The Walking Dead: Hearts Collide Chapter 29
Addison stood there flabbergasted by the announcement. Her brother was here safe with a new group. He had stopped looking for her as she had him. That fact should not have affected her as much as it was. She gave up on him to thinking he was dead when really Kate was.
"Addison, are you okay sweetie?" Jacqui asked resting a hand on the teenager's shoulder.
"Yeah, it's just a lot to take in." Addison replied in a low voice. Kate's death was unavoidable according to what Jacqui had explained. Besides, Addison always knew her best friend would never make it in this world. Kate was too use to manicures and hair salons to even register the thought of learning to use a gun. One day during a training session led by Derek, Kate fired the pistol and nearly killed him. Luckily her aim was bad enough to miss by a few inches. Mourning for her best friend would have to wait. Right now, helping Mary was her main priority.
"We're sorry about your brother. I was just trying to protect the group." Patricia spoke up with a sad smiled.
"Its alright, honestly. I would have done it myself with the way he was acting." Addison admitted feeling guilt. "Derek was a good guy before the dead started walking. Our parents died the first day of the outbreak and even since he's been a different person. He became cold and harsh doing whatever was possible to keep me safe. I know he feels like he failed since we were separated but nothing else could be done. The 'ugly ones' blocked us off and killed Kate's boyfriend. One of us trying to reach the other would be suicide."
"No one is saying you did something wrong." Patricia said. "You did what you had to do in order to survive."
"Addison, can you come here a sec?" Hershel summoned. Addison rose from her spot on the boulder taking a crouch beside the older man.
"Can you tell me what happened to your friend here?" Hershel asked looking at the stub of an arm. It was a clean cut, but no walker did this.
"I couldn't tell you. I left her for an hour while I tried finding a source of water and when I came back here she was." Addison told trying to see Mary's damaged arm.
"This could mean there's another dangerous group." T-Dog suggested looking into the woods. Was his mind playing tricks on him or did something move?
"You don't think it's Shane or Randall, do you?" Patricia worriedly questioned holding her arms together.
"Nah, they know better to mess with us." T replied.
"Do they? Because they already tried killing me once." Emma spoke without looking up. Just hearing their names reminded her of being weak. She could have died that day. But she was a fighter and her life was something worth fighting for.
"Don't think like that." Daryl told her. "Come on, let's find something to distract you with." Emma nodded picking herself up and walking beside Daryl holding his hand.
"Not to be insensitive but what are we going to do about Carl and Carol?" Lori complained.
"Carol's bandaged up and should be fine and Carl will most likely wake up with a headache." Hershel informed trying to think of his next move on Mary. Their medical supplies consisted of hardly anything. Plus, this was no place to perform any type of surgery on someone who is most likely to die.
"She's not going to be okay, huh?" Addison asked.
"Can't be too certain at the moment. Just prepare yourself to say your goodbyes in case."
"I want to be the one to put her down." Hershel looked up at her seeing the water swell in her eyes. He could not bring himself to even begin thinking of what hell she had experienced.
"What the hell happened!" Rick exclaimed running to his son's side.
"You didn't tell him?" Lori hissed to T-Dog.
"He kicked me out of the RV before I could even speak. All he said was where to tie Derek up."
"He's tied up in there?" Addison asked looking towards the vehicle. Her brother was in the same area as her yet she would not be able to see him. He went crazy and tried killing two people and injured two others in the meantime. Her death in his head was enough for him to knock out a little boy? How mentally stable was he now if there was internal bleeding?
"Who is this?" Dale questioned harshly pointing to the teen.
"Derek's sister Addison. Her friend needed help." Jacqui answered. Dale then noticed the amputated arm of the female.
"Did she do this?" Dale accused.
"No! I found her like this!" Addison cried.
"It's not safe to stay here then. If someone else did this they could easily kill one of us."
"How has she not bled out yet?" Rick asked.
"She's fighting for her life right now. She's a strong one." Hershel said.
"And Carl? He's going to be alright?"
"Should be fine Rick, just some bruising and a headache. While we're waiting around could someone go find my daughters and Glenn?"
"I'll go." T-Dog volunteered already heading into the woods.
"Where are Emma and Daryl?" Dale asked.
"She needed to get away from us. I accidentally brought up Shane and Randall." Patricia whispered not wanting Rick involved.
"Jimmy?"
"With Beth." Hershel growled.
"Great, everyone's scattered around when we should be leaving."
"He has to try saving Mary's life!" Addison protested.
"Her arm is missing. Her chances aren't very high."
"But they're still there!" Addison argued.
"When your brother wakes up you two are on your own." Dale barked.
"That's not your call Dale." Rick reminded him.
"Well if they stick around I'm leaving."
"Don't be stupid."
"You're too trusting Rick! You let Derek join us and now your son is hurt and Carol was shot."
"Let' not forget he tried killing Emma and Daryl." Lori noted.
"Even more reason for us to shoo them away!" Dale exclaimed. Rick looked away knowing it was true. Derek could not stick around. But Addison should not be punished to.
"Addison, you're welcome to join us but your brother can't tag along." Rick offered.
"Are you serious?" Dale blurted out.
"She hasn't done a thing wrong to us. She's only a teenager Dale, have some morality."
"Don't you dare say I'm not moral. Because I wanted to go back for Amy but you decided for all of us to let her die." Everyone looked back and forth between the two men. "That's right everyone! Rick decided for us that Amy has until tonight to come back or else we're pronouncing her dead."
"Rick-" Lori tried.
"It's the safest choice." Rick cut her off.
"For who? We're prepared this time! We can take back the farm!" Dale pressed.
"No, that's final!" Rick concluded yelling.
"Is it always like this?" Addison whispered to Patricia.
"Lately, yes." She whispered back sighing,
"I want to see Derek." Addison requested straightening her posture as she stood.
"I'm not sure that's a good idea." Rick rejected the idea.
"He's tied up and I'll go in handcuffed for I care. It's been two weeks and I made myself believe he was dead. I just want to see for myself that he's alive." Addison pleaded putting her wrists out to be handcuffed. Rick rubbed the back of his neck processing the best thing to do. If he was in her position and Carl or Lori in Derek's he would kill to see them.
"Fine, but Jacqui takes you with your hands tied up, got it?"
"Fine with me!" Addison cheered. Jacqui did as instructed taking some rope that lied beside Hershel. A simple double knot around Addison's wrists and she was cuffed.
"Ya alright?" Daryl asked as he came to a stop with Emma.
"I just hate thinking about that day. Today was the first time I remember the pain I went through. They tried killing me Daryl, can you believe that."
"And I wasn't there to protect you then either." Daryl mumbled.
"Don't beat yourself up over it."
"How can I not? I haven't protected you once."
"That's not true.
"It is."
"You stayed by my side when I was shot."
"That's not protecting you. You were shot."
"You did protect because you stuck by my side and gave me a reason to live."
"We weren't together then"
"So? I heard you one night. You said 'live, live for me.'" Daryl instantly looking away knowing exactly what she was talking about. That was one of the first time he let his feelings past his walls. He never knew she heard him say those words and the insecurities he had came rushing back in.
"Hey, don't be embarrassed. It was cute."
"I'm not a cutesy and emotional person."
"I like that side of you. I like everything about you. Even those moments when your anger takes the best of you."
"You shouldn't. You deserve better."
"I deserve you, Daryl. Don't you ever think I don't because we're in this thing together."
"I had a dream last night." Daryl started. If he was going to do this relationship thing with Emma, he wanted her know everything about him.
"We were married and had two kids, a boy and a girl. Our son had your eyes while our daughter had your smile. We were happy. It made me wish we could have something like that." Daryl admitted holding Emma's hands within his. Tears spilled down Emma's cheeks at the thought. A family with Daryl, that would be perfect.
"What's wrong?" Daryl asked wiping a tear away. Had he brought up a bad memory? Instead of answering Emma pressed her lips against his. The kiss was rough and full of emotion as always. Their arms wrapped around each other's neck not wanting to break apart.
"These moments with you are perfect." Emma whispered against Daryl's lips. He smiled fighting with Emma's tongue within his mouth. Their mouths fit perfectly with each other. They were made to be together.
"I want you." Daryl said running his hands down Emma's back.
"I want you too." Emma replied dying to feel skin. Her hands made their way down and up his shirt feeling his bare chest.
"We have to find somewhere soon for shelter." Daryl joked smiling. Emma smiled back but felt the same way.
"You could just take me in the woods." Emma teased. Daryl lifted her up allowing her legs to wrap around his waist.
"The thought crossed my mind." Daryl told. A leave crunched suddenly behind them.
"Walker!" Emma alerted pulling her knife out.
"I got this one." Daryl said loading his crossbow. Another came from the opposite direction.
"I'll get this other one." Emma told him making her way towards it. Daryl shot down the walker quickly turning around, loading his weapon, and firing before Emma could even reach it.
"Nice shot." Emma applauded.
"Had time to practice." Daryl kidded slinging his crossbow.
"We need a place to ourselves. A car isn't good enough. We don't need everyone hearing the car bounce." Emma laughed taking Daryl's hand.
"I don't mind."
"You will when someone knocks on the fogged up window and it's Carl."
"I didn't think about that." Daryl chuckled picturing the reaction in his mind.
"Do you have protection?" Emma asked.
"Shit." Daryl cursed not even thinking of that.
"It's fine, maybe next supply run." Emma suggested.
"Were seriously thinking of doing this?" Daryl asked surprised.
"Yes, because maybe afterwards I'll hear those three words."
"Good job tonight?" Daryl teased.
"Asshole." Emma playfully slapped his arm.
"He's alive." Addison whispered to herself.
"Yep, he's been knocked out for about an hour or so now." Jacqui answered taking a seat at the dinner table. Derek lied on the floor tied to the table's leg.
"I can't believe I happened to stumble upon you guys. What are the chances of Derek doing the same thing just a day before?"
"Not very likely. Your lucky, Addison."
"I never thought luck was on my side. Now, I think there is such a thing." Addison patted Derek's hair down with tied hands. It came from old habit when they were little. Her brother was always so warm and easy to speak to. Now if you had a problem to confess he did not need to hear it. As she lifted her hand Derek groaned in pain.
"Derek?" Addison asked wide-eyed. Was he finally waking up?
"Stay back Addison, he might be a walker now." Jacqui ordered pulling the girl back. Minutes passed as Derek continued groaning but not opening his eyes.
"Is he still knocked out?" Addison quietly asked.
"I don't think so." Jacqui answered taking a step forward pulling her knife out in case he grabbed for her. Derek's eyes slowly opened then. He was still drowsy from blacking out.
"Addison?" Derek chocked taking in sight of his little sister.
"Derek!" Addison joyfully shouted kneeling down beside him.
"You're alive?" Derek questioned in disbelief.
"I thought the same thing when I saw you."
"Where have you hiding?"
"Not far from the old camp." Addison looked back to Jacqui. "Can we get him some water or something?" Jacqui nodded grabbing a bottle from the counter.
"Rick is going to kill me for this." She sighed pouring the liquid into Derek's mouth. After gulping down the bottle's contents Derek stared at his sister sadly.
"I kept looking for you. Kate eventually convinced me into thinking you died along with everyone else."
"Mary and I managed to get away but not too far. We thought you would come back to find us but that never happened. After a week of searching near the old site we gave up believing you were dead."
"I'm sorry about Kate."
"Don't apologize. She wasn't cut out to survive." The door opened then allowing Rick to enter the vehicle and disrupt the reunion.
"You gave him water?" Rick hissed.
"He was dehydrated. I was being human." Jacqui defended herself. Rick nodded knowing Dale was getting to him causing him to snap.
"Addison, I came in here to ask if you've decided yet."
"Decided what?" Derek asked confused. He looked back and forth between the two.
"There's no way of having us both?" Addison tried.
"I'm afraid not." Rick answered holding his gaze. Addison breathed in deeply gathering her thoughts. The choice had to be made now.
"Derek, you're not allowed to live with this group anymore. After your stunt with those people in the woods no one trusts you to be around them. You screwed up your chances of living with living people, Derek. People who have survived for a long time and were capable to keep some of their group together. Don't you realize it was good here? This might have been your best chance at being you again." Addison explained.
"You're kicking us out?" Derek huffed with big eyes. He never thought of the consequences following his attack. He just assumed the group was caring and considerate enough to just forget what he had done and move on.
"No, just you." Rick informed. "Addison had the choice to either stick with us or leave with you."
"You're seriously going to ask her that? We're family. Just give me enough time to heal and we'll be on our way."
"No Derek, you'll be on your way." Addison whispered.
"What?"
"I'm staying with these people."
"You can't be fucking serious?"
"I am, Derek! You changed for the worse and I can't live with that. You can take Mary with you if she lives."
"Addison-"
"Don't Derek, please don't. I have to do this. You don't understand how difficult this is."
"We're family. I'm your brother."
"My brother died long ago." Addison mumbled turning here gaze somewhere else.
"Mary didn't make it." Patricia announced. The RV door had opened undetected.
"Great. Rick, I'm begging you! Let me stay with you guys!" Derek continued.
"You tried killing some of our own. More importantly, you could have killed my son. I'm doing this in the best interest of my family who I will not let get killed if you have another episode." Rick spat raising his voice.
"But Addison is here and she's alive! I know she's alive now!"
"This isn't the first time you tried killing someone." Addison told. "You tried killing those two strangers that joined us back then, the boy and his dad. They tried asking me for food and you tackled the guy's dad to the ground and beat him to a pulp. That's why they died Derek. You blacked out and killed them."
"What? That's not-"
"Then you almost killed Kate one day out of nowhere. You struggled her from being around me."
"Addison-"
"Next came that quiet girl no one talked to. Her name was Fiona. You stabbed her when you thought she was bit but it was only a rash from poison ivy. Derek, you've killed before and you will again. I can't trust you to be stable if it's only us. I can't even sleep knowing you're in the same area as me. You have to go because you're not my brother. He died with the dead started walking." Silence lingered after the confession. The siblings no longer had anything to say to the other.
"You seem to be fine." Rick started. "Gain your footing back and be gone within the next twenty minutes. You can leave with whatever you had on you when you arrived." Rick finished slamming the RV door shut behind him leaving Patricia and Jacqui with the two newbies.
The twenty minutes had passed. Emma and Daryl had returned by then but still no sign of Maggie, Glenn, Beth, Jimmy, and now T-Dog. Carl had woken up with the headache Hershel had announce would come. Carol was able to stand on her feet not without squinted at the pain which came with every step. Everyone stood together just wanting Derek gone. Mary was dead and had a hold in her head from Addison's screwdriver she carried around with her.
"Who knocked me out?" Derek asked chuckling shuffling Mary's backpack. Rick had decided he could keep whatever was stashed away in there.
"That would be me." Patricia proudly spoke up taking a step forward.
"Patricia right?" The woman nodded. "I'll remember that. You're half the reason I'm getting kicked out of here. Maybe we'll cross roads again." Derek smirked. "Let's hope a 'episode' doesn't occur when that does happen." He looked to his sister again. Her hazel eyes looked back into his. Her black hair flowed with the wind. This could be the last time he saw his baby sister ever again.
"Take care of yourself. Because I'll believe your dead within two weeks." Derek barked backing away slowly. "And when that happens, tell mom and dad and everyone in our old group, our actual family, that I said hi." With that he turned around knowing the words stung Addison.
"You okay, sweetheart?" Jacqui asked patting her back.
"Just fine. I don't even know who that guy is that's leaving. Family would never speak like that." Addison replied softly.
"You're one of us now." Emma said. "We'll teach you how to defend yourself and you'll fit right in with the group." She earned a smile from that statement. Emma looked towards the road Derek had taken barely seeing his figure anymore. In fact, it looked like a walker was heading towards him. Addison seemed to notice also as she breathed in sharply.
"Should we-" Emma began to ask.
"No. He's on his own now." Addison answered focusing on something else.
"You guys!" Glenn yelled racing out of the woods.
"What is it? Are Beth and Maggie okay?" Hershel panicked.
"We're right here daddy!" Beth exclaimed hugging her father after breaking away from the trees. Maggie, Jimmy, and T-Dog followed shortly after.
"What did you find?" Rick asked.
"This." Glenn smiled with pride holding out a map. "We found this tent and the map was just lying on the sleeping bag."
"This is a map of the area." Rick examined. "If I'm right then there's a neighborhood not too far from where we are right now!"
"What the hell are we waiting for?" Daryl asked tugging Emma to his motorcycle already.
"Lead the way sheriff!" Emma cheered. Everyone headed to his or her transportation except for Addison.
"Which vehicle should I go?" Addison quietly asked.
"Come with us in the RV." Dale offered gesturing towards the vehicle. Addison smiled and followed the man.
"Who's that?" Maggie asked.
"And where's Derek?" Glenn noticed the absence of the man.
"I'll tell you the story on our way." Patricia informed walking beside Hershel.
Emma hopped onto the motorcycle wrapping her arms around Daryl's waist.
"Can you believe? We're going to have shelter."
"Night is gonna be here soon. Best find this place fast." Daryl replied.
"I just wish Amy and Andrea were here for this." Emma sadly admitted. The motorcycle roared to life taking off after the RV. This was it. Could they truly find somewhere to settle down at least for a while? Somewhere like the Greene farm would be ideal. As Daryl drove along the black river, Emma not once looked back. Whatever lied behind her was the best. Right now, she was looking towards the future. Whatever was in store for her and the group, she was ready to embrace it, or kill it.
