AS THE WORLD FALLS DOWN I RICK GRIMES

Sticks & Stones

Sticks & Stones

Once in a lifetime, the suffering of fools
To find our way home, to break in these bones...

The next morning saw Jessie standing on Eric's doorstep, arms folded across her chest, tapping her foot impatiently. In Alexandrian time, it was the weekend, but whilst there was no school, it didn't mean the work stopped. Deanna had dropped by Jessie's house the evening before, asking if she and Olivia would do another inventory of the pantry, since with a slew of extra mouths to feed, they would need to rethink their supply runs and loot in bulk. Deanna had also asked Jessie to enlist Alexis's help, hinting that she might put Alexis to work in the pantry full-time, something that made Jessie feel uneasy, knowing her sister wouldn't take too kindly to being imprisoned with Olivia.

"Jessie," Eric beamed as he opened the door, "how are you?"

"I'm good," Jessie said tensely, thinking of the fight she'd had with Pete last night. Pulling together the last remnants of her courage, she'd told him that this was his last chance, and for a moment, she'd thought he was going to hit her, but instead he'd just turned and left the room, heading out to sit on the porch like he did night after night, drinking himself into a stupor.

"And the boys?" Eric asked, ushering her inside, clutching his crutch for support.

"They're doing well," Jessie said, relaxing slightly, "Ron's still top of his class."

Eric just nodded and smiled, the two of them glancing up as Alexis descended the stairs, wearing ripped jeans and a white t-shirt. Even without make-up and fancy clothes, she was still striking to look at, Jessie thinking not for the first time she should paint her sister, even if she could only capture just the ghost of Alexis's unearthly beauty.

"Alex," Jessie said, folding her arms across her chest.

"What is it?" Alexis said, slowing to a stop.

"You've to come with me to the pantry," Jessie said abruptly, no standing on ceremony. "Deanna wants us and Olivia to do another inventory of the basics. With Rick's group, we need to reassess our stock-taking" -

- "Okay, I'll come with," Alexis snapped, "you don't need to boss me into doing your dirty work."

"I can do my own dirty work," Jessie snapped back, tidying Alexis's hair, making her sister jerk her head back. "Now get moving, we've got a lot of stuff to sort out."

"I'm not a baby," Alexis whined as they left the house, Jessie and Eric exchanging eye-rolls behind her back.

"You are to me," Jessie said lightly, "now stop whinging." After their mother had died, it had just been their father, Jessie and Alexis, Jessie more or less raising Alexis, their father teaching them how to hold their drink and throw a punch, and not much else.

As they went past Rick's house, it was only to see him standing on the porch with Judith balanced on his hip, his eyes distant as he studied the soaring blue sky overhead. "Nice uniform," Jessie called over, giving him the thumbs up, her attitude towards him having mellowed considerably after his apology.

Rick grinned, waving back, his gaze becoming automatically drawn to Alexis, who nodded at him, Rick nodding back, watching her until she was out of sight, Alexis all too aware of his blue gaze burning into her back.

"I spoke to Pete last night," Jessie said suddenly, startling Alexis, "I said this was his last chance."

"What did he do?" Alexis demanded, searching her sister's face for marks.