Surviving All Out War (BOOK FIVE IN THE SURVIVING THE WALKING DEAD SERIES)

Saving Alexandria

     "Negan isn't gonna come out of this alive." Rick's words repeated in my head as I began to plan lunch. I knew this would be the outcome, but in the back of my mind, I wondered if it was what I actually wanted. Did I really want Negan dead? I mean, yeah, he cheated on me, but I still wasn't sure if he deserved to die, for cheating on me or what he did to the group in general. I still wanted to desperately hold on to the memory of the Negan I remembered. My King. "You alright?" I quickly looked over my shoulder at Daryl who was leaning against the wall, looking at me with concern.

     "Daryl." I half smiled. "Sorry, I didn't hear ya come in."

     "I called for ya."

     "Ya did?" I chuckled. "Sorry, I was just in my own lil' world."

     "Everythin' okay?"

     "Yeah, just thinkin'."

     "About what?"

     "Stuff. Like what to cook for lunch."

     "It doesn't have to be anythin' fancy."

     "I know, but I'm hopin' to make somethin' that'll last a few days."

     "You can do that with dinner, lunch should be simple."

     "Fine" I sighed. "I guess I can make a simple pork and ramen soup." I walked over to the cabinet and began to gather ingredients. "Damn it."

     "What?"

     "Can't reach the ramen. Stupid stomach."

     "Your stomach ain't stupid." Daryl said as he walked over to me. "I got it." Daryl reached above me and grabbed four packets of pork ramen noodles.

     "Thanks." I smiled and took the ramen from him and set it on the counter.

     "Your stomach had nothin' to do with it, you're just short."

     "I AM NOT!" I laughed and smacked Daryl's arm.

     "Yeah you are."

     "I'm not short, you're just sasquatchy."

     "I'm seven inches taller than ya."

     "See? Sasquatchy." I walked over to the freezer and pulled out a small package of pork loin and set it on the counter. "How much is in this?"

     "I tried to put it in one pound packages."

     "Sweet." I opened the package and set the loin on a pate, shoving it into the microwave and put it on defrost.

     "I'm sorry about this mornin'."

     "For what?" Daryl didn't respond. "Ya don't gotta apologize, Daryl. You were tryin' to be nice, but I just didn't want Elijah to get the wrong impression if he walked into the kitchen and saw ya cookin'. He likes ya a lot."

     "He does?"

     "Yeah. I just don't want 'em to think that we're back together when we're not."

     "Oh."

     "I'm sorry, Daryl."

     "No, it's fine. I get it. Ya still love 'em."

     "Daryl, that's not it."

     "Then what is it?"

     "It's just... I can't. I can't put myself in that situation again."

     "You're afraid I'd hurt ya?" I didn't respond. "I'd never hurt ya, Michaela, ya know that."

     "I know."