AS THE WORLD FALLS DOWN I RICK GRIMES

Don't Get Cut On My Edges

Don't Get Cut On My Edges

Alexis waved good-bye to Eric, before making her way down the sidewalk, Aaron's continued avoidance of her company cutting her to the quick. They fought like cat and dog, but for all this, they'd always had each other's backs. Yet in breaking rank, she had somehow broken something in their friendship. After Earle, she'd stopped going on recruiting trips, Aaron and Eric taking over instead. Aaron had suggested a few times she come out with them, but she'd never had the stomach for it until now, only to walk headfirst into hell.

She had come through the flames though, steering Rick and his people to safe harbour, but it had come at a cost - Aaron. When Alexis had apparently disappeared into thin air, Aaron had been terrified, panic paralysing him, making him uncharacteristically lose the plot. The thought foremost on his mind was Earle; it wasn't irrational to think the man might still be alive, and Aaron had almost torn the place apart trying to track Alexis down, only to end up headfirst in his own hell, before Rick's people had returned Alexis to him, earning Aaron a punch in the face in the process. Therefore to say he was pissed off at Alexis was an understatement.

Deanna had now barred Alexis from recruiting altogether, meaning there was now a vacancy, Eric still laid up with his leg, the original reason why Alexis had resumed her old duties. But there would be no more recruiting trips for the time being, Deanna suspending the searches, having her hands full with Rick and his people. Yet even though Deanna was angry at what Alexis had done, at the same time, Alexis had delivered right into Deanna's hands what she wanted for Alexandria, people who had been out there, who would make sure Alexandria would survive.

"Yo, Alex, what's up?" Aidan called over to Alexis, jerking his chin at her.

Alexis's jaw tightened, all her old dislike for Aidan rising to the surface again. Whilst she'd once been close to Spencer, she couldn't say the same for his little brother, hating the avarice in his eyes every time he looked at her. "What's the score, bitch?" she said, coming over, her dislike increasing at seeing Nicholas beside him, his rat-like face and matching attitude getting on her last nerve, Nicholas being the last word in cowards. Mikey was a good enough kid, but his father was a whole other story.

"We're waiting for some of your barbarian horde to show up," Aidan said arrogantly, "gonna show them the ropes."

"Supply runs?" Alexis hazarded, grateful to see Holly coming towards them, Holly raising her hand in their direction, her grey eyes narrowing at the sight of them standing there, instantly seeing the status quo.

"Yeah," Aidan answered, his eyes lighting up at the sight of Holly, "you should come with." As well as Alexis, Holly was classed as another jewel in Alexandria's crown, even if her pixie faced beauty paled next to Alexis's ethereal charm. But both girls were oddly unaware of their looks, their personalities taking precedence over everything else, completely lacking vanity. Holly had hacked off all her blonde hair, making it look like it had been attacked by a lawnmower, and could almost always be found with the construction crew, having built Alexandria's walls alongside Alexis, Holly now focusing on expanding its perimeter.

"I don't know," Alexis said, shifting from one foot to another, Holly hanging back, sensing a storm was stirring, knowing Alexis all too well.

"Come on, Alex," Aidan mock whined, instantly setting Alexis's teeth on edge, "you're the one who brought those bozos back in the first place" -

- "Don't call them bozos," Alexis flared up, fists clenching.

"Then what do you call him?" Aidan smirked, gesturing at Eugene who was skulking nearby, watching them. "Brad Pitt?"