Disclaimer: Not mine :)

Notes: It's two hours into Sunday (for me,) so I thought I'd put out another chapter to celebrate Walking Dead Sunday! Yay! :) Thanks to all the reviews, and readers you guys are awesome! I am grateful for everyone's responses! :)

Chapter Thirty-Three

It's several hours before I circle back; I'm not sure if he's still out there…but I know there's no Walkers in the area; not anymore I took down the only two within miles. Made a B line for them the second we split up so they couldn't possibly be a problem.

I wasn't worried about Daryl so much as them possibly finding the others; just in case Sasha or the kids go outside while we're gone.

One Walker or two always seems to draw more; I'm still not sure how that works…it's like bees or ants…somehow they follow each other, know without really showing anything beyond the most basic functions…

Maybe that's how I know when they're there…the thought makes my skin itch.

I rap on the back door Sasha answers it quickly pulls it open and smiles at me steps back, "Come in, come in…"

I take the flannel in my hand and set it in the sink, Molly and Mikka run up to see what I have. "Is that Ed-able?"

"I think you mean edible, Molly; and yes I think it is." Sasha glances at me and I nod.

"Thought you might want something other than meat…" Sasha mouths a soft thank you over the kid's heads.

Glenn wanders in from the door on the right side of the living room, across the from the hallway…probably the master bedroom, these things are usually split plans. His hair is wet, and he's wearing a different t-shirt then before…different pants too I think. He sees me looking waves his hand toward the room.

"The water still works, not much probably whatever's left in the well pipe with no power to turn the pump on once it's gone it's gone...Anyways; We filled the bath tubs. It's cold; but it's nice to be clean. There's clothing in the dresser in there too; it's guys stuff probably too big on you…" He glances at Daryl's shirt in my hand…I haven't put it back on yet from carrying the berries.

"Thanks." I'm going outside though, not going to want wet hair out there. The temperature has dropped again, and it's clouded over in the last hour.

"How are you doing? Are you feeling okay?" Sasha leans closer to me when the kids take several handfuls of berries to the table to eat, Glenn starts eating them too.

"I wasn't bit."

"That's not what I meant…I meant you…are you doing okay…is there anything I can do?"

I shake my head. "Uh, no. I'm fine." I start to head towards the backdoor. I can see Lizzie sitting with Tyreese in the living room; he's flipping through some kind of magazine he's found…she's just…sitting.

"Where are you going?" Sasha steps forward.

"I'm going back out."

"Please don't… at least get cleaned up, rest till Daryl gets back?"

I stand at the glass doors looking out. "Please, I'll sit in front of the door; Hell I'll make Tyreese do it; no one's getting past him."

I sigh. I am filthy. That's one nice thing about having a home, you get to do simple things like clean up, brush your teeth, change clothes…

Things that make you feel human again.

"Take some time to yourself, please…we all owe you so much." I turn to look at her, see Glenn look down at the table again.

"Okay."

I head into the back room, it's is a master bedroom just as I suspected.

I search the low boy dresser in the corner, find a clean shirt that's plain, set it aside search a second drawer and find a package of those white men's tank tops I set it on top of the dresser, rip it open and pull one out. I take it with me through the other door in the room.

The bathroom is illuminated from outside by one of those skylight windows high above the tub; which is filled with water just like Glenn said. There's also a plastic bowl on the side of the tub, and a stack of wash clothes and towels someone—probably Glenn pulled them out and left them on the counter for everyone.

I walk to the mirror, lean against the cabinet and stare at my reflection for a moment.

I do look like Hell. The dirt on my face makes my eyes look extra bright. I grab one of the washcloths, wet it and start to wash the layer of dirt off my face…yeah that's not good enough…not even close…

I search through the glass shower find bottles of shampoo; and conditioner; some off-brand; but it's better than nothing…I pull my hair down, comb my fingers through it till it's relatively straightened out.

I strip out of my filthy clothes; all of them…dunk them in the plastic bowl one at a time, working shampoo through them and rinsing them with fresh water, ringing them out and hanging them over the shower wall to dry. Then I take the water and dump it over my head; it's probably still cleaner than me.

It's damn cold though, I sputter for a second. Grab the shampoo dump some into my hand and work it through my hair, work that lather down my neck, my arms, scrub at my hands…my legs are probably the cleanest things I own right now. I snort with laughter. Have to tip toe carefully with my slick feet out of the shower and grab another plastic bowl of water take it back to the shower and realize this is going to take forever…I twist the nob on the shower, feel the pipe hiss and water spits out; I jump under the spray quickly scrubbing and lathering in the teeth chattering cold.

I dump about half the bottle of conditioner into my hair; work it through with my fingers while it's slick getting all the knots out I can.

I take a second to scrub my other parts down…especially after last night…and this morning. I turn the water off with a jerk, goose bumps across every inch of my skin teeth knocking together.

I walk back across the room; grab one of the towels catching my reflection in the mirror again…it's been a long time since I've seen my reflection like this…I'm thinner then I remember being before, I still have curves; but the most noticeable ones are the muscles on my arms; the tight flare of my waist above slender hips.

I probably need to eat more.

I run the towel over my skin, dry my hair as much as I can, search through the drawers in the cabinet and find scissors, tooth paste, and….red nail polish.

It's so ridiculous it's the first thing I grab.

I sit on the end of the tub, painting every one of my toes bright red, waiting to warm up from my freezing cold shower. I stand back at the counter, grab the scissors again, pull my hair into one hand and cut several inches off of it, turn to check in the mirror; pull little bits forward from each side making it as even as I can behind my own back…not that it really matters since it's always up anyway…but it was getting almost too long to knot the way I like to.

Last I take the tooth paste; grab the toothbrush off the counter, make a face at it, then grab the shampoo scrub it for a few minutes and then rinse it before squeezing toothpaste across it scrubbing my teeth for several minutes staring up at the light from the window; watching the clouds roll across the sky.

After I rinse my mouth I pull the clean tank top on, it's kind of see through it's so thin…but it's long enough to slide just over my hips; hell I think in college I saw girls go out in dresses to clubs that were shorter than this…such a different world from the one I live in now…

I stare at myself in the mirror again, can't think of anything else to do. I walk back into the bedroom; lay down on the bed, I just want to rest my eyes for a second…warm up till Daryl gets back and we can go out; away from the others.

:: Walking Dead ::

(Daryl's POV)

He's back in the yard finally, pokes his head inside to find Glenn and the kids eating berries at the table.

"She here?" He half expected to find her in the yard waiting for him.

"She's getting cleaned up," He steps inside; finds Sasha sitting with her back against the bedroom door. She smiles at him. "She's okay." Tyreese nods to him when he turns back around; he's sitting next to Lizzie on the couch.

"You want some help?" He nods and Glenn gets up follows him back into the yard, helps him gather wood for a fire outside so they can cook what he brought back. He brings a pan out for Daryl to use, helps him carry everything inside so Tyreese and Lizzie can eat, with him; Glenn sticks to the berries, Sasha too.

He makes a plate, takes it into the bedroom nodding to Sasha.

Stops just inside the door; she's passed out on the bed. He pokes his head back out the door motions for Sasha to come closer; "She's asleep…"

"Then don't wake her just stay in there tonight; we'll sleep out here, watch the door."

He nods, he was just going to suggest she keep an eye out while he got cleaned up, just until he can get her outside again. But she needs the rest. He shuts the door again quietly.

Moves closer to the bed to set the plate on the side table next to the bed. Watches her for a moment pale skin, her hair is loose-damp on the pillow; spilled out behind her. He touches it; the ends are cut she must have just done it; looks like several inches are missing.

He moves to the dresser, finds the undershirts on top, grabs one before opening another drawer as quietly as he can glancing over his shoulder to make sure she's still asleep…he sifts through the contents till he finds jeans, checks the size; they're a bit too big but they'll work.

He gets up moves to the bathroom, shuts the door quietly behind him.

Stops when he sees the red gold strands on the floor. He crouches down, sweeps them up with his fingers, straightening them in his hands. He opens the drawers sifting through the contents finds a couple rubber bands loops one around the end of her hair, braids it in his fingers and ties it off with another at the end. He stares at it in his palm for a minute before setting it on the counter next to a small red bottle. He picks it up, flips it over.

Hell is 'Hooker Red'? He frowns, sets it back down and strips out of his filthy clothes. Rinses them and hangs them next to hers.

He gives the knob an experimental twist in the shower surprised when water kicks out of the spout. He washes, picks up the shampoo bottle off the floor and soaps himself head to toe. Rinses quickly and turns the water back off stepping out onto the floor. He uses one of the towels to dry himself, pulls the jeans on with nothing else since his clothes are wet.

His flannel is hanging over the top of the shower, she washed it with her things…he raises his hand to the lace hanging over the door frame pulls his fingers back.

He opens the door to the bedroom, halts in the doorway to find her sitting up in the bed, the plate he brought in her lap; empty.

"Thought you were asleep."

"I was,"

He walks to the end of the bed, her shirt is damn near see-through, he swallows. "You want more to eat?" She shakes her head. Sets the plate on the night stand, gets up on her knees and moves to the end of the mattress…and Jesus if she's not wearing anything but that shirt.

His heart rate picks up, his hands are on her waist; but he doesn't remember making the conscious effort to move them. She's almost the same height as he is this way, presses her lips to his, warm and soft after his cold shower.

She pulls back after a moment, leans back into him, presses her body against his cool skin, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. He tilts his head lets his tongue slide over her bottom lip 'til she lets him in, cups the back of her head swallowing her moan.

Her fingers slide down his chest, fumble with the button on his borrowed jeans he stills her hand. "That's not why I came in here."

"Is something wrong?" Her big green eyes are searching his face, she relaxes after a moment. "Just think you should rest,"

She blinks up at him, and God, if he doesn't know that look by now….she's pulling his lips down to hers, not that he's fighting her at all, just the opposite when his fingers slide over that thin shirt.

"I'm not tired yet."

:: Walking Dead ::