All Alone [Norman Reedus] Book Two {{COMPLETED}}

Twelve.

"Do you. . ." Norman's about to ask a question when he stops short.

I look up from my feet that walk at the same pace as his.

We're heading towards a highway that Norman thinks will be a good shot of food. I didn't want to stay at that camp anymore since we buried Rugger a couple yards away from it. After his funeral (mixed in with having a funeral for Sean) we headed onward.

"Do you, by any chance, may know what Sean was going to say about you?" he finally brings himself to ask.

The thought of Sean hurts me. 

"Too soon." I say back, shaking my head.

Norman doesn't say anything, respecting me and probably feeling guilty for trying to talk about Sean this soon after his death.

"Do you think this all has something to do with Demoxin?" he asks out of the blue.

I process this, and almost forget what Demoxin is. With all the death and evil, I guess I've been distracted from the original reason it was all happening.

"Oh," I say, blankly. "Who knows?"

He shrugs at me and we just stare at each other for a while. 

"We should go back to Georgia." I finally say. If we keep talking about Demoxin, I'll end up overthinking it all and blaming myself for even more than I already am.

"When?" Norman doesn't argue.

I shrug. "Now. . .?" 

He seems to consider it. His head turns back to the direction of where Rugger's grave is and then back at me.

We reach the guardrail of the highway and then he decides to nod and look at the ground. 

I don't know why I want to go back to the place that this whole thing started, but I do know that if we go back, we can act like none of this bullshit ever happened. Not Rugger, not Sean, no confusion on Adin and Akin, and defiantly not being alone.

I know it's a good choice. So as we walk down the highway, I'm content and happy that in a year or so, we might actually have a stable life. (somewhat.)

"You think Rugger will protect us still?" I ask after a couple hours on the road.

Norman says "Of course." but I don't know if I beleive him. So why did I ask? I have no idea.

"Despite that. . ." Norman says. "I'll protect you."

I smile at him because I know that's what he wants to see. As soon as I smile, though, I know he can tell it's a forced emotion. He senses that I still really do have something wrong with me.

"You remember when I kissed you?" he asks after a long silence.

I look at him, needing him to explain further. 

"Back in my dressing room? Right before you got really sick?" 

I nod.

"I don't know. I just. . .  It was like a school-crush. I had a crush on you. I wasn't sure if I liked you. But after a while, and when I saw you in the hospital, it came over me all at once. And I just sort of fell in love with you all of a sudden." he looks at me. "You don't realize how badly you want to erase your mistakes until you're all alone. When you can actually think about how stupid you were."

He's corny, but I let him talk. I feel like he's going somewhere with this.

"There's never any time to tell people what you feel. And I feel like a hell of an idiot since I havn't told you this a long time ago, but. . ." he trails off, and I almost don't see him reach into his pocket. "Grace, I don't want you to be alone. Ever." and with that, he's on one knee with a gorgeous ring in the palm of his hand.

I had this coming. And I'm glad I had this coming. I can't move, but I do. And I nod my head. And Norman puts the ring on my finger. And we hold hands. And I cry. And my tears wash away all the pain of being lonely. Because I'm not. Not anymore.

Not ever again.

(A/N: I'm sorry. I'll write an epilogue. Yes. The End. I'm sorry.)~writingslayer