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What Do You Fear? [randomname98766789 and Amaranthine]

Providing no resistance, Bryce leaned down against the bed, laying flat on his back. Then, he watched as Alicia curled up to his side, just like she wanted. An arm wrapped around her neck gently, a hand resting on her shoulder while the other arm wrapped around the front, rubbing her bicep. “I love you so much, Princess. Tonight was incredible. I guess it will end now. Good night, my love.” Bryce pecked another kiss onto her full lips, letting it last for a few extra seconds. When Bryce pulled away, he nuzzled his nose into her hair, letting their legs wrap together.

It was easily the best way to fall asleep. Bryce loved the way it felt to have Alicia all over him. It was a feeling he could never tire of. With her head on his chest, all felt at peace in the world. All felt right in the world. It only took a few minutes, but Bryce was gently carried into sleep, lulled to a peaceful state by playing with her long, flowing hair. He just admired her sleeping form for a moment before closing his eyes, letting the sleep take him off into the night with his wife all curled up against his chest.

--

There was no chance in hell that Nick was not accepting Anna’s offer. Stay in bed, hold each other, and cuddle - perfect plan. “That sounds like a great idea.” Nick responded, his voice slow and lazy. It was the perfect beginning for the day. As they cuddled, Nick stroked his fingers through Anna’s long hair, threading through the locks while keeping her head on his chest. The other hand started a small massage, rubbing over as much of the girl’s back that he could reach in this position. Since no level of touching or amount of closeness was ever enough, Nick decided to wrap his legs around Anna’s, keeping her tight against him.

“It would be amazing to sit around all day, just like we used to.” Nick mentioned it, because he felt a vibe from their old days together. Waking up, having sex, cuddling in bed - it was a glorious recipe. Nick needed this back in his life. He missed having Anna around - mornings were just not the same without her. “Maybe we just hide today. Nobody else matters. I just want to keep you all to myself.” He whispered with a grin playing on his lips.
 
"I'm glad that you think so, my prince. I'm so happy that I made the suggestion, it was everything that I thought it would be and more. You make everything so amazing. Bryce." Alicia was feeling lighthearted and content as they cuddled up together. What would tomorrow bring? Likely trouble - Alicia had no doubt that turning the lights would lure many people to the hotel and none of them would be Nick. However, as she laid in her lover's arms she was able to at least keep that thought in the back of her head. Like Bryce she absolutely loved being able to fall asleep curled up - nothing was more relaxing and there was no better way to end the night after the passionate time that they had spent together.

"Good night, my love," she returned as she let out a soft sigh. The quiet that enveloped them after was soft and easy, and within moments Alicia found herself lost to slumber. The night came easy and the dreamlessness didn't change that. It was early morning when she awoke, as the first rays of sun beamed through their windows. Alicia had no desire to hurry and get up, plus she didn't know whether or not Bryce had woken up. The brunette let out a little yawn as she snuggled in to her lover's body, and stayed peaceful in his arms as she waited to see if Bryce would rise soon. Even if she laid an hour in his arms before he woke up she would be content.

----

Anna found herself rather pleased that Nick had accepted her idea - it was just more affirmation that she could have faith in him. Even though they may have gone through some really shitty things together, a lot of it admittedly her own fault, somehow they still seemed to manage to care about each other - he cared about her, enough that he could still choose her. In the end that was what she wanted - to be his first choice. Nick would be hers for as long as he would allow himself to be as well. Sitting there curled up with him, bodies pressed tight together and touching from head to toe, she felt at peace - comfortable.

"See, it's not that hard to appease me," she teased as she stole a kiss from him. "All you gotta do is say shit like that." Anna gladly would have spent all day like that but, well, at the same time she wouldn't. Even when she was being soft and affectionate she did have a limit before she just felt too touched. For a while though she was able to be content in that moment, and only once she was starting to get that creeping let me go right now feeling did she take her head away from his chest and allow her body to fall backwards on his bed. She didn't even care if his legs were around her back - it might not have been the most comfortable but for a few seconds she looked up to him with a soft smile on her face, body bared and still pressed to his, before she finally freed herself.

"Okay, clean up time. Let's go. It's not like we won't be able to do this again tomorrow." She too adored the normalcy of it - one of the things she had missed most were the quiet, lazy mornings that they spent doing nothing - they'd fuck and cuddle, smoke a bong or hit up and then cuddle some more. How many days had they spent just laying in her bed until well past noon or until one of the others in the apartment had decided at least one of them was needed? Too many. God she'd missed it.
 
Falling asleep with Alicia in his arms was easy for Bryce. Sleep came quickly, his entire body and mind fully relaxed thanks to Alicia’s presence. It was about ten minutes after Alicia woke the following morning before Bryce did as well. His eyes looked down at the brunette, yawning cutely and stretching out his body as much as possible. Then, their eyes locked together. Damn. It was one hell of a sight to see early this morning – one that Bryce loved to see each day. It never got old, never got tired. Bryce would happily start his day this way all the time. “Well, hello there. How long have you just been staring at me?” Bryce teased, obviously enthralled with the idea of Alicia just laying in his arms, looking at him. He had done the same to her many times before. Tilting his head to the side, Bryce leaned forward so he could press a kiss onto her lips. It was a gentle kiss, holding it for a few seconds, pulling back after he had enough for the moment. However, it did not stop there.

Bryce suddenly crawled on top of Alicia, straddling her as he began to pepper those kisses down her neck, across her collarbone, across her chest, down one of her arms, then the other arm, all the way down to her palm. Next, he playfully kissed her chest, now moving down to her abdomen, then legs, then feet. Bryce took his time, but after about three or four minutes passed, he had made an entire round, kissing over as much of her body as he could, feeling in an especially touchy mood after waking up, wanting Alicia to feel his lips over every inch she had because he just loved to worship her body, more or less. “I love you, Princess.” He knew they needed to get up, but he just wanted enough time to kiss her everywhere before moving on.

--

“You just want to get rid of me.” Nick teased playfully, a soft laugh leaving his lips as he shook his head, finally releasing Anna from his grasp. Yeah, Nick could have easily stayed in bed all day. She was fortunate to be the one that suggested they get out of bed, and get cleaned up. If left to him? There was no telling if he could ever force himself to do such a thing. Yet, here they were, now standing up from the bed. “I will get the sheets.” Nick volunteered to change the sheets. There was a change of sheets in one of the dressers in the room, so that was nice. He took the blood-stained sheets off the bed, folded all of them together, placing them into a small grocery bag laying around. He would remember to get it washed later, but he wasn’t even sure if there was a point considering the stains might not come out.

Then, before replacing the sheets on the bed, Nick found a towel to wipe the blood off his body, as much as he could. Since it was dry now, there was not much he could do at the moment. They could used the showers though. It was their best bet, but they had to actually leave the trailer for that, go out into where the community showers were located. Nick figured they might get some odd looks if they were not alone in the showers, considering all the markings, but it was not something that bothered Nick. So, in preparation for it, Nick dressed himself in a simple white t-shirt and dark brown, baggy pants that he could easily slip off once they arrived. “Are you ready to hit the showers now?”
 
"Not long enough," Alicia sighed in return, still tired but also hopelessly in love - Bryce wasn't the only one who could appreciate the soft, relaxing sight of their beloved still in slumber. Luckily it seemed like he had no qualms, and she was more than happy to just lay there. His lips were soft against hers, but they didn't stay so innocent for long. Within seconds Bryce had climbed on top of her and started to kiss every inch of her. There was little that Alicia could do but just go with the flow,a nd she loved every damn second of it. Bryce wasn't the only one who wanted to be touchy, and she absolutely loved the way his lips fluttered over her skin. In another world, she would have gladly let him do that forever. Even still she wished that she had the luxury of lazing around all day.

"I love you too," she said to him as she reached out to him and urged her back towards her head. Before they got going she wanted to steal one (or a few) more kisses from her dear husband, and the young woman was sure that he would be happy to oblige. Maybe later on, as long as they had the chance, she would return the favour - just as Bryce could worship every inch of her skin, Alicia could (and would and did) do the same in return. There was a well deserved massage with Bryce's name on it at some point in the day. For now, they probably did need to get up and moving. There never truly was a "quiet" day in the world they lived in.

----

There wasn't much that they were going to be able to about... any of this. Between blood and other bodily fluids the sheets were stained, and Anna especially was covered in the remnants of last night's moment. She didn't really care what anyone might see, but she did worry a little as to what would happen if people came to think that Nick had been (aggressively) hurting her. Therefore after she pulled her clothes on, a pair of denim shorts matched with a tank top, she also went in to her bag and pulled out the black button down of his that she had been holding on to ever since they had arrived in Mexico. After popping the collar up and securing a few buttons, most of the damage ended up covered. There was no denying that there was still a mess, but at least the slight gashes on her neck (what would be most concerning to others most likely) were covered up,

"Yeah I'm good to go," Anna said as she trailed her way towards the door - she was half there before he had even asked if she was ready anyways. She had no problem ignoring people the entire way to the small shared shower block, but they had probably earned a look or two without her paying any attention to it. Luckily, the place seemed empty - and Anna was more than happy to strip herself bare, especially given that she had thrown a long sleeve shirt on over her normal get up. Things would look a little less gruesome and she would be a little less worried about Nick being accused of a woman beater when she didn't actually, well, look like she'd been beaten.
 
After the following kisses, Bryce forced himself to get dressed. However, his eyes never left Alicia. She was perfect, in every aspect. The male dressed himself in a pair of jeans, a grey t-shirt, pulling on his combat boots last. The original plan was to see what everyone else was up to this early morning, maybe grab some breakfast. They were both going to be surprised when they went downstairs, though. Bryce grabbed Alicia’s hand, linking fingers with her before they left the room. As attractive as she was, and as much as he loved her, Bryce was unable to move without pressing a kiss to her lips, so he did that first before moving out into the hallway. Now, that they were out of the room, the couple approached the front of the hotel. This was where things started to get crazy.

A mass of desperate, shouting survivors arrived at the Rosarito Beach Hotel gate after spotting the neon sign that Madison flashed last night. Madison, Elena, Hector, and Oscar were already outside, refusing entrance to these people. “Holy shit…” Bryce whispered to his wife. Honestly, he was speechless. There was not much he could think to say right now. “Look at all these people… they could tear down the gate if they wanted…” Bryce pointed out, knowing that they could not hold off a crowd for that long. They continued shouting over each other, pushing to the front of the line. “We fucking told her…” Bryce muttered underneath his breath to Alicia, clearly pissed that this happened. All of these people just put Alicia at a higher danger than it did without these people – it put them all in danger, but of course, he was most worried about Alicia for obvious reasons.

--

Nick saw Anna covering herself up. The shirt, the button-down one that used to be his, caught his attention. Nick grinned to himself before making a comment. “I always wondered where it went.” It did not bother him. Seeing Anna wearing his shirts made Nick quite happy. There was just something endearing about knowing she liked to wear something that was his, whether it was the smell like some said, the comfort of it being bigger, or the knowledge of it being his – whatever reason she had for enjoying to wear his shirts, Nick would never stop her. Plus, it was helpful now. Any logical person that saw the damage on Anna’s body would think that Nick was hurting her. In this day in age, there was no law or jury or court to settle it – he knew there would be some people that would likely take him out first, ask questions later.

Some marks were still undeniable, some marks were impossible to cover right now. However, it looked like she was covered for the most part. That was probably for the best, for both of their sakes, really. When they reached the showers, Nick quickly stripped down too. It felt good to stand underneath the running water, washing himself off with the little soap that they had. It was nothing like a shower before the outbreak, but damn, it sure felt nice. He looked down to see her own little handiwork she had carved into his skin last night. Whereas he was unsure how to feel the previous night, Nick felt much better now, even smiling when he saw the marks.
 
As soon as they walked out of their room, Alicia was wishing that they had never left it. At first that was because she just wanted to spend all day in bed with Bryce, but that quickly changed as they made their way out towards the front. She could hear the people before she saw them, and dread formed a pit deep in Alicia's tummy. They had said that exactly this would end up happening and god did she wish that they had been wrong in that moment. With a shake of her head Alicia shared a brief moment of eye contact with her beloved. How safe would this place be now that its cover was blown.

She wanted to yell and scream at Madison but she didn't - and as the pair were making their way down towards the gate the blonde seemed to grow frantic. They had to get closer before they could see why - Travis had showed up outside, with Chris nowhere to be seen. For a moment her heart hurt - by blood or not, for life or not, that boy had still been her brother too. Travis wouldn't be here alone if he wad okay. There was a more pressing matter though: "Bryce... She's going to want to let him in. There's no way she can get just him past the gates." Whether they liked it or not... They were going to get guests.


----

He could have it back if he wanted - in fact Anna thought that he looked the sexiest that he probably ever had been (a feat considering the just how sexy he usually was to her) when he'd been in this specific shirt, so she would put up no fight at all if he wanted it. Until then it was hers, which was nothing new to her. She had always been fond of nabbing his shirts, especially button downs, so that on it's own was nothing new. They may have only had a few inches difference height wise but she had a much smaller frame and very thin body so anything of his ended up being quite oversized on her - leave one open with a tank top and pair it with some shorts, like she was wearing now, and there was her typical outfit back when they were living together.

It was good to shed the top, though. It was way too hot to be wearing full sleeves, even if the fabric was thin. Anna almost felt bad about wiping away the evidence of her dalliance but it was the right thing to do lest they wind up in a sticky situation - she wasn't quite sure that she knew enough Spanish to save them from that. In the end the damage wasn't actually that bad - a few nicks here and there and the initials on her hip.... Of course, with the blood washed away there was still the mark of his hand around her throat. It seemed that there were only bruises where his fingertips had been which could possibly pass of as hickies, especially given that Nick's neck had been left covered in them by her.
 
Yeah, Alicia was right. How the hell were they going to get Travis inside without other survivors trickling inside? It was going to be difficult, but that was exactly what Madison said they were going to do. It took the full force of everyone gathered around to keep the gate open just enough for Travis, having to physically push away the others. Of course, this angered the crowd. How did they let one person in, but not the others? Bryce also noticed that Travis was alone. Travis’ son was not with him. If Chris was alright, Bryce was certain Travis would not be here without him. It did make Bryce feel bad to know this, even if there was no relation to him. Chris was a decent kid. It sucked to see so many young people losing their lives. This apocalypse was rough – it did not discriminate on age.

Once inside, the newly reunited couple took some alone time, going up to the hotel and on the balcony. The others remained out in front by the gates, watching the crowd. They were growing more agitated each minute and that was not good for anyone. The humanity in Bryce somehow wanted to let these people in. They needed to help each other. It was the only right thing to do, wasn’t it? Bryce was having a tough time here. “What are we going to do about this? They’re not just going to leave.” Bryce murmured softly, looking to Alicia and the others around him.

--

Of course, just showering did not heal wounds or cuts or bruises. Still, Nick felt like he looked and felt considerably better after showering. His entire body felt clean. Even though he always had the big idea of covering himself in disgusting walker guts and then agreeing to basically have Anna bleed all over him, mixing with his own blood – it still felt nice for Nick to get clean again. After quickly showering, he redressed himself and decided to wait around for Anna if she was not out yet. If she was, then he approached her upon seeing her. He had no doubt that they would just get dirty again later, and now that they were a night removed from all the craziness, Nick actually found that he enjoyed it more than he first thought. He liked looking down to see what she carved into him with the knife. Was there anything more possessive than that?

“Alright. I guess we should get moving, see if there’s anything we can do around here, yeah?” Nick asked, glancing to Anna again. Nick was not sure about one small thing though – how did she feel about being all touchy with him? Did she want to still avoid that in public? How did they act around others? Nick was still nervous, not wanting to fuck up, so while he stayed near Anna, he kept some distance so she could make the move if she wanted to grab onto his hand again or if she just wanted to walk by his side. He did note how she acted on the way to the showers, but he wanted to observe just a bit more before doing something he was not sure she wanted.
 
There was no right call here. To let in so many people, so many strangers, was risking their own safety and security here. To leave them outside the gate to die would be unthinkable. As much as Alicia wanted this place to last and be comfortable and safe, she didn't want to do so at the expense of other lives. Beyond that, the more upset the people got at being locked out the worse it would likely be when (when - not if) they managed to get in. Whether someone let the crowd in or they broke the gate down, they were going to find a way in to their sweet spot of serenity at some point.

"I don't know, Bryce." Even if she did it wasn't really her call. The only person here who actually listened to her was Bryce, and even he was rarely listened to any more than she was. "The longer they stay out there the angrier that they're going to get... and I can't see that gate staying up long if everyone starts trying to knock it down. If they do that then the whole place will lose its security - anything will be able to walk right in. As much as it's hard to put faith in those we've never even met... it still might be the better choice. What do you think, my prince?" Alicia genuinely wanted to hear what he was thinking on the subject as well.

----

Anna was... oddly content. Sometimes it was a pain in the ass to get her to be emotive and other times it seemed like it would be impossible to get her to back off. There wasn't much rhyme or reason to it because she could be having the best day of her life and still have absolutely no desire to be touched - but today was one of those days where that good mood seemed to translate in to touchiness. On top of that... there was just no one here who mattered. There was no one in Colonia that she had to keep her defenses up over, no one who would (even jokingly) bug her about actually having feelings after all, and little to bother in her general. What was the worst that would happen - Luciana seeing them? Hell, Anna was still in the type of mood where she would have absolutely loved to show off what was hers. (There was probably a point of shoving it in the woman's face too much, but that was a line that Anna could cross without a problem.)

She took a little longer to finish up than Nick did - long, thick hair to try and wash after all - but after she stepped out she was still comfortable naked. She took her time getting dried up and then dressed, though this time she passed on putting his shirt on and instead wrapped it around her waist. Black wasn't a good idea in the Mexican heat, after all. A handful of small cuts and a few bruises were nothing compared to how she had looked with dried blood from neck to nethers. Before they left she had stolen a quick kiss from him and as they walked away she stuck to his side. Normally when moving she was a "hands to herself" kind of person - but she also tended to want to walk a mile minute while Nick liked to meander. Today, at least, she was content at his side, and the passed up holding his hand in favour of wrapping her arm around his waist. "Suppose we should do something," she mused. "Wonder what Luci wanted... Not really, actually, but she said something about Francisco. Wasn't he supposed to take your powdered down oxy to the mafia dudes who wanted to cut your arm off?"
 
Many did not see past Bryce and Alicia’s age. In most eyes, they were still kids. “I know it might sound shitty, but…” Bryce began, taking a glance from Alicia’s eyes. “I know we’re supposed to help people. I know turning them away isn’t an easy thing to do… but…” Bryce paused again, still going back and forth. However, when he saw Alicia, it was an easier choice. “I don’t think we should open the gates, Princess. There’s at least 30, maybe more of them. They outnumber us easily. There’s no telling what some intentions are. I’m doing whatever I can to keep you and your mother safe. I think letting these people in puts everything at a huge risk. It’s not something I’m willing to do.” Bryce finally decided that Alicia’s life was valued higher than anyone else’s. Was it really a surprise though? If there was a burning building, full of all Bryce’s family and friends, and he was told to save one of them.

Well, the choice would be a no-brainer – his wife. Nobody liked thinking that way, but it was just simply fact. Bryce would do literally anything to keep her safe. That’s why he was even willing to suggest they leave her mother, if she continued to endanger her. Bryce did not play or take chances when it came to Alicia. He valued her opinion, he would not force her into anything, but he was not exactly quiet about what he thought was best either. “We’re letting them in.” Bryce suddenly heard from behind him – the four older adults having made that decision together, like their opinions had no bearing.

--

Well, that didn’t take long. A kiss – an arm around the waist. Yeah, Anna was feeling touchy this morning. Nick was not complaining about it, wrapping his own arm loosely around her neck while they walked. It genuinely surprised Nick when Anna suggested they find out what Luciana wanted. “Y-Yeah, he was. That was the plan.” After, responding, the couple made it not ten more steps before Luciana herself appeared. She was wondering if she should avoid them completely, but there was some business she needed to take care of. Now, how did one forget about what happened last night? It was next to impossible. Luciana would not soon forget it, not a chance in hell. It seemed like Luci was the first to make a move, planting herself right in the walking path. Something told Nick that Anna would not want to let him go, even as they were having a conversation.

Luci did her best to avoid even looking at Anna, the jealousy still burning. She was pissed, at both parties. “Francisco and his family snuck out of the community sometime last night.” She did not acknowledge what she saw last night, nor did she ask questions. It was all business right now. The less time she spent here, the better. “Reynaldo has refused to make the trade without Francisco, but we can’t find him anywhere. He’s not coming back. We can’t get water without the trade. We need to make it happen.” She sounded desperate at this point. If there was anyone else to do it, she would have asked. “Alright, yeah… I can do this.” Nick responded. It was not for her, but for the community. He had to live here, too. So did Anna. They both needed water.
 
"And if those thirty angry people who massively outnumber us find a way to break in and decide that they want to hold the fact that we kept the gates closed against us? That would go over even worse - they would definitely want to pick a fight." Even though she may have seen a different side to things, Alicia wasn't upset that Bryce seemed to have a differing opinion. Being able to disagree on something and still be cordial was important and they were always incredibly respectful and thoughtful to each other. Alicia could definitely see Bryce's side, though. She wasn't too keen on the idea of letting anyone in - but she was even less keen on this turning in to a guaranteed attack against them.

It seemed that the choice was made without them, though. Given that there was no truly good one, all Alicia could do was hope for the best. "Of course they don't even ask us," she scoffed and shook her head. "Look... I know you're worried - and I am too. But it looks like we're going to have to find a way to coexist. They're tired and hungry and some of them are probably sick. Maybe all they want is a roof over their heads."

-----

Anna, frankly, wished that Luciana was nowhere to be found - but she also found a satisfaction in being able to piss the woman off. Maybe it wasn't a good thing to aggravate the person responsible for why they were allowed to stay, but she also didn't really care. She didn't have intentions to stick around much longer anyways - Nick may have started to feel like he had an obligation to this place, but if shit started going south she would just decide that it was time to go. This place was never more than stop on the journey to her, and she felt no ties to it.

Either way, she made a point to sidle up nice and close to her man as Luci talked, and she didn't miss the air of jealousy coming off of the woman. In fact it kind of fueled her - she'd moved in between them with her back pressed to Nick's body, even tilted her head until it touched his own. Luciana wanted to talked to Alejandro, so it looked like that was what they would do - and if she seemed to think that Anna would just walk away and let her go about her business then she was wrong. "You know... We could just leave instead," she said to him in a hushed tone as they walked behind. "It's not our problem." I don't want you going anywhere alone with her - but that wasn't something she was going to say out loud.
 
Fair point. Alicia always brought up valid arguments. Even so, Bryce realized that it mattered little what either himself or Alicia thought. The gates were being opened, they needed to help “Well, this is unavoidable. Just… stay close to me, okay?” That wasn’t going to be a problem – Bryce already knew it. Maybe it was just paranoia, but Bryce was quite worried about what might happen. Things would have been so much easier if Madison would have just listened to her daughter and her son-in-law. Turning on the sign was bad news – the evidence was now entering the front gates. “Alright. Let’s pitch in, however we can. It looks like they’re taking the lead on this one.” Bryce gestured with a sigh, seeing the older adults directing the survivors to the parking garage.

First things first – make sure that none of the new guests were bitten. Bryce and Alicia were paired together, a line gathering in front of them. They would simply look over the strangers, seeing if there were any marks on them that they should be worried about. Not longer after this started, Madison decided to show herself again. Bryce really didn’t know what to say, Madison could obviously see what happened. “Alicia, can I talk to you for a bit? Walk with me, please.” Madison spoke, looking at her daughter – that was new, Madison asking to actually speak with her daughter?

--

Walking beside Anna, Nick was not surprised to hear what her suggestion would be. It made him sigh quietly to himself, but it was so adorable. He could read between the lines – seeing that she did not want him anywhere with Luciana. Hopefully, she trusted him, just not Luciana. Honestly, he probably would have felt the same way about Anna going somewhere with a guy – it was just human nature, either way. No matter the amount of trust they each had, jealousy was something real. “I know. You’re right, but there are families here. Old people. Kids. If Marco doesn’t get his shit… he’ll lose control. This place will be under siege.” Sure, he did not exactly care for everyone here, but Nick could not live with being part of the reason why these people were unsafe.

“We’ll just see what Alejandro says, then we’ll go from there.” They reached the man’s trailer, the trio entering inside. Luciana told him what Francisco did – which clearly made him bitter and upset, hearing that information. He wanted Luciana to speak with the scouts, to help raise morale. He also forbid anyone from leaving, especially these two to do the trade with Marco. Nick tried to urge Alejandro, but the older man was not having any of it, talking about how everyone lacked faith in him. It seemed like Alejandro was starting to fall apart.
 
Even though she would have much rathered been alone with Bryce, Alicia was content to stay in the garage bay with him. People were being allowed in and everyone was to be checked for any signs of wounds. Bryce and her had been put on that duty, so for a while that was all there was to do. No one seemed to be bit or scratched, but some were sick, malnourished and/or dehydrated - one was even pregnant. She was lucky that she took spanish classes in high school as there were some who didn't seem to speak even a lick of English, and that would have been troublesome if there was no one who could talk to them.

"I'm needed here," Alicia said back to her mother when she was summoned. The women shared a short gaze, but Alicia broke it. Why now? Of all times why now did Madison have to seem to care - or had she somehow done something wrong? To say she wasn't even a little bitter would be a lie. Madison pushed, though, and Alicia shared a reluctant gaze with her husband. "Do you mind? I won't be gone long, and it's not like I'll be alone." She wasn't so much asking for permission as just assuring things were okay with him - even if her and Bryce preferred to keep each other within arm's reach she was still a capable young adult.

----

Yeah - she couldn't say that she expected that to work. She did really want to go, though - not like she had suggested the night before where she left without him but this place was not her home and she had no attachments to it. It was just a step along the way and nothing more - and if Nick thought she would let his self righteous need to look after things risk getting him hurt then he would get slapped upside the head and told to stop acting like an idiot. Alejandro didn't want anyone going anywhere though, and his desperate attempt to maintain control of status made Anna all the more sure that it was time to make sure her bag was always packed and ready. She couldn't say that she would be happy if something went bad here, but she also hadn't lived this long by making a habit of sticking around when she knew something was about to become a shit show.

"Y'know - focusing on it isn't going to change the fact that you hate being told no." Nick didn't seem to pleased that he was forbidden from leaving which wasn't much of a surprise on its own - Anna thought it was a good idea to tease him about it as they left Alejandro's place. At the same time she figured that since he wasn't allowed to get up to anything she could probably at least distract him - before everything had gone awry the previous night she'd had something in mind after all. As she took Nick by the hand, Anna didn't say anything about what she was doing or where she was leading him - not even as she knocked on the door of a place he hadn't visited and a male figure appeared behind it.
 
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Simply, Bryce flashed Alicia a smile. “Of course. I’ll be here when you get back.” Bryce was not worried, considering she was going to be with her mother. It was not like he couldn’t handle a few minutes away from her, anyways. Just a couple days ago, Bryce did end up having that conversation with Madison about the way she treated Alicia. She did not quite understand it then, but hearing Travis mention something about it now – it opened the blonde’s eyes a bit. So, she felt the need to talk to Alicia right now, to tell her a few things.

“There's something I didn't say last night. Something I need you to understand.” Madison started once the woman and her daughter were alone. “it’s about your father. His accident, wasn’t an accident. I just-- I thought I was doing the right thing by not telling you. I didn't know. I just-- I didn't know what—I know that I told you he fell asleep, but that’s a lie. He crashed his car – there was a note in his glove box that said ‘I love you all, but enough’s enough. Nick doesn’t know either. That’s the main reason I kept it a secret. I saw so much of your father in him. I didn’t want them to be the same. You deserve more. So much more. Just know that I never loved you any less. I just thought you were alright. I’m so so sorry.”


--

Nick sighed, deciding to remain quiet. There was no pushing the issue right now. Nick had half a mind to sneak out. It would not be the first time he did something like that since the outbreak started. Back off the coast, he did that favor for Strand, finding his friend that would help them cross over the border. It did not go like planned, but it was a necessity at the time. Nick had no problem sneaking out again to make the trade if he must, even if it meant going alone. He was certain Anna would hate it – but he figured he could not even get out the bed without waking her anyways so what was the point. He found himself pulled somewhere, before he could even ask a question, Anna was meeting someone. There was a guy there – around their age, taller than Nick, more muscular.

Yeah, he looked like the stereotypical hunk. Nick knew Anna wasn’t necessarily into that, but he couldn’t help but feel jealous when he called her by name and flashed her this charming smile. “Hey there, Anna. Good to see you again. I guess you came back for more. And you brought a friend this time?” Nick didn’t know what he was talking about at first, but he quickly rested his worries when he saw the blunt in the man’s hand. “What do you have for trade this time?” Nothing was free – he wouldn’t provide the hookup without something in return.
 
So much happened over the next couple minutes and it was all overwhelming. First Madison brought up her father's death and Alicia couldn't believe what she was hearing. Suicide!? How could they possibly know that? Why would he do that to them? Denial came first - there was no way that could possibly be true. There was a note, though - short and sweet. The last thing her father had to say was that enough was enough.

Madison then tried to apologise for how she had treated her daughter over the few years since. Alicia herself just really didn't know what to say. No amount of apologies would undo what had happened. "I had to be," she ended up saying. She'd been forced to grow up too early because Nick had it worse, sit on the sidelines because caring for him was a full time job. Alicia's choices had been rather limited.

It was something, though, right? Alicia had to adnit this was a touch better than nothing. She was grateful when the conversation ended a couple minutes later, though. This was definitely something that she would bring up to Bryce... later. She was supposed to still have a job to do after all.

----

"Aw don't be that way just because I brought a boy with me - I thought we were friends." She hadn't mentioned where she had gotten that joint they had shared the night before, but Nick had to have figured it came from somewhere. Anna could smell drugs a mile away and given how chaotic yesterday had been with her not one but two near meltdowns, of course she has gone looking. While the man on the other side of the door was no top notch dealer, he had been growing a few plants - and had been more than happy to share when it was just her. It seemed his intentions hadn't been innocent - which on its own didn't really bother her because the dude had at least been friendly and no moves had been made. It was annoying right now though.

"What do you want though? If you wanna act like I never told you I was taken then I can play your way." It didn't surprise her when men acted that way - people even had back when her and Nick were first together, and only one had pushed limits after she made her unavailability clear. Anna took a step back towards Nick, just enough that she bumped against his chest, and took his hand in her own. Pretty much everything about it was reading there's no competition here.
 
Bryce handled his job well. Thankfully, none of the survivors appeared bitten or scratched. The most severe condition was a pregnant lady. When Alicia returned, Bryce could sense that something was off, but he would not press her in front of a crowd. So, the evening continued with them helping everyone get checked in. There was not enough time to figure out rooming conditions, so everyone was just asked to stay out in the parking garage area, away from the rest of the group for now. When they were finally given the opportunity to be alone, Bryce waked Alicia back to their room.

Upon reaching the room, Bryce closed the door, immediately focusing on Alicia. He could only imagine that there was something that went down in her conversation with Madison. She was not acting the same after that. “Princess…” He whispered, pulling her hands towards his chest, sitting down onto the edge of the bed with her. “Do you… want to talk before we get some rest? You’re acting a little off. Do you want to tell me what your mother wanted to talk to you about?” Bryce questioned quietly, though would not prod if she preferred to keep the matters to herself. Of course, he preferred that she told him what happened, but that was her choice.


----


Nick liked the feeling of knowing that he was not competition. Nick sighed quietly, squeezing her hand, wrapping his other arm around her as well, quite possessively. Nick even tried to stand up a bit straighter to try and appear more intimidating, but had no idea how foolish he looked doing it. Either way, the guy just watched them both and sighed. “Trade me whatever food you have. Then you can have yourself another joint.” Not all of the joints were free. The first one was just a favor, trying to make a friend. He could not sustain himself without making something out of it, right?

Nick decided to oblige, reaching into his bag and pulled out the granola bars and whatever else he had that could suffice for right now. Once the food was collected, he placed the materials in Anna’s hands. Once it was transferred, he winked at the woman before closing the door and turning away. This must have been somewhat what Anna felt like with Luci, he thought – but it was probably worse since she saw them kissing. “He’s stupid.” Nick muttered to himself, turning to Anna. “Any other stops before heading back?”
 
"You ever find out something just throws... Everything you know out of whack?" Alicia mused out loud as she fell back on to the bed they shared. Of course she wanted to talk to Bryce about what she had been told. Even after she had returned to the parking pay and to his side she had been thinking about it and obviously he had noticed - always so attentive. Alicia reached her hand out to her husband hoping that he would join her.

"I found out that my dad's crash wasn't an accident," she told him whether he joined her or not. "He killed himself... Probably because of Nick's addiction - enough is enough was the last thing he had to say. I can't believe it."

----

That was a fair enough trade - not like they had much anyways and they could always go eat Colonia's shit when they got hungry. She got what she wanted and that was what mattered. "One stop - home. Then we're going somewhere else. I was gonna try to be cute with you yesterday before everything happened, so we're doing it today instead."

Simple enough plan right? And hopefully enough to make Nick not care about the whole Francisco thing. "Gotta grab some pillows... Maybe those sheets we fucked up too, cause dirt will just get em messy anyways and the new stuff is too clean for that."
 
Holy shit. Bryce could not believe what he was hearing. Unable to imagine what finding that out must have felt like, Bryce allowed himself to be pulled down onto the bed. An arm wrapped around Alicia’s neck, the other hand sliding through her long hair. His forehead was gently rested against her forehead, stealing a kiss from her cheek. “Princess, I’m so, so sorry to hear that.” It was tough enough knowing that her father died in a car accident. It made things worse knowing that it was not an accident, that he committed suicide.

Honestly, Bryce had no idea what to say. All he did was hold her tight against his body like there was no tomorrow. “I’m here for you.” Bryce reminded her, still stroking her hair. “Regardless of what happened, I know that your father loved you – all of you. I could tell that, even as young as I was back then. Sometimes, people do things we can’t understand or don’t understand. There’s truthfully no telling what was going on inside his head, but I know he must have been sick. I know he loved all of you, though.” Bryce hoped she could continue to remember her father in a positive light, not thinking about all the negativity that was happening to him before he committed suicide.

--

Basically, Nick was clueless. His Spanish was not the best, but he understood the male asking to trade the joint for food. Other than that, Nick had no idea what Anna and the guy were talking about. All he could do was try to seem territorial over her. Once they left, Nick felt better, listening to Anna talking about stopping by their trailer, grabbing their fucked up sheets, and being cute together. A twitch pulled at the corners of his lips when she said this – it sounded like a great idea. Since being reunited, there wasn’t anything he could classify as ‘being cute’ together, like they used to do when they were in a relationship.

It sounded like a great first step. He was not entirely sure what she planned, but she told him enough so he had a slight understanding of what they were doing. Once they arrived back at the trailer, Nick grabbed those aforementioned sheets and a couple pillows from the clean bed. Nick turned to face Anna, giving her a slight gesture with his head. “Alright – lead the way, then. Let’s go be cute.” Nick added with a chuckle on his lips, happy to feel how relaxed and easygoing they were in that moment.
 
Just like always, Bryce was perfect. There was nothing that could be said that would change things, but he held on to her tight and he listened - something very few people had ever done for her. Alicia allowed herself to relax in his hold, but she also allowed herself to feel. She was feeling incredibly overwhelmed and swore that she might end up crying - her eyes even welled up with tears. None escaped, though.

"That's just... Really hard to believe, knowing that he chose to leave us..." She muttered as she nuzzled against her husband. "I want to think you're right, though. If I try to focus on the bad, no one will get anywhere... It just hurts."

----

Anna had a spot in mind and everything - and with the sun just starting to turn the sky orange it felt like the perfect time to just relax and have a moment together. Sure, they had lots of moments - sexual ones. Now Anna wasn't about to say no if things went in that direction, and she was sure that even if they didn't in the next little while she would still end up dicked down again before she went to sleep, but for once her goal wasn't to strip Nick naked and ride him in to oblivion.

She led the way until they reached a secluded area that overlooked the lands outside of the wall. The city was in the distance - which served as a reminder to the woman that her goal was so close she could literally see it. (She still wanted Molly more than anything.) She came to a stop once there and took the sheet from Nick, folded it while still leaving it big enough, and then sat with her legs crossed. "C'mere," she said as she reached a hand up to him. With the other she held on to the joint she had gotten.
 
Bryce solved problems. If Alicia was upset, he found out why, he planned to
change it, then, he made her happy. Tonight? Was that even possible?
Nothing could change the past. How did you console someone going through
this? The narrative was awful: her father committed suicide, which she saw
as him leaving his family, her mother never paid attention to her, and her
brother was an addict that seemingly did not care about her or their
family.

That shit was tough. Bryce felt powerless, not something that he felt
often. So, he was just there – to be with his wife. His arms tightened
around her body, his lips pressed into her neck. “I know it hurts,
Princess. I wish there was something I could do to take away the pain
you’re feeling right now, but I know that’s impossible. So tell me, what
can I do for you right now?” It seemed like the best route – just ask how
he could help her, then go from there. If she needed a shoulder to cry on,
if she wanted him to talk to her about this, if she wanted to sit in
silence – only Alicia knew what was best for her in that moment. Bryce
would oblige her with everything she asked.

--

While overlooking the city, Nick felt a mix of emotions. Everything looked
abandoned, but he knew their stay here was only temporary. How would it
feel, being back out in the world again? This community had seemed like a
sanctuary so far, but he knew Anna felt differently about this place. It
was impossible to think about anything else right now, however. Nick
focused on Anna, taking her hand, allowing the woman to pull him into a
seated position beside her.

“Oh? Anna wants to show me a romantic view of the night sky? Who are you?”
Nick playfully teased her, nudging her slightly. Their relationship
dynamics barely included anything like this, but he was not complaining. It
was just fun to note the change, the variety, so he dropped down onto his
side, on an elbow, placing his head in his hand while the other hand rested
along Anna’s leg, humming to himself as he waited for her to grab the joint. “this is nice, really. That trailer is hot and muggy all the time.”
 
In that moment Alicia didn't know what she truly needed. It was not as simple as "if this happens, I'll be able to move on" - and she was sure that her husband understood that. He was soft and caring and supportive, everything that she could have wanted. They weren't needed at the moment, so Alicia didn't feel bad about what she asked him for: "Can we just stay here for a bit? Cuddle." As if to talk him in to agreeing, she gave him a little pout.

"I imagine we should head back at some point so we can help out with what's going on, but I don't think that they will miss us for a few minutes... or an hour. I just want a chance to relax for a little bit." She shrugged her shoulders and looked to her beloved once again. Maybe being touched would make the tears that were threatening her burst out, but even if that happened she knew she wouldn't find herself judged. "There's not really a lot to say about everything... but just being around you helps. You've never done anything but love me and I feel that each and every day,"

----

"Hey - it's no LA at night, and we might not have a forty of Jack to split, but it's gotta do." Anna greatly preferred looking out to the sprawling city from the rooftop than the abandoned, dark nothingness of the new world but at least they got a different view of the stars from here? No smog and light pollution to dim them, brighter than she had ever seen back in the city. Nick was here too - that was something. That was a lot of somethings - and it was closer to what she wished they could be (their old selves) than anything else so far. She would kill to be able to watch lives fly by once again - people said New York never slept, but neither did LA.

"Sides, I don't want to be stuffed up in there. It feels like it's smaller than my room was and.. well, you've been in my room. It's pretty small." She was mostly just rambling a bit, but after she did she lit the joint and took a couple puffs. After handing it over to Nick she laid down herself, putting her pillow up by Nick's and putting her arms behind her head, which was tilted to look at him with a content smile. "I dunno. Just wanted to get out of there - be alone. Plus I realized a little while back this was a really nice place. Sometimes a little quiet is good."
 
“You’re right, I’d be happy to do this for you.” Bryce settled against Alicia, one arm wrapping underneath her neck, letting her head rest on his bicep like a pillow. Then, his other arm draped around the brunette’s waist, hand dangling against the small of her back, gently massaging the skin. For the moment, all Bryce did was gaze deeply into her beautiful eyes – though he could see the hurt in them. It made things worse that Bryce knew there was nothing he could do to just help Alicia get over it. How would anyone be expected to ever get over this?

Since solving the problem was not something within the realm of possibility, he knew that making Alicia feel loved and cared for was something he could do with little trouble. Nuzzling their noses together. Bryce closed his eyes while trailing his mouth down her cheek and jaw, finally finding a home for his lips against her neck, peppering soft kisses onto her beautiful skin as he tried his best to help Alicia find some level of comfort in his arms. “I love you.” Bryce reminded her, just wanting the girl to hear those words from his lips again.

--

It brought Nick back to memories – memories of before. Some of his best times with Anna came in a setup like this. Honestly, Nick thought she was just pulling his leg the first time she suggested they sit out on the rooftop, just watch the night sky. That wasn’t Anna – that was far too cheeky and romantic and mushy. Yet, she proved him wrong. Anna had this side to her that nobody would know about. He was certain Molly knew about it, Nick certainly knew about it, and he figured that might have been it.

Nick enjoyed this side of Anna, though. He loved all her sides, but the romantic side always got to him. Of course, nobody considered her to be a hopeless romantic type, he still wouldn’t classify her as that, but he figured she would have been anti-anything like this. Nick had known better for years now, but he loved thinking back about their first time doing this, how happily shocked he was. Nick took the joint after Anna, sharing a couple puffs as well before passing it back, his own pillow close to Anna’s head, his body turned slightly towards her. “Even though it isn’t like our old rooftop nights, this is still nice, because we’re here together, we got a nice joint, and there’s some peace around here. This is really nice.”
 
Alicia found herself even more appreciative of her husband in that moment. She was able to curl up in his touch and did so gladly, hooking her knee up at his hip so that her lower leg and foot slipped between his legs, and her arm slung loosely over his waist. Tiredness was setting in, a side effect of the shock, but the day was still early and so she couldn't really afford to just fall asleep then. "I love you too," she whispered back as she started to think about what she hadn't told him just yet. It was on her mind as well because it was so out of character for Madison. I felt like ages had passed since the last time that her mom had seemed to truly care - even her excitement at Alicia's engagement and then wedding had seemed fleeting and only lasted until it wasn't fresh and brand spanking new again.

"... My mom apologized, too," she mused as they laid there. "For years its felt like she's forgotten that she has a second child and then out of nowhere she comes out and says sorry. But at the same time she just says it was because Nick needed her... I needed her too, though. Nick wasn't the only one who lost a parent when my dad died, he was just the more fucked up one. I don't really know what to think about that either, babe. Maybe I can stop being the second best finally. Maybe."

----

Yeah, she was capable of being sweet here and there - generally behind closed doors (or on secluded rooftops) though. Molly knew that she wasn't all bad of course - but Molly also knew her back when she was barely more than a kid and was yet to grow jaded by the world. Nick knew but that was because he was the only person to ever be her exception. She liked not having a partner, doing as and who she pleased without having to report back to anyone, but Nick was the one person she had ever been content changing her ways for. She couldn't say she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, that was too bold of a commitment for her, but he made her content that something like that could be her future.

"Imagine the peace won't be lasting long since Francisco ditched," she mused aloud before taking a deep inhale. She held her breath for a moment with her eyes closed, revelling in the buzz of the soft high just starting to settle in. She wouldn't wind up super stoned but after a month or so long without her tolerance had been shot - one joint stood a decent chance of at least a little bit of a tingle. She was rather content as she handed the join back over to Nick, and she brought her hand up behind her again. The second breath exited through her nostrils, two streams of off-white smoke that blended to one. "I was gonna like... seduce the fuck outta you." Hard to imagine anyone using the phrase seduce the fuck out of you actually being successful at doing so. "Whisper little spanish phrases in your ear but like... half 'cause I knew you wouldn't know what I was saying and that would be funny as fuck. Tell you to be mine... you and me against the world. I was gonna go all out yesterday - but even just this, being here... I'm really glad that we can have it again."
 
It pleased Bryce to hear that Madison had taken his advice. The woman had a real conversation with her daughter, admitted her faults, promised to do better. It was optimistic, to say the least. “That’s good, Princess. I have a feeling Madison will change. I believe she will treat you, the way you deserve to be treated. You deserve the world. Anyone that doesn’t see that is either blind or ignorant.” Madison had not given her all to Alicia, everyone knew that. Hopefully, things were changing for the better. He nuzzled their noses together again, offering a smile, hoping to uplift her spirits.

“You don’t need to go back out there, you know? I can help the others. You can stay here, get some rest if you want.” Bryce could hold everything down outside. She did not seem to be in the best condition for doing anything right now, after all. He just watched her for a moment, still stroking his fingers through her hair, rubbing his hand over her back. “Just know that you are never second best. I know it felt like that, but I hope things will change, now. You are always first for me, my love.”

--

Yeah, peace was unlikely to last. Alejandro was falling apart, people were leaving – it felt like things in the atmosphere were shifting. After Anna took a hit, Nick took another, listening to her mention her plans about going all out. “Ha, well, this is good. All you need to do for seducing the fuck out of me is give me a glance. I am yours, it is me and you against the world. I like the way that sounds. We’ll just tear shit up wherever we go – it’ll be like old times, except there will be some dead motherfuckers walking around, but we still go this.”

Nick chuckled at the thought, mentioning how casual it would be living in this world together. He tilted his head at her curiously, now looking at the stars. “This shit is still nice. However long this peace lasts, I don’t care. We should find something like this to do more often. The joint is nice, too… I don’t like that guy you got it from. Total creep.” Nick teased, laughing at himself in a carefree move, sliding his hand down the front of her shirt, the idea of her seducing the fuck out of him still in his mind.
 
"No, just... I should. What if something happens and the body is needed? Besides I have a bit of first aid training and I'm not sure many other people here do. There's the one doctor guy, mom, Travis, what I know... I should be around." Alicia knew that no good could come from holing herself up inside. She was grateful to have the chance to step aside and calm herself down, especially with the one person who had always made her feel valued, but if she tried to do that all day she would likely end up mulling. Generally she didn't enjoy negativity - either others' or her own - and she wasn't going to perpetuate her own sadness after it was time to move forward.

"You're too good to me," she whispered as she leaned in to kiss Bryce softly. "No one's ever made me feel as cherished as you do. Sometimes it's hard to believe that it's even possible to be loved this much. But we should go back - and I would be more than happy to spend some more time cuddling with you tonight... and tomorrow night... and every night after that, Provided you're okay with it, of course."

----

See - that was the kind of attitude that Anna wanted to see from Nick. She had always rocked the "ride or die" aesthetic better than a sappy cliche, even if in the end it all meant the same thing - that she wanted to be around. Instead of dealing drugs together they'd be surviving the land of the dead together, but she was sure there was still trouble that they could cause with each other. "Good to know that I don't have to try too hard," she said to him with the hint of a smile on her lips, something light and playful and peaceful.

"Andres? Oh don't worry about him." As normal, she shrugged off that concern. Nick didn't have to trust anyone else, but he should at least trust her (though, in general, trust was neither of their fortes). "I'm here with you after all aren't I?" She asked as he snaked his hand up her shirt, biting her lip and arching her spine in to his touch. Okay, things got dirty quick - which wasn't much of a surprise. Maybe they were still relatively tame, but Anna couldn't see that lasting long. In return, she reached towards Nick and brought her hands towards his hips. With a grin on her face she grabbed him through his pants - two could play the touching game.
 
Bryce almost laughed when Alicia worded her response in such a way that she left room for him to deny cuddling with her. “Silly girl.” Bryce whispered playfully. “I think we both know that I’d rather cuddle with you than anything else in this world. That sounded like a good plan, but promise me, if you need to take a moment when we get back out there, take it. I’m right there with you.” It always felt nice for Bryce to know that he made Alicia feel valued. That was all he wanted, after all.

“Okay, then. Let’s get moving.” Before leaving the bed, Bryce did ensure that he stole a kiss from his wife, then rolled over onto the edge of the bed, pulling her up into a standing position. Once they were both ready to get moving, Bryce linked hands with the brunette yet again, walking back down to the garage with her. There were people than before, which was not a good thing at all. Bryce was worried about the overflow they would have to handle, some of the new guests were being quite belligerent, so that only added to their problems now.

--

“Oh, Andres? He has a name now, hmmm…” Of course, Nick was only teasing with her. He trusted her, with everything – he just didn’t like how Andres looked at Anna, that was all. The conversation quickly twisted into a little touching contest, feeling his hands pulled towards her hips. Nick gladly let Anna situate them wherever she wanted. Nick was unsure of where they were going to take it this time, but he was interested in finding out. Nick did not catch the little item for play time that she managed to snag back at the shop, that was now with her under the stars, so he was just following her lead for now.

He started to rub himself against her hand, a grin on his face. Nick was not certain whether they would get right down to business, or if they would just tease each other first. “Such an exposed place… we might get caught out here.” Again, just teasing, Nick couldn’t give a shit less about who saw them. It was too romantic for him to care. Right now, everything had a soft, gentle tone, his touches, his voice. Nick leaned forward to catch her lips for a few seconds, pulling away, playfully tugging on her lower lip when he backed away from her.
 
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