Too Far Gone // D. Dixon

chapter forty-four

Daryl's eyes scanned the area as Maren pulled the truck up to the apothecary, "Place looks like a damn ghost town," he observed, his grip tightening on his crossbow.

Maren pulled the truck up to the apothecary, her eyes open for any signs of walkers. Deciding it was clear for the time being, she grabbed her gun and got out of the truck. When she got out of the truck with Daryl, she was met with Simon and was finally getting a good luck at the man he had brought along as his backup.

As she heard the footsteps walk around their truck, she felt her heart stop as she realized who it was. She fought to keep her cool as her face suddenly paled, and she visibly tensed at the sight of the man.

"So far so good," Simon said, looking up at the sign above the store. "Oh shit, I almost forgot. This is-"

The man cut him off, moving closer to Maren, "I'm Dean," he said, extending his hand. Maren didn't move, her eyes fixed on him. "You're Maren," he continued.

Both Simon and Daryl watched the exchange with wary eyes, sensing the sudden shift in Maren's demeanor. Something felt...off.

"You two know each other?" Simon asked, his brow furrowed in confusion. 

"No." Maren rushed out, just as Dean had rushed to say the same thing. She quickly moved away from Dean, her movements a little too hurried. Daryl looked between the two, his mind racing with questions, but he knew now was not the time to press the issue. But he knew something was off.

"You all just gonna fucking stand there?" Maren snapped as she stood still, standing by the front door now, "We don't have all goddamn day."

Simon smirked, "It's like the boss man is here right now," he commented, earning a scathing look from Maren. Maren peered into the store, her eyes scanning the empty interior.

"Simon, you keep an eye on the door, keep the walkers out. Daryl and I will scan the shelves and get what we need from the list," she paused, a hint of dread in her voice at having to say his name, "Dean, you'll stand guard. Make sure no strays come in from the back exit."

The group moved to their assigned positions, Maren and Daryl holding their weapons at the ready as they made their way through the quiet store. She glanced at the signs above the aisles, using that as her guide. Upon getting to the center of the store, Maren turned to Daryl.

"These are the antibiotics," Maren said to Daryl, pointing at the aisle, "If it ends with 'cycline,' grab every last bit of it."

"What about you?" Daryl asked, watching as Maren walked away. She spoke, but didn't meet his eye.

"I'm gonna check for narcotics," she replied, "They usually lock those up." 

Daryl nodded, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off with Maren. The way she'd been acting, her sickness, the strange encounter with Dean - it all pointed to a deeper issue that she was keeping from him. He'd have to ask her about it later.

Maren made her way to the aisle, her heart racing as she hesitated to grab the very item she'd come for. She thought about what this meant and what this would tell her. She had no idea if this would make her feel better or worse. Hearing footsteps approaching, she quickly shoved two boxes into her bag and turned around to find Daryl.

"Jesus Christ, Daryl," she said, relief evident in her voice, "You almost gave me a heart attack."

Daryl was quick to apologize, "Sorry...grabbed all they had." He opened the bag, showing Maren the nearly full bag of antibiotics he'd collected. The pair then moved to the back counter, breaking the glass to gather the narcotics.

"Hit the damn jackpot," Daryl said, eyeing the cabinet. Nowhere they'd been before had been so stocked. This place had been a huge win. Unfortunately, it was all going to the Sanctuary.

"Nobody's gonna be in pain anytime soon, that's for damn sure," Maren replied, stuffing the drugs into her bag.

Suddenly, a gunshot rang out, and Maren and Daryl exchanged a worried look. They quickly rushed outside and to the truck, where Simon was firing at walkers.

"We got company!" Simon yelled, as Dean ran from the back of the store. He was quick to start firing at the walkers, but there was too many of them. Maren's eyes widened as she saw the large swarm of walkers headed their way.

"There's too many!" she yelled, getting a few more headshots in before running to the truck, "Let's get the fuck out of here before more of 'em come!"

Without hesitation, the group piled into the vehicles and sped away, watching as the walkers faded from view in the rearview mirror.

                                                                            - TOO FAR GONE -

Returning to the Sanctuary had proven to be successful once again.

Negan, still holding his bat Lucille firmly in his hand, surveyed the group with a satisfied grin as they made their way back through the gates. The large metal doors clanged shut behind them, sealing them safely inside the compound, seemingly sealing their fate.

"Welcome home," Negan said, his voice booming with a hint of triumph, "Very glad to see everybody made it back in one fucking piece. Emphasis on the everybody part." He emphasized his words by taking a step closer to Daryl, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied the group. 

Maren felt a twinge of unease as Negan's gaze lingered on Daryl. She crossed her arms defensively, her posture tense.

Simon stepped forward, his expression almost boyishly eager, "Thanks to those two," he said, gesturing towards Maren and Daryl, "We're set on antibiotics and pain killers for a long ass time."

Maren knew Simon's praise would only solidify their position within the Sanctuary. Negan would have a hard time getting rid of them now, not when they had proven themselves so valuable. The other Saviors were bound to take notice and respect them for their efforts. Hell, they might even be willing to help them out.

Negan nodded, his expression unreadable as he processed the information, "I'll get some people to come unload all of this good shit..." he said, his eyes sweeping over the supplies they had brought back. "You all should head on up, get some rest....you've damn well earned it."

Maren and Daryl exchanged a brief glance before nodding and turning to make their way inside. Just as she stepped through the doorway, Maren caught sight of Dean, who was quick to send her another warm smile. She felt her breath catch in her throat at the sight of him, she only  responded with a tight-lipped glare, her eyes narrowing in a clear display of her disinterest.

Maren knew she needed to figure out what she was going to do about Dean but right now, she had a far more pressing issue to handle.