<span style="font-family:Fredericka the Great"><span style="font-size: 15px"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#4dffff">Alicia smiled as she listened to Bellamy speak, and her smile widened when he reached down and gently squeezed her leg as she drove. A little while later, when they stopped to take a break, she nodded at his words. "I'm not gonna argue. At least not over this. I know the importance of getting some rest, especially with the way things are. It'll definitely be better," She agreed and reached out to take one of his hands into hers, and squeezed it. She caught him staring at her, and shrugged. <br/>
<br/>
"You have this look on your face. I'm just not sure how to describe it. What's on your mind? I keep catching you staring at me every now and then. Is something wrong?" She asked concerned. "Are you having second thoughts? About this trip? About us?" She asked, and then fell silent and waited to <br/>
see what he was going to say. </span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(77, 255, 255)">The two of them sat down on the road right next to the car as they stretched their legs, and ate and drank from their bottles of water. <br/>
<br/>
"This might sound kind of cheesy, but I'm really glad that we met." She chuckled softly. "Not that I'm glad you were almost Walker chow, but I'm glad that I was able to save you, and that we've been allowed to spend this week together and getting to know each other." Her eyes danced with happiness. "I -- It's been a long time since I was really happy. My brother, mother, and I, lost my father a few years ago, before the whole world went and became one big crapfest."<br/>
<br/>
"He was in a car accident. Some idiot ran a red light and slammed into his car. The impact was too much, and that was all she wrote." The young woman sighed softly. "I hated leaving my mother and brother behind, but I needed to do it. My mother is.. </span></span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(77, 255, 255)"><span style="font-size: 15px">She's damaged. We all are, from losing my father. But my mother.. She would ruin every safe place we came across. The three of us would fight whoever was in charge for control, and in the <br/>
end, it always blew up in our faces." <br/>
<br/>
Alicia shook her head sadly. "My mother's been looking for the one thing she's never going to get back, no matter how much she tries. She misses my father, and the life that we all had.. before my father died.. before the dead started to walk and kill anyone and anything in its path. I just... I miss <br/>
who my mother used to be. She had moved on, sure. Somewhat. She said and did all the right things, and got remarried to a nice guy. But she wasn't <br/>
the same person."<br/>
<br/>
"My mother used to actually be a parent to my brother and I. But the last year we were together, it was like I was the parent. Of everyone, and I couldn't take it. I couldn't take having to babysit my brother Nick and keep him off drugs and alive. I couldn't take having to police my mother's actions and make sure she didn't do or say something that would get her or the rest of us killed. As for my step-father, Travis.. He was a good guy. I had to make sure that he didn't do anything stupid."<br/>
<br/>
"He was always ready with a plan, and sure, that was a good thing.. but his plans weren't always practical.." Alicia looked down at her water bottle and squeezed it in her hands. "It's nice to finally be with someone who can help shoulder some of the heavy lifting. I could tell from the moment that we <br/>
met, that you're the kind of man who refuses to shirk his responsibilities. It's one more reason that I'm glad we met. That, and I love how you look without your clothes on.." <br/>
<br/>
She said that last part teasingly.</span></span></span>