𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐒, Daryl Dixon

⁶², PHOTO PROOF

  Vex sat up straighter, raising a brow as Zeppelin hung her head low.

  "You're supposed to be with Rick and Carl."

  "I know," She mumbled.

  "What happened?"

  "Jessie invited us over to meet the other kids."

  Vex furrowed her brows, clearly confused as to why her daughter, Zeppelin Williams, the most social child she had ever known, would break away from a plan like that.

  But Daryl leaned closer. He looked up. He engaged suddenly because he did not want Zeppelin to feel how he was, but he had an inkling as to why she had protested the idea.

  "There's another kid, about your age," Jack said with a smile. "It'll be good for you, Zep."

  Zeppelin felt the small piece of her that knew him as Uncle Jack light up at his attention. She used to bask in it, adoring any day he would visit and bring sweets and the newest toys, when he would stay and help make dinner, and the few times he stayed to read her to bed. He always listened to her stories and played pretend; He had even attended a tea party with Zeppelin and her stuffed animals.

But the larger part of her, the one that had grown into a teenager in the apocalypse and killed her father; the majority of Zeppelin Williams that was new stared blankly at Jack.

Because Jack had been sitting pretty while she and her mom had struggled. Because Jack had walls while they'd had homes stolen away. Jack had a farm and they'd watched people die.

  And Zeppelin was old enough to see the way Daryl looked away every time Jack threw an arm around Vex's shoulders.

  "Oh yeah?"

  Vex scrunched her brows at the clip in Zeppelin's voice.

  "Her name's Maeve," Jack said, still smiling, "Think you two would get along. There's some other kids, too, but I think Maeve's more your speed."

  Zeppelin lifted her gaze, eyeing Jack momentarily before turning to Daryl.

  "Can we still hunt even though we're here now?"

  Daryl stared for a moment, shocked into surprise, before speaking.

  "We can talk about it," Daryl finally gruffed, "After you meet the other kids."

  Zeppelin pursed her lips but nodded, standing and turning back to Jack.

  "Point me in the right direction, then."

🗡

  With Jack's assistance, Zeppelin had found Rick and Carl, who were coincidentally already on their way to Jessie's house, the unofficial hangout for the teenagers of Alexandria. Her oldest son met them out front and introduced himself as Ron.

  And Ron was excited.

  "We're almost always here after school, so you guys can come by any time."

"You go to school?" Carl questioned as they followed Ron through the home.

  "Eh, it's in a garage," Ron admitted, "Little kids go in the morning, and then it's us in the afternoon. I mean, probably you guys too, right?"

  "Probably," Carl said.

  Zeppelin only nodded. She didn't particularly want to start any kind of school again but assumed she'd have little say in it.

  Her anxiety swelled as they reached the room at the end of the hall.

  "Guys, this is Carl and Zeppelin," Ron introduced, "This is Mike, Enid, and Mave."