard about the party?" she asked me in a neutral tone, but with a smile on her face.
Not looking at her, I was watching out for people overhearing something. Just her mentioning the party made me realise she was planning something, and I got the feeling it had something to do with those guns we were going to try and take. "Everyone's gonna be there," I informed her, making sure she knew that I knew about the party.
Acting all preppy, like sunshine, rainbows and roses. Something scared me a little about how quick she was at adapting into new and secret roles. "That's right," she spoke in a cheery tone, which made me wonder if she was acting or if she truly was pleased to find out something I didn't know. At that moment, I was quite confused, but I had the sensation it had something to do with getting those guns.
No one will be where the guns are, so there will be no patrol and it will be vacant of any people. It's the perfect opportunity to grab the guns and take them. "So tonight, then?" I suggested, knowing that she'd more than likely agree with me and chose tonight to be the night she'd sneak in and grab the guns we'd need that no one uses.
Thankfully, no one was watching us, but we both kept a look out for anyone who was. Neither of us looking to each other as we kept walking ahead, wandering down the lonely street and getting closer to our homes. "Should be able to slip out," Carol assured me that she was capable of finding an escape to get into the armory.
Glancing around, there were very few people who would look at us and some would mostly stare at me. Possibly noticing the uniform more than what I was talking to Carol about. "The armory is right next to Deanna's," I informed her, but she evidently already knew that. "I'll back you up," I told her, assuming she'd probably need help with getting the right guns and the collective ammo for them.
This time, as we spoke, she did look at me and would squint in the direction of the sun in front of us. "People might wonder where their new constable is or Carl, Kat and Judith's dad is," she told me of what was stopping me from being able to help her. It was true, they'd want to get to know me, as I was their figure of authority and law enforcement. Not to mention, a father and I'd have to be there.
She'd have to go in alone because from what I gathered from Sasha, she'd briefly seen Aaron following after Daryl. The pair of them wandering in the woods and something told me they were going to keep a close eye on him at all times, in case he'd be able to be trusted or not. "Okay," I agreed with her argument. "We can't use Daryl," I informed her. "They're watching every move he makes," I explained why he couldn't help her out and that she'd be doing this as a solo mission.
"It's fine," she reassured me, a light smile formed on her lips whilst she turned her head to look at me. "You know what's great about this place?" she asked me, but I didn't get the chance to answer her, only look at her to see what she'd instantly say. "I get to be invisible again," she answered, making a small smirk form along my own lips while we walked back to the house.
DPOV
Wandering the woods together, the sound of a horse nickering made me walk closer towards the sound. Brushing tree branches back, far enough to make a clear view and for us to step past, we found a black stallion stood in the middle of the field, nickering to himself. "I've been trying to catch him for months, bring him inside," Aaron spoke softly, to both inform me and to keep his voice quiet enough so the horse didn't hear him. "His name is Buttons," he told me, but the name just made me look at Aaron with confusion. "One of the kids saw him run by the gate a while back. Thought he looked like a Buttons," he explained why they called him Buttons.
"I haven't seen him for a while. I was afraid it was too late. Every time Eric or I come close, he gets spooked," Aaron kept speaking, giving me a small anecdote whilst opening his backpack and pulling out some rope from it. Taking it from him, I wrapped it around my hand and held it in both hands, preparing myself to get the horse back for the kids and group. Maggie would probably be thrilled to see this horse. "Have you done this before?" Aaron asked me, a little uncertain that I knew what I was doing and if I had what it takes to bring back the horse with us.
Making a protesting sound, I kept glancing back up at the horse and then to the rope around my arm. "My group did. But they weren't out there that long," I spoke about two different times, when I went to Hershel's farm and the time myself, Kat and Michonne grabbed the horse Michonne kept. "The longer they're out there, the more they become what they really are," I told Aaron, but there was hidden meaning to this all. The longer we're out there, the more we all become like wild animals, doing anything and everything to survive. People change when they're out there too long.
Gradually, I made my way to the horse, slowly getting closer and holding the lasso, preparing myself to get him caught. Preparing myself to get my lasso around the horse's neck. "I ain't gonna hurt ya. All right?" I spoke calmly to it. "Come on, boy. Yeah. Just keep on eating," I encouraged it. "Yeah," I was only mumbling now before I began to click my tongue at him softly. "Good boy. Yeah, you used to be somebody's, huh?" I asked it, the more I got closer and stared at him, the more I thought about those we had lost and those that stayed on. Beth, Hershel, Maggie, Kat, Michonne...everyone. "Now you're just yours," I told him.
The horse was a symbol to me, of how we were once in such a good, safe and happy place. How everything could go wrong in the matter of seconds and how we could all stay lost for years. We were all lost, in our own ways. The sound of a twig snapping made the horse nicker and neigh before he reared and ran away. Walkers snarling and getting closer startled the horse, which made me cuss out a loud "Shit!" before he ran away. Letting go of the rope, I swung my crossbow back in my hands. "Come on, they're coming!" I ordered Aaron subtly to help me out in taking down the walkers that were beginning to surround me. Silenced gunshots mixed in with my silent bolts cutting through the air and slicing into the walker's heads. Hitting, slicing and knifing walkers, when it was silent, I looked back to Aaron and followed the same direction the horse went. "Come on."
KPOV
Laying around lazily in mine and Michonne's room, I found myself sitting bored as I would mumble along to a CD I had found. Thank God for Nirvana. Singing along in an impersenation of Kurt Cobain's voice, I would sing the lyrics to Come As You Are. "Do we really have to listen to this music?" Michonne asked me with a quirked eyebrow and faint smile lingering on her lips. Secretly, she loved Nirvana just as much as I did, but only hid it to act as though she didn't. Walking over to the record player, she picked up the album this famous song came with and I arched an eyebrow back at her. "Nevermind," she teased me with a sarcastic tone, but she then looked over her shoulder and flashed me a wide smile.
Laughing along with her, I shook my head and watched as Michonne walked over to my wardrobe and began flicking through clothes, pulling out a dress I suggested she wear for the dinner party we were all going to. Seeing her in the dress, I knew she looked beautiful in it and as I laid on our bed properly, she was looking for anything for me to wear. "So, have you thought about what you're going to wear for tonight?" she asked as she would push different cloths to one side within the wardrobe.
Shrugging, I hadn't given much thought about what I wanted to or should wear. I knew I enjoyed being comfortable, which was almost always how I would be, unless when I was younger, before the world was the way it became, I would go out in dresses and heels. "I was thinking maybe jeans and a nice shirt," I replied, my feet up on the bed as I sat there and shrugged.
Tutting, Michonne shook her head and placed her hands on her hips. "Boo!" she reacted negatively, as though we were watching some kid show in the theater, hating on the bad guys and the bad choices they'd make. "Let me see what you've got in the closet," Michonne suggested as she turned her back and wandered to the closet we were sharing. "Hmm...I think you should wear this," she said after many flicking through lines of clothes.
Pulling out the material she had found, it was a knee-length, green dress that would cling to my curves if I had it on, the neck a little low, but not low enough to show off my breasts unnecessarily. Looking at it, it was nice, but I didn't see a point in wearing a dress. "A dress? Why?" I asked her, my eyebrows furrowing deeply at the impossible thoughts that couldn't seem to appear in my head as to why she wanted me to wear a dress.
Tilting her head with a sigh, it was as though she was being defeated by me, or as though I wasn't understanding the point of why I would wear the dress. "Come on, show off those smooth legs," she encouraged as she tilted her head again to stare straight. "I am," she raised her eyebrows in a playful demanor. "See?" she questioned me and my sight as she pulled her own dress out from the chair she had it resting on, spinning it on her fingertips as she stared at me with an arched eyebrow reaching skywards.
Shaking my head, I had to laugh at her silly behaviour and desire to see me showing off my legs, especially to a bunch of people I didn't know. "And why does my daughter need to show off her smooth legs when she shows off plenty with just her dazzling smile?" dad asked as he made me look to him a little surprised, only now knowing he had been there for possibly a few moments, hearing Michonne suggest a reason why I should wear a dress.
Dad was leaning against the door frame, smiling at the pair of us in the room and eating an apple as he'd watch me with the instense, fatherly, but playful look he'd hold from time to time. Is he coming back to his usual self again? "The answer to that is easy, dad," Carl spoke as he brushed past dad and came over to sit ontop of the bed with me. "So she can impress Daryl," he blurted out which made me smile widely and shove him playfully with a small laugh.
Raising a finger, Michonne took a few steps towards Carl and snickered at the sight of myself and Carl being playful with one another. "Trick to this is if he goes to the party tonight," she said, which made me unsure as to if Daryl would even bother turning up. He'd been acting strange ever since we got here in Alexandria, never wanting to shower, not wanting to interact with people.
Something inside me told me that, Daryl simply wasn't feeling comfortable here and was possibly feeling isolated in a sense. We were back to a civilized life, where maybe, society wouldn't accept people like Daryl again. "Yeah," I rolled my eyes at the thought of Daryl attempting to come. "If, which is highly unlikely," I informed them, knowing that Daryl was more than likely to not show up at all.
Chuckling, dad kept munching on his apple and smiled at how I was attempting to tickle Carl as he laid flat on mine and Michonne's bed. "You ladies have fun," dad spoke as he finished swallowing the remains of his apple and hummed in delight. "Come on Carl, lets go get ready for tonight," he gestured to go back to Carl, pointing behind him with his finger and turning to leave, Carl sighed and slid off the bed before he followed dad to their room. Leaving myself and Michonne, we looked to each other and laughed softly.
DPOV
Trying to catch up with the horse, I thought it best to go slow, to take our time and track the horse down gradually. As to not scare it and to make sure where we were going was the right way. Aaron stayed behind me, but he'd talk to me briefly about random things that I didn't really care about. "Can you ride horses?" he asked me randomly and completely out of the blue.
The thought of riding a horse made me want to laugh, as it wasn't my style and the last time I rode one, I had an arrow in my side, unconscious, at the bottom of a hill. It wasn't a fun experience and I didn't want to go through that again. "I ride bikes," I told Aaron as I glanced over my shoulder briefly at him and kept moving forward.
Somehow, Aaron found humor in my words. "I take it you don't mean 10-speeds," he teased a little. "I know you're feeling like an outsider. It's not your fault, you know," he tried to reassure and understand me. I don't feel like an outsider, I am an outsider. There's a huge difference. "Eric and I, we're still looked at as outsiders in a lot of ways. We've heard our fair share of well-meaning, but hilariously offensive things from some otherwise really nice men and women," he tried to sympathise with me.
He don't know shit. People here are the same as they always were. But this, it's different. I don't want to go back to the guy I was before I lost Merle. "People are people. The more afraid they get, the more stupid they get. Fear shrinks the brain," he rambled on about society. "They're scared of you and me for different reasons. They're less scared of me because they know me. It's less and less every day," he continued to speak but I kept pushing forward, never looking back at him. "So let them get to know you," he encouraged me to interact with other people outside of my group. "You should go to Deanna's party tonight," he suggested that I go to that gathering.
Part of me did want to go to the party, but another part of me didn't want to give in. At least, not yet. They didn't like me, they might of feared me and they had every right to do so. But I couldn't stand being in the same room, with average people and Kat...all normal and beautiful. While I was always going to be rough, rugged and sticking out like a sore thumb. Sitting around there alone, I could picture it all in that very second. "I got nothing to prove," I stated to him. "I met a lot of bad people out here doing a lot of bad shit. They weren't afraid of nothing," I told him, not needing to elaborate any further as to my experiences out in the real world.
Aaron was silent for a moment. "Yeah, they were," he responded after a few moments, as we walked on, in search for the horse. Please. Just shut up. He's a good guy, but he needs to stop trying to get into my business and thoughts.
CPOV
Wearing something basic, like a loose, long shirt, a t-shirt and some pants, I was ready to go. Kat's music was loud in her room while she got ready, we all showered and got dressed. But when it was time to go, I wandered over to Kat's door and knocked on it. Michonne was already finished and ready, waiting downstairs with Carol, dad and Judith. Kat was putting on the last of her accessories. She looked beautiful as she looked at herself in the mirror. "Ready?" I asked her.
Leaning against the door frame, she reminded me so much of mom, but she also was beautiful, looking like herself. The green dress fit perfectly, the make-up she put on brought out her blue eyes and her hair was neatly up in a messy style. "Ready," Kat repeated my words, getting up and smoothing down her dress skirt. She wore heels, but I knew she was capable of standing the pain of them.
Once we got down the stairs, dad told her how beautiful she looked, Michonne stared at Kat proudly and Carol looked to Kat the same way Michonne did. Kat took my arm as we both walked down the steps together, following after Carol while she took the cookies to the party with us. The moment we stepped into the room, Nirvana's 'Come As You Are' started playing. "Damn, that song seems to follow you wherever you go," Michonne mumbled as we stood at the back.
First to be greeted by Deanna was Carol, then me, then my dad and baby sister. But, I could still hear the sweet laughter of Kat as she entered the building. "What can I say? Nirvana's Come As You Are is a perfect song for a party filled with strangers," Kat muttered softly under her voice to Michonne. "Who, could very well be both dangerous and an enemy. Depends on which point of view you're looking through and which group is seen as the bigger threat," Kat's voice turned dark as the pair exchanged glances and I realised just how perfectly the song fit in with our entire situation.
The moment Deanna saw us, her eyes lit up and she ushered Carol towards the kitchen, wanting her to place the cookies onto the desk in the kitchen. "Oh, my. Welcome. Oh, it's so good to see you," she spoke to all of us once she spotted us, making her way towards us with a drink in her hand. "Hi, Carl," she greeted me. "Thank you for coming," Deanna said to my dad. "You know, I didn't get a chance to interview this one. I envy her," Deanna said as she looked at Judith, greeting her as she got close enough to Judith, who was in my dad's protective arms.
Dad stared at Deanna with a curious look, his eyes glued to Deanna's every moment, but he didn't back away or glare at her. He was only interested in hearing what exactly she'd have to say about my baby sister. "Why?" he asked her, voicing his questions and not letting them linger for too long in his mind.
Deanna seemed very happy to see a baby, but from what we'd heard, apparently there had been a lot of time that passed since anyone here saw a baby. It was sweet to see Deanna being so endearing with Judith, but part of me wanted to protect Judith, no matter who it was and if they seemed to like Judith. "She'll get to see what this place will become," Deanna spoke fondly before looking up at my dad with kind eyes. "Come. Come on in," she encouraged us to step in further to her house.
Walking deeper into the house, Kat looked to me then to my friends. I was staring at them, wanting to go up to them and see what they were talking about. I wanted to act like everything was back to normal, but part of me knew that the world beyond the walls were a lot different. That this, was only a small part of reality. "Go, have fun with your friends, I'll get us a drink is that fine with you?" Kat said, patting my back and guiding me over to them.
She had paused to ask dad the last question, her eyes glancing at him and then down at our little Judith. Gesturing to dad to give her Judith, I smiled and slowly proceeded to go up to my friends. "Fine with me," dad shrugged, carefully turning Judith so that she could go comfortably and easily into Kat's arms.
Kat made some mumbling noises, cuddling Judith as she gradually slipped peacefully into Kat's arms. Judith loved being in our arms, but she prefered it more being in Kat's arms. She was of course, the mother figure Judith needed. "Come on my baby girl," Kat mumbled cutely to Judith as she turned her to face Kat. "Lets go get you something to sip too," she spoke to the baby, but was also reminding herself of some tasks she had to do for all of them, including Judith. They're cute together. With the final thought, I turned my head to look where I was going and made my way to my newly made friends.
RPOV
While Kat went away with Judith to go fetch us something to drink, I saw Deanna approach me with a man who had white hair and glasses. He seemed to look like an intelligent man and something told me that Deanna really wanted me to meet him. "You're Rick," the man already knew my name, but I had no idea who he was.
Holding onto the man in an endearing way, the only thing I could think of, was that this man was either a brother or her husband. "Rick, this is my husband Reg," Deanna made it clear to me that these two weren't related, but indeed, married. Glancing briefly at the wedding ring, it only made sense that these two were the power couple here.
"You're a pretty remarkable guy," Reg spoke of me fondly, which made me shuffle around, shifting the weight of my feet.
I was unsure what this man was getting at. What exactly does he know about me? I thought to myself before I glanced between the pair of them. "How's that?" I asked him, staring directly into his eyes and held his gaze there.
Standing in front of a man who had built an impressive wall, I was surprised that he thought I was the remarkable one out of the pair of us. I did what I had to in order to survive, I wouldn't of called myself remarkable, but a decent man, I could probably agree with that. But only on my best days. "I watched the tapes. All of them," he told me. "The things those people said about you. The things you did for them," he spoke with awe in his tone of voice.
Glancing at him with furrowed eyebrows, I took a small side step and shuffled on the spot a little. These days, I was finding it harder and harder to stand still whenever I spoke to people who weren't close to me or family. "Didn't you build that wall out there?" I asked him, reminding him of the impressive things he did in return.
Reg only chuckled and nodded frequently. "Yeah, I did, with help," he spoke slowly. "A lot of it," he further told me, it was all choppy and it made me look at him sternly. Did he really think he did the things I did without other's help or influences? "And it's a damned incredible achievement. But it's a wall," he shrugged at me, like what he had done wasn't as impressive as the terrible things I had done. Deanna snickered as she looked to her husband with pure admiration. "15 lives in this world? I think you have me beat," Reg argued lightly, he wasn't angry, but he was certain that I was the better man out of the two of us when it came to who achieved more.
He looked defeated, like no matter how many walls he built with others, he'd never beat what I had by saving this amount of lives. I didn't just save them, we all worked together to get this far. "Well, we're standing behind that wall right now, dear. So let's call it a tie," Deanna glanced between myself and her beloved husband.
The way she looked at him, reminded me of when me and Lori were young. How she clinged to me, how I would hold her tight and would hardly remove my gaze from her precious face. I missed her more than anything sometimes. She was my wife, the mother of my three beautiful children and she was no longer with us. Reg chuckled lightly. "Well, I'm glad you're here. Now, take a glass," he greeted me as he offered me a glass of whiskey.
Needing to stay fresh and alert, I knew that if I drank so much as a little bit, I could be thrown off my game. I hadn't drank in what felt like so long and the last time I drank too much, I spoke of negative things that got my daughter upset with me. "I'm good," I refused the drink kindly, the glasses empty, but the bottle of whiskey firmly in Reg's hands.
How Reg and Deanna looked at me proved that these people were only trying to be kind. To be good hosts and to try and get me to cool down a little. I needed to not look so suspicious, so a small drink was surely not going to hurt me. "You don't have to be," Reg encouraged me, to which I shook it off and laughed, agreeing to the drink in the end. "There you go. Go on. Right. Welcome," he mumbled and welcomed me into this town as he poured our drinks.
Clinking the glass, I looked around and felt remotely secure about where I was. I was close to friends, family and other people I could somewhat trust to keep me safe. To keep my family safe and my friends safe too. We could handle it. "Thank you," I thanked Reg as I took a long sip of my drink. The warming sensation foreign after so long without drinking it. The drink made my muscles untense slightly, but not enough to step me off my game. Seeing the door open and Jessie walk in with her kids and husband, it made me take a longer gulp of my whiskey. Tonight is going to be a long one.
DPOV
Finding the horse again, he galloped away from us and the walkers were chasing after him as they slowly surrounded him. We needed to get to him quickly, before the walkers could. "Gotta move quick. He's pinned in with them," I told Aaron the game plan in how to get to the horse quickly and safely. "I got the far ones," I instructed for him to go to the closer ones, using whatever he had to get closer to the horse he was trying to get for a long while now.
Shooting down one walker using my bolt, I chased after the walkers and horse. But as Aaron ran after the horse, a walker took hold of his foot and made Aaron fall to the floor with a thud. Groaning, he panted and panicked as he pulled out his machete, fumbling to get his weapons out quick enough. Walkers began to circle around him, so I acted on impulse. Watching Aaron chop the walker's wrist, I rushed to his aid and smashed the walker's head in with the heel of my foot. Grabbing another walker that got too close behind me, I forced her head against the dead walker's corpse, splattering her brains all over it. "Thanks," Aaron thanked me as he got to his feet.
Aiming behind me, he shot a walker right between the eyes, saving me as it began to get too close to me. Collecting my bow and bolts, I had glanced behind me and saw that the walker fell to the ground. "Thanks," I thanked him in return for saving my life. Cutting through walkers, we made our way to the horse and stopped, dead in our tracks. The sound of whinning echoed as the horse neighed and cried. Walkers snarling, pushing the horse to the ground and ripping it apart. The sight killed my soul further, like a good thing becoming my worse nightmare. "I got the ones on the right," I mumbled as I got myself ready.
Killing the walkers that circled and chewed on the poor horse, I kept my distance and used enough arm force to kill each walker. Angered with the thought that something positive was going to happen for once. That something positive was going to happen today. I'm so fucking stupid for thinking something would turn out right. "Go ahead," I encouraged Aaron to shoot the poor horse down as it breathed heavily, dying slowly as all its guts were splayed out on the ground. His eyes dark and the sight was a tragedy for both of us.
The heavy breathing stopped with a quick whoosh and clink. My things were collected, but Aaron's machete still laid on the ground as he had thrown it there in anger. Disappointed in himself, in that moment, I knew he was one of the good guys and that he didn't like losing the most innocent things in life. How he found it hard to see the horse this way, the fact he lost him and that now, he was the one to put him down. It took a small toll on Aaron, that much was evident. "He always ran," Aaron spoke of the horse.
Flashes of people who cared about me flooded my mind. How I'd always ran, how I kept my distance from them and how they'd continue to chase after me. It made me realise that running away from my problems, would only get me killed. "You were trying to help him," I reassured Aaron that there was nothing more he could have done. I need to make this right. I need to go to the party. I need to try.
KPOV
Enjoying my time with our friends, family and seeing Carl having fun with his new friends, it made me smile, laugh and every joke that was shared, I couldn't help but to feel a little more at ease. The gentle touch of a wide hand on my waist and a whisper in my ear, made me look over my shoulder and see my father stood behind me. "Guess who's outside the window, staring at you?" he asked me.
Unsure, my eyebrows furrowed in absolute confusion and uncertainty. As he leaned in close to me, trying to get my attention over all the loud conversations and laughter that surrounded us. "Who?" I asked him as I looked out the windows frantically, until I found Daryl hidden in the shadows. "Daryl?" I whispered, surprised to see him out there and staring into the house, his eyes met mine and quickly, he shied his gaze away. "Why won't he come in?" I questioned my father, rather than the man outside as I saw Daryl bow his head in slight sadness.
Holding onto my cup, I slowly had released my grip when dad took it gently from my hands. As though to hold onto it while I was to disappear from the building. "I don't know," dad replied with a small shrug as he took my drink. "Go out there and ask him," he ordered in a playful and light tone. "Quick, go, before he disappears," he told me to hurry as I began to push past people to get to the front door, so I could find him. Please wait Daryl...please.
DPOV
Having a shower, getting changed into a new shirt and jeans, I wandered over to the house that everyone was going to be at and stopped by a tree. Staring in through the window, I could see how everyone was happy, with each other and talking to either strangers or each other. The one who caught my eye though, was none other than Kat. Her radiance was mesmerizing, and the way she looked in her green dress with her hair up, it had took my breath away. She looks so beautiful. My heart was pounding just at the sight of her, even more so if I were to step into the scene and ruin it.
Everyone had looked like they belonged there, a picture perfect scene as everyone there fit in perfectly to the way everyone was here and looked appropriate. Myself, I was an outisder before the world got turned upside down, and when we arrived here, it felt like nothing had changed since the day walkers roamed the earth. I didn't fit in and I knew I wouldn't. I didn't want to step in, just so that the room would go silent and everyone would look at me with rejection and disgust.
Instead, I admired Kat from afar, until I realized that now, where we were, I'd never have a chance being with her. Not that I had the chance before, but she belonged here and I didn't. I'm too much of a freak. No one should or would love me. Especially not a girl like Kat. Sighing, I bowed my head and felt my heart plummet to the ground before I turned around and began to make my way back to the house.
KPOV
Running out into the cold night, I saw Daryl walking away, hands in his pockets and almost a few good meters away from the house, but close enough to Deanna's home. I glanced briefly to one of the windows and saw my father staring out of it, clearly seeing us as I ran towards him. "Daryl!" I called to him loudly and it caused him to stop, to slowly turn to face me. "Hey, where are you going?" I asked, stopping in front of him as he glanced at the house nervously. "The party is that way," I pointed back to the house with my thumb over my shoulder.
He kept his eyes fixated on the house, not on anything else, just the house. It was like he was fighting something, what exactly, I couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was he thought about. Or what was scaring him for that matter. "Nah, I ain't up for it," he grumbled roughly. "Not my style," he pointed out what was obvious to those of us that knew him. "That ain't me," he shook his head.
But, part of me knew Daryl was capable of anything, if he put his mind and heart to it. Something was making him this way and I was going to get to the bottom of it. He never cares what anyone thinks of him, why is he starting this now? "Why?" I asked, already detecting a sense of why he didn't want to go into the building and to join the party with us.
Removing his gaze from the building, it finally landed on my own set of eyes. Keeping our stares to one another, he shrugged and chewed on the inside of his cheek. He was acting that same nervous way he always did. "I don't belong there," he finally spoke, after a few moments of me waiting for a response from him expectantly.
Knowing me well enough, he knew I needed a verbal answer from him, not just a simplistic shrug that said nothing to me. Shaking my head at him, he was acting stupid and thinking incorrectly, being negative this way wasn't healthy for him. "You do," I argued politely. "Daryl, you do," I tried again when he shook his head at me from my argument. "You're a part of our group, a part of our family," I pointed out to him as I slowly stalked closer to him. "You belong there because you belong with us. And because you belong there just as much as we do," I told him angrily.
To think he found himself worthless, it irritated me and made me angry. He was more welcome there than any of us, despite everything we all did, the past was a distant memory and no longer affected us. This was a new life and Daryl would always be present with us. "Kat, you belong in there," he disagreed with me with a shake of his head. "Not me," he was being stubborn about this, but I was more stubborn than he was. "I never belonged in a place like this," he waved his hands around to the town that surrounded us. "I never will."
Laughing dryly, I looked around and couldn't help but smile. Becoming more annoyed with him, I he was talking bullshit to me and I wasn't going to let him get away with it. "Are you listening to yourself? Are you even listening to a single word I'm saying?" I asked him, my tone angered and firm.
Having yet another argument, this time, it felt different and I sensed Daryl knew that too. Neither of us were going to back down to this argument. "I don't belong in a place like this, I'm nothing and you guys...you're all something," he kept speaking shit to me. "You've got jobs, you've had this comfortable life before. I never had any of this shit," I was comparing our pasts and the current state we were in.
None of this mattered to me or anyone that was inside that building that we loved and trusted. We were who we were, job, no job, good past or bad, we had changed and formed a family during the time we all spent together. "Daryl," I kept stalking slower to him, his body tensing more with each step I took. "That means nothing to me or anyone in there," I reassured him that I wasn't bothered by his 'redneck' history. He was different, an honourable man and a kind man. A man I respected and cared for deeply. "And if it does matter to them, screw 'em," I shrugged at Daryl.
With each step I took, I could see Daryl's heart sank and his body got more tense. Taking more steps back, he was afraid of me getting too close and I noticed it instantly as he shuffled away from me. "You don't get it," Daryl growled and shook his head, getting more angry with each step I took closer and each step he took back.
Each word that escaped his mouth had me more angry and upset with him. He didn't see himself clearly, it didn't matter if I shoved a mirror or a drawing at him, he didn't know how I saw him or others. He didn't know how much we all cared for him. "What don't I get?" I yelled at him, angered with how he was consistantly arguing me. "Explain it, help me understand and stop being so god damn vague!"
Rising. Falling. His chest rose and fell quickly, as though he was a cat encased in a cage. No where to run and hide, he had to deal with the threat now. "You're beautiful, smart, creative, strong," he began to rush his words out quickly. "A girl that fits perfectly in the scene and me...I'm not you," he shouted, pointing to the building behind me as he spoke. "I'm not like anyone in there. I don't deserve to be there," he argued with me. "I don't deserve you," he said, stunning both me and himself a little. "A girl like you with a guy like me...nah," he shook his head and denied the possibility. "We're too different. It don't work like that. Never had, never will," he rambled on with a constant shake of his head.
Staring at him with sad eyes, my eyebrows furrowed whilst I listened to his every word. He admitted the most personal and sweetest thoughts he had of me, but I stayed frozen for a minute as I thought on it. "Stop being a dumbass, you belong here," I glared at him and shook my head at him. "And as for you and me, I care about you Daryl!" I argued with him, confessing my true feelings to him in that very moment.
His body froze, his chest still rising and falling quickly, more so with my own confession. He didn't say he cared for me, but he hinted that he had. "I always have," my voice softened as I looked to him sadly. "Not since the very start, but you've proven to be more worthy of my company than any fancy dressed, highly-educated asshole in there," I reassured him with a small laugh. "Why do you think I like you and not them Daryl?" I asked him but answered my own question before he could answer it for me. "You said it, you're not them and I wouldn't have you any other way," I shrugged while splaying my arms a little, shaking my head and a shy smile growing on my surprise stricken face.
The way he looked at me, was like he couldn't believe what he heard, like he wasn't going to accept it. "Don't you get it?! I'm a redneck asshole, an outcast," he reminded me of something he wasn't anymore. "It didn't change then and it won't change now," he shook his head as he spoke. "I can't change, this is who I am," he pat his chest and then pointed to the ground. "I've always been that and I won't ever find a place in this world, the only time I feel at peace is when I'm out there, in the woods, with the walkers, with the wildlife," he frantically spoke, pointing to the side and shouting at me. "I don't deserve to be-" he went to say, but I cut him off.
As he rambled on about being at peace, of who he was, of how he wasn't changing, I had heard enough. Rushing to him, he shuffled back a few spaces, but I took firm hold of his face and collided my lips with his. For a short moment, his body tensed, his hands were the only things working, attempting to pry me away from him and eventually, he stopped fighting me. His hands relaxing on my shoulders, as his lips gradually gave in and moved with mine in synchronisation. He was gentle, tender and our eyes were gradually shut as we got into it. My heart speeding within my chest, his beard tickled my skin faintly, making me giggle whilst I pulled away slowly.
Licking my lips, I bit down on my bottom lip and smiled up at him. Releasing his face from my hands, he simply stared into my eyes, as though stunned and attempting to process what had just happened between us. As though he was trying to figure out if it was a dream or if it had really happened. "You talk too much," I teased him lightly with a growing smile on my face. "You belong here and I'll drag you back by your feet if I have to remind you again," I shoved him playfully, taking hold of his shirt lightly. Curling my hands into fists as I grasped the fabric. "Now, do you want to go back home? Or give the party a chance?" I asked him, but his eyes darted to the building and then to the ground. This, was signal enough. "Home it is, come on."
DPOV
Kat had done what I believed to be the impossible. All the whispers, all the conversations I had with everyone over Kat, it all made sense now. She really did like me and she'd proved it with one swift and simple act. The kiss was slow, tender and filled with a gradual burning passion. For a moment, I didn't want her to be kissing me, nervous and not wanting this unusual interaction with her or anyone. But once I realised it was really happening, I gave in and followed her lead. Thanking the heavens that this was really happening.
Once our kiss was over, Kat teased me and offered us to go back to the party or to go home. Deciding home was the best for the both of us, Kat lead the way and walked closely beside me. Not holding hands, mine were stuffed in my pant pockets as I still processed what had happened. My head down, while Kat's was up and glancing at me from time to time. "Daryl, Kat," a familiar voice called to us. Looking up, I instantly saw who it was. Aaron, leaning against the door frame and the porch lights were on. "Hey," he greeted us.
Confused as to what he was doing at home, I stared up at him with scrunched up eyebrows. He had been encouraging me all day to go to the party, when in the end, he decided not to go himself. Kat just kept watching our interaction vigilantly. "Thought you were going to that party over there," I pointed back to where all the noise was coming from.
"Oh, I was never going to go 'cause of Eric's ankle, thank God," he spoke, pleased that there was an excuse for him to not go to the party his leader had made for them.
A little angered by his false intention of making me go there, I didn't like the idea that he'd been trying to convince me all day, only to find out he wasn't planning on going anyway. This asshole nearly made me the joke of the party. "Why the hell did you tell me to go, then?" I asked him, wanting to know the answer to this question urgently.
Offering me a polite smile, he could tell I was irritated by the fact that he'd convinced me to go, only to decide not to show up. I'd expected he'd be there, but he never did tell me he was going to be there. "I said try. You did," Aaron pointed out what was obvious. "It's a thought that counts thing," he explained how this was all working out for me.
Glancing at Kat, she quirked a mischievious eyebrow that only told me she'd have questions to ask me earlier. I don't want to deal with this shit right now. What the hell are we now anyway? Part of me got confused the more I looked at her, especially after the kiss we'd shared. "All right," I grumbled, looking back at Aaron before turning my back and making my way down the street again.
Shuffling to a start, Kat followed quietly and just as we were about to leave, Aaron caught our attention once again. "Hey, come in," he called after us, encouraging us to enter his home. "Have some dinner," he offered us to eat with him and Eric. "Come on, guys," he kept trying to encourage us. "It's some pretty serious spaghetti," he informed us before he walked back into the house, leaving the door opened for us.
Tilting her head slightly, Kat offered me a single, quirked eyebrow and a small smile on her lips. A playful look was in her eyes whilst she spoke softly. "We should go in," she spoke like there was no harm in having a meal with them. "I know Hershel could never say no to spaghetti," Kat reminded me of how much Hershel used to love spaghetti, making me scoff before nodding and letting her lead the way up the stairs. Once inside, I shut the door behind us and followed her into the dinning room.
RPOV
After spying on Kat chasing after Daryl, I saw the argument take place, saw the kiss and smiled. The pair were sweet together and they were both perfect for each other in every way. He took care of her and she'd take care of him, it was how it was supposed to be and how it always had been. Making my way over to Carol, I noticed the woman from the armory had finally joined the party. "Look, she's here, which means it's empty, so..." she drifted, pointing out that now was the perfect time to go do what we had planned.
Nodding, I knew what had to be done and I didn't want Carol to be alone, at the thought of the risk she'd have is she went alone and got caught. I didn't want her to do this alone. She was capable of looking out for herself, but I still wanted to be there, just in case. "I'll go with you," I had made up my mind quickly.
"No, remember..." Carol stopped me before I could force myself to go with her.
Remembering the conversation we had prior to all this, she'd mentioned how she was back to being invisible again. "You're invisible," I repeated, to which she hummed and left the room, finding another escape route to the armory. It was close, so if anything happened, I was sure I'd be able to go out there quickly and help her, if need be.
The sudden call for attention made me look in the direction of the female voice that called. Just by the noise, I could tell it was in fact, Jessie calling out for my undivided attention. There was just something about her that didn't leave my mind. "Hey!" she called to me over the crowd's volume of noise. "Rick, this is my husband Pete," Jessie introduced me to her taller half.
Making my way over to them gradually, he offered his hand, to which I shook in return and offered a firm, but polite smile. "Hey, good to meet you," he was acting all nice, but the first time I met him, he was being mean and was possibly even drunk when he first spoke with me. "I wanted to thank you for taking on being our constable. If we keep growing at this rate, we're gonna need even more," he congradulated me for job and commented on the growth of this community.
"I hope so," I agreed with him. Part of me didn't like the look of this guy, but then again, he was the husband of a girl I did find very attractive.
The way he looked in my eyes, something didn't seem right and I couldn't put my finger on it. "You want to come by my office next week?" he asked me, to which I had no idea what he had meant. "I'll take a look at you," he suggested, which only made me look at him with a confused and skeptical expression. Are they saying I'm crazy? Or is this guy gay or something? What the hell am I missing here? "And I probably should have said I was a doctor first," he pointed out his own mistake awkwardly.
Glancing between the ground and her husband, something in the way Jessie looked at her husband shook me. Something wasn't quite right with this pair. They weren't as close and loving as Deanna and Reg. Then again, every couple was different. I was definately not going to expect Kat and Daryl to be cuddling up anytime soon, as neither of them were exactly that type. "I think it sounded nice either way," Jessie was being a good, kind woman and Pete then said he was going to go get them all a refill, offering to do something to remove himself from the situation.
Instead, Jessie offered to do it instead. Allowing him to do so, after much insisting over one another, Pete left myself and Jessie alone. Neither of us saying a thing as we stood together on the spot awkwardly. "Having fun?" Jessie asked me after a moment of silence between us.
"Yes, I am," I answered her bluntly, which was a lie. This was turning out to be exactly something I didn't naturally like anymore. Especially surrounding myself in a room filled with strangers, and familiar faces.
Flinching at her own question and my response, this conversation was getting more awkward as the seconds ticked by. "That's kind of a stupid question, right?" she asked me, uncertain as to if this was appropriate to talk about, considering everything that happened, was happening and would probably happen.
Chuckling, I looked to the ground and shook my head. "No," I replied shortly again, giving her small and quick answers. A smile forming on my lips at how cute she was being, despite the awkward situation we were both in.
Looking back, she had caught sight of something that I'd only briefly looked up at. My friends, my family, were all gathered around, talking and having a good time together. "Still, this place has a pretty amazing view," she told me, to which I challenged her with a soft 'Yeah?' "Yeah, take a look," she encouraged me to have another glance at them, to see how Maggie, Abraham, Glenn, Rosita and Noah were all happy, talking to one another peacefully. "Ordinary life like before. Well, not like before," she'd spoke but then quickly corrected herself.
"No," I grumbled again with another shake of my head. Nothing was ever going to be the same again. We already knew that. We'd been through that too many times.
With a deep sigh, her face fell and she seemed to have suddenly faced the reality of it all. "Yeah, no. I mean-" she agreed but then tried to change it. "I mean, it's better. Not out there, in here," she spoke with confidence in this place. "You know, everyone's been through it somehow. Everyone. And a lot of things disappeared. But a lot of bullshit went with it," she continued her speech, glancing around the room and meeting my gaze as she spoke.
Something in the way she spoke, made me realise that this place could be good. That we need this place and if things didn't work out, I knew my group were capable of taking over this place with me. "They're all from totally different backgrounds, different places. They never would have even met. And now they're part of each other's lives. They are each other's lives," she said, reminding me of my own group. How we were all unique, but we all came together and formed this family together. "I'm just saying, we all lost things, but we got something back. It isn't enough, but it's something," she finished her speech off nicely.
Looking up, I had noticed my son was hanging around with his friends and doing usual kid stuff. Watching how my son was playing games with his friends and how he was winning them. Seeing them exchange cards, probably playing Pokemon or something. But either way, I had the pride to see him being happy and doing the regular kid stuff he'd been deprived of for so long. Chuckling, I couldn't help but smile and nod. "Yeah, yeah, it's a pretty good view," I agreed with her.
The sound of running footsteps came closer towards us. "Mom!" Sam's small voice called out for Jessie as he came bounding into the room and ran right into his mother's side. She gently took hold of him and bent down a little to be more leveled with him. "There's no more cookies," he told her in a sad tone.
Ducking down a little, getting more leveled with him than what Jessie was, I smiled at the kid and decided to calm him a little bit. To reassure him that there would be more made soon enough. "Well, I happen to know the cookie maker," I informed Sam nervously. "She's a good friend of mine," I continued to give out the facts to both of them. "And I might be able to see about her making a whole batch just for you," I tried to make the boy feel better, hoping that this suggestion to give to Carol would be fine with Deanna and whoever was handling the rations.
A quick glance at my hand, made Sam pull a face and it had me a little worried. What? Did I say something wrong? "Mom, he doesn't have a stamp," Sam pointed out and it only made me wonder why I needed a stamp and what it was for. Acting surprised, Jessie leaned back to stand straight and looked at my hand before pulling a sort of smiling face at me. "Do you want a stamp?" Sam asked me politely.
"Sure," I agreed to the offer.
Offering my hand, he gently took hold of it and prepared the stamp pressed to my hand. The gentle pressure was soon enough released and what appeared on my hand, was a red 'A' across the skin on my hand. "See?" Jessie asked me, nudging me lightly as Sam put away his stamp presser. "Now you're officially one of us," Jessie gave me some sort of official welcoming in front of her youngest son. Sam agreed, was called over by his eldest brother Ron and ran towards him. Telling off Sam, she pulled a few faces before looking at me with a polite smile. "I'll see you later," she told me, rather than asked and walked away. Mumbling a 'Yeah' in response, I watched as the family left me alone to ponder in my thoughts.
KPOV
Scraping and clatter of plate against fork and spoons, I politely ate my spagetti and we all watched in amusement as Daryl slurped the final collection of spaghetti off his plate. He's so gross. And he's such an animal, but he's so god damn adorable. Grunting at the end, he wiped his mouth with his sleeve but then picked up a napkin once he noticed how I quirked an amused eyebrow up at him. "Thanks," he thanked them in his cavemanesque voice.
The whole show was funny, cute and just amazing for me to watch. Daryl was always a messy, noisy eater and spaghetti only made him more messy and noisy than normal. "Mmm, when you're out there, if you happen to be in a store or something, Mrs. Neudermyer is really looking for a pasta maker," Eric spoke up, making me and Daryl look at him confused. My chewing slowed and Daryl drank his wine quietly.
Pasta maker? Go out there? What is he talking about? "And we're all really trying to get her to shut up about it. I mean, we have crates of dried pasta in here, but she wants to make her own or something. I really think she just wants something to talk about, so...if you see one out on your travels, it would go a long way to..." once he realised how lost myself and Daryl were, I looked at him and he looked at me, like either of us had a clue what this was all about. The only one who seemed to know, were Eric and Aaron. "I thought it was done. You didn't ask him already?" Eric questioned Aaron from across the table.
I was sat opposite Daryl, while Aaron sat opposite Eric, allowing Eric to keep his sprained ankle propped up on Aaron's lap. Daryl sat beside Eric and I was sat next to Aaron. Each of us looked at one another either confused, or didn't look at me and Daryl at all. "Ask me what?" Daryl asked with a curious but firm look in his eyes as he stared directly at Aaron.
Pursing his lips, it was like he dreaded this moment. Why? Neither myself or Daryl were sure. But something about it seemed like this was going to be a hard thing to swallow. "It's best if I show you," Aaron finally spoke up. "Kat, do you want to join us?" Aaron asked as he got up and gently placed Eric's foot on the chair, placing his napkin on the table and Daryl followed his example.
Swallowing down my food, I shook my head and licked my lips quickly. "No, I'll be fine here with Eric, keep him company that way," I assured them that I was ok where I was. I knew that if anything did happen, Daryl knew how to handle himself and I was always alert enough to make sure my ears were sensitive to hear whatever sounds would be made of struggle, wherever they were planning to go of course. "If you need me Daryl, call me," I suggested as I looked up at him.
Daryl's blues met mine, nodding once, he knew he could count on me to be there if he needed me and he then left. Leading them down a corridor and through a door, I knew they must have been close enough for me to get to them if need be. "So, how long have you and Daryl been together?" Eric asked, breaking the silence after a few more moments of the pair of us eating together. He was trying to make conversation, over a topic that hadn't exactly been settled and had only started recently. Laughing, I kept my mouth shut and continued to eat until he asked a more appropriate question to converse to.
DPOV
Leading me down into the garage, I found myself looking at a warehouse of just pieces and pieces of parts to bikes. The type of bikes I rode and knew how to fix, thanks to Merle's teachings and my father's. "When I got the place, there was that frame and some parts and equipment. Whoever lived here built them," Aaron informed me of the history he had with this house, the owner and what he believed to be true.
Putting a piece down that I'd been examining, I didn't need to glance back at Aaron. I knew exactly where he was, his presence was easily felt around me. Much like everyone else I came close to, like Kat, Rick, Carl and Carol, along with many more. "It's a lot of parts for one bike," I commented as I looked around some more. I knew plenty about bikes, I knew these parts were just what I needed to make a new one.
Aaron too looked around, but he didn't pick anything up and didn't look directly at anything that would be of complete use to me. "Whenever I came across any parts out there, I brought them back. I didn't know what I'd need," Aaron explained just how much little knowledge he had of bikes. "I always thought I'd learn how to do it, but I get the feeling you already know what to do with it. And the thing is, you're going to need a bike," he continued to speak and I would stay silent, listening and oberserving each part.
Not sure where he was going with this, the best thing I could do, was turn to face him, off the side of my body and watch his reaction. To see if he was lying or not. "Why?" I asked him a soft tone, needing the answer and hoping whatever he'd feed me with, was the absolute truth.
He didn't remove his gaze from mine, instead he kept it and stayed true with me. That, I could respect more than he knew. "I told Deanna not to give you a job because I think I have one for you," he explained why he'd told Deanna to pause her job offers, to not find anything that evidently wouldn't suit me. "I'd like you to be Alexandria's other recruiter. I don't want Eric risking his life anymore," he admitted to me honestly and offered the job at the same time.
"You want me risking mine, right?" I found a subtle hint in something he said. Not only do I get the girl, I get a job and now...I'm going out there, only to risk my life for the benefit of others? Well...ain't that great?
Giving me an apologetic look, I could tell he didn't regret saying it either. "Yeah, because you know what you're doing. You're good out there," he complimented me. "But you don't belong out there," he was now starting to sound a little bit like Kat. "I know it's hard getting used to people getting used to you. And I understand right now, you need to be out there sometimes," he was trying to understand me in a kind way. "So do I," he put his own part into this. Lifting the sheet that covered the frame, just enough to get a good look at it, I instantly knew that a few things needed to be changed and added. "But the main reason why I want you to help me recruit, is because you do know the difference between a good person and a bad person," Aaron informed me, his arms crossed as he explained the truest reason as to why he wanted me working beside me, in Eric's place.
Lowering the sheet, I listened to his words and everything he said was true. Everything he tried to show me, was exactly what he wanted me to hear. What I needed to hear. "I got nothing else to do. Thanks," I thanked him for the new job as I brushed it off like it was nothing to me. "I'll get you some rabbits," this was my way of offering a good deed for him being good to me.
Aaron just laughed and smiled to himself. "Great," he mumbled happily. Guess things are turning out pretty all right here. Without another word or glance in exchange, we went back upstairs and had desert together. Eric and Kat looked like they were both having a good enough time without us, talking, laughing and exchanging happy glances.
MPOV
Stood outside, drinking a cocktail drink alone, I was twiddling a plastic sword that had been pierced into a potato puff. Staring at it, I kept thinking about my sword, how I missed having it on my back, but how at the same time, I didn't. I was safe, but I always felt more at ease with my sword close to me. The sound of the door swinging opened made me stop my intense stare at the plastic, minature sword inbetween my fingers. "You packing different steel nowadays?" Abraham's voice called out to me questioningly.
Snickering softly, Abe really did know how to make me smile and laugh at the stupid things he'd say. But he was a fighter himself, he knew what it was like to always be alert and always needing that weapong to protect you. "Yeah," I laughed softly with my reply.
Leaning against the porch frame, he stared off into the rows of houses that surrounded us. Possibly even the wall that protected us from all threats on the outside. "Live by it, you die by it... and eat potato puffs by it," he spoke about the connection people had with swords. His words made me chuckle. "Pray to God you don't have to use it again. Pray to God you don't get used to not using it again," he kept giving me contrasts. "It's on your back...even when it's off your back."
His words sang out to me, like a familiar song. He understood me far too well. It was like he was digging into my head and it actually scared me. Staring at him, I gave him a slow once over and noticed how he grasped the cup of beer like a baby. "Hmm. How much have you had to drink?" I asked him, implying he was far too drunk to understand even what he was talking about.
Both of us laughed lightly, smiling at the thought as I looked away and simply enjoyed not being alone in that very moment. "I am a large man. And I have had many beers to make up for that," he assured me that he had plenty to drink, making me mumble a quiet 'Uh-huh' in agreement. "And you know what?" he asked me drunkly. "By that brave act, I have-I have come to realize that things have worked out pretty damn well for me," he spoke in a dream like tone, chuckling softly to himself. "How about you? What have you done?" he asked me.
The thought of him and Rosita, it was sweet, they were a good couple that understood each other well. But another part of me wondered why he was asking me this. What exactly does he mean by these questions? "I put on this dress," I spoke, like there was nothing else good that I've done in all the time that I've been here and what I've achieved.
Truthfully, I wasn't much for dresses, I would of much prefered a nice shirt and some pants. But Kat was dressed to impress Daryl, so I thought I might aswell join in on our little party. "Try again," Abraham encouraged as he stared at me. Something in his eyes told me that there was something I was missing. If I got Kat to dress up to impress Daryl, putting her out of her usual comfort zone...who did I dress up for? Who did I put myself out of my comfort zone for? Could it be?...
RPOV
Staring out the window, I could see the houses and I saw Kat and Daryl making their way over to us slowly. Probably coming to collect Judith for her bedtime, along with Carl, because he'd have school in the morning. But the thing I was looking out for most, was Carol and if she was in any kind of trouble in the armory. "That's a pretty good view, too, isn't it?" a familiar, female voice called out to me. "It's been a long time since I held one of these," Jessie said as I slowly turned around, only to see her holding Judith and bounce her gently in her arms.
She looked sweet as she held Judith, but something wasn't all right there. Something didn't strike me the way it should have. Gradually, Jessie made her way to me, holding Judith close to her hip, bouncing her with a happy smile on her face. Judith clutching a blue solo cup in her hands, I was tempted to chuckle, but my eyes kept darting between Judith's cuteness and Jessie's motherly happiness plastered to her face. "Kat, Judith and Carl...they're why I'm still here," I informed Jessie in a serious tone, nodding my head at her. "And I get what you've been telling me."
Readjusting Judith in her arms, Jessie's expression became deadly serious and confused at the same time. It was like she didn't know what the majority of our conversation tonight was all about. "What's that?" she asked me, as Kat slowly came into the room and said a few words to Daryl before he slowly pushed past a few people.
Glancing to my daughter, I saw how happy she looked and how radiant she was. Each day, she looked more like her mother, but also, more like me. She was precious in her own way, as was Judith and Carl. But I had raised a wonderful woman and a loving son. I could only hope the world got better for Judith's sake, so she too could turn out just as amazing as her siblings. "Here isn't that bad," I stated what I had learned from our talks during the party.
Suddenly, Judith began to get a little fussy, making Jessie look at me with a small smile and bounce her a little. "Do you want to take her?" she asked me, offering to give me back my baby.
"Yeah," I agreed, gently taking Judith from her whilst Jessie edged closer to me. Gently wrapping my arms around Judith until I was close enough to Jessie, I took hold of Judith and before I pulled her into my arms more tightly, I leaned in closer to Jessie's side. Staring into her eyes, she held my gaze and by surprise, I kissed her cheek chastely and quickly.
KPOV
Finding my dad and Carl, I gestured for Carl to make his way towards dad and Daryl followed me awkwardly, not looking into anyone's eyes and not touching anyone as he brushed past them. I had noticed dad's interaction with Jessie, how he kissed her cheek and the sight only made me invision my mother and Shane. A sickening sensation coursed through my body for a second, but it only pushed me further to collect my siblings and go back home.
Greeting my father, I smiled at him and Jessie politely before offering my arms to my dad. "Give me Judith, it's her bedtime," I stated the reasons as to why I had to take her. "You too Carl, you've got school again in the afternoon," I told him as he finally got close enough, dad and myself exchanging Judith in our arms. Judith babbled and was eager to go back in my arms, smiling at her and greeting her with the excited, playful voice I'd speak in to her. She grasped onto my necklace and began to play with it tiredly. "Let's head back home," I told Carl and Judith while Carl slowly nods and said his farewells to his friends.
Carl waved a hand at his friends, being a little awkward but polite enough to acknowledge them and say goodbye to them. "See you guys tomorrow," Carl called to them and they all called out their own goodbyes. Placing my hand gently on Carl's back while holding Judith firmly in the other, Daryl looked shyly away from my dad and from Carl, he couldn't even look me or Judith in the eye. He was in an awkward position and I felt sorry for him.
Dad waved back at us and placed a kiss on the top of Carl's, mine and Judith's heads. "Goodnight," he slowly walked with us until it came a point where he was close to leaving the party with us. "I'll be home soon," he reassured us that he wouldn't be coming back too late after we'd go home. "Daryl," dad spoke in a serious and knowing tone, it was like he knew something and it wouldn't of surprised me if he had seen me and Daryl kiss in the middle of the street.
RPOV
Luckily for Kat, Carl and some of the others, they had left the party early enough to not see the explosive way Sasha shouted at one of the people from Alexandria. Evidently, we were all still damaged, bruised or broken. We were all dealing with this change, with the loss we still felt and kept going. Meeting up again, myself, Daryl and Carol to hand out the weapons. Carol unstuffed them from her satchel, showing us the guns she had taken from the inventory. "Take your pick," she encouraged us to pick the best ones that we liked or were more comfortable with.
Glancing at the guns, Daryl bit the inside of his cheek nervously and I wasn't sure if he was too nervous to look me in the eyes, or to spill what was going on in his mind. "Look, I've been thinking. Do we really need these?" he asked as he looked between myself and Carol. "I mean, things go bad, yeah, sure. We do what we gotta do, but it's like you said. We don't need these for that," he understood where we were coming from, but he was clearly against taking any gun for himself. Effectively, he wasn't going to take part in this, unless it was absolutely necessary.
Both myself and Carol were looking at Daryl like he had two heads, or he lost one that actually worked. He had a good heart, but to protect us, words and faith weren't going to protect my family. To protect my daughters, my son and our extended family. "Right now we don't," Carol agreed in part, but I could tell she was encouraging him to take one of the three guns she'd picked out.
Looking to both me and Carol in the eyes, he was testing to see what we thought, gauging our reactions. Whatever it was, he could see that neither of us were agreeing with him 100%. "You wanted me to try, right?" he asked Carol first, then his eyes switched to stare into mine. "I'm good," he reassured me. Carol then turned to me, offering me to take one of the three guns she took. Taking the smaller revolver, I glanced at Daryl and tucked into into the back of my pants and hid it under my windbreaker.
DPOV
The way Rick was playing this out, it was like we were in an inbetween. Like we were standing on a middle ground. Things were turning out to be good for me. To be good for all of us. But Rick was willing to risk it all, on doubt. It was stupid, cautious and in somewhat, reasonable. Gaining a friend in Aaron, I had also formed a new type of relationship with Rick's daughter, Kat, since the kiss and words that had been exchanged during our argument. I wasn't sure exactly what we were, but I knew that I was getting myself mentally prepared for something positive.
To be positive for Alexandria, for the future and for Kat. To be positive to the possibilities life was offering us and right now, we were safe enough. We could worry about other things in due time, but what Rick was doing right now, was only asking for trouble. The people in Alexandria didn't accept me yet, nor did I expect them ever to do so, but at least, I was with people who did respect and care for me. That, was all I truly need to keep surviving, to keep fighting for them and to make our community bigger, to get good people to join us. To make our family bigger than it originally was. The future was full of possibilities, both positive and negative, depending on what would happen.
MPOV
Hammering nails to the wall, I was ready to put my sword up. To put that part of me to rest for as long as I possibly could. Abraham's words rang in my mind, because I too hoped I'd never keep it off my back, never need to use it, never forget how to use it and to never have to die because of it. It was mine, but I was safe. I didn't need it anymore. Kat's words rang in my mind too, the thought of being in a town, in a community filled with diverse people. With people who didn't know me, didn't trust me yet and I didn't know or trust in turn.
Who is the enemy? Who is my friend? Who can I trust? Who can I save? Who will save me? Why did I put that dress on last night? Did Kat gain the attention of Daryl? Is everything going to work out here? Or is all hell going to break loose? What is Rick, Daryl and Carol doing out beyond the gate? How will we all prosper here? Or will we destroy everything in our path so we can stay on top? Where do I stand? Who am I? Only time will tell. For now, I can only hope...
RPOV
Jessie called after me, both Jessie and Sam waved to me, along with Pete. As the happy family walked back towards the house, Jessie smiled at me and showed me the red 'A' imprinted to her hand, clenched into a fist. Following her example, I mirrored her action and smiled to the happy family. Part of me was building rage. Another part of me was telling me to stay out of this. That I was being no better than Shane with Lori. But I couldn't resist her. I would fight, but I knew I'd lose.
Touching the gun resting against my back, tucked under my windbreaker and feeling the blood boiling under my blood. A jealous sensation took over me, one I had never felt before, at least, not this strong. I wanted her. Desired her. Yet, a bigger sensation and responsibility took over my every alert movement. I was a father, a leader and I was going to make sure we always were to live before anyone else could ruin our lives for us. Looking around, checking to see if anyone was watching, which thankfully no one was, I then turned to make my way back home. The sound of banging made me glance around. No one heard it.
Rushing over to the sound, I placed my hand against the metal wall and felt the vibrations of walkers colliding against the walls. There was a threat out there, one that everyone was blind to and I was going to make sure they knew it was a threat. If not, they were going to deal with a bigger threat. And that bigger threat was within the walls. I wasn't their friend. I wasn't their enemy. I was in no rush. But if there was anything to happen, I was going to be quick to react. I wasn't who I was before everything. I was a changed man, a more destructive man and I was armed. I was going to make them see who could be the threats, they needed to know that I was only a man looking out for his family and the extended of my family, my friends. If I had to be vigilant, I couldn't rest.
Daryl chose to take a peaceful path, while I decided it be better to be safe than sorry. I wasn't going to put my children in anymore danger and that, was a promise I was going to keep to myself. They deserved to be safe, to have a peaceful upbringing, to grow old together and start their lives. I still had to speak to Daryl, but I knew he'd look after my daughter, but I needed to make sure I got the clear picture. All while focusing on getting the people of Alexandria to live in the real world, to be safe, but to not be ignorant to the outside world. It was difficult out there and full of threats in every corner. The real threat, is not me. But I can be...
Holy hell! I know, I've spent far too much fucking time away! Forgive me, honestly. And I hope it was worth the wait, I was intending on them to, you know, in this chapter, as we were all anticipating it and I had already planned for that to happen in this chapter. (Feeling a little like Negan, because I feel like I executed this pretty good. Oops! Too soon?) Anyway, I know it's been too long, but I had too much to deal with. And I'm still handling it. I'll try and write as frequently as possible, as I've been pumping for this season after the premier. I'm so sorry, but at one point, I got really worried that it was Daryl. It can't be, otherwise...this story would almost literally go nowhere. I have a lot in store for all the characters, so prepare yourselves. Also, for all your curious questions, needs and updates I have an urgent message...
URGENT! READ THIS TO STAY UPDATED ON UPCOMING CHAPTERS AND STORIES: (it's below)
I have created a twitter account, so you can follow me there, get updates quickly and also, check out other stories too, if it tickles your fancy. You can also ask my questions, possibly even stay updated on if I'm alive or as dead as some characters in this story. The account, is (a)HeroJustIn90. Make sure to follow it to stay consistantly updated there. And yes, I make my own gifs, which will get more difficult as time continues on.
END OF URGENT NOTE!
Anyway, yes, this chapter was heavily influenced by the amazing Nirvana's Come As You Are. Since seeing the trailer for The Defenders, I instantly relistened to it and got rehooked to it. I thought it fit perfectly with the writing in this chapter, other than the much anticipated scene we've all been wanting to happen since the first interaction between Kat and Daryl. Or, as we call them...Karyl. Anyway, you guys know the drill.
Seeing as I gave you a treat with the much anticipated moment, and the chapter...I would like 10 reviews. Questions to be answered in the 10 reviews:
1) What did you like most about this chapter?
2) Did the season 7 premier suck as much as it did for you how it did me?
3) Do you think Kat and Daryl are together now? Or do they need to clarify it between them?
4) How do you feel about the scene you've been waiting for, for so long?
5) Did that kiss moment make sense? Do you think how I wrote Daryl was correct?
6) Was the kiss how you invisioned it? If not, what was different about it?
Anyway, 10 reivews and I'll write another chapter ASAP! That's the deal.
Until then,
Much love!
HeroJustInTime90 xxx also on twitter: (a)HeroJustIn90
