Status: Complete
Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse
First
Leah was sitting on the beach by herself. She hadn't wanted to be around anyone all day, and the only person she would allow to come close to her was Daryl. She took a deep breath, taking in the smell of the salt water. She found it soothing and relaxing. She was oblivious to the person walking up behind her until he got close enough for her to see his shadow. She turned around, slightly afraid of what might be behind her, but relaxed when she seen that it was only Merle. Wordlessly, he sat down next to her.
"What do you want?" she asked, irritated and not wanting to be bothered by him.
"I didn't think you had the guts to kill someone," he said. "It's shocking. Sweet little Leah Collins didn't just hurt a man, she killed him."
Leah rolled her eyes, "I'm trying not to think about that."
"I didn't expect anyone here to take up Daryl, not even you, and especially not like that."
"It was an accident that he died. I wasn't trying to kill him."
"I could care less about whether or not that army fuck lived or died. You really changed my opinion of you today."
"Why would I care about what your opinion of me is?"
"All the time that I've known you, I thought you were a prissy little bitch that always expected to get her way. And when you and Daryl hooked up, I had assumed he was in it just for the sex, but today I realized you two actually love each other." He paused while he gathered his thoughts. "I didn't....I didn't think anyone would ever love him. It's not like he's the kind of person someone would normally love, especially not someone like you."
"Merle....I'm thinking about leaving."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm going to talk to Daryl about it first, but I just can't stand being here. Every time I walk into that kitchen, I see Cole's dead, bloody body lying there on the floor. I can't stay here. I need a place of my own."
"Where would you go?"
Leah shrugged, "I don't know. Anywhere. Louisiana maybe. There's a flat above a restaurant I used to work at that would be big enough for us."
"What about me? If you and Daryl leave, what am I supposed to do?" Leah and Merle both knew that if she and Daryl left without Merle, he'd be turned out in a matter of minutes, and no one would think twice about it. If that happened, Merle wouldn't survive, at least not for long with only one hand.
"I'm sure Daryl would want you to come with us. You are his brother after all."
Merle reached up and touched Leah's shoulder. "Yer family now, and family always has each other's back, so if you want to leave, I'll support yer decision."
Leah looked up at Merle and smiled. "Thank you." There was a pause, then she said, "I think this is the first time we've ever had a conversation that didn't end in an argument."
He smiled, "I think you're right.
"What do you want?" she asked, irritated and not wanting to be bothered by him.
"I didn't think you had the guts to kill someone," he said. "It's shocking. Sweet little Leah Collins didn't just hurt a man, she killed him."
Leah rolled her eyes, "I'm trying not to think about that."
"I didn't expect anyone here to take up Daryl, not even you, and especially not like that."
"It was an accident that he died. I wasn't trying to kill him."
"I could care less about whether or not that army fuck lived or died. You really changed my opinion of you today."
"Why would I care about what your opinion of me is?"
"All the time that I've known you, I thought you were a prissy little bitch that always expected to get her way. And when you and Daryl hooked up, I had assumed he was in it just for the sex, but today I realized you two actually love each other." He paused while he gathered his thoughts. "I didn't....I didn't think anyone would ever love him. It's not like he's the kind of person someone would normally love, especially not someone like you."
"Merle....I'm thinking about leaving."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm going to talk to Daryl about it first, but I just can't stand being here. Every time I walk into that kitchen, I see Cole's dead, bloody body lying there on the floor. I can't stay here. I need a place of my own."
"Where would you go?"
Leah shrugged, "I don't know. Anywhere. Louisiana maybe. There's a flat above a restaurant I used to work at that would be big enough for us."
"What about me? If you and Daryl leave, what am I supposed to do?" Leah and Merle both knew that if she and Daryl left without Merle, he'd be turned out in a matter of minutes, and no one would think twice about it. If that happened, Merle wouldn't survive, at least not for long with only one hand.
"I'm sure Daryl would want you to come with us. You are his brother after all."
Merle reached up and touched Leah's shoulder. "Yer family now, and family always has each other's back, so if you want to leave, I'll support yer decision."
Leah looked up at Merle and smiled. "Thank you." There was a pause, then she said, "I think this is the first time we've ever had a conversation that didn't end in an argument."
He smiled, "I think you're right.