We're The Ones Who Live | The Walking Dead (2)

Part 5 - Hole in the Ground

Sometimes, you wake up with that feeling that something is going to go wrong. It could be a perfectly normal morning, and yet your instincts start screaming at you that something bad is coming for you. You try to ignore it, but the anxious feeling is usually there all day... and it's usually right. 

It was early in the morning when CJ woke up with that exact feeling. The sun had only just come up, judging by the amount of light that was hitting the walls of the tent. Daryl was still asleep and had one arm draped over CJ's middle as they lay facing one another. She leant over and placed the lightest kiss on the tip of his nose before carefully getting out of his embrace, trying not to wake him.

It was a struggle trying to get dressed in the tiny space of the tent, especially whilst trying not to wake Daryl, but she managed. The conversation they'd shared the previous night replayed in her head, and she couldn't help but be a little concerned that Daryl didn't mean what he said about wanting to let go of the past.

As she sat tying the laces of her boots, she heard movement behind her, and glanced over her shoulder to see Daryl sitting up. 

"Morning," she offered a faint smile.

"How come you're up so early?" Daryl asked, his voice raspy with sleep as he pressed a kiss to the back of her head and reached for his shirt. 

CJ shrugged her shoulders as she finished tying her boot. "Woke up a while ago, couldn't drift off again."

"You coulda' woken me," Daryl replied, shuffling into his jeans awkwardly.

"What, and risk being on the receiving end of a hissy fit because you didn't get your beauty sleep?" CJ teased.

Daryl paused and narrowed his eyes at her. "I don't have hissy fits."

"But you are a beauty," she grinned.

"Pfft, stop," he scoffed. "You get any sleep at all?"

"Yeah, a little," CJ replied. "I don't know, I just..."

"Just what?" Daryl questioned. "You good?"

"Yeah, yeah," she nodded. "I don't know, just feel a little weird. Saviors are all leaving today, and with everything else, I guess I'm just worried about what's gonna happen."

"Don't be worried," Daryl muttered. "Them assholes going back to the Sanctuary is a good thing. They ain't our problem anymore."

"Yeah, I guess," CJ sighed as they both moved to get out of the tent. "And no one has to be there with them either. Carol reached out to them on the radio; they don't want any of us there. Not after what happened to Justin and the others."

"Good," Daryl shrugged. He climbed out of the tent, and CJ hesitated for a moment before following. 

Both of them stretched their arms and legs, glad to be out of the cramped space. A few people were walking around, mostly just Saviors packing the last of their stuff. Daryl picked up his crossbow, which he had left beside the tent, and pulled the strap over his head, the weapon resting across his back.

As CJ was strapping on her knife belt and garter, Daryl looked across the camp and spotted Maggie looking at him. She nodded her head, gesturing for him to go over, and he gave her a nod in response.

"I gotta go help Maggie," he told CJ. 

"Okay," she replied. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah, just gotta head out to get more gas cans, that's all," he explained. 

"You want me to come with?"

"Nah, we got it."

"Okay..." CJ replied unsurely. "I had planned on going to Alexandria today, but with the Saviors leaving, I'm gonna stay. See what Rick wants to do about the bridge."