CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

˚ONE WAY˚

"We're wasting too much time, being strong, holding on."

IN A WAY things were right back to the way they had started for Reign. She didn't have a home, or a safe place to sleep but rather she was left out in the wilderness, stranded just like she was before Woodbury. The only difference this time was that she wasn't alone.

However, something just felt so out of place to Reign, and she couldn't for the life of her figure out what or why she was feeling that way. It was if she felt disconnected from the group, her inner instinct to be alone and lack of trust in others finally having an impact on her physically. Truth be told she trusted only her father, Michonne and herself to keep her safe, and that was a short list considering the numbers their group had. It would include her brother too, but seeing as he wasn't currently there, he couldn't officially be added to the list.

While the group set up a camp fire in the middle of the forest in the dark of the night, Reign sat a little while away against a large oak tree, sharpening her dagger with a random rock. She overlooked the group and listened to their laughs as they cooked some cans of beans and roasted squirrels on the fire. Daryl had come and sat with her earlier on, offering some food and making small conversation but he couldn't get her to open up to him. He could tell his daughter was feeling off, but he just wished he knew how to comfort her, how to be a father. Reign was a very closed off person, and nobody could get inside her head, not even Michonne.

"You want some of my beans? I don't really like them," Michonne asked, approaching Reign. She towered above the raven haired girl, placing her hand on her hip while looking down at Reign disapprovingly.

"Being picky during the apocalypse huh?" Reign murmured sarcastically, not looking up from her activity. Reign knew by sharpening her knife against a rock she was most likely dulling it, but the sound of metal upon rock soothed her, giving her something to occupy her mind on.

"Yeah I guess you're right," Michonne agreed, stifling a light laugh before sitting across from Reign on the hard ground, crossing her legs together as if she were back in kindergarten.

When Michonne didn't speak or move from her position across from Reign, she stopped sharpening her knife and lifted her head, raising a brow at her friend. "Can I help you?" she asked, her tone coming off more bitter than she had intended.

Michonne shrugged, not bothered by Reign's use of tone. "Maybe, if you tell me what's got you so down," she said, stuffing another spoonful of beans into her mouth.

"I'm in the middle of a forest, sharpening a knife to protect me from flesh eating people in the depths of the apocalypse, and you're telling me I shouldn't be so down?" Reign snapped incredulously, all the tension built up inside her spilling out through her words.

"Yeah, like maybe you should smile more," Michonne added casually, playing it cool despite how aggravated the girl across from her was getting.

Reign didn't speak, only gaped and let out a small growl of anger before turning back to her work, deciding to ignore Michonne. She knew she was only trying to help, but right now all Reign wanted was to be alone. How ironic that was. A time where she was surrounded by people yet again and all she wanted was to be by herself.

Michonne only sighed as she watched the girl in front of her keep everything in, refusing to open up to her. She understood her reasoning behind her hidden pain, but she knew Reign would only share that information when she wanted to.

"Goodnight, Reign," Michonne said, gathering her can of beans and walking back to the camp fire, leaving Reign alone like she started.

Reign glanced up and watched as Michonne returned to the group, her face lighting up in a smile as Carl accidentally dropped his squirrel into the fire pit. She listened to them laugh, the noise sending a small feeling of guilt and loneliness to her stomach. She knew she could very much be apart of the laughter, but she also knew she didn't deserve to laugh. She didn't have time to laugh, only time to plan on how to get her brother back, and how to find Bonnie. She refused to allow herself true happiness until she knew they were safe.

"Someone's being a bit of a party pooper," Damon snickered, suddenly appearing behind Reign, scarring her slightly. "Oops sorry, did I scare you?" he teased.

"Fuck off, Damon," Reign growled, not looking up from where she sat sharpening her knife. Gizmo started wagging his tail at the sight of Damon, a new action considering he use to growl and snap whenever the little pup laid eyes on the vampire. It was progress to Damon, but it only angered Reign.

"At least someone wants me here," Damon commented, taking a seat beside Reign against the same tree. Their backs were supported by the same oak tree, the space limited resulting in their shoulders brushing against one another.

"Damon," Reign growled. "There's at least five hundred other trees in this forest. Why the fuck are you sitting on the same one as me?" Reign snapped angrily, steam practically smoking from her ears.

"So we don't have to reach far to share this," Damon whispered, pulling out a bottle of bourbon filled three quarters to the top. This alone made Reign's eyes light up, making Damon smile. However, as reality set in Reign shook her head, stopping herself from getting any more excited. She couldn't allow herself any distractions, any fun until her brother and Bonnie were found.

"Why don't you go share that with your brother. He looks like he needs it," Reign remarked, composing herself and diminishing any sign of happiness that managed to show through moments ago.

"Stefan? He always looks like that; like a sad, lost puppy," Damon joked, both of them staring at Stefan who had his arm wrapped around Caroline. They both looked lost and afraid, but together they looked stronger, like they were two broken pieces mending each other. They had both lost so much, and been through the worst yet they managed to find peace through one another. Secretly, that's all Reign wanted. She wanted to be alone, but she wanted someone to be alone with.

"Look Damon, I'm not taking any of it so just leave," Reign sighed, turning her attention back to her knife sharpening. As she continued to stroke the blade across the rock, Damon began to grow more pushy, wanting desperately to get her to open up. Although he would never admit it, he hated to see her so down, especially after the few weeks they had spent alone together. They had gotten closer to one another, or at least Damon had. Plus, Reign was the one person Damon just couldn't quite understand, and that only intrigued him further.

"I'm not going anywhere until you at least tell me what's wrong," he said stubbornly, taking a swing of the bourbon. "I mean, most people don't refuse bourbon in the middle of the apocalypse."

"Well, I'm not like most people then am I?" Reign murmured, still looking down. She could feel his eyes on her, but she used all her strength to ignore him, hoping that he would leave her alone.

"Clearly," Damon teased lightly, but not even his sarcastic remarks could make her smile, or even growl. She just kept a still face, her eyes glued to her work like she was in a daze. It was clear she was lost in her thoughts, lost in the pain.

"What's wrong, Reign?" Damon asked softly, more serious this time.

"Nothing. Now leave," Reign said with aggravation, growing more and more infuriated.

"Not until you talk to me," Damon shrugged, shifting himself so he was seated comfortably against the tree.

"I am talking to you, dumbass," Reign scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Now leave," she repeated, stepping closer to the edge of how far her temper would go.

"No," Damon stated firmly.

"Leave, now," Reign repeated once again.

"No," Damon repeated, adding onto this routine of argument they had created. However, Reign had had enough.

"LEAVE!" she snapped, her voice booming throughout the forest. She stopped what she was doing and turned her full attention over to Damon, her eyes wild and wide with fury as she finally hit her breaking point. Her yell had alerted the others, as all the chatter had stopped and their eyes were all staring directly at the two, curious and concerned.

Damon only held up his hand and nodded, assuring the group that he had this under control. Daryl and Stefan gave him warily glances, warning the vampire not to press any further, but truth be told Damon just couldn't let this one go. He couldn't let go until he knew what was making Reign Boyd so upset. Sure he might know why, but he wanted to know all of it, he wanted her to feel comfortable opening up to him. Maybe, just maybe would Reign finally start trusting him.

"Why do you want me to leave, Rey?" Damon asked again, speaking softly.

"Because I have no time for distractions, okay!" She admitted, speaking in a lower tone, afraid that everyone else would hear her. Thankfully they'd all gone back doing their own thing, giving Damon time to listen to Reign as she slowly began opening up. "I need to focus on getting my brother back, on getting Bonnie back!" she said, finally giving in. "I can't waste anymore time, I-I-" she broke off, struggling for words.

Damon sat there not saying a word, only listening as she let it all out. "He was all I had, even when I had nothing. And Bonnie, she was the first stranger to actually give a damn about me. I just need to get them back, okay? I can't allow myself the satisfaction of peace until I know they've found peace too- in either life or death. I just need to know where they are," she sighed, leaning her head back in defeat, closing her eyes as she secretly hated on herself for ever opening up. She had been caught up in the moment, too compacted with emotions that she just couldn't hold them in any longer. To her surprise however, Damon didn't smile, nor did he make one of his sarcastic remarks. He only looked down at Reign with empathy and compassion allowing her to feel at ease with her confession. All he had wanted was for her to talk.

"I can promise you Mulan that the second you decide to chase them down, I'll be right behind you," Damon spoke up.

Reign's head shot up at his words as they rolled off his tongue, her eyes lit up with surprise and maybe even a speckle of hope. "Why would you do that?" she questioned him.

"Because you shouldn't have to do it alone," he replied, giving her a small smile.

"I want to be alone," she muttered, pressing her lips in a firm line. However, Damon saw right past her lie.

"No you don't," he sighed, leaning his head back against the tree so that there heads were only inches apart. Between her tiny body and his muscular one, they were able to sit together rather comfortably, or at least Reign was considering he had given her more than half of the space.

"Oh really? Then what do I want, Damon Salvatore?" Reign asked, rolling her eyes at his arrogance. She was testing him, or rather pushing him further to admit the truth.

"You tell me," Damon said, taking a sip of the bourbon.

Reign sighed and shook her head in fury, tired of this conversation going no where. They were both in denial, afraid to admit what was on their minds. If no one admitted the truth, then they would be stuck in their tracks, the train of conversation on hold unless one of them was brave enough to speak their mind. Reign bit her lip as she took the brave move of admitting what she really wanted deep down.

"I want to be alone," she said, "but I want someone to be alone with," she added quickly at the end.

Damon lifted his head and put his eyes on hers, lifting his brow. Part of him didn't believe she had actually said what she said, but Damon wasn't going to let this pass. He knew tomorrow she might not be so open with him, so he took what he got.

"Do you want me to be that person?" he asked, his brow raised, complimenting his smirk perfectly as he waited for an answer.

Reign only stared into his eyes, a faint smile on her lips as she watched the night stars sparkle within the reflection of his icy blue eyes. For a split second she felt her stomach stir, like it had come to life with a feeling she had never quite felt before. She couldn't explain it, she only knew that she liked it. So, the next thing she said was something she would've never said if it weren't for the butterflies that swarmed her stomach and circled her heart.

"Yes."

Damon's smirk turned into a grin, stretching as far up his face as possible. "So, when do we get started Mulan?"

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[EDITED: 07/22/18]