#and enid holds her so tight that she almost digs her hands in her back

[maranull]

these are my baby gays your honour, I'm adopting them

[asoulofstars]

Priorities

The first of my Derek/Riona drabble rewrites takes place during/after 3x06 “About Face”. I was thinking about this scenario in the car one day, and so even though it’s nowhere near the beginning chronologically or even emotionally, it’s one of the drabbles that resonates with me the most, so it became the priority rewrite.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Riona and Derek were walking out of the elevator together; their floor had been cleared. Her fingers were itching to twine through Derek’s like they would have before she was with Mark. But she was engaged; she couldn’t do that with Derek anymore. She was so lost in her thoughts, and she didn’t register Hotch’s yell, even as her ears acknowledged his voice. What she did register, though, was Derek wrapping himself around her like a human shield, and then a gunshot. She fell as Derek’s weight pushed them to the ground, and then another gunshot—or maybe two—rang out. She looked up at Hotch and Rossi, guns pointed over them, and then turned her gaze to Derek as he groaned loudly.

           “Derek? You okay?” She ran her eyes over him, and her breath caught in her throat when she saw the blood running down his arm. “You took a bullet for me!”

           “Of course I did,” he replied through gritted teeth. “Do you have something to wrap around this until EMTs get here?”

           Riona pulled off her scarf and tied it tight around his right arm. She felt him tense, and it made her chest ache. Hotch dropped to his knees beside them.

           “Are you okay?” he asked, shooting looks between them both.

           “This hurts like hell,” Derek said honestly.

           Riona looked at the entry wound. She couldn’t see an exit wound, and she pressed her lips together.

           “I think the bullet lodged in your humerus,” she told him. “You’re going to need to go to the hospital and get an x-ray, and that’s one that should get removed.” Her heart was beating more and more rapidly.

           Derek took her hand in his good one, and he placed it over his own heart. “I’m right here. Superficial injury. I’m fine.”

           “Getting shot is not fine,” she replied, tears welling up in her eyes. “Derek…you took a bullet for me.”

           “I did.” Derek wiped at her eyes, wincing with the movement.

           She was about to start really hyperventilating, but she could still hear Hotch.

           “Dave, take the rest of the team to Max’s house; we have to hope he was holding Enid there. I’ll stay with Riona and Morgan,” Hotch instructed.

           “Hotch, you don’t have to stay,” Derek said.

           “I’m your Unit Chief. I will be staying with you.” Hotch tilted his head towards Riona. “Will you breathe? You don’t need to end up in a hospital bed next to him because you hyperventilated.” He ran a hand up and down her back.

           Riona swallowed and nodded, trying to time her breathing with the movement of his hand. Up her back, in; down her back, out. When the sirens pulled up outside of the building, Riona let go of Derek’s hand so that Hotch could help him up. Once Derek was standing again, Riona moved into his side to try to help ground him. She could only imagine the pain he was in, and she knew that he would never show it—not the true extent.

           “Talk to me,” she said.

           “About what?” he asked.

           “Why did you take that bullet for me?” she whispered; it wasn’t what she planned on saying, but the words slipped out.

           “Because you’re my best friend. Because I could. Because I’m not about to let anything happen to you. Riona, there was never a question of me not taking that bullet. There was no time to get us both down, so I did what I had to do to make sure that you were safe. And we got off pretty light here.”

           “Yeah, your arm isn’t going to feel that way after they dig the bullet out of your bone,” she whispered, blinking back tears again.

           “Don’t cry, Ri. I’m fine. I’d do it again in a second.”

           “I know you would. It’s why you never should have made that promise, Derek.” She shook her head, voice cracking.

           “He’s ready to go,” the EMT said. “That arm’s definitely going to need to get x-rayed.”

           “I’ll meet you there.” Hotch gestured for Riona to ride with the ambulance, and he headed for his SUV.

~*~

           Riona didn’t have to fight with the doctors at the hospital. Derek insisted that she be by his side as they dug the bullet out of his arm. Riona hated seeing him in pain; Derek could take a lot, but he was squeezing her hand tight enough that she knew this was really hurting him. They put him in a hospital room, and Riona couldn’t help but smile as he pouted.

           “I don’t need any painkillers,” he told the nurse.

           “Morgan,” Hotch said sternly. “The case is over; you need to take care of yourself.”

           Riona knew he hated having his senses dulled, but she agreed with Hotch. “That bone has fractures radiating from the bullet. You need it.”

           Derek huffed but nodded at the nurse. She set up the morphine line for him. Riona could see him relax almost immediately. She smiled and ran her nails over the back of his neck, and he closed his eyes and leaned into her touch.

           “That’s nice,” he mumbled.

           Riona kept at it, if only because this was the most contact they’d had in months. Hotch gave her a fond smile with a raised eyebrow, and she shrugged her left shoulder so Derek wouldn’t feel it while she scratched.

           Riona smiled when the rest of the team came in, watching as Emily and Reid went right to Derek’s side, with JJ hovering at his feet, and Rossi going to stand beside Hotch. Her phone started to vibrate in her jacket pocket, and she gave Derek a gentle scritch-scritch before pulling back.

           “I’ll be right back,” she assured him and went out to the hallway. “Hello, Dr. Gallagher speaking.”

           “Riona, it’s me,” Mark said. “You on your way home?”

           “No, we’re at the hospital. Derek got shot by the UnSub; we’ll probably be leaving for the airport in a few hours. The doctors just want to watch him a little while to make sure that there’s nothing they missed. The bullet lodged itself in the bone, so he’s in a sling, and he’s pretty annoyed about the whole thing.”

           “So, you’re not making it back for dinner, huh?”

           “No, I’m sorry, Mark. I’m going to drive Derek back to his place once we land, make sure he’s good for the night. He…he took that bullet for me.”

           “Are you okay?” he asked, concern lacing his tone.

           “Yeah. Derek made sure of that. He’s an effective human shield, even if I would prefer he didn’t do that.”

           “What happened?” Mark asked.

           “UnSub thought it’d be great to go out shooting. Derek and I were getting off the elevator after clearing the floor we were assigned to. Hotch yelled at us to get down, but Derek wrapped himself around me. He got hit; we went down. Hotch and Rossi shot the UnSub.” She paced across the floor, chewing her lip.

           “You know, it sounds like he’s okay. You should breathe,” Mark said.

           Riona sniffled. “I just don’t want to lose him like that, you know? He worried me.”

           “I know. You feel things too much, Riona. Tell me when you get home, okay? I want to talk to you.”

           “Okay. I love you,” she said.

           “I love you, too, Riona.”

           Riona hung up the phone and went back to see how Derek was doing. His eyes lit up when she walked back in, and he reached for her with his good hand. She took it, and he pulled her close.

           “Hey, you know I’m good, right?” Derek ran his nose over the top of her head.

           “A sling is not good,” she replied.

           “Not bad, considering.” Derek pulled her into the bed with him. “How much longer do I have to stay here? Can’t we just get home? I’m sick of Texas.”

~*~ 

           “Hey, I’m home.” Riona called Mark as soon as she was back in her own apartment.

           “Okay. I know you’re probably exhausted, but I’d like to come over if you’re okay with that.”

           “If you want to come over, that’s fine. I missed you.”

           “I missed you, too. I’ll see you soon.”

           Riona waited for the knock, and she watched how Freyja shot the door a look and headed for the bedroom. Riona frowned slightly, and she opened the door.

           “Come on in,” she greeted her fiancé.

           “Hi,” Mark started. “I…I think we need to talk. I don’t really know how to start, but…I know you love me. I know that. And I know you had the case and that you were worried about your friend. But…you know it’s been almost a year since we started dating; it’s been a while since we got engaged, and we haven’t even discussed setting a date. Every time I ask you for an actual date and not just a season or a month, you don’t have an answer for me. I wanted you home tonight to take you out for a dinner I’d planned for weeks so that we could really talk about our wedding. And I don’t blame you for staying with your friend. But I also know that he’s not just your friend, and that’s a large part of the reason you don’t have any answers.”

           Riona chewed her lip. Mark wasn’t wrong. She never cheated on him, but she was Derek’s.

           “I know that you never cheated on me. But I also know that if he decided to ask you not to marry me because he wanted you, you’d choose him.” Mark’s voice was soft; it wasn’t accusatory or angry. It was just resigned.

           “I wish that wasn’t true,” Riona whispered. “I’ve never been settling with you. Everything he’s ever told me has been that he doesn’t want the things that I want. But you’re right. And it’s not fair to you that a part of me is still waiting for him, even though we’ve never been on the same page. You were always on track with me, but…I said yes to that first date because I was lonely, and he was on vacation out of state. And I never expected it to go that well. But it did, and I fell for you, but it was just never the same.”

           Mark held out his hands, and Riona took them, squeezing hard.

           “I really hope that he catches up. He’ll be a really lucky guy if he figures things out.”

           Riona closed her eyes, trying to fight back tears. He kissed her forehead. She leaned into his touch, letting out a sob. She could feel him slip the ring off her finger.

           “I’ll get my stuff and leave my key,” he said softly.

           Riona nodded. Freyja came over to her and wound through her ankles as Mark moved about the apartment. Riona barely breathed, frozen, even as Mark stood in the doorway.

           “Bye, Riona,” he said.

           “Goodbye, Mark,” she replied.

           She was frozen in place after the click of the door, the sadness washing over her. From him, from her. He deserved better from her, and she knew it. Everything was heavy, and she didn’t know how long she just stood there before she finally moved.

She looked at her now-ringless finger, and she knew she was going to fall apart soon. And she knew there was one person that would help her fix it. So, she drove back to Derek’s.

~*~

           “Hey, what are you doing here?” Derek asked, giving her his patented confused puppy look.

           She wordlessly held up her left hand.

           “Oh, Ri. I’m so sorry.” He opened his arm for her.

           She hugged him, and he shut the door, leading her to the couch. He just let her cry into his chest, and he stroked her hair, and Riona clung to him.

           “You want to talk about it?” he asked when she was only sniffling.

           “Not really,” she whispered. “It….I don’t know if it was ever going to actually work with us.”

           “I’m sorry, Ri. I know he made you happy.”

           “Make me forget,” she whispered, looking up at him with wide eyes.

           Derek took her face gently between his hands, even as Riona tried to push his right arm back down, and he wiped at the tears with his thumbs. “Not tonight, Sweetheart. You’re emotionally compromised.”

           “Derek, I’m asking you to.”

           “I can’t. I know that you’re sober; I know that there’s no outside force clouding your judgement. But it still feels like I’m taking advantage of you. Take some time. Grieve over your relationship. And if you want to jump me in a few weeks, I’ll let you. But I can’t do it tonight.”

           “Why do you have to be so good?” she asked, a few more tears slipping down her cheeks.

           Derek gave her a half-smile. “I think you’re a little biased, there.”

           She shook her head, burrowing into his chest again. “No. You’re one of the genuinely good people I’ve met.” She sighed, nuzzling him. “If you won’t have sex with me, will you at least sleep with me? Just...hold me, please?”

           “Of course I’ll do that, Ri.” He kissed the top of her head. “For as long as you want.”

           “Good.” She kissed his cheek. “You’re my best friend, Derek.”

           “And you’re mine, Riona. I hope you know that I don’t take your presence for granted in my life.”

           “I do. And I hope you know that I don’t take yours for granted, either.”

           “Trust me. I know.”

           “Thank you for always being the person I can go to,” she whispered.

           “That’s never going to change.” Derek kissed her forehead. “Like I told you, I’m not going to leave you. Ever.”

           As Riona curled into him, she decided she wasn’t going to argue like she had when he made that promise. She’d let herself believe it. Because she needed someone who wouldn’t leave her.

[imagine-loki]

You were saying, little mortal?

TITLE: You were saying, little mortal?

CHAPTER NO.: 1/?

AUTHOR: Solaramoonset

ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine being a passive superhero fan. You’ve read a few comics, you’ve seen most of Marvel’s movies. One day on your way to work, you get pulled over and arrested. The police don’t explain why, only demanding you keep quiet. You’re taken to an abandon looking warehouse. Roughly you’re tossed into a makeshift cell. Really its just an office someone empty and replaced the normal door with a metal one. You don’t expect the voice behind you.

“So kid what are you in for?”

Its Robert Downey jr, sort of. Something is off and he seems confused to be called by that name. You hear a scuffle outside your shared cell. The door bursts open and in walks Tom Hiddleston as Loki. Although something is off about him too. You soon find all the “Avengers” actors there. You don’t know whats going on but the longer you are around them the more crazy you feel. They don’t seem to know their actor names, and you can’t find any cameras around. Its like for them this is real.

They decide to take you back with them (clearly thinking something is wrong with you). You find yourself sitting next to Loki. Having enough of this craziness you go on a rant, expecting you are ranting to Tom Hiddleston. Loki lets you say your bit, seemingly amused by you, before holding up his hand and bringing forth just enough seidr to glow and flow around his hand. “You were saying, little mortal?”

RATING: Teen

NOTES: Also on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18953773/chapters/45003085

Chapter 1

“Wake up

Grab a brush and put a little (makeup)

Grab a brush and put a little

Hide the scars to fade away the (shakeup)

Hide the scars to fade away the

Why’d you leave the keys upon the table?

Here you go create another fable

You wanted to”

Enid groaned as she blindly reached over for her phone. Who’d call this early? A quick glance showed it was her boss. “Enid Rose here.” She mumbled into the phone.

“Good morning. How is my favorite secretary slash unofficial office manager?” A far too cheerful voice answered her.

“Duncan, its three in the morning. Please get to the point.” Enid rolled over to stare at her ceiling.

“Gregory needs a ride to work. If I remember correctly you pass his place on the way in. Care to give him a ride?”

“Gregory who?” Enid knew who Gregory was. She actually got along pretty well with the head of maintenance and IT support, even though most thought he was a little weird. He was a brilliant engineer, but for some reason, chose to work in a small office setting.

“Gregory Stark, naturally. His hover car broke down again. Go figure, man makes the first hover car but can’t keep the damn thing running. So about that ride?”

“Yeah Duncan, I’ll pick him up. I’ll text him when I’m on my way. Now if there’s nothing else I think I’ll get back to sleep.”

“Don’t forget it’s your turn to bring breakfast. Please make sure its something unhealthy, totally bad for you and full of sugar this time.” Duncan hung up before Enid could protest.

“I bring pumpkin-carrot muffins one time.” Enid threw off the covers. There was no way she’d be getting back to sleep. Might as well go for a morning jog.

XOXOXOX

Enid pulled up outside a group of apartmentsshooting off a quick text. ‘ERose Taxi service. Searching for brilliant engineer, who killed a hover car. Again.’ Almost immediately she received a response.

'Good morning my beautiful, intelligent, wonderful, sarcastic savior! I’ll be right down to your death trap masquerading as an SUV’ a few minuets later Gregory hopped in.

“If you don’t like my baby, you can always walk to work.” Enid pulled out of the apartment complex and back on the road.

“My lovely queen of the office file system, I shall endeavor to keep my mouth shut. I think we both know how monumental a task that will be.” Enid began laughing, Gregory joining a moment later.

“Did you see Venom yet?”

“Enid, the only reason you went to see that movie was to watch Tom Hardy. Besides I have issues with villains getting their own movies.” Gregory grumbled.

“Tom Hardy is nice to look at. I wasn’t expecting the twist they put to Venom though. In the Tobey Maguire spider-man, Venom was a villain. In this new story there’s no way anyone will call him a hero but he is a very interesting anti-hero.”

“What about that new avenger’s trailer? Have you seen that?”

“It had me in tears Gregory, tears. It looks like they’re going to kill off Tony! They already killed Bucky and Loki! … Dammit. We might have to test you keeping your mouth shut sooner than expect. It looks like we’re getting pulled over.” Enid frowned looking in the rear-view mirror. Gregory tensed up.

“Call me Duncan around the cops. Lets just say I’m not exactly here legally; I’ll explain later.” Enid gave a quick nod grabbing her wallet and putting both hands on the wheel. She lowered the window as an office approached.

“Step out of the vehicle please.”

“Sure office. Can I ask what this is about?” Enid gulped. What was going on?

“Both of you need to get out of the vehicle, hands in the air.” Both Enid and Gregory stepped out of the SUV hands raised. Rough hands grabbed Enid, slapping cuffs on her wrists.

“What the hell?” Enid tried to look at the officer. A heavy hit to her temple had her stumbling.

“Enid!”

“Shut up! You’re both coming with us!” The world faded in and out as Enid was shoved in the back of a cop car. She shook her head to clear it.

“Keep quiet, they’re after me. I’m sure when they figure out you aren’t part of anything they’ll let you go.”Gregory leaned in and whispered into Enid’s ear. She knew he was probably trying to be reassuring but it was freaking her out more. What could her friend be involved with? The patrol car slowed down outside an abandoned looking warehouse Enid’s stomach dropped. She was pulled from the car one way, Gregory the other.

“Move it.” Enid was half dragged through the warehouse into what could have been an office once. As the door was slammed in her face, Enid made a quick look around for anything useful, but it appeared someone had removed everything already. Enid tried not to hyperventilate as she looked at the closed door. It was metal, and looked heavy. Probably not the original door. She tried to wiggle her wrists, the cuffs were digging into her skin.

“So kid, what you in for?” Enid jumped at the voice and spun around. Sitting in a dark corner was none other than Robert Downey Jr. As impossible as it seemed, the man she was starring down was a dead ringer for the actor.

“Robert Downey Jr.? How? Why? What is Gregory mixed up in?” Enid stammered. The man gave her a confused look.

“Whoa there Kid, my name’s Tony. Did you say Gregory? Cause I have this brother named Gregory and those thugs were looking for him. Was your Gregory with you when you got caught?” the more she looked at him, the more something seemed off about him. She just couldn’t figure out what.

“Yeah, I was giving him a ride to work. But you don’t look anything like him.”

“That’s not good news to me kid, my brother looks nothing like me.”

“Please don’t call me kid.”

“Okay short stack. Just sit tight, my friends are coming to bust me… I guess us now, out.” Enid rolled her eyes at Tony. At least he’d apparently stopped calling her a kid. Enid heard a shout and a thud from outside the door She step closer to listen better but Tony pulled her back. “If my friends are here, it won’t be a good idea to stand by the door.” The door groaned and burst open. A tall figure stood in the smoke. Enid gaped.

“Oh my god! Its Tom Hiddleston!” Enid was stunned. The man in the doorway seemed confused.

“I am Loki, of Asgard. Come Stark, I was sent to free you.” Enid was practically vibrating in her excitement. She bounced over to Loki with stars in her eyes. A thought struck her and her excitement disappeared. She rounded on Tony.

“Wait Stark? Your name is Tony Stark? Were your parent’s Marvel fans or something? No this is too much, its gotta be some sort of prank.”

“I’m getting out of here short stack, you coming or what?” he followed Loki, Enid trailed behind the two. There was no way she was staying. As they reached the main floor of the warehouse, a huge fight was going on. Enid could see Scarlett Johansson in a black skin tight suit. Jeremy Renner was in the rafters shooting arrows! There was even someone dressed as Captain America. The fight was intense, the hits looked and sounded very real. The one thing Enid couldn’t seem to find, were any cameras.

“Head down!” Enid didn’t know who shouted that or who pushed her down but her instincts were screaming at her this fight wasn’t staged. What the hell was going on? Enid stayed down, shaking as the fight continued around her. She had no way to judge how long the fight lasted, time had no meaning for her. It was Gregory’s soft voice which finally had her looking up.

“Hey E, it’s okay. Its over now.” She shook her head at him and held up her wrists which were still cuffed. Scarlett knelt beside her and picked the lock, freeing Enid’s wrists.

“How’d you do that? I mean your charcater Natasha is a complete badass but I wouldn’t think you’d have to learn something like this to play her.” Enid whispered in awe. Scarlettt gave her an odd look.

“So how are you?” Gregory winced at his own question. Enid blinked. She wasn’t sure where the laughter or tears came from but she couldn’t seem to stop either. “Tony, we can’t leave her like this, they’re bound to come back.” Gregory called over his should.

“Greg, why doesn’t she know us? She didn’t even know Loki, called him Tom Hiddleston.”

“It’s a long story-” Gregory started.

“It always is with you. But your right, we can’t leave her. Something is wr… isn’t right. Did she get hit in the head?” Gentle hands help Enid stand, she looked up into bright blue eyes. It slowed the tears. By the time she had been led onto a weird plane, quinjet her mind supplied, she was reduced to soft hiccups. Gregory sat on one side of her, oddly enough Loki sat on her other side.

“You’ve had an interesting day, would you like to talk about it?” Loki gave Enid a gentle smile.

“What are you up to brother?” Enid turned her head to look at Chris Hemsworth. Something in her snapped. She turned back to Loki.

“Interesting isn’t the right word. Impossible is so much better! This entire day should be impossible! I’m surrounded by the actors from the Avengers movies only they don’t seem to know it! Tony Stark or Robert Downey Jr? Tom Hiddleston or Loki? Cause I swear I’m talking to the actor, not the character. And you just had to go and say the line, why did you have to say the line? Haven’t you seen other fans swoon from it?!? Don’t get me wrong, all of you are brlliants actors but superheros aren’t real! The Avengers aren’t real! It’s just a movie! The costumes, the fight, and no cameras! ANYWHER! None of this can be real! What the fuck is going on?!? I have to be losing my fucking mind or sometihng. Greg if this is one of your pranks I will stab you.” Enid ranted. There was a twinkle in Loki’s eyes.

“Wow two 'fucks’ and a death threat all in one day, today has been rough hasn’t it?” Gregory muttered. If looks would kill, Enid would have murdered him.

“Language!” Steve called from somewhere up front.

“Dude so help me, this is a FUCK, FUCK, FUCKITY, FUCK kinda of day!.” Enid snapped. The plane was deadly quiet. Enid looked back at Loki. He was wearing a smirk and his eyes were practicly glowing. Slowly he held his hand up, his seidr flowed around his hand like a green mist. Enid looked from his hand into his eyes, her mouth gaping, her eyes wide.

“You were saying, little mortal?”

“No fucking way…” Enid’s eyes rolled back into her head and her body slumped. Loki caught her before she could fall out of her seat.

“So Greg, we’ve got a long flight ahead of us, I think it’s time for that story.”

[theresnosafeharbor4myships]

okay, chapter 2 is here (wow, it hurts), and now i realize there’ll be a chapter 3. kudos are food, fodder, and fabulous.

Swept Away: Drowning (also on 9L; part 1 here on 9L; here on tumblr)

Bile rose in his throat, and he felt sure he’d retch. He heaved in a deep breath through his nostrils, trying to calm the savage sickness in his belly.

“Please….please,” Carol cried softly on devastated breaths. She pressed her knife into his hands, willing him to take it, to do the only earthly thing left for her to do for son but couldn’t.

Scalding tears pricked his eyes, fevered by rage buried beneath canyons of trauma he couldn’t un-see, he’d never wade through.

He nodded, gripping both her knife and her hand, and she slowly slumped into his arms again, her nearly soundless cries wracking her staccato breathing. Daryl closed his eyes and hugged her close, tightly, not for a second wanting to leave her alone, but he knew he couldn’t leave him—them—there like that.

The bastards hadn’t killed the brains, the worst kind of evil one could do to another in this hellscape. The killing without dying. The living while dead. The death without rest or peace.

He had to give them that. Couldn’t wait for the others and wouldn’t want Carol to, even if she had half a mind to be the one to do it. She’d asked him, and he’d force his legs take him to those pikes and end what those animals had done to the kid she loved and the rest of the people who meant family.

Wrapped around her, holding her close, he opened his eyes and turned his face into her hair. “Don’t look,” he whispered near her ear. “Stay here, and don’t look.” He gave her another tight squeeze before slowly unwrapping himself from her.

Instantly he felt bereft. Cold flooded him, and he thought the temperature had dropped, but the ice seemed to come from inside his veins. He shivered, absently wishing for a jacket.

Carol stayed where she was, facing down the hill, gently rocking back and forth, and he had the sudden urge to pick her up and carry her away from the hell they faced. Away from the others and the Whisperers and the heartbreak and devastation. Away from their broken communities and the King and the fair and the fights and the wars and the evil. Away to just them, the only two left from their little camp from ages ago when they thought the only thing they had to fear were walkers.

His knees nearly gave out, his belly a tangled knot of sickness, but seeing her as broken as she’d been in front of that barn propelled him to move, and he shuffled towards the others.

Siddiq gave him a horrified, hollow stare, and Daryl knew his face reflected the same.

Siddiq, who not only saw the grisly display before them but had likely witnessed the execution of it, had nearly been purging his stomach when they’d found him eons—mere moments—ago. So overcome with horror he hadn’t been able to form words.

Daryl felt the world spin, unexpectedly and harsh, and swallowed hard past the mound of sand in his throat, his body urging him to empty his own queasy stomach. He tightened his chest, willed the world to stand still, forcing himself to press on, to check on the living before he handled the dead.

Michonne lifted her eyes to him, grief pouring from them, and she reached for him. He hugged her before looking to Yumiko. She peered up at him, shock still written on her face. He nodded at her before turning and facing his task.

He urged his feet to move, watched them take him one step, then another, as he went to ease this burden for Carol—for them all. It looked like he was trudging, but he felt airborne, lightweight, as though gravity had given him up. Still, he kept watching them move.

He saw miles stretch before them, cities and camps and a farm and a prison. Dark roads and darker decisions, loss and pain and partings and the drudgery of carrying on as others left them behind, weary and wounded. Hollow hearts and wounded words. Carol. “I don’t think we get to save people anymore.” He’d tried. He’d carried whatever burden presented itself in order to bring her back to him. He’d believed until she could again, too. “You don’t have to.” She reached for the door anyway. “You don’t.” He implored her to hear him, to let him ease the hurts that haunted her. She allowed it, but not without some frustration—at herself, he knew—at finding herself there again.

Here he was again, aching, devastated, yes, but so grateful she wasn’t alone, that he could do this one thing so she didn’t have to.

He nearly doubled over at the thought. He’d face all the darkness to spare her, every last damn monster that walked this earth and called themselves human, as long as it meant she would hurt just a little less, that he could help ease her heartaches just a little more.

Michonne moved next to him. “I got it,” he ground out, voice gravelly with pain and the effort to fight back tears.

She grabbed his arm gently, forcing him to face her again. “Let me help,” she commanded.

He swallowed hard, and they moved to the back of the morbid posts before them, she to Enid, he to Henry. Glancing at Carol to make sure she wasn’t watching, he set about his task of putting Henry to rest and removing him from the stake, letting his thoughts take over to eradicate the sounds, the smells, the realization of what those bastards had left of them—had left him to do.

When they were done, they’d head back to the Kingdom, he’d make sure Carol was surrounded by Judith and Jerry and Rosita and the King, and he’d borrow a wagon-car and some necessary volunteers—he wished he could do it alone, if only for solitude and the space to grieve—and find the rest of the bodies and bring the pieces home for proper burial.

With Henry at peace on the cold, hard ground, he turned to Tara just as Michonne did the same, having rested Enid. “I can do it,” he offered almost as a question, his throat raw, his brain screaming at him to turn away.

Michonne nodded, grateful and weary, and she moved to the others where Yumiko had begun helping them with the horrendous task.

He took a deep breath and set about laying Tara to rest. Only one more. One more member of their family, one more person he trusted gone, one less light shining against the shit thrown at them on the regular, one less friend in the world.

So much digging to do. They’d have to do it while he came back for them and as soon as possible. The winter freeze blowing in would make the ground harder, but the spot in the Kingdom’s cemetery, just under the large willow oak, would be perfect. Wildflowers grew there in the spring. Maybe someday they’d look and only see beauty where the grisly horror had once haunted them. Maybe…

Daryl felt Michonne shaking his arm, and he turned to her, his expression blank. “Can you hear me?”

“Yeah,” he murmured, feeling the wind on his face again, the warmth of Michonne’s hand on his arm now.

“It’s all done.” She looked at him resolutely. “Let’s go.”

He nodded and stepped away from the border of death, unable to look at it again, trusting Michonne that they’d finished putting them all to rest, and moved towards Carol. Always to Carol.

He saw her still kneeling on the hill, back straight, hair flowing in the breeze, and he came back to himself, the brisk wind setting goosebumps on his flesh, the sniffles from the others weighing on him like the ghosts of the fallen behind him.

She’d lost her child. Again. So many times before—how much more could she take?—but never like this.

He felt a gaping hole in his chest, a canyon full of dark clouds exploding into shards of ice, piercing his heart. He ached so deeply for her he wanted to crawl right out of his skin.

“Carol,” he whispered as he approached, not wanting to frighten her. He dropped to his haunches next to her, his hand sliding across her back to cup her shoulder, waiting for her to look at him, to be ready to leave the desolation that’d destroyed the life she’d built.

She leaned into him, and he let himself breathe in the impact of her weight, take comfort from their shared grief in remembrance of all the sorrow they’d shared, from the loss of the boy he’d protected and chased after because Carol trusted him alone with her son.

Suddenly he thought of Lydia, of the despair she’d suffer at this, her mother’s retribution. Of the guilt she’d feel. The choices she’d wish she could undo. The survivor’s guilt he knew all too well that would dog her steps while both awake and asleep.

He breathed out slowly, trying to calm the hurricane of emotions, the whirlwind of thoughts he couldn’t seem to control, the frantic beating of his heart. He turned his head into Carol’s hair, absently placing a kiss on her head.

She turned her face up to peer at him, her blue eyes rimmed in red and drowning in tears, their tracks evident on her face, and he angled himself to ensure she couldn’t see behind him.

He nodded, answering her silent question: he’d put Henry to rest. “Time to go,” he managed to croak.

“I can’t,” she stated, her voice breaking. “We can’t leave him…” Her voice trailed off, her eyes pleading with him.

“I’ll come back for him. For all of ‘em. I promise.” His voice caught, and he nodded, assuring her he meant it. “Soon as we get back, I’ll get a wagon and bring him home.”

[imascreamerbabymakemeamute]

Her Hunter is Back in Town

DeanxReader

Reader is an secretary in Saint Louis at a high rise downtown, every couple of weeks she returns with a smile on her face.

Inspiration: Cowboy’s Back in Town by Trace Adkins

Tags: @annie-marie94

Her Hunter is Back in Town

Y/N slowly made her way into the office, trudging in her low flats to the elevator. She smooths out her black knee length skirt and brushes the scone crumbles off the ruffles of her blouse with her left hand as the right clutches her coffee cup tightly. Enid holds the elevator for her.

“So there’s an office party for Patty’s retirement, are you coming? It’s at that little diner down the road you love to go to!” Enid asked quickly, before punching the correct floor and the doors slide closed. Y/N thinks about it, and nods slowly, a non-committal expression graces her face for a little longer than three nods before falling flat, as she sips at her still too hot coffee.

The elevator dinged and Enid slipped past her on her way to her desk right there by the elevator on the fifteenth floor. The doors slide closed and the elevator moves up a couple more floors to where the door slides open once more, she stepped out slowly, sipping her still piping hot coffee as she made her way past the balding man that was rounding the corner waving a file in the air. With practiced ease, Y/N plastered on a smile, and grabbed he file.

“Yes, Mr. Moore, I know, I need this typed up, notarized, signed by all parties, and sent in to the Washington office. Coffee was necessary. I’ll have this sent in by the afternoon, I assume the others are on my desk?” the man, Mr. Moore nods, and Y/N sets her coffee down on the coaster on her desk. “Your first meeting is in ten minutes, Sir, and your face is as red as a beet, head to your office and I’ll bring in a nice, cool glass of water as soon as I log my computer on. It’s no use getting upset, Sir, I hardly ever come in late and I never leave early. Cool off,” she made a shoo-ing motion with her hands as she reached to take her light jacket off her shoulders and hang it over the back of her desk chair. She pushed the power button on her tower and headed to the break room to start a pot of coffee for the meeting. She bent over her desk chair and typed in her password with a sigh.

Letting her eyes slip shut flashes of blue shone, her fiance held up by an invisible force, and the glint of a blade. She shook her head quickly and rumpled her shoulder length H/C hair, bringing some of the curls forward as she made her way to the kitchenette again. Getting a couple cubes of ice and pouring some water out of the Brita into the glass before hurrying back out to her desk to nab yesterday’s file off the corner of her desk with things that she finished after Moore had left yesterday to go to his daughter’s softball game. She briskly walked the last few feet to the break in the frosted glass wall into Moore’s office.

“Mr. Moore,” she announced herself as she stood just outside his office, she used an acutely trained eye to notice that his office was covered in a layer of dust that meant that the cleaning crew hadn’t dusted last night, as well as vacuum she realized as her toes crunched over something as she entered the office at the silent beckon; a finger crooked at her. She quickly set the glass down on a coaster and slid it close, but not in the way. She laid the file on a chair before hurrying out of the office and to a small supply closet where she retrieved a dusting rag and a roller from restaurants. She wiped down the desk and close furniture, and as quietly as possible ran the roller over the whole floor before returning as Moore finished his phone call.

“Five minutes until your meeting,” she curtly picking up the file, “I will have to speak with you about these contracts afterword.” She turned on a dime and made it to her desk, opened her emails, and picked up her coffee as a tall man in a suit, with black hair in a short crew cut walked in. She repressed the urge to roll her eyes, the representative came again instead of the president of the company. Moore will not be happy.

“Good morning, how can I help you?” she asked cheerily.

The meeting went as well as it could have, the tall man left in a huff, no deal. The rest of the day was spent as usual, here and there she would get to close her eyes for a second and see those green eyes glint, he would be back this Friday.

Shaking her head she would move on with her day, sipping coffee and then hot tea throughout the day, staying later than everyone else to get ready for the next day until Friday.

“It’s my weekend, Ms. Webb,” Y/N smiled.

“But what do you do? I’ve never seen you with anyone else,” Ms. Webb asked accusingly, she was an elderly woman, looking for a good woman to give her son away to. She means well, but when Y/N blinks that smirk lights up her world.

“I’m fine, I don’t need anyone else,” Y/N sighs, not out of boredom as Ms. Webb assumes, but out of memory of how he loves her. Friday, her inner monologue chants, Friday.

Years ago when he started stopping by, it was less frequent, it wasn’t this every other week, it was when jobs pulled him close enough to Saint Louis. Then it was every time he was in a fifty miles, a hundred, and soon enough he started coming every other weekend. Things have been working out well, he shows up, there are things that happen that no-one would understand, there are things that are of a more carnal intention, and then he would leave, pull that sleek black car away from the curb and be gone for another couple weeks.

Then he started talking, sometimes it was easy; he had a brother, Sammy, he was always so worried about him, and about this father figure Bobby, how he was better than his real father. But Bobby died, and that hit him hard, then Sammy was coming and going, and there was this Cas in there too. Apparently there were some trust issues all around.

Then, he said he had found a home, a bunker, where he and Sammy lived, and he wanted to move into it. He wanted to take her with him. Kansas was so far away, but it’s harder knowing he’s so far away for weeks.

Friday.

Friday.

Tomorrow.

The morning came and went, slowly Y/N’s mood became better and better. By the time she finished her work, and got home, there was a sleek, black, four-door in the parking lot. Her apartment lights were on, and a window open. A small smile spread and broke into a large grin, spreading her bright red lipstick, that he absolutely loved, around pearly white teeth.

Walking into her apartment she was greeted by the smell of home cooking and the sound of low classic rock pumping out of old speaker system that he had to drag out of the closet every weekend. Soon enough his low tenor rang out around the apartment, singing along with the song, Ready For Love by Bad Company. Y/N shuts the door and he turns around quickly, spatula in hand, a look of fear passes over his perfect features before it softens up considerably and he lowers his spatula, setting it down aimlessly on the counter.  Rushing toward her he scoops her up, lacing his fingers under her ass, she places her hands on his shoulders as she rides to her counters where she placed primly. Leaning forward she captures his face in her hands, kisses are pressed all over his face, before finally settling on his plump, pink lips. Soon enough, he sweeps his tongue across her lips and she opens her mouth, inviting him in with a quick lick of her own.

Dinner almost forgotten he pulls away slowly, his hands which were on her hips drag down her thighs before he picks up the spatula and begins again with his task. Y/N scoots off the counter and slips into her bedroom to shower and change for the night, a pair of yoga pants and one of his old tees ought to do just fine tonight, not that she would stay in it long after dinner anyway. Sitting at the small table against the wall, she propped on leg up on the chair with her and watched as he cooked for her. Pulling food and utensils from their proper places he flitted around her small kitchen, tasting here and there and bringing her spoonfuls to taste. When dinner was finally ready, he brought it over.

“So, Y/N, have you thought about it?” he spoke suddenly, staring at her with those pure green eyes that she dreamed about.

“Hm? Thought about what?” she asked innocently, flicking her E/C eyes up him, locking his gaze. He licks his lips to get the pasta sauce off before speaking.

“About leaving, come back with me, to the bunker.”

“You know I have a job and life here, in Saint Louis! And you and Sam travel the country, hunting monsters, it’s no fair for me to live with you all and crash the party.”

“I drive seven hours every other week to come see you. I could just roll over in bed every morning,” he says the last bit quietly, reaching across the small table to lay his hand on hers.

“I know, I know, but I would need to turn in my time sheet, tell them I’m leaving, and pack my desk. I would have to sell my apartment, and all my stuff. It will take months to get it all sorted out. I can’t come with you this time.”

She looks away from those piercing green eyes and pulls her hand out from under his only to lay it back on top and grip his hand tight. Dinner is finished in almost silence, the sound of forks scraping the glass plates, and glasses clinking on the tabletop are the only sounds in the room. With dinner finished and a somber mood to boot, the lovers gravitate to the living area, where the couch is plush and inviting for some cuddling.

Television forgotten in the background, hungry lips devouring the others, and hands skimming under each others shirts; feeling hard muscle under polished fingertip she clutches tightly, digging in slightly. He whispers in her ear, low and sultry, but not what anyone would have expected from the passionate forms on the couch.

“Djinn, Omaha, Nebraska. Three days ago. Sammy, he shot it, right through the head,” his voice breathy as she nipped at his neck with her teeth.

“Webb, company luncheon, five hours ago. Tried to set me up with her son again,” she whispered in his mouth. Licking his lips with the very tip of hers and he chuckled, “Little does that old hag know..” she trails off slow with a little giggle.

“Haunting, Reno, Nevada, last Tuesday. Caught the little bastard with a right hook with skeleton key ring instead of brass knuckles while Sam did a salt and burn of the doll.”

“Big Pharma Rep, last Wednesday. Grabbed my ass,” she whispered, her hand slid down his arm and brought it to her plump ass, he gripped it tight, digging in and pushing up with his hips. “Asked if I needed a new Daddy. Took all I had not to wink and tell him I had one,” she cut off her sentence with a low and throaty moan as he pushed his arousal up into her own.

“Cursed object, a pair of kitchen shears in Austin, Texas. The damn things reanimated the food they cut up. Took a sledgehammer to the blades that one did,” he groaned as his hands travelled down her sides to the top of her yoga pants to tug at the stretchy fabric, “I burned it myself, crazy grandma used it to cut up a chicken, scared Sammy shitless.” He finally gave up trying to pull the fabric away and made a dive with his right hand down the front of her pants slipping beneath her panties in one swoop.

“Wish I had seen that,” she groans, sliding her hands up under his shirt, nails skimming over hard muscles and smoothing over taught pectorals, pushing the shirt up as she goes. She then drags her nails down the taut stomach, bumping into the button of his jeans, holding herself up on her knees straddling his hips. Rolling her hips a touch she grappled with the button furiously, with Dean’s arm in the way and her precarious perch on the couch. Leaning forward he pushed her onto her back, circling her clit quickly as he gently sits her back against the other arm, her yoga pants bunching under his hand. The quick breaths she panted out reverberated around the room, as one hand reached for remote, mashing buttons until the machine clicked off.

“Good Girl,” he praised her and as a reward he surged forward, kissing her lips. A mashing of teeth and lips ensued as he viciously rubbed her little nub, knowing full well that wasn’t anywhere enough to get her off.

“Bed,” she begged,  her breath coming hard and fast now as he smirked down at her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, diving into his mouth again, as his fingers left her core to grab her ass tight, lifting her up and responding in kind with the rough kisses. He found the bedroom with little issue, as he had every other time he stayed in the last few years. He flung her down with a predatory glance, his hands flew to his jeans as he unclasped them and shoved them and his briefs down in one swoop. Y/N copies his movements, pulling off his shirt over her head, and yanks down her yoga pants. Her panties and bra still in place although a bit askew.

He pulls his shirt off over his head and tosses it toward the pile of clothes in the corner. She backs up on the bed, to sit in the middle, he follows, crawling up to her core before blowing hot air on the wet spot forming in the panties. She pressed her fingers back through his soft as butter hair, running her fingers through it over and over as he laved up and down the outside of the panties. Her heels digging into the fluffy comforter, and nails digging into this scalp; only egging him on more. One of his hands slid up and pushed aside her panties, delving into her core as she ground down into his face, his nose bumping and pressing into her clit, blowing twin jets of hot air down her lips.

Suddenly, as she begins to clench more and more, he pulls away. Wiping the wetness from his lips and nose with his hand before wiping it on her mid section. A low and throaty moan of desperation escapes her, as he climbs up her high strung frame. Thumbing the edge of her panties he gives a little tug. With a shimmy of her hips and a little more tugging they are low enough that she can kick them off without any more assistance and sees them arc through the air behind him. He falls to his elbows and worships the edge of her bra, his hands wiggling behind her, pushing and pulling at the fabric until the front goes slack, he pulls there and there, before nipping the edge and pulling one cup down enough to tease the swell of her breast. Sucking, nipping, and tugging on her hardened nipple while his hands come back to pull the fabric from the other side. With a flick of his well trained wrist, he launched it across the room aimed at my laundry basket. After a very thorough teasing of every little ticklish or pleasurable spot on her body he slides home. Filling her completely in ways that she can’t remember from this time to the next.

“So good, so beautiful, so tight, Y/N,” he groaned out between thrusts. Quickly coming to his completion and circling her clit again with his thumb as he finished mere moments from her own completion.

“You drug that out longer than usual,” she breathes once her racing heart slows.

“I had to leave early last time, had to make up for lost time,” he says cooly.

She rolled to face him, snuggling close, totally prepared for next several hours of various positions and speeds; but for right now she focused on how his heart slowed to a normal beat, how his breathing slowly evened out, and how his hot skin cooled but would heat right back up when she touched it.

As she drifted on the precipice of sleep a rumble from the chest underneath her ear brought her attention back.

“Hmm?” She asked as she sat up, leaning on one arm, looking up at him.

“I said I love you, Y/N.”

~~Two Weeks Later~~

Y/N peeked out the apartment window, her bags were sitting on the counter, nothing left in the apartment except what was there when she moved in. She had broke down and given up on her hopes of staying at her job, things were too crazy, and she didn’t have the heart anymore.

Her front door opened up and the look of fear that graced his face for the second it took for him to realize where she was was absolutely priceless. His eyes raked over the whole apartment before settling on her sitting on the counter by the stove. She was dressed in an old shirt of his and one of his stolen flannels with the sleeves rolled up, a pair of dirty jeans from helping him with Baby, and her old cowboy boots from her days as a farm hand in college.

“What did you do?” He asked as he surged into the apartment to press her up against the cabinetry and kiss her.

“I sold it, I sold it all. I have cleaners and painters coming tomorrow, the apartment has been sold to my replacement. As has the car. It’s just me and my duffels,” she said between kisses and gasping moans

“I love you, Y/F/N Y/L/N. I love you so much.”

“I love you too, Dean Winchester.”

[starkshamilton]

Surviving Somehow - Chapter One

Synopsis: All Ava wants is for her little sister Enid to be safe, and Alexandria seems to be the answer. However, when Ava realizes just how inept its' citizens are, she sees that the Safe-Zone is doomed to fail. That is, until another group strolls through the gates.

AO3

Hi, everyone! 

This is my first fic about the Walking Dead and my first fic on Tumblr ever! It’s been awhile, but this idea has been rolling around in my head for wayyy too long. I also provided a link to my archive of our own account if that format is better for you. 

Enjoy!

Chapter One: Just the Two of Us

Ava couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She wanted to scream, but the horror was stopping any noise from leaving her vocal cords. The gurgling of the dead cut through the tense air as Ava fell to her knees, her eyes never leaving the sight before her. The two forms of her parents laid on the dirt road as three walkers made a feast of their flesh, the roamers too busy with their kill to acknowledge her presence. She couldn’t have been gone for more than ten minutes—ten minutes to hunt while the couple worked to fix their broken-down SUV. Yet, that was all it took for her world to end. Again.

When humanity crumbled, they stuck together. They only had each other. Why did she leave them? They could’ve gone without food for another night. If Ava stayed, she would have been there to stop this, to save them.  An involuntary sob escaped her throat, the emotion making the walkers turn to her before slowly getting up and making their way over to indulge in dessert.

Ava slowly stood up, but she didn’t run. Instead, she pulled her hunting knife out from its’ sheath stalked over to the beasts. Ava let her rage win as she took out each Walker, angry grunts erupting from her throat as she allowed the tears to roll freely down her cheeks. Once she took care of the last one, Ava seethed her knife, her eyes landing on the mutilated bodies of her loved ones. It was then Ava put her hands on her knees and retched. The vomit came out like a river, landing in front of her feet as she continued to gag long after the contents left her stomach.

“A…Ava?”

Ava whipped around to look at the source of the small voice. Her frame was coated in blood, the tears that she had been crying making the liquid drip down her round cheeks—cheeks Ava would always pinch to get a rise out of her.  

“Enid.”

Without saying another word, Ava sloppily ran to Enid as she wrapped her little sister into an embrace. When Ava didn’t see her sister among her parents, she had assumed that Enid had took off running in a vain attempt to find Ava. She thought she would never see her again and, judging from the tight way Enid clutched onto Ava’s worn t-shirt, the elder sister assumed that Enid had thought the same of her.

“It was so bad,” Enid sobbed. “They…they came to the car…Mom and Dad tried to fight them off--.”

Ava gently shushed her, not wanting Enid to describe the trauma; doing so would only make her lose her little sister even more. Ava was content just standing there in silence, holding the one person who meant more to her than anything in the world. The sky had different plans as the clouds parted and rain began to coat the dirt road. Closing her eyes, Ava took a deep breath.

It was time to be rational, to be more than a big sister. Ava needed to be a leader.

“Let’s get out of here.”

Enid nodded, and Ava reluctantly released her from their hug. Silently, Enid took Ava’s hand, a gesture she had once saw as being ‘too babyish’.  The small act broke Ava’s heart, and she squeezed onto her sibling’s hand before tugging her into the woods in search of cover.

It was just them now, and Ava wasn’t going to let them fail.

“You’re not holding it right.”

Enid tensed at the tired voice as she lowered the handgun. She thought that she was the only one awake but, turning around, Enid watched as Ava sat up in her sleeping bag. Enid put a hand to her heart in feign shock.

“You shouldn’t sneak up on someone when they have a gun in their hands.”

“I think I’m safe,” Ava scoffed. “Do you even know where the trigger is?”

“Ha. Ha.”

Ava smiled as she watched Enid turn the gun in her hand, examining the firearm. They guessed that they have been on their own for two months, and it was the first-time Ava had seen Enid pick up any sort of weapon. Their parents were deeply against Enid getting her hands dirty, stating that she wouldn’t need to defend herself because she would always have them.

What a lie.

Although Enid would never admit it, Ava was sure that her younger sibling was timid when it came to weapons. From the corner of her eye, she would catch Enid quietly flinching whenever Ava would use one; whether it be digging an arrow into a walker’s brain or firing a bullet to lure a herd away, she would have the same reaction. Of course, Ava never called her out on it. She knew her sister, and Ava didn’t have the energy to get into fights with Enid—not when each moment could be their last.

There was a small sense of relief within Ava when she woke up to see Enid aiming the weapon at a tree. This meant that she was willing to learn, or at least try. She stretched her arms, a tired yawn escaping her throat as she spoke.

“I can teach you to shoot, you know.”

Enid looked up from the weapon before giving a flippant response. “I know.”

Ava raised a brow. “Do you want to learn?”

“Mom and Dad wouldn’t like it.”

The response came quick, almost too fast for Ava to even prepare for it. Even after their death, Enid was still ‘the good child’. The one who listened to their parents without a fight while Ava went through her ‘angst’ phase until she was twenty. Ava shook her head. The past didn’t matter anymore, and Enid needed to realize that.

“Mom and Dad wanted you to be safe,” Ava pointed out as she turned to face Enid more directly. “They would want you to be able to defend yourself when I’m not around.”

Enid narrowed her eyes. “Planning on leaving me?”

“Never,” Ava sharply answered, “But Mom and Dad weren’t either.”

 The judgmental glare faded and Enid looked down at her shoes, trying to hide the tears Ava didn’t mean to cause. Ava didn’t regret what she said; Enid needed to learn that the world didn’t follow the same rules anymore. Ava gestured for Enid to come into her arms, and the younger girl welcomed the comfort.  

“I’ll do everything I can to stay by your side,” Ava whispered into her hair, “But you need to fight to stay by mine, too.”

Ava felt Enid’s head nod, but the girl didn’t let go of her until a few more moments passed. Enid’s expression of sadness was now replaced with one of determination as she held the gun out to Ava, her small voice now dripping with strength.

“Teach me.”

The arrow pierced through the squirrel’s neck, making the unsuspecting animal topple to its’ side in a lifeless heap. Enid let out a small curse as she lowered the bow, the owner of the weapon walking past her to pick up their dinner. Looking down at the creature, Ava offered a small nod of approval.

“You almost got the eye!”

Enid groaned. “’Almost’ isn’t good enough.”

“Maybe,” Ava grinned as she picked up the animal and ripped the arrow out of it. “But it is closer than when you kept hitting nothing.”

She shrugged. “Whatever.”

Enid had been getting better with weapons; so far, her best skill came with knife wielding. Ava noticed that she still had trouble pulling the trigger of her gun, but if she could take a walker out with one stab to the skull, that was good enough for now.

However, it wasn’t Enid’s survival skills that were worrying Ava, it was her mental state. The pair had decided to leave the comfort of North Carolina to see what the North had to offer.  They have been traveling for a few months and their time on the road had showed Ava just how hollow Enid was becoming. The girl who was once unable to conceal her giggles in the most serious circumstances was now becoming hardened with melancholy behavior.

Ava couldn’t blame her. Enid had been dealt a rough hand, but it was hard watching her sister disappear into a cloud of negativity and despair. It was as if the little sister was just waiting for death.

“The world wants to die,” She had said to Ava one evening, “It’s time to let it.”

Ava just shook her head. “Then why are we still here?”

Ava tried to keep things light by cracking jokes, congratulating her on a kill or making dinner, but all Enid would do was roll her eyes in response. Or worse, she would downplay her achievements by stating what she did wasn’t ‘good enough’. Ava wanted to see her little sister smile again, she just didn’t know how.

“I’ll get this thing roasting,” Ava began her trek back to their camp for the evening. “You can practice a bit more, if you want.”

Enid brightened up at this—it was the first-time Ava saw her do so in a long time.

“Just don’t go too far.” Ava reminded her.

Enid nodded, already walking away. “I won’t!”

Ava simply shook her head before making her way to the camp. They had a bit more than they did only a few weeks ago; Ava had found a tent in a junkyard, and Enid found another sleeping bag, so they no longer had to share. She would never say it aloud, but Ava missed cuddling with her sister at night, but Enid needed the space. Ava had hoped the privacy would help her attitude, but so far, it hadn’t.

After skinning the squirrel, and making a fire, Ava began the slow process of cooking the animal; however, even after doing all of this, Enid still hadn’t returned.

And it was when Ava heard a scream pierce the air when her worst feelings were confirmed.

Grabbing her gun, Ava took off running into the woods, jumping over anything that would slow her down. Instinct made her want to scream Enid’s name, but she knew better. Whoever had her sister, Ava couldn’t alert them. Not if she wanted to have a chance to beat them.

When she saw figures in the distance becoming closer, Ava slid to her knees, ducking behind a bush to get her bearings. Her heart raced when her eyes landed on Enid, her baby sister corned by two older men; one stood behind her, covering her mouth while the other sneered in front.  

“You better not scream again, little girl.” The man in the front grinned as he whipped out his knife. “Or I’ll give you something to wail about.”

Screw being cautious. Ava stood up, aiming her gun at the man.

“That’s enough.”

Her voice made the man in front look over to her as the one holding Enid turned to face Ava. At the sight of her elder sister, Enid’s eyes went wide, but Ava could see the small light of relief they had within them. The man holding the knife only looked afraid for a moment before slipping back into a smile.

“It looks like we’re just getting started,” He chuckled. “You got a name?”

Ava didn’t have time for bullshit. “Let her go.”

“That’s impolite, didn’t your mother teach you manners?”

She hummed. “She taught me not to talk to strangers.”

“Touché.” He looked between Enid and Ava. “Is it just you two, or ya’ll got a camp?”

Ava remained silent. She didn’t want these guys to know just how much they got on their own, although now it seemed that they would be leaving their goodies the moment Ava got Enid back.

“Fine, don’t tell me.” He shrugged, “But you’re going to have to pass me that gun.”

She didn’t flinch, her hands never shaking as she kept the weapon up. However, Ava’s rational thinking came to a halt when the man held a knife up to Enid’s cheek, getting ready to slice.

“I’m waiting…”

He pressed the blade down on her cheek, and Enid let out a small sound of pain through the man’s hand as the sight of blood began to drip. Ava quickly put the gun on the ground before putting her hands up.

“Take it!” Blood continued to be drawn, and Ava felt herself shake. “Just take it!”

He stopped and grinned. “Good girl.”

Ava watched with careful eyes as he made his way over to her. Giving his best smile, the man bent over to pick up the weapon. While his back was arched, his sights on the ground, Ava quickly got her knife out of her holster and drew it through his shoulder.

The man let out a wail and Ava kneed him in the face, the impact making him fall backwards. Enid took this as a sign to act, the girl biting the man’s hand. He yelped and let her go, giving Enid time to run back over to Ava and hide behind her as the elder picked up her gun. With one arm wrapped around Enid, and the other holding the weapon, Ava didn’t blink as she fired a shot into the head of the man who had once held Enid.

Ava then let Enid go as she got to her knees, straddling the ringleader as she began to plant punch after punch to his face.

“You like picking on little girls, huh?” She yelled, unable to stop herself from taunting the pervert. “Makes you feel tough?!”  

The man didn’t answer, he couldn’t with Ava pounding into him. Enid watched as Ava then took her knife and stabbed the man between the eyes, watching the life disappear from the orbs. Silence erupted through the forest, the only sound being Ava’s deep breaths as she looked between the man below her and the other fallen in the distance.

Ava had never killed a living person before, but now, she could add two to her count.

It was an odd feeling. Unlike the walkers, there was no sense of accomplishment. There was only a feeling of completing a mundane task; as if it was a daily chore that needed to be done. Ava did it for Enid, to protect her, but she didn’t know how her little sister would react. Would she see Ava as a monster? Would she be afraid of her?

Ava turned to face Enid, wanting to see the answer for herself.

Her heart dropped when she saw cold eyes, and a hardened expression, staring back. Unmoved.

Life was bleak.

Well, bleaker than usual.

The girls had run out of food two days ago and, with winter settling in Virginia, animals were beginning to disappear. Ava did shoot down a bird that was big enough for one of them to eat, and she gave it to Enid—much to the girl’s disapproval.

“You need to eat too.” Enid shook her head as Ava thrusted the cooked bird in her face.

Ava didn’t hesitate. “You come first, Enid.”

“No.” Enid practically yelled, “It’s both of us, or none of us.”

Seeing that Enid wasn’t going to eat, Ava tossed the bird. She hated that Enid would rather die than be alone. Ava realized she would have to sit down and talk to her about how, if she died, Enid would have to move on. It wasn’t a conversation she wasn’t looking forward to, but it had to be done.

They walked down a frigid path, the only sound being their feet against the dirt road…until the sound of rustling bushes made both girls freeze. Ava put her hand out to Enid, stopping the youngest from going any closer before aiming her bow towards the lush brush. After a short moment, a German Shepard stepped out of the green, his tongue hanging out as he paused in front of Ava, letting out a growl.

For a moment, Ava considered firing the arrow and dining on dog meat for the night. Between the two of them, the meat could last about a week. However, her plans were diminished when Enid put a hand out to the dog.

“Easy, boy. Easy.” She coaxed.

Enid kneeled on the ground, the sudden movement making the animal move excitedly towards her. Ava was about to tell Enid to get away from the dog, to be ready to run, but the look of pure joy on Enid’s face made the eldest pause. It was the first time in a week Ava had seen Enid smile, the expression even reaching her brown eyes as she let the dog sniff her hand.

Ava felt her mouth turn up in a smile. “I think you made a new friend.”

“He’s so cute!” Enid whispered, giggling as she gave the dog a scratch behind the ears. “His collar says his name is Max!”

Ava looked for any sign of people, “I wonder if his owners are nearby…”

“Maybe food’s nearby.”

If dog owners were nearby, maybe they could offer them a small reward for bringing him back—perhaps in the form of food. However, Ava knew not to get her hopes up; these days, it was people who were the real threat, but she couldn’t bear to state the negatively aloud. Not when Enid was so happy.

Max let out a soft bark before taking off down the path, making Enid instantly stand up as Ava tensed.

“Where’s he going?” Enid frowned.

Ava turned to her before looking where the dog ran off to. They had nowhere else to be, nowhere to go, maybe the dog was a sign. Ava shrugged.

“Let’s find out.”

“Holy shit.”

Ava’s eyes widened at the sight of an abandoned camp in front of her. Two tents sat on either side of the clearing. One tent was completely ripped to shreds while a fire pit that has long been out of use sat between the two makeshift houses. Ava watched with interest as Max sniffed around a trash can, tail wagging with glee without a care in the world. Without a second thought, Ava made her way to the can, ignoring Enid’s scoff.

“I’m not that hungry, Ava.”  

Ava looked down in the can, taking in the flies and smell before rolling up her right sleeve. “We need to check everywhere. Remember that.”

“Yeah, sure.” Enid waved her off as she made her way over to one of the tents.

Ava’s unbothered façade faded as she turned back to the can. She could practically see the stench of the trash radiating from the can. This was a new low for her. Yet, her growling stomach reminded her that the new world was filled with lows. Ava looked down at Max, who had taken a seat and looked at Ava expectedly. She rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, you enjoy the show, boy.”

With that, she dived her hand into the bin. After a few times of picking out pure trash, Ava finally felt a sense of accomplishment when she pulled out a sealed can. Her eyes grew wide as she read the label; Fresh Beans. A grin overtook her features before looking down at the dog, his tail wagging at the sudden attention.

“Oh, thank god,” She then turned to Enid. “I found dinner!”

Enid’s head popped out of the tent. “No freaking way!”

The young girl ran over to her sister, taking the can in her hands before giggling. Ava joined, and the two were delirious with laughter. After weeks of pitiful dinners that were comprised of pine nuts, they would finally have some real nutrients.

The sisters walked over to a log by the long burned out firepit as Ava took out her knife and began opening the can. The sight of brown and red beans made Ava almost start weeping with joy as she poured some into Enid’s hand before doing the same for herself. Moans that were once reserved for five-star meals were now the soundtrack of their small dinner.

“Did you find anything good?” Ava asked, wanting some lighthearted conversation.

Enid grinned. “A few comic books.”

Ava smiled back. When Ava and Enid were younger, and the phase of hating a sibling hadn’t hit yet, the older sister had introduced Enid to the world of comics. Although Ava once enjoyed them herself, and wanted to share the hobby, it was all to get Enid more excited about reading. Their parents were pleased when they saw just how much it worked.  Before Ava could add more, the sound of a whining dog made the two look down. Max laid at their feet, begging for a bite of food. Ava and Enid shared a look.

“He did lead you to the trash can.” Enid trailed off, a wishful tone in her voice.

Ava pursed her lips. The selfish side of her wanted to save a lot of the beans for themselves, but looking at Enid’s big eyes, and Max’s whines providing an ambient noise, Ava realized she didn’t have much of a choice. The older girl sighed before giving a smile.

“You’re right,” Her grin widened at the sight of Enid’s excitement. “Sharing is caring.”

Enid beamed as she poured a few more beans into a hand before reaching out towards the dog. However, instead of going for the food in her hand, Max knocked the can out of Enid’s hand and began lapping up the food.

It was then everything seemed to happen in slow motion.

As Enid reached to pick up the can, the dog latched onto her arm, pulling her down to the dirt ground. The younger girl screamed as she tried to rip her arm away from the dog’s jaw. Ava could only see red as she sprang into action; after all this time, she wasn’t about to lose Enid to a mutt.

Using the strength that could only come from pure adrenaline and anger, Ava grabbed the dog by his collar and pulled him off Enid. Ava could hear Enid’s heavy breathing, but her focus was on the devil dog. He growled, getting low before lunging towards Ava. However, the older girl was quicker as she delivered a kick to the dog’s chest, sending the animal over the log across from the pair.

When the dog didn’t return, Ava quickly ran over to Enid, dropping to her knees beside her little sister. Enid clutched her injured arm to her chest, her eyes threatening to release tears. Ava reached for her arm, but gesture making Enid huff in pain as she curled more into herself.  

“You have to let me see it, baby.” Ava coaxed, gazing at her with sad eyes.

Enid bit the side of her cheek to stop herself from screaming out as she slowly moved her arm away from her chest. Ava sucked in a breath at the wound. Enid’s arm was a mangled mess of flesh, canine indentions decorating the skinny limb as blood colored her skin red.

“I’m sorry…” Enid whispered, tone full of guilt.

Ava felt her heart drop at the apology. “None of this is your fault,” She spoke seriously before deadpanning, “If you try to apology to me again, I’m going to cut off your other arm.”

A small smile took over Enid’s lips before fading into a grimace of pain once more. For once, Ava didn’t have an inkling of what they could do. They ran out of medical supplies a few weeks ago and every place they scavenged came up empty. Ava would have to put her trust in people, that’s if any were even nearby. Taking her knife from her pocket, Ava cut a long piece of fabric from the oversized plaid shirt she wore before using the strip to wrap the wound.

“We’re going to find help.”

Ava could tell Enid wanted to protest. Enid was always wearier of people than Ava, even before the end of the world. However, judging from the weak nod the younger sister gave in response, Ava realized that she didn’t have the strength to voice her opinion.

Wrapping an arm around Enid’s body, Ava helped the girl to her feet. The pair slowly left the camp, and the dreadful memories it made, behind. 

The afternoon sun rose high in the sky, the leaves of the trees doing little to protect Enid and Ava from the harsh heat. Despite feeling Enid growing heavier in her arms, Ava continued to push on for the both.

The sun was cruel, but the night would be worse.

“How much further?” Enid weakly asked, her eyes half lidded.

Ava pursed her lips, trying to think of the answer that did not exist. She was still dealing with the shock that they hadn’t run into another campsite for miles. Even more terrifying, they hadn’t seen a Walker in hours; however, Ava didn’t want to jinx that. Ava pulled Enid closer to her.

“A few more miles,” Ava lied. “I think I saw smoke in the distance.”

Enid sighed, exasperated. “Can we just rest for a second?”

They needed to keep going, but one look at Enid’s face was enough to make Ava agree. The girl was drained of all color, her eyes drooping as Ava gently sat her against a rock. Ava took the spot next to her, pulling her knife out as she always did when she had to keep watch. Enid leaned into Ava, the older sister wrapping an arm around her as Enid dropped her head to Ava’s shoulder. Ava grinned, it would almost be like old times if Enid’s arm wasn’t mangled.

“Thank you.”

Ava kissed her head. “No problem, kiddo.”

It only took a moment for Enid’s steady breathing to fill the air, her face nuzzled in Ava’s neck comfortably. Ava looked around the forest before looking down at Enid’s arm. The blood was soaking through the makeshift bandage, the sight instantly making Ava look away. She wasn’t a Doctor, despite her parents’ wishes, but even Ava knew that they didn’t have long until the injury was infected. Even if they found people, did they know to treat a serious infection? The thought of losing Enid made Ava pull her closer into her body, as if the proximity of their bodies would be the best medicine.

Ava snapped to her senses as she looked around the forest. She looked down at Enid, the girl still sleeping soundly as Ava ran her free hand through her hair. Ava didn’t know if she was out for five minutes or hours; either length was too long. She looked around the area, thinking it was clear until the unmistakable sound of the dead reached her ears; a Walker was coming up right beside her. Ava silently cursed to herself before gently shaking Enid awake.

The girl was only angry for a moment, but soon grew alert when she saw what was coming. Weaker than before, it took Ava a moment to help Enid to her feet. As they walked, Ava could see more of the dead coming out of hiding. Ava wondered if they could smell the blood that was practically pouring out of Enid’s arm.

 The younger girl hobbled, doing her best to keep up with the pace needed to escape death, but Ava could feel her growing heavier in her arms. Enid’s body wanted her to stop, and she was ready to let it. She took in Ava’s determined expression, and wondered if it was time for the older sister to let her go.

“Ava, I…”

Ava’s jaw clenched, as if knowing what Enid was about to say, “Shut up.”

Without another word, Ava scooped Enid up into her arms with a grunt. Ava darted through the woods, wanting more than anything to make it to the clearing at the end of it. She readjusted Enid in her arms more than a few times, but she never stopped moving; if she stopped, they were both as good as dead.

The clearing was close when Ava’s foot got caught on a root, sending both girls tumbling down onto the ground. Ava landed on top of Enid, the younger girl unable to stop herself from yelling out at the fall. Ava lifted herself slightly, looking behind her to see the Walkers advancing. She put a comforting hand on Enid’s back.

“Don’t move!”

She didn’t wait for Enid to answer as she pulled her pistol out, firing at the Walkers that were getting too close for comfort. She had only taken down five walkers when her chamber clicked empty; Ava had clearly overestimated her bullets. Her eyes grew wide when she saw a Walker coming closer to them. She took a few breaths as she pulled her knife out. The fight would be close, but Ava wasn’t going to die. Not like this. She was about to kick the Walker’s feet out from under him when a bullet planted itself into his head, sending him down on the ground next to Ava and Enid.

Ava gasped, confused. However, it was when she saw two bodies running towards her when she realized they weren’t alone. The closer they got, Ava began to see that they were two men; the realization made Ava grip her knife tighter.

The men they ran into seemed to think that they were owed something, and Ava was ready to defend Enid if this pair shared the same outlook. After taking out most of the Walkers, the men made their way over to Ava and Enid; the former instantly raising her knife in defensive.

“Whoa, okay,” The blonde put his hands up in a ‘surrender’ gesture, his words rushed as he struggled to catch his breath. “Relax.”

Ava was internally shocked at his appearance. He had to be the cleanest person she had seen on the road. His blonde hair perfectly combed, and looked to be washed, as his clothes only had a few droplets of dead blood on it. However, that didn’t make her lower the knife as the second man made his way over, his eyes wide as he took in Ava’s insane expression.

“Give me a reason to.” Her eyes narrowed.

“We get it,” A redhead stepped up. “Stranger danger and all that.”

Her knife shook slightly. ‘Stranger Danger’? Was this a joke? The two men shared a look before looking back down at Ava.

“We wouldn’t kill all these dead ones just to hurt you,” The redhead went on, “We want to help you.”

Ava blinked. That reasoning was logical, most crooks gave up when there was a horde near, but the men in front of her killed nearly all of them. Ava lowered her knife, but didn’t let her guard down.

“Well, you did what you wanted,” She gestured to the slayed Walkers. “Thanks, bye.”

The man opened his mouth, ready to try another tactic, when Enid’s coughing cut them all short. Ava ignored her senses and put her knife away before turning to her sister. Enid laid in a ball on the forest floor, cradling her arm as her body shook with coughs. Ava ran a hand through Enid’s long locks, trying to get it out of her face.

“Shit, Enid, look at me.”

“Av…” She began, but was unable to finish as coughs racked her form.

Ava put her hands-on Enid’s shaking body, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. She didn’t know what to do, how to help her crumbling sister, until the blonde man spoke up.

“We have a Doctor, with an office and everything!” He practically yelled. “If you go back to our Community, she can get the treatment she needs.”

Ava reluctantly tore her gaze away from Enid, taking in the pair of men before her. Surprisingly, they looked just as panicked as Ava felt, as if they knew Enid their whole lives as well. It gave Ava the smallest spark of hope.

“You better not be bullshitting.” Her voice came out more broken than Ava expected.

The redhead couched down in front of Ava, putting a comforting hand out to her as he spoke.

“You don’t have to like us, but you need to trust us,” He coaxed, his voice much gentler than his partner’s. “We can save her.”

That was all Ava needed as she scooped Enid up into her arms and followed the pair out of the forest.