Spring was in the air and the nights were cool. Spring in Texas meant cold nights and warm days. She was in the Reverend's jacket tonight and its fragrant tobacco smell and its comforting warmth was a gentle reminder of the man who had died for her.
The sheer luck of the draw that enabled so many in the fort to survive that first hellish day still wore on Katie. Call it survivor's guilt, but it was not easy to deal with. She knew for sure that Travis dealt with it as well. Perhaps maybe all of the survivors suffered from it. At times it was hard to talk of their life before and the people they had lost. At other times there was relief in their conversations as they spoke of their future plans. But it was like being caught between heaven and hell: both happy and sad to be alive.
Travis glanced over her as she stepped onto the platform and joined him. Again, he gave her a slight smile, then glanced back down the street.
"I think I saw a few flashes down the road," he said. "They looked almost like headlights. "
"Seriously? Think other survivors are coming this way?"
"Maybe. Though at times I'm afraid those things have learned to drive.
Or remembered how to drive,” Travis answered, his brow furrowing.
Katie shivered at the thought. "Well, since Laura's remains tried to open that truck door, we haven't seen anymore of them appearing to think. "
"Yeah, I know. I keep hoping that what she did was some sort of memory, not her reasoning out her actions. " Travis continued to stare down the street intently. "The last thing we need is thinking zombies. "
Katie leaned against the railing, rubbing her hands together. Travis was obviously deep in thought. They were both ill at ease with each other in this moment, which was not the norm for them.
"About earlier," Katie started.
Travis sighed, but didn't look at her. He double-checked the spotlightpresently turned off- to make sure it was properly hooked up. "Probably just my imagination. It probably wasn't headlights. "
Katie rested her hand on his shoulder. "No, not that. "
Travis stood up and looked down at her. "It's okay. I shouldn't have tried to say anything. I realized that during supper. "
Katie shook her head. "No, no, it's okay. I'm partially to blame. I was rather pushy about it then chickened out. "
Travis gave her a sheepish look. "I've been kinda obvious, huh?"
Katie smiled warmly. "Yeah, kinda. "
Travis blushed and shook his head. "Juan says I'm a sucker for the unattainable girl. "
Katie laughed. "Yeah, me, too. For a long time. Then I found Lydia. "
Travis sighed. "You're so lucky to have had her. My ex-fiancee and I never had what you did. I was always trying to please her and make her happy and in the end, I guess I failed and she left. I guess I'm not good at this whole girl thing. "
The thought of Lydia made her heart literally hurt and she sighed.
"Travis…"
"I know, I know, Katie. I know how this goes down. Yeah, I've tried to pretend, but I knew even during moments of hope it was not going to happen. " Travis looked down at the rifle in his hands, then over at the street.
"In this new world you've been one of the good things in it. Everything has changed and gone to hell, but you help make it tolerable. "
She couldn't help but smile at his words. She reached out and hugged him gently. "You and Jenni and Jason are very special to me. My new family.
I want you to understand that. "
Travis looked down into her eyes, sad and resigned. "But?"
Katie rested her hand on his cheek and found the words harder to say than she had imagined. She opened her mouth to speak, reconsidered, then closed it. What was there to say? Instead, she kissed his cheek softly. It was rough and slightly scraggly against her lips. He clung to her and it was a comforting expression between them and the world felt far away.
Travis turned slightly and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. "Friends only?"
Katie nodded, mutely.