Survival Guide: To Surviving the Living Dead 101

Rule #36

It's Okay To Accept Help

It's okay to accept help. Aaron offered us help and brought us to a community that has walls and houses. He invited me and Daryl into his home to have dinner with him and his partner. We were out there for days on end with no food and barely any water. Of course you'll want to be one hundred percent sure the person or persons are actually good people and not someone who wants to take advantage of you. It was a good thing Aaron had found us and deemed us good enough people to join his community. Of course, it had been very obvious that they only wanted us because we know how to deal with walkers.

Daryl sat beside Eric and I sat beside Aaron. They had made a large amount of spaghetti and they had wine. "So, how long have you two known each other?" Eric asked. Daryl was shoveling food into his mouth. I took a sip of my wine before answering him. "Since the beginning. We were at a quarry right outside of Atlanta with Rick, Carl, Carol, and Glenn. There were others but we lost them along the way," I said. "How'd you meet Maggie?" He asked.

I thought back to that day when she came riding up on a horse, saving Andrea and then taking off with Lori hmafter telling us Carl had been shot. "Her father saved Carl's life. They lived on a farm a few miles from the highway we were on. After we left the quarry we went to the CDC. Rick was hoping to find answers there but what we got was one doctor. They ran out of fuel and the build was blown up. We got out just in time. We were making our way to Fort Benning but got caught in the traffic jam.

"A hoard of walkers came through so we hid under the cars. After the past Carol's daughter was making her way out from under the car when two walkers chased her into the woods. Rick went after her and then hid her so he could draw the walkers away. But when he came back she was gone. We had all gone out to search for her the next day. Found a church but she wasn't there. Rick and Shane, he was part of our group. He was Rick's best friend and also a cop. They stayed back and Carl wanted to stay with them."

I thought about what it would have been like if Carl would have never gone with them. Would Shane or Rick have been shot instead? Would we have ever met Maggie and the rest of them? Would we have ever found out that Sophia was already dead and locked in a barn on some farm? Probably not. "Carl was shot. The guy who shot him… he had shot at a deer and the bullet went through the deer and hit Carl. He didn't even see Carl. He took them to the farm where Maggie's farm was. He used to be a Veterinarian. He saved Carl's life."

"Wow. You guys have been through a lot," Aaron said. I nodded my head and looked at Daryl. He took a drink of wine and looked away. "Yeah, we have had a lot of ups and downs but we've always been there for one another and have always found our way back to each other," I said. I picked up my wine glass and chugged what was in it. "So, how long have you two been a couple?" Eric asked. I choked on the wine I was trying to swallow. And Daryl's face turned red as he looked away. Arron gave Eric a look. "Excuse him. You don't have to answer that."

"Um… we're…" I didn't even know how to answer that question. Daryl and I never put a label to what we were. Back at the prison we shared a cell and a bed. We would kiss but only in the privacy of our cell. And it never went any further than kissing and cuddling. "We ain't together." I looked over at Daryl who was avoiding eye contact with everyone. Gotta say it stung a little to hear that but it's not like I had a right to be upset. "Anyway, change of subject. I have something I'd like to show you Daryl that I think you might like. It's in the garage," Aaron said, standing up. He led Daryl to the garage and I helped Eric clean up.

"I'm sorry for being so nosey," he said, as we washed dishes. I let out a chuckle, "it's okay. So, have you and Aaron been here since the beginning?" I asked. I handed him a plate so he could dry it. "Yeah. I know it must be weird for you to be here. Anoot of the people here don't know how to handle the dead. And for you guys being out there for so long it must be strange being here where it's like nothing ever happened."

After we were finished Eric led me to the garage where we found Aaron and Daryl. Apparently, Aaron has been collecting bike parts for a while now. He didn't know what to do with them but was hoping someday someone would come around that would. And Daryl was that guy who would know what to do. He had enough parts to build a new bike for himself. Aaron also had mentioned talking to Deanne about Daryl being a recruiter like he is. He said Darly had the talent to know who was good and who was bad. He knows how to track and be stealthy. He would be perfect. He's also a great hunter. 

After they talked about it Aaron told Daryl he could come by anytime he wanted to work on the bike. Then we said our goodbyes and headed back to the house we were given. "I like them. Aaron and Eric. They're very lovely people and not delusional like the rest of these people," I said. Daryl hummed. "And you get to build a bike from scratch. I didn't know you knew how to do that." He hummed again, "built my very first bike when I was eighteen. Wasn't much but it was mine."

"That's very impressive, Mr. Dixon. Kinda hot too." He pushed me a little with his shoulder, "stop." I laughed and linked my arm with his. "Having dinner with Eric and Aaron was so much better than going to that stupid party." I laid my head on his arm as we walked slowly back to the house. It was a nice night out. "Yeah. Guess they ain't too bad," Daryl said.

I stopped and moved to stand in front of him. He looked down at me when I moved closer and wrapped my arms around his neck. "It's nice having alone time with you again," I said. I moved closer so my chest was touching his. "I missed our alone time like we had at the prison. I mean it was in a cell and we had people close by but it was nice. We haven't really been alone since then." He hesitated for a second before wrapping his arms around my waist. "I don't want to pressure you into anything you're not comfortable with and I'm sorry if I ever make you feel like I do."

He frowned, "ya don't. This about what Eric asked and what I said?" He asked. I shrugged my shoulders. "I mean… it's not like you were wrong. We never put a label to what we are or were. And that's fine we don't have to. I just want you to know that you're the only one I want to touch me, kiss me, be this with. It's been a very long time since I've ever let someone in." He brought a hand up to cup my face and leaned down, connecting his lips with mine.