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

Part 25 - Open Your Eyes

"The Alpha... She wants to see you."

"You should fear me... You should all fear me."

"Open your eyes."

CJ gasped and shook her head, her eyes shooting open just at the memory of Alpha's command. She shook her head, almost violently, water droplets flinging off the ends of her washed hair and bouncing off the bathroom wall. The eye contact she made with herself in the steamed-up mirror made her freeze, and she couldn't even bring herself to blink as the horror replayed in her head on a loop. 

A tear fell from the outer corner of her right eye, the path of which following perfectly over the scar that ran down her cheek to her jaw. Her head tilted slightly to the right as she watched the tear reach the end of her face, and she watched as it landed on the rim of the sink as if in slow motion. 

Despite the shower she had just taken, she still felt unclean as the fear and frustration of the last twenty-four hours started to dissipate and replace themselves with concern. The Whisperer Carol had captured was now locked up in the cell, and later on, Carol, Daryl and CJ had to go and question him, which CJ was not looking forward to.

When the two women returned home in the early hours of the morning, Daryl was not best pleased, to say the least. He was confused and angry about the man they had brought back, and he was freaked when he saw his wife covered almost head to toe in walker blood, whilst Carol looked completely unfazed by the whole situation.

"The hell happened? What did you do?" Daryl had asked angrily. 

"We were looking for the horde," Carol replied. "Across the border, and this guy saw me."

"Just take him to the cell, and deal with him later," CJ mumbled tiredly. "Let Gabriel know what's happening. If anyone needs me, I'll be in the shower for the next hour."

And that conversation was one hour and thirty minutes ago. It was honestly a shock that Daryl hadn't come knowing to make sure she was okay yet. She felt a little guilty for being out longer than expected. She had seen the way he was pacing up and down by the gate when her and Carol walked up the road as the sun began to rise, and she noticed the way his eyes looked slightly red, like he hadn't slept the entire night. 

Once she managed to get herself together after the short panic, CJ finished drying herself off and went out into the bedroom to get dressed. She let out a small sigh when she opened the bathroom door, having not realised how warm the steam from the shower had become. She pulled on a pair of black jeans with rips on the knees, and a dark green tank top which she tucked into her pants.

When she got down to the den and opened the door, a soft smile grew on her face when she saw Daryl sat on the couch, his shirt missing, and Dog laying across his lap. He glanced over his shoulder when he heard the door close and smiled faintly.

"Hey. You feelin' better?" he asked.

"Better than I look," she mumbled softly. "You talk to Gabriel?"

"Yeah," Daryl mumbled. "He's pretty pissed off."

"Figures," CJ sighed.

She walked up behind the couch and put her hands on Daryl's shoulders. She leant down, dragging her hands along his bare chest and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed his neck lightly. He closed his eyes and tilted his head with a soft sigh, and she smiled as she kissed him again. 

Dog hopped off Daryl's lap and trotted over to his bed, sitting down and playing with a tennis ball. Daryl grabbed CJ's hands from his chest, locking his fingers with hers and she continued to kiss along his neck, up to his earlobe.