[CLOSED]

[itstheirworld]

WHO: TWD Cast + anyone else invited by one of us.
WHERE: Xavier institute, and maybe other places.
WHEN: June 10-17th.
WHAT: Rick thinks he is a regular sheriff's deputy again and believes the zombie apocalypse never happened in the Road Not Taken plot. His group deals with it.
WARNINGS: Standard TWD drama applies. Anything else I will add later.

Comments

June 10th, morning

[biteouttagrimes]

[ When Rick woke up that morning, everything seemed a bit disorienting. He recognized his surroundings. He knew he was an imPort. But for some reason, a lot of it was foggy. He got up out of bed, tossing on the nearest shirt and intending to put on a cup of coffee in hopes to chase away his groggy disorientation. On the way to the living room, Rick stopped by Carl's door -- lightly knocking on it. ]

What would you think about going out an' gettin' some breakfast this morning before I have to head to work? We can head on over to your favorite diner.

[ He thought the offer was enticing enough and if Carl wanted to get up for it, all the better. He headed out toward the kitchen but as he did, he caught sight of something that stopped him in his tracks. A stranger, making himself comfortable on their couch. Rick reared back and then he moved quietly, grabbing a handgun from a small drawer in one of the decorative stands. He headed over to Daryl and had the gun trained directly on his best friend, lacking recognition entirely. ]

Who the hell're you an' what're you doin' in my home?

[dirtyredneck]

[Daryl rarely slept deeply, usually just light enough that when someone in the house got up moved around in the morning he'd be aware of what they were doing. Even if he let his eyes stay closed and laid there comfortably. So he heard Rick get up, head past Carl's door and say something he couldn't quite make out. He heard Rick stop at the edge of the kitchen and living room, then turn around and go dig around in one of the drawers. Man was trying to be quiet. Daryl could only guess it was in an attempt not to wake himself and so didn't move or do anything.

At least not until Rick was standing next to him asking questions. Daryl sat up fast, looking around, expecting to see someone else there. Someone he had somehow missed that Rick had found before him. He was not expecting to realize the gun was being pointed at him and Rick was looking his way like he was a stranger.

Daryl didn't actually answer, he was too confused as he looked between Rick's gun and his face and tried to figure out what the hell was going on.]

[biteouttagrimes]

How'd you get in here?

[ His eyes shifted toward the door to make sure everything was locked up tight, and he frowned a bit at how many locks there actually were on the door. For some reason, that much took him by surprise. But he shook that odd thought away, returning his gaze to Daryl. ]

[dirtyredneck]

I-

[He blinked rapidly, head lowering as he tried to sort this out in his head. Rick wasn't the sort to pull 'gotcha' jokes on people. And he was looking at the door like he expected it to be unlocked. Like he actually believed Daryl had broken in just to sleep it off on his couch. Like he didn't know Daryl.]

I got a key.

[He eventually managed to mumble out raising his arms like he was being held up and about to be patted down. Rick had never been like this with him before. He'd been like this to people they found, but not to him. Not like they were strangers.

Keeping his voice small, he risked asking:]

Rick, what's goin' on?

[biteouttagrimes]

[ It didn't make sense. Rick's brows drew together. There was some familiarity in the way Daryl said his name -- both from the man himself and a weird sort of deja vu sensation that Rick had heard it before. And considering this was Rick pre-apocalypse, he was willing to give people more of a chance. The gun lowered and his brow furrowed.

How would he have a key? Why would he be here? How would he know his name? ]

Have we...met? I'm sorry. I woke up all out of sorts. But I don't remember you.

[ He stared at Daryl as though to ascertain that for sure. Did he remember him? No. Everything was muddled when it came to this man's face. And then it hit him what this was. ]

Oh. You must be a new imPort from the porter, right? Must've been some kinda mix up with the keys. I mean, you'd think they would give you your own place to crash.

[dirtyredneck]

[With the gun lowering, Daryl slowly let his arms drop and then shook his head ever so slightly. He still leaned his body away, into the back of the couch, eyes keeping on the gun and wary of Rick in his entirety. It was like Rick had been replaced with... with who he used to be. The Rick he'd first met. The way he carried himself, the way he talked. Daryl had seen stuff on the network about that happening, where people would leave and then come back from wonky times in their lives. But he'd thought there would be more time between it. And, honestly, he hadn't thought it would happen at all to Rick. Or any of his people.]

Rick... how long you been here?

[biteouttagrimes]

Almost a year now, I think...

[ He mulled over it, giving a glance at the calendar before nodding in affirmation. Yeah. A year in July. Deciding that this man wasn't a threat, he finally let the arm holding the gun relax, letting go of any tension. ]

How is it you know my name again?

[ He headed into the attached kitchen, getting a pot of coffee started and pulling out two mugs. Might as well be hospitable to the homeless redneck imPort. ]

[dirtyredneck]

[That didn't add up at all. If he'd been pulled from a different time and replaced, he would have only been there a few hours at best. Right? Daryl slid off the couch slowly enough that Rick could see him do it and headed towards the kitchen as if he were following the other man in. But his steps were wary. Was he hallucinating? He'd never hallucinated like this before if he was.]

Been living with you. For a while.

[He answered, eyes steady on Rick now. Watching for his reaction. Trying to see if there was any recognition or if he'd have to make a break for Carl's room and warn him that something was going on with his head. Either with Rick's or his own.]

tell me if this is ok?

[112ounces]

[ Carl is out on the door, pulling up his pants and buckling his belt. His puppy Tommy follows his footsteps, tail wagging in anticipation of a new day.

As Carl comes out, he catches Dad lowering his gun down at Daryl. ]

Dad? What's going on?

July 10th, Afternoon/Evening - De Chima 008

[dirtyredneck]

Daryl was usually very quiet when he came into the house. And usually he did it during the working hours of the other residents. Tonight he was too frustrated to be silent and he didn't feel comfortable staying on Rick's couch when Rick was treating him like a stranger.

So while the door didn't slam open, it sure as hell was slammed shut behind him while he stomped from the front entry to the first floor bedroom he'd claimed as his own.

[catalysmic]

Bruce and Betty were just finishing up fixing dinner in the kitchen when they were interrupted by the very distinct crash of the front door. It was a sound Betty hadn't heard since the younger members of the household had left, but it was obvious pretty quickly that it wasn't either of them.

A quick glance at Bruce, a moment of silent communication, and she left him to check on her housemate by herself. She didn't run into Daryl often but it sometimes was easier to talk to him when she was alone; based on that entrance, easier was called for.

"Daryl?" Yup, that was him walking towards his personal rooms like the floor had done him wrong. "Are you okay?"

[dirtyredneck]

"I'm fine," he snapped out, voice low and terse, as his shoulders hunched. "Staying here for a few days. Maybe longer."

As if he had to explain why he was there at all. Technically, he didn't. But he never stayed the night and she probably wasn't used to him being around. Even in a bad mood, the least he could do is give her a heads up.

[catalysmic]

Betty wasn't coming toward him, body tilted from how she was leaning around the corner, just popping her head in to watch him storming by, but she straightened now, trying to catch his eye.

"Did something happen back at home? Are Enid and the others all right?"

[dirtyredneck]

Daryl's jaw clenched and his shoulders drew even tighter. Any attempt he'd been making to meet her eyes was discarded as they dropped and nodded, "Yeah. Enid's fine. So's Carl."

Which just left Rick and he wasn't about to say what was wrong with him. But he was going to hope she'd assume that it 'Rick's good' would follow the other statements and leave it be for now.

[catalysmic]

"Oh no. He ported out?"

Yeah, no, what she's more quick to jump to is, 'Rick's gone.' Having lost someone important to her only recently, she's familiar with how the powerlessness morphs to anger, and she'd teased Daryl after that Majority Report had come out, but she knew they had really been close.

[dirtyredneck]

If Daryl's shoulders could have drawn up into his body, they would have. As it was, his spine straightened and he shot her a glare, eyes meeting hers for a second before moving away to stare holes into the wall.

"No. He ain't gone." The words came out angrier than they needed to simply because he felt like he was being pushed to talk about something he didn't want to. And because of that, a second later he lifted his chin like he was challenging her to keep it up as he said just a bit louder and a whole lot meaner, "Ain't none of your business."

[catalysmic]

Betty raises an eyebrow, but otherwise her expression doesn't change. She's gotten her fair share of attitude, and it's been a thankfully long time since a man's raised voice meant anything more to her than that. Daryl, clearly grieving, gets a pass this run. After a beat, her tone contrastingly neutral, "Then I'll leave you alone."

She gestures towards his door with a tilt of her head. "Bruce and I are having dinner in the kitchen if you feel better later."

June 15 - with Clark

[dirtyredneck]

Daryl was late getting home after work for the third day in a row. Not because traffic was difficult or anything, but because he'd headed for the transporter like he was going to get himself back to Heropa. It was habit and one he, unfortunately, was going to have to change. At least as long as Rick was being the way he was.

It had been annoying the first day. Frustrating the second. And infuriating now. So for the second time since returning 'home' he stomped in through the door and all but slammed it behind him. Only this time he was still dressed in the black button up and only truly clean pair of jeans he owned. His leather vest was over it, of course, but he was much more cleaned up than he usually was and the sleeves had not been cut off this shirt. Blasphemy

He had planned to storm through the house, but stopped when he spotted the man he had yet to meet. Squinting with suspicion, he lifted his chin, "You ain't Bruce."

[andaway]

Clark had frowned the moment he’d heard the angry footsteps (with the angry heartbeat to go with it), but the man didn’t seem to be dangerous right now, per se. In fact he seemed far too familiar with the house to be an intruder, and it wasn’t like Clark had meet all of his roomates. Once he said the name, Clark’s lips twitched in amusement.

“I’m afraid not, sorry if you were looking for him.” He holds his hand out for him to shake. “I’m Clark. Nice to meet you.”

[dirtyredneck]

Daryl's eyes flicked down to the hand and back up to Clark's face within a blink. The squinting of suspicion continued and instead of accepting it, Daryl folded his arms across his chest and curled his fingers into the armholes of his vest.

"Weren't looking for him," he said with a shake of his head, glower remaining. "If you ain't Bruce, why you here when no one else is?"

Daryl knew the schedule for his roommates. Or thought he did. He hadn't seen two of them in a while. Just Betty really, and only at odd times. Bruce had been hanging around a lot, too. But he wasn't living there as far as Daryl knew.

[andaway]

Clark doesn’t seem to take offense, just pulling the hand back. But he does make a mental note of that. Rude, or just suspicious? He’ll have to find out with a little bit of conversation, he figures. He can deal with suspicious.

“I live here now. Right there.” He points towards his room, still smiling. “Haven’t been here that long, probably why we hadn’t crossed paths before.”

[dirtyredneck]

That didn't make sense to him. The room he was pointing to belonged to that girl with the wings. He tilted his head the other way, the confusion obvious, "You Pixie's boyfriend?"

He wasn't quite aware yet that she and that guy with the rock skin were gone.

[andaway]

Clark blinked, then shook his head. That room must have belonged to someone else before Clark, that wasn't much of a mystery. And whoever this Pixie girl was must have lived there. But if the person in front of him was such a common visitor how come he hadn't noticed? Maybe he'd been out for a while?

"No. I don't... really know who Pixie is, I'm afraid. I got here with the last batch of arrivals and was given this room.

She must be gone, I'm sorry."

[dirtyredneck]

Daryl blinked a couple times, processing that, before pulling his confusion back behind a gruff mask of indifference. He grunted acknowledgement of Clark's words, but moved to step inside the room and glance around. Didn't touch anything, didn't actually go past the door. Just needed to confirm that her things were gone.

When he moved back out, his stare settled back on Clark, "Betsy didn't mention that."

[andaway]

Clark keeps his eye on him. Not saying anything, just checking what he’s going to do. But he seems to respect his privacy, at least as far as the door goes, so he’ll take that.

“I don’t know about that. Haven’t been here all that long, I’m still getting to know everyone.

Were you close?”