*****************Trigger warning for some people in this one for talk about certain things!*******************
The four of them were sat at an angle facing the table in front of them. The girl, Victoria sat on the other side of the angle facing the table as well. Sitting there, the committee of leaders, was Rick and Michonne, Maggie and Jesus, Carol and Jerry, and Cyndie and Beatrice. Ren was worried about those last two, she'd never interacted much with the people of Oceanside, so she had no idea what to expect, or even if they would care.
"So, where do we start?" Maggie looked at the others at the table, unable to believe that this was even a thing that was happening. "Because based on what I've seen and heard, I know where I stand."
"Same." Jesus said, leaning back in his chair.
"We don't know anything about what's going on." Cyndie mentioned.
"Long story short is they want to jail men that we want to kill." Sera said.
"Because you're blood thirsty cunts." Victoria looked at them.
"Dios, por favor, no me dejes matarla." Sera muttered.
"Three years." Ren said, "That's how long they've held Sera and Charlotte captive. One for April. They had me for just about one. And they held Victoria for a little more than two months."
"They didn't hold me!" She yelled, "It was my choice!" She pointed at Ren, "You were the stupid bitch that blew up their home, made them go on the run. That destroyed all their research on the sickness."
"Research?" Charlotte looked at her, "That's what they told you they were doing? Trying to find the cure for something that kills people isn't found by killing more people."
"The people were sick and dying anyways! They were being helpful in their last days!" Victoria looked at the panel in front of them.
"Last days my ass!" Sera stood up, "My perfectly healthy little brother had his arms and legs bitten by those dead fuckers and then they cut off the limb! All four of them! They made those his last days."
Charlotte took her arm and pulled her back down, April now taking over, "There's only two of them left. Two. Compared to the people they've hurt and killed, that they're going to hurt and kill…the people they are hurting now…they have my sister. I don't know what they've done to her, but if it's anything like what they did to me…then I want them dead."
"Oh, and what is it they did to you that was so bad?" Victoria looked at her, sarcasm in her voice, "Gave you shelter, food, kept you protected. That's all so horrible."
"They beat me and they raped me over and over again." April spoke through clenched teeth, "They did that to all of us. They did it to you."
"No, they didn't. I wanted it, just like you wanted it. Don't lie." The girl rolled her eyes. "Plus, you're trying to sit here and say that because they 'raped' you they deserve to die? No one was ever put to death before for rape. Because rape isn't murder."
Ren was standing in a second when that was said, her eyes filled with rage as she looked at the girl. Her fists clenched so tight her nails cut into her palms. Her voice shook with anger and nausea, "That's what you think? You think what they did to us doesn't deserve their death? Then tell that to Meredith, Kelsey, Deja, Angelique, Becca …Rachel." She felt her whole body shaking, "Right, you can't. Because they're all fucking dead!"
She was gone. Out the doors, unable to breath anymore being in that room. Charlotte tried to stand to follow her out to make sure she was alright, but Daryl was already going so Sera pulled her down. Ren and Daryl were in the door way of the meeting hall, Ren's chest heaving, and he just had a hand on her back trying to keep her steady, as she tried to stop from hyperventilating. Sera spoke, looking at Victoria, "Did they ever tell you about Rachel?"
"Who?" Victoria asked, very blasé.
"Rachel. She was one of the first ones they caught." Sera told her. "Ren and Becca were caught not long after." Her eyes fell to the floor, "They were a lot alike, Rachel and Ren."
"They were strong." Charlotte said, "They kept us strong, kept us wanting to be alive. Rachel was the driving force in the fact that we were going to escape…she would pick on us every time we would pick on Ren about her saying 'don't worry, I'm coming up with a plan.' She would tell Ren to keep it up, stay strong, that she was going to get out with Becca, that Rachel would help her get them out and she'd get us all out…" Tears started to form, "She was…she was really good at keeping us…keeping us up. I remember she sang after…after my first night. Made me feel better…not alone."
"She did it for Ren too." Sera looked down at her girlfriend, "After her first removal…she was in so much pain she could barley stand up, and Rachel sang to her…She was the leader of our little pack." Sera wiped her nose as she sniffled, "And they figured that out. Rachel and Ren were the two, the two that hadn't given them what they wanted yet. They wanted them to scream. To beg for it to stop."
"God they were so rough on them." Charlotte put her hands in her head, "I swear I heard Rens rib break that night. But it didn't matter. How hard they beat them, how much they…hurt them…they never gave in."
"Even when they cuffed all of us to our cell doors." Sera grew angry now, "They cuffed us all there as they pulled Rachel from her cell and they…" Her voice shook, "They did everything you can imagine and more…so much fucking more, right in front of us." She couldn't help but laugh, "But Rachel she was a stubborn bitch. She didn't give in. Not once. She didn't scream, she didn't cry, she cussed them out the entire time with all of us being forced to watch." Sera looked back at Victoria, "So if you think that rape isn't murder then you tell that to her, because she died that day…during what they did to her. And then they moved on to Ren with that treatment but kept her alive. So, if you can't understand why she wants them dead…then you aren't human either."
Daryl couldn't take it anymore. Victoria was saying something, but he couldn't hear it. His blood pumping in his ears after hearing all of that, feeling Ren shaking under his hand. He stormed back into the room, right in the middle of Victoria's stupid attempt at a defense, "Enough! We ain't here for any of this shit. If you don think those fuckers deserve it then you're fucking wrong."
"Daryl." Rick tried to interrupt him.
"No!" Daryl yelled back, "You ask your fucking wife what she heard Ren sayin the night she was takin care of Judith! You fucking ask her. And if she don't think that's enough either then I'm fucking done with all of you."
"What'd she say?" Rick asked Michonne and she relayed what she'd heard about the three pregnancies being terminated at month three.
"That's normal!" Victoria said, then pointed to Charlotte, "They still do it to the girls who they find out are stupid enough to get knocked up, like her. They were just too late to the punch on that one I guess."
"Bitch!" Charlotte said before crying out in pain grabbing her stomach.
"What is it?" Sera turned to her immediately.
"I…I think the babies coming." The last part of the statement came out in another cry.
"Come on, we need to get you to the delivery room." Saddiq rushed to her.
Maggie jumped up from behind the table and went around to help them all, Ren coming back in to rush to her friends' side as Sera had her other side. Daryl stayed close to Ren as they went to the medical house and when they went into the delivery room they stayed outside with April as Sera, Maggie, and Saddiq went in with Charlotte.
Daryl could see her face was pale looking at the shut door. She slid down the wall, her eyes closing tight as she heard the pained sounds of her friend on the other side, her heart beating fast despite the tightness in her chest. He knelt down to try and make sure she was alright, but she pushed him away, jumping at his touch before slamming her hand on the wall and leaving the house.
A rage boiled within her. She moved swiftly back to the meeting house and she pushed through the door, people still mulling about the scene that had just happened and she went right for Victoria. Negan jumped out in front of her and took her by the waist, keeping her from jumping the girl.
"I'm going to kill them." Ren told her, then looked at Rick and everyone else still on the panel, "I don't care about what you all say here. I'm going to kill them." She pointed at the signed charter on the wall, "My name, my community isn't up there, so we don't have to abide by those rules, but I will, and I decide what's best for my community is for them to be dead. So that the baby that's being born right now will be safe."
"Ren." Negan said.
"No, fuck all of this." She told him then threw the pregnancy test that was in her pocket at the girl, "That's fucking yours. I guess you were one of the stupid bitches who got knocked up too. Because they don't give a fuck about you either. You know what they would do right now? They'd kick and punch you in the stomach until you miscarried. You know why? Because a baby's too much to take care of out in that world they live in, but that doesn't mean that their fuck fest should have to end does it? Nope, so they'd just beat that baby out of you. You think that's what your mother would have wanted? That she would have wanted any of this for you?"
"What?" Victoria asked, her face going pale.
"You think she would have wanted your baby to be killed just because the dads didn't want to deal with it? Because now you're going to be a mother, and now that's a thing you would have to think about for your child." Ren told her, before pulling out of her uncles' arms, her eyes still on the girl, "And if you honestly think that your mother is alive, then you clearly don't know them as well as you think you do. Because if your mom is still walking, she sure as hell isn't breathing."
Turning around she walked out of the hall, heading for her house and her room. Grabbing her Kamas, she put them on her hips then headed for the gates of the town. Daryl was trying to keep up with her as she went, "Where you goin?"
"Out." She answered, "Sera said she needed a beater, I'm getting her one."
"I'm goin with you." He'd never let her leave alone before on foot.
"No." She told him, "I'm going to go look for a car and look for those assholes. Alone."
And with that she was gone. He knew he could track her. Hell, in an hour he might start, but for now he didn't know what to do other than watch the gate close as she walked. He hated what he'd heard, and he knew she hated him hearing it.
A/N: Hey guys, I know this chapter didn't come as soon as normal and I'm really sorry! Life just kinda gut punched me at the end of the week and then that made me second guess this whole chapter and all that kind of stuff and it's just been a tiring few days haha. Be sure to tell me what you think and I'll have another one soon I promise!