Chapter 40

A/N: Thank you all so much for the wonderful feedback. It was unanimous... you guys apparently want to see the wedding and the birth. Which is cool because my brain is literally TEEMING with scenes that will not leave me alone. )

A/N #2: It was also wonderful to hear how many of you want more Alexis and Tab. There are some good scenes coming up for them, even though I stand by my original conviction. But that doesn't mean we can't have some fun.

This is all Tab/Alexis but the next is a lot of Caskett!

And Alexis/Kate...

Tab walked through the door to Alexis' room slowly, the corners of her mouth turning up slightly as she took in the cool, neutral tones completely devoid of pink.

"What's so funny?"

The blond shook her head. "Nothing. It's just... Most girls our age are way to fond of freakin' fuchsia."

"Oh Really?" Alexis tilted her head to the side, her eyes narrowing as she gave the other girl a curious look. "And have you been in the bedrooms of most girls our age?"

Tab chewed on the side of her cheek, trying not to laugh in delight as she looked down at the floor. "Something you want to ask me?"

"Something you want to tell me?"

"Damn!" The Australian finally laughed out right; the sound of it slowing to a dry swallow as Alexis sat down hesitantly on the edge of her bed. "How 'bout... how 'bout we take turns?"

"Turns?"

"You ask me something... I ask you something." She looked down at Alexis' dresser, trying to keep her eyes off the beautiful redheads legs, which her miniskirt showcased beyond 'nicely'. Picking up a small figure she looked at it closely before turning to Alexis, a look of delight on her face yet again. "Daryl Dixon? You have one doll in this entire room and it's Daryl Dixon?"

Alexis leaned forward, snatching it from her with a snort. "It's an action figure, not a 'doll'. And Daryl Dixon is our generations quintessential anti-hero."

"Oh I know!" Tabrett bounced excitedly on to the bed beside her. "Did you know his character wasn't even in the original comic books? They just made him up! And he is the best thing on a show full of amazing things."

Alexis blinked, realizing that Tab was actually lying on her bed, stretched out on her belly and looking up at her with a smile. "You... like Zombies?"

The blonds smile widened. "Is that your first question?"

Alexis froze, losing herself in the bright green of the other girls eyes. "I... Uhm... Sure."

"Well, then... Yeah... Yeah I do." She rolled over, staring up at the ceiling. "When I was a kid, and I mean a KID... like four or five years old... My dad fell in love with American cinema. Especially the horror movies. We were treated to all the Romero's, old and new, and anything else he could get his hands on. When he found out that there was going to be a weekly show filmed here? He lost it. Started making all these plans to do a Walking Dead tour... to drag us all out here."

"He sounds like fun. You're dad and my dad should get together and go to Comic-Con."

The happy smile faded. "That would have been nice."

Alexis looked at her closely. "Are you all right? Did I say something...?"

"No...no." The blond sat up, moving closer before leaning back on her hands. "It's just... he died last year. Early October. He never even got to see the show, let alone make it to America."

"So that's why..."

Tab nodded. "That's why."

Alexis reached down, tentatively taking the other girls hand. "You know... there's a Zombie Marathon at the Angelica next week. Two movies a night for seven days. Would you like to go? With me?"

Tabrett smiled at her brightly. "I'd like that... I'd like that a lot." She squeezed the redheads hand. "My turn?"

"Uh... okay."

The Australian turned towards her, looking her in the eyes. "What are we doing, Alexis?"

"I'm sorry?" She knew it sounded weak, but at this point she would grab at any straw she could find.

Tab sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "I spend every waking moment that I am not in school... with you. Every meal, every movie... every... everything. You know that I'm a lesbian. I was always honest about that. And while I love having a new friend... sometimes... sometimes this," She waved her hand between them. "Sometimes this doesn't feel like friends."

"What does it feel like?"

"Uh uh." She smiled. "you have to answer my question before I answer another one of yours."

"Honestly..." Alexis swallowed. "I don't know, Tabrett. I have no idea what this is." She watched the other girls face fall; slipping her fingers beneath her chin to pull her head up. "But I know what this isn't."

The blond looked up at her.

"It isn't... just... a friendship."

The smile that earned her set Alexis' heart racing. "So..." She swallowed. "What does it feel like?"

Tab laughed, slowly moving closer. "It feels like... A million different cliches that would never do it justice." She placed her palm against the redheads cheek. "How about... it feels like a hot shower and a warm meal after the end of the world?" She leaned in closer, stopping herself inches from where she wanted to be. "It feels like home."

Alexis swallowed, her eyes flicking down to take in Tab's full red lips. She knew the blond was waiting on her. That she would never...

With a small groan, the redhead closed the distance between them, pressing her lips against a softness she had never realized existed. Her hands came up automatically, gripping the other girl's arms tightly as she opened her mouth, loving the feel of Tab's tongue against her own.

The kiss was sweet, not quite chaste but close enough, and over way too quickly. When the blond pulled away, her grin was immense. "My turn again?"

Alexis nodded, unable to speak.

"Do you always wear a miniskirt to surf?"

For those that love the minutiae:

The Walking Dead premiered on October 31st, 2010. The first season was six episodes long and ran through December 5th, 2010.

The Castle episode "To Love and Die in L.A." premiered on May 2nd, 2011. So the dates work. I'm anal like that.

;)