Living Like You're Dead

"I would kill anyone that would even think of hurting her. She doesn't deserve losing everyone she knows including her home, what am I saying? We've all lost that. Why do I treat her so differently? Why do I always check on her, watch her? Where do I think this is all going?"

Daryl was lost in why he couldn't stop thinking about this girl, he always wondered if she was safe. Daryl thought she was the prettiest girl he'd ever seen... and he was lonely. Back home Merle was all he had. Now he was gone and he was with people he considered strangers. But Addie hadn't treated him like a racist bastard, she didn't even treat him like a man who had run her over with his car even though he was both those things.

Daryl had left the house that morning to get some fresh air. He'd been alone with his thoughts all morning... and last night. Seeing her like that made him restless - he also kept seeing Erik standing over her unconscious body. Every time he did his fists would clench due to the anger he had against Erik, and the anger he had towards himself for killing another human being.

Daryl hadn't seen a single animal this morning. Not that hunting was needed because of the supplies they had, but it was what he knew how to do. It was all he could do for the group. After finding nothing but a small pond for water he decided to head back.

He hadn't seen a geek since they'd pulled into this place. It was far from any town - and the nearest house was maybe twenty miles. They were definitely secluded - and well off on account of Addie's grandfather.

Daryl had walked to the clearing after the trees just before the house. He leaned his back up against a thick trunk and took a drink from his cantine. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Adeline up in a high window. It looked like she'd just woken up - she was stretching her arms high above her head. And "oh my god." was all Daryl could say. She was in the middle of changing her clothes. And Daryl had found her, completely nude. The cantine dropped from his hands, the strap was fastened around his neck so it didn't fall to the ground, but rather splashed onto his shirt when it reached his waist.

"Now what am I going to do?" Daryl asked himself. He was referring to the fact that she already invaded his dreams clothed - now that he had seen her perfectly porcelain skin uncovered what would haunt him next?
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"Andrea." Addie said. Andrea was standing ready to leave downstairs for breakfast.

"Yes?" she looked at Addie.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what I said back at the school house - about the biting."

"Oh... you caught that huh?" she said defeated. "You didn't offend me or nothin' just reminded me of my sister."

"What was she like?" Addie asked her.

"Well... I suppose you'd say she was like me. She looked just like me... we were both so positive about the whole thing. At least I was until they got her."

"I'm positive. Will you be positive for me?" Addie asked her.

"I guess I can see what I can do. After all you found us this place." Addie smiled at her and gave her a sisterly hug before she left.

Andrea had lost her sister, she was so upset... Adeline thought about Alex. She was supposed to marry him. Why didn't she feel like her heart was broken?

Addie thought about the ring he'd given her, it was tasteless, a simple band and a diamond. He had asked her over the most obvious dinner, after they had only dated for three months.

He hadn't wanted kids... was that what Addie wanted? It was what she had told him but she looked at Sophia and Carl... she could love a child. She had figured she'd been lying to herself about Alex. Him being gone... was somewhat a relief to her.

Addie looked at herself in the vanity mirror. She wiped a tear from her eye and pulled out her last clean shirt - A black tank top, it had a silly bow sewed into the right arm. She pulled off her red t-shirt and her bra figuring she'd need to wash them today. She stood there for a moment looking at her bruised ribs and her bruised neck. Her arms were scratched from the trees when she was hanging in the net, her legs were sore from running. And her head had started to pound from it's many injuries. She put on a pair of shorts and noticed even more bruises - probably from the crash - but they were subsiding. Her ribs would follow - and eventually her head would heal. Then she threw her tank top on and walked down stairs.

It was the first time she's seen anyone but Andrea and Daryl since the incident with Erik. They all seemed to look at her in hesitance. Whether the were gauging her physical state or her mental state she didn't know.

Shane again handed her a plate of breakfast. It seems more powdered eggs, but grits where available too. Addie looked at them... not quite knowing what they were. Shane put some on her plate and said, "eat em'." with a smile across his face.

Daryl walked in. He seemed extremely uncomfortable about something, he took a plate of eggs for himself and went to sit out back. The entire time he avoided looking at Ms. Addie.