"I ran away," I said into his shoulder still crying.
"Hey, shhhh. It's okay." He said quietly.
"But Merle said not to run away from my problems. To face them and not be a coward." I said through a sob.
"The hell with what Merle said. He never faced dad, never." Daryl said angrily.
"He's gone, isn't he?" I asked quietly.
"Yeah," Daryl sighed.
I nodded my head and continued to cry.
After having to wipe my tears away multiple times Daryl grabbed my hand and walked with me to another room.
"Here, take a shower. Once you're done I'll show you around and introduce you to everybody." My older brother told me.
I nodded and went into the bathroom and shut the door behind me.
I looked in the mirror and saw the cut on my face from where I hit the ground when I passed out. I looked down at my leg and saw the burn my father had given me.
I shook my head clearing my thoughts and turned on the water. I stripped out of my clothes and stood under the running water.
I sighed as the cool water ran over my beaten body.
I heard the door to the bathroom open and someone moving around.
"Hello?" I asked meekly.
"Just me," said Carol. "I brought you your backpack and some clean clothes."
I heard the door close again and finished my shower.
I wrapped a towel around my body and stepped out of the bathtub.
Carol had laid out a light purple tank top and black jeans. I smiled, no one had ever laid out clothes for me to wear.
I finished drying off and put on the clothes. I grabbed the brush out of my backpack and combed out my tangled hair.
When I opened the door I saw Daryl waiting for me across the hall.
"You ready to meet everyone?" He asked.
He walked over to me held on to my hand then led our way downstairs.
Daryl led us to the kitchen where a small group was gathered.
They all stared at us and I hid behind my brother like a little kid.
"I'm Rick." Said the man I had heard talking earlier. He walked towards me holding out his hand.
I stayed behind my brother not answering.
"She uh, she doesn't talk to men." Daryl told the group. "Past issues."
Rick looked at me then nodded.
Daryl pulled me to the side of his body and wrapped an arm around me.
He started pointing at people, naming them off. "That's Rick, Glenn, Maggie, Michonne, Sasha, the baby's Judith, and that's Carl."
I looked around at the people then at the floor.
"Come on, let's eat." Carol said walking in from the dinning room.
I followed Daryl and sat down next to him. The girl who's name was Maggie took a seat by me and Glenn sat next to her.
As the plates of food were passed around Daryl put food on my plate before his own, just like he did when we were younger.
"So how old are you?" Michonne asked from across the table.
I looked at my food and put a fork full of mashed potatoes in my mouth.
"She turned seventeen a couple weeks ago." Daryl answered for me.
"So she's about Sophia's age." Carol butted in. "Is that why you were so adamant about finding her?"
"And why you were so good with Judith?" Rick added.
"I don't know." He mumbled then took a bite just like I did so he didn't have to talk.
Once dinner was over Rick asked Carl and I to take the dishes to the kitchen to wash them.
I looked up at Daryl for a second and he nodded.
I helped Carl clear the dishes off of the table and followed him back into the kitchen.
"So were you on your own or with a group?" Carl asked me as he started the water in the sink.
I stayed quiet and continued to scrape the food off the plates.
"Okay, since you won't talk how about nod if you were in a group and shake your head if you were by yourself."
"She was with a group but she ran away." Daryl said from the doorway.
"Why'd you leave?" Carl asked. He looked at me then back to Daryl.
"That's something she has to tell you." Daryl said. "Come on, Lexa, let me show you around Alexandria."
We walked down out onto the front porch then down the stairs. The sun was on the verge of setting, making the sky a beautiful pinkish purple color.
"We found this place a couple months ago, well they found us." Daryl said as we walked the street.
"Is it just like one big neighborhood with a fence around it?" I asked.
"Yeah, I guess." He said rubbing the stubble on his chin. "The man who made this community was an architect. He designed the walls and a small area to grow crops. Made it where the houses has electricity and running water."
"Must be a smart guy." I replied taking the whole thing in.
"Listen," Daryl said, grabbing my shoulders so I would look at him. "you don't have to be scared of these people; at least not the group you met at dinner. I've known most of them since it started, they're good people."
"Daryl," I started but was cut off.
"I know you've got your reasons for distancing yourself and I know you are just shy, but can you at least try?" He asked quietly.
I nodded my head and looked at my feet.
"Come here," he said pulling me into another hug.
"We should get back to the house," Daryl said after the sun was completely down.
We walked back to the groups house and stopped on the front porch.
"Remember, try to trust them." My brother said right before he opened the door.
We found the group in the living room talking and laughing together. There were three new people there that weren't at dinner.
"Ah, you must be the sister." A man with red hair and a big build said.
"That's Abraham, Rosita, and Eugene." Rick said as he motioned to each of them.
I nodded and looked at my feet.
"She's shy." I heard Carl say.
Daryl sat in between Abraham and Rick so there was no room for me. I looked at him and gave him a wide-eyed look and he just smirked back.
I looked around the room and saw the only available seat was between Carl and Maggie. I walked slowly to the spot and sat down.
"So how do you like Alexandria?" Maggie asked.
"It's good." I answered quietly. "Safe."
"Yeah, we've enjoyed it here." She said smiling.
I looked over to Daryl to find him watching me. When we made eye contact he gave me a thumbs up for talking to Maggie.
Slowly everybody started leaving the room to go to sleep. Soon it was only Rick, Carl, Daryl, and I left.
I was now sitting next to Daryl watching him restring his crossbow.
"I have to ask you a few questions before I can give you your weapons back." Rick said sitting up in his chair.
I glanced at Daryl then nodded quietly.
"How many walkers have you killed?" He asked.
"I don't know," I answered in a whisper, looking down at the crossbow in my brothers hands.
"Okay, and how many people have you killed?"
I quickly looked up at him the back at the floor.
I stayed quiet and heard Rick move restlessly in his chair.
"One." I whispered.
"Who was it and why?" Rick continued.
I felt all three pair of eyes burning my skin.
"Anna," I said in a barely audible voice.
"Anna?" Daryl repeated. "Anna Vanhout?"
I nodded and looked up at him. I could feel the tears streaming down my face. "She was bit"
Daryl wrapped his arm around me and I hid my face from the two others in the room.
"She was her best friend," Daryl told Rick and Carl.