Hey, Danny2016! I'm so glad you liked it (and kind of meanly hoped that cliffhanger would keep you on your toes...) Though I don't want to be cruel either, so, here's the next part...
Thanks everyone for the follows and favorites, it's so stimulating to know that some people actually want to know what happens next !
And, yeah, I know this story is already kind of a slow burn, so I'll usually summarize what you've already seen on the show, as quickly as possible, to get to the original (and hopefully good) stuff ! Because, as you guessed, Aideen won't have everything she wants right away (or at all?). I don't know why I'm being so mean to her... Do you want to see her happy in the end ? Or are we going toward a sad ending ?...

EPISODE 23 – Killer Within – Part III

"Will you shut up!" the one with the gun gnarls.

"Wh- Who… What's his name…" My head spins and my voice is barely above a whisper.

"He's not coming out! He's dangerous!" the same one barks now.

"Hey, Red?" Daryl's tone is so full of concern, I realize I'm hyperventilating.

"Aideen, calm down, breathe," Rick tries to hold my arm, but his touch suddenly snaps me out of it. I draw a big gulp of air and find my footing again, standing on my own.

"No. We're going there." I take my bow and check my knives. My hands are shaking, but I'm back.

"Ma?"

I swallow hard. "I need to go check on something, babe. Ye stay here with Carl."

"Aideen, wait." Rick tries again, but I stare him down with enough fury in my eyes that he caves.

I take a glance at Daryl, and he nods quietly at me before turning to the other prisoners: "Let's go!"

As we walk down the corridors, the one named Tomàs tries to argue again: "We're not opening that cell! That bastard wanted to kill us all."

That's one of my Saints alright. And I can't help shuddering: just one. Though I won't let myself think about that; not right now. I notice none of the other prisoners open their mouth. They don't necessarily agree with their leader. He's probably the worse of them. There's just Rick and Daryl following us. I keep my bow ready and aimed at that one, who is walking in front of us. I'm still trembling with the adrenaline coursing through my veins though.

When we finally arrive before the locked door of a small secured cell, Rick compels the others to line up against the wall. "You left someone in solitary all this time?" he asks. Fuck, that could mean more than ten months.

"We brought him food…sometimes," another one tries to plead.

It takes a lot of self-control not to just execute them all right here. I hold out my hand, and the one named Oscar gives me the keys. I can read in his eyes how sorry he is, and that makes me dread the state in which I'm going to find whoever is in there.

My hand tremors again as I unlock the door. Well, my whole body is still shaking. I throw another glance at Daryl, my mind completely blank, and he aims his crossbow, just in case. Though, his look is encouraging.

And then, he's here.

The sound of the lock resonates in my ear, the creaking of the opening door drags on, and he slowly turns our way. His bright blue eyes blinking in disbelief.

He is thinner and weaker than I've ever seen him; it's clearly visible despite his grey jail uniform. He can barely straighten up when I open the door. He squints at me as if he couldn't see me well. And his dirty blonde hair and beard have grown to hide his angelic features.

"Connor?"

I run to him.

But then, I can barely bring myself to touch him; he looks so frail that I'm afraid I could break him. He still blinks at me a few times, frowning as if he didn't recognize me, before a huge beaming smile appears on his chaffed lips. I'm weeping with joy.

"Tine?" And, if his voice is only a pale murmur, that nickname is everything. "It's a dream, right?"

Tears are streaming down my face. I help him painfully sit up, stroke his cheek softly to try and prove to him that I'm right here. Though my voice catches in my throat, and his eyes are still unfocused.

"I've dreamed of ye so many times, love," he whispers again. "But this feels different."

"It's not a dream, Conn'; I'm here…"

"Ye can't be here."

"I know, I came all this way. I'm sorry I didn't come sooner…"

He closes his eyes; this is too much for him right now. But his huge smile is still here, as if his brain couldn't comprehend but his body knew. I wipe the hair tenderly out of his face. But I need to ask, softly:

"Connor, where is Murphy?"

His smile suddenly turns into an agonising cringe. And tears fill up in his eyes.

"I don't know… I don't know, Tine. Where is he? I don't know…" I can only take him into my arms to try and soothe his pain. His hands are trembling on my sides. I feel nauseated. But this is not about me right now.

However, in the doorway, I hear Rick asking the other prisoners behind us: "His brother, do you know where he is?"

And the smallest one that looks like a mouse – I think he's named Axel – answers: "He was transferred before the prison fell. That's why this one was put in solitary; he broke everything, threw a whole sink at a guard. We're not the ones that put him in there; that's why we couldn't get him out; we had to wait…"

And Connor mutters: "They separated us… There was nothing I could do, Tine; I tried but-" His voice breaks.

"Of course. I know ye tried, love." I cradle him gently. "Let's get out of here."

I turn a defying eye to Rick, but he nods at me. And Daryl comes to help me hold Connor up. He's remained awfully quiet since we got here. Like he doesn't want to get in the way. But truly, I have no idea what's going on in that head.

Connor's legs can barely carry his own weight. Though, when we pass before the prisoners, he still calls in a coarse voice: "Hey Oscar. How are ye, lad?"

Then, he turns to whisper in my ear: "This one's a good one. But Tomàs, with the long hair, he'll betray ye; ye need to kill him first."

The problem is, he didn't nearly whisper that low enough.

I hear the unmistakable sound of a gun being cocked.