The Walking Dead: Danielle Grimes

56.

Danielle's POV

I walk out the of the basement coming face to face with Rick. "How you feelin'?" He asks. "Forgot what it feels like to be this clean." I tell him shutting the basement door behind me. When I look up at Rick, my jaw drops. "Woah.....almost forgot you had a face under all that bro." I joke.

I haven't seen him like this since he first found us.

He smiles and shakes his head. "Yeah, me too." I furrow my eyebrows at him, tilting my head. "You cut your hair too?"

"A woman came by, Jessie. A hairdresser. She came by and introduced herself. She offered to do it for me." Rick explains blushing a bit.
"Were you dressed when she came?" I question. "Why would you ask that?" He chuckles in disbelief.

"You blushed when you said her name." I point out and he sighs. "I was shirtless." He admits and my mouth drops open. "Damn sheriff, I bet you gave her a fright with your dad bod." I joke. "Oh haha. Very funny sis." He rolls his eyes at me. "You do look good but..." I trail off. He furrows his eyebrows at me. "But what?"

"I do like you with a little beard. I think it suits you." He chuckles. "I think you being clean suits you." He teases. I scoff. "Bastard." I mumble. "Come on." He waves me over with his hand opening the front door. I follow him outside seeing Carol, Daryl, Carl and Liam on the porch.

"Hey honey." I whisper to Liam. "Hey." He whispers back, his face blank. "What's wrong?" I ask and he shrugs. "Just feel uncomfortable." I sigh. "Yeah, me and you both munch."

Carl looks at Rick and then at the other house silently asking if he can go and look at it. Rick nods. "Be quick." Carl nods and runs down the steps towards the other house with Carol following.

Daryl sitting down in the corner of the porch, cutting open the possum and pulls its guts out. Rick goes back inside with Liam and I take a seat next to Daryl. I nudge him with my foot making him look at me.

"You good?" I ask quietly. "Mhmm." He nods, going back to work on the possum. I watch him work until he stops and looks at me. "You look weird." He tells me.

Charming.

"Gee thanks. You don't look so great yourself baby." I scoff. "By weird, do you mean clean?" I ask and he shrugs his shoulders. "Didn't mean it in a bad way, darlin'." He mumbles. "Where's your leather jacket?"

"It's covered in walker blood and dirt. I wasn't gonna have a shower just to put it back on. I wanna wash it." I tell him. "Hmm." He hums. "Guess I'm not used to seein' ya like this."

"Me neither. Can't remember the last time I was this clean." I chuckle making him smile faintly. "You should have a shower too." I tell him. "I'm good for now." He mutters and I roll my eyes.

He never likes to be clean.

"You sure? Your hair could use a clean." I tease. He looks at me with a glare but I can see the corner of his lips have tipped up. "My hair is fine."

"Really?" I narrow my eyes. "It's falling in your face. I'm surprised you can even see your beautiful wife right now." I tease and Daryl scoffs, rolling his eyes at me. "Shut up." I laugh, nudging him and he chuckles shaking his head.

"I love you." I whisper and he smiles. "I love you." I smirk. "Even if you look like a scruffy redneck." His smile drops as I laugh.

After a few seconds, he nudges me chuckling.

******

When night time rolls around, we all settle in the living room. We used pillows and blankets from the couches and the beds to make makeshift beds on the floor.

Daryl is sitting behind me on the bench by the window, as nugget sleeps in her cot next to us. I had my legs crossed just flipping a knife through my fingers.

Footsteps are heard outside and everyone tenses as they reach for their knifes. Rick goes to open the door, to be greeted by Deanna.

"Rick, wow....." She trails off taking in Rick new face. "I didn't know what was under there." She teases making Rick rolls his eyes slightly but nod. "Listen, I don't mean to interrupt. I just wanted to stop by and see how you are all settling in....oh my." She looks past Rick into the living room.

She smiles at the sight of us and looks back at Rick. "Staying together? Smart."

"No one said we couldn't." Rick says defensively. "You said you were a family. That's what you said. Absolutely amazing how people with completely different backgrounds and nothing in common can become that. Don't you think?" She replies.

Loads of us have things in common. For example, me and Abraham. Both ex army.

"Everyone said you gave them jobs." Rick states.

Did she?

"Hmm yeah." Deanna nods. "Part of this place. Looks like communists won after all." She laughs making Rick smile. "You didn't give me one." Rick points out. "I have. I just haven't told you yet. Same for Michonne. I'm closing in on something for Sasha. And I'm still tryna figure out Mr Dixon. I haven't yet but I will." She smiles.

Good luck with that.

She looks at me. "Dani, can I borrow you for a second please?" She asks politely. I nod, putting my knife away and stand up walking over to the door. She looks back up at Rick. "You look good." She compliments.

"What did you need me for?" I ask as we step out onto the porch. She turns to look at me. "I would like you to help lead the runs from now on." She tells me. "Why me?" I ask, curiously.

Surely Glenn's the best person for that.

"Because you're a good leader and Rick told me you're good at getting in and out of places quickly." She replies.

One day, I'm going to strangle my brother.

"Umm, yeah okay. I'll do it." I nod.

Got nothing else to do round here anyway.

"Good. There's a run in two days. Good night Dani." She smiles softly walking down the steps. "Night." I mumble after her.

I sigh and head back in, over to Daryl. "What'd she want?" He questions. "Wants me to help lead the runs from now on." I look up at him seeing him frowning. "What?" He shakes his head. "Nothin' baby."

Lie.

Liam comes over to me and lays beside me holding his hand out. I smile and put my hand in his, laying down. Rick stands up and switches the lights off before laying down.

And hopefully, get some decent sleep.