Word Count: 2113
Characters: Andrea-centric, Michonne, Milton
Warnings: Character Death, mentioned torture, gore
Summary: After the fallout with Woodbury, Andrea remembers all that she's lost and all that she's regained.
A/N: Written for a prompt over on my tumblr, but I decided to post it here as it's a decent one-shot length. Enjoy (:! Please excuse any mistakes as I wrote it directly to my blog. I do not own The Walking Dead or few song lyrics from "Goodbye to You" by Michelle Branch.
Goodbye To You
Of all the things I've believed in
I just want to get it over with
Blonde curls fluttered around the pale woman's face in the gentle evening breeze, her lips hardened as she stared down at the freshly dug pile of mud amongst the overgrown grasses of the prison's large yard. Nearby the sounds of walkers snarling and grabbing at the chain length fence faded into the background as the woman standing alone in the field stared at the crooked cross stuck in the middle of the pile of dirt.
Her entire body was unmoving as she stared down at the makeshift grave nestled in many more lopsided crosses in the middle of the field. Chapped lips pressed together in a firm line the woman remained still as another more powerful breeze caught a few strands of her long bangs, sending them cascading down in front of her tired eyes like a curtain. She didn't bother to clear them from her view and only continued to stare, the ball of emotion beginning to well up in her throat. Her throat was sore and when she tried to swallow the painful lump of sorrow, it only caused her to sputter a cough from her lips.
Andrea bent down slightly as she pulled her vest jacket tighter around her torso, the gentle breeze suddenly starting to send a shiver up her spine that shook her entire body. Her teeth chattered together as she bent down closer to the grave, her form resting on her left knee as she supported her elbow in an effort to get a better look at the fresh mound of dirt at her feet.
The strengthening wind caught hold of the sweater she was wearing under the vest jacket, the sleeve over her left arm fluttering loosely in the breeze as she sat knelt by the grave of her friend. Her left hand absent-mindedly reached into the mound, her fingers running through the cooling dirt as her light eyes focused on the ground below her.
Her thin fingers closed around a handful of the dirt, allowing it to slip through her open hand and she breathed a shuddering sigh as her eyes drifted up to look at the crooked cross she had made. Despite the heaviness she felt in her clenching chest her eyes remained dry.
She knew she had no more tears to shed.
The warrior quietly watched the scene from just outside the prison, her hands closing around the handle of her sword she held in her hands. Her dark eyes drifted down to the glimmering blade, the metal now wiped clean of most of the blood from last week's events but to her she would never be able to see it as clean ever again.
Before she could think twice about her actions she was already walking over to the prison's makeshift graveyard where they had buried their fallen, her boots only making small crunching noises over the dried grasses. She tried to remain as quiet as possible as she approached the blonde hunched over the mound of dirt, her own face stoic and unwavering as she walked.
Michonne gently walked up behind the other woman, tilting her head slightly in confusion when she saw how badly the blonde's shoulders were trembling as she attempted to hug herself to shield her body from the cooling air. Michonne frowned as she took the cloak off from around her shoulders and gingerly wrapped it around Andrea's, silently pulling the strings to fasten it around her shoulders taught.
Andrea didn't look up from the grave as her one hand grasped at the cloak. Her blue eyes drifted up to look at the other woman, face blank of any emotion as she rose to her feet, still clutching at the familiar cloak she had had around her shoulders so many times during the harsh winter months.
Michonne was silent for another minute before she spoke "Are you okay?"
Andrea's eyes remained trained on the cross in the middle of the mound.
"No."
The woman in the dentist's chair twisted and pulled at the links of the handcuffs around her wrists with the pair of pliers in her one free hand, teeth clenched together as she listened to the tell-tale sound of air filling dead lungs sound from the shadows of the dimly lit room.
Tearing at the metal she let out a gasp of frustration as the pliers continued to bend the link she was working on, continuing to pull at the metal as she desperately tried to pull it apart.
She could only watch in horror as her friend's re-animated corpse staggered to his feet, his glasses falling off his nose to the floor with a quiet clink as the lenses shattered on the impact. Andrea let out another cry of frustration as she watched him growing closer to her, hands reaching out for her as she continued to struggle with the pliers.
Michonne stared at the ground, her full lips pressing together as she mumbled lowly "It wasn't your fault."
Andrea blinked slowly as she clutched at the cloak, eyes looking directly in front of her as she spoke.
"I tried."
Blonde locks that had come loose from her ponytail fell in front of her eyes and Andrea's teeth gritted together as she tore over and over with the tool with several forceful grunts. Milton's gasping breaths echoed through the deathly quiet room and Andrea gathered her bearings, tugging once more on the chain-link with all she had left in her.
She heard a loud snap of the link giving way and she cried out in exasperation. She quickly turned to see Milton's snarling face directly in hers and she screamed loudly, her voice cracking slightly as the haunting sound echoed throughout the small room.
Instinctively she raised her right arm to shield her face from the approaching walker.
Michonne's dark eyes fell on the fresh grave and she sighed deeply through her nose, shakily raised a gloved hand to fall to rest on Andrea's shoulder.
Andrea didn't react to the display of comfort, her back rigid as she continued to stare at her friend's grave. The blonde's lips pursed as she slowly started to shake her head, her light eyes shimmering with the tears she wished she could find the strength to release.
"He was a good man."
She couldn't remember ever having felt a more intense pain in her life.
The white-hot pain of her former friend's teeth sinking into her arm blinded her senses and all she could do was cry out with the agony that washed over her. Her back arched against the chair as she forcefully connected her foot with the walker's torso, sending the corpse flying back a few feet. She was unable to stop the tears from cascading down her cheeks at the sight of him, how blood was dripping down from his mouth as his dead eyes remained fixed on her. He quickly began to stagger back over.
Andrea tucked the wound under her arm as she raised the pair of pliers high in her left hand, hot tears rushing from her eyes as she prepared for the inevitable.
It all happened in a matter of blurred seconds as Andrea saw the door fly open, a familiar form crying out her name loudly before the clatter of metal on concrete sounded through the room.
Michonne's eyes trailed down Andrea's form until her eyes fell on the sight of her right shirt sleeve fluttering loosely in the breeze. The dark skinned woman felt her stomach twist at the very vision of it and her lower lip twitched as swallowed the lump forming in her throat.
"I'm sorry."
Andrea's form tensed at her words "It doesn't matter any more." she muttered lowly "people still died."
"Andrea!"
The blurred figures clarified to her as she could make out Daryl lingering over the body now crumpled to the floor in a heap and her eyes met Rick staring in sheer horror at the bright blood that was pooling in her lap, staining her jeans a dark crimson.
Her teeth gritted at the pain pulsating through her from her arm and her chest heaved as she felt the gentle hands of the dark skinned woman hovering over her touch her upper-arms gently, her face twisted as she desperately decided what could be done. Andrea's weakened gaze drifted up to meet the warrior's, her bright eyes shining as she clutched her right arm. She knew she wasn't thinking straight and that the red-hot pain was straining her mind but she knew there was only one thing they could do.
"Cut it off." she whispered hoarsely, her voice wavering at the pain she felt coursing through her.
Michonne had shimmering tears in her eyes as she looked down at her former companion practically slouched over in the chair "N…"
Andrea's teeth grit together as her form doubled over. She clutched at her arm, her fingers stained bright red as she fought desperately to keep herself together. When she heard the muttered protest from the other woman Andrea's closed eyes snapped open suddenly.
"CUT IT OFF!"
Almost blinded from logic by the intensity of the situation Michonne had wasted no time in pulling the headband from her dreads, tying it almost painfully tightly around Andrea's upper-arm as she hastily grabbed her katana from where it laid discarded on the cold floor. She gingerly draped Andrea's bleeding arm over the side of the sadistic dentist's chair and rose the sword above her head, her watering eyes meeting Andrea's as she brought the shimmering blade down forcefully in the middle of her arm with a choking sob.
Andrea's blood-curdling scream echoed into the night.
The scream sounded through the corners of Michonne's mind as she opened her eyes slowly to look at the woman standing in front of her, her eyes still trained on the grave below. Her stomach protested at looking at the sight of Andrea's loose-fitting sleeve and she joined her in looking at Milton's grave.
"I'm…grateful. You're still…here because of him."
Andrea's hardened eyes remained unblinking as she spoke, her lips pursed as she gingerly placed a dusty book she had pulled from Milton's work area on top of the mound that had been sitting next to her in the grass.
"I'm going to kill him." she whispered and Michonne stared at the back of the blonde's head, her loose locks fluttering lightly in the breeze. "He was the only person I could trust in that place…he sacrificed himself so I could come back."
Michonne felt the guilt tear into her heart like a painful knife had torn it open and she took a bold step forward, wrapping her left arm around the other woman's shoulders she allowed her head to fall against Andrea's, her dreads falling against the side of Andrea's face with the motion she listened to the choking sobs that came next from her former companion.
Andrea turned from the grave and wrapped her arm around Michonne's back, the other grasping at the warrior as best she could. Burying her face into the leather vest Michonne wore they both stood there for a short time as Michonne held the blonde, her quiet sobs the only sounds in the silent field save for the gusting wind and distant groaning of walkers clawing at the fence.
"I'm all alone." Andrea choked out quietly and Michonne squeezed her, gloved fingers digging into her shoulders supportively. "A…my…D-Dale…M…ilton…"
Michonne felt her heart constrict painfully in her chest and she brought Andrea closer, raising her head so her chin rested ontop of the other woman's head she allowed her gloved fingers to tangle through the matted locks as she ran her hand down the back of Andrea's head slowly.
"I'm here." she whispered "…and I'm not going anywhere."
Andrea didn't (or couldn't) answer her and her only response was more muted sobs as Michonne let go of her slightly to bring her arm around her shoulders. Michonne looked over her shoulder one last time at the grave as she began to lead Andrea back towards the prison, her companion's low sobs continuing into her chest as she walked.
Michonne's eyes softened as she turned away to give her attentions back to the other woman, hand running over her locks the two women headed back towards the desolate building they now called home.
"He is a good man."
the two women retreated from the makeshift graveyard as the grasses blew around the graves dotted over the section of land, the sun finally having sunk below the horizon.
One thing that I tried to hold onto
Goodbye to you