The "Z" Word

Slater and Merle laid there on the grass next to each other, just staring up at the stars. "I don't know if it's because Daryl likes you so much, or if it's because you're different from most, but you ain't so bad for a spic."

A small smile twisted at the corners of her mouth, "I'm Brazilian, I'm not sure if that qualifies me as a spic, since we're Portuguese, not Spanish. Plus, I'm half white, why don't you come up with something a little more creative."

He gave a slight chuckle, "I like your sense of humor too."

Slater grinned, "I like the way you talk." She said it in an exaggerated southern accent.

"Sling Blade."

She nodded her head, "Yeah...that's a good movie. Maybe we'll have a chance to watch it again one day."

"Yeah...."

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of footsteps, and they simultaneously sat up and grabbed their weapons before turning around. Slater aimed her crossbow, and Merle aimed his gun, unable to see yet who it was that joined them. When the small glow of the dying fire lit up Daryl's face they sighed and lowered their weapons. "Jeez, I'm not surprised you'd aim something at me, but my own brother?"

Merle rolled his eyes and they put the firearms back down. "Can't take chances," Slater told him.

"Well, what do you call laying out here gettin cozy with each other when yer supposed to be on guard duty?"

"We weren't gettin cozy with each other," Merle said.

"And we could have shot you easily, so I think we're safe," Slater added.

Daryl rolled his eyes as he sat down on the other side of Slater. "What were you talking about?"

"I was just about to tell Merle he ain't so bad as long as you're not black, Spanish, Asian, a wo-"

"I get it, I'm a racist," he cut her off. "Can we move past that now?"

"I wasn't finished."

"I don't care."

Daryl and Slater both chuckled, and Merle couldn't help but grin. Their laughter was infectious. Slater laid back against the grass again and tucked her arms behind her head. "We could go south instead of east."

"To Florida?" Merle asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Yeah, the space center's down there. We could fly to the moon. I bet there wouldn't be any walkers there."

"Yeah, but none of us know how to fly a space ship, plus we'd eventually run out of food," Merle told her.

"Not to mention, there's no gravity or oxygen in space."

Slater frowned, "True, but you know it would be fun to walk on the moon."

They laid there for the rest of the night, staring up at the stars, even after Rick, Shane, and Andrea had gotten up to relieve them of guard duty. They quietly chatted with each other until they couldn't keep their eyes open. And it wasn't long before Merle fell asleep.