Dead Days

Finding Hope

Dead Days

Chapter Two

Finding Hope

The next few days consisted of Remington not actively avoiding her brother, but making it clear she didn't wish to talk unless he had changed his tune. The fact that he hadn't pulled her aside told her he was still feeling the same frustrations. It was better for the both of them to hold out until all possibilities of a fight were smoothed over.

He had helped raise her, and she had inherited his stubbornness. They were both a little too similar, and in the past, it had caused them to butt heads plenty of times. Remington hoped they would get by this soon, she had never liked to fight with those she loved, and holding grudges was not easy for her, but this felt like something she had to stick by. If he would just cave already, and she knew he wouldn't easily, if ever, then she could ask him the questions that littered her thoughts.

She wanted to know what he had meant by it wasn't safe around the group. All she could think was that he knew more than he should have if he was from this universe. She needed to know, felt a flicker of hope, that this was her brother.

Remington needed that more than anything. To have that connection. Even if he was being a bit of an asshole.

So, the feeling of building frustration, and annoyance had become her new normal.

Those she shared a room with had begun to notice.

It had begun to bother her even during her sleeping moments.

The night she had her first nightmare happened to be two days after her brother arrived. Maisie and Landon shared the couch, one on each end, and were fast asleep. Merle had passed out soon after snoring softly on his cot. Daryl had begun to nod off, she could see the way his head dipped, as his cot was pushed into a corner of the room, as he had been sitting up against the wall while they talked.

Shane was leaning against Remington's cot, who slept in front of the couch, visiting for the night, but hadn't left at his normal time. Instead, he and Remington continued to stay up talking, all the way up until she had laid down, and mid-conversation fell asleep. Shane hadn't been much further off before he was mimicking Daryl's position, head tilted forward, and sleeping.

Waking to the sound of sniffling and an ache in his neck hadn't been the warmest of awakenings he has had in the past. He could tell by the way everyone was fast asleep that it was the early hours of the morning. Maisie usually had her mother up shortly after daybreak, but after quickly surveying to find out that it wasn't one of the children crying, his gaze fell to Remington.

Her eyes were closed, but her face was scrunched up in pain, as she moaned softly in her sleep. Tears coated her cheeks and soon the quiet crying began to grow louder as she rolled over onto her side. They now faced one another, and Shane could see that it must have been a nightmare to cause her to react like this. Something he had never seen her have before, and since Merle, nor Daryl had mentioned an occasion, she must not have them often.

Leaning against the cot he reached out to cup her cheek in his hand, gently swiping his thumb to clear the tears from her skin, as he softly began to call out to her.

"Remi," he murmured softly. "Come on, wake up for me darling." He gently coaxed her awake as the tears continued to fall. She shifted forward, burrowing into his hand, as she sought out comfort blindly. "Hey, you all right?"

A few hiccups escaped her as she slowly came to. Sniffling Remington blinked her eyes, trying to clear them, and her head. She felt like she couldn't breathe. Her lungs wheezed as a scene played out behind her eyes.