NEW BEGINNINGS
Katherine
Some say the world will end in fire, some say ice. From Katherine's perspective, the end was much worse than either, the reality of it was, the world ended in a bloody, screaming mess. The weak died and the strong continued on. The will to survive consumed the living and made them crazy for survival, evil...
Katherine watches the rows of huge houses fill her vision, the lawns were well looked after, the streets were clean of dirt and the dead, children played tag... she takes in a deep breath and steps inside the gates.
"Hello," a middle - aged man steps up in a blue button up, grey jeans. His hair was short, he was clean..." If you stay you have to hand over your weapons. "He explains, his arms crossed over his chest.
"We don't know if we want to stay," Rick responds.
"It's fine Nicholas," Aaron pushes Nicholas back slightly, out of their personal bubble.
"If we were gonna use 'em, we would've started already," Katherine says dryly, glaring to Nicholas. She didn't like the look of him one bit.
"Let me talk to Deanna first. "Aaron guides them away from Nicholas and further into Alexandria.
"Who's Dianna?" Abraham asks curiously. "She knows everything about this place. "Aaron responds.
"Good thing we're here," Katherine pauses, she turns to the gate and holds up her gun and pulls the trigger. The walker hits the floor. She turns back to the group, her head held high with pride. Aaron leads them through the rows of houses until they reach a huge white one, possibly the biggest one in the town. "You go first, Katherine," he walks her up and knocks on the door, an old man with glasses answers.
"Hello," he smiles, beckoning her in," I'm Reg. Make yourself at home. "Reg's demeanour was kind and welcoming, he had a warm smile, one that reminded Katherine of Hershel- in a way. She walks into a living area where a woman with blonde hair to her shoulders was.
"Hi!" She says overjoyed. "My name is Deanna. I see you've met my husband Reg," she hands Katherine a glass of water.
Katherine sniffs it before chugging it. Deanna couldn't help but chuckle at her hostility.
"Katherine Dixon," Katherine says catching her breath from chugging the water. "But my friends call me Kat," Katherine sits on the pillowy couch, she felt like she was going to fall through it. She crosses her legs and leans back, speculating her surrounding.
"Mind if I film this?" Deanna politely asks.
Katherine shakes her head, and so Deanna presses record. "Why?" She asks.
"We're all about transparency here," Deanna responds. "Tell me about yourself... how long have you been out there?"
Katherine adjusts herself in her chair, she swallows thickly, flashes of it all seeping through. She closes her eyes and lets out a shaky breath," Since the beginning. "She starts. "It was a mess... Atlanta. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was with Luke- ex... it was- it was crazy. Walkers began attacking people. Dead bodies on the street began to rise and tear open people's arteries. If it weren't the dead killing the living, it was the living killing each other. Eventually I got separated from Luke and I met the group I'm with now... my brothers were there.... We killed people, people who tried to kill us and I don't regret it one bit. It was to protect my people. I'd kill anyone to protect them. "
"I don't doubt it one bit. Your brothers, where are they now?" She asks, her fingers interlocked.
Katherine chews her lip, holding back tears, she wouldn't let Deanna see her at her most vulnerable. She looks up, her icy eyes meeting Deanna's. Deanna seen just how much Katherine had been through just from that glance. Cold, icy eyes bore into Deanna's.
"Daryl is with us.. he was with us since the beginning. Merle too, but Merle couldn't keep his mouth shut and so they left him on a rooftop in Atlanta, he cut off his own hand. Weeks, or maybe months, I don't know, past and I reunited with him. He was working with a clown that called himself The Governor- I played apart in his demise- Merle, Daryl and I went off for awhile and came back to see what The Governor had caused back at the prison- where we seeked refuge and h- he - Merle- lived with us for awhile. He s-sacrificed his life for those people out there. His last breath was thinking The Governor was on his way to kill us and those people out there never once appreciated him for that. My brother wasn't a monster, he was just broken. A broken man with broken foundations. But me, I remember what he died for. He died for us, my family and I. We were taken by these cannibals in a train cart, we escaped and they hunted us down so we stabbed them to death-"
"Thank you. "Deanna swallows thickly. "Your brother didn't die in vain. He died for you and I think he knows that The Governor never got close enough. We need people like you here at Alexandria to being more people like you in-"
"I'm gonna stop you right there. "Katherine holds up a hand. "Not every group your people come across is willing to negotiate the way my people were. Out there is much different, the world has changed and I'd someone knows what you got here, they're gonna want it for themselves. Consider yourself lucky y'all came across us. You people don't even have a watch on. Anyone could easily climb those gates. "
"We can put in motion a watch if it'll make your people feel more safe. "Deanna suggests.
Katherine chuckles," Oh, my people can handle themselves pretty well. "Deanna nods in agreement and puts her notebook aside. "Thank you for your time, Katherine. I shall finish with my questions with the rest and your people can shower, eat, sleep... think about whether you wanna stay or not. This place isn't a prison, it's the beginning of sustaining a better future. "Deanna stands up and holds out a hand, Katherine shakes it and exits the same door she entered through.
"You're up, Officer. " she slaps Rick's butt and jumps down the shakes. Rick looks back at her and shakes his head with a chuckle.
Deanna gave them two homes for the first night, but the group refused to split up for the fist stay. Katherine watches in awe as the steaming water pours out of the shower head, she steps in and sighs, the hot water relaxed her very tense muscles. Dirt and grime poured from her body Dow the drain. She cleans her hair, shaves her body and scrubs like 5 times until the water became clear. She hops out and moisturises, she uses the skin products and brushes her teeth until her hand got tired. She gets dressed in fresh clothes and walks down to the living room where the group was.
"Wow," she pauses at Rick.
His beard was gone and his hair was shorter. He chuckles, pulling her to his chest. "Who did your hair?" She leans her head on his hard chest.
"A lady called Jessie. She said she'd be happy to do your hair if you're comfortable with it. "Katherine thinks about it, her hair was down to her butt, it would be nice to get some cut. "Offered to do Daryl's, but I didn't tell him because he'd leave the second he found out. "Katherine hums In agreement.
"I gotta plan... we get him when he's asleep and throw him in the bath. "She says jokingly. Rick chuckles too," He'd hear us from a mile away," he responds.
"You two get a room," Carol jokes.
"The hell are you wearing?" Katherine buckles over in a fit of laughter.
"Gotta play little miss 'I can't defend myself' so they'll think we're weak. "She smirks. "You look ridiculous. "
"I've heard," Carol glares at Daryl briefly before turning back to Katherine. "We need to get him to shower. "She whispers.
Katherine laughs in response, she pulls a blanket and sits on the floor beside Judith's crib.
Rosita sits beside her and pulls her knees to her chest," You're skeptical. You have every right to be. If things go wrong here, your people still have our back. "Katherine turns to her and takes her hand," You're my people now, too, Rosita. I'm sorry for how I acted when I first met y'all. I just, I was being cautious.... I'm sorry. "she sighs.
"Don't worry about it. "Rosita waves her off. "I'm glad we met you guys, " she says truthfully. "What were you before this?" Katherine purses her lips together," Nothing important. My lifestyle never gave me an opportunity..... a daughter of a drunk... nobody had hope in people like me. They said that I'd turn into my daddy or worse, so nobody employed me. Where I came from was a very small place, everyone knew everyone and so I ran away. You?" Rosita pulls her hair behind and ties it," I was a soldier. "Katherine wished she had an opportunity to make a change in the world." You're more than just a drunks daughter. Maybe this can be your fresh start. "Rosita smiles comfortingly. Katherine felt tears well up in her eyes, she didn't know why or what brought them on. Maybe it was the fact that she's needed to hear those words, or maybe it was because somebody finally said them to her. Either way, she was happy.
"You know them before or?" Katherine nods toward Abraham.
Rosita follows her gaze," No... my group and I got overrun when he jumped outta nowhere shouting some stupid stuff he always says and since then we've been attached. "She breathes out. "What about you?"
"I met Rick during, at the beginning. I was running through a walker invested Atlanta when he came running through shooting down walkers and I followed. That's how I met Glenn and found my other brother Merle. The rest is history. "Katherine explains.
"People say I'm a lot like Merle in ways," she chuckles softly.
"I see a lot of Daryl in you. You've got his spark "Katherine grunts in response. "See!" Rosita laughs, covering her mouth.
"Yeah, whatever. "Katherine rolls her eyes jokingly.
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Katherine takes the mirror from Jessie and looks at herself through it. She smiles. Her brown hair now reached her shoulders. Her head felt lighter.
"You like it?" Jessie asks in worry. "I love it, thank you!" She smiles, putting the mirror down. "I gotta grab Carl and Judith. " she awkwardly excuses herself.
Katherine didn't know where her sudden awkwardness came from. Evidently, she was an open and confrontational person, so why was she being awkward?
She jumps down the front steps.
"Wow!" She grabs Rick, who had bumped into her, he was breathing heavily. "I can't find Carl... o-or Judith and I-" Katherine grabs his hands that were flying everywhere. "They're with an old couple. They wanted to see Judith because they haven't seen a baby since the start, relax. "She rubs his arms. "They're fine. "She promises.
Rick puffs out a breath of air," Come on. "Katherine takes his hand and walks him to Carl and Judith. Carl looked to be in pain from the lady squishing his cheeks. Katherine bit back a laugh and covers it with a cough.
"Thank you, Mrs. Grimes. They truly are beautiful babies. "Natalie gushes. "Please, never be afraid to ask us to babysit. Bob and I would be overjoyed. "Katherine's smile falters, Mrs. Grimes? She liked it, but she refuses to show that. "Of course, Natalie. "She takes Judith and kisses her cheeks.
"Bye," Carl awkwardly waves and runs after Katherine and Rick. "I'm gonna get you back for that. " he warns Katherine.
"Oh, please, don't pain me with your diabolical plans. "She whines. "Rick, tell him. "Rick laughs at the two and leads them back to their house.
"Jessie was telling me about their school system... it's in a garage, but I think we should send Carl since he threatened me. "Katherine sticks her tongue out at Carl. Carl shakes his head and turns to his dad," Dad, please. "
"I think that would be a fine idea,"
Rick sides with Katherine.
"Look, about the threat- it was a joke. I- please!" Carl looked like he was going to faint. "Fine. But only if you promise to drop the fact I pawned you off to those old folks. "She holds out her hand, Carl groans and shakes it. Katherine smiles wickedly and skips off with Judith.
She pauses when she spots Daryl on the porch cleaning his arrows. "You're filthy. " she acknowledges. "Give me the vest, I'm cleaning it. "Daryl tries to fight her off, but she placed Judith on the porch and pulls it off him, occasionally slapping his hands off her. She throws it over her arm and grabs Judith. "Bye, bye, Uncle Daryl. "She uses Judith's hand to wave him off.
"You got it off him. I think you deserve a reward. "Carol shouts as she walks past. "You just gotta use force. "Katherine shouts back.
Katherine got laundry detergent off a lady called Olivia. She was sweet. She insisted that Katherine was welcome at her home to try her cheesecake and Katherine promised she'd come to try it. That seem to make her happy. Waving to Olivia, she goes back home and throws Daryl's vest in the washing machine. She cleans up a bit, chops some stuff for dinner and then sneaks to the armoury to retrieve her blades. She had left Judith with Carl. She never let anyone touch her blades and being without them made her feel off. Alexandria checked out so far, but how long would she be safe here without weapons?
If it wasn't the Alexandrian's that were a threat, it was the people outside who could invade. She shoves them in her pockets and exits without any trace that she was even there.
"Katherine, don't forget to drop Judith by!" Natalie screams over the lawn to her. Katherine sticks her thumb up and smiles, she drops her smile when she gets out of view and makes it to the gate, where Glenn was arguing with Deanna's son.
"Wh did you let these people in?" Aiden scoffs, throwing his arms up angrily. "They're stupid. For all we know, they're planning to kill is us our sleep. "
"Because we actually know what the hell we're doing," Glenn responds. Aiden swings, Glenn ducks and punches him back. Spencer charges but Daryl knocked him down, Aiden jumps up to hit Glenn again, Katherine swings and kicks him in the chest, he falls back on his ass. She grabs him by the hair and pulls his head back," You wanna be a little more kinder to someone who's probably planning to kill you in your sleep. "She whispers in his ear, roughly tugging on his hair.
"Get her off me!" He shouts to his mother.
"Wow, wow!" Deanna runs up. "I want you people to hear me, Rick and his people are apart of our community now, in all ways as equal." She shouts to everyone. "Everyone, turn in your weapons. "She looks to her son that Katherine was holding. "Including you, son. "Aiden's mouth opens and closes, ready to argue. "It's okay, I'll deal with him. "She says softly to Katherine. She throws him forward and spits beside him.
"Don't let a woman taking you down ruin your ego, champ. "She winks and steps over him.
The life they lived was all about survival now at any cost. Survival of the fittest. Katherine didn't care who she killed in the process, as long as it was justified and reasonable.
Was murder ever reasonable?
Either way, she knew one thing, Aiden and his brother were irresponsible and problems, even that Nicholas that followed them around. She wouldn't let them cause anymore problems.
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UNEDITED!
Here's another!
Updating as of late is a challenge. This time of year( plus December) is a busy time for me.
Thank you to those who have voted!