As Rick, Michonne, Maren, Maggie, Daryl and Deanna walked along the walls, they had been discussing the security of Alexandria.
More like the lack thereof.
"We need a constant patrol along these walls. Not just looking for damage, but signs that anyone climbed in from outside," Deanna looked at Rick confused, "You can move right up the supports. That's what I'd do...People are the real threat now." Rick glanced at his group members before looking back at Deanna. Everyone nodded in agreeance.
"Rick, I know you think that we should all be armed within the walls. I can't do that." Deanna wanted to trust Rick's opinion, but struggled to come to terms with how best to do that.
"That's fine," Rick said, looking around, "You make these changes, we won't need to."
Sasha walked up to the group, "I want to volunteer to be one of the lookouts in the clock tower."
"There are no lookouts in the clock tower." Deanna spoke calmly, but Rick was alerted at that response.
"What?"
"We saw someone up there earlier." Michonne said, looking at Deanna confused.
"That was an empty rifle my son Spencer put up there. He mans it sometimes, but not often," As she spoke, Rick was growing frustrated, "Look, there hasn't been the need."
"We need a lookout in that tower, right now...24/7." Rick stated, his voice becoming lower. Maren could see that he was worried and for good reason. Not having proper protection of this place made them a target. They couldn't let that happen.
"It's the only way we'll be able to see if someone's coming at us." Michonne tried to talk some sense into the ex-congresswoman.
"Okay," Deanna sighed, sensing their urgency, "we'll make shifts."
"I'll take those shifts, as many as possible." Sasha says, ready to go right then.
"Me too," Maren adds, standing next to Sasha, "I'll do whatever it takes to keep this place safe."
"Why?"
"Sasha's one of our best shots. She can do it," Maggie spoke, looking at Deanna intently, "And Maren here is spot on with a sniper rifle. They'll both be a good fit for the job." Maren smiled at Maggie, appreciating the compliments.
"I'm gonna put Spencer up there today," Deanna spoke, "I'll consider you two being our primary lookouts but I want something in return. Tonight, I'm hosting a welcome for all of you at my home. I want you to be there."
"Why?" Sasha urged.
"Come tonight," Deanna smiled at the group, "then we'll talk about it."
Maren looked at Daryl, understanding his expression immediately. He was not looking forward to it.
- TOO FAR GONE -
Maren walked out of the bathroom, dressed neatly in a pair of clean blue jeans and a neat white v-neck shirt. What she wore had highlighted her assets. It had been so long since she'd been this clean, her hair was let down, something she hadn't done since the world had gone to shit.
Daryl turned his attention to her as he heard her footsteps approaching, the sight of her throwing him entirely off guard. He nearly gawked at her, feeling his face grow warm at the sight before him. Maren stood there for a second, all of a sudden very unsure of herself. At the sight of her unease, Daryl gathered his thoughts.
"You look..." Daryl began, his voice trailing off as he struggled to find the right words. God, was she beautiful.
Maren interrupted him, misunderstanding his drawn-out silence as disscontempt, "Stupid? Getting ready for a damn dinner party while there are walkers just outside these walls? Sounds pretty fucking stupid to me."
Daryl chuckled, shaking his head, "Nah, you don't look stupid, Maren. But yeah, it's kinda fucked up," he admitted, understanding her conflicted feelings.
There was a moment of comfortable silence as Maren sat next to Daryl on the couch. He looked at her again, this time searching for reassurance, or the promise to just stay here.
"Do I really have to go to this thing?" he asked, his voice laced with unwillingness and uncertainty.
Maren smiled, grabbing his arm and leaning on him, "I know it's ridiculous, but you remember what Rick said. We need to at least pretend like all of this could work...we still have to try," she said, her words filled with a mix of determination and doubt.
Daryl nodded, looking at her once again, "I do know one thing," he said, his voice filled with a gentle yet mischievous smile, "I sure as hell ain't dressin' up."
Maren chuckled, her nervousness dissipating slightly, "I'd expect nothing less." she replied, her tone light and teasing. They both sat there, side by side, finding solace in each other's presence. Despite the crumbling world around them, they shared a connection that provided a sense of stability and understanding.
"Well, I'm glad you're going with me," Maren admitted, her voice softening, "Even if it feels strange, it's always comforting to have you by my side. You make me feel safe."
Daryl's expression softened at that last part, his calloused hand finding hers, intertwining their fingers, "You don't gotta thank me for that," he said, his voice gentle, "You know I ain't gonna let anythin' happen to ya, no matter what."
Maren leaned her head on his shoulder, a small smile playing on her lips. "I know," she replied, her voice filled with gratitude.
As they sat there, finding solace and strength in each other's presence, they knew that while the world may be collapsing, they would face it head-on, together. And amidst the chaos, they would create their own moments of respite and connection, even if it meant attending a party that felt out of place in their new reality.
- TOO FAR GONE -
Daryl and Maren walked into the party, feeling a mix of unease and discomfort as they were welcomed by everyone. They had gone in with Rick, Carl, Judith as well as Abraham, Rosita and Carol.
Maren, in particular, felt deeply out of place amidst the displayed normalcy, while Daryl felt nearly suffocated by all the prying eyes.
"Welcome!" Deanna walked over to the little family, her voice filled with warmth, "It's so good to see you all. Thank you for coming. You know, I didn't get a chance to interview this little one... I envy her." Maren was taken aback by Deanna's words.
"Why?" Rick asked, genuinely curious.
"Because she'll get to see what this place will become," Deanna spoke, her gaze shifting to Judith, who looked adorable in her little outfit. Just then, Rick and Carl entered the rest of the party, with Carol following not too far behind.
As Abraham and Rosita joined the party, they looked stunned. The normalcy around them felt surreal and out of place, almost too good to be true. Maren and Daryl stuck close to them, observing the people at the party with a watchful eye.
"I don't know about this..." Abraham voiced his uncertainty, his eyes scanning the crowd of people in their clean clothes, socializing without a care in the world. It seemed as if they were oblivious to the horrors of the outside world. Abraham couldn't decide if he hated them for that or envied them.
"They have beer," Rosita chimed in, her curiosity piqued as she glanced around the party. The sight of so many people, all seemingly familiar with each other, intrigued her.
Abraham's interest sparked at the mention of beer, "I'm gonna try," he declared, a hint of excitement in his voice. He offered to make a drink for Maren, who chuckled at his enthusiasm.
"I'm okay, thanks," Maren declined with a knowing glance exchanged between her and Daryl. Abraham smiled, thinking nothing of it, while Daryl understood that she didn't want to be rendered defenseless.
As the party continued, Maren could tell that Daryl was growing increasingly uncomfortable. He hated these sorts of things, even before the world went to shit, all the socializing and pitiful banter had left much to be desired. There was always someone to please, something to prove at these types of things. He didn't have that, nor did he have the desire to do so. He was only there for Maren's sake.
Despite their internal struggles, the party provided a temporary respite from the all-encompassing darkness that had surrounded them in recent weeks. It was a pleasant surprise, a glimpse of normalcy in a world gone mad. Maren found joy in seeing Carl laughing and smiling with other teenagers, as if the horrors of their reality had momentarily faded away. People loosened up a bit, letting go of some of their pent-up tension and just relaxed.
However, Maren soon realized that Daryl wasn't having a good time, "I'm gonna get some air," Daryl announced, slipping away from Maren's side. Her face fell slightly, but she understood that this overwhelming display of normalcy was a lot for him to handle. She stood there for a moment, observing everyone's interactions, but it all still felt bizarre.
Just as Maren started to feel increasingly uncomfortable, a tall man approached her. He was dressed in khakis and a polo shirt that seemed to have been freshly dry cleaned, "You must be Maren, right?" Maren shifted uncomfortably, sensing that something was off.
"That's me," Maren forced a smile, hating the pretense of everything being fine and normal. She couldn't help but feel guarded. She told herself that she needed to blend in, become a fly on the wall.
"I'm Spencer, Deanna's son," the man introduced himself, "So, how're you settling in? Is it everything you've been missing?" he inquired, his tone friendly but Maren couldn't shake the feeling that he was prying, desperate to know all of her secrets.
"Fine, we're all settling in just fine," Maren replied, her voice matter-of-fact. Spencer seemed to sense her tense nature and attempted to reassure her. It was clear he hadn't come to realize just how hard-headed and stubborn she was.
"Relax, you've made it here now," he said, handing her an extra cup, "You should enjoy yourself tonight; you've earned it." Maren managed a polite smile but maintained her guard. She began looking around, her eyes desperately searching for Daryl. Not finding him among the crowd, a sense of unease and nervousness crept in.
"It was nice talking with you, but I should look for Daryl," Maren swiftly excused herself, heading towards the front door, knowing he had gone outside to get some air.
"I can help you-" Spencer offered his assistance to her but Maren shook her head.
"It's okay, I think I can handle it on my own."
As she made her way out, the unfamiliarity of the situation weighed heavily on her, leaving her longing for the comfort of their familiar group and the safety they had found in each other. But when she had made it out of the house and walked around the back, she hadn't realized he had followed her out.
"It's not a big deal, just let me help," He spoke to her, his willingness to be close to her had unnerved her, "You shouldn't be alone out here." He wasn't backing down now, and she started to panic.
"No, Spencer. I said I have it covered, now please do me a favor and fuck off." She had nearly spat it at him. That's when she had felt him push her against the wall, her head colliding with the siding harshly. Her head began to ache something awful, and she fought to appear unfazed, but she could barely see straight.
With how close they were, she could feel his breath on her neck, "You sure do have a way with words, Maren," she could smell the very apparent alcohol on his breath as he spoke. She started thrashing away from his grip, attempting to push him off of her but to no avail. All of it was catching up with her; all those feelings she had felt with them came rushing to the surface and suddenly she had felt as powerless as she had back then. No, she thought, not again.
Out of anger she shouts again, "You had better fucking let me go. Now!" With that, he starts kissing her neck, nearly attacking her like a walker would. She continued to struggle against him, searching her pants for her knife, until footsteps had made their way towards them.
"I think you better listen to her," She knew that voice, "Fuckin' let her go."
Spencer pulled back for a second, his eyes meeting a very angry and vengeful Daryl. Spencer swallowed nervously, but still kept his hands on her. It was clear by Daryl's stance and demeanor, he wasn't fucking around. Not with this and certainly not with Maren.
Maren quickly threw Spencer away from her, pulling her fist back abruptly, "If you ever touch me or any other woman like that again," Maren spoke, her voice laced with malice, "I'll make damn sure you won't have hands."
YOU ARE READING
Too Far Gone // D. Dixon
Fanfiction"We've all done the worst kinds of things just to stay alive, but we can still come back. We're not too far gone." Maren Smith has been on her own for a long time, even before the dead started to walk. Maren spent many daunting months fighting her w...
