Panacea - {Daryl Dixon Fanfiction}

Day 303+ - Proof

"Yeah," Merle said, "She's about five-ten with a pretty face, maybe you've seen her?"

Milton rolled his eyes, but then the girl Merle had just described walked up behind the little man. She was prettier than Andrea had expected. She touched Milton's shoulder and muttered, "We'll finish the match later," before stepping out next to Merle.

"Hey," she greeted casually. For once, someone was not offended just by Merle's presence, which surprised Andrea. She had expected her to have dark hair with even darker eyeliner, be tattooed up to the neck, and have a cigarette between her fingers. Instead she was that girl in every country song; tall, tan legs, honey blonde hair that cascaded down her back, green eyes that hid under long eye-lashes. She had it all. 

She should have been on the cover of a magazine, not standing next to Merle Dixon. How she got mixed up with the brothers, Andrea hadn't the slightest idea.  

"New to Woodbury?" She held her hand out for Andrea, "Call me Gabry." 

"Andrea." She replied, still in shock. Gabry looked at the other woman standing behind Andrea, expecting a greeting, but all she received was a cold look. "That's Michonne, she's uh...shy."

Michonne snorted.

"Andrea was part of the group back in Atlanta."

Those green eyes flashed with anger. "The one's that left you cuffed to the roof?"

Andrea's cheeks went red, but she wasn't about to let this girl step all over her, especially when she hadn't been there in the heat of the moment. "Now wait a second-"

Gabry's eyebrows perked with anticipation, but Merle interrupted, "Yes, the very same. But we've let bygones be bygones. Everything's alright..." He cleared his throat. "Last Andrea saw of Daryl was eight months ago."

The irritated look on her face dropped, and she stood up straight. "Where at?"

"North of here, off of eighty-five. I could show you on a map." Andrea said.

Gabry looked from her, to Merle, then back to her. "What are we waiting for?"

* * *

They congregated in the library, except for Merle who had to depart for guard duty. Michonne lingered in between bookshelves while Andrea marked out the best route for her.

"It'd be suicide to go back there, you know?" Andrea said as she circled the areas that were now overrun by walkers.

"Why?" Gabry questioned her, and then realized that she had not been informed. "Creepers don't bother me."

"Look, that's awfully brave of you, but it's tougher out there than you think." Andrea said condescendingly, like any big sister would. She felt like she was talking to Amy.

Gabry chuckled, "Don't I know." She pulled her bracelets aside, the ones she had carefully chose based on thickness, and revealed her scar. 

Andrea's eyes went wide as she looked from the scar to Gabry's face. "You were...bit?"

Michonne was then looming over her. "How?"

"It was a few months ago. Long story." She pushed the bracelets back in place. "Creepers don't notice me anymore."

"So you can just...ghost right through them?" Michonne stared down at her in disbelief.