The Fear (The Walking Dead / Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 72 - Have Another Beer

In hind sight Kat realised she had maybe arrived a little early to the party. It was only just now getting dark, Daryl wasn't even back yet from his hunt, Sasha, Abe and Rosita were yet to make an appearance, and she was on her third beer. Michonne was wandering around somewhere and Rick had brought Luke who she saw dart between the crowds. He was a shy kid at first, but when he came out of his shell it happened quick. 

He was constantly running back to her and checking in before running back to whatever it was he had been doing before. Rick had made friends with a woman named Jessie who had two kids herself that Kat was sure Luke was playing with. He was a little younger, but that didn't seem to bother him. For the most part she spotted him with Carl and knew that Carl would watch over him.

It was Rosita she meant to put all her attention into once the other woman showed up. After forcing her into this dress and then having the audacity to show up late she had hell to pay. Michonne had arrived before Kat and was at least in a dress herself.

"Why didn't they force you into one?" Kat asked, tugging down on the dress once more and looking accusingly at Maggie.

"Because I don't need shoving into uncomfortable situations as much as you." She grinned back. "Stop fiddling, it's fine."

"It's not fine. If those gates fell and a herd of walkers came over them tonight I would be stuck in this stupid dress and these stupid shoes."

"I think your bigger concern should be that you're on your fourth beer after not touching a drink or having a decent meal in two years." Glenn grinned earning him a death glare in return. "Those death glares don't work on me anymore." He added as Maggie chuckled.

"Right, that's it. I'm finding other company." Kat declared, looking about the room and pausing as she scanned the crowd.

"No one else here you want to talk to, huh?" Glenn grinned. Stubbornly Kat stalked off in a search to find someone else. "What's the bet she goes to Rick?" Glenn joked.

"Oh, most definitely... but only to talk to Judith." Maggie joked.

They were in fact correct. Kat found her way to their leader who held his infant in his arms and offered to take her from him for a reprieve for a little while, flashing the blonde woman Jessie a hello smile as she did and Rick passed Judith over.

"You've been working with Pete, right." The other woman said with a small smile.

"Ah, yeah. Or I wouldn't say I work with him just yet. He gave me a test today."

Jessie laughed. "Yeah, that sounds like him. He'll come around pretty quickly, he just wants you to make sure you know your stuff first. Even if you were a world rebounded surgeon before, not practising every day can takes its toll. Not that I think that's happened to you-"

"It's alright." Kat quickly cut in with a  smile. "He's your husband?" She then guessed. She knew Pete was married and had kids somewhere and Jessie's nod answered her question. "And the two boys I've seen Carl and Luke with?"

"Ron and Sam." She nodded her smile quickly changing to a broader one when her kids were mentioned then the smaller one when talking about her husband. "Ron's about Carl's age and Sam's ten. Luke's yours, right? How old is he?"

"Oh um." Kat had meant for this conversation to be a quick exchange followed by a swift departure for the door. She knew people assumed Luke was her son and she didn't mind. She was the closest the kid had now, but it retrospect it had only been a few months and to assume the mental of mother and take that title from the woman who had raised him seemed a little much. She also wasn't sure how comfortable she was suddenly being saddled with the title parent even if she had happily taken not he responsibilities.