Stumbling upon Alexandria, Reese recounts the events up until now. Meeting Rick's group at the prison, scavenging, sickness, and attacks while creating an attachment to the stoic Bowman.
“We’re almost there.” Michonne tries to ease the tense air in the car. The wheezing of each inhale Reese gave fueled the atmosphere with anticipation for the worst. Sweat beaded up on her brow body gripped with the fever of the infection. She gripped the front of his shirt like it was her lifeline. His strong arms held her close, patting her back to aid in his coughing fits. The air was bleak until everyone’s ears perked up to the raspy hums of a melody.
A sad smile pulls at the archer’s smiles looking down to the small woman mindlessly humming the tune of a song she said was meant for him.
“All you have is your fire,” he mumbles. “And the place you need to reach.” The archer sang a few notes in between the silent moments that everyone in the car found comforting. “Don’t you ever tame your demons.” Patting her back to the beat of a song she hummed going off and on key, but like anyone cared. “Always keep them on a leash.” He chuckles, craning his neck to see Reese’s eyes close.
~.~
“I take it you survived.” Deanne chuckles.
“Yeah.” Reese smiles, looking at her boots. They were a bit worse for wear. The black was scuffed and chipped, showing the gray underneath. The wing on her right foot was torn.
BANG! BANG!! BANG!!!
Reese leaps out of her seat grabbing the letter opener holding it out in front of her bracing herself in the corner of bookshelves.
“I’m so sorry.” Deanna tries to calm the tense situation. “Reg, could you get that?” Deanne calls over her shoulder. Watching the older man descend the stairs past the doorway of the sitting room. The screech of the door swinging open slammed against the wall beside it.
“WHERE IS SHE!!!” a voice growls. Recognizing it immediately.
“I’m in here!” she calls.
Seeing the older man stumble back from a shove and seeing the archer enter the room. Rushing over to him, she leaped into his arms.
~.~
Waking up to darkness. She rubbed her tired eyes and winced from the ache of swallowing. She lets out a cough to clear her dry throat. The curtain of the buck is pulled to the side, letting in light and a blurry figure.
“Here.” feeling a cup to her lips slowly taking sips before falling back to her pillow.
“Is everyone...?” She trails off, afraid of the coming answer.
“We lost some,” he answers. “Woodberry mostly,” he informs.
“Fuck.” She closes her eyes in defeat. “You look like shit.” She gives a lopsided smile, pointing to the bags under his eyes. He catches her hand before it falls.
“You don’t look too bad yourself.” He quotes her words from when they first kissed. Running his thumb over the back of her clammy hand.
“Lair.” She chuckled, coughing at the end.
“You’re awake,” Rick said, catching their attention as he stepped into the cell.
“Is it alright if I take Daryl for a minute?”
“Yeah. I was just going to go back to sleep anyway.”
“Won’t be too long,” he promises, running his thumb along the back of the hand he had been holding. “Kay.”
“Kay.” She smiles as she watches him leave the cell with the sheriff.
“Knock! Knock!” Bob announces just before her eyelids drifted close. “I would knock, but...” he gestures to the open space, chuckling awkwardly. “...no door.”
“No need to apologize.”
“Yes, I do have to apologize,” he says, letting out a shaky breath. “I put your life in jeopardy for a bottle,” he starts. “Didn’t even think twice about it.”
“Did you think about it when you saved my life?”
“Daryl and Ty-”
“I may have been occupied with not dying, but I could still hear everything.” She corrects. The voices overlapped. Bob instructs Daryl on the steps of CPR.
“Well, I guess I don’t need this anymore.” He lifts a box in his hands.
“What is it?”
“Mama always told me. Never arrive empty-handed when apologizing to someone,” he sighs, pulling at his lips. “Softens the blow just in case things go south.”
“Wise woman.” Reese smiles, taking the box from his hands and opening it to see what awaited her inside. “Where-”
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“There were a lot of things brought over from Woodberry.” “Now you and your boyfriend can match,” he teases.
“Shut up!” she punched his shoulder.
“They might be a bit big, but... I figured something is better than nothing.”
“Thank you.” she smiles putting them on.
~.~
Breaking the embrace and eyeing the two additional figures.
“Rick?” she asks, more confused to see that the war his face had been fighting was finally over. Rushing over to hug him “Abe.” She smiles.
“You alright?” Rick is the first to put his hand on her shoulder, looking her over for any signs of foul play.
“I’ve had better days.” She sighs.
“Good, cause we’re leavin’,” Daryl states taking her arm and heading for the door. “Let’s go!” he calls to Rick and Abraham.
“But wait, I wasn’t finished with the audition.”
“I believe another hour or two would suffice.” Deanna offers.
“You sure there peanut butter cup?” Abraham coos.
“I’m sure. If it’s okay with you.” She reasoned, looking to the strongest men in their group. Looking at her with conflicted eyes, she turned to Daryl, who decided on closing the space between Reese and himself.
“Anything happens, you shout. We’ll come runnin’,” he promises.
“I know.” She nods.
“Be out on the porch.” He jabs his thumb behind him towards the front door, giving a death glare towards Deanne and Reg. Slinging an arm around her, he reeled her in for one final embrace before watching them walk out the door.
“Protective.” She chuckles.
“We all are.” She lifts her arms, dropping them to her sides, a smile never leaving her lips. They were okay.
