The Fear (The Walking Dead / Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 73 - Jump

"Katherine." He smiled.

"Oh, please. Kat's fine." She smiled back. There was something strangely personal about people calling her Katherine that she didn't like. Not from strangers anyway.

"Kat it is. What can I do for you? Mums not here at the moment." He said quickly.

"No, I know. Umm... I'm actually here to see Aiden. I hear they were planning on going out on a supply run today and..."

"I think he learned his lesson." Spencer said with a smile.

"No, no, no. Glenn reigned me in. Don't worry." She laughed, shaking her head. "I come in peace."

"Well... if you come in peace." Aiden spoke up, coming from around the corner that led to the living room, a cup of hot coffee in his hand. "Come in." He said for his brother and Spencer offered her a welcoming smile as she walked passed him and followed Aiden into the living room.

"You want a coffee?" He asked her.

"Oh umm..."

"It's not a fake offer. I just boiled the kettle." He joked back at her long pause of unsureness. She was still getting used to people just offering food so casually.

"Sure." She smiled, following him to the kitchen and somewhere down the line Spencer dropped back and disappeared. Aiden offered her a spot at a bar stool by the kitchen table and went to grab a mug.

"One or two spoons?"

"You have the luxury to offer two spoons?" She asked in jest and he turned with a smile. Considering their last confrontation she felt a little awkward, but he seemed to handle it fine.

"I make sure the one thing we don't leave supply runs without is coffee. Got a whole shelf dedicated to it in the store room."

"Well I guess I'll have two spoons." Aiden nodded and tipped two teaspoons of coffee into the bottom of her mug and then tipped in the water before handing it over to her.

"So what can I do for you?"

"Well... with the knowledge that I am about to choke on my own words..." She began slowly and a little reluctantly as one of his eyebrows shot up. She had never thought she would actually need to ask Aiden if she could go in a supply run in the future when she'd snapped at him the other night. "I wouldn't mind taking you up on that offer." The second eyebrow joined the first. "I don't need the experience," She said quickly. "I can shoot although I prefer a machete, it's quieter."

"You have to get close." He argued back.

"I'm used to getting close. Look... I don't like being idle. Denise and Pete don't need the extra hands at the moment and before I start going out and looking for livestock I'd like to learn the terrain a little more. Although I would like to head back to that farm Aaron showed me the other day as soon as possible but that can wait until we have some sections expanded. Abe tells me that's what they're doing in the construction division at the moment and it's estimated to take 3-4 week. So... I got a little time."

"You said you don't follow orders well." He stated.

"I'll follow Glenn." She stated simply. "And he says you two are passed your differences... for now anyway. Besides... your mum wanted me going on a couple of supply runs. Combat medic she called it."

"Yeah, she mentioned it." He nodded and was silent a moment before nodding. "Alright." He said. "You can take the machete. Take them out however you're comfortable with, but we still carry fire power. Do you have a gun of choice?"

"Sniper." He nodded. "There is one thing though." He looked at her warily before sighing.

"Go on."