You & I[DERRICK]

[Marnie O'Malley]

Marnie, deciding to try and do some normal things for once, headed to the mall. She had a black 77 Rifle scope gun slung over her shoulder. Her father had brought her hunting in the past. At first, she had thought it was cruel, but he only did it to thin out excess populations and he never let the meat go to waste.


She had left Derrick by the old food court and was just doing some shopping now. She was dressed in a denim skirt and a white tee shirt. Her blond hair was pulled into a high ponytail. A few shorter stands hung down against her cheeks. Her hazel brown eyes surveyed the area. So far it was quiet, but you had to be on your guard. Marnie heard a noise in one of the stores. She slowly approached.

"Hello?" she called stopping at the doorway and peering inside. It was a baby clothes store. She wondered if there were any other humans mulling around the mall at this point. Her eyes landed on a small shape stumbling toward her. It was a re-animator, but a little girl. The girl let out a inhuman snarl with her arms stretched out. Marnie screamed and quickly grabbed her rifle. She clicked back the hammer on it and had the scope aimed at the little girls forehead but as she was backing up, her feet caught a display sign and she stumbled back, landing on her back.

She frantically managed to get her rifle again as the little girl advanced on her. She aimed and fired.

[derrick]

Derrick agreed to the outing with some resistance. He was use to being out during the day. He was use to being alone and hunting for Animaters but that would have to change. He made a promise to himself that he was stay with Marnie. He wanted to stay with Marnie but having someone else around would have to take some getting use to. Especially when he wasn't the only one who had a say now. Derrick didn't think attending the mall was the smartest idea. Empty or not it would be dangerous but so was everywhere else in town. Marnie just wanted to enjoy the little things. What better than to shop when you didn't have to pay for any of it?

He allowed Marnie to wander off around the mall as he stayed neared the food court. He jumped behind a smoothie bar and scanned for any left over food. There was no way any workers had to time stash all the goods. Everyone had been in such a panic when the apocalypse started nine years ago. Derrick wrinkled his nose as he reached his hand into a large basket and pulled out a rotten banana. Surely not everything would be as good as it once was but looking further into the basket he found some oranges. Definitely not as juicy as they should be but they would manage. He stuffed a few into the backpack he had hanging from one shoulder and continued to scavenge around until he heard a gun shot.

Derrick quickly hurried in the direction of where it sounded and peered into stores into he spotted Marnie. "Are you okay?" He was quickly by her side, grateful to find her unharmed but then noticed what she had been shooting at. "Damn infection." He shook his head and wrapped an arm around the blonde. No doubt kids were infected. They were top priority when getting vaccines but that didn't make it any easier. "Come on." Derrick nudged Marnie, feeling it was best to leave the store.

[Marnie O'Malley]

Marnie gratefully grabbed Derricks hand as he helped her up. Suddenly, her stomach churned and she clamped a hand over her mouth. She made a bee line for a garbage can and leaned over it.

She vomited into the bin. When she was done, she wiped her mouth with the top of her hand and shakily turned to Derrick.

"That's something I don't think I will ever get used to seeing or doing" She said inhaling deeply.

She felt nauseaous now as they headed toward the other side of the mall where the exit was. As they neared a particular spot, there was a loud commotion. Marnie stopped by a drug store and saw a man and woman fending off a few Re-animated . But what gripped her was an adorable 2 year old blond little girl sitting on the floor, crying.

She grabbed Derricks arm and looked at him.

"We can't leave that little girl here alone" she said to him with a pleading expression on her face. While she hated the idea of fighting more Re-Animated, she couldn't sit by and let an adorable little baby get turned. Her parents were yelling and screaming as the Re-Animated bit into their arms. They were dead now. The infection would spread.

[derrick]

Derrick watched Marnie stumbled to the garbage can. Yet another wrinkle of the nose but that was a part of life. The site of a living dead child wasn't pleasant. He could recall what had occurred back at his farm nine years ago. The screams of his nieces were the first to alarm him but he had been to late. Even then Derrick couldn't muster up the courage to kill them. Instead he stood back and watched as his father aimed a bullet into every family member that had been bitten. He remembered the quite sobs of his brother-in-law but what he remembered the most was the look his father had given them. The one that indicated his disappointment. As if he realized his son was to weak to get the job done. It was then did Derrick chose to toughen up. He was after all the one who shot his own father a few years later. He'd be lying if he said it wasn't tough but pushing past the emotions was what he was trained to do. It was what he was use to something. Something he fell back on even in the most dire moments.

As the two walked up on a couple in trouble, Derrick knew everything about to change. He was the little girl and knew exactly what Marnie had been thinking. Even before she had said anything. He knew what his instincts were telling him. First was to kill the Animaters. That was a must. And second was that the little kill had a slim chance of living. Being with one person in this world was risky enough but bringing a child into would make it difficult. He glanced at Marnie with piercing eyes and knew he would have no choice. "You get the little girl." Derrick nodded as he pulled one of his pistols from his waist. He stepped away from Marnie and walked in one direction to wards the commotion. He took one of the oranges from his backpack and threw it in their direction. He then whistled in hope that both actions would get the action of the Animaters. Sure enough they all turned and headed his way. Derrick fired off one shot after another until his barrel was empty. Instead of reaching for more bullets he grabbed his other pistol and made shots to fend them off while Marnie retrieved the little girl.

[Marnie O'Malley]

Marnie heard the rounds going off and quickly scooped the little girl up into her arms. She cradled her close to her body. Surprisingly the little girl clung to her and stopped crying. Marnie grabbed Derricks arm and they hurried out of the mall. Marnie tossed the keys to her GMC Yukon SUV and grabbed the passenger side door. She quickly got into the passenger seat and closed her door. She gently placed the little girl on her lap sideways as she watched Derrick climb into the driver's seat.

Once they were away from the Mall, Marnie quickly checked over the girl.

"She's fine. No scratches or bites" Marnie said as relief flooded over her. The little girl spied Derrick and broke into a grin. She rested her head against Marnie's chest and began dozing off. Marnie gently smoothed back the little girls blond hair. She had no idea what her name was but as she checked her over, she found a name tag necklace. Lily. She smiled as Lily snuggled up against her and fell asleep. Marnie reached over and gently touched Derricks face before she rolled down the window, letting cool air rush in. She was still feeling sick to her stomach, but not as bad. Marnie closed her eyes as the cool air blew her hair back..

She rested her forehead against the cold glass window pane and she too closed her eyes, feeling relaxed and safe with Derrick. If anything happened to Derrick, she didn't think she would be able to go on, or rather she didn't think she would want to go on for that matter.

[derrick]

Derrick shot off a last few rounds before being pulled away by Marnie. He stuffed both guns back into their holsters and hurried out the doors they had entered threw. It would have seemed as though the mall was great place to hide but the living dead were everywhere. It seemed impossible to escape but that was apart of life now. He caught the SUV keys as she tossed them and hoped into the drivers side. Luckily there weren't anymore Animaters following them but he wanted to get away as quick as possible. Derrick placed the car in drive and speed back into the direction Marnie's house, glancing over at the two next to him every now and then. "She's lucky." He stated as he kept his eyes on the road. The little girl was fortunate unlike her parents but now she was their responsibility. He knew he would talk this over with Marnie when they got home but not in front of the little one.

Derrick offered a warm grin as Marnies touch against his skin felt soothing. He had been in a slightly tensed mode but any kind of hunting did that to a man. Especially one who did it for a living. It didn't take long before he pulled into the driveway of the very familiar house. The one that had changed his life. The one place where he made decisions that kept him in cemetery gates. He hoped out of the car and walked around the other side to open the door for Marnie. "I think we need to have a talk." Derricked kept his voice low as he noticed the little girl was asleep. She seemed so innocent and pure laying in Marnie's arm. As he looked over her, he could notice some resemblances to his niece. The youngest was probably about her age and even if Derrick had wanted to, he would be able to abandon the little girl.

[Marnie O'Malley]

Marnie nodded as they entered the house. She carefully placed Lily on the couch and put her into a comfortable position. Once she was secure, Marnie pulled Derrick into the bedroom, out of ear shot of Lily. Marnie sat on the bed cross legged. She watched Derrick. She knew what he was going to say before he even said it.

"It's about Lily isn't it?" she asked him slowly. "Derrick we can't kick her out. She's got no where to go" Marnie said looking up at him. She was getting sick in the morning time of each day. She knew right then and there that things got even more complicated.

"That's not all" She said quietly. "I think I might be pregnant" she said.

Her hair had fallen out of the ponytail and was now hanging around her shoulders in soft waves. She was completely thrilled about the possibility of being pregnant. She always wanted children. She loved kids. Kids seemed to love her so it was only natural. Marnie was afraid to look at Derricks' face so she buried her face in her hands.

She knew he was a hunter and didn't want him to quit his job, but at the same time, if anything happened to him with their new found addition to the family, plus a possible second one, Marnie would fall apart completely. She hoped he would be happy, but she could understand otherwise. This was a dangerous world to bring a life into, but she didnt care. She couldn't harm an innocent life regardless of how crappy and dangerous the world was now.

"I understand if you wouldn't want a baby, but I do" she said slowly raising her hazel brown eyes to meet Derricks blue ones. She slowly got up from the bed and went over to him. She put her face close to his.

"We're a family now" she added softly, placing her hands on his muscular chest. She leaned in and kissed him on the lips softly.

[derrick]

Derrick followed Marnie into the bedroom and without speaking she already knew that this was about. "I know that but you do realize how difficult this will be. Surviving with a child. We have be extremely cautious. This is another life at risk..." He gave her a serious, yet calm look as stood in the middle of the room. "And Lily? Did you give her that name?" Derrick could tell Marnie was already growing attached to the little girl and it wasn't surprising. He believed every woman had a motherly instinct, even if it wasn't their own child. He had grown up watching his mother put time, dedication, and love into everyone of her girls. Sometimes he referred to her as a miracle mom with three kids and two grandchildren running around the house. Luckily, for her sake, she didn't have to work because his father didn't believe in it. Which is why Derrick felt the way he did about gender roles. He felt it was better for the woman to stay home with kids because they were the most important connection to them. Sometimes he wished his father had been a little more involved though. You could definitely say he was rough on the Renshaw children.

Derrick perked an eyebrow as Marnie mentioned there was more. What more could there be other than bringing in a random child into their home. Then again, there was bringing in their own child. "Pregnant? He was stunned for a moment as if that wasn't plausible but it was in every way. Just because the world was coming to an end didn't't mean you couldn't bring more people into it. He took a step back as he thought threw this news. It wasn't what he had expected and definitely not what he was planning. He already had a problem bringing a child not of their own into the world. It wasn't like Derrick didn't want to be a father. It was something he always dreamed. Eventually he hoped he would be a better one than his own was but under the circumstances it was dangerous to raise a child in their environment. "I do..." he corrected her comment. "I just didn' think it would be now." There were always consequences to his actions. It seemed to happening a lot lately.

"I can see that." He smirked slightly after kissing her back. Derrick should have been happy. This was what everyone wanted in life. Well at least this was what everyone was meant for. He was happy. He was finally with someone he loved and they were starting a family. Not under the best circumstances but there was nothing they could do about it. "I think I'm going to have make this place a little more secure. I don't anything getting in that could ruin it." Derrick kissed her softly again as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

[Marnie O'Malley]

Marnie snuggled against Derrick, pressing her face into his chest. She loved being held by him. It was a safe haven for her.

"No. Lily is her name. There is a name necklace around her neck" Marnie replied, her voice muffled by his shirt.

"Besides, I think she likes you" Marnie commented, a smile reaching her face as she pressed her cheek against his chest. She wound her arms around his midsection. She kissed him back softly and just let her face press into his neck. She stayed like that for a few moments before pulling back.

"I went to the drug store the other day" Marnie said. "We'll know for sure"

She said swallowing. She went into her nightstand and pulled out the test. She took a deep breath and as she passed Derrick, she placed a hand on his chest. She entered the master bathroom.


About a half hour later, Marnie checked it. She let out a breath as she sat on the edge of the bed next to Derrick.

"No. I'm not. It must've been a little stomach virus" Marnie said sadly. She was kinda hoping for a baby of her own. She looked up at Derrick with soft eyes as she wound her arm around his and snuggled up against him like she had done before when they first met. She kept her cheek pressed against his upper arm as she stared in the mirror at her and Derricks reflection. A spread of warmth came over Marnie as she thought of just how much she was in love with him. At that moment, Lily came running into the bedroom, clearly awake from her little nap. Marnie laughed and scooped her up into her arms.

Lily grinned at Derrick and reached for him.

"I think someone wants you" Marnie said affectionately. She looked at Derrick lovingly and fell back on the bed, her blond hair fluffed around her. She stared up at the ceiling. She stretched.

"So, what do you want to eat for dinner?" Marnie asked Derrick eagerly as she sat back up and went over to her dresser. She pulled out a pair of short shorts and a long sleeved shirt that fell to her knees. She entered the bathroom and changed. She pulled her hair into a braid and stepped back out, leaning against the door frame with a big grin

[derrick]

"Well I did have two nieces." Derrick bragged slightly as she commented on Lily's interest in him. Little girls always had some appeal to him. He didn't understand why but he always remembered getting along perfectly with his sister's kids. April and Carly. They were is world and he spoiled the hell out of them. He treated him as if they were his own but tended to be on the more devious side. He was the uncle that gave them all the candy and allowed them to be up past their bedtime. They loved it and so did he. "She likes you too. She doesn't have a choice really." He always had an odd way making jokes out of everything but it was his defense towards being too sentimental. He watched his father act that way for years, so it seems it had rubbed off. He just hoped he could be a better father. Especially with the possibility of Marnie being pregnant.

The half hour anticipation of finding out the test results was hectic. Derrick sure if his nerves came from excitement or worry. All he wanted was for them to be happy. He could tell Marnie really wanted the baby but as she revealed the test results he saw the happiness flush from her face. "I'm sorry." He kissed her forehead lightly. He would have assumed that relief would come over him with this news but he also felt sadness. Maybe in the last thirty minutes he had warmed himself up to the idea and now it wouldn't happen. It was a harsh reality that some woman and families had to go threw but at least they had Lily. He was at least grateful for that and as the little body came into the bedroom he couldn't help but smile. "I can see someone isn't tired anymore." Derrick took Lily in his arms as she reached for him. They stared each other down but he could feel a connection to her. They had just found her but yet she was still comfortable with them.

"How about some pasta?" He responded back to Marnie as he headed out into the kitchen with the small blonde in her hands. During dinner time, the twenty-seven year old could help but feel a warmness in the air. Something felt right about the three of them eating together. There was a sense of completeness.Derrick tucked Lily underneath the cover in the bedroom next to their and then joined Marnie. He slipped into bed and wrapped his arms around her. "Today turned out nice." He whispered softly in her ear before dozing off to sleep.