Jo

The Big Spot was a fairly long ride from the prison. It took almost a gallon of gas for the truck to get there, so I assumed it was around fifteen to twenty miles away. It was interesting how we gauged distances now. No one had clocks anymore other than Glenn, so time was a relative thing. Unless I was driving I had no way of determining how far we traveled. On the back of Daryl's bike miles didn't matter. There, all that mattered was the feel of the wind in my hair and the sun on my face. Once upon a time I hated the shift, feeling it marked a further loss of civilization and our lives as only built for survival. But now that we had a safe place and steady food supply I found it was a more relaxing way to live. We all did our parts and the group survived.

The parking lot directly in front of The Big Spot was surrounded by a ten foot high chain link fence. This was my second time being here. Daryl and I had come upon the store on a scouting trip a week before. He, Sasha and Glenn did the necessary prep work for this run a few days ago. Daryl parked his bike back a little ways from the fence, walking it backwards into a spot so it was ready for a quick get away, just in case. The others did the same with their vehicles. Daryl stood, holding the bike while I climbed off.

As soon as I was off the bike I pulled my kukri from my waist and Daryl's hunting knife out of its spine sheath. No matter how long I had it I would always think of it as Daryl's knife. Daryl grabbed  his crossbow off the handlebars and tucked it into his shoulder. He glanced once at me and nodded. He took point and I followed. When I glanced at the others I noticed Zack watching us with a curious expression. I frowned at him. When he was caught staring he quickly turned his attention to his shotgun and followed behind the group.

We moved across the parking lot as a unit, everyone listening and watching for any sign of the herd of Walkers that had been here. I kept an eye on our rear as we stopped in front of a break in the fence.

A single walker came shambling around the side of one of the parked cars. I heard Zack suck on a breath and Sasha lifted her gun.

"I got it," I called over my shoulder but I was already moving that way. I didn't bother waiting for Sasha's permission. I wasn't really being rash, I knew Daryl would already have his crossbow pointed at it's skull in case I got in trouble.

The walker used to be either a teenage girl or a small woman but the decomposition was so advanced it was hard to tell. It's shambling picked up and it growled in excitement as I walked straight for it. It's fingers reached out for me and when they were a hairsbreadth from touching me I spun to the right. I slammed my right forearm into its outstretched arms knocking them away as I spun. When I came around I slammed the leaf shaped  blade up into the base of it's skull. The body collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut.

But only the body collapsed. The head remained stuck on my blade. I looked down at it and wrinkled my nose. Gross. I whipped my arm straight out as hard as I could and the velocity cleared my blade sending the head flying. It landed with a viscous squish. The whole thing took me less than a minute.

I turned back to the group. Zack, Bob and Tyreese were all looking at me with wide, shocked eyes. I stooped to wipe the blade on a scrap of the walkers clothes that wasn't as gore covered as the rest. When I straightened they were still staring at me like I was going to attack them next. And then, because I didn't appreciate being stared at like I was a freak I twirled the kukri in my hand in an overly dramatic way to adjust my grip so the blunt spine of the blade was pressed against my leather covered forearm. They quickly looked away.

I met Daryl's eyes behind them and he was shaking his head and grinning. Sasha was glaring at me. That's okay, Sasha and I were never destined to be best friends.

As I stalked back to them I caught Daryl's response to a question from Bob. "Army came in and put these fences up. Made it a place for the people to go. Last week when we spotted this place, there was a bunch of Walkers behind this chain link keeping people out like a bunch of guard dogs."

Bob looked around the empty tents confused. "So they all just left?"

Sasha shook her head a rare smile lighting her face. "Give a listen," she said and she cocked her head to hear.

Everyone froze and in the silence could hear the sound of music.

"You drew them out?" Bob asked, clearly impressed. He glanced around the parking lot once more, his eyes wary. I appreciated his wariness. He had good instincts if nothing else.

"Put a boombox up there two days ago." Sasha explained motioning to a building across the large parking lot away from us.

"Hooked it to two car batteries." Glenn supplied looking pretty proud of himself.

"All right," Daryl drawled drawing everyone's attention back to the task at hand. "Let's make a sweep, make sure it's safe."

We weren't in the clear yet, there was a maze of army tents set up between us and the front doors. Any of which would be a perfect place to hide a small herd.

"Grab what you can," he instructed. "We'll come back tomorrow with more people."

Daryl jerked his chin at me for the two of us to lead the way. I gave the others a wide berth and stepped up next to him. He bumped my shoulder with his to tell me he wasn't unnerved by me.

We slipped through the fence and went left around the first tent blocking the way, Sasha and Tyreese went right. I spared a glance towards Glenn, normally he worked with Maggie but he seemed content to bring up the rear with Zack and Bob. We moved silently through the military's tents. It was eerily quiet. There were bodies everywhere, some in uniform and some obviously refugees. The bodies were in pretty advanced stages of decomposition. This place must have fallen early.

Daryl and I moved silently together. He led and I followed. It didn't bother me to follow, which was strange because before the outbreak I would have fought tooth and nail to have my opinion heard and be the boss. Maybe it was because of how long we worked together when I wasn't one hundred percent. He got us through it without making me feel inferior or crazy. I glanced over my shoulder at him. His movements were tight and controlled as he prowled through the wreckage. There was a scuff of a shoe somewhere behind us and he whirled around, stepping between me and the potential danger. His crossbow was ready before he realized it was Tyreese. Thinking about it, I was sure my willingness to follow was simply because I trusted and respected Daryl. We had worked together a long time now and he had good instincts and would do everything in his power to make sure everyone came back. 

"Come on," Daryl called, as he kept moving towards the store. I paused beside the entrance to the med tent. I let out a quiet two note whistle almost identical to the one he used. He turned back to me without hesitation. I jerked my chin towards the tent. He nodded and tightened his grip on his crossbow as I lifted the flap.

A body appeared in front of us and I immediately flinched and fought to resist the urge to slam my knife into its temple. "Jesus Zack!" I exclaimed spinning away. I looked up at Daryl who was staring down the sights of his crossbow at the teen his eyebrows raised. He lifted his trigger finger deliberately and gave the boy a deliberate look. I wasn't convinced the kid understood.

"Sorry guys, didn't mean to scare you," Zack said brightly as he finished shoving a handful of bandages into his backpack.

"That is not what the problem was," I said shaking my head. There was a slight chuckle in my voice but it was anything but funny. Daryl and I had fast reflexes and kept our cool under pressure but he could very easily have been shot by someone a little more jumpy.

Zack simply nodded and trotted after us as we made our way toward the front of the store. I stopped and held my arm out, ushering him in front of me so he was between Daryl and I.

Zack headed straight for the main doors but Daryl stopped beside the glass front window. "Just give it a second," he said and knocked loudly against the glass with his elbow. Then he leaned back against it to wait, crossing his ankles casually.

After a few moments Zack spoke up. "Okay, I think I got it." Zack was leaning against the building and fidgeting with his gun.

"Got what?" I asked curiously.

Zack flashed me a smile. "Oh, I've been trying to guess what Daryl did before the turn."

Daryl shook his head, but a smirk twisted his lips. "He's been trying to guess for like six weeks."

"Yeah, I'm pacing myself." Zack defended himself.

I leaned up against the brick pillar in interest.

"One shot a day." Zack said holding up a finger. He stopped then and turned to face me as though he had only just realized I was standing there. "You would know!" He said with certainly.

My eyebrows shot up. That was news to me. I looked at Daryl with renewed intensity. "I haven't the faintest idea," I said honestly.

"Really?!" Zack exclaimed. "But you-" then he glanced back and forth from me to Daryl a few times. Daryl and I both shifted our weight uncomfortably. Zack's eyes widened and he wisely dropped it. I knew Carol suspected I had feelings for Daryl but I hadn't realized other people had as well.

Zack noticed how uncomfortable I got and immediately started babbling to fill the silence. "See some people are easier to tell then others, like Hershel and Rick and Sasha. All of them were super easy."

I nodded along with him because I knew it would make him feel better but I was watching Daryl out of the corner of my eye. He seemed enraptured with adjusting the tension on his crossbow. I shook my head and looked back at Zack.

"But Glenn or like you..." he was saying.

"What about me?" I challenged, smirking.

Now Daryl did perk up and turned his attention back to us. He narrowed his eyes at Zack when Zack purposefully looked me up and down.

"Well...I mean it's obviously something physical. You're strong but you're also hella fast," he motioned back towards the Walker I took down. "You're older so you wouldn't have learned all that after."

"Older?" I interrupted indignantly, though I was still smiling.

Zack's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. "I didn't mean-" his eyes flew over to Daryl who was staring at him impassively. He was getting no help from Daryl.

I snorted and shook my head. "I'm only thirty..." I stopped and thought for a moment. "-ish" I added, because to be honest I didn't know how long ago the outbreak started. We were entering the second winter, maybe...I wasn't sure anymore and the more I thought about it the more I realized it didn't matter.

"Right!" Zack exclaimed. "Not old, just experienced."

Daryl snorted behind Zack. "Keep going before she punches you." He said chuckling.

"Right. Well...You're tough but you don't play well with others or follow rules very well. So that rules out military and police. You are wicked with those knives but you weren't willing to teach me so not a martial arts instructor. Butcher...? Naw, can't see it. Though you aren't squeamish...ultimate fighter? I don't think girls can do that..."

I was smirking now, his guesses couldn't be further from the truth. I met Daryl's gaze behind Zack and even he was smiling.

"Maybe some kind of gymnast or dancer or martial arts competitor, something where you perform in front of people, cause you are a bit of a show man."

The smile dropped from my face as my mind immediately flew back to being in the ring. That was the real reason why Zack couldn't get a read on me. He didn't know I had been broken and forced to remake myself. All the qualities he listed were things that never would have described me before the outbreak. Back then the first things people would have said was smart and good with people, a good wife and a dedicated mother.

Daryl stood up, clearing his throat loudly to pull Zack's attention off me. "So you gonna have your daily guess or what?"

When I looked up Daryl was still standing, tension thrumming through his shoulders as he watched me. I gave him a weak smile and nodded to him. I was fine. Some of the tension seemed to fall away and he nodded back. He leaned against the glass once more and turned his focus back to Zack who hadn't noticed our silent exchange.

I really was fine, it just caught me by surprise every now and then still. Daryl always seemed to notice and be there to check and make sure I was okay. I wasn't blind, something had happened to him at some point in his life that gave him an understanding of what I went through. I just didn't know what it was. And now, listening to Zack I realized there was a lot I didn't know about Daryl.

Zack cleared his throat and rubbed his hands together. "Well, the way you are at the prison. You being on the council. You being able to track...you're helping people, but you're still kind of...ah...surly..." Zack dragged off as he realized his choice of words.

Daryl arched a brow at his words and scowled at the teenager.

Zack's eyes widened and he quickly continued on before Daryl could say anything. "Big swing here...Homicide cop."

I burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Daryl asked indignantly.

The affronted look on his face only had me laughing harder. "Nothing," I said smiling. "It makes perfect sense."

"Actually," Daryl said clearing his throat once I stopped laughing. "the man's right. Undercover."

I tried hard to bite back my smirk. Daryl couldn't lie to save his life. At least not to me. I arched a brow from behind Zack but Daryl was looking out over the parking lot.

"Come on really?" Zack asked leaning towards Daryl in disbelief.

Daryl turned to Zack, his face completely earnest. "Yep," he said nodding. "I mean I don't like to talk about it cuz it's a lot of heavy shit. Ya know?" Daryl turned back to the parking lot. I could see him bite his lip as he fought to keep a straight face.

"Dude come on, really?"

Daryl looked back at Zack. his expression stoic.

I snorted.

"Okay," Zack said good naturedly, smiling at Daryl. "I'll just keep guessing I guess."

Daryl snorted. "Yeah, you do that."

Zack jumped as a walker slammed into the window behind Daryl. Daryl glanced casually over his shoulder in mild annoyance.

"We gonna do this detective?" I asked in a teasing tone.

Daryl met my eyes and I could see the smile in them. Then he pushed himself to his feet. "Let's do it." He called loud enough for Sasha, Tyreese and Bob to hear across the parking lot.

Without waiting for them, Daryl motioned for Zack to open the door. He had his crossbow up and at his shoulder. I stepped up next to him my knives in my hands. There was only one and when Zack opened the door it lurched out towards me. I took two big steps backwards, drawing it out. Daryl fired a single arrow into its skull and it dropped. He grimaced as he pulled the arrow free and gobs of brain matter came with it. I wrinkled my nose. They were decomposing even faster than before. I wondered what would happen after another couple years, would they all just fall apart and be gone? Jenner had called them our extinction event, but maybe it was an over correction and it would sort itself out again. Maybe I would live long enough to see.

"All right," Sasha said, her rifle tucked up into her armpit. "We go in, and stay in formation for the sweep. After that, you all know what you're supposed to look for."

Tyreese dragged the body out of the door so we could close the doors behind us. This was something Sasha and I had gone rounds over for a while. Sasha liked to leave the door open behind us to guarantee an exit. I preferred to close it so I would know nothing had followed me in. Once I cleared a room I wanted to be able to depend on it staying clear. Daryl had made the final call and sided with me.

"Any questions?" Sasha asked. She looked at each of us in turn. Her gaze only flitted over mine but I flashed her a big grin. She shook her head and sighed in barely contained exasperation. Despite her acceptance of me as a member of the team I still made her uncomfortable and frustrated. It was always dependent on the day which one was more so.

Tyreese flashed me a smile because I was annoying his sister and turned to her. "Yeah, was there any time when you weren't the boss of me?" He asked her.

"You had a few years before I was born." She said with a teasing smile.

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