𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐒.
chapter sixty; Cold Shower
" Is it my turn to want somethin'? "

VEX EVENTUALLY HAD to give up her gun. Which was only okay because both Jack and Rick assured her it was. The group had been given two houses to split however they pleased, and Deanna would be speaking to each of them individually to place them in jobs suited to them.

And right now, it was Vex's turn.

"This feels like an interview."

"Kind of is."

Vex breathed out a laugh, taking a seat on the loveseat across from Deanna.

She was a polished woman, which made sense once Jack told her she had been a politician. The only thing setting Vex on edge was the camera pointed at her.

"Jack's talked about you. I'm glad you found your way to us," Deanna said, a small smile on her features, "You were a Navy SEAL, and excelled in every facet of the job. Jack wants you to work with him. Security, sniper. . ."

"We work together well," Vex said, "Wouldn't be anything to do it again."

Deanna clasped her hands, leaning closer.

"You have a daughter."

"Zeppelin," Vex confirmed, though her posture seemed to tighten, "Yes."

"Someone with a daughter might not want a job like that."

"I fought before there was a choice. I'll be fine."

"Tell me about something other than the Navy."

Vex stared.

"Why?"

"Because I think there's more things of value than that."

"Um. . . Alright."

Vex found herself recounting other skills. Hunting, the council at the prison; she'd mostly worked as a lookout, when jobs were a real idea they still held, but she had other talents. . . right?

She couldn't explain why but she felt the need to impress Deanna. To be wanted and needed in Alexandria.

"I think you're a people person, Vex. I think you help connect people."

"Oh, I don't know about that," Vex said, forcing out a laugh, "Rick's a people person. Dean is a people person. Michonne, Carol, Maggie, Glenn-- I am not."

Deanna raised a brow.

Vex shifted in her seat.

"I'll think of something for you," Deanna said after a moment, standing, "You should get settled. Jack was hellbent on you and your daughter having your own place. I figured you'd like to stay close to your group, so your house is next to the two we've given them."

"I really don't need my own house," Vex whispered.

"Then share it with whoever you want," Deanna said simply.

"Thank you."

"Of course."

🗡

Some of the group was already in the home. Rick greeted her, informing her of the plan for everyone to stay in one house, at least for now. With their weapons gone, they were stronger together. She agreed without hesitation.

But she did tell Rick about 'her' house.

"Who is this Jack guy?"

"Knew him from before," She said simply, "I trusted him with my life. I still do."

Rick nodded after a moment.

"Go check out your house then," He nodded, "We'll be here."

Zeppelin grinned widely, grabbing her mother's hand.

"The showers work!" Carl called, running downstairs.

Zeppelin's eyes lit up and she tugged her mom out of the house, making the woman laugh loudly.

They emerged just as Daryl was returning from his own meeting with Deanna. He seemed shut off, but he still had his crossbow and possum.

"Hey."

"Hey," He greeted, slowing to a halt.

"Daryl, come on, we have our own house!" Zeppelin announced, "Maybe once we get comfortable, me and you and Mom and Uncle Dean can all live in it together!"

Daryl raised a brow, but hardly had time to argue, because Zeppelin grabbed his hand too, and dragged both of them along.

The house was grand. Well above anything Vex could have afforded in her life before. Two stories tall, a formal dining room, two living rooms, a kitchen island that was bigger than the dining table she had in her apartment.

"There's, like, five bedrooms!" Zeppelin shouted as she barreled upstairs. "I'm calling dibs!"

Vex smiled at the sound of footsteps above her.

"We never had a house like this," Vex admitted with a smile, looking at Daryl, "I mean we had a classic suburban one, Paul bought it. Spotless, looked like a showhome, but not nearly this nice. . . then we lived in the tiniest apartment Atlanta could offer. Like, one bedroom tiny."

"One bedroom?"

"Pull out couch," Vex informed, "Zep had her bedroom to herself. She loved it. I had been sleeping on military bunks and cots for years already, so I didn't mind the lumpy mattress."

Daryl opened his mouth to say something but closed it before any sound came out.

"Mom, there's clothes up here!" Zeppelin shouted, running downstairs again, this time with two fistfuls of clothing, "This is so sick!"

Vex laughed, "Go shower, hon."

Zeppelin grinned, hurrying back upstairs again.

The shower started soon after.

"You can shower here if you want," Vex offered, taking a seat at one of the island stools, "The main house is gonna get crowded if we're all in there."

Daryl just waved.

"No, you don't. . . want to shower?" She said slowly, raising a brow.

"Nah."

Vex leaned an elbow on the counter, staring at the man as he inspected the home.

"Can I ask why?"

"Why are you so gung ho about this place? Trusting it right away?"

Vex narrowed her eyes, standing to her feet and approaching the man.

"Did we not have an entire conversation a couple days ago? About needing a place like this? About wanting to be able to want things again? I'm not assuming it's perfect, but if Jack's here, I know it's safe."

  Daryl grunted.

  "Daryl, just say whatever the hell you're—"

  Vex was cut off by a knock at the front door. Daryl tensed but she scoffed, brushing past him and opening it without hesitation.

  "Food, card games, and I snagged a bottle of your favorite."

  Jack Mitchell stood on the porch, grinning from beneath the brim of his hat, with a bin choked full with gifts.

  "I assume you had something to do with the clothes that are Zep's size, too?"

  "Been saving every hair-band t-shirt I found for her," Jack confirmed, "You get settled too? Put some nice shit in your closet."

  "We're staying with the group tonight," Vex admitted, accepting the bin, "But we didn't wanna fight for shower time."

  "Can't blame ya," Jack shrugged, following Vex as she retreated into the home, sliding the bin onto the expansive kitchen island, "It's an adjustment, coming here."

  Vex knew Jack would launch into one of his therapeutic spiels she'd heard many times before, but she didn't need it right now. Perhaps because Vex had experienced it already.

  Part of the group was struggling to trust this place, to face the idea of adjusting to a 'normal' way of life. But Vex had been forced to make that adjustment every time she returned home from deployment. She knew how to cope, how to train her brain; maybe that was why she hadn't felt uncomfortable with any of it yet.

  "I'm used to it," Vex said simply, turning to face the man, "Jack, this is Daryl Dixon. Daryl,  Jack Mitchell."

  Jack spun quickly, regarding Daryl for the first time.

  "Shit, man, my bad," Jack said, a laugh escaping as he approached Daryl, "Didn't see you there; it's nice to meet you."

  Daryl eyed Jack's extended hand for a moment. Unmoving, unspeaking; but Vex could tell Daryl had a distaste for it. For the pleasantries, the stark white house they stood inside, the cleanliness of it all.

  "Deanna didn't give me a job," Vex interrupted, earning Jack's attention again, "Might not be working together after all."

  "She works in strange ways," Jack admitted, "I'll let you guys get settled in. If you need me I'm one street over, big blue house."

  Vex smiled, nodding, before Jack brought her into another hug.

  "I'm really glad you're alright, V. We got a lot to talk about."

  "I know," She confirmed, pulling back but patting his shoulders, "You still have to meet Dean."

  "The famous older brother," He grinned, "Can't wait, kid."

  Vex grinned, waving as Jack turned to leave. But he stopped short, holding up a finger as he paced toward the box. He rifled through it for a moment, before turning and plopping a cowboy hat on Vex's head.

  "Found an extra. Thought it'd suit you."

  "Oh yeah?"

  "You'll always be a Georgia peach, Vex!" 

  She rolled her eyes, watching the man depart from the home with his own wide grin. She hadn't even realized how much she missed Jack until she saw him again. Never let herself linger too long on the idea of him or the rest of her team; it had all been left in the 'before'.

  But he was here now.

  Vex grinned again, holding the hat on her head as she turned to Daryl Dixon.

  He'd taken a seat on the stairs, his face still impassive as he watched her.

  "You'll warm up to him once you get to know him.

  "Who is he?"

  "Jack Mitchell," Vex repeated, taking the cowboy hat off of her head and hanging it on the stair railing, "My spotter."

  Daryl raised a brow as she took a seat beside him.

  "You know all that bullshit I said about working alone?" She said, resting her chin on her hand, "Yeah, well, snipers aren't really solo kind of people. We get spotters. They find, watch, and assign the target, tell us if we missed, help calculate distance and angle, read direction and strength of wind. . . Jack was mine."

  Vex let out a long sigh, a smile still plastered on her face.

  "He was a sniper before that," She continued, "And before that, he was a real life cowboy. Spent the most time with the guy, he helped me adjust. To the deployments, and to comin' home. He was the asshole who served Paul the divorce papers. . . he was also the asshole who told me to grab Zep and go when we found out they wanted to bomb Atlanta."

  She turned to him.

  "I thought he died. Just kinda assumed it, I guess. . . it was easier that way," Vex admitted, "But. . . he's here."

  And Daryl couldn't help but crack a small smile himself. Because how could someone not be happy when a person they cared about was?

  "But don't worry," She said quickly, "I'm not replacing you."

  Daryl scoffed.

  "I ain't worried 'bout it."

  "Good then," Vex said, grabbing the hat, "Cause you don't need to be."

  Vex knew as she put the cowboy hat on Daryl's head and the man scoffed, instantly pulling it off, that Daryl had been worried, even if only for a moment.

  It had been them. For so long, they had each other's backs, just them.

  And she saw the way Daryl stared as she had walked off with Jack, and his refusal to even acknowledge a greeting.

  But Daryl didn't need to be worried. Because Vex cared for him in a way she had never cared for anybody else.

  "Alright," Daryl said finally, as Vex attempted to put the hat on him a second time, "You wanna cowboy, go get him."

  "I don't want a cowboy," She teased, taking the hat back, "You already know what I want."

  Daryl breathed out a smile, taking the hat from her hands and inspecting it for a moment.

  "Is it my turn to want somethin'?"

  Vex felt a fire ignite in her stomach as he looked up at her again. She knew him, better than she knew herself— but he had never looked at her the way he was right now.

  She wondered if it was driven by that brief jealousy. If something about her with a man he did not know made Daryl want— no, need more.

  Vex could only nod.

  Daryl moved quickly, his hand grabbing her jaw as he lurched forward, devouring her with a single kiss.

  She grabbed his wrist, squeezing it as if this would tether them together more than their lips working in sync. She was a pool of gasoline and Daryl's touch was a lit match, each place it touched became engulfed in blazing flames. As if some part of her had and would always react to some part of him. As if they belonged to each other long before they had known it.

  And then all at once his lips left hers. Daryl ran a roughened thumb across her cheek once, his eyes locked onto hers as he stood.

  Vex was still enraptured. Still catching her breath from him stealing it, she couldn't think let alone speak as he dropped the hat on her head again, before departing for the door just as the shower cut off upstairs.

  She adjusted the hat, tilting it back just in time to catch Daryl throwing one last glance over his shoulder before shutting the door.

  "This is the best day ever!"

  Vex buried her face in her hands as Zeppelin shouted from upstairs, her cheeks growing warm with embarrassment.

  "Mom, are you gonna shower too?" Zeppelin asked, bounding down the stairs with a curtain of wet hair, and a fresh set of clothes on, "There's even hot water!"

  "Yeah, I'm gonna shower," Vex mumbled, lifting her head, "Go hangout with Carl next door, yeah?"

  Zeppelin nodded, kissing her mother on the cheek before scurrying toward the front door.

  And Vex Williams collected herself, dragging herself upstairs, and wandering into the largest bedroom. She kicked off dirty boots and rifled through a closet Jack had stocked, choosing a set of clothes and dragging her feet to the bathroom.

  Where, despite the option, Vex Williams took a very cold shower.