What Lies Ahead • the walking dead ¹

34 • Stitches

»Play: Civilian by Wye Oak«

A week came and went surprisingly quick. By now, Randall had fully recovered and Rick and Shane had planned to take him eighteen miles out. Leaving the rest of the group to fend for themselves.

Currently, Alexa was standing in the kitchen, wearing her black shirt and jeans, cutting up tomatoes alongside Lori and Maggie. Maggie had offered the girl a shower earlier that morning, and let's just say she did not refuse. Not to mention the girl's concussion was finally gone. And Beth had also woken up by now, so everyone was just waiting for things to sort themselves out.

"Did Rick say anything to either of you about Glenn when they got back from town?" Maggie quizzed suddenly, making the other two women look up from the food they were preparing.
"Just that it had gotten pretty bad." Lori shrugged.

Maggie looked at Alexa. The girl only shrugged before tossing a few tomato slices onto a plate for Beth.
"He's not the same." Maggie sighed. "Says he froze, blames me. Says I got inside his head."
"Ah, men. Always blaming their problems on the women." Alexa sighed, whipping her hands on a towel before sitting on top of the counter.

Maggie rolled her eyes as Lori took a bite of cucumber.
"She's right," Lori agreed. "Now I'll tell you something, what happens out there happens out there."
"But things were good," Maggie interjected, referring to herself and Glenn.

"Glenn's a big boy," Alexa replied. "He can make his own choices."
"Tell him to man up and pull himself together," Lori advised, swallowing her cucumber slice. "Just don't say "man up." It never goes well." She added, chuckling at her own joke.

Alexa huffed, looking between the two women before Lori spoke again.
"Now what I want to know is." The woman started, turning to Alexa. "Is what's going on with you and Daryl?"
Alexa practically choked on air at Lori's words. She hadn't been asked a question like that in a long time.

"W-what?" Alexa asked, trying but failing to keep her composure.
"I've been asking myself the same thing," Maggie added thoughtfully. "I mean he did invite you to stay at his campsite."
"He was... looking out for Chase." Alexa bluffed, resting her hands on her knees.

Lori and Maggie glanced at each other before they started giggling.
"He cares about you, sweetie." Lori smiled. She picked up the tray of food they had prepared for Beth before leaving without another word. Alexa looked at Maggie confused. The girl smiled, patting Alexa's shoulder before she exited the kitchen as well. Leaving Alexa with her thoughts.

Alexa's mind swirled over what the women had said. She knew Daryl cared about her as a friend, and he cared about Chase. But the way the two worded it made it sound like Daryl cared about her as something more than a friend.

Alexa thought back to the moments they shared and the moments Daryl had with the group. Around the others, he acted distant. Like he was afraid to grow attached to them, or he just didn't want to. But around her, Daryl acted more himself. Open and talkative.

Maybe the women had a point. But it was a point Alexa wasn't going to listen to. Because she knew if she and Daryl grew attached to each other, the other would get hurt in the end. Alexa sighed, as she jumped off the kitchen counter. She pushed the thoughts out of her brain as she exited the house.

The girl started her walk across the field to Daryl's campsite. As she approached she spotted her brother aimlessly wandering around the field near the camp.

"What are you doing?" Alexa quizzed as she approached her brother.
"Looking for frogs." Chase smiled as he continued scanning over the tall grass.
"Uh-huh," Alexa muttered confused. "You do that." Chase smiled again before stealthily walking away.