A/N - Once again, thank you so very much for the reviews! They really do give me the motivation to keep writing.
Enjoy!
Lx
Lorna's eyes opened to find the ceiling of her tent. The last memory she had of being awake was sitting next to the blonde Irishman; she wondered for a minute if the man had carried her back to her tent, she smiled warmly to herself. She could hear people outside; Kerry wasn't in their tent so she guessed everyone else was up too. She rose out of her comfortable state and headed outside.
The first person she noticed was Murphy, sitting by a little makeshift campfire. His usually pale complexion was more grey today, his eyes sunken and dark. Lorna looked at the man with worry, he looked ill. She made her way over to the dark-haired man, who was now starting a fire with his lighter, burning up dried sticks and leaves.
"Morning ," Murphy smiled weakly.
"Morning Murphy, are you ok? You don't look so good." She asked him, noticing how dull his voice sounded today.
Murphy's eyebrows furrowed, "I'm fine." He mumbled.
"Are you sure, did you sleep ok?" Lorna pushed the question.
"I said I'm fine!" He snapped, throwing the lighter down as he ditched his attempt to get a good fire going and stormed away towards the trees.
Lorna watched the man disappear into the woods, deciding from the aggression in his voice, that she should leave him be. She spotted his brother over by their tent, in deep conversation with Daryl. The hunter looked focused, his hand gestures pointing from one space of thin air to another; the blonde nodded as he listened. Lorna decided to interrupt the men, to tell Connor about his brother's sudden disappearing act.
"You two look like you're plotting something." She smiled as she approached them.
Connor looked away from Daryl to fix his sight on the beautiful, young woman making her way towards them. Daryl noticed Connor's sudden lack of interest in their discussion and turned to see what he was gawping at.
"Jus' arranging a run sweetheart, gotta find us some food and what not." The Irishman's accent ran smoothly through Lorna's ears, sending a warm feeling down her body and into her stomach.
"Who's going on this run? I want to volunteer." She replied. After needing Daryl's rescue and crashing his truck, she wanted to earn her place and prove she could stand on her own two feet.
"No way, you're gonna stay here." Daryl butted in. The protectiveness in his head came out more like anger in his voice; he could have kicked himself for that.
"Daryl means we don't want ta put ya in danger." Connor added; his usual charming smile plastered on his face.
Lorna felt a little hurt by Daryl's words; did he think she was useless, or a liability?
"I just want to help, I want to be useful round here." She scowled as she looked at Daryl, his words still stinging in her memory, "Oh and Connor, I need a word please." She gestured for the Irishman to follow her.
Connor mouthed, "sure," as he stepped away from Daryl.
"I'm just a little worried about Murphy," she started.
"Murph? What's happened? Is he okay?" Connor's voice as strained as his eyes darted around the camp, looking for his twin.
"Hey now, he's fine. He just looks a bit off." Lorna reached up to steady the frantic man, her hand gripping his shoulder.
"Ya scared the life out of me lass! What do ya mean, off."
"I noticed he looked a little off colour, he looked tired. I asked him if he was ok, if he had slept alright and then he bit my head off. He went off into the woods."
Connor shook his head and took the hand that lay on his shoulder in his, bringing it to his lips and kissing her skin there gently. "He knows better than ta raise his voice t' a woman," Lorna blushed crimson, "I'll go talk ta him, but let me apologise on his behalf."
He let her hand drop to her side, keeping a steady gaze on her face, before heading off into the trees. Lorna fanned her other hand in front of her, a failed attempt to cool herself down from the heat Connor had unknowingly created. As she turned to go find Kerry, she swore she heard Connor humming a song as his figure vanished into the woods.
He trudged through the undergrowth, travelling deeper into the trees. He wouldn't have a clue where to find his brother in the mass of woodland if it wasn't for the cracking of wood in the distance. Sure enough, the sound was being made by Murphy; repeatedly striking a tree with his knife, chipping the bark away like he was peeling an apple.
"Steady on there Rambo." Connor smirked.
Murphy jumped, "Fuck Con, you startled me."
Connor moved closer to his brother, stretching his arm out to take the knife from him. "What if I'd been a biter, it wouldn't have stopped ta talk ta ya."
Murphy's face dropped into a scowl, his eyebrows furrowing together. "Well ya weren't were ya. Get off me back." He snatched the weapon away from his twin's grasp, tucking it into his boot.
Connor backed away; the pair stood in silence for a moment, the blonde's eyes on Murphy, the darker man's fixed on the floor. Connor was the first to give in, taking a cigarette from his pocket and lighting it. "You gonna tell me why ya out here, taking ya anger out on a tree?"
"Jus' wanted some time alone." Murphy watched his brother's cigarette with hungry eyes.
"Ya quit smoking now too?"
"I left me lighter at camp." The dark-haired man blushed as he thought of how childish he had been for throwing it like a toy out of his pram.
Connor threw his lighter at Murphy; he caught it and lit his smoke that he took from behind his ear.
"So, can I ask why ya spoke ta Lorna the way ya did?" Connor gave his brother a stern look.
Murphy sighed, hanging his head as the shame crept upon him. "I should never of snapped at her like tha'," he murmured, "I jus'… she was irritating me."
Connor took a long drag from the stick between his lips, holding the smoke in his lungs for a good while before blowing the plume out into the air. He observed Murphy's dull complexion and noticed how his usually bright blue eyes looked shallow and exhausted. "Ya know she's only concerned Murph. She's right ya do look a little off."
Murphy rolled his eyes, his lips pressing into a firm line before they opened to speak, "What is it with all of ya today? I get it, I look like shit, thank you!" he barked.
"Look here ya moody arse! I'm your brother and if wanna be worried about ya then I will ok, whether ya like it or not." Connor had marched up to Murphy as he spoke, his eyes wide with annoyance. However, once he was stood face to face with his other half, and he could see the fine details of his brother's angelic face, he couldn't hold on to his anger. Murphy's scowl dropped faded into a look of guilt; it seemed he couldn't stay mad at his twin either. He cupped the blonde's face in his hands, bringing their foreheads together, closing their eyes as they stood that way for a moment.
"I'm sorry Connor."
"Me too Murph."
"I should have told ya what happened yesterday, when me and Daryl went for gas." Murphy whispered his voice hoarse.
Connor broke the connection as he stepped back, looking at his brother in with confusion. "Something happened ya say?"
"A biter crept up on me," he saw the look of horror in his brother's face immediately, "but don't worry, I dealt with it." He finished, bending to pat his boot that contained his beloved blade.
Connor buried his face in his hands, the realization that he could have lost his Murphy sinking to the pit of his stomach. He ignored the tear threatening to run down his cheek. "Did it - get ya?" he asked, trying to hide the pain in his voice, "Is that why ya feeling unwell?"
Murphy snorted, taking his brother's hand in his own with a tight squeeze. "Nah, it didn't have a chance ta. I just feel a bit sick, jus' a bug or something. Trust me brother."
Connor blew out a large breath of relief, his brother wasn't going anywhere. He placed his hand over his twin's mouth and kissed the back of it, "I love ya, ya big idiot. Just be more careful in future."
Murphy smiled, his cheeky, wicked grin had found its way back to his face, "I will dear brother, I love ya too."
Romeo loaded his gun as Daryl checked his crossbow over, tucking his knife in his belt for good measure.
"You ready man?" Romeo called over to the hunter. Romeo was leaning against the group's vehicle, ready to go on a supply run with the hunter.
"Yeh, I'm ready." Daryl replied with his southern drawl.
The pair climbed into the car as Kerry walked over to them, "You guys sure you'll manage ok? I can come if you need extra hands."
Daryl remembered how he had come across to Lorna earlier, so he softened his voice as he replied, "We've got it covered, but thanks for the offer."
The woman smiled as she stepped away from the vehicle, "Well be careful, the pair of you. See you later on."
The car drove down the dusty track as Kerry waved them off. She felt, as she had since she arrived, useless. Her face was sore and her memories were still clouded, she just wanted something to do to take her mind off things.
"Hey beautiful." An Irish voice called out.
It was Murphy, making his way towards the brunette. She tried her hardest not to blush at the compliment, telling herself that the man was just being friendly.
"You busy?" he asked her as he arrived in front of her.
"Do I look busy?" she joked, raising her hands to show she was just standing around.
"Ah. Good, you can help me cook up some dinner for when the boys get back."
Kerry felt relieved to have a task to carry out, as she followed the dark-haired hunk towards the campfire where Daryl had left a handful of gutted squirrels to be cooked. Squirrels, of all the woodland creatures! She mused to herself; but beggars couldn't be choosers.
Daryl and Romeo came across a small garage an hour or so down the road. It looked pretty deserted and most importantly, it looked untouched.
"I say we get in there real quick and empty the place into the car." Daryl spoke with a low growl.
The pair left the vehicle with firm grips on their weapons. Daryl scanned the area, his eyes focused and ears strained; this was his hunter mode, the state he became when listening and watching for the slightest movement around him.
"It's clear. Grab the bags." He spoke, breaking the deadly silence.
Romeo reached back in the vehicle for the duffle bags the twins had given them for supplies. "I'll start on one side and you the other. Then we will meet back near the front doors." Romeo instructed, trying not to sound too assertive towards the intimidating redneck.
Inside the store, the shelves were lined with rows upon rows of tins, dried pasta and other goodies. The downside was the rotten meat and dairy products stinking out the fridges.
"Jesus! There's enough here to feed us for months!" Daryl exclaimed, picking through some cans of corn and beans.
A low growling stopped Daryl dead in his tracks, he heard the familiar dragging of feet a second later.
"Romeo, biter behind the counter."
Romeo nodded and pulled his gun up. Daryl raised a hand to stop him, "Use something quiet."
Romeo looked around him, spotting and picking up a crowbar, similar to the one her had found then lost when running through the streets of Boston. He crept over to the counter, the blunt object in his hand ready above his head. The biter, that used to be a woman, was wearing a ripped check shirt, which revealed a scabbed, bloodied gash in its stomach. Its straggly, red hair covered most of its once pretty face. The dead, clouded eyes locked on Romeo, the biter began to surge forwards, snapping and snarling like a rabid dog.
"Fuck you." Romeo growled, almost whispering.
He brought the crowbar down in a swooping motion across his front, crunching the metal through the biter's shrivelled face. The bone and cartilage underneath squelched and cracked; the body dropped and became still on the floor.
"We can't manage it all a once though. Maybe we could lock up when we go, leave so much here and come back for it later?" Romeo suggested, showing no sign that he had just smashed something's face in.
"Good idea man."
The pair stocked the car as much as they could, before using the chains and bolts on the doors to close up shop. Romeo had the great idea of pulling the shutters down, and using a spray paint can he found in the little hardware department, he wrote on the metal surface in red:
'DO NOT ENTER, DEAD INSIDE…'
"That might keep people from snooping." Romeo grinned.
"This is gross." Kerry groaned, plopping the bloody squirrel meat into the camping pan the twins had scavenged on their travels.
"Food's food, my darling." Murphy laughed as he watched the woman's face turn a shade of green.
"I've always been the same, could never handle raw meat. I couldn't even be in the same house as it when I was pregn-" Kerry looked away, cursing herself for letting those words slip her mouth.
"Ya have a kid?" Murphy spoke softly.
"I miscarried. Was a long time ago." She replied coldly.
"I'm sorry ta hear tha'" the man said honestly, rubbing her arm.
His rough hand made just the right friction on her skin to make goosebumps spread up her arm. "Me too," she smiled sadly, "but I've had a long time to heal."
The meat spat in the hot pan, breaking the pair from their gaze on one another.
"Best keep an eye on this, don't want ta burn it." Murphy chuckled, the roar of a car engine could be heard driving up the road back to camp, "Sounds like the guys are back."
Apparently, beggars could be choosers after all.
"This is amazing you guys! Look at all this food!" Lorna exclaimed, running her hands over the tops of the cans.
"There's pasta and rice too!" Kerry lifted a large bag of easy-cook rice eyeing it impressively.
Daryl walked around the car and rested his back against it, "We grabbed some other stuff too; pans, lanterns, sleeping bags."
The rest of the group stared at the hunter and Romeo; their eyes wide as saucers, almost as round as their dropped mouths.
"Sleeping bags?! Where did ya find them in a garage?" Connor cried out in joy.
"We found those in a car on the way back." Romeo joined in, "Feel kind of bad for taking them, but no-one else was gonna use them."
"Aye, that's right Rome, don't ya feel bad about it ok?" Connor patted the Mexican on the shoulder.
Kerry took some rice, beans and tomato purée and told the group how she planned on making the squirrel into a chili. "It won't be too spicy, there's no chili, but it will taste great I promise."
Murphy spotted a handful of small glass jars among the cans, picking one up, he jogged after Kerry, "These any good darling?" he smirked as he handed her the chili flakes.
"They're more than good honey." Kerry smirked back, eyes burning on those sweet, Cheshire cat lips.