𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 || 𝘛𝘙𝘜𝘛𝘏 𝘖𝘙 𝘓𝘐𝘌
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[ ɪꜰ ɪ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴛᴏ ʟᴏꜱᴇ ʏᴏᴜ
ɪ'ᴅ ꜱᴜʀᴇʟʏ ʟᴏꜱᴇ ᴍʏꜱᴇʟꜰ
ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ꜰᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴅᴇᴀʀ
ɪ'ᴠᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ꜰᴏᴜɴᴅ ʙʏ ᴍʏꜱᴇʟꜰ ]

   A SOFT BREEZE hit Roland as he walked through the quiet green forest. Lowering the water bottle from his lips and wiping his lips with the back of his gloved hand. Sighing as he stopped momentarily to catch his breath. Legs aching from the long trek he'd gone pushed himself through. Sweat droplets barely noticeably sliding down his temples from his hairline. Shifting the weight from his left to his right leg as he glanced behind him. "Em, keep up." He said gently as the girl looked up at him and nodded silently as she walked over to him and stopping by his side.

Holding his water bottle out for the girl, he looked around. Brushing both his hands through his shaggy and disheveled hair when Emily took the bottle and took a sip. Nodding towards their north-west, Roland hummed. "The deer went that way. It can't be far from here since the tracks are pretty new." He stated before turning his head towards the girl to his right. "Whadaya think?" He asked and the girl shrugged, handing his bottle back and walking forward with a compound bow they had found at a cabin within the woods a few days ago.

"Well, alright. Go ahead." He motioned her forward and she took the lead. Roland following slowly behind as his eyes stayed on alert for anything that could get the jump on them. Trying to ignore the fact that Emily's mood had been completely different since she woke up from the anesthesia Mandy had given her. They had ignored the elephant in the room. The elephant being what truly happened back at the steel mill and how Roland had gotten her out of there.

There was a clear disconnect going on between them since Emily barely held conversations anymore. And Roland could tell that she was conflicted and confused about everything that had happened. He lied to her and said he just showed up and asking for them to return her back to him and they did after a lengthy discussion. Hearing that hurt her because Roland could tell she cared about Mandy, but his lie changed that completely.

It bothered him if he was being honest. Just getting nothing but silence from her made Roland wonder if he messed up in some way. Questioning himself if there was a better lie for him to tell her and let her down easy. But Roland couldn't bring himself to tell her what happened and to be honest with her. If he did, he would lose her and that was something he could bring himself to handle.

For months, weeks, days, Roland had been alone. Deep inside his own mind that ruined him mentally and causing him to question what was the point of being alive anymore. Wondering if he would ever find his family and his girlfriend. The hope dwindling day after day he searched and came up with absolutely nothing.

But then Emily came into his life. Everything changed from there and Roland found a reason to live. To protect her at all costs and kill anyone who threatened her safety. It was Emily who changed him for the better. But seeing her like this and act like this, hurt him quite a bit. So, he wasn't sure if he should speak up about how she was acting, or let her be the one to start the conversation. It was just a tough situation he had no prior knowledge of how to navigate.

Roland's attention was focused on Emily who was crouched down behind a bush. Slowly creeping up behind her, he crouched behind her and scanned the area in front of them and seeing the deer standing there. A stillness in the air as the deer's attention was on the ground, sniffing it.

Emily stood up cautiously, aware of the possibility of the deer hearing her. Despite that, she grabbed her arrow and placed it on the arrow shelf before slowly pulling it back against the string. Her left eye squinted with her right one focusing on the animal and keeping it in her sights. Roland watched proudly as the arrow pierced through the air and hit the deer in the heart. A cry coming from the animal before it toppled over and it going completely still.

"Good job, kiddo." He said gently with a pat on the girl's shoulder. But being completely shut off when she avoided his touch. A pain echoed in Roland's heart as he stared down at the girl. Willing to speak up finally about everything going on with her, but refraining from it. Instead, humming quietly, awkwardness radiating from him as he nodded to himself and moving towards the deer without another word.

Crouching down beside the animal and inspecting its body. Stopping when spotting a bite mark on its ankle, a sigh passing his lips. Shaking his head in disappointment before grabbing the arrow sticking in the side of the carcass and ripping it out. Wiping the blood off on his jacket as he stood up and turned to Emily who followed over.

"It got bit. Ain't no good for us anymore. We'll check the snares in a bit." He explained briefly as he glanced around. "Let's uh...continue looking around for anything, yeah?" The girl nodded silently before Roland nodded stiffly and led the way. Glancing over his shoulder at the girl as she continued to be silent. Only making Roland go insane from the silent treatment he was being given.

Wasn't long before they came across a house in a small clearing. A driveway leading back into the forest. They walked through the tall grass behind the house, cautious of the fact that there could be walkers anywhere. Roland's eyes flickered from place to place as they approached the house. Soon standing at the back door and walking towards the door.

Stopping and glancing back at Emily who stood there patiently, knowing the process. Hearing her suggest to help had been something Roland got used to. But her silence was unsettling and eerie to him and put him off quite a bit. But he got the idea and reached for his pistol and walked over towards her.

His thumb brushed over the rough texture of the handle before looking at Emily who stared at him curiously. With a heavy exhale, Roland held it out for her. "It's time for you to learn." He said as the girl - finally and excitedly - smiled and slowly took the gun from his grasp.

Crouching down in front of her, Roland said, "Alright, so the only knowledge you would need to know." Pointing at the switch on the left side of the gun. "That's the safety. Red means it's off, black means the safety is on." He explained.

Clasping his hands around hers that held the gun, he stared directly into her piercing blue eyes. "You don't fire unless you need to. Keep the gun pointed down if there's no threat, but when there is you raise it and fire, alright?" Emily nodded, a tiny smile on her lips. "Thanks." Roland smiled and nodded in response before standing up and grabbing his knife from his pocket. "Stay behind me at all times." He told her and she nodded again.

Once inside, Roland walked through the back door. The floorboard creaked loudly under his weight as he took slow and cautious steps. The dust had gathered up on everything in sight. Showing that this place hadn't been used in quite some time. Entering the kitchen, Roland stopped when seeing a spray-painted message on the wall.

'FUCK YOU, TOMMY! GOOD LUCK ON YOUR OWN!'

"Well, that explains why this place feels empty," Emily muttered and Roland hummed in agreement. Walking into the living room, he did a full 360 and saw nothing spotted out of the ordinary or put him on high alert. It actually was something he was glad for since it was a perfect spot to stay for the night and time being. Sleeping in the truck had been a very uncomfortable experience that Roland couldn't handle again.

Nodding, Roland licked his lips. "We'll stay here for the night." He announced before looking back at Emily with a tiny hesitant smile. "That sound good?" She didn't reply and instead was silent as Roland stared at her expectedly.

Instead of waiting, Roland nodded to himself and put his knife in his pocket. "Yeah, it does." He said in agreement with himself as he began walking towards the front door. Willing to check if there was more to offer then what they were just seeing.

"Hey, hold on a sec." Roland stopped and turned to Emily who was wringing her fingers together. having placed the pistol in the back of her pants. Standing there and watching the girl, Roland could see she was making an effort to speak up. Trying to make a conversation after these past four days of silence and coldness she gave him. Not that it had been what she wanted, but - much like Roland - she didn't know how to deal with this problem they faced.

Letting out an aggravated sigh, Emily ran a hand through her blonde hair. Roland's brows knitted together in confusion and worry as he was tempted to step forward and try and reassure her. But he held back and said, "Em, what's wrong?" He asked softly, but taking a step forward. "Is this about your immunity? How you didn't tell me?" He interrogated softly but didn't see the very annoyed and angry look in her eyes as she tried to get her words out.

"No!" She snapped, catching Roland off guard as he took a step back. Afraid if he got too close, he would piss her off and everything would spiral out of control. "I just..." She huffed in annoyance as she moved to the old couch and took a seat. Running her hands through her blonde dirty blonde locks in an attempt to cool herself down.

"My parents, they didn't protect me and hide me in that closet. I attracted the walkers and locked the door on the inside. I let them die." She confessed. "They were the first ones to die, but I can't handle that anymore. I can't lose anyone closer to me because I'm scared."

Biting her bottom lip, avoiding eye contact with the man she couldn't help but consider as her stepfather. Every single hardship or situation they've been through, they've been through it together. And she knew she was wrong to not tell him about her bite mark, but she also knew that it would've pushed them away. She was just glad he hadn't given up on her after so long.

Licking her lips, Emily let out a slow exhale before saying, "I have done so many things to survive. Staying away from people like you and running from worse." Roland walked over to the chair opposite to her and took a seat. A worried expression painted across his face as he was trying to figure out what she was trying to say.

"But then I met Mandy and the others. They brought me in because of my bite mark, and they became my family. They cared for me, unlike my real family who was willing to leave me behind many times." She huffed while clasping her hands together.

Leaning forward, Roland pursed his lips. "But sometimes we need to move on. I- I learned that." He said. "I never told you, but I had a group before we met." Emily looked up at him, having only heard this info for the first time. "For weeks I had been searching everywhere to find them. To find my dad, mom, little brother and my girlfriend." He confessed quietly, tilting his jaw to the right. "Her name is Beth, and I don't know if she or any of my group are alive."

Looking up at the girl, Roland gave a smile to try and hide the tears wanting to escape. "Then you showed up. Arm cut up and all that bullshit, a complete teenager that sometimes couldn't watch her mouth." He joked, causing Emily to laugh lightly, sniffling as she wiped her nose with the back of her hand. "I found a reason to live, to fight, to survive and it's all because of you-" He said, pointing at Emily who stared at him with teary eyes.

His words pierced the deepest part of her heart. It'd felt like the entire time that he had been putting up with her just cause. And truthfully, she had been quite a pain in the ass through their travels and knew Roland had every right to be annoyed by her. But hearing him say that he cared about her, despite all of that, warmed her heart. Because it meant that she had someone that wanted her around and treated her like one of their own. That was all Emily had ever wanted.

"You, kiddo, have given me every single reason to keep on keepin' on. You are all I care about anymore." He said passionately as he pursed his lips. "But you need to find that reason to keep going on. No matter what happened in the past, all you can do is look to the future. That's what matters and not what you've done. What you plan to do is what you need to care about." He explained softly. "So, if Mandy let you go with me, there is nothing we can do to change that."

Emily nodded before she said, "You have to promise me something. You have to promise that everything you've told me about Mandy is the truth." She said sternly with her teary eyes staring deep into his. "I need you to say that you promise."

Roland leaned back in the cushioning of the chair and clasped a hand around his chin staring at the blonde. His tongue pushing against the inside of his right cheek.

There was no reason he should lie to her after everything's she's told him. But Roland was scared of the fact that this girl, this little girl he considered his daughter would up and leave his life. After everything's he lost, Emily was the last person he would want to leave because they had an understanding. A connection of these traumas they both held close to their hearts and minds that would plague them for the rest of their lives.

This was what mattered. Roland could tell her the truth about what happened. Tell her that he killed three people, not even knowing if any of the other civilians in the steel mill survived the invasion of walkers that flooded the steel mill. That fact was something he wasn't sure he could live with.

Or he could lie to her. Stay with the same story and keep her around for as long as he could. Both were bad options and Roland already knew what he was going to say before he could think about it. Crossing his arms over his chest, Roland exhaled through his nose. "I promise." He uttered as Emily stared at him closely. Pursing her lips and nodding slowly, taking his word and saying confidently...

"Okay."

A/N: That's it for this whole section of Inferno. To everyone who stuck around to read and see this relationship between Roland and Emily developed, thank you. I wish I could give every single one of you hugs and kisses. But stick around, part three is coming soon and things are going to get a bit crazy for not only Roland but Emily as well.