Heterochromia Iridum

Summary: Katherine Harvey sucked at remembering names. But when a man, with a knife strapped where his hand should be, tells you his brother's name, you listen. – "I could never understand what people meant before when they said, 'right person, wrong time'." – He snorted, "Probably weren't talkin' 'bout the apocalypse, Kat." Daryl/OC.

Rating: Eventual M for disturbing content, language, and sexual scenarios. I'll try to put trigger warnings when needed, but keep in mind that if you watch the show, most of this is to be expected.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead or any of the characters associated with the franchise. I own the plot to this story and any original characters you may see, like Katty or Calum.

Katty is modeled after Sarah McDaniel if anyone is curious.

Chapter 1: Clean

"Not a chance, Aaron. We've been over this before,"

Katty sighed as she wiped the sweat off of her forehead and continued to deconstruct her temporary setup. She saw the offending male grimace, and she knew she had probably spread the remnants of the last Biter she had encountered across her face some more. Katty knew it didn't look or smell nice, but it helped keep them away from her, so she forced herself to get used to it.

Aaron, typically accompanied by his partner Eric, had been trying to recruit Katty for about nine weeks now. Apparently, they had been following her for a few days before that, but had only come to light when she had been cornered by a few Biters and they decided to intervene. She was grateful, but uninterested when the two men had shown her the photos of the impressive and probably fictional community that was Alexandria.

She hadn't been around a large group of people for months, and her last experience hadn't been a positive one. So, needless to say, Katty had been declining their invitation for just over two months now.

That hadn't deterred Aaron in the slightest, and he often put aside time from scouting for other survivors to visit Katty. At first, she hated it. Human interaction had become awkward and forced in her solitary existence, and conversing with the two men had been difficult at the start. Tension, stretched with uncooperative silences, had filled their encounters for a long time.

Katty wondered if it was the gravitational pull of loneliness that had made her accept the presence of the two of them.

She had been on her own since the middle of spring, and the dull ache in her chest in the shape of her friend Calum was still present. Calum. The reason she had stopped her trek to Washington. It was his idea to go, and Katty would have followed her friend anywhere. She was just happy to be alive after the last group they were with. But they had gotten separated after a hoard passed through when they were scavenging, and the stony expression he had sent her before leaving Katty in her hiding spot was ingrained in her mind forever. She stopped traversing, but not because she was scared she would get there. She was scared she would arrive and he wouldn't be there, and Katty couldn't face the idea that her capable, more deserving friend didn't make it. So she took the cowards way out and stuck to the woods in Virginia.

Katty had consistently moved her campsite between four different locations; environments that had thinner amounts of Biters and good visibility. It was a pattern that Aaron and Eric had quickly caught onto and used to their advantage when locating her.

They brought her supplies when they could lend them; bottles of water, granola bars, and sometimes they forced soap on her when they couldn't stand the stench of the dead on her skin any longer. Katty wasn't the most accomplished survivor but she had survived. She was small and quick and only went into towns when she absolutely needed it.

Her father had been a Naturopathic doctor, as well as heavily into horticulture and living off the land. She couldn't grow anything given the current situation, but she was able to construct the odd snare and sometimes lucked into catching dinner for a few days. She could identify useful plants and which ones to stay away from as well. Which is part of the reason she assumed why Aaron was so interested in her presence in Alexandria.

They weren't low yet on food, but he had disclosed to her before that though other aspects of their lives were self-sufficient, they hadn't successfully grown their own food yet. The town mostly lived off a storage of cans and lentils, and Aaron wasn't clouded by the ignorance that the other residents seemed to be encased by. It had to change or they wouldn't survive the next winter.

She finished packing up her muted and dreary life into one overstuffed backpack, and fixed the straps on her knives in various locations on her body. Katty adjusted the Glock 17 in the front of her now ill-fitting favourite black jeans and glanced around the camp. The last thing she needed was to lose something from being distracted by Aaron.

Aaron cleared his throat and attempted to lighten the tense atmosphere that she had created. "How did you manage to get so filthy? I brought you soap yesterday,"

Katty rolled her eyes at him, placing her hands on her wide hips. "Sorry that I don't have the novelty of electricity or running water like you do, Aaron." He snorted in response and Katty could tell that he was restraining himself from a snappy reply.

You could have these too.

The message was heavy in the air, and Katty bit the inside of her cheek, feeling uncomfortable. She glanced towards the taller male as they walked almost silently through the forest.

"What happened with that other group you lot were following?" Yesterday when Aaron had visited had been the first after just over two weeks of silence. She hadn't been interested yesterday, but Katty wanted to distract him from inviting her once again.

Aaron hesitated, and Katty narrowed her eyes at him. He sighed, "I wasn't going to tell you because I thought that if there was more people, you'd be less likely to come back with me," she didn't tell him explicitly, but that was correct. "They came back with us. Deanna's figuring out jobs for them all now,"

Katty lingered over this fact. It was a bigger group; Aaron had told her weeks ago when he had first discovered them. She wondered if having actual survivors, people from outside the walls, would change the dynamic of the community.

"So, off to plot B, are we?" Aaron mused as they stepped over roots and foliage. She frowned. She really was predictable, wasn't she?

"I should switch it up, to keep you on your toes," she joked to cover her dissatisfaction with the redundancy of her patterned existence.

"Wouldn't matter," Aaron told her with a grin, "New group has a proficient tracker, so just you wait until I bring him out with me. You wouldn't stand a chance against Daryl Dixon,"

A cacophony of snapping branches, folding greenery and grunts were heard as Katty tripped over a root and crashed unceremoniously to the ground.

"Shit, you alright, Katty?" he grabbed her by the handle of her backpack and hoisted her off the ground.

He chattered at her aimlessly as he checked her over for any obviously cuts or injuries. Katty wasn't listening, her mind was a gust of white noise as the four syllable name implanted itself, front and centre in her brain. Fuck. Just her luck. Out of all the places she could have found a Daryl Dixon, it was in Alexandria; the last place she wanted to go.

They walked for a while longer, Katty no longer paying attention to the direction that they were meandering in. She was distracted, no longer light or silent in her footsteps, and Aaron kept glancing at her in concern. This was going to attract Biters if she wasn't careful, she scolded herself.

"I know you said you didn't hit your head, but are you sure you don't want to get Pete to check you out for a concussion or something? You're acting strange,"

She shook her head and brushed him off before squinting at the sky overhead. It was still early in the morning, but she knew Aaron would leave her soon and return to his duties at Alexandria. Katty racked her brain, weighing her options and trying to dissuade herself from the abundance of negative outcomes she knew would happen if she went to Alexandria. She had made herself a promise, and there was no avoiding that.

"If I come to Alexandria," she started and she watched as Aaron's bright face snapped to hers, "I can leave if I change my mind?"

He nodded. "Of course, Katty." His hopeful look was glued to her apprehensive one.

She sniffed and looked to her right, in the direction that she knew Alexandria was in.

"Daryl Dixon, huh?"

The words slipped out, and Katty regretted them. She hadn't meant to say his name out loud, and she could see Aaron in her peripheral with a questioning look on his face.

"Do you know him, Katty?" Aarons voice was serious and calm, and Katty looked over at him.

"Nope," She replied honestly, "just know of him."

He frowned slightly and opened his mouth to question Katty further, but seemed to think better of it and closed his mouth again. "Alright," he said slowly. "So you're coming back with me?"

"I guess. I might not stay, though," she clarified quickly, and the other man nodded with a small smile. She didn't return it.

Katty was already abolishing herself for agreeing to return to Alexandria, and immediately had started to feel contrition at her decision. This wasn't going to end well. There were too many people there, and she had too many secrets she wanted to keep.

Aaron chatted at her, explaining the process, one of which she had heard before when he attempted to convince her previously. It was simple. She would get there, be introduced to and interviewed by the leader of the Alexandria Safe-Zone, Deanna Monroe, and then get settled while Deanna thought of a job for her. Everyone contributed, that was the only condition to staying in the settlement.

The Safe-Zone had been designed pre-apocalypse specifically for sustainability. It had been suited with a sewage filtration system, solar grids and cisterns. This meant running water and electricity. These two things sounded so unbelievable and foreign to Katty, and she tried not to feel excited. It sounded too good to be true, so it probably was.

She had been made aware of all of this before, but was content to let Aaron talk at her. It calmed her nerves and gave her less time to think and feel anxious about her impending arrival.

They walked for a few hours, but it felt like minutes until the tin supported by steel tubing that made up Alexandria's wall came into view. Blood rushed loudly in her ears and her adrenaline surged as Aaron called out to whoever was manning the large gate.

It slid open a few feet, enough for them to comfortably walk through, and Aaron grabbed her hand. He squeezed it in what was supposed to be a comforting gesture, but Katty knew he was stopping her from bolting from her spot next to him.

A man in probably his late twenties with messy brown hair and a denim shirt poked his head around the gate and observed them both before addressing Aaron.

"Hey, Aaron, who's this?"

Aaron smiled down at Katty, but her face was stern and wouldn't cooperate to form a friendly smile back at him.

"Hello, Spencer. This is Katherine Harvey, our newest resident."

Katty shuffled uncomfortably under the new person's gaze. She could feel his eyes travelling across her battered, ripped clothing, her hair and skin caked in blood and old innards. She glanced at him as he eyed the many knives and blades that were on her person, and she quickly looked down. She tried to stop her free hand from shaking, but resorted to shoving it in her pocket instead.

"I'll, uh, let my mom know then. Come on in, Katherine,"

"Katty." She murmured, not looking at him. She found solace in her dirty Timberland boots that were half a step from falling apart.

"Alright, sorry. Katty," he corrected with a nod and then stepped back to let them enter. She tightened her grip on Aaron's hand as he propelled them forward and through the front gate.

Rick ran a hand through his shortened hair and he walked about the perimeter of Alexandria for the third time that morning. The polyester uniform felt constrictive and unnatural, much like the appearance of the Safe-Zone in the midst of the apocalypse.

It was mid-morning and most of the Alexandrians had woken up to commence their daily duties. His group, still unaccustomed to the life of ignorance and safety that these residents embodied, had all woken up earlier and were milling about.

Carol had slipped easily into the mundane activities that a housewife would exemplify, and currently was watching Judith. Carl and Michonne were eating breakfast and cracking jokes, and Rick had smiled when he saw the expression on his son's face. Carl had adapted well in the short time that they had been in Alexandria, he had been seen with the other teenagers around Alexandria; lately it was Jessie's son, Ron.

He walked about, counting heads and making sure he knew the whereabouts of his group. They were all in various degrees of settled, with Daryl reigning in under the title of least so. After the altercation Glen had with Deanna's younger son which ended with Daryl involving himself and tackling Nicholas to the ground, Daryl had reverted to being uncommunicative and uninvolved. Aaron, the only resident scout as Eric had a broken ankle, had attempted to include Daryl in the community when he could, which Rick greatly appreciated. The other man had definitely taken a turn for the negative after Beth's death, and hadn't spoken much to anyone outside the core people that made up Rick's group.

He was struggling, Rick thought as he observed him smoking on the porch of the house they had moved into and watched him from afar for a few minutes. Daryl seemed listless, and functioned without a purpose in their new environment. Rick was worried, but with everything else going on and the changes he was trying to make, he selfishly hoped his friend would be alright without him for a while.

He sauntered up to Daryl, "You seen Aaron today?" the man that had brought them to Alexandria wasn't around, and Rick was accustomed to seeing him early in the mornings, plotting grid maps and helping out around town.

Daryl shrugged in response. "Said he was goin' out ta see someone, try ta get 'em to come back." He glanced from the cigarette in his hands to Rick as he muttered out the reply.

Rick arched an eyebrow, "Alone? You didn't go with him?" he was aware that Daryl had made somewhat of a friendship with Aaron and his partner, Eric, and was surprised he hadn't accompanied Aaron.

"Ain't none of my business. Offered, said he didn't wanna scare 'em off with someone new," Rick could tell that Daryl was slightly put-out over that. Though everyone else felt more free living in Alexandria, the redneck hadn't felt this caged since before the end of the world, and wanted any opportunity to go outside of the walls.

It was irresponsible of Aaron to go out alone, and Rick made a mental note to discuss that with him when he returned. If he came back. Rick was contemplating what to do with this information when Spencer approached and waved him down. He was still unsure about the elder son of Deanna. Aiden had proven to be reckless and unaware, though Glenn had described him with a different choice of words that made him smile, and Rick was still debating the same about Spencer.

Spencer nodded in a greeting to both of them, "Mornin'." Daryl remained silent but offered a quick nod, which Rick felt was an improvement in itself. The younger male was still Deanna's son, so Rick decided to be polite.

"Mornin', Spencer. What do you need?" Rick asked while hooking his thumbs into his front pockets.

Spencer scratched his forehead at his hairline and glanced over his shoulder, towards where the front gate was, "Not sure. Aaron came back with someone and I was on my way to let Deanna know. Thought I should tell you in case you needed to be there too,"

Both Rick and Daryl perked their attentions in response to the acquired information and glanced at each other. Another new face, a new survivor especially, would probably not bode well in Alexandria. The residents were already leery and explicitly uncomfortable with the presence of Rick's group, so the addition of another would do nothing to dissipate that.

The newly appointed constable looked back to Spencer, "Just the one?" People were seldom found by themselves anymore. There was strength in numbers, and most survivors travelling alone either grouped with others or were picked off by Walkers. At Spencer's affirmative nod, Rick frowned. They were either newly alone or lying, and had a bigger assemblage of people hidden out there.

Either way, Rick needed to get down there and make sure everyone cooperated. Spencer could tell that Rick was uneasy about the newcomer, and added before he left, "She isn't threatening. More scared than anything,"

Naïve like everyone else, Rick decided. Fear can be deceptively threatening, even if it was a female. He would know.

Rick glanced at Daryl, who dropped to his feet from the railing and brushed his pants off. Rick quickly darted inside to alert Michonne.

"Michonne. Aaron brought back someone, we're going down to the gate to check them out," Rick tried to keep the underlying order out of his tone, but knew it came across anyways. Years as a sheriff deputy and then being thrust back into duty brought back unnecessary habits. He knew Michonne would follow without Rick needing to overtly ask. She was dependable and loyal, and he valued her.

"Stay back here," he thrust an arm towards Carl to make it clear he was speaking to him. Carl hesitated, obviously wanting to go down, but nodded anyways. Carol gave Rick a terse glance, and he knew that she understood his wariness.

The three of them quickly made their way down to the front gate and slowed their pace as they approached. He remembered that Aaron had told Daryl he didn't want to scare her with new people, so he remained quiet and sent a hand gesture to the other two to remain back a bit when they reached the gate.

She was average height for a female, definitely shorter than Maggie and Michonne though. She appeared even smaller in comparison to the large backpack she was sporting. She didn't look directly at them, but appeared to visibly stiffen and slid herself closer to Aaron. Their hands were intertwined, Rick noticed curiously as he made his way towards them. How long had Aaron known this woman for her to trust him like that?

"Hello, Rick," Aaron greeted easily, and picked up his free hand to wave at the two figures some feet behind him. Rick didn't turn to see their greetings back. He was studying the woman – was she even a woman or was she younger? Most of her face and hair was caked in Walker blood, but it appeared to be brown underneath. She was filthy enough that it wouldn't surprise him if it was blonde, though. It was collected in a messy, matted bun on the top of her head.

She was dressed in black jeans with rips in the knees, and brown work boots that were in the same state as the rest of her outfit. A slim fitting tank top was most likely a dirty, muted variation of grey underneath the filth and she had a dark green jacket tied around her slim waist. She was chewing on her full lips and staring at the ground, forcing Rick to acknowledge that she had probably been attractive before the end of the world, before the hunger and pain and Walker guts had covered her. Like it had done to them all.

"Mornin', Aaron. Who do we have here?" he attempted to keep his tone friendly and genial, but the girl didn't so much as glance at him. Rick still kept his distance though, looks could be deceiving.

Aaron smiled towards the smaller figure. "This is Katty. She finally decided to see Alexandria for herself,"

Katty finally raised her eyes towards Rick, and he found his own blue ones widen. She had one eye that was a vivid blue, but in the sunlight the other orb was a light color that he had trouble discerning of between green and brown. Messy, full and dark eyebrows offset her large eyes and were accompanied by a small, rounded nose. He immediately revoked his previous thought; she was indeed, still very pretty.

It also surprised and unnerved him that though she seemed shy, her gaze was strong and full of distrust. The previous picture that he had painted in his mind of her would have to be changed.

He made sure to keep his voice low and even, while maintaining an appropriate amount of eye contact with her. "Hello, Katty, nice to meet you. I'm Rick Grimes, the constable here in Alexandria,"

She appeared to be chewing on the insides of her cheeks while her eyes burned into him. "Hello, Rick." She said shortly, and Rick bit back a smile when he noticed an accent. British, if he wasn't mistaken. What was she doing in Virginia?

Rick heard footsteps and Michonne's grumpy voice and turned to see Spencer quickly approaching with Michonne in tow.

"I told you to stay back," she ground out at him. Daryl came a bit closer but still kept his distance, which Rick appreciated.

Spencer spared Michonne a glance but mostly ignored her and addressed Rick and Aaron. "Deanna said she'd be ready to start the interview process whenever you were, Aaron. I'm here to take any weapons Katty has and belongings to check them over."

Her response was immediate and made Rick jump. She snatched her hand from Aarons and took a few quick, short steps back. Her hand instantly went to the large knife at her hip, and she threateningly placed it on top, locking eyes with Spencer. Rick and Michonne both gripped the ends of their guns, still in the holster, and waited for a tense moment to see what Katty was going to do. Rick had half a mind to draw his gun on her to prove a point, but restrained himself.

Her multi-colored eyes didn't hold any malice; just a mix of apprehension and annoyance.

"Fuck that," she gruffly stated. "Not happening,"

Aaron sighed and gestured for Katty to come back over. Frowning when she shook her head at him, he glanced at Rick before addressing Katty once more. "Katty, you'll get some of the knives back after Deanna finishes with you. We just can't have civilians walking around with firearms, and you won't need that many knives anyways. There's kids around," he reminded her.

Her hand drifted away from the machete attached to her hip and she hesitantly glanced backwards to the now shut gate.

"I don't think that this was a good idea, Aaron. I should just –"

"No, no, wait, Katty. I promise, it is, just trust me," Aaron's exasperated tone accompanied his movements as he took a few steps towards Katty.

She mirrored him and took a few more steps backwards, and Rick watched as Aaron's face fell.

"I do trust you, Aaron, I just – I don't think that this place is for me." She nervously licked her lips and darted her eyes around the small crowd of people.

Aaron laughed and attempted to lighten the anxious mood, "What – it's not you, it's me? You're really pulling that line with me, Katty?"

Rick remained silent and watched the exchange. They had known each other for a while, it seemed. Why had it taken so long for her to agree to come to Alexandria?

Katty opened her mouth, probably to decline again if the terse expression on her face was any indication, before she was interrupted.

"Katty! Here less than 10 minutes and already causing trouble? That's a record," Rick looked over to see Eric limping over to them with a crutch, sending a smile to Daryl as he passed him.

Katty visibly brightened at the appearance of Aaron's partner. She put her hands on her hips and sternly asked, "And where the hell have you been exactly?"

Eric laughed lightly as he stopped in front of them and gestured to his healing ankle, "Can't exactly go for a tromp in the woods with you like this, can I?"

She glared down at his ankle as if it personally had offended her. "Bugger all. What did I tell you two about the kinky sex?"

Aaron and Eric instantaneously blanched and stumbled over their words, attempting to explain that that wasn't the case. Rick heard Michonne snort beside him as he smiled lightly at the expense of the two embarrassed men.

She waved their bumbling protests away, "Excuses, excuses, boys."

"Well, I can smell you from here, Katty. You'll have to clean up before you see Deanna, or you might kill her from your stench." He looked to Aaron questionably. "I thought you said you brought her soap yesterday,"

Aaron feigned exasperation and threw his hands in the air. "I did. I don't know how she did this in less than 24-hours,"

Katty sent a grumpy expression Aaron's way, that Rick thought looked more like a petulant child than anything. "Sod off, the both of you,"

Eric quickly glanced Katty up and down before gesturing at Spencer, "Come on then, give him your stuff so that we can get you cleaned up."

Rick felt the air around them thicken again, and the remaining individuals and himself held their breath as they waited for a response from the young girl.

"Hurry up. You can't shoot worth shit anyways, Katty. The Glock won't do you any good in here," Eric poked at her.

Her jaw tensed and she gulped, but unlatched the clip of the backpack at her front and dropped it inelegantly onto the ground. Spencer then strode forward and held out a bin to her for her to put her weapons in.

She grabbed the Glock out of the front of her waistband and placed it in the bin before bending to remove the rest from her body. Rick was somewhat impressed by the amount of blades on the girl; unlatching the machete at her hip, a shorter one strapped to her thigh, the pouch full of smaller knives at her other side. She even bent down to retrieve a few that were strapped to her ankle under the hem of her jeans. Katty placed the contents of her person into the bin carefully and then gestured with her thumb towards her bag.

"There's a few more in my bag. Don't blunt them, those are special," she chastised Spencer before turning to leave with Eric.

Rick stopped her; he had a job to do as well. "Can I check you before you go off?"

Her eyes clearly showed she didn't want his strange hands on her body and he could tell she wanted to scream 'no' at him. But she didn't. She shrugged, which Rick decided to accept as consent, and untied her jacked from her waist, tossing it back and onto her backpack.

Rick made sure any movement of his hands was precise and necessary, and he was very aware how small she seemed in front of him. His stature surely was intimidating enough for her without any added coercion. He could feel her big eyes on his face as he declined to look at hers. Starting at her shoulders, he quickly made his path down her arms and sides, noting her narrow waist and wondering bleakly if it was from hunger. She flinched when his hands patted at her hips, and he muttered a low apology and moved on. He moved down one thin leg and then the other before crouching down to address her shoes. Rick gently lifted at her ankle until Katty got the hint and lifted her right foot, placing a tentative hand on his shoulder to help balance herself. Rick lightly placed a hand behind her knee as he pulled off the work boot to check inside it and under it. Her shoes were falling apart, he noted dully. Whoever went on a supply run would have to get her some new ones. Probably new clothes, too, he noted when he smelled the stench of death that clung to her. He repeated the same motion with her left foot before replacing the shoe on her foot and standing up slowly.

She wasn't looking at him anymore; she was staring over his shoulder at something. Glancing back, he figured out her sight was fixed on Daryl, who had seemingly had enough of being in the background and was approaching the group.

"All done," he nodded at her and her gaze jumped back to Rick. She quickly looked him up and down before wordlessly moving past him and Aaron to Eric.

Before they left, Eric looked at Michonne. "If you see Rosita, can you ask her if she has any spare clothes? I think they're pretty close in size,"

Michonne nodded and Eric smiled gratefully at her before beckoning Katty to follow him.

Rick watched as her small frame retreated away, accompanied by the other man that she had apparently met before.

"She had a lotta stuff on her," Daryl commented dryly, looking towards the bin full of weapons and the heavy backpack that Spencer was currently attempting to pick up.

"I'm surprised she was able to carry this, little girl like that," Spencer grunted as he shifted the weight of the pack onto his shoulder. Michonne frowned at him.

"Just because she's a girl doesn't mean she's weak." She snapped. Rick couldn't agree more. Her carrying all those knives had to say something about her. If she didn't know how to use them they were unnecessary weight; something that couldn't be afforded in the new world.

Spencer just waved a hand in surrender her way and grabbed the bin off the ground. He nodded at them and walked off, presumably towards the armory and the Monroe house to sort through everything.

Rick heard Aaron laugh breathlessly beside him, and looked over. Aaron was watching the small form of his partner and Katty in the distance.

"She always did like him better." He joked.

Rick had a million questions about this new survivor; he wanted to get Aaron's opinion before meeting with her and Deanna later that day. He contemplated where to start.

"How long have you been scouting her for? You seem familiar," Rick commented.

"Myself and Eric followed her only for a few days. But technically we've been scouting her for over nine weeks now, I suppose," Aaron supplied easily, speaking to the three of them.

Rick frowned, "Why did it take her so long to agree to come back?"

Aaron sighed and ran a hand through his brown hair. "She's had a rough time with a few different groups, and it made her gun shy I suppose. She was with one friend some months ago but they got separated, and I think that's part of it too. Doesn't want to completely give up on him and move on, but can't make herself keep searching for him either,"

"Long time for one girl to be on her own, though." Michonne mused.

"She's more capable than she looks or thinks she is. Her dad was a Naturopathic Doctor, so she knows a great deal about herbal remedies and foliage in the area as well. He was big into self-sustainability and living off the land, too, so Eric and myself figure she would be a huge help in us learning to grow our own food. She knows a bit about hunting, too," Aaron looked at Daryl when he said this, and the redneck grunted in acknowledgement.

Rick scratched the back of his neck, unsure, "Well, what changed then and made her come back?"

Aaron hesitated, and Rick didn't miss how he glanced at Daryl, unsure. Daryl stiffened, probably expecting the worst.

"I'm not sure. She slowly changed her mind this morning after I mentioned Daryl,"

The three of them turned their eyes to Daryl, and he shifted his stance, uncomfortable that the attention was now directed on him. He frowned and sent a quizzical look to Aaron.

"Did she look familiar to you?" Michonne asked, eyes raking over his face.

"Nah," he denied quickly, "Never seen'er before."

"Maybe it was a different Daryl?" Rick supplied.

Aaron shook his head. "I said Daryl's full name, and she repeated it back to me a while later right before she agreed. Said she didn't actually know him, just knew of him," Aaron paused thoughtfully. "But she didn't seem to recognize him at all a few minutes ago."

Rick glanced in the direction that Eric and Katty had gone in, "We'll find out later, then. You sure she isn't dangerous and there isn't any group that she's apart of?"

Aaron shook his head, "I've never seen any signs of anyone. She's got surviving down to a science; doesn't stick too long in one place and sleeps in trees if she has to. She's valuable to Alexandria, Rick."

Rick didn't trust many people in Alexandria. Outwardly he was respectful and polite to Deanna, inwardly he was buying his time while he decided what to do. But he liked Aaron and his partner, and trusted that they were thorough in investigating Katty. He spared a nod at Aaron.

The other male sensed that the conversation was over and attempted an encouraging smile. "I'll let you know when we go up to see Deanna,"

Rick nodded and Michonne snickered to his right.

"So what's this about kinky sex, Aaron?" she asked innocently. Daryl let out a snort and Aaron rolled his eyes, trying to fend off the blush creeping up his neck.

"She's a little shit sometimes,"

"Well, I think she's funny," Michonne countered, and then left to find Rosita.

Katty showered for what felt like hours in scalding hot water because it had been ages since she had felt the nirvana that was heated water. Probably for too long, because when she got out and looked in the mirror, she had mysteriously metamorphosed into a lobster.

She ran her fingers through her wet hair before scrunching her towel into it and dried it best she could. Katty had washed it three times before the water had run clear, clear from the caked on Biter guts and blood. Her scalp was no longer itchy and she noticed that her hair was longer than she remembered. It now almost reached the middle of her back, and she twiddled with the uneven ends interestedly. Last time she had properly seen it, it was at her shoulder blades.

Looking through a mirror was a disturbing and foreign experience. She hadn't seen her own reflection in such a long time, it was almost like looking at a stranger. It practically was looking at a stranger, with how different she looked.

Standing in front of the mirror naked, Katty scrunched her nose as what she saw. She wasn't remotely even close to chubby before the end of the world; she had been a model, so she couldn't be. But she had lost at least one stone, probably more. She had liked her body before the apocalypse, now she thought she looked sharper and a great deal less feminine. Her boobs had definitely shrunk too, she thought with a frown as she grabbed them with her hands, trying to remember what they were like before. She turned around to check out her arse and was utterly disappointed. She had wide hips, which partially saved the noticeable deflate that had occurred. Hopefully she'd be able to gain that weight back.

Her face was sharper as well, but it wasn't entirely dissatisfactory. She had a few more lines from stress than she wanted to admit to and inwardly groaned. How old was she? 24? 25? She wasn't supposed to have lines. Better wrinkly than dead, she mused to herself. Her eyes were still alien and large, which her weight loss had only accentuated. Her once round, young looking face now took on a harsher appearance, and she detested the visible arch of her cheekbones that she had, ironically, always wanted previously.

Katty roamed her eyes over her body in the mirror, glancing at the various scars and bruises that littered her body. She remembered Rick grazing the large one that was on her right hip and lightly ran her handover it. It hurt, even after a year or two after it had healed. This was one she was determined to keep hidden, and she frowned as she brushed her fingers against the almost circular scar.

Someone knocked on the bathroom door, and Katty wrapped the fluffy towel around herself securely before opening it a bit. It was a pretty girl of Spanish decent, roughly around her age.

She smiled kindly at Katty, who returned it with a small one of her own. "Hey, Eric wanted me to drop off some clothes for you? I'm Rosita,"

Katty opened the door fully to let her in. "Katty," she replied. "Thanks."

"They should fit, let me know if they don't and I can try to find you something else," she eyed her, "We're basically the same size, you're probably a bit smaller,"

Katty groaned. "Tell me about it, I just looked at my new pancake ass."

Rosita laughed, "At least it gives you an excuse to eat more." She placed the clean clothes on the counter and grabbed Katty's pile of dirty laundry. "I'll have these washed for you." She frowned at them, "Maybe we should just burn them. They're pretty bad,"

"You can burn it all, just not my lucky pants," Katty protested. "They're my favourite."

"Gotcha, need anything else just let us know."

Katty nodded, knowing she probably wouldn't be asking for anything. The last thing she wanted to be was a burden, if she decided to stay long enough to become one.

After she left, Katty slipped on Rosita's clothes. They fit surprisingly well, even the bra she had supplied. The shorts were almost a bit tight, so maybe her pancake ass wasn't as flat as she figured. The sleeveless, denim, button-up shirt was a bit loose, and Katty appreciated the thick socks she had brought her as well. Putting them on and then cramming her feet back in her Timberlands, she frowned at how worn they were. They were good boots, and lasted her a long time. Hopefully she could find the same pair again.

She felt naked without her machete at her hip, so part of her wanted to get the interview with Deanna over with so she could have it back again. Most of her was terrified though, and wanted to avoid in entirely.

"I'm done, Eric."

"Katty? Is that you? You look like a real human now and not a Roamer," Eric commented with a grin.

Katty snorted in response. "You cheeky bitch."

"Alright, let's go, Poppet," Eric mocked in a British accent as he grabbed the crutch and hobbled to the door.

"Is this the part when I say parlay and you take me to the Captain?" Katty asked, remembering a popular movie she had watched a few years ago.

Eric smiled at her kindly. "It'll be alright, Katty. Aaron will be in the room with you,"

She nodded curtly as they walked towards where Aaron said he'd meet them, near the small piece of water that Alexandria had. Like a glorified pond.

He wasn't there, but in the vicinity was Rick Grimes from earlier, the woman with dreadlocks that was dressed similarly to him and another man. She had been eying him earlier; Katty had found him attractive in a rugged, back woods kind of way. He was the kind of man that she would have been attracted to back in California before everything happened. Older and rough, she noted that he looked like he barely showered and was overdue for a haircut. Katty bit back a grin. Just her type. Maybe the Alexandria Safe-Zone wouldn't be entirely awful.

Eric snapped his fingers in front of her face as they approached, "Earth to Katty,"

She scowled at him and swatted his hand away from her face. He smiled innocently back.

"Be a dear and go around to fetch Aaron; he's over there talking to Aiden. I'm crippled, so you have to say yes," he reminded her when she opened her mouth to protest. She rolled her eyes and stalked away to go retrieve Eric's partner.

She didn't miss the stares that she got from the group of three, or the particularly steely glare she got from the attractive one. She tried to ignore it as she approached Aaron and the other, younger male. They were speaking but Katty wasn't patient enough or interested enough to wait for a break in the conversation.

"Aaron, we're waiting for you. Let's go."

Aaron turned and smiled at her, "You clean up nicely. Could have mistaken you for a Roamer before," he joked.

"Ha ha, funny. Eric already beat you to that joke, though," she replied in a sarcastic tone.

"Well, hello, gorgeous. And who might you be?" the other male asked arrogantly, running a hand through his dark hair to muss it up.

Katty wasn't in the mood to deal with haughty macho men, so she sent a blank stare his way before regarding Aaron again, "I'll be waiting over there."

She thought she heard Aiden mutter, "Damn," under his breath, but she just rolled her eyes and quickly strode away. Ugh.

They small group was still staring as she approached, and she slowed her pace, suddenly intimidated and unsure. The woman with the dreadlocks braved a bright smile at her.

"I see Rosita brought you clothes. Glad they fit,"

Katty chewed her lip. "Yeah. Your name's Michonne, right? Thank you." She nodded in reply.

Rick cleared his throat and Katty inclined her head towards him. He had been professional earlier when he patted her down but she was still uncertain and slightly suspicious of him. She couldn't afford not to be. He had an air about him that was uneasy, almost like he was about to cross the threshold into becoming wild and unhinged, and it made Katty nervous.

"You look – uh, cleaner," he stated awkwardly and Katty stared at him. Rick still looked suspicious of her, which was understandable, so Katty tried to think of something to say to dispel the qualm.

"That's typically the point of showers, or so I've heard," she snipped back, and Rick smiled slightly. She heard Michonne snicker slightly, and she turned to look at the man that she didn't know.

"I'm Katty. We haven't had an introduction yet," she stated plainly, and he met her eyes briefly before looking at the ground again.

"Daryl," came his gruff reply, and she felt Rick and Michonne staring at her. Her eyebrows shot up. So this was Daryl. They definitely didn't look alike, but Katty took note of the same Southern twang to his voice, the one that was so dissimilar to Katty's accent.

"So you're Daryl then," she said, interested in the attractive, older man even more now. His eyes shot up to her face and his hard stare mirrored her own. She decided to play with him a bit.

"He was wrong after all," she said, more to herself than Daryl, but she knew that they would all pick up on the comment.

"The hell are yah on about?" he rasped at her, narrowing his blue eyes.

She smiled and licked her lips, enjoying the way his eyes darted down to them before he looked back up. This might be a bit of a risky comment, but what the hell. Hopefully he wouldn't shoot her.

"Merle said I wouldn't be attracted to you. Guess he was wrong."

A/N: Hello, you! I have decided to make a WD story. I haven't stopped my story, but I wanted to leave it for a bit to see how people reacted to it. If you haven't read that one, check it out.

Please review if you want me to continue, I'm unsure about this fic.

Thanks for reading,

- Submechanophobia