You don't control me, Dixon

➋ 59- If The Cat is Out of The Bag, This Shit is a Lion

♤

It was almost midnight when I see the metal siding of the highway, a voice grumbling.

The flame flickers, earning a groan from me. My family.

I smile as I swallow, my throat thick. I lick my lips, leaning against a tree, my energy sapped as I hear a soft voice  "Rick, what the hell happened? Shane killed Randall. Just like he always wanted to."

I breathe through my mouth as I shake my leg, the numb feeling intoxicating.

I'm alive. It's been a couple of hours, and I'm not burning, other than the fire licking my ankle. No sweats. No shaking. No other symptoms of the infection.

"And then the herd got him?"

I pull myself the last of the way, leaning against the railing as I groan "You are all infected."

Everyone's head swivels and a certain redhead is first on his feet, sweeping me up. I groan and bury my head, whispering "I got bit."

He places me gently and furrows his brow, I glance at my ankle and promptly pressing a hand to the side of the face, the move hidden by a sign of affection.

Seemingly appeased he pulls me between him and Daryl, my feet are hidden under a thick blanket, tucked around my shoulders as if I was cold. But I'm not.

I glance around the group and find Beth, even Maggie and Glenn cuddled up next to the fire, cold, shivering.

Rick sighs, gaining my attention as he runs his hand over his hair, blood splattered across his cheek "At the CDC, Jenner told me. Whatever happened it is, we all carry it."

I close my eyes for a second, should I expose myself. If they ever found out that I got bit and didn't tell them, their trust in me would be demolished, crumbling under the fire raging in my cells.

I sigh and open my eyes, locking eyes with Rick, nodding to him slightly as I nudge Alec and he sighs, speaking up "Nay, Rick knows, but not eveyon' is infected. Luce, she isn't."

Everyone's emotions were clear as the night sky above us, shifting away and clutching each other tighter against me,  as if I would turn at any second.

My nose burns as their eyes flicker away from mine, I glance over at Daryl and he stares ahead, not responding, not helping disperse their hateful eyes.

When he glances over, his eyes go over my body slightly before staring at my ankle, I shift it under the blanket and he moves away slightly, my heart cracking and the parts falling with every movement he made away from me.

I draw a sharp breath in, trying to regain my senses before my eyes betray me and huff "I guess we truly find out tonight."

Carol moves around Daryl's large form and asks, her voice tight with fear "What do you mean." I eye her arms wrapping around his muscled arm.

I huff a couple of times as my eyes water, "I- I got bit. But I'm supposed to be immune, but -"

I stop as people's glares worsen, I close my eyes, I don't know what's worse, the leering eyes of hungry men for my innocent flesh or the betrayed and angry, scared eyes of my friends, my family. The people supposed to protect me and the other way around.

Scared of me. Angry at me. Betrayal lingering in their movements, actions, murmuring.

Alec grabs my hand and glares at the others, pulling me closer, my heart breaking further as he tries to protect me from them. Like he always has, had. Will. Like he will always will.