Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.

Carol couldn't relax at dinner, but she didn't let it show. She blamed it on the baby, saying it was an uneasy stomach, and it wasn't a complete lie. She picked at her meal and made light conversation, and it was a very relaxed evening. The girls played games with Monroe and Beth, Noah and Daryl spoke softly outside, and Carol watched from the couch. They stayed late into the evening, and Daryl suggested staying over for the girls' benefit. So, they stayed the night and made breakfast; Carol still wasn't all back to them, and Daryl had an idea on how to get her back. He said he had a few chores to tend to and left her in the capable hands of the girls. He gathered a few friends who weren't hunting down Mordin and put together a group to help plan their wedding.

"I want it simple, so it don't overwhelm her. But I want flowers and—and music. I want a good time, for all of us." He rubbed his hands together. "I want to forget the Shah for an entire day. Longer, if we're successful."

"Sounds like a good plan." Beth nodded with a smile on her lips. "I'll be in charge of the flower arrangements in the church." Daryl's face scrunched at the mention of the church, and Beth explained, "It's the biggest building we have, and we want the whole town to not think on the Shah, right?"

"Right." He tried to keep an open mind about it, but he wasn't a churchgoing man. He didn't want to be married in a church, but Carol used to be a churchgoer, so maybe it would be good. To reconnect her with her roots, to bring some faith and otherworldly love into their marriage, if she believed it would. So, why not? It wasn't like a little faith was gonna kill him. "All right, yeah, let's do it at the church."

"I'll fashion some rings for ya," Abraham offered. "Found some good, strong birch. That'll suite you quite nicely."

Sasha smiled softly at his suggestion.

"Twist that shit up with some white gold, and it'll look fuckin' killer."

Sasha chuckled now and shook her head, raising a hand to join in on the work. "I'll look for a gown for Carol to wear. Since she's so small, it might be difficult, but I know a bridal shop just ways away. Could pick up an outfit for Charlotte and one for Mika, too. If she'll have a maid of honor, we could pick something out. Do you know?"

He shook his head. "We haven't discussed the weddin' just yet, so I doubt it."

"I'll grab a few sizes, take Enid with me for extra hands." She looked over at the young woman who'd come home for a visit just a few hours ago, and she nodded. "Why don't we head out now? Grab Eugene and Noah on the way to hunt for food for the reception."

"Why not take Nina and Tyreese?" Beth suggested. "They're some of our best hunters."

Daryl glanced over at Sasha, who didn't know the news of Nina. They'd kept it under wraps, and nobody knew beyond those in the clinic. It was a mess, and Daryl would be questioning her himself a few days, but he wanted her to have time to recover, and he wanted her to stew. The rest—about Mordin, and the Shah—it could wait. They had their girls, their son, and nobody and nothing was going to touch them.

So, Daryl piped up with a smooth lie, "Nina was shot in the side by a trap set by Mordin and is in a light coma. We've moved her to the cells since the clinic is full, but we've made it real nice. She'll be…home soon enough."

"Oh, no." Beth frowned. "I—I should go and see her."

"She's with Denise. She's fine." He waved it away. "We can go and see her after the weddin' and everythin'."

She slowly nodded, a bug crawling up her arms at the gnawing feeling of Daryl keeping more from her. The whole story was just on the tip of his tongue, but he wasn't going to let it escape. She had learned a lot about him from their time on the road together, and this was part of the experience. He was lying to her, but it was for her own protection. It had to be, so she would let it slide for now. She would speak on it later with him, once the wedding was over. That seemed best. "Of course."

"Why don't we get to work now? Got a lot of work to get done." Abraham didn't like the tension crawling into the room like a legless walker. He'd rather just prep for this wedding and get the hell of this room.

"Good idea." Daryl stood up. "I'll check on Carol for lunch, but she oughta be with the girls most of the day, in Beth and Noah's home, so don't worry about her runnin' into us."

"We can keep a secret." Sasha assured him, "Even from Carol."

"All right then. Let's get to work."

Sasha and Enid walked down the street towards the car Abraham had brought around, he greeted Enid with a hug as he hadn't seen her yet, and she smiled happily up at him, glad to see him, too. They had a brief conversation, playfully jesting with each other for a moment before Sasha mentioned they were wasting daylight. He kissed her goodbye and murmured a sweet nothing for only her ears, and Enid got into the car then. They said goodbye once more then Enid and Sasha departed for the bridal store Sasha had spotted on a run. She'd been cut across the thigh and needed to make a tourniquet, so she used one of the sashes from the store. Hey, it'd come in handy, hadn't it? And it was handier still.

Glenn and Noah arranged a search party for Mordin's traitorous ass, Tobin and Francine were the first ones to join as they wanted to see justice done for the spy among them, and Rosita and Tara joined after they'd gotten a good babysitter for Coco and said goodbye to Denise respectively. They headed out, finding the way he'd walked by Spencer, who was on the wall at the time of his departure. They spotted a trail, Glenn suggested breaking up in half—one to follow this trail, and the other to look for another trail in case this was a false trail.

"I'll take Francine and Rosita up the road," Noah agreed. "We'll meet up at the halfway mark. You remember where it is?"

Glenn nodded. "Yes. Be careful, though. We clearly don't know who we're dealing with."

"Same to you."

They parted ways then, both following trails of different sorts, neither knowing it would lead them nowhere. Mordin had made plans for this day since his first arrival in their cozy little town. He had known who would be on the wall, whose eyes would be following him into the woods, and he knew how to make false trails and real trails, but they would lead not to him—but to his family. Should the correct people come, that was.

Nina exhaled softly and set her hand over the freshly changed bandages on her, holding on to her side as she rolled over, and dark eyes fall across the face of the woman she least expected to see. She slowly sat up, hairs falling into her face, and she wanted to smile, but she knew it wasn't appropriate. She knew it would only be seen as an act of ill intent. Even when it wasn't.

"Hey." She all but whispered the word to the woman who now was like a stranger to her, standing before her, and the now-stranger didn't respond. "What brings you here?"

"I came for answers and answers only." Carol approached the cells and crossed her arms. "I don't trust you to be honest, not after all the lies and all the destruction you wanted to cause—"

"No." Nina pushed herself up and stumbled over to the bars, gripping them with one hand and cradling her side in the other. "You—you don't know anything—about me, about the Shah, about Mordin."

"Tell explain it to me. Explain how you could befriend an entire town, deceive them so you can steal their children in the night for some sick ritual. Use them—"

"No! It wasn't like that. It isn't like that now!" she shouted, smacking a hand hard against the cell bars, causing them to shudder and rattle. "Listen to me!"

"Why should I?!" Carol snapped. "You put my babies in danger! You put my live on display for a bunch of freaks in the woods!"

"No, you don't understand! Goddamn it!" Nina roared and huffed, fire rising up in her chest at those words. "I would never do that to you, or to Charlotte. Or to this baby. You don't know—"

"No, you don't know," Carol cut her off. "You don't know what's like to raise a baby. To have them grow inside you, to feel their kicks and nudges and—and hiccups. To feel them becoming more and more of a person and a life, practically feeling the crafting of their very souls. And giving birth to this incredible little life, seeing it for the first time and having loved it before it had a shape…and then discovering the big, bad world has its hungry eyes on that precious piece of life you've created and loved. And it's everywhere they should feel safe."

Nina clenched her jaw. "Carol, look at me."

"I already have, and I know who I am dealing with."

"No, you haven't seen me since the first time we met. You've seen Daryl's supposed lover. You've seen the babysitter and teacher. You've seen everything I've fooled the world to see."

"No, I've seen the woman underneath, and I never truly trusted her."

"Lair. You've trusted me."

"I've had no choice but to rely on you. That's not the same."

"Yes, it is. You've left me alone with Charlotte."

"Because I had no choice. And you were seldom alone."

"If I was such a threat to your precious Charlotte, why didn't I take her? Hmm? Whisk her away and leave her as fresh meat to the Shah. Huh?" she demanded. "Take her little pink fleshy self and deliver her unto the Shah? Be honored and made holy for such a delivery, such a match."

Carol felt her skin crawl those questions and focused in on them. "What do you mean, such a match?"

"Pah!" Nina spat. "Now you want to know my side? To use me? To know the weaknesses of the Shah?"

"You want to be helpful, don't you? If you're not helpful, you're going to die."

"They'll call the counsel and deliberate on what to do with me. Death isn't an option."

"When did I mention the counsel?" Carol inquired, placing her hand on the table beside her, revealing tools to help loosen Nina's tongue, and she locked her eyes in Nina's.

"You'll torture me? Kill me?"

"If you don't talk, maybe." She approached the cell and stared her dead in the face. "You are my enemy, and I won't let you live long enough to report back to your queen."

"The only person I serve is God," Nina corrected, stepping back. "And loosen my tongue, I dare you."

Carol clenched her jaw. "You want to make this harder than it has to be?"

"I don't share information with my enemies." Nina smirked at Carol. "You threaten me. I clam up. That's how this works, Carol, dear. You think you're badass? You're just some old woman who happens to be fertile. That's all you are. And I am not scared of you."

"Well, you should be, because this old woman just so happens to control whether you live or die. It's just us down here, and no one will hear you scream."

Nina chuckled. "You'll have to come in here and get me, Carol. And guess what? One swift kick to the stomach—instant abortion. So come at me."

Carol nodded and returned to the table of tools, finding a small throwing knife and tossing it into the cell, Nina cried out as the knife plunged deep into her shoulder, and she collapsed in a heap on the floor, bleeding and gripping the wound. Carol cocked her head to the side and held another throwing knife, knowing the other shoulder would be easier to get to this way. She unlocked the cell as Nina hissed and cried out, trying to remove the throwing knife but failing as it was too deep. It hurt too much. What a shame.

Carol wrapped her fingers around the knife's hilt, Nina shook her head and begged her not to, but Carol ripped it out. Nina screamed and fell back, cursing and losing her vision. Carol tossed the bloody knife out of the cell and gripped the other knife tightly in her hand, kissing the blade of Nina's throat, and Nina looked up at Carol with dilated eyes. "Threaten my son again, and you won't have a tongue."

Nina panted and hissed at her like a weakened animal but nodded.

Daryl headed into the house to check on Carol and found no one, searching the house and finding a note in the bedroom where the girls were playing with Monroe, and he read Carol had taken a walk while the girls went over to Maggie's for lunch. He frowned at the idea of Carol wondering and likely walking into the church, so he decided to put a lookout outside the church.

"Just keep an eye on for her and make sure she doesn't come anywhere near here." He asked Gabriel. "You like tending to the church garden anyway, don't you?"

"I'll watch for her, but you owe me."

"Anythin'." He meant it. "I just want her to be surprised and…happy."

"She will be. She just needs some air and time to herself. I believe she's earned that."

Daryl smiled. "Yeah, okay. I'll see you at the ceremony."

"Front row."

Daryl headed over to Maggie's to see how the girls were doing. He found the front door unlocked and his daughters within with Monroe and Hershel and Joss. They were all drawling and painting and having a good time. He could see Charlotte was drawing some sunflowers, and she was smiling, holding onto Hershel's hand. He smiled at that and approached her.

"Hey, kiddo, what's this?" He knelt down and set a hand on her back. "It's beautiful."

"Sunflowers." She smiled up at him. "They're my favorite."

"Since when?"

"Since just now." She shrugged. "I just like 'em. They grow towards the sun and are reflective of it."

"Reflective? That's a big word."

"Mommy taught it to me." She colored in a petal and hummed softly to herself, still holding hands with Hershel. "How is Mommy? Did she have a good walk?"

"Yeah, baby, she had a good walk." He tucked hair behind her ear and kissed her temple there. "I'll check on your sister, but you paint me somethin' pretty, all right?"

"What would you like? A monkey?" She giggled at the suggestion, and he chuckled softly at her laughter. "A pony? A carrot?"

"Just whatever you think I'd like best."

She nodded. "An arrow."

"Ah, technically, Daddy uses bolts."

"Ookaayy, then a bolt." She picked up another piece of paper and began to scribble out a sloppy version of a bolt. "What colors?"

"Green and blue." He stood up. "I'll be back to pick it and you up, all right?"

"Take your time. I like it here." She looked over at Hershel and gripped his hand tighter.

"Yeah, I'll bet." He ruffled her hair and stepped into the kitchen where Maggie and Mika were making lunch for the little ones, and he greeted them with a smile and wave of his hand. "Hey, what's up?"

"We are makin' sandwiches and preppin' for dinner. I'm thinkin' a marinated venison, but I got no clue." Maggie shook her head. "Is Carol with you? She makes the best marinates."

"She's out for a walk still."

"Oh damn." She heaved a sigh and shook her head. "Oh, well. I'll figure it out."

"Why are you here?" Mika inquired suddenly, finally speaking up. "You and Maggie both. You should be out with Glenn and the others, trying to find Mordin. We need all hands on deck to bring him in. I'm sorry I kept my mouth shut during the duty assignments, but if I have to make one more sandwich instead of doing something to protect my little sister, I'm going to snap."

"Mika—" Daryl began.

"Don't "Mika" me. I want him brought him to the cells. I want him arrested and punished for his deception. I can't believe he did this to us." Tears filled her eyes, and she huffed. "I trusted him. I went to him for help for years, and he…he does this to us? Seriously? I don't understand."

"Sweetheart." Maggie wrapped her arms around her shoulders and held her close. "I know. I feel betrayed, too."

"How can I trust anybody if they could be fake?" she demanded. "I don't—I can't—Dad." She reached for Daryl, Maggie released her, and Daryl enveloped her in his arms tightly. "I'm scared."

"I know, kiddo, but they'll bring him in."

"And if they don't? The Shah have outplayed us time and time again. What if he gets away and feeds them information on how to get to Charlotte from inside our walls? What if he built a tunnel or way back inside? Dad, I'm so scared for her." She bawled, her shoulders shaking at the endless horrible possibilities.

"Don't be scared, Mika. I won't let anythin' happen to any of us." He rubbed her back. "Shh. It'll be okay. I promise."

"How do you know?"

"Because I love you, and I will do anything for the ones I love, even bend the rules the Shah believe they have in place." He kissed her head. "I'll do everything in my power to stop them. I swear to you."

She nodded slowly. "Okay."

"Be strong for me, Mika, all right? Be strong for Charlotte."

"I'll try."

"I know you can do this." He squeezed her. "I know you can."

He held for her while longer, soothing her tears, and she smiled at him again, like sunshine and honey, and he let her return to helping Maggie. She said she needed to talk to him and Carol later, and he said he had a surprise for them later, too. She knew her news would be surprising, but they'd make it work. They always did.

Daryl departed from the house about twenty minutes later and checked in with Gabriel—no signs of Carol—and he slipped into the church, seeing flowers and ribbons and a glue gun lying about. He couldn't help but laugh at the sight, and Beth told him to hush. She had enlisted the help of a few kids from her class who were artsy, and they were making…work of this task. It was hilarious and thoughtful. He'd keep this memory close when the Shah were closing in on them.

"Need a hand?"

"Dear Jesus, yes." Beth was on the verge of tears. "I am too pregnant for this. I am so frustrated. I can't get my vision to show in my work."

"I'm a glue gun master. Lemme see it." He rolled up his sleeves and jogged down the aisle to help her. "All right, tell me your "vision"."

"Don't mock the pregnant chick. She's a hair puller."

He smirked. "Noted."

"And be careful. You're still injured. I don't want a bloody groom."

"Again noted." He didn't want to mention he'd been medicating himself lightly now and then to keep his energy up. He knew meds through Merle, and he knew how to be careful with them. He had to keep going, keeping spirits raised for this town's sake and Carol's. it was only a matter of time before the pressure of the Shah rushed them, and he would try his damnedest to not let that happen. So a little self-medication was called for. He'd deal with the fallout of it later, should there be any.

Michonne checked in Rick to discover he was actually awake this time, and Carl was in with him. She waved to her boys, gesturing down the hall to where Denise was researching the leftover information Mordin had tossed about his old room, and they nodded. She blew in a kiss, and Rick weakly smiled, still emotionally—and physically—wounded from the attack.

Carl chuckled at Michonne's gesture and shook his head. "Gotta love her, right?"

"Yeah." Rick moistened his lips and looked over at his son. "I'm glad you came with Enid."

"Yeah, me too." His eye fell on the stump where his right hand once was. "I—I wish I had been there."

"I'm glad you weren't. They took a piece of me and of Daryl and of Carol. It's luck they didn't hurt the rest of them there." He lifted his left hand and gripped Carl's shoulder. "I…am lost, son. I'm trying to be put together for her and for you and your siblings, but…I'm so lost." His breath escaped him, and he shivered, tears prickling up in his eyes as he spoke to his beloved son.

"Dad—"

"I…I never gave you credit for the loss of your eye. You were able to return to us, and I am trying to get there. I'm trying to be…thankful it was one piece of me, but I can't…" He paused and shuddered. "I can still feel my fingers, Carl…. I can still feel them."

Carl ducked his head and lifted his hand to grip his father's. "I know, Dad. I know." He let his father mourn. It was in sorrow and rage. These tears that fell were necessary baby steps to recovery. It was peeling off a bandage for air to come in and let the light and the warmth follow. It wasn't an easy step, to confess and to be open enough for the flow of healing, but it was coming now. In tears and in clenched teeth. It was raw and powerful, and Carl had never been prouder of his father than he was in this moment.

Rick didn't settle down for a good hour and a half, coming down slowly, evening out his breathing, drying up his tears, and he returned to part of the man he knew. Rick knew he wouldn't be a shadow of the man he once was, but that didn't have to mean anything negative. Becoming a new person—at any age—was difficult. It could be a change for the good, or a change for the worst. It could be changing back into an old self. Rick could only hope he broke his current mold and became someone better. He would remake himself to be better. That was the goal now. That was all that mattered. Recovery and building himself into someone better, someone capable of adapting to this situation. The worst hadn't come. He was sure of that.

See, the worst was letting his break him. He was a strong man. He had overcome many challenges, and while none of them had to do with losing part of himself physically, he would overcome this challenge, too. He wouldn't sink to the bottom and bury himself there. He could be better than that. He would be. He had such an example to look to, to keep himself steady and afloat, and he was right beside him. If it was only for a moment, it was enough. He'd take in some of that boundless strength his son emitted and be a better man for it.

"Here." Carl handed him a glass of water and sat down in the seat beside the bed. "Better?"

He sipped the water and nodded. "A little bit."

"I'm here for you, Dad. Whatever you need." He gripped his shoulder and smiled encouragingly at him. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Carl." He returned his smile and patted his hand. "Let's talk about something else. Tell me about this woman, this Astrid."

Carl chuckled with a blush crossing his cheeks, and he rubbed at the hair on his chin. "Um…she's a friend."

Rick smirked. "Just a friend?"

"Well, yeah, for right now, she's just a friend." Carl's blush worsened as he attempted to defend his relationship with Astrid. "A good friend, a best friend. Someone I rely on, okay?"

"Sounds like she's more than a friend."

"Maybe someday, but for now, we're really are just good friends. I don't have room on my plate for much else."

"Don't waste time," Rick advised. "If you want more with her, and you feel she wants the same, don't waste time. Make your move and be respectful."

"I want…. I want us to come together organically," Carl confessed. "I don't want to add pressure to it. I want to be happy with her as friends for the time being. I have a lot to work out."

"You won't lose Enid by being with someone other woman," Rick told him, sensing this had to do with the only other relationship Carl was involved in. "She'll understand she was meant to be with you for a time, and maybe this Astrid is meant to be with you for the long haul. Women are very perceptive. Don't sell her short."

"I'm not." He rubbed his hands together. "But…we slept together…and I don't know. It's awkward."

Rick smiled. "How long ago was this?"

"Pfft, I don't know. Back when she was being elected for Hilltop?"

"I think it's been long enough." He patted his knee. "Enid will move on in her own time, and yours is now. Don't miss out on a great love by being stuck in the shadow of a dead love."

"Speaking from experience?"

"I am." He nodded. "I almost missed Michonne because of your mom. I…couldn't lose that last piece of her, so I attached myself to what was similar and nearly lost myself to an old love. I almost missed a great love."

Carl lowered his eye and slowly bobbed his head in understanding. "I get it. I'm not like you, though. I do want it to happen naturally, but…maybe I can put some more effort into it."

"Maybe." Rick lifted his hand and dropped it down onto Carl's head. "But be sure to bring her by. I'm sure Michonne, RJ, and Judith would love to meet her. So would I."

"I promise." He chuckled and grinned at his dad. "Thanks, Dad."

"Thank you, Carl." He dropped his hand to his neck and pulled him in for a hug, holding his little boy tightly and kissing his temple. "Thank you."

"Tell me where the Shah are located," Carol demanded, standing over Nina as she slowed the bleeding in her shoulder.

"Why should I tell you anything? You'll likely kill me once I've spilled the beans on them, so why?" She ripped her shirt to apply it like gauze to the wound.

"Because I have a first aid kit, and I'll help you clean your wounds."

"Tssk. You've already reopened my side, cut into my shoulder, and I'm pretty sure my internal injuries are worse now. So, what do I give a damn about your first aid kit?"

"Don't be stupid. You're strong. You'll recover from these injuries. All I have to do is fetch Denise, and you'll be fine."

"And how do you think you'll explain this to her?" Nina looked up at Carol from where she sat on the floor. "Hmm? I just happened to what? Hurt my shoulder in a room with no blunt objects?"

"I'll be honest. I've no reason to lie. You're one of the Shah. You mean nothing to us."

"Nothing to you," Nina corrected. "I've made connections in this town. People love me. People will be torn up about deciding what to do with me. They'll take pity on me."

"No, they won't. Not when it's once more brought into light that you and yours are hunting down little girls and boys for demented rituals."

"They are not mine." Nina whispered this, wincing at the application of a new gauze and knowing it was going to be severely infected from this grimy cell. She might have to cut it off by the time Denise came to get help for her. Her only chance was to either play into Carol's games or escape. She could mend her own wounds if she could just get to the clinic.

"Tell me." Carol gripped the throwing knife and stepped closer to Nina. "Now. It's your only chance."

"You know nothing of chances, Carol."

"You know nothing of me," Carol spat back at her, seething. "Now stop wasting my time and tell me. It's your only hope. You know that. Talk, and I'll go to the counsel and speak on your behalf. I'll say good things, and maybe—just maybe—you'll be given some food and medicine for your exile."

She looked at Carol as she spoke and inhaled deeply, inhaling deeply and praying for forgiveness. She adjusted her weight as she pulled her legs in and tested her side. It was going to hurt either way, but at least this way she had a real chance. She couldn't ignore this her only escape. She had to get out of here. She had to move now. Or she was going to die. Here. There. It didn't matter. All that mattered was surviving beyond this conversation and surviving the Watchers.

Nina was pulled out of her thoughts by the punch to the face, pronounced by the ring Carol was wearing, and she felt her jaw crack somewhat. It wasn't broken by any means. It just smacked from the force of the blow. She brought her bloodied hand up to her jaw and looked up at Carol before jumping up with adrenaline pumping through her blood and grabbing her hands.

"Aah." Nina backed up her against the wall with all the force she could muster, Carol gasped at the sharp contact, and Nina slammed her armed hand against the wall over and over until the clanging of metal on cement came.

"Get off of me!" Carol freed her other hand and shoved Nina away by her forehead, Nina tripped backwards from the surprising force the woman had, and Carol decked her square in the mouth, all of her rage returning her to her. She had trusted this woman with her babies, with her future, and she was one of their enemies this entire time. She was spying and lying and feeding information about them to those wild bastards. She wasn't going to let this continue. She was done playing fair.

"What's the matter?" Nina laughed. "You scared?"

"No. I'm simply debating on whether or not I'm going to kill you."

"Rich words from a woman with a dislocated wrist." Nina wiped blood off her mouth and snuffled. "You were my best friend, you know. I never lied to you."

"All you did was lie to me."

"You don't…listen, do you?" Nina groaned. "I am not…who you think I am."

"Clearly." Carol bent down to collect the knife.

"No!" Nina dove for the knife, shoving Carol out of the way, and the instincts of being torture returned to her. She had suffered many scarless wounds from the Shah, and she wouldn't suffer anymore. She wouldn't be a victim of their anymore. She wasn't going to let this stand. "No!" She swiped the knife and kicked Carol in the legs, an animal she couldn't control unleashing itself as she recalled the screaming nights. She wouldn't relive that. She wouldn't be a victim. A torturee. She wouldn't. She wouldn't, not ever again.

She slashed at Carol blindly, Carol tripped backwards, unable to do anything to help herself with Nina's hectic and unpredictable movements. Warm blood spilled over her bandages as she twisted and turned to hack and slash at Carol in any way that she could. She roared and spat and hissed until the wall met Carol's back and the blade sliced through Carol's top and across her belly. Nina was about to repeat the action when blood seeped through Carol's top and the memory of her being pregnant flitted back through her mind.

She gasped and fell back onto her ass in shock of her actions. "No, no, no."

With trembling hands, Carol peeled the shirt back from the wound and saw the superficial lash across her belly, across the only protection her son would know for months. Her eyes sliced into Nina, all bets were off, and Carol reached behind her and pulled out a gun with a silencer on it. It was a small thing with a power punch, and she pulled the trigger.