Chapter 2 A flush of Red

When Michonne woke up it was later than she had intended. She was on the morning watch and hoped that nothing too exciting had happened before she got out there. She quickly got dressed, grabbed her katana and headed to the kitchen for a cup of coffee. When she got in the kitchen, she was surprised to find it empty. Usually Carol or Hershel were at least up in time for the morning watch, but the kitchen was abandoned. She considered making coffee for a moment, but then decided to just go ahead and head out for watch.

Before she headed for the watchtower they were using after the Governor's failed attack, she circled around the parameters checking some of the places in the fences. Unfortunately the Governor's attack had not left the prison entirely undamaged. They had lost two of their lookout spots, weakening significantly their view of the surrounding areas, and the fences had been damaged in more than a few places. Despite their best efforts to patch the fences, they had still had a few more Walkers than they were comfortable with break their way through.

On the one hand, Daryl could say that he was having the best kind of watch there was. Nothing was happening, and nothing had happened since he'd taken over for Tyreese and Sasha hours ago. On the other hand he had to admit that he was bored and was beginning to doze off a little. Normally they did watches in pairs so that there was almost always someone to talk to, but after last night's little shindig, Daryl wasn't sure if anyone would be joining him.

Then he spotted Michonne walking around the fences, her katana strapped to her back. She was obviously coming to join him on watch. There wouldn't be much conversation, but he might be able to drag enough out of her to make the time pass.

Daryl lifted his binoculars and watched Michonne as she continued her inspection. He'd already checked out the fences once that morning. He saw her stop, unsheathe her katana, kill two Walkers through the fence, sling it clean, and re-sheathe it with the same nonchalant attitude that most people would swat a fly.

As he watched her, his mind drifted back to the night before... back to the thought of her, dripping wet and naked. Through the binoculars he studied her muscular shoulders, her tight ass, and he felt himself becoming aroused.

"Get it together, Daryl." He said out loud to himself, lowering the binoculars and trying to calm himself. "She wouldn't go for you. She probably wouldn't go for anyone anymore." Since the world had gone to shit a lot of people had pushed those things out of their minds. People were dropping like flies everywhere. Nothing was sure anymore and no one was safe. It was better to have as few attachments as possible. It just meant that when someone got killed and turned, it was easier to put an arrow through their brain.

Michonne finished her inspection, and sure that there were no immediate threats, she headed for the watchtower, wondering who was on watch with her and hoping that someone had relieved Tyreese and Sasha. As she came through the door, she saw Daryl sitting there, his feet swinging over the edge. He didn't turn around when she came in.

"You know we have chairs." She said, sitting down in one of the chairs that they had put there for watch. "They aren't comfortable, but they're better than the floor." It was only then that Daryl turned to face her, looking surprised to see her.

"I'm fine here. I don't have to sit in a chair everywhere I go." He said, a little snappier than she was used to him speaking.

Daryl immediately realized his tone was harsher than he'd wanted it to be. He hadn't really meant to snap back at Michonne as much as he was afraid that he might somehow give away what he'd been thinking about through his voice. He didn't want her to run him through with her katana for thinking about what she'd look like after one of those bubble baths she mentioned.

"Hey, I'm sorry." He said. She shrugged.

"It's OK."

Usually Daryl didn't want much conversation. Sometimes when he got watch with someone like Carol he would sit and wish that she'd be quiet. Carol was very sweet, and he liked her a lot, but she tried too hard to keep him entertained when they were on watch together and often times it just got to be annoying trying to respond to everything she said and act interested when he really just didn't want to talk. It was different with Michonne, though. She hardly ever spoke, and that actually made him more interested in hearing what she had to say.

"Did you find any weaknesses on the fences?" He asked.

"Nothing too bad. The hole on the far left side doesn't look so sturdy. It'll hold against a few Walkers, but I don't think that patch would keep out any sizable herd." She said.

"We could make a run later...see if that hardware has wire. We can reinforce it in case a herd comes through." Daryl offered. He liked going on runs with Michonne. There really wasn't anyone else in the group that he felt as secure with as he did with her. She could hold her own against the Walkers and it made it feel less like he was babysitting and more like he was getting something done when they went out together. Then again, everyone had their favorite run partner.

"Yeah." She said. Michonne hated watch more than anything else. She did it because everyone in the group split the responsibility of watch, but the sitting still in one place for so long drove her crazy. Once she had been a lawyer and worked long hours behind a desk, but that had been in a life so long ago that it seemed like she hardly remembered it. She wasn't that person anymore. Now she felt better if she was doing something active. At least then she felt like she was really alive, really fighting back against all that was going on around her.

The thought of a run was pleasant to Michonne. It would get her out of the prison for a little while and they might even get some action while they were there.

Daryl wanted to keep talking. He wanted to know more about the other Michonne, the Michonne that he could actually imagine taking bubble baths. He wasn't sure how to start up a topic like that with her. She didn't talk about her life before everything started, and he really didn't pry. He didn't like talking about his life that much either, so he could understand. Still, he was curious to know what she'd been like. He realized he knew really nothing about her except her name, that she could wield a katana, and that she had once led around a couple of Walkers like they were pets.

"So everybody got pretty messed up last night..." He said. She didn't respond, just silently nodded a little. "Carol wasn't even up this morning." He said, offering a little more.

"Nobody was up when I got up either. They're probably all nursing wicked hangovers." Michonne said.

"Are you?" Daryl asked. He was thankful that she'd at least responded in some way other than to shrug or move her head. She had a pretty voice, whenever she allowed someone to hear it.

"No. I've got a little bit of a headache, but I didn't drink as much as everyone else. How about you?" Michonne responded.

"A little bit, but nothing I can't get over." Daryl said. He was stuck. He wasn't sure how to continue the conversation any further than where he had arrived at. "So have you never liked to drink or is it just now?" He immediately realized that it sounded like he was trying too hard. He wasn't good at talking to women. He really wasn't good at talking to beautiful women, and it was even worse if that woman was Michonne. Much to his surprise, though, she responded naturally and didn't think the question was strange.

"I think it's more now. I've never been a heavy drinker, but the last thing you need these days is to get caught by a bunch of Walkers when you can't even stand up straight." Michonne realized Daryl was trying very hard to have a conversation with her. In spite of herself, she almost smiled when she saw the flush of relief come over his face after she answered his question. Daryl Dixon was cute and kind of awkward. Michonne also had to admit that he was pretty hot, for a white guy. He wasn't her type, but then again her type had never worked out for her. Still, if he was anything like his brother, which he probably was, she should be thankful that he at least spoke to her like she had the ability to understand him.

"That's true, but it's pretty safe here." Daryl said, surveying the landscape again. There was a small patch of Walkers on one side of the fence, but not a big threat, and they didn't seem to be forcing their way in. They'd seen fewer and fewer as it started getting colder. "I'm starting to think they hibernate." He said.

"Just because it's fairly safe here, doesn't mean we should be getting too comfortable. Whether or not they hibernate, we need to get that fence reinforced before it's too late and they close in on us." Michonne said.

"We'll go first thing when Rick and Rachel take over watch." Daryl said. He turned away and smiled to himself, thinking about the lone run that they would take. She'd been talking to him more openly this watch than she had in the past, so maybe he could get her to open up a little more on the drive.