Chapter Six

New Beginnings

I had never been so terrified in months as I had been that evening. I was woken by Nick screaming at me. "Tasha! Get up we gotta fucking go!" I opened my eyes wearily as Nick shook me frantically. "What's wrong?!" I asked worriedly as Nick began throwing my stuff in bags. "Lurkers... Oh fuck, oh fuck!" I stood up as quickly as I could, but I was so disoriented I became dizzy. "Tasha- woah." Nick grabbed onto my waist, holding me up so I would fall over. "I'm sorry!" I said quietly, pulling my bag over my shoulder that he had stuffed as much stuff into. "I'm sorry... I'm so dizzy..."

"Hey, c'mon we gotta go." Nick grabbed onto my hand, pulling me out of the tent and into the darkness. I held onto Nick's hand tightly as we ran through the darkness.

I could hear the growls and the moaning of the walkers around us, and I began more frightened. "Where's your mom?! What about Pete?!" I asked after he stabbed a walker in the head, causing me to stagger back a few feet. It had been so long since I felt this vulnerable- it was killing me. I felt useless as Nick defended us from the hoard of walkers."They got out- we gotta get to the cars."

I nodded, feeling my breathing quicken. Nick grabbed onto my arms, forcing my to look at him. "Just breathe, Tasha! C'mon we gotta go!" Once again, I put my trust in him as we ran as fast as we could to the vehicles that were quickly filling up with the others. I jumped into the back seat before Nick as the car began to drive off.

I sighed with relief as I looked over at Nick who held his rifle close to his body. Barbra, Pete and Luke were in this car while I assumed Carlos, Sarah, Rebecca, Alvin and possibly Carver were in the other cars. "What the hell happened?" I asked after a few moments, pushing myself off the ground and sitting beside Nick against the door. "Someone must've got bit then someone shot and lurkers heard."

I nodded slowly, trying desperately to catch my breath. I hadn't ran so fast in almost two months and I could feel my asthma was screwing with my lungs. I looked up when Nick touched my shoulder. His blue eyes met my green ones and I couldn't help but stare. "Here... You look like shit."

I blinked a few times before rolling my eyes, snatching the water bottle from his grip. "Haha, asshole." Nick chuckled slightly, leaning his arm against my shoulder. I cringed slightly from his touch, but slowly I rested my head on his shoulder. Nick came back for me... He saved my life. I had to admit, whenever he was around me my heart seemed to beat faster and weigh heavier than with anyone else.

"Hey Nick?"

A few hours had passed and we were still on the road. Pete and Barbra were sleeping, while I was still cuddled up to Nick. We hasn't spoken for a while, and I was too afraid to fall asleep. "Yeah?"

"Why did you come back for me?"

Nick stirred slightly under me, causing me to adjust myself so I ended up being closer to him. "Well I couldn't just let you die." Nick replied slowly, his grip seemingly becoming tighter around my shoulder. I pulled away from him, looking into his blue eyes. "You could've. You didn't have to come back to me."

"I had to come back for you." Nick said after staring at me for a few moments. I frowned, realizing how I must've sounded. I wasn't ungrateful that he saved me, I just couldn't see how I'd be important enough to go back for...

I wrapped my arms around Nick, pulling him into a tight embrace. Nick hesitated for a moment before wrapping his arms around my waist, resting his hands on the crook of my back. I never wanted this moment to end... I couldn't exactly figure out what it was, but they way he held me was so gentle, yet so tight at the same time... "Thank you for coming back for me."

I pulled away slowly, my gaze slowly meeting his. I smiled shyly at him, not sure what else to do. Nick looked down at the ground, rubbing the back of his neck. "You should get some rest." His voice was quiet as he slowly tilted his hat to cover his eyes. I leaned my head against his shoulder, my arm gently resting against his. Eventually, though his hand found mine and we fell asleep holding hands.

I smiled as I ran my fingers through my long brown hair; finally able to breath without a constant fear in my chest. A few weeks had passed since the walkers destroyed out camp but things were already starting to look up for the group, and I couldn't be more thrilled. Luke and I still weren't talking of course, him being the stubborn asshole he was, but I was okay with that. We both needed our space and I'm a strong, independent woman I don't need a man to be happy, especially one like him.

Sure, Luke had a good character- when you were friends with him. He had a kind heart, and a loving nature but he had so many emotional issues that when the going gets tough, it just doesn't work out. Deep down I knew I couldn't judge. This apocalyptic world normally changed the good people into something- not nessacarily bad, but something they never once were.

Our new camp was stationed by a river. There was enough space that we could set up our tents and still have a perimeter line for the people on watch- it was definitely a smaller space than before, and there wasn't as much to do. Carlos kept Sarah inside their tent most of the day, out of fear she'd witness more walkers, Becca was in her tent with Alvin because of her pregnancy- that left Pete, Barbra, Nick, Me... And Luke. Barbra had a tendency to be in her tent sewing up our clothes, while Pete and Nick would sometimes go fishing. Luke and I were left alone more than I liked, and over time we ended up having some small-talk conversations, but as soon as Nick got back I would cling to him like he was my anchor holding me to my sanity.

Whenever Nick wasn't doing some form of hunting with Pete, I found myself spending a substantial amount of time with him. Nick and I would sit watch together, or I'd draw while he told me parts of his life. At first he wouldn't open up, but little by little he began to tell me his life story. Whenever he'd ask me about the group I was with before, I would close myself off, and he'd back off but as time progressed, I was more open about everyone, and everything.

"The group you were with, were they nice people?" Nick asked casually as we sat by the river. I stopped sketching in my book to look at him. "Yeah. Except, one woman shot another girl in our group once." I cringed as I thought back to Carley and Lily. Lily wasn't a bad person though, her dad had just died and she wasn't thinking clearly. "Wow... What happened?"

"The woman had lost her father, she was wreck... I guess the stress got to her. We were raided by bandits and just narrowly escaped and she was blaming our own people for giving our supplies to them..." I was silent for a moment, looking away from Nick as I recalled that day. "She said it was either Carley or... Ben." I hadn't said his name out loud in almost a year, and it pained me to say it, especially to Nick. I felt his gaze on me, so I continued, even though a part of me didn't want to. "The woman shot Carley... We left her. She wasn't a bad person, but killing someone in cold blood like that- it's not right." I slowly reached my hand up to my face, feeling tears fall down them. "I'm- I'm sorry. I guess I'm not used to this... Opening up about everything."

"Everyone needs to vent sometime." Nick slowly reached over, placing his hand comfortingly on my leg. "I'm always here if you need me, y'know that right?" I stared up into his bright blue-gray eyes, and I couldn't help but let a smile cross my face. My heart raced at his touched, and I longed for it to never go away. "Yeah." I said shyly. "Thank you... For understanding."

Nick smiled, slowly removing his hand from my leg. "No problem." He stood, lending his hand out for me to grab. I slowly grabbed his hand, allowing him to pull me off the ground. "I'm your guy if you need to have a chat or anything." A grin crossed my face as we walked over to the others.

"Anything?" Nick rolled his eyes. "I'm sure I'll regret this, but yes." I laughed, pushing his arm lightly. "I think I'll hold you to that." Nick smiled, pinching my arm gently.

"I'm sure you will."

I laid in bed that night, staring up at the roof of my tent. I didn't understand what it was about Nick that made me trust him. He was kind, caring, funny... He had the most beautiful eyes. I shook my head, covering my eyes as I thought back to Ben. Nick reminded me of Ben in some ways, but in most ways he didn't at all. They both underestimated themselves, and they both thought low of themselves. Nick always thought Pete was too harsh on him, when really Pete had to be harsh because he was the only fatherly figure he had.

I was too attached to Nick, and I knew if I didn't stop this, I wouldn't be able to. But I couldn't. I wouldn't allow myself to pull away from the only happiness in my life. I made a promise to Ben when he died, and I was going to keep that promise. I will survive; I will be happy.

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