I remember her, the girl with the green eyes. She was beautiful for a seven-year-old. Don't get me wrong, I didn't look at her like I might have other fourteen-year-old girls, ya know, girls my own age. It wasn't like that for her. Back then, I was somewhat of a dreamer. It was back then my mother had read stories about love. Love at first sight. If I ever thought it could be real, it was with her. No words, just a rest in my heart echoing through the courtroom. She looked at me, and it felt like she had stolen my very breath. It would take many years for me to realize that she was breathing life into me.
I had a devil on my shoulder; I called him Merle. On occasion, it was pops. But mother was around back then, and she always tried to steal me away from their influences. Blood is blood, and my brother wasn't as bad as everyone made him out to be. Don't get me wrong, he's a real jackass, but that ain't all he is. But when mom died, I lost grip on that side of my heart. I'm a Dixon after all, our hearts ain't pure.
It all changed in that courtroom. I still remember what she wore, the white dress with a black ribbon lacing her collar. I sure as hell didn't think I'd ever see her after that night. I should have never gone looking for her, but I couldn't help it. Merle was locked up, serving time for that little girl, and all I wanted to do was talk to her. Something about her made the pain go away, and I chased after her like a faithful junkie. I would do it only once, I coaxed myself into believing. Like any other drug, it's impossible to want only once. And love, also, comes with a price. I payed for it in Alice's blood.
"Daryl, did you even sleep?" She was visibly upset, obviously guilty over being able to sleep twice in one night. A luxury not granted to many any more. He shrugged, letting his arm lay loosely around her shoulders. As romantic as it seemed to sleep in his arms, he had to make it out to be the most normal thing in the world. Daryl needed to apply pressure to her wound, that's all.
"Nah. I'm not tired." Alice didn't believe him, and she reassured herself that he'd be the one sleeping when they got the next chance. Wiggling out from under his arms, she realized just how sore she was. Though, nothing compared to the searing pain of ripping open a shoulder, for the second time. The room started spinning, as she started to violently dry heave, having eaten next to nothing the other day. He lept off the bed to steady her, grabbing along her waist and holding her long hair back with his free hand. A knock on the door, Daryl's booming voice scolding whoever it was and then, she was finished.
Alice steadied herself on him, and then made it back to the bed. He followed, resting his backhand to her forehead. "Shit, you're burning up." A half hearted smile crossed her dry lips.
"Well, it was only a matter of time." Alice was more surprised it hadn't happened before, infection. Daryl did dig shrapnel out with his knife, but he swore up and down burning his blades should've helped ward it away. "I guess I should have been more careful." Prying his hand away from her clammy skin, he stood up, kicking the stand next to them.
"And I sent the damn antibiotics with them! Is this why you haven't been eatin'?" Alice didn't really think anything of her actions, but it was all starting to add up. Sophia took up everything, and all that afflicted her seemed to be a stem from her stress. It wasn't. The infection had been eating it's way into her system. "Dammit!"
Her shaking hand came up to try and reach for him, to calm him down. "Daryl I--"
"No shutup! You're not okay." He stormed out of the room, the door now swinging off it's hinges.
"Daryl what the hell--" Andrea started, Dale sharing the same concern as he looked towards Alice.
"We're goin' to that farm, now!" Before he could make it to the door, Carol's voice pleaded.
"No. Sophia could come back, and if we're not here.." Dale anticipated a fight, and stood between Daryl and the rest of the group. He was right, as the redneck started in Carol's direction.
"You selfish bitch! You're daughter ain't the only one in trouble, and I got other promises to make good on. You're wastin' time. If she dies, I'll kill--"
"DARYL!" It took every ounce of strength to scream at him through the R.V., but she knew the next words to come out of his words would be regrettable. Something else troubled her as well. What promises had he made, surely none she was aware of? The sickness and the roar of a motorcycle broke her thoughts, as the two women came to check on her.
"What the hell happened to you?" Andrea's voice was lacking in concern.
"Infection."
Carol's shared in the same wonder as the blonde made a motion for her to look at herself. It wasn't her current condition they were curious about. Daryl and Alice didn't get the chance to change clothing, or what remained of it from the prior night. Blood spots littered parts of the wall and head board, while the bloodied sheets were piled in the corner with her stomach bile. "Oh, we had a spat." Both women's eyebrows raised, as if picturing something strange, as the R.V. started to move. "I promise we can come back and make signs, leave food for her in case she comes back to the highway."
Andrea scoffed, "Your condition begs otherwise. Don't worry Carol, I'll take you back." Alice fought the urge to talk back, as she continued. "I got my gun back now." Her eyes trained back on her green ones, confident she was now certified in protecting people. This time she didn't hold back, letting a small chuckle sneak through for a moment, then it turned into a cough.
"I hope, for her sake, you never...have to shoot it." A threat in between the lines. Andrea sneered, but Carol stopped her from talking back.
"Daryl was right, we need to get you safe and sound. I'm sorry Alice." The distaste in Alice's voice disappeared as it now focused on the mother.
"Don't be sorry; you're only looking out for your baby." Carol interlaced her fingers with her own, the way they had done when she was being comforted.
"I wasn't too smart, was I?" An empty smile accompanied her words, "I can't have you out of the search. If anyone can find Sophia, it's you after all."
"No. It's Daryl."
The farm wasn't too far from the highway, as the motorcycle died and R.V. stopped. "Guess we're here." Andrea left as Carol tried to help Alice get out of bed and walk. They slowly hobbled out of the stuffy vehicle, and the sun hit her like a car. She keeled over, falling on her knees to the lush green grass.
"Alice!" Carol was squatting down to try and coax her back to walking toward the house.
"Is she gonna be alright?" Dale's voice carried over like a distant echo in some vast canyon. Her green eyes looked up at him, but could hardly make out the features through the spots of light.
"She's real sick; we have to get her to the house." Dale went to the other side of her, carrying half of the weight as they carried her to the door.
Daryl pushed the front doors open from the farm house, holding his brother's antibiotics in his hand as if he didn't trust anyone to give her any. He stopped in front of them, glaring at Carol and Dale. "You're dragging her!"
"We are just trying to get her in the house, calm down Daryl." Dale tried to reason, but you just can't tell a Dixon to calm down. He shoved him off of her, causing Carol to collapse with the weight. Alice fell to the ground, making him only angrier. "You idiot, now look what you've done!" Dale tried to help her up, but he was shoved again.
"Touch her one more time, and I'm gonna stomp your ass!
"Daryl....stop." Her voice was soft, and just desperate enough to call him off the attack. With one swift motion, he had her in his arms the same way he did when they met in the woods. He found a room and kicked the door open, setting her on the bed without any sort of permission. The young woman who rode the horse in earlier stepped inside.
"Please, just make yourself right at home." She leaned against the door frame, arms crossed.
"Normally I'd tell ya to go to hell, but this ain't for me, sunshine. I've got a sick person." Her eyes fell to Alice, not really recognizing who she was. Maggie's features changed to concern as she walked over to the girl on her bed. There was no denying that she was sick, but she still didn't have much left in her heart to care for a stranger at the moment.
"Your girlfriend's gonna have to wait." He stood up, ready to start a fight, but the look in her eyes stopped him. Pain. "No! Because of you, and your group, I have to bury someone I love today. Forgive me if I seem to not care about your problems!" And she stormed off.
"Fuckin' bitch." He followed her out the door but in search of water. Alice let her eyes start drifting to sleep, but not long after did he come back, shaking her awake. "Ya need to take these pills. That damn doctor will see you!" He roughly handed over the glass of water as she swallowed the two pills.
"When you...said you had other promises..What were...you talking about?" She didn't know, that was a good thing on his part. Daryl had gone to such lengths to keep himself a secret all those years ago. He simply ignored the question as her eyes began to droop back down. "Daryl.." Then she fell into sleep. He knelt his head down towards her ear.
"Maybe I'll tell ya someday."
Daryl peeked into Carl's room where Rick was still hanging around. There were so many adults willing to take the place of the children, but they couldn't. Though death was unpleasant, it is a much harsher storm to weather for the living to live with loss. "Daryl, I'm sorry to hear Alice is sick."
"Ain't nothin' to be sorry 'bout. She's gonna make it."
Rick pinched the bridge of his nose, as if trying to keep himself focused. "Right, of course." Even if she wasn't going to be alright, there was no way Daryl would let anyone tell him that.
"I'm goin' out to look for Sophia." He stepped out of the house, only to hear Rick had followed him out.
"Wait. We're goin' tomorrow, when the rest of us have settled in." Daryl turned to face him, his face blank. He needed to go out on his own, clear his head. This is what happened to him when things were out of his control, like a missing little girl and the sickness of someone he cared about. Someone unaware of what she opened up in him when she became the same girl in the courtroom.
"I'm better alone."
Again, Rick looked perplexed. He was trying to figure him out, the dedication to the little girl was only a small glimmer of hope in changing the Dixon. At least, compared to Alice's influence. "You don't owe us anything." He was digging for an explanation, and though he had an idea, he wanted to make him hear it.
"No. I sure as hell don't. That little girl don't deserve to die, 'cause you assholes left my brother." Hostility, what else did he really expect. He sighed, starting to head back in. "Besides, my other plans fell through." And with that, the redneck disappeared, leaving Rick to try and decipher what he had meant by that.
Peeking back to his son to see if he was still asleep, he went off to see Alice. Her skin was pale, and when he reached her, he could feel the heat come off her body. "I'm sorry about the grenade..and we never really took any time to think about you." He wrapped his hand in hers. "Carl's gonna be alright, but Lori, she's been acting real different, and Hershel wants us gone as soon as possible. God, Alice, I don't know what I'm doin' anymore." A tear fell down his face as he let his frustrations be voiced to a girl he assumed was asleep. Her hand tightened around his.
"We're surviving, and you are doing the best you can." He was stunned a moment, trying to figure out if he wanted her to hear that or not. "We use the time we have and then we'll appeal again. We are a group that grows on people. He'll change his mind." A small smile broke the man, and he was glad she was awake to hear him. "As for Lori.." You might want to talk to Shane, is what she wanted to say. "what can I say, we're women." Alice managed a half smile.
"You're right. I'm just letting Carl's condition get the best of me. It scared me like nothing else ever has in my life, and it's hard to come back from that fear. I'm on the edge and.."
"..I'm gonna pull you back from it." She coughed as the fever started to hum her back to sleep. He leaned his head down and placed a small kiss on her forehead.
"If anyone can.."
"She might." Hershel's voice cut into the moment, and he felt flustered by the intrusion. "Pardon me, I was urged to see the girl."
He dropped Alice's hand and stepped to the side. "Yes, of course." Carefully the vet looked over her. "The antibiotics should be doing the trick, but we're gonna need to bring that fever down. Unfortunately, I used the last of those pills on the man you call T-dog."
"There has to be something!" Rick was, again, a desperate man. He didn't want any of his group to die, especially one who manages to comfort him in her pain.
"There's a pharmacy in town, I can send Maggie down there to pick up a few things. I'm running low on other supplies anyway." He breathed a sigh of relief.
"Glenn, take him too. He's somewhat of an expert getting around towns, and, if anything else, it's an extra pair of eyes." Hershel seemed to contemplate this, but he agreed, for his daughter's safety.
"This young woman--" He started.
"Alice."
"Alice. Is special to you?" The question took him off guard. This was something people asked about Daryl and her, not him. Rick didn't want to make any obvious maneuver around it, so he answered honestly.
"She is. I never met a girl who could speak so fluently in the hearts of people." Hershel nodded, not pushing it any further.
"Then I will do my best."
Daryl had come across a small cottage in the woods, and his spirits were high. Searching through the kitchen, he noticed a can of sardines that had recently been eaten. "Sophia!" There were other traces that someone had been there, a scuff on the floor, a made in closet bed small enough to fit a child. So close, and yet he had missed her again. He punched the wall in frustration. None of this was making any sense. All his tracking was leading him in one big circle; he never reached any point. She was here; she had to have been here.
He walked outside screaming, "SOPHIA!" Daryl didn't care if walkers came out from every side of him; he was upset. White flowers, Cherokee roses. He fell to his knees and touched them delicately with his fingers. All those years ago, and he still could hear her screaming.
I became obsessed with the girl, her green eyes haunting my every moment. With Merle locked up again, and mom dead, I had lots of time to track her down. She lived in the city; it wasn't too hard to find a judge's house. The big one in the classy neighborhood. It was huge, but dark, with no traces a child even lived there at all. I watched her for days, from home to school and back again. Every now and again, she't turn in my direction. She was very observant, but she lacked any real reason to look for an intruder. Until the one night she didn't go in the backyard to stare at the clouds. There was screaming, and something was thrown across the room, or someone. I knew those sounds, but I never wanted to be right about her and the abuse.
A moment later, she was running through the front door, and I chased after her. There was a park down the block, and she sat on the swing set crying. Her arm showed finger bruises from where someone had grabbed too tightly, and I just sat in the bushes watching. "You can come out now." Her voice startled me, but I pulled my hood up to hide most of my face so that she wouldn't recognize me.
"You caught me. I'll just leave--"
"No, please stay. Swing with me." I felt too old to be playing on a playground, but she lured me in with that soft voice. So, I sat down beside her. "What's your name?" I didn't answer. "It's okay, you don't have to tell me. My name's Alice." There was a faint smile, but she was trying too hard.
"Hi Alice."
"Are you running away from someone?" I was young and out late, it was a logical assumption.
"Sort of, I guess." She crossed her arms with a look she still gives me even now, the kind of look that says, I'm not an idiot, tell me the truth.
"How do you sort of runaway?"
"Because I know I'll always go back."
"Then I sort of runaway all the time."
Her eyes fell, and tears began to pour down her small face. It broke my heart to be right about her situation, to watch her break apart at the hands of her father. "You don't have to put up with that. I know what he does!"
"What can I do, I'm only seven!" And then she fell on her knees in the sand, and I rushed to help her back up. Instead Alice grabbed onto me, holding me in the tightest hug I've ever been in. She cried, and cried. I found myself wrapping my arms around her small body, holding her close, smelling her hair. It felt so wrong to want to be with someone who was half my age at the time, but we were only kids. Broken kids at that.
"Shhh I won't let anythin' happen to you. I promise." She made distance between us, her red eyes serious despite all the tears.
"You pinky promise?" And she held out her pinky, and I held out mine. It was a small shake on my part; I had no idea what that kind of promise had that a normal one didn't.
"Now why don't we get ya back on the swing, I'll push." It was the first time I'd seen her smile, and my heart skipped a beat. I was behind her, and we relished in the silence that didn't make either of us lonely anymore.
"Wait!" She jumped off the swing and made it to me, grabbing my hands. "What if we run together." Her eyes were wide with excitement, and I didn't want to let her down. Honestly, I actually considered it. Me running away with a seven-year-old, it seemed like a good idea at the time.
"Yeah! We could make it work. I know how to pick pocket, and you could distract 'em. You're cute after all." It slipped out of my mouth, and I wondered if she even knew boys outside of cooties yet. Of course, she did, we all grow up so fast.
"You think I'm...cute?" I itched the back of my head, a nervous habit.
"Well sure, ya know, like a doll or somethin'." A blush crept on her face.
"Then we run, and I'll be your girlfriend." I jumped back a little at her quick assumption.
"Whoa now little girl, we can't do that. You're not old enough yet." Well, I did have some dignity.
She frowned but wasn't easily distracted from her goal. "Okay, then we wait. We'll have lots of time." It was going to happen, that's what we both believed in that moment as she crashed into my arms again. We hugged, and I knew one day I could love her if I didn't already.
We talked for hours about her home life and mine, and it only made me want to spare her from going back to that place even more and that I had no where safe for her to be. Then she stopped, "Let's go now. We can run in the woods." She was grabbing my wrist and trying to drag me forward.
I indulged her, running a little away from the playground in her direction. Alice sensed my hesitance, though. "You don't want to runaway with me."
"No, it's not that. I just--we can't do it now." She looked as if she'd cry again.
"Then when?"
"When I'm older, even older than I am now. Then I can take care of you; I'll be an adult." Still, she didn't want to hear it.
"No! We have to go now. Please, I don't want to go back there again!" It was breaking my heart, and I grabbed her hand and we ran. It was only a matter of minutes before a flashlight was catching up to us. "Oh no, he's here!" I got scared, and I pushed her off of me. She fell to the ground and started to scream. I was well hidden in the trees, watching her from the sidelines, like I did best.
"There you are, you little bitch!" Her father pulled her up by the arm. "We're goin' home. No more park for you for a long, long time." It wasn't too late for me to blindside him and take her. It would have all been over for her, but I didn't move. I kept screaming in my head for me to get her, but I was still.
"COME BACK! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME!" A quick slap to the face shut her mouth, but not the tears and not the knot inside my chest.
"The hell are you calling to so late anyway? Don't tell me you're stupid enough to have imaginary friends!" And then she was thrown in the car and gone. I hadn't realized I was crying until I fell to the ground unable to catch my breath. White flowers cradled me as I hated myself, a Cherokee rose.
Daryl picked up the flower as if it were an old friend telling him stories about their past, about how he left Alice to rot. He had gone back to see her seven years later, trying to make good on that promise. What he saw was unexpected, even now the memory seems tainted. That sweet little girl, white dress and wide eyed, was now wearing tight clothing and smoking outside of the local high school. It was enough to tell him, she was already gone. That was the last time he expected to see her, but the end of the world has a funny way of bringing him back to unresolved issues.
He made his way back, empty handed besides one perfect rose. Despite his trip down memory lane, the Alice he knew wasn't really like either of those ages he's met. She was more a bridge for both of them to merge.
Another day, another promise hangs in the air. How was he ever going to find this girl? Sophia, who is right under his nose, and then ripped out just as fast.
Avoiding the house, he went to the R.V. where he thought Carol would be. She was back and forth cleaning, no doubt busying herself with other things to forget the tragedies. He was noticed but not completely welcomed. "Heard you went searchin' for Sophia."
"Yeah I did. Sorry, nothin'" Daryl did feel bad for it, and the rose in his hand made him feel even worse than that.
"Well you tried. Thanks. Anyway, I hear they got supplies from the pharmacy. Alice should be doin' fine now." He was glad he didn't have to ask, but he was a unnerved with her assuming he'd like to know as well. Ignoring her remarks, he picked up an empty beer bottle and placed the rose inside. This caused her to pause and look at him. "What's this?"
"It's a Cherokee Rose. They're said to have bloomed from the tears of Cherokee mothers who lost their children. It's a sign of hope." A smile lit up her features, forgetting his actions toward her and Dale earlier.
"That's beautiful. Thank you Daryl."
He made his way back out, but turned for one more thought. "I'm not a fool enough to believe there's any flowers blooming for my brother, but I believe this one bloomed for your little girl."
Glenn's trip with Maggie was more than he bargained for. How did he become the one with emotions in this situation? She could so easily throw it off, sex for sex sake. But he had developed feeling for the fiery woman.
Her father was carefully overseeing Alice, as Carl was nearly recovered. Glenn watched him taking her pulse and wiping her brow. "How is she?" He shook his head and sighed.
"Glenn, good you're back. Do you have the medicine?" He handed him a pill bottle, still worried that he didn't answer his question.
"Is she going to be alright?" He repeated. His eyes followed to her shoulder that was newly bandaged and stitched. The color bruise around it was nearly black, and that was ominous to him.
"We'll have to see. It should have been treated sooner." Hershel stood up and began to walk out of the room. "I'm going to check in with my daughter, will you make sure she takes two of those?"
He nodded, and the vet left. Glenn shook her gently, and her eyes slowly opened. It could have been his over active worry, but her eyes seemed to be a paler shade of green. "Hey Alice, I brought you some pills." He took out two of them and poured a glass of water from the pitcher that was left by her bedside.
"And it's not even my birthday." She joked. He ushered her to take them, and she did, coughing a little as they went down. Water sputtered out of her mouth down to her chest.
"Oh you got some on yourself. Here." He took the towel and wiped, very carefully, around her chest. "Maybe you should finish it." Glenn wasn't willing to let his hands wander too far down, and she chuckled at his discomfort. Alice took the towel and dabbed herself, before chucking the towel to the other side of the bed.
"Thanks."
"Yeah. You doin' okay?" She shrugged.
"I guess as..good..as I can be." He seemed only a little relieved by this, so she continued. "If I really felt like I was dying..I probably wouldn't be as calm. I still have to find Sophia." She smiled the best she could through her burdened breathing, and he was relieved. A girl as stubborn as she was on the outside, must be so on the inside too.
"You're right."
Alice patted his hand, "I always am." He rolled his eyes but chuckled. Glenn didn't like that she was upset with him the other day, so he took to not reminding her that she was. They sat in silence a while, until he thought she'd fallen back asleep. "Is there something on your mind?" Perceptive as usual.
He wasn't sure if he wanted to make this about him, but she was so easy to talk to, it fell out. "Haveyoueverbeeninlove?" It was one big word stew for how fast it rushed out between his lips. She took a minute to adjust the words to make a sentence.
"Well I'm honored, but you're not my type." She teased.
"It's not you--wait what do you mean I'm not your type?" He had mock hurt on his face, but he already had an idea of her type of guy. He knew he wouldn't meet the criteria.
"Don't get me wrong, you're sweet. Too sweet, like you'd give me cavities, sweet. I'm more of a steak girl." Glenn gave her a quizzical look.
"So I'm candy."
She ran her sleeve against her sweaty head, "Yeah, a real sucker." He frowned. "In all seriousness, I never really fell in love. The closest thing I had to it was when I was a little girl." She shrugged, "I guess it's debatable at that age, if I could have really cared about someone like that."
He sat back in the chair, curious about young love, really young in her words. "Really? I mean, anything's possible. Who was he?"
Again, she shrugged. "I have no idea. I was going to run away with him, and he never even told me his name. It was all really naive."
"Sounds like an epic tale for a little girl." He surmised.
"I wasn't really like most little kids. I grew up fast. Anyway he left me. I spent a long time blaming him for never coming back, but that wasn't fair. After I got through my troubled teen years, I forgave him, and soon forgot about him entirely." She moved her legs to get more comfortable, "I learned to never expect someone else to save me. He was young himself, but I always remembered him as being so much older."
Glenn felt uncomfortable with the story, "How old was he to want to runaway with a kid? " She laughed.
"Don't worry. He was pretty much a kid himself. I was good at figuring people out back then, too. He wasn't going to hurt me." The subject was starting to hit a nerve, thinking that boy must have been long dead in the apocalypse, still having no idea that fate would have brought her straight to him. "So, I have a feeling that question wasn't exactly for bonding purposes. What's up?"
He shifted in his seat. "Well Maggie and I went and got supplies and.." His eyes started to avoid her own, and she figured it out.
"Oh Glenn, you didn't?" He only nodded.
"Well the best thing I can tell you is to give her time. One night stands for women can be just as selfish as they are with men. If you want her, you're gonna have to make an effort."
"Sounds like you talk from experience."
She reiterated, "I've never been in love, remember?"
They talked for a few more minutes before her eyes were starting to droop. She apologized, but he was more than happy with her advice. A quick goodnight, and he was heading out the door. Without watching where he was going, he smacked right into Daryl who had been standing in the doorway, listening. "Sorry Daryl."
"Whatever, get movin', girl problems!" Glenn scoffed, making sure he was far enough out of ear shot to say something along the lines of, you should talk.
The Dixon was in deep thought at her confession. He had made a bigger impact on her life than he thought, but how could he not. Promising a girl a life of no abuse, protection when she needed it most. It must have meant the whole world, and he ripped it out under her feet. How could he ever mess things up by telling her he was the boy, and that he came back to get her? That he was the reason she didn't believe anyone could help her.
Having Merle come back from his detention made him shift his focus those years ago, he lost sight of the angel on his shoulder that was her. He should have at least talked to her, but he couldn't. Even more years passed, and he still couldn't. "You can come out now." He froze at her voice, the same words she used to call him out on the playground.
"Didn't want to disturb ya. I hear your kind get real pissy about that beauty rest." He avoided sitting down.
"Oh yeah, you wanna know what else--" He raised his hand to stop her.
"Okay, okay. Don't get yourself all excited. How ya feelin'?" Her arms crossed in irritation, and he was suddenly jealous she was kind to Glenn.
"Fine just as I was the first few times I've answered it."
He huffed, "Well I only asked once, miss attitude."
"I'm sorry. I'm just upset about being stuck in this bed; I need to find Sophia." He finally decided to sit in the chair next to her.
"I know. I went lookin' today, found where she might'a been stayin'" Her eyes lit up.
"She wasn't there. I got a trail now, so don't worry; I told ya I'd find her, and I will." Her hand reached out to his, and he debated taking it. "Just for a little while." She begged. He looked outside the door as if to make sure no one could see him. Casually, Daryl laid his hand on the bed for her to take. Her hands were sweaty in his rough, dirty ones. It was like she could slip right out of his grasp.
"Thank you. I can rest easier knowing you are looking."
He scoffed, "Yeah ain't no one else takin' it seriously." Her fingers rubbed against his, and she found a comfort there no one else could give. Silence followed as her eyes began to droop again. "That little boy you were talkin' about--" He softly started.
"Mmmm? Oh, you overheard. It's embarrassing really." He cringed, thinking she might be embarrassed of the boy and not the situation.
"You really think you what--loved him?" A small smile started to form on Alice's lips, but it was drowned out by sleep taking over.
"I wanted to." And her chest evened out to indicate she had succumbed to slumber. He enclosed her hand in both of his, bringing his head down to them.
"I needed you to.."
Hey-o! Thanks for sticking with me so far. This one goes into a little bit of their childhood encounter, so I made a special banner to show them as children. I really love it, not to toot my own horn. Anyways, you know the drill, vote/comment I'd love to know what you think :D