The Black Rose

Chapter Seven

It was too quiet. Rose didn't like it. Even though she was able to hear the low moans and dragging feet within the building, it was still too quiet. As Rick, Daryl, T-Dog, Maggie, and Glenn slowly explored the enclosed gloomy area, Rose stood still in the dead center of the large, empty cell block. The group knew better to remain silent than question Rose's actions however they still wondered what was she doing.

Rose finally reasoned that all the cell doors had to be locked if there weren't any zombies in this cell block. Which means... there had to be keys somewhere or risk making a lot of noises to try break in doors that were meant to keep people inside. The echoes of footsteps was almost deafening as Rose tried to think of a possibility for the keys. She glanced at a metal staircase leading up to an interior lookout tower. Maybe it would have some form of keys or some sort of an emergency access tool.

Once Rose took a step towards the stairs, Daryl took a mental note that her footsteps were silent as if a Black Panther creeping onto its prey. Rick joined Rose up the metal stairs. After a few moments of tension, a jingle of metals clinking broke the silence. Rick emerged from the tower with a chain of keys in his hand and met eyes with Daryl. The door swung open next to Rick and he felt the redhead brush his shoulders to lean on the metal railing. This girl was definitely a keen formidable ally and he worried that she was going to leave the group once they've settled down in this prison. This prison was definitely the kind of place that Rose could feel right by leaving them in.

Rick's only hope was the possibility of love breaking through the iron walls she had built around her heart. Maybe love for the group would make her stay. Perhaps comfort. Or purpose. She is a warrior. Warriors need a purpose to exist.

But he caught a glimpse of something that was surely impossible. It was almost bizarre. Rick had thought of the possibility when Rose first came to the group. But after a hard winter and getting to know the miniscule amount she allows the group to know about her, the possibility was forgotten. He just happened to catch the strange but yet so familiar glance Daryl had made towards the female warrior. It was a glance he once made towards Lori. Perhaps... Daryl would melt this ice queen.

"Rick. I suppose we could unlock one of the cell doors and clear out a block for the night." Rose's voice seethed with annoyance while she headed down the stairs, snapping Rick out of his deep thoughts.

The group finally sprang into action, heading into what seems to be an abandoned cell block with belongings and junk scattered around. Rose knew that it wasn't entirely abandoned. Her acute ears picked up some shuffling long before the loud bang had resonated throughout the block that startled the rest of the group.

She watched as the handsome redneck, Daryl decided to investigate where the bang came from, retracing his steps back to the first cell. The odor of decaying flesh hit him after the arms popped through the cell. He peered into the next cell and was startled to see a walker. Suddenly a glare of silver went past his eyes in between the bars like a ghost. The walker slumped to the ground at the exact time Rose placed her blade back into its sheath.

A mixture of annoyance and admiration bubbled its way into Daryl. Rick had already took care of the other walker and was already cleaning up the crime scene. Rose proceeded to unlock and check all the cells before the rest of the group joined them. She didn't waste time listening to Rick and the group and chose the farthest upper level cell to set up for the night.  She knew that Rick was probably just congratulating the group and trying to boost their morale. Nothing that was really important for her to be there.

The cell was small and dusty... a reminder of her childhood. It had the bare necessities. A small cot with a thin mattress, pillow and a coarse blanket, and a toilet. The sound of life bustling around her... it gave her a strange comfort. Rose found herself feeling comforted that this group... well... HER group was truly safe for the night.

"I found keys on some guards," Rick leaned against the entrance. He watched Rose laying out her "hammock-mattress" on the top of the small cot. It was the first time ever that he had seen her completely without weapons on her body.

The top bed looked more like a weapon collection. Her knives, swords, guns, ammo, arrows, and bow were laid out neatly. Rose's jean shorts were so worn out that Rick could see the dozen stitches holding it together. Her grey shirt, on the other hand, hugged her figure just right. Perhaps he should ask Maggie or Carol to keep an eye out for new pants next time they make a run. Maybe some warmer clothes for Rose. Rose glanced back, halting his thoughts for the second time today.

"Give it to somebody else. I don't need keys." Her earthy but steely voice filled his ears. Daryl watched Rick from his spot on the perch with a grimace on his face. Rose was out of his line of sight but he definitely didn't like the way Rick's eyes lingered on her longer than he should. It wasn't fair.

Rick already had a wife... a PREGNANT wife. Yet Daryl's own insecurities had bought him despair. Rick and Rose had a common ground together. They are leaders. They're able to converse and decide things quickly for the best of the group. What did Daryl and Rose have in common? Sure she must have a strange past just like he did. Sure they are both headstrong warriors. Sure they both stayed with the group only to protect them. But what did he have compared to Rick?

"Daryl. Here's a set of keys for the cells. I trust you'd take good care of it." Rick tossed the keys towards Daryl before heading down to join the rest of the group for dinner.

Catching the keys with one hand, Daryl jumped up to join Rick before realizing he was alone with Rose on the upper level. There were a massive debate inside his head as he tried to gather whatever Dixon redneck pride he had left inside him. But before he knew it, his feet were propelling his body towards the last cell on the left.

Rose knew he was coming before he appeared in the doorway. His footsteps were highly distinctive. The footsteps of a hunter and a tracker. She smelled his deep musky but incredibly masculine aroma. The silence were thick in the air as Daryl fought to find something to say. Anything but... I think I love you. It was crazy. Only few words were exchanged between them this entire winter.

But Daryl couldn't deny the strange flutter of butterflies in his stomach, the inability to breathe properly, and the way his lips threatened to tug up into a stupid lovesick smile each time he was around her. But he just didn't want her to know her effects on him. But Rose beat him to it, breaking the silence, "Yes Dixon?"

"Uhh..." Daryl scrambled for a reason why he came to the door. It was the first time that Rose ever called him. Sure it wasn't his first name. But she actually acknowledged him directly,  "I think Beth and Carol is heating up some dinner downstairs if you want some."

"No thanks." Rose shrugged, pulling her fingers through her hair to smooth it a little. God... this woman is so FRUSTRATING. Pulling more than two words out of that mouth was like pulling teeth. Daryl let out a long exhale, trying to keep his frustrations at bay. Rose was now expertly weaving her hair into one long braid, making it clear that she wasn't going to say anything else. Another debate erupted in the redneck's head as he decided between pressing on further with the girl in front of him or leaving her be.

"So what were you trained to do?" Daryl finally decided. He remembered how Carl asked Rose where she gained her skills last night. It was a gamble to ask. He knew that but he still wanted to ask. If there were even a remote possibility... he was going to take it by the balls and run with it. But it was hard to gauge any form of emotions from Rose as time ticked by slowly. Suddenly her right eyebrow raised quite seductively while her multi-colored eyes narrowed on him. Daryl felt exposed. As if he was an open book and she was literally peering into his soul. "You said one question a day last night."

But the very words that came out of her mouth truly frightened the hell out of him.

The fear wasn't the normal kind of scare or anxiety of being killed by a walker or even becoming one. It was the deep down right to your core, turn your body cold, hair-raising kind of fear. Hell... never in his wildest dreams did he think or even imagined her past would reveal that.

Rose's lips pursed together as her eyes met Daryl's. Then she smiled a Cheshire Cat grin, "I was trained to be an assassin."