THE REASON

chapter eighteen ; alexandria
[ season five - episode twelve ]

SHE WAS IN awe. As she stared up at the walls in front of her, the sound of children laughing and yelling behind them was not what she was expecting when they arrived at the entrance of Alexandria.

It was exactly how she imagined it to be from the pictures — however, it felt surreal. She wouldn't have thought that a place like that with people that were happy would still exist. She was wrong.

In fact, a majority of them were wrong — especially Rick. Not only a day before had he tried to persuade them into thinking Alexandria wasn't real and was only a trap just like Terminus was.

The Grimes man stepped forward, his daughter babbling loudly in his arms as her bright eyes danced around. Kloe subconsciously shot her head over to her husband and brother beside her.

She sent them a small smile, gesturing toward her ear and the walls. They listened closely, catching onto the children's laughter and happiness latched in their voices. Smiles snuck their ways onto their lips mindlessly, turning over to the youngest members of the group.

Carl had the back of his head facing them, his eyes trained on something else in the distance in one of the abandoned houses that looked as though they'd been burnt down. They were the forgotten buildings that were excluded from the others before the walls were built.

Their attention was brought back to the gate that was in front of them, being pulled open from the other side as Aaron, Eric, and Max approached it. A loud rattle from a trash can was to be heard to the side of everyone, instinctively making them spin around and raise their weapons.

Scurrying out of the metal object was a small animal. A possum. It was looking for food. Possibly for its family or itself. It was surviving. Not for long though as Daryl releases his trigger on his crossbow. An arrow flew through the possum's torso, letting out a small squeal before its life faded away.

Daryl crouched forward, picking up the possum from its tail. The people behind the gate frowned upon the Dixon man as the gate could no longer open any more than it had.

A man and a woman both stared at Daryl, clenching their jaws. The man had short, curly, brunette hair. He had a long face, but that might've just been from where his mouth was partly open. He wore a polo shirt that had buttons going down the middle, the two at the top undone with very light green cargo pants. Around his shoulder was his rifle.

Beside him was a much shorter woman, who had long, wavy, dirty blond hair. She wore a plain white crop top, partially covered by her denim jacket, with dark gray, skin tight pants. The part that was most mesmerizing about her was her deep blue eyes, which if you looked close enough was equivalent to crystals.

Before she could comment on anything, the woman's eyes shifted over to Max. She didn't hesitate to leap forward and wrap her arms around him. The group standing outside of the gates automatically assumed she was his sister.

The man stayed put, nevertheless. Daryl merely shrugged, "we brought dinner." The woman pulled away from her brother's embrace and trained her eyes back onto the group as she stepped back.

Both Max and Aaron caught onto their eyes and decided to speak. "It's okay," Aaron told the man with nervous eyes.

"You guys can come in," Max added, beckoning the group inside the gate.

Everyone shared a glance with one another before Glenn opted to be the first to step forward, leading the way. Both Zayn and Kloe were next to follow, the others doing the same behind them.

As Abraham was the last to enter, both the man and Max's sister closed the gate, securing it tightly before any lurkers could sneak its way in. The gate clashed loudly as it reached the other end.

That was it — they were now all inside.

Kloe's stomach twisted with a mixture of emotions as she looked around. It didn't even seem like they were in the apocalypse from how clean and sturdy the entire community was — and that was just how much she could see.

"Before we take this any further," Curly Hair Man said once closing the gate, "I need you all to hand over your weapons." A frown pulled down Kloe's lips, her hand subconsciously tightening around her bow. She was never too comfortable giving away any of her weapons, especially her bow.

"If you want the stay, you're gonna have to give them," Max's sister chimed in, exasperatedly swaying her arms back and forth as she watched the hesitation sink within the group in front of her.

"We don't know if we wanna stay," Rick enlightened, stepping forward and narrowing his eyes deeply toward Curly Hair Man and Max's sister, the baby in his arms watching the two people she had never seen before.

"It's fine, Nicholas," Aaron told Curly Hair Man — Nicholas — before facing Max's sister. "You don't need to be stubborn, Madolyn. They're good people."

"If we were to use them, we would have started already," Rick added, moderately tilting his head toward Nicholas and Madolyn. He watched as Max set his hand on Madolyn's shoulder as she glared across at him for calling her stubborn.

"Let them talk to Deanna first before we do anything, alright?" Max told not only his sister, but Nicholas too. Aaron agreed and nodded with his friend.

"Who's Deanna?" Abraham questioned from the back of the group rather loudly, a stern look present in his eyes.

"She knows everything you wanna know about this place," Aaron elaborated, assuring them all with a small smile.

...

"Hello," the woman that Aaron and the others had led them to greeted. She was a short woman who looked like she was in her mid sixties or something. She had blond hair that brushed against her shoulders. She held a warm smile on her lips, creases surrounding her blue eyes.

Kloe blinked, unable to take her eyes off of the appearance of the room she was set in. "Hi..." she replied, barely above a whisper, fascinated at how everything seemed. It was as if the apocalypse had never happened. Kloe didn't fit in, seeming she was smeared with dirt and dried out blood from walkers she had killed days ago — possibly even weeks.

"I'm Deanna Monroe," the woman, Deanna, introduced, her voice soft and formal. The Rhee woman broke her gaze away from the furniture in the room and looked ahead at the woman. "You are?"

"Kloe Rhee," she responded, wiping her tongue across her bottom lip as she set her right hand on the back of the lone chair in the middle of the room. Her left hand fidgeted with the edges of her exceedingly long raven hair, nearing the bottom of her back.

"Do you mind if I film this?" Deanna asked, gesturing over to the camera that was placed on a tripod behind a couch, opposite the lone chair. Kloe pursed her lips and furrowed her brows, but nonetheless shook her head. "Take a seat."

Kloe's eyes slowly dropped down to the chair her hand was set on, gulping nervously and hesitatingly before complying. She rounded the seat and sat down, her eyes flickering up to the camera as Deanna pressed record.

"So, let's start off with an obvious question," Deanna spoke as she placed herself down on the couch opposite her to the side, not wanting to sit directly in front of the camera considering that would defeat the whole point of recording in the first place. "How long have you been with this group?"

The Rhee woman's lips parted, her words getting trapped in her throat. "Uh," she paused, glancing down at her hands set in her lap, "the group has changed overtime. There's always been different people in our group that haven't made it. But I've stuck with the same people since the very beginning."

"And what were you before this?"

"College student for Performing Arts," she answered, inhaling a deep breath through her nose. "It's not something I wanted to do, but I did wanna be an archeress, and that's what I am."

Deanna's lips lifted as she nodded. "How long have you been doing archery?"

"Since my dad took me to an archery class when I was fourteen. We were supposed to be trampolining, but he booked the wrong thing. I'm glad he did. So technically ten years." Kloe chuckled at the memory when they pulled into a parking lot for archery and not trampolining for his daughter.

"I was a congressperson," Deanna let known. "Ohio, fifteenth district."

Kloe forced a smile and nodded, not wanting to stay stoic and be rude. She wanted what was best for her and her family in this community, and she wasn't going to take that chance away.

"Being out there was hard, and we were all just millimeters away from giving up. Some of us weren't, but most of us... including me. At least here, I don't have to worry about my asthma at all," she chuckled slightly, earning a chuckle in return from Deanna.

"Aaron, Eric, and Max all returned after one day of going to find people. Everyone here was confused as to why they returned," Deanna began, causing Kloe to become intrigued and watch the woman intently. "Aaron had told me there was a woman who had severe asthma and was hardly walking. That was you, wasn't it."

"Yep," Kloe answered honestly, popping her lips at the 'p'. "Sorry for using your resources. I'm pretty sure I used way more oxygen than I intended to, I just—" she cut herself off, shaking her head and changing up her words. "Thank you. Thank you for saving a stranger's life."

Deanna smiled. "We're always more than happy to help out those we see need it. The most important part to survival is friendship and families."

"It is," she acknowledged, her head bobbing up and down instantly. "It is indeed." Kloe went back to fidgeting with her fingers once silence filled the room. She was used to the quiet, sure, but not in an environment like this.

She decided to glance around the room one last time, taking in everything she saw swiftly. Two couches. TV above a fireplace. Lots and lots of books stacked on the bookshelves. Candles. Lamps. Curtains—

"What are you best at, Kloe?" Deanna wondered, noticing how Kloe became distracted with the whole thing and caught her attention. "We've supplied everyone in your group with a job that fits them best. Isabelle had gone for the—"

"A doctor's job?" Kloe interrupted, immediately whispering an apology for her rudeness. "Sorry. I— I just know exactly what she's like. She'll do whatever it takes to help the ones in need. I've seen it."

Deanna sealed her eyes and nodded. "Yes. She told me about how enthusiastic she was about medical care. It seems she wanted to be a doctor before everything began."

"Yeah," Kloe smiled. "She's always been a big fan of that. Anyway... about what I'm best at. Well, I'm good at archery, obviously. Um, I always went on supply runs with my husband at the start of this whole thing. Do you do supply runs?"

"Yes, we do," Deanna answered. "We already gave some of your group that role. But Glenn told me you'd be up for that job and insisted on accepting you. He spoke about you a lot. Is he your husband?"

Kloe tried her hardest to hide her smile, but it managed to break out onto her lips. "Yeah. And yes, I'm more than happy to be one of your supply runners. Uh, may I ask who is also a supply runner?" she wondered, raising a single brow as she leaned forward.

"Of course. We have Glenn, Tara, Noah, and now you," she listed, catching Kloe off guard with how very few people had taken that role. "We have more," oh, nevermind then, "but those four will be our top runners."

Kloe had completely forgotten the fact that this was an interview and leaned forward even more with parted lips. "What about Reina? She's a good supply runner."

Deanna chuckled and shook her head. "She chose to be a caregiver for the elderly people here," she sighed. "I offered it to her, but she was practically on her knees for the caregiver job. So I gave it to her."

Creases formed in Kloe's forehead from how far up her brows lifted. "I'm surprised," she admitted before leaning back into the chair. "Is there anything else I could do? Sure, I'm a supply runner now, but I can be something else too. I like to be busy."

"Well, what else are you good at?" Deanna inquired, a formal smile dutifully filling her lips.

She pondered for a moment, thinking deeply. It was as if a lightbulb was above her head as she looked straight ahead at the woman. "I could teach self-defense?"

...

A small gasp escaped Kloe's lips as the hot water touched her dirtied skin. Her eyes sealed shut with satisfaction as she smiled widely, the dimples forming in her cheeks.

Goosebumps formed on her skin when the water soaked into her scalp, making her shiver as she listened to the droplets fall onto the flooring beneath her. "This is what I call heaven," Kloe stated as she felt two hands set down on her bare shoulders.

She smiled as she felt lips press against her cheek, his own head being under the shower head as the water slithered down his skin. "Heaven is an understatement," Glenn mumbled through kisses.

Kloe turned around, facing her husband who had his face inches away from hers as he watched her eyes. A small, soft, loving smile etched onto his face, bringing his hand up to her cheek and pulling her in for a kiss.

While he kissed her, she reached out her hand and wrapped her wet hand around the shampoo bottle on the plastic shelf behind her. She pulled away with a smile as she squeezed the shampoo onto her hand. She rubbed her hands together as she set down the bottle.

She coated her wet hair with the shampoo and massaged it into her scalp, not instantly foaming since it would have to take her two shampoo washes to successfully clean it. She hadn't properly taken a decent shower since the farm which was about a year and a half before.

"Your hair is getting long," Glenn commented as he watched his wife rub in the shampoo. She stopped and rinsed the chemicals out of her hair. "I remember it being up to your elbows."

"Even that was hard to deal with, you know?" Kloe grinned, sharing a quick glance with Glenn before going to squeeze more shampoo onto her hands. However she was cut short when Glenn seized onto the bottle instead.

"I'll give you a massage," Glenn elaborated as Kloe squinted her eyes across at him with a bigger grin than before. She laughed lightly before handing the bottle over to him. He squeezed the contents onto his palm as she turned around, her back facing to him as she leaned her head back.

Her eyes closed satisfactorily as she felt her husband's hands dig into her scalp, immediately massaging the shampoo into her head. This time, it foamed in her hair and bubbles coated Glenn's hands.

"I don't think I can take leaving this shower," Kloe stated barely above a whisper as Glenn applied the shampoo to the ends of her hair. "I'll probably sleep-walk into this shower."

Glenn chuckled as he rinsed out all of the soapy foam out of her hair. "You and me both," he agreed as she turned back around to face him. "It wouldn't bother me taking showers like this everyday. At least we're saving water."

A smile broke out onto her lips again, making Glenn poke her dimples. "D'you think you'll ever not poke my dimples?" she wondered teasingly, running her hand through his hair that was definitely getting long too.

"If I ever do that, take me to the clinic," Glenn snickered, his eyes closing as Kloe played with his hair. "Do you think you'll ever not play with my hair?" he asked back.

"Eh, seems we both have habits," Kloe laughed, bringing her hand back down to the side. "Are you gonna get a haircut?" she queried as she layered her hand with more shampoo for her husband.

He shrugged, "I'm not sure. Are you?"

She nodded instantly and frowned with a smile. "Not even a question. I went to see Rick earlier to see how he was doing after the interview with Deanna. He was having his hair done and he controlled whatever jungle was going on on his face."

"Wait, he doesn't have a beard now?" he wondered as his wife doused his hair with the men's shampoo. "Last time I saw him without a beard was when we saved him in Atlanta."

"Hear this," she said, stifling down a chuckle, "he has less of a beard than then."

"No way."

"Yes way," she giggled. "Anyway, the woman who was doing his hair seems nice. Her name's Jessie. I asked her if I could get my hair done tomorrow and she said yeah. Never thought I'd be so excited for a haircut before."

Glenn cleaned out the foam in his black hair once Kloe was done. "Do you think I should get my hair done?" he questioned, his eyes meeting hers.

"I think no," Kloe honestly replied, tilting her head as she watched her husband stare into her eyes with a smile, "but that's up to you. It's your hair, not mine."

Glenn blinked, thinking back to the moment in the prison when they had to clear out before the Governor arrived. They had completely emptied the place so there was no trace that they were ever there in the first place. While he and Kloe were cleaning out, he recalled the moment she told him to try growing it out.

"Turns out I don't look as crazy as I thought," Glenn admitted, causing Kloe to snort. "What, you think I look crazy?" he playfully asked, his hand setting over his chest dramatically. "My poor heart, Kloe. It's hurting."

She giggled as she layered conditioner into the ends of her hair and rinsed it out. She twisted her hair, setting it over her shoulder before stepping forward. Her chest pressed against Glenn's as she pressed her moist lips against his.

She wrapped her arms around the back of his neck, him doing the same around her waist. He deepened the kiss as he ran his hand up the skin of her back.

The feeling of each other's breath against each other's faces makes the moment more passionate than it originally was when Kloe planned to kiss him. She couldn't help but smile into the kiss.

One of her hands sneaked away from the back of Glenn's neck and toward the faucet, breaking away from the kiss and switching the shower off. "Can't waste water."

...

Despite the fact they had been offered two houses to share, they all agreed on the fact that they all slept in the same room in the same house in the same proximity for the first night at least.

It was night time, and no one could lie that they were all exhausted. It had been a long three and so weeks, and this break that they had been given was definitely needed.

Everyone had to throw on their clothes they wore before showering, but having clean hair and clean skin was enough to make them smile. The smell the clothes held had grown accustomed to them.

"Where'd you get that comic?" Kloe found herself wondering as she sat on one of the wooden dining chairs, Carl being slouched over and reading the pictures on the pages on the end chair.

"I found it," Carl answered, briefly looking up at the woman. "I found it in the other house's attic. It looked like someone was camping out there or something... I don't know. There was a lot of stuff up there."

"Hm, we'll have to loot it out one day," Kloe pouted, brushing some of her now dry hair behind her ear.

Out of nowhere, Reina placed herself in the seat opposite Kloe. She herself had to throw on her own clothes, but she tied her dark brown hair into a French braid after washing it. She wore a gray graphic tee, although there were sweat stains around her chest. For pants, she threw back on her jeans.

"Where did you come from?" Carl wondered, staring to the side at the Salazar woman.

"The sky. Thought I should see Jesus and say hello for a while," Reina sarcastically answered. "The couch, genius," she replied realistically. "I was going through my backpack and I remembered I had this." She pulled out a small, tattered box.

And within an instant, Carl quickly looked at what page he was on and slammed his comic shut, setting it down on the wooden flooring beside his chair. "And suddenly I don't wanna read anymore."

Kloe chuckled and shook her head as she turned around in her chair, facing some of the others as they all sat around in boredom. "Hey, Isabelle," she called out.

Isabelle turned around from where she was standing, a curious look in her expression. Kloe motioned her to come over to the table, to which she obliged. She stepped over, and her eyes filled with joy immediately.

She took a seat beside Kloe as Carl lunged forward, unpacking the box of Uno cards. "I wonder who's gonna win this time?" Isabelle laughed, blowing her baby hairs out of her face.

"Uh, stupid question, Marshel. Next question," Reina playfully glared at Isabelle, who jokingly narrowed her eyes in return. "We never got to finish our last game. We're gonna finish this one—"

The four were cut short when there was a knock at the front door. Carl pursed his lips and accidentally slammed his hands down, along with the box of cards, against the wooden table. "Shit, sorry," he whispered quietly to the others.

Kloe didn't hesitate to lightly whack Carl across the arm. "Stop with the cursing!" she hissed in return before innocently turning to face the front door.

Rick, who looked like a completely different person to how he did earlier that day — his hair groomed and not a single patch of beard to be seen —, opened the front door, revealing the very woman who had interviewed everyone in the room.

"Rick, I—" she was cut short, stunned at how different the man in front of her looked. "Wow." Rick passively groaned. "I didn't know what was under there." Kloe had to stifle down a laugh as she pursed her lips tightly. "Listen, I— I— I don't mean to interrupt. I just wanted to stop by and see how you were all settling—"

The older woman's eyes drifted across the entire group, starting from Maggie, who rested up on a wall beside her boyfriend, all the way to Reina, who was the farthest from Maggie and leaned back on one of the wooden chairs with her arms folded over her chest.

"Oh my. Staying together," she looked over her shoulder and smiled at Rick. "Smart."

"No one said we couldn't," Rick countered, his hand on the door as he stared down at the Monroe woman.

"You said you're a family," Deanna reminded, casting back to the point when she interviewed him. "That's what you said." She returned to looking back across the room filled with people. "Absolutely amazing to me how people... with completely different backgrounds and nothing in common can become that. Don't you think?"

Kloe couldn't help but think the same. They all had different lives at one point, doing completely different things. Some of the people in the room she hadn't even known for a year yet and she wouldn't hesitate to call them family.

"Everybody said you gave them jobs," Rick brought up, somewhat changing the subject.

"Mmm-hmm," Deanna nodded and smiled. "Yeah. Part of this place. Looks like the communists won after all."

The edges of Rick's lips lift moderately at Deanna's joke. "Well, you didn't give me one," he pointed out.

"I have. I just haven't told you yet," she grinned before peering over his shoulder and looking at someone in particular. "Same with Michonne. I'm closing in on something for Sasha, coming up with how Kloe's suggestion is gonna work. And I'm just trying to figure Mr. Dixon out, but I will."

Reina's head snapped over to the woman opposite her. "What did you suggest?" she mouthed, making her mouth movements very clear.

"Self-defense training," she answered, mouthing back the words.

"You look good," Deanna told Rick, looking him up and down before leaving the house that the group had occupied.

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words: 4198
7th august 2023
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nuthin to say here honestly. WAIT WAIT NO YES THERE IS I CBA TO DELETE THAT TEXT.
max o'niell is played by aaron taylor johnson!
and madolyn o'niell is played by willa holland!

have a good day :)