Last One Standing ~ TWD Daryl Dixon

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Jo

The other's returned to the house just after dusk. They brought sleeping bags, bedding and pillows from the other house and they all made up beds on the floor. They shoved the furniture aside so we were all able to sleep in the main room together. It reminded me of a big slumber party like when I was a kid. Only this slumber party wasn't for a birthday party but because we were all paranoid. 

I went upstairs and found one of the rooms still unclaimed. Rick had taken the master with his family, and Carol and Michonne had picked out the other rooms on this floor. This was the smallest of the upstairs rooms but that didn't matter to me. It was bigger than my cell had been. It had a double bed in it and over looked the back fence. I pulled the pillows and comforter off the bed. I carried them downstairs and paused in the doorway.

Someone had closed the blinds on the main floor, but Sasha, Abraham and Daryl were each positioned in front of different windows keeping watch. Daryl sat at the back of the room, his knife naked in his hand. He was sitting on the window seat, his crossbow leaning against the window beside him.

I went over and dropped the bedding on the floor in front of the window seat below him. He glanced over his shoulder at me, but his eyes were unreadable. His shoulders were tense and the hand gripping the knife was white knuckled. Someone had brought over a pack-and-play for Judith and it was set up only a few feet from where Daryl sat. I folded the comforter in half and made myself a bed. I tossed one of the pillows playfully at Daryl. He caught it, and jerked his chin in thanks before setting it beside him.

"I'll grab you a blanket," I said heading back upstairs. Daryl's stuff wasn't in any of the other rooms, so I opened the linen closet and pulled out a large duvet. I brought it back downstairs and set it beside Daryl. It was then I noticed his bag at his feet. He clearly wasn't ready to call this place home just yet. 

I knelt down next to his bag and opened it. He glanced at me but didn't say anything when I dug my kukri out and slid it beneath my pillow. I kept my hand there for a moment, the handle gripped tightly in my fist. It felt stupid but just having it in my hand made me feel like I could breathe easy again. It made me feel more like myself. I drew in a breath and left the blade beneath my pillow. I had collected my hunting knife from the counter earlier and it was now on the table nearby. I didn't think it was likely but if we were attacked, I would be ready. Everyone here seemed sincere and I wasn't getting  feeling like we were being set up, but I wasn't ready to let my guard down either. 

There was a knock on the front door and everyone tensed. My hand dropped to the small knife at my waist. Daryl was already on his feet beside me, his knife still in hand. He stepped forward so his shoulder was in front of mine. Sometimes I wasn't sure if he even realized when he did stuff like that.

Rick glanced back at the rest of us and held up his hand as though to steady us. He nodded, once he was sure none of us were going to overreact and he pulled the door open.

"Rick I-" Deanna started stepping in the doorway. She froze when she looked up at Rick and saw him cleaned up for the first time. "Wow," she said. "I-I didn't know what was under there."

Rick groaned but nodded, looking slightly embarrassed he ran a hand over his smooth cheeks. He stepped back, giving her more space to step into the foyer.

"Listen," she said, getting back to the point of her visit now that she was over her initial shock. "I don't mean to interrupt, I just wanted to stop by and see how you were all settling-" she stopped mid-sentence when she looked into the room and saw us all spread out across the floor. "Oh my," she said in shock, she leaned in so she could see the other part of the living room, confirming we were all there. "Staying together. Smart."