CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT || GROWING PAINS

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"Alex I'm on watch tonight you gonna come with me?" Glenn asked knowing when one of the two was on watch in the guard tower it was one of the best times to spend time together. Alex turned to look at the Korean boy leaning against the doorway of her Cell as she tied her jacket around her waist.

"I'll see I'm training with Sam again" She glanced back down to her hands where she ejected the clip of her pistol checking the amount of ammo before securing it back into place on her waist as Glenn's brows furrowed. 

"you've trained with him every day this week Lex I've barely seen you" His words, The nickname sent a shiver down her spine. yet it was different to when Merle had said it all those weeks ago, a warm fuzzy feeling washed over her as she shook her head trying to rid herself of it.

"Glenn you wanted me to try to talk to more people from Woodbury. that's what I'm doing. if the governor.. or someone like that turns up again we are gonna need good fighters. these delusions people have that this life here is gonna be easy are wrong. we're gonna have to fight." Glenn sighed at Alex's words as she grabbed the long sharp dagger from the table in her cell.

"but things are good right now. you can take a break and breathe.." Glenn comforted in an attempt to let Alex know she was safe, at least for now.

"I want to be prepared, Glenn. I don't want anyone to get hurt again, I don't want to feel like that again." she couldn't feel like that again, feel that helpless. the worst pain is knowing someone you care about is in pain, while there's absolutely nothing you can do to help them.

Alex shrugged as she walked past Glenn, Leaving his mind racing with thoughts, he wanted to stop her. Tell her what he truly wanted but he couldn't. He couldn't. he let her walk away. her mind rotted with the guilt of the governor, of Merle beating Glenn, her mind wouldn't give her a break... and it was starting to show... clearly. 

**

"your control is shit Beckett" Alex huffed After having watched Sam complete the multiple tasks she had set up over the past few days she'd been training with him she was Disappointed with his progress.

"come here" She sighed, taking a few steps toward him, her boot-clad feet colliding with the leaves that coated the forest floor away from the safety of the prison. Sam looked at her his eyebrows knitting together as she raised her fists positioning herself into a fighting stance.

"Hit me." she deadpanned, the tone of her voice indicating she was completely serious. 

"What?" He exclaimed in disbelief, his eyes widening as he looked at the shorter woman. he couldn't hit a woman, he couldn't. 

"you heard me. hit me." She repeated, He hesitated debating it for a second. He couldn't hit a woman. he thought about it too long. Alex's fist propelled toward his face, firmly connecting with his jaw sending the man off balance, stumbling back he groaned in pain, his hand automatically going to cradle his Jaw.

"Alex what the fuck" He huffed rubbing his jaw, opening and closing his mouth as he tried to brush off the pain, Alex just chuckled as she observed his reaction. he wanted to learn, and if he wanted to learn properly he had to fight.

"You wanted to train. let's train. Hit me." Sam looked at her for a moment, debating if this was what he really thought would happen when he asked the woman to train him. Sighing he gave in, Copying Alex's fighting stance, a smirk tugging at her lips as she observed how he stood, which his left foot in front of his right, His hips at an Angle, His hands weren't protecting his face.

"Hands higher. Protect your face and neck. jabs hurt." Alex ordered, Sam followed her instructions raising his hands, protecting his head.

"legs further apart. straighten your hips." Alex again ordered him into the correct position, Sam obliged Doing what Alex had Asked of him before he looked back at the Girl, who wore a smile like a loaded gun.

"Now hit me" Alex saw it coming before he'd even moved, The way his foot shifted, the way his eyes darkened. Alex's forearm connected with his arm before he could make contact with her face, spinning her arm around his she gripped his arm. Forcefully pulling it around his back, her other hand held his shoulder as she pulled his arm in the wrong direction. Groans leaving his lips.

"fuck okay" He hissed in pain as she twisted his arm before Alex let him go, he muttered; "shit"

"Maybe you're better at this than I thought" Sam huffed rubbing his sore shoulder, Alex shrugged remembering what she's learned from her previous family, her military family.

"did you see what I did?" She asked shaking her arms, something she always did before sparring. Sam nodded his hand still rubbing his pained shoulder.

"your turn." Alex's fists returned to their position in front of her face in a protective manner as Sam copied her actions again, Yet he paid closer attention this time. His eyes focused on her body language, The way she moved, he watched as she took a breath, the way her fist clenched before she took the opportunity. Copying what Alex had previously done his forearm connected with her fist before it could reach him, his hand grabbed her arm firmly pulling it back the way she had done to him. A wince left Alex's lips causing him to let go instantly.

"Sorry.. you okay?" He questioned, Not wanting to have actually hurt her. He was still new at the prison after all. he only wanted to make good impressions, he wanted to help.

"yeah, I'm good, gonna have to do better than that to take me down." Alex chuckled shaking off the growing pain in the base of her back, the pain that was all too familiar.

"that a challenge?" Sam chuckled with a smirk as he jokingly cracked his knuckles making Alex raise her eyebrows.

"you getting cocky? if you think you can beat me let's spar" Alex shrugged cracking her Neck in a way that partially intimidated Sam, Yet he Nodded overly confident in his abilities. oh, the boys getting cocky... 

"let's do it" He grinned, shaking out his fists before they returned to where Alex had told him to place them in a matter of protecting himself.

"let's do it" Alex smirked copying his actions as the spire returned to their fighting stances, Sam lunged forward taking the first hit, and Swiftly Alex dodged the punch ducking away from his fist. As he missed Alex's fist took an opportunity to strike his stomach. Sam stumbled back, a sharp hiss leaving his lips as he steadied himself.

"focus Sammy" Alex scoffed rolling her eyes in a sarcastic manner as he Returned to the sparring stance, Alex took a hit, Her fist plummeted toward him only for it to come into contact with his forearm as he blocked the punch.

"there we go" Alex praised As she pulled her fist back, The smirk on Sam's face growing by the second as his confidence improved.

**

"That was a good session Sam. You're getting better just keep focusing on your control and breathing. then maybe next time I won't knock you on your ass" Alex chuckled as she walked through the gates of the prison Sam by her side as he chuckled at her words.

"yeah, I'll try. Thank you for doing this. I appreciate it" He nodded a soft smile on his face as he looked down at Alex as they walked.

"it's all good. thank Daryl for Persuading me you're worth putting effort into" Alex chuckled as she caught sight of Her cousin closing the gates behind them.

"you alright jelly bean it's getting late?" She called out catching Carl's attention, He looked sending her a smile as he nodded.

"yeah, just waiting for michonne" He responded, Alex nodded knowing michonne was better at finding things on runs than she was herself. Nodding she turned back to Sam Who still was Walking beside her, Her mind drifting to Glenn knowing he was in the guard tower beside them she sighed.

"I'll catch up with you later, tell Rick I'm helping with watch tonight" She explained, Sam nodded understandingly a small smile on his lips as he watched her. 

"of course" He smiled before they split ways, Alex breaking off to walk toward the guard tower. Her mind seemed to work against her in a way. She knew what she wanted, She knew what her feeling were. Yet something, something wouldn't allow her to admit it. Opening the door of the guard tower Alex took a deep breath as she made her way up the ladder which lead to the watchtower. Climbing her way through she say Glenn stood on the outside. Walking her way around through the inside of the building, Past the makeshift bed on the floor she made her way to the balcony of sorts.

"Glenn, you alright?" She questioned approaching the person she'd grown closest to aside from her family. Glenn's glance didn't shift from the walkers beyond the fences, Alex sighed as she approached him, standing next to him she leaned against the railing.

"what's going on with you?" She questioned her glance following his to the prowling walkers beyond the fences.

"me? Alex you've been out training with Sam every day" He sighed not even attempting to hide his frustration as his gaze finally shifted to her. slightly taken back by his words she gulped.

"yeah so?" Not noticing the twinge of jealousy in his voice as his tired eyes looked down at her, sadness tugging at his heart as he admired her beauty, he wanted her. and the fact she was now spending time with another guy... and they weren't official, it worried him. 

sighing he shook his head before continuing "Don't worry, how was it? he getting better?" Alex's eyebrows furrowed together as he turned his attention to her, His whole demeanour changed within a few seconds.

"uh yeah it was good, he needs to focus on his control, breathing and impulse control but if we keep this up I'm sure he'll be a good fighter" Alex shrugged as she removed her Jacket, Wincing slightly in the process, the pinching pain in her back shot through her spine.

"You okay?" He questioned having noticed her discomfort as she pulled her Jacket from her body. A sense of concern filled his body, the scars on Alex's back, the conversation he'd heard between Lori and Rick. both things that made his concern grow.

"yeah probably just pulled a muscle sparring" She shrugged brushing off his concern yet her words only made it grow.

"you're fighting him?" Glenn's concern grew knowing Alex was fighting, sparring with a guy they barely knew, a guy who was easily 6ft, 190 pounds.

"don't worry i knocked him on his ass" Alex chuckled slightly trying to change the conversation.