A/N: The action begins here! This chapter completes the 4 days between the end of season five and the beginning of season six. It also spans the entirety of 6x01! I apologize for the length of time between chapters this time, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own anything other than Thea Ellis and her storyline. All rights to The Walking Dead remain with Robert Kirkman and Co.
The next morning, Thea found herself on the intersection of Marshall and Redding wearing a pair of suede work gloves that were a size too big. She was carrying two long boards of wood from a truck to where they would need to be for the wall construction, her biceps yelling just slightly at her. They hadn't had much of a work out as of late; killing walkers via swinging an axe kept her relatively strong, but now she'd had too much time off.
She was thankful that her hair was now long enough to pull off her neck because the sun was beating down on them and she was sweating like she had been sweating back when they were on the road. She knew that she would probably be aching tomorrow, but for now she focused on her two missions: proving she was more than just a doctor and convincing Rick that she could be an asset to the group leading the walkers away.
Said sheriff was digging on the side of the road and she let her gaze linger on him as she passed by.
She had practically begged Rick to let her come with them to set up the blockade, she was certain that he would put up a bigger fight about the prospect of her joining them for the real deal. In the end, however, it would be worth it to prove to them that she was worth more than just her medical prowess.
Dropping the plywood on the ground beside the growing pile, she turned and spotted Glenn digging not far away. She had been wanting to talk to him about Maggie's pregnancy. There was no way that Maggie would talk to her right now, they hadn't said more than a few words to each other since the day Thea had been reunited with Cat. The doctor wanted to extend both her congratulations to the couple and her medical services.
"Glenn," she called in a quiet voice, waiting until his head turned in her direction to motion him over to the side away from the others. Once he joined her, she offered a small smile. "Maggie's pregnant?"
Though she had spoken quietly, Glenn's eyes still widened comically and his head whipped around to see if anyone had heard, lifting a finger to shush her.
"How did you know? Nobody knows but us and we aren't telling anyone yet."
"Glenn, relax, I'm not going to tell anyone. I was sitting behind you guys in the meeting the other day, I figured it out." She reassured him. "I was just going to say that if you guys want me to take a look and make sure everything's okay, I'm here."
His expression softened and for a moment it appeared that he was feeling shame for freaking out about her knowing. He looked down at his feet for a long moment before sighing softly, nodding. "Okay, thank you. I'll talk to Maggie about it."
He spun on his heel and took a few steps in the direction he had been digging in, but before he could get far, Thea called out to him.
"Glenn." As he faced her, she grinned. "Congratulations."
It broke the stressed air between them. Glenn's mouth spread into a large smile and he moved in with his arms open for a hug. They embraced in a tight hug and it felt like they had returned to the friendship that had formed back at the prison, but had been lost with the tension between Thea and Mrs. Rhee.
"Thank you." Glenn replied softly, releasing her and hesitating only for a second before returning to work.
Relieved and feeling like she had accomplished something, Thea made her way towards the truck carrying the plywood she had been moving previously. She would wait until later this evening to talk to Rick about going with them on the big day, for now she would work her butt off to prove she was a physical asset as well as a medical asset.
"Thea," Carol called out to her as she was about to grab a couple more pieces of wood. The woman had come along with what appeared to be one mission: serving water to those working. Thea knew that she was more than capable of pulling her own weight, but her cover as Susie Homemaker in Alexandria would be blown if she were to take off the cardigan and start hammering away.
The doctor faced the other woman, using her forearm to wipe away the sweat from her brow and squinting through the sun at her.
"Take some water." Carol held a tray full of half-filled paper cups out to her. Something in her face spoke to ulterior motives. The next words out of her mouth confirmed it. "What were you talking to Glenn about?"
Thea lifted a cup to her lips and sipped at the water, raising an eyebrow in amusement and staring over the rim at her. "That's not really any of your business, is it?" she asked, keeping her expression neutral so none of the Alexandrians milling about around them noticed.
Carol smiled and looked around them, keeping the charade going as well. "It looked pretty serious."
Draining the rest of the cup, she placed it back on the tray and sighed. "If I don't tell you, are you going to drag me into a courtyard and set me on fire?" She asked, hands on her hips in challenge. This was the first time she had confronted Carol to her face about Karen, and she wasn't sure how it would go.
The older woman's false smile remained in place, but the tick in her eyebrow revealed that she hadn't liked the comment. "We shouldn't talk about this now." She said simply. Before anything more could be said, Carol stepped away to continue distributing water to those working.
Thea huffed in frustration and reached for more boards of wood from the back of the truck.
"Hey, Rick, can I talk to you?" Thea called out as she pulled the door closed to the clinic and marched down the porch steps. Now was her time to convince him to let her tag along for the mission to clear the walkers.
The sheriff let out a heavy sigh as he slowed his pace, his brow pinching in exasperation. "If this is about the run—"
"It is and your frustration isn't going to stop me from pleading my case." She interrupted, sidling up alongside him and continuing down the street in the direction of their houses.
He sighed again, she could tell he was getting tired of telling her no so many times. "Thea, you know why I don't want you to come. You're our only surgeon now. What if you go out there and get hurt, or worse? Who will take care of you?"
Thea scoffed. She didn't think he cared so much about no one being able to take care of her, but that he was worried she wouldn't be around to take care of everyone else. She got it, but she was more than just a doctor. "I'm tired of being treated like a child because I'm 'valuable'. You know that what you're really worried about is that I won't be around to take care of someone if they get hurt. And that's what I'm worried about, too."
He fell silent as they walked. When their houses came into view, they could see Daryl and Carol out on the porch of the blue house chatting. Turning his head towards her, Rick released a breath. "Alright, let's let them hear your pitch. If Daryl and Carol agree…we'll see."
It was a start, better than she could hope for him to say. She had expected him to tell her he didn't want to hear it and walk away, this was good. Daryl might just be on her side, and Carol might dislike her but she wasn't an idiot; they would see the value of bringing her along.
Rick was first up the porch steps and he motioned towards Thea. "Thea has something to say about the run. The decision shouldn't just be mine, I want to know what you two think."
Being put on the spot made her stomach flutter. The three of them staring her down brought back memories of her oral boards, when she had been forced to sit in a room with three instructors and prove to them that she had the knowledge and skill-set to be board certified. But she had proven herself worthy then, and she would prove herself worthy now.
"You want to go with them?" Carol asked, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning back against the railing.
Thea nodded. "I do. And I think that it would better for me to go than to stay." She began. "What if something happens out there and you guys can't get back to Alexandria in time. If there is a chance that I could save someone and they end up dying because I was too far away, it would be devastating."
"I think we need her here, safe. We don't need to lose another doctor." Rick put in.
Daryl was listening silently, seated with his left leg tucked up on the railing, his left elbow resting on his knee as he chewed on his thumbnail. As usual, he was extremely difficult to read.
Carol shrugged. "She has a point; you might need her out there."
It was strange to hear the older woman agree with Thea, but she wasn't going to get excited about it too soon. There had to be more to what Carol was thinking than just agreement.
"Daryl?" Rick asked of the silent man.
It took a moment before he spoke up. "It's too dangerous. That amount of walkers," he shook his head. "Anything could go wrong. Losing a doctor is worse than losing one of us."
His disapproval surprised Thea, but at the same time it didn't. She sighed softly, eyes falling to the boards of the porch. If Daryl didn't agree, then her chances of going just slipped out the window.
But she wanted to help in some way, and an idea struck her. "Okay, so don't let me go on the run." She stated.
Rick could sense she wasn't giving up so easily. "But?"
All or nothing. She thought to herself before continuing.
"Don't take me on the run, but let me come with you tomorrow on the dry run. Let me see the routes you'll be taking, the different meeting points, back up plans, everything. Then, on the day, leave a walkie here with me and if you need me, you can call. That way I'll be out of harm's way, but I'll know exactly where to go if I'm needed. We all win."
It was a shot in the dark, but it seemed like an excellent plan to her. The dry run would be uneventful, but she would get the chance to prove herself in a way, and in the end, it would give her more of a role than she would have just dutifully staying behind.
Rick considered her for a moment, wheels nearly visibly turning in his head as he eyed her. He seemed slightly impressed with her plan, and after a few seconds of chuckling, he nodded and shrugged. "Daryl?"
The archer shrugged. "Couldn't hurt."
"Carol?"
The woman gave a curt nod, standing fully. "It's a good compromise."
Thea felt herself grin as she faced the sheriff, eagerly awaiting his approval. He had to agree to this, after all, it was now three against one.
"Alright, you can come on the dry run tomorrow. But the next day, you're behind these walls with a radio, like you said." Rick consented.
"Yes!" She exclaimed in excitement, unable to control herself. She jumped in place and clapped her hands together a few times. "Thank you, I promise I will stay out of the way tomorrow."
Rick grinned at her reaction and bobbed his head. "Get some rest. We're leaving at sunup."
"You're going on that run?" Cat asked in surprise as she placed one of Hank's shirts in the basket on the table.
They were folding laundry as Thea explained the plan to her sister. Henry was fast asleep in his bed, allowing Thea to visit without having to explain to the toddler why her face was bruised. That conversation would not be a fun one.
Thea began folding a little green t-shirt with a brown stegosaurus on it with an eye roll. "I told you already, I'm not going on the actual run. I'm just going on the dry run tomorrow so I can see the route and the meeting points. That way they can radio me in the clinic if they have an emergency and I'll know exactly where to go."
"But it's dangerous out there. What if something goes wrong tomorrow and you don't make it back?"
Thea knew firsthand how dangerous the outside world was and the thought of going back out there did make her slightly nervous, but they would be in a large group and they could handle it. They'd spent enough time on the road prior to Alexandria to know what they were doing. She didn't blame Cat for being nervous, however, seeing as the younger woman had only experienced life beyond the walls for two months. It was normal to fear the unknown, especially when she knew some of what was out there.
"Cat, nothing will happen out there. We're good at this whole 'outside the walls' thing, remember?" she reassured.
It didn't help. Her sister had always been a little neurotic. "But what if it does? And what if something happens here while you're all gone tomorrow?"
Thea scoffed. "Catherine, nothing is going to happen out there. And you're completely safe in here, almost too safe, if you ask me. Just relax and don't worry about it, I'll be back tomorrow in no time."
Cat sighed heavily and ran her hands through her blonde locks in exasperation. "I don't know how you can be so calm about this, Thea. I, for one, am worried and I have this feeling that I'm never gonna see you again."
The words made Thea's heart skip a beat. A million what ifs started going through her mind, but she knew that she had to go on the dry run in order to be able to help everyone. She put down the pair of shorts she had just scooped up and rounded the table, reaching out and pulling her sister in for a hug.
"Don't worry about me, Cat, everything is going to be fine."
The next morning, they left at sunup, just as Rick had told her. First, they rode out to a small clearing on the side of the highway, where they had pounded a wooden stake in the ground and tied a few green balloons.
"Alright, this is the finish line. When we make it to green, we fall back. The ditches and ridges will keep them on the road. We head home, but Daryl, Sasha, and Abraham take them the rest of the way, 20 miles more." Rick explained to the group who stood around the post. "All right, let's go."
They had started at the end of the trail to work their way to the quarry and end the dry run there, explaining the plan once again, fully.
He walked away from the post, leading the group towards the next pit stop.
They walked for several long minutes before they reached a small store with tractors out front. A female walker was trapped from the waist down beneath the bucket of a small, farming bulldozer. Her arms stretched out towards them as they approached, but none of them moved to silence her snarls.
The sign above the wall of windows read: "Rendon Equipment Sales. Virginia's 1st Choice!".
Behind the glass, trapped in the store, were nearly a dozen walkers. As they spotted the group of survivors, they began beating on the glass weakly and growling in hunger. The sound of them was loud, even through the windows, and Thea had almost forgotten what a large group of walkers sounded like.
Rick began speaking again. "We're gonna take 'em right past here. All that noise could distract them. We'll clear it on our way back tonight. We don't want any surprises tomorrow."
They had really thought this plan through and Thea was very impressed with it. She couldn't help but feel relieved they had agreed to let her tag along on the dry run since the route was so long; knowing where each color zone was, was a huge help.
Next, they moved on to the intersection of Marshall and Redding, where they had completed construction the day before. Walls were set up to help get the massive herd from the quarry to turn the corner, an RV and other vehicles behind them to add additional strength to the blockade. Rick quickly explained what he had already said to the group the day before, that three of them would be stationed behind the wall ready to fire flares when the herd approached, drawing their attention around the bend in the road.
After walking half the day, they finally reached the quarry. Thea had only heard about the number of walkers trapped inside…seeing and hearing them was an entirely different experience. She couldn't believe that this many of the dead had managed to accumulate in one place, or that they hadn't come across this sooner. The quarry was packed full, the walkers inside barely having any wiggle room. Some of them had gone up the ramp like road that was currently blocked off by two semi-trucks, one of which was teetering on the edge of the cliff.
They were lucky it hadn't toppled off the side yet.
Two semis were parked at the entrance to the quarry where the group stood. They were facing opposite directions, parked at an angle, but their trailers were tight together at the ends. A line of walkers had formed and one was trying its hardest to force its way through the tiny gap. Blood smears on the white trailer walls indicated that at least one other walker had managed the feat, but it wasn't an easy task.
Rick climbed on top of one of the semis and called down to them. "I know this is insane, but this is an insane world. We have to come for them before they come for us, it's that simple." He turned to gaze at the massive herd, lifting a hand to shield his eyes from the sun. When he faced them again, he continued: "This is where it all starts tomorrow. Tobin gets in the truck, opens the exit and we're off. He hops out, catches up with his team at red staying on the west side of the road. Daryl gets on his bike—."
A rumbling sound from across the quarry interrupted his speech.
Sasha pointed to the trucks parked on the ramp. "You see that?"
Suddenly, metal groaned against rock. The semi perched on the cliffside began to slide, rocks rolling down and pelting walkers below. Seconds passed in slow motion and then everything came rushing back in full speed. The semi toppled over the cliff and the walkers were free.
"It's open! We gotta do this now!" Rick exclaimed, jumping off the semi. "We're doing this now! Tobin's group, get moving, go!"
Thea was standing between Daryl and Michonne and she felt her heart begin to race. Cat had been right when she said she felt something would go wrong on the dry run.
Carter protested. "No, Rick, we're not ready."
The sheriff ignored him. "Sasha, Abraham!" he called to the duo.
Sasha was already climbing into the driver's side of an older, red car that they would be using to lead the walkers away. Abraham ran for the passenger's side and turned to respond to Rick. "Damn straight, we'll do it live."
Rick nodded. "You meet Daryl at red. Let him take them through the gauntlet."
Sasha nodded to Daryl. "Yeah, we meet at red!"
"Go!" Rick yelled.
Glenn came up on Rick's left side. "Rick, I'll hit the tractor place." He suggested.
"Okay, who else?" he asked.
Heath stepped up to the plate, followed by Nicholas. Glenn and the latter exchanged a few heated words and then they were off.
Thea could feel the nervous energy in those around her, but they all seemed ready to go. All except Carter.
"Rick, this was supposed to be a dry run." He stated the obvious.
Once again, he was ignored. "Daryl, get ready."
Daryl lifted his crossbow and pointed it towards the gap between the two semis closest to them. The walker was still attempting to squeeze through to reach them, but it was having a hard time.
Carter was still protesting. "Rick, we haven't even gone through the whole plan."
Rick finally took the time to answer him. "We can't go back, we're finishing this." That was all he had to say to the man before walking away. "Tobin, you hit on my signal. They're headed for home. We don't have a choice. Get ready to hit the flares. Now!"
Four flares were fired into the air, one right after the other.
The walker that had been trying to squeeze through the gap made it through, the ragged edges of both trailers ripping its decaying flesh off in the process. The skin was left hanging like curtains on either side of a bony ribcage but the walker trudged forward without a care.
"Tobin, hit the truck!" Rick called.
The engine of one of the semis roared to life and Tobin pulled it forward, opening the slit for the line of walkers. Daryl shot the walker that had squeezed through in the head and it fell lifeless, the effort it had put into escaping now for nothing.
As the truck opened the exit, the herd was headed straight for them. Thea felt a tug on her sleeve and turned to find Daryl pulling her with him as he raced to where his bike was parked. She didn't have time to protest. He jumped on the bike first, standing so she could slide on behind him, and then revved the engine to gain the herd's attention.
Once he knew the walkers were attracted to the noise of his bike, he slowly pulled onto the road, keeping a pace that the herd could follow. Thea's hands gripped each side of his leather jacket tightly out of fear that she would somehow fall off despite the leisurely pace.
The walkie clipped to the right shoulder of Daryl's jacket came to life. "You all have your assignments." Rick's voice came over the speaker. "You know where to rendezvous. Daryl leads them out. Sasha and Abraham join him at the bottom of the hill. Glenn, you hit us when you take care of the walkers at the tractor place. That's the one thing we gotta get ahead of. Everybody, keep your heads. Just keep up."
Daryl kept his distance from the herd, but also made sure to keep a slow pace that would make sure the walkers stayed interested. It was unnerving to be so close to a herd and not be racing full speed away.
Over the radio, Sasha's voice came through. "We're at red at the bottom of the hill."
Daryl used his left hand to press the call button on his walkie. "All right, here comes the parade."
"Glenn, you there yet?" Rick asked over the radio.
"Almost. We'll have it handled before they get here. And we'll meet you at yellow." Glenn responded.
"Copy that."
The motorcycle slowly coasted over a hill and Thea spotted the red car Sasha and Abraham were riding in waiting on the side of the road for them. Daryl sent them a nod and they pulled out in front of the bike to join them in leading the walker parade.
Rick's voice was back in their ears. "Glenn, you have to hurry. The noise would distract the herd right off the road. Talk to me."
"We're here." Glenn answered back.
Things were going to work out. They would handle this. She knew they would.
The bike sidled up on the right side of the car and they continued together for a few miles until they reached the yellow zone on Marshall and Redding. As they approached the walls, three flares fired into the sky in the direction they would be turning. As they began to loop around the bend, three more flares shot up. Daryl slowed the bike to go around the curve, using his left leg to walk it along and keep them upright. The red car followed a little behind them and Thea turned to see if the walkers were on the trail.
Thankfully, the walkers were taking the bait and following them as the group had hoped they would. This was going to work.
They cleared the corner and Daryl stopped the bike, using both legs as balance as he turned to watch the herd. Thea could hear some of the walkers smacking hard against the walls as they moved through the corner. Daryl revved the bike's engine to keep the dead from trying to go through the walls. More flares shot overhead and it looked like the herd would clear the corner without problem.
They continued driving.
Thea wasn't sure how long they had been riding along with the herd when Rick's voice came through the radio on Daryl's jacket.
"Tobin, they're breaking off."
The other man responded quickly. "What do you want us to do?"
"Fire your guns and draw 'em back."
There was a moment of silence and then in the distance Thea could hear gunshots ringing out.
"It's working. The gunfire is bringing them back on the road." Tobin spoke after a minute or two of gunfire.
Rick agreed. "You got them, Tobin."
"Copy that. What was that screaming?"
Thea hadn't heard any screaming, but with the near deafening growls of the herd and the revving of Daryl's bike most of the other sounds around them were masked. She hoped everyone was okay.
"That was Carter. He got bit right in the face. I stopped him." Rick explained.
Thea's breath hitched in surprise. Carter had been annoying, but she hadn't wanted him to die. This mission may have been going well for now, but she had the feeling things weren't going to end that way. She just hoped that no one else would lose their lives in the process of saving Alexandria from the quarry walkers.
Just as the thought crossed her mind, a horn blared from the distance. It was loud enough that they could hear it over the walkers and Thea turned her head to figure out where it was coming from.
Her heart sank.
The horn was coming from Alexandria.
A/N: Cat did say that she had a bad feeling about the dry run. And she did say she felt like she would never see Thea again. What do you guys think is going to happen on the run? What do you think is going to happen in Alexandria? Who is sad that we only have a few more episodes of season seven left?
Please review if you have the time!