Alicia Smith

3) The Man

The room was dark, and somewhere in the corner water dripped, making a constant noise. Alicia hated it in there. It was cold and smelled like mold and mildew. It was hell.

A few feet away, a door creaked open and boots could be heard on the concrete floor. She didn't look up, knowing who it was just by the sound of their footsteps.

"You need to eat something." His voice was low and gruff, just like it had always been. She didn't answer, listening as the cell door opened and he walked in.

A tray of food was slid onto the table a few feet away from her. She could feel Daryl staring, and it burned her skin.

"Don't you have more important things to do than watch your ex wife eat?" She snapped, still staring intently at the floor.

The bed dipped down, indicating that he had sat down beside her. "You mean my wife." He said softly.

Finally she looked up, meeting his eyes. "I'm not your wife." She said coldly.

Daryl heart clenched in his chest. "You are." He said, taking one of her cold hands in his own. "Alicia, you are."

She jerked away from him, her eyes dark and dead. She looked nothing like she did when they first met.

Her eyes used to be so bright, and now they were dark and cold. Her lips used to always be pulling into a smile and now they stayed pressed into a thin line.

Her cheeks were shallow and her eyes held dark circles under them. She looked like one of the dead who walked outside of the walls.

"Don't."

He stared at her, searching for any part of the woman he married that was left in there. "I love you." He whispered.

"Bullshit." She seethed. "If you felt anything for me I would be in this fucking cage."

"You're in this cell because you let him get under your skin. He did this to you." Daryl pleaded with her. "What happened to my Alicia?"

"She's dead." Alicia deadpanned. "This is the Alicia Smith that was just waiting for her opportunity. This is me."

Daryl stood up, walking out of the cell. "You're still in there."

She laughed, an awful sick laugh. "You've been saying that for seven years." She tutted, shaking her head. "When Rick died it made you soft." She spat.

Daryl stormed out, slamming the door behind him. In the cell next to her she heard her father sigh. "You hurt him honey. You've got to give him time."

Alicia shot up in her bed, a cold sweat trickling down the back of her neck. Her fingers subconsciously twisted the wedding ring on her finger.

She blinked, trying to rid herself of the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. She had been reliving that moment for the past year now.

It never slipped her mind, the last time she had seen Daryl. He had been so pissed with her. His she hoped that somehow in the past four years he had forgiven her.

Alicia couldn't lie, the seven years she spent locked up in the cell with her father had completely screwed up her brain.

She had turned into him. Her personality had changed and not for the better. Even now, four years later with no contact she still found parts of him in herself.

It was like he had possessed her, making her dark and bitter. That's why she left. She had to get away, far, far away from him. Far away from all of them.

That's how she landed herself in France. It had taken a whole year to get there but she did. At first she wandered the streets on her own, struggling to stay alive.

About a month after she arrived a woman, Isabell took her in. The nuns welcomed her, providing shelter and food. The abbey had become her home.

They didn't force her to become a nun, allowing her to stay as long as she pulled her weight. So she did, helping make food, go on supply runs, general maintenance. Her mains jobs were being their fill in doctor and taking care of the kids.

The kids. God she loved those this kids. They had become a family to her. Especially Laurent. He was the sweetest boy she had ever met. He reminded her a lot of Jordan.

Alicia thoughts were interrupted when Isabel ran into her room. "Ali, we need you in the hospital wing." She said frantically.

Alicia jumped out of bed, pulling on her leather jacket. "What happened?"

"There's a man here, he's badly injured." Alicia nodded, following Isabell through the halls of the Abbey.

"Where's he hurt at?" She asked, jogging to keep up with her.

"He's been hit in the head, I'm not sure what else." Isabell answered.

Alicia nodded, walking into the room. Multiple nuns stood around a bed, the curtain pulled halfway around the man.

"Miss Smith!" One of the nuns ran up to her. "We need you right away!"

"Of course, Rose, I'm getting my things ready." She assure her.

"No!" Rose said hurriedly. "He keeps saying your name!"

Alicia froze, her feet refusing to move. "It could be any Alicia." She mumbled.

Rose grabbed her arm. "He says Alicia Dixon. That used to be your last name, no?"

She stopped, his voice ringing through the room. "Ali." He muttered, almost sounding like he was drunk. "Where's Alicia?"

"Who are you looking for sir?"

"Alicia Dixon."