CHAPTER ONE || ON THE ROAD

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That was three days ago. and the relief still hadn't worn off. since then Alex hadn't taken her eyes off her family in fear they'd disappear, her heart still ached, but her motivation to survive, to keep fighting was coming back, all because of the little boy she was lucky enough to call her cousin.

 In the few days, she'd been around the Group she'd learnt a lot about the People; Carol, T-Dog, Hershel. She listened to their stories about their time in Atlanta, how Glenn had saved Rick's life and reunited him with Lori and Carl, and How they almost died at the CDC. Stories about the Farm. hearing everything they'd been through, all the places they'd been filled her with a sense of hope that they could actually find somewhere again. Rick had become a great leader, he'd lead them to places they could stay.. at least for a while, whereas Alex had been on the road since it had all started.

For hours, Alex's eyes remained fixated on her family. She watched as Carl shadowed his father's every move, his desire to safeguard the group causing her unease. But she knew that Carl wasn't stupid. They couldn't ignore the fact that danger was everywhere. even to children. She couldn't believe how Rick found them and how he managed to survive. She could barely take her eyes off of them, fearing that they would just disappear.

The feeling of finding them was indescribable. Alex had never felt anything like it before. She promised herself she'd never leave them again. Being alone for those weeks was excruciating, Alex had lost herself. But now she was here, interacting with people and travelling with a group, looking for somewhere to call home.

Everyone started to lose hope, Alex was just thankful for her family. but she knew they had to find somewhere, somewhere safe for Lori to give birth. Rick had every ounce of hope and belief they would find somewhere. Alex had no choice but to believe him, and maybe deep down she actually did.

"you feeling okay honey?" Lori's voice echoed through Alex's ears, A smile tugging at her lips as she glanced up to see her aunt smiling at her, she felt like it was a dream she couldn't fathom how this was real... 

"Yeah, I am now I'm with you" Alex smiled looking to her aunt who sat beside her around the warm campfire, Lori's pregnancy Confused the younger brunette... Thoughts popping into her head how could anyone feel safe enough to bring another innocent soul into what the world had become...

"Are you alright? with well" Alex's eyes flickered down to Lori's bump. the worry of a baby, Crying out in the unprotected world. Walkers roaming everywhere. Alex shook her head trying to rid the thought from her brain she glanced at her aunt's bump, that baby. Alex knew she would do anything to protect them... 

"yeah I'm just tired" Lori nodded, Her eyes shifted to Rick from across the fire. The look in Lori's eyes hinted at Guilt. Alex raised a brow as she followed her aunt's gaze to her uncle. Something was different between the couple, Alex couldn't quite put her finger on what, but she knew something had changed.

"Try and get some rest, we're all here.. it's safe" Alex looked around the group, as safe as it can be...

sat on the far side of the campfire Alex wrapped her military-issued jacket around her small frame in an attempt to conserve her warmth as she wondered what life could be like now as part of a group, and if it would actually last. her heart ached as she looked around the group, these people, they had to be good, there had to be good people still around, right?

As her eyes flickered between the people sitting around the fire she caught sight of her uncle exchanging words with the Korean boy before he nodded and walked towards Alex, she glanced back at the roaring fire in the centre as Glenn sat down beside her. She wondered how she had ended up beside Glenn at almost every camp they'd been at despite the fact they hadn't spoken. Her mind wandered to how Glenn had stayed close to her family, almost as if he wanted to protect them as much as she did.

Alex stayed silent as he settled next to her. glimpsing over at him her eyes slowly trailed over his face. Sweet, that's the only word Alex could come up with when it came to the boy. He looked kind.

"hi," his voice was soft, innocent. making Alex wonder how he could possibly be classed as one of the men of the group, and how he'd managed to survive so long. Alex tried not to think that way, but after what she'd witnessed. how was she supposed to believe trained soldiers couldn't survive but he could... Maybe that was a dangerous thought, but she couldn't help what plagued her mind.

alex nodded acknowledging his presence as she looked back towards the fire, the brief interactions she'd had with him, the way she'd seen him act. it was different, he was the equivalent of a breath of fresh air to everyone around him. She noticed the way he made people laugh, the way everyone trusted him, his contagious smile. the way he seemed to be the heart of the group. not one person would turn him a blind eye. 

"We haven't really spoke yet so- I'm Glenn," he said, smiling softly as he looked at the blue-eyed girl. Her long, dark hair framed her face as the light from the fire accentuated her button nose.

"I know," Alex answered without thinking. Her blunt voice came almost too naturally, the things she had experienced since joining the military and since the walkers arose had completely destroyed her sense of self and belonging. 

She had forgotten how to interact with people, a part of her had begun to believe good people didn't exist anymore, yet the energy that radiated through this group was different, it was good. she looked up catching Glenn's brown eyes, her gaze softened he was kind.

"Alex," she nodded, introducing herself to Glenn. They had already been introduced by Rick, Glenn just wanted to take the time to actually get to know Alex, she was now part of their family, although she didn't know it yet. Glenn nodded, assuming Alex wasn't much of a talker. However, her military-issued jacket left him with unanswered questions. He could tell she was around his age, but her eyes held a depth that hid a pained life beyond her years.

Despite the questions he wanted to ask, he stayed silent, and the two stared at the campfire as the group erupted into chatter. Glenn added his input every so often, but his mind was preoccupied with thoughts of the grimes girl next to him.

Alex sat listening to the group's conversation, observing each individual member with a keen eye. Her military training had taught her how to read a room, how to know if you could trust someone. a skill Alex prided herself on greatly, and as she took in the personalities around her, she mentally psychoanalysed each one with precision. Alex trusted her uncle, and she trusted his decision to stay with this group. They must have proven themselves to him. all of them. 

A while passed and Alex's eyes flickered between members of the group, Lori, and Carl. Shed learnt some of the other people's names, yet Shed only had a quick conversation with Hershel as Rick had ordered him to check on her since he had medical training. but she was okay, she was always okay.

"You're army?" the boy sitting next to her asked, trying to make conversation and befriend her. Glenn and Alex being two of the youngest adults in the group, he wanted to have a good relationship with her. At least be friends. A part of him was filled with loneliness since the apocalypse happened, it didn't help he hadn't spoken to anyone his age, aside from Maggie.

"Used to be," Alex answered, her gaze still fixed on the raging fire between the group. The heat radiating from it was comforting, not that it made a difference, comfort and safety were two very different things... 

"What did you do?" he asked, continuing his attempt to initiate conversation between the two. He looked at the girl whose eyes hid many secrets. His leader's niece, Rick's niece. She had to be like him in some way...

"I was Intelligence and a sniper," she answered bluntly, her eyes fixated on the fire. She watched the flames burn, sending flicks of ash into the air. Glenn nodded silently, more questions running through his brain. But deciding to stay quiet, he shifted, balling up his coat, getting into a comfortable position on the floor. Alex glanced down at him, laying a few feet away from her, the fire accentuating his features as he closed his eyes, ready to fall asleep, a peaceful look upon his face.

Alex glanced around the campfire, noticing everyone had been doing a similar thing. She looked over to her aunt Lori, seeing Carl's head laid on her lap. She sighed, grabbed her backpack, and attempted to get into a comfortable position. the thoughts in her mind always came back, especially in silence, Sometimes silence was her favourite way to speak and sometimes it became the scariest thing of all...

Laying against the cold floor, she looked up, stars shining, the trees glistening from any rain that morning. Closing her eyes, she finally let herself fall asleep. Despite the lack of safety, Alex had become accustomed to that feeling. Even before walkers started roaming, she didn't feel safe. It was something she had grown used to.

***

The night passed in a blur, Alex woke up to the sun blazing down on her face. She groaned turning away from the light, blinking sleepily as she took in her surroundings. Glenn was still beside her, his face peaceful. Alex sat up, looked around, noticing that most of the group was still fast asleep. She yawned grabbing her jacket, shrugging it over the blood-stained tank top she'd been wearing. getting to her feet, she walked past Glenn.

Making her way up to the road, Alex saw Rick standing by the car, gun in hand. "What's going on?" she asked, joining him on the small hill that separated the forest from the road. She looked down and saw a map spread out on the hood of the car.

"I'm trying to find somewhere safe for us to stay," Rick replied, his voice low and serious as he ran a hand over his face. Alex nodded understanding, knowing that it was especially important for her family, particularly Lori. She wasn't far from giving birth, and everyone knew that they wouldn't survive for long on the road with a crying baby.

"We'll find somewhere, Rick. For Lori and Carl. I'll do whatever it takes," Alex said, determination shining in her eyes. She wasn't particularly close with this side of her family before the world had gone to hell, but they were still family, the only family that ever made her feel like it. Finding them a safe place to call home was the least she could do for them. She had to. Rick smiled. She knew that Rick was confident in their ability to find a safe place but she couldn't help but feel a sense of doubt. The chances of them finding somewhere they could truly call home were slim, and she knew that. But she had to try, for Lori and the baby. there had to be somewhere, maybe another farm?

As the uncle and niece duo were looking over the map, Daryl joined them, his agitation clear in his southern accent as he swung his arm. "Couldn't find nothin'!" he scoffed, his frustration palpable. Alex looked at her uncle with a confused expression, wondering what he was so worked up about.

"Running low on food," he confirmed, glancing over at Daryl. Alex looked over at him as she walked to the car, opening the door and pulled out her assault rifle. She had left it in the car for safety and only slept with her pistol and knives. As she grabbed her weapon, Alex realized that she hadn't even noticed the group's dwindling food supply. She guessed that the weeks of living off next to no food had suppressed her appetite to the point where she hadn't noticed the lack of food.

"I can help hunt," Alex declared, her eyes never leaving the weapon in her hands. "not the best weapon for it, but I'm a perfect shot," Daryl grunted and walked back towards the camp as Rick looked at Alex.

"He's just stressed. We all are," Rick said, trying to reassure her. "Leave Daryl to hunt. Stay here so we can keep you safe." Alex rolled her eyes at the implication that she needed protection. She was sure she was one of the most capable of surviving out of the group.

"I don't need to be kept safe," Alex said firmly. "I can help, Rick." She knew that Rick still viewed her as a broken child he had to pick up at the police station, his own workplace. But she had come a long way since then, and she was determined to prove it to him no matter what.

"I know you can," Rick said, his eyes never leaving his niece's face. He couldn't bear the thought of losing her again. he didn't want to lose anyone, not again.

"Rick, I-" she began, but he cut her off with a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Daryl's got it. just Let me protect you all, okay?" he said, his voice gentle but firm. He was determined to keep his family safe, no matter what it took.

"Okay," Alex sighed, giving in to her uncle's words. She could see the relief wash over his face as she agreed. She could tell he had changed since it all started... something had transformed him. He was no longer the carefree man she remembered from her childhood. He had become hardened, his eyes filled with a steely determination of the horrors he had seen.