call me --- blondie
♮♮♮
[JJ]
The next days were good. Really good. I truly never thought I'd enjoy waking up next to someone almost every day, let alone Daryl freaking Dixon. The same Daryl Dixon who'd called me a fourteenth street hooker. I shocked myself to be honest. I mean, we had gone from extremely disliking each other to friends to sharing a bed.
It was the morning that Daryl had to leave to go out recruiting with Aaron, and I wasn't sure when he would come back.
I was first to wake up, surprisingly. I studied his features, the one's I'd never had noticed before. I observed his tattoos, something I had noticed before, but could never make out the whole picture.
I also noticed his scars, a part of him I hadn't seen before. A part of me wanted to ask, but I wasn't going to. I had them too, and it wasn't my favorite conversation topic.
Before he woke up, I kept thinking about how we got here. How we got to this moment. Again, he called me a fourteenth street hooker.
"You're up?" Daryl woke up, noticing my attentiveness to him.
I let my intrusive thoughts win. Instead of saying a typical good morning like a normal person would have, I started the morning off with, "I can't believe you called me a fourteenth street hooker."
"Mornin' to you too." His voice was gruff. "But I'm pretty sure you called me feral."
"Touche." I shrugged, laying my head back down on the pillow.
Daryl brushed a piece of my hair behind my ear, "what's on your mind?"
"You sure you have to go? It's not like this is a paying job."
He smirked, "you could come with."
I sighed, "I should probably stay."
"You ain't got a job yet."
"Which I should probably talk to Deanna about." I moved from my side to my back, putting a hand on my head, stressed just thinking about it.
"Nah. Don't stress about that shit." He sat up, leaning over me, "Just tell her you wanna be out there with me."
"And Aaron?"
"We could split off from him." He leaned in closer.
"Mhm." I smiled, sweetly. "But you see, going would require getting up and getting dressed, and it's just too early for that."
Daryl scoffed, eventually getting up and getting dressed himself.
"Shouldn't be out there too long."
"Wait." I got up, standing between him and the door, snaking my arms around his neck and kissing him.
"Want me to come find you after?"
"You better. I'd be pissed if you didn't."
Daryl shook his head, going for the door handle. "Hold up. Let me check for Rick first." I looked out into the hallway. "Okay. Coast is clear."
He scoffed, smirking.
"What?"
"You. Why are you freakin' out over tellin' your brother?"
I shrugged. "Probably because his last best friend that I had a crush on didn't end so well."
"You know I'd never do that shit." Daryl quickly became serious.
"I know." I assured, "and so does Rick, but I'd rather him warm up to the idea of us being together than you strollin' out of my bedroom in the morning like a late-night booty call."
Daryl smirked. "Idea of us? Together?"
I awkwardly shrugged, "I mean, unless this is just casual-"
"Nah, it ain't." He confirmed. "I should probably get goin'."
"Okay." I smiled, "Stay safe out there."
"Mhm." He nodded.
As soon as I opened the door, we heard, "Daryl?"
I looked to my left. It was Rick. Why is he so freaking fast...and quiet? "Uh..." I made eye contact with Daryl. "Thank you, Daryl for killing that giant bug in my room." I held my hand out for a handshake. It was the first thing that came to my mind.
"You called Daryl? To come kill a bug?"
"It was...huge. And Daryl, here, Daryl was already...killing one downstairs. So, I just- I had him come kill this bug."
"Yeah, what she said." Daryl gestured, "See ya, Rick. JJ."
♮♮♮
He'd been gone for almost a day, and shit had already hit the fan. On the run, the group lost Noah and Aiden, Deanna's eldest son. Tara had suffered a head injury, but she was gonna make it.
I couldn't help but think of Noah. All he wanted to do was get back to his family. I thought back to the party, he complimented my playing. Told me about how he once wanted to learn guitar, but never got around to it. So, I had told him that I'd teach him.
But I would never get to now.
I sat on the edge of my bed, trying to figure out what to do with my life. I mean, everyone had jobs to do except for me. Even Carl had school. Eventually, I laid on my back, looking at the non-moving fan above me.
"JJ." There was a faint knock at my door. I could tell by her voice that it was Maggie. "Can I come in?"
"Yeah."
"What are you doing?" She judged.
"Oh, you know...enjoying unemployment. What are you doing?"
Maggie laughed, laying down next to me, staring up at the ceiling.
We enjoyed each other's company in peace, until Maggie blurted, "JJ, I think I'm pregnant."
I quickly sat up. "Are you serious?" She simply nodded. I couldn't read her emotions. "And?"
"What?" She smiled.
"Well, are you happy?" I returned a grin.
"I am."
"How does Glenn feel about it? Some part of me feels like he threw up. Did he throw up?" I looked down to Maggie, who was still laying there.
She sat up, "Actually, I haven't told him yet."
"Oh, I guess JJ's back on top then. Suck it, Glenn."
Maggie laughed. "I haven't told him cause I wanna be certain."
"Okay, that can be your reason, but mine is that I'm back in the favorite spot." I motioned to myself, "therefore, Glenn can still- and I mean this is the friendliest, loving way possible- suck it." I thought for a second, "actually, why did you tell me first?"
"I told you...I wanna be certain."
"Oh, come on. Cut the crap, Mags." I joked, "the last time it was even a slim chance, Glenn was the only one to know."
"How-"
I knew what she was gonna ask. "How did I know? On the run to the Big Spot, he wouldn't stop staring at a poster with a Korean baby on it even after I started talking about Guy Fieri's band."
Maggie laughed out of confusion. Then, it clicked. "Is that why you're scared to tell him? Because of how nervous he was the last time?"
She groaned, "You could say that."
"Well, Mags, we were living in a prison at the time. We're safe now. I mean, shit, we're living in one of the houses that we used to drive around and rate." I justified.
"We are, aren't we?"
"Just talk to him. Weren't you guys saying something about it the other day?"
"Yeah, but- how did you know?"
"Oh," I shrugged, "I was avoiding my brother and you and Glenn talk louder than you and I do."
"Why were you avoiding Rick?" Maggie put her hands on her head, falling back to laying down on the bed.
I also laid back down, sighing, "I don't know. I mean, it's not as big as your news."
"Come on, JJ. I need a distraction."
"Really, it's not that important."
"What is it?"
"I had sex with Daryl."
She shot up, sitting back up. "You what?"
"I had-"
"No, I heard you. When were you going to tell me- actually, when did it happen?"
"After Deanna's party."
"And I'm just now hearing about it?"
I shrugged.
"I need details." She inquired.
I shook my head, "I don't know what you want to hear, Mags."
"Details." Maggie looked to me with pleading eyes, "I need a distraction."
"Oh, my gosh." I huffed, beginning to give her the details from after the party.
"I just-" Maggie snickered, "You and Daryl...wait, but what does this have to do with avoiding Rick?" I made an informing gesture. "Oh my God, he doesn't know."
"No, and right now, you're the only one who does."
"Don't worry, I won't tell a soul."
I held out my pinky, "swear?"
She shot me a look. "Really? I didn't make you swear after I told you I'm pregnant." I waited until she gave in. "You know, I gotta say, Daryl's definitely a step up from that frat guy you dated that one time. Josh? James?"
"John?"
"John... he was awful." Maggie told me.
I laughed, "Really? I didn't think he was that bad."
"JJ, you dated him a week. And then, you broke up with him because he had a pet scorpion and didn't like Aerosmith."
"Okay, and? Those are two perfectly logical reasons to break up."
"Mhm." Maggie rolled her eyes. "I should probably get going. I was supposed to talk with Deanna."
"Oh, yeah, your job."
"She still hasn't given you one yet, huh?" Maggie questioned, standing up. "I'm sure she will. Right now, she's got a lot on her mind. Especially after losing Aiden." I nodded, understanding. "But if you wanted to come with me, I'm sure she wouldn't mind talking with you."
"Okay, yeah. I've been needing to anyway."
♮♮♮
[POV]
As the two walked towards Deanna's, JJ noticed something off when she saw the door to Pete and Jessie's house wide open.
"Go on, I'll catch up."
Maggie nodded, going on to Deanna's.
"What have you been doing?!" Pete shouted into Jessie's face.
JJ stood at the door. "What's going on here?" Her brother ignored her. "Rick."
"You need to leave, JJ." Rick kept his eyes on Pete, "Pete, you and me are gonna leave now."
Pete took a threatening step towards Rick, "You come into my house-"
"Pete, you and me are leaving."
"You're leaving right now." Pete stood close to Rick. "You think you're the law? You actually think you have a say in anything here?"
"Step back."
"Who the hell do you think you are?"
"Someone who's trying not to kill you." Rick shot, dodging Pete's punch and throwing one of his own.
Jessie watched in fear as JJ watched in anger.
Pete grabbed Rick, hitting him up against the wall.
"Hey! Cut it out!" JJ tried.
Jessie tried too, pleading, "Pete, stop it!"
JJ attempted to pry Pete off of her brother but ended up getting pushed back into the door. The second Pete laid hands on his sister, Rick was able to get the upper hand. He threw Pete out of the broken window, following him out and taking the fight into the street.
JJ stood by Jessie, trying to figure out her next move.
Jessie tried first, grabbing Pete's shoulder, but just like he did to JJ, he swung at her with his left arm, sending her to the ground. Then, Rick had the upper hand again. JJ helped Jessie up off the ground, glaring at the fighters.
Next, Carl tried to stop the violence. He took his dad by the shoulder but was swatted away. Rick did a number on Pete but Pete was strong. He was able to put Rick to the ground, holding his hands tightly around Rick's throat.
JJ noticed how weak Pete was becoming and seeing her brother struggling under the grasp of him, enraged the blonde. She then did what Jessie had done and grabbed Pete's collar, just with a lot more force.
The second he turned around to look at her, JJ swung, hitting him perfectly in the jaw and sending him to the ground. Noticing he wasn't fully knocked out, Rick went to finish him off, putting him in a headlock.
"Stop it! Stop it right now." Deanna ran over in a hurry.
"Touch them again and I will kill you."
"Dammit, Rick! I said stop!"
A few of the Alexandrians made steps toward Rick, causing him to pull his gun that Carol had stolen on them. "Or what? You gonna kick me out?"
"Put that gun down, Rick." Deanna told him.
Rick took deep breaths, "you still don't get it. None of you do! We know what needs to be done and we do it. We're the ones who live. You, you just sit and plan and hesitate. You pretend like you know when you don't! You wish things we're what they are. Well, you wanna live? You want this place to stay standing? Your way of doing things is done. Things don't get better because you- you want them to. Starting right now, we have to live in the real world. We have to control who lives here."
Deanna glared at Rick, who was covered in his and Pete's blood. "That's never been more clear to me than it is right now."
"Me? Me? You- You mean, me? Your way is gonna destroy this place. It's gonna get people killed. It's already gotten people killed. And I'm not gonna stand by and just let it happen. If you don't fight, you die. I'm not gonna stand by-"
Rick's speech was quickly ended by JJ knocking her brother out.
"JJ." Deanna spoke. "I need to speak with you."
JJ looked to Deanna, then to her brother, nodding.
♮♮♮
They sat quietly and awkwardly in her office.
Deanna stared at JJ, making JJ uncomfortable and not sure what to say.
"So... the weather... it's nice." JJ started.
"Do you know why I haven't given you a job yet?"
JJ shook her head. "I was actually coming to talk to you about that."
"I couldn't seem to figure you out. There's lots of things to do here. Lots of jobs to be done. You could cook for the elderly, go out on runs, help with the kids who go to school-"
"So, why aren't I?"
"Because I didn't want to waste your potential, JJ." Deanna blatantly told her. "What I saw today, with your brother, you stopped him. Why?"
"He needed to be stopped." JJ sighed, "but just because I did that doesn't mean I would put anyone above him or my family."
"I would never ask that of you. But I didn't call you in here to talk about your brother's actions. I think I've finally figured out what you need to be doing in this community."
"What's that?" JJ furrowed her brow.
"I think you should be our judge."
JJ snorted, thinking Deanna was joking. Then, she realized the woman in front of her was not laughing back. "Oh, wait. You're serious?"
"I'm very serious, JJ."
JJ slowly nodded, "So you want me to be Judge JJ, like Judge Judy? As in who I used to watch while I skipped school when Rick was working Judge Judy?"
Deanna nodded, "Clearly you know when wrong is wrong and right is right. Maggie and I both agree that you're going to be a leader one day- like your brother. It won't be today, or tomorrow, or anywhere in the near future, but one day, you're going to have people looking up to you like they do Rick."
JJ was speechless. "Deanna, with all due respect, I think you've drank a little too much Kool-Aid. I mean, me, as a leader?"
"We figured you would have this reaction. So, that's why we settled on you being our judge. You get to make decisions for the good of the group. And you'll get there one day."
"Does this mean I get a gavel?"
"No, it does not. Maggie said that wouldn't be the best idea."
"Yeah, she's probably right."
Deanna nodded, giving a sly smile. "In the meantime, Maggie and I also agreed- this community, we need music. After your impressive guitar solo the other night, a few of the kids came to me about learning to play."
"Okay, so I give guitar lessons and do a little judging on the side?" JJ wrapped her head around the idea. "I can work with that."
"I was hoping you would." Deanna grinned. "Now, we need to discuss this situation with your brother."
a/n: i totally forgot to publish on sunday. my bad pals - i'm not gonna lie, the next few chapters are a bit shorter and maybe even (just a little bit) dull? i'll try to update more often than just once a week with these
anyway,
a + n<3