Stand By Me (Daryl Dixon)

T h i r t e e n

I explore the house, going from room to room, not knowing if it will be permanent or not. Alexandra looks like a place for the movies. It looks like nothing has touched it, the grass is greener than I've ever seen it. The flowers growing around the houses make it feel welcoming and friendly. This is a place of dreams, and I must be dreaming. The house is bigger than I expected, bigger than I'd imagine I'd being staying before the fall of the world. It's refreshing to know that places like Alexandra, The Kingdom and Hilltop still exist. Without places like them the world would be a much darker place, we all could be dead.

No beds? Not one bed in this house.

Grabbing a blanket and a pillow that was just thrown in the corner of the room, I decide that the couch will do for the night till I can figure out why there are no beds.

The next morning was a challenge to get off the couch, the sun hasn't risen and from the way I looked in the mirror, my knotted hair looked grossly greasy from running around and climbing the awful tree yesterday. The scrape on my cheek had scabbed over and the dirt on my neck was beckoning me to shower! Once in bedroom I rummage through the drawers finding them full of clean folded clothes, I must be still sleeping! I haven't see so many clothes in a really long time! I pull out a large dark red flannel and a tank top and head to the bathroom just outside the bedroom.

Once again standing in front of a mirror, I flip the light on and wince at much brighter light. The woman in front of me looks smaller than before. Her cheeks are slimmer, her dark hair dull and faded from the sun, her eyes lost. Making me miss the way things used to be with product and makeup. But, none of that matters now. I turn and pull the glass doors to the shower open and turn the water on. I let the water cascade over my hand and smile when it slowly turns from freezing to warm to hot. At the right temperature I strip from my disgusting clothes and leave them in a pile in the corner. I look in the mirror once more, I pull my hair from the rats nests you would call a bun and step into the hot water.

His lips were on mine. I stand there, water drenching over my face. His lips were on mine and I pushed him off. I bring my hand up and touch my bottom lip. His eyes were so full of angry lust. What if I didn't push him off? We'd probably be in his room still sleeping. Me, lying naked on his chest, back exposed to the ceiling like how you see it in the movies. Waking up to him rubbing circles on the back of the hand he's holding. But, unfortunately nothing is like how you see it in the movies. Everything happens so fast in the real world.

The shower is stocked with the necessary items to get clean. Shampooing and conditioning my hair has never felt so good! We had them while in the Sanctuary, but that place only had cold water to bathe in and that's when I see a razor hanging on the wall. When was the last time I even used one of these? I finish up my shower by rinsing my body of any excess soap. Getting out to the mirror fogged over, I sigh and dry my skin with the nearby towel before wrapping my hair. I open the top drawer and am surprised to see it stocked as well. The first thing I grab is the unopened toothbrush and toothpaste! I throw on the the tank top and flannel, I head down the stairs for my bag.

"The meeting is about to begin!"

I jump out of my wits at the sight of Carl.

"Dude!" And that's when I realized I'm not wearing pants or underwear, I pulling flannel down more, my face heating up. I pause, "I'm not wearing any underwear, could you please get out?" He spins on the island stool so his back is towards me, laughing at my embarrassment, "that's not leaving, Carl."

"My dad told me to make sure you're wake and to bring you to the meeting. " he says.

I quickly grab my bag and run to the hallway to put the rest of my clothes on.

"Don't you think this is weird? Seeing a stranger half naked!" I ask, hoping he'll say yes.

"No, I've seen death, Shay. There's nothing more shocking than that." He chuckles. "I wouldn't say we strangers, you've proved that you are a good person."

I pull my dark jeans up and walk over to him flicking the back of his sheriffs hat, "that's pretty morbid, kid."

He turns on the stool, "That's the world now, Shay." Saying so in a mocking manner.

I grab a pair of socks from my bag and use the back of the couch for support, "Can I ask what happened to your eye?"

"I was shot by a jealous fuck."

"Really? Well, Carl, you look pretty badass."

He gets up from the stool and walks to the door, "That's what Negan said. Now are we going to leave or what?"

I pull my boots on, not bothing with zipping them up and grabbing my bow on the way out. I follow Carl down the street to where I can see people outside of Ricks house.

"Oh, and I won't tell your dad about you swearing earlier." I nudge him, and I see Rick with a pleased smile on his face when I look over to him.

"He doesn't like when I do that."

We walk up to the house and are greeted with good mornings, from all but one person in particular. Daryl stays quiet while sitting at the top of the steps.

"We do what we have to do to survive, Jadis and her group will be here soon."

•

The meeting goes with everyone in positions, I help to pull the gate open, people on bicycles and garbage truck after garbage truck roll in and watch as they park against to wall surrounding Alexandra. The plan is in motion. The bomb was being installed outside the walls in one of the moving trucks, the garbage people were being place into position as told where to be by Rick.

And that's where we wait, and that's where I wait under the gates guard post.

A/n: Short Chapter filler. Wanted to grow Shays bond with Carl a little more.

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Briena x.