Last One Standing ~ TWD Daryl Dixon

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Guys, I am absolutely blown away. Yesterday we reached 9K reads, 600 likes and had the greatest number of reads to date. I don't know what to say other than thank you! You are all amazing readers and I appreciate the time you take to read and comment and vote so much!!! So here's the next update. I don't have another one ready just yet so we won't be celebrating that way, but this is an extra long update so I hope you enjoy it!

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Jo

I was up at dawn the next morning. Both Rick and Daryl were already up and gone. Everyone else was asleep. I stood silently, trying not to wake anyone. Daryl's pallet was still rumpled so I folded both his and mine up into a neat pile. I carried them and all my stuff upstairs and went into what I had already started to think of as my bedroom.

I pulled the tunic back on over my tank top and freshened up in the bathroom. I really wanted to take another shower, but I hadn't heard what the water reserves were like here and it seemed like a selfish waste. I did my hair and added some makeup. I didn't look half bad considering we were in the middle of the apocalypse. Not that it really mattered to me, but it was important to keep up appearances. I flashed a bright, cheery smile at myself in the mirror. My mask was flawless.

There was a good chance I would be meeting more residents of Alexandria today and I wanted to make a good impression. I returned to my room and slid the kukri between the mattress and the box spring. I probably wouldn't ever carry that in the open here, but Olivia said I could stop by the pantry and pick out new clothes. There was a chance I would be able to find something that would allow me to hide maybe another small knife or two.

Once I was satisfied I jogged down the stairs. From the kitchen I could see Daryl and Rick out on the porch. Behind me I heard movement in the living room. Everyone was getting up. Judith cooed and was sitting up in her pack-and-play. I went over and scooped her up in my arms. Carl smiled at me. He yawned and stretched and started folding away his bed.

I stepped out of the house with Judith on my hip. Daryl was sitting on the porch. He glanced once at me and then quickly looked away, studying the road.

Rick stepped up next to me and held out his hands to take Judith. I handed her off and leaned against the side of the house.

"Did either one of you sleep?" I asked in a low tone. Neither responded. That was all the answer I needed.

"Look, if you think we need someone on watch then let's set it up so there's a rotation..."

I knew my words were falling on deaf ears. Neither one of them would have been able to sleep while they felt the group was threatened. As much as we liked to pretend human beings weren't animals, we were at heart and Rick and Daryl were alpha males who considered it their responsibility to protect our pack...or troop. I frowned as I tried to remember what a group of large primates would be called. I believe it was a troop...I let the subject drop then, because there was no point in arguing with either one of them.

A short time later Carol stuck her head out of the house. "Breakfast," she called. We frowned and went inside to find hash browns and pancakes. I raised an eyebrow at her and she just winked at me as she dished up food for everyone. We didn't all fit around the big farm house table so people spread out into the living room. I ate standing up behind the island. When I was done I started in on the dishes. I filled the sink with soapy water and dumped the pile inside.