Live Lucky

102

Peace

Noun
1. Freedom from disturbance; tranquility
2. A state or period in which there is no war or a war has ended

Since that brief time with the Saviors, things in Alexandria have changed. There are no more hungry mouths, no drama that needs everyone's attention. Sasha is normally on watch, Eugene takes his shift, Morgan practices with his staff before he gets back to work on building a holding cell in one of the empty houses, Carol sits on a porch swing while smoking a cigarette and looking at the rosary she acquired while she was held. To Sonny, the days seemed to blend in with one another, and she wasn't sure what to make of it. She walked out of the infirmary, her boots thumping against the floor as she made her way toward the house she shared with Daryl, Carol and Denny, even though Carol hasn't really been there all that much with the guy she's been seeing, Sonny didn't really remember his name. The woman adjusted the cap that was on her head, spotting Daryl sitting in front of the house while looking the bike over,

"Kinda feels strange to have it back, huh?" She asked

"A bit" Daryl replied, tossing the small bag to the floor

"I have a little surprise for you" sitting down on the bottom step at his left

Removing her med kit from around her shoulders, Sonny set it next to her, reaching in the bag and pulling out a pack of cigarettes that haven't been opened, surprised that she was able to find any in general, but she took them anyway, and a zippo lighter she intended to keep. She turned around, handing the pack over to the redneck, which caused a smirk to form on his lips, gently taking them from her hand and looking at it for a moment. His gaze rose to hers, leaning in and gently claiming her lips with his own, silently thanking her, which caused her to instantly comply with a small smile. Daryl knew she didn't smoke or drink, he was okay with that, but what he didn't really know was that the smell of the cigarettes comforted her because it was a scent that also came off of him whenever he was as close as he is now.

"This is mine, though" holding up the lighter

It looked as if it were made of wood with a mandala carved into the side, his smirk growing slightly as he opened the pack of cigarettes, taking one out and putting the end in his mouth. Sonny flicked the lid to the lighter open, sparking the flame and lighting what some people would call a cancer stick. He sucked in the nicotine, blowing it out as he rested an elbow on his knee, letting out a low sigh through his nose.

"I didn't even notice" Carol said with a small smile as she walked over to them "you guys got the bike back"

"Yeah" Daryl muttered

Carol sat down at his right, leaving Daryl sandwitched between the two, the short-haired woman smoking her own cigarette, which Sonny had been seeing her do lately.

". . Those people you met" Carol said "the ones in the burt forest, they took it from you?"

"Yeah" blowing out more smoke from his lips

"You saved them, right?" looking at him, earning no response ". . sorry" looking back toward the bike in front of them "it's who you are. We're still stuck with that"

"No, we ain't" looking at her "I should've killed them"

She didn't respond after his words, a low sigh emitting from Sonny as Carol got up from her place,

"Hey" the redneck said, Carol turning around to face him "the ones that took you and Maggie . . what'd they do to you?"

". . To us?" shaking her head slightly "they didn't do anything"

The two of them watched as she turned back around and walked away, Sonny easily figuring out that killing people had began to bother her, but she didn't know how to help her.

∆

"After I got out of DC, I just drove" Denise said as she stood in front of Daryl and Sonny with Rosita "I remember seeing it right when I realized I had no idea where I was going. Edison's Apothecary and Boutique. It's just this little gift shop in a strip mall, but if it's really an apothecary, they had drugs"

"How do you know they still got 'em?" Daryl asked

"It isn't that far, I just want to check" glancing at Rosita "and you and Rosita aren't out scavenging or pulling shifts, I'm not entirely sure with Sonny"

"I promised Dominik I'd help out with today's self defense class" Sonny replied "but I can reschedule"

"Nah, you stay" Daryl replied, glancing at her "you scavenged this morning with Shawn and Aiden, we'll go"

"I wanted to check" Denise said "I just wanted to help"

"How much time you spend out there?" looking back at the other doctor

". . None" honesty in her voice

"Forget it" shaking his head slightly

"I can ID the meds" she explained "I know how to use a machete now. I've seen roamers up close. I'm ready"

"You good with this?" glancing at Rosita

"No" she replied, shaking her head

"I'll go alone if I have to" Denise said

"You'll die alone" the redneck countered

"I'm asking you to make sure I don't" insisting on it

"Denise, no one is ever truly ready" Sonny explained "when you're out there, there will be choices you'll have to make, when it comes to walkers or people. Kill or be killed. Kill or avoid, and sometimes the latter isn't the easiest"

"What do you mean?" her eyebrows furrowing slightly

"Take it from someone who knows what it's like to be out there alone" lightly jerking her chin to the gate "I was lucky in most cases, but other times, not so much. A lot of things can happen on one trip. You may not like what you see, either"

"I'm not babysitting her by myself" Rosita added