𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐒.
chapter twenty-five; Target Practice

"  She already done more for me than you ever did. "

  RICK, MICHONNE, AND Carl had gone out for more weapons. Maggie had insisted she take watch after Vex had been out all night.

  So, Vex spent the morning with her daughter and her brother.

  "I already know all these, Mom."

  "Well, then, show me."

  Zeppelin groaned but continued moving her pencil along the worksheet her mother had made.

  "Does this even really matter?"

  "I felt the same way when I was in school," Dean laughed, "But it does."

  "What about that bow?" Zeppelin mumbled, resting her chin on her hand as she wrote. "Carl's gone for the day. I'm bored."

  Vex sighed, leaning toward her daughter.

  "Finish this page, then we'll figure out a place for practice."

  Zeppelin grinned, writing faster.

  "Can Daryl come?" Zeppelin questioned eagerly.

  Vex looked to Dean, who shrugged a shoulder.

  "Let me see what he says," Vex said, ruffling her daughter's hair, "I'll be back."

  Vex stood, shoving her hands in her pockets as she approached the communal area where a few of the group loitered; specifically, Daryl and Merle.

  "Hey," Beth greeted with a smile, cradling baby Judith, "How's Zep?"

  "Well, she's doing math right now, so if you ask her, she'll tell you she's being tortured," Vex breathed out a laugh, "You eaten yet?"

  "No," Beth said, "I was gonna feed Judith."

  "Here, I got it, you eat," Vex said, "You've been great with her, Bethie, but you need food, too."

  Beth nodded, passing the child to Vex before turning to start a bottle.

  "Bethie, I got it," Vex said softly, "Trust me."

  The blonde smiled, before hurrying off to grab food. 

  Vex shifted the baby into one arm, quickly mixing a bottle of formula.

  "Hey, Dixon!" She called, screwing the cap onto the bottle, "Got a second?"

  "For you, S--"

  "Other Dixon," Vex said, turning to the brothers, "C'mere."

  Daryl nodded, approaching the woman with his brother in tow.

  "Listen, Zep wants to learn how to shoot that bow," Vex said, easing the bottle into Judith's mouth, "She also wants you to be there."

  Daryl didn't know what to say, because he knew Vex was laying out a very heavy decision for him.

  He was barely back in her good graces, and allowing him around Zeppelin again meant solidifying that he would be there. No matter what happened, he couldn't leave again.

  "Make that look easy."

  "Because I've done it before," Vex responded to Merle boredly, "And listen, if Daryl does come, and you decide to tag along, too, despite me not wanting you to-- you don't mention Paul."

  "I don't take orders--"

  "I will shoot you where you stand."

  Now, Merle Dixon wasn't exactly intimidated by the threat, considering it was from a woman bottle-feeding an infant, but what did throw him off was the way Daryl shifted.

  "He won't," Daryl spoke for his brother, "Let me know when you're ready."

  Vex nodded as Judith finished off the bottle, the woman moving the baby to her shoulder, gently patting her back.

  The woman departed from the brothers, Daryl watching as she walked in soothing circles with the baby.

  "No shit," Merle said lowly, his grin uneasing Daryl, "You screwing a married--"

  "We ain't screwing," Daryl cut off, turning to his brother, "And she ain't married."

  "Not what I heard."

  "Yeah, well the guy's a prick," Daryl grumbled.

  Merle followed Daryl as he searched the room for a makeshift target.

  "You hidin' somethin' from me."

  "No, I ain't," Daryl argued, "Just leave it be."

  "You're playin' daddy to some kid that ain't your blood," Merle said, "Listenin' to some chick you ain't even fuckin'."

  "Merle--"

  "Oh, don't tell me you gotta crush on her?"

  "It ain't like that."

  Merle watched his brother rifle through a box, retrieving scraps of blankets.

  "She ain't gonna do nothin' for you. You're too soft."

  Daryl grunted.

  "Don't fall for the trap, little brother--"

  "She already done more for me than you ever did."

  Merle scoffed as Daryl turned to him.

  "So leave it be."

🗡

  Zeppelin was bouncing with excitement as she watched Daryl hang scraps of fabric on the wall, complete with a drawn-on circle.

  "Come here," Vex said, "I wanna see if you can draw this back."

  Zeppelin accepted the bow from her mother-- it was heavier than she expected, heavier than it looked. She followed her mother's instructions as Daryl joined them, Dean watching from the sidelines as Merle lingered feet away.

  The girl lifted the bow, pulling as she did, struggling to get it all the way back.

  "I can't do it," Zeppelin said quietly, lowering the bow.

  "No big deal," Vex said, accepting the weapon, "We can loosen it. Tighten it back up when you're more used to it."

  Zeppelin frowned, watching her mother work quickly with a small screwdriver.

  "Don't give up before you even started," Daryl said, nudging the girl, "Come on."

  Vex passed the bow back to Zeppelin, eyeing Daryl as she did.

  Zeppelin repeated her movements, this time managing to pull it back fully.

  "There you go," Vex smiled warmly, "Now, this is the fun part."

  It was a surprisingly good day. Merle kept to his word and didn't mention Paul in front of Zeppelin, but he did shout a few things about Vex's instruction that made her want to strangle him.

  Daryl helped, too. Considering he had more practice with bows than Vex did, she let him take over, helping guide Zeppelin as she fired arrows. 

  By the end of it, she'd hit two bullseyes and had managed to get rather quick with her draw.

  To Daryl's surprise, Zeppelin was the one who announced the end of her own lesson. She admitted her shoulder was sore and she wanted to take a nap before Carl returned, but Vex just kissed the top of her head before sending her on her way.

  Vex, Daryl, and Dean stayed back, cleaning up from the practice, while Merle supervised the actions.

  "She's gon' be real good here soon."

  "She's always had pretty good aim," Vex smiled to Daryl, "And she's been thinking about that bow for weeks now. She's determined."

  "Just like her mom," Dean said, patting his sister's arm, "Speaking of. . . can we talk?"

  "Uh oh," Vex snorted, "Am I in trouble?"

  "I just. . . wanna talk about it."

  Vex's humor fell, standing straight after they'd collected the rest of the makeshift targets.

  "Dean--"

  "Privately, if you want," Dean said quickly.

  "I met the guy, you don't want me to hear this?"

  Vex looked to Merle, setting her jaw.

  She was beginning to understand the hesitation of bringing him into the fold. He was unbelievably irritating, insanely cocky, and entirely inappropriate.

  Vex had a newfound appreciation for Daryl; claiming to Dean that Daryl was the most irritating person she'd ever met only months ago.

  "Alright, come on," She said after a moment, "I wanna make sure Zep doesn't hear."

  The trio followed Vex back to her and Daryl's landing, taking seats as the woman did.

  "So, he's in Woodbury-- but he doesn't know I'm here," Vex said, leaning back.

  "Andrea might've said somethin' when she went back," Daryl said quietly.

  Vex pursed her lips.

  "Well, he's been telling everyone we were still together, right?" She questioned tightly, looking to Merle.

  "Said you got separated," He confirmed, "Been lookin' for you and your lil' girl since."

  "Is he a part of this whole guard, military, whetever-the-fuck?" Vex asked.

  "Yeah," Merle nodded, "Been there since the beginning. Real close with the Governor-- like his own personal lapdog."

  "Of course he is," Vex sighed, rubbing her eyes, "Leeches off of anyone stronger than him."

  Daryl and Dean exchanged looks.

  "Alright, so if he comes, I'll put him down," Vex said, leaning her elbows on her knees, "Simple as that."

  "Woah, sweetheart," Merle laughed, "Didn't know you had balls like that."

  Vex didn't respond, her eyes focused on Dean, who seemed to mull over her words.

  "What about Zep?"

  "Zep won't know," She told Dean, "She's better off thinking he died before all of this."

  Dean leaned back in his seat.

  "Your call, chica," Merle said, laughing, "Your husband."

  "Ex-husband, Jesus Christ," She mumbled.

  "So, you're just gonna kill him?"

  "If he tries to come for me or my daughter I will," Vex said, turning to Dean, "Shoulda killed him sooner. But Zep would've lost both her parents if I did."

  The Dixon brothers stared at Vex and Dean, waiting for one to say anything.

  "I hate to. . . say it," Dean said quietly, "But will you be able to, Vex?"

  "Why wouldn't I?"

  Dean chewed the inside of his cheek, nervously looking at the Dixon brothers.

  "'Cause you never fought back before."

  Vex stood quickly, making it painfully obvious Dean had hit a sore spot.

  "The world is different now," She shut down instantly, her back to all three men as she spoke.

  "You've stayed the same."

  "I can do it."

  "If you can't, I just want to make sure we're all on the same page," Dean said quietly, "At least me and you. Right now, before you see him. That if he comes for you or her. . . you kill him or I do."

  Vex set her jaw, craning her neck to look at her brother.

  "And you can't hold it against me, no matter what he says," Dean said quietly.

  "I won't," She said, equally as quiet, "Now I have shit to do. I'll see you later."

  Vex departed, leaving the trio of men in silence.

  "Real feisty."

  "Shut up," Dean and Daryl mumbled in unison.

WORD COUNT : 1623