A/N: Happy holidays everyone! I hope you have a good Christmas, Hanukkah, or a good holiday in general if you're like me and don't celebrate, which is why I have here a nice long chapter for you. I'm not ready to post this chapter, but it was an important moment in the show, it shaped the way some characters developed - namely Rick and Carl.
Thanks to everyone who supports my story, like superfaraway who's just favourited and followed! and to everyone who reviews, you guys are awesome!
JasminJW: You may not love it so much after this lol.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead or any affiliated characters and storyline, only my OC and plotline.
- Angels and Douchebags
I was woken up by Daryl throwing a pillow on me the next morning making me growl at the long haired archer.
"Rick wants us outside," He said gruffly leaving my cell.
"Get the fuck out!" I growled chucking the pillow back at him which just narrowly missed his shoulder as he quickly hopped out of the cell. I tried to make myself look vaguely presentable by brushing my hair down with my finger and tying it up. I put my jacket on and laced up my boots, taking the belt I tied it around so both my gun and knife were present and left the cell seeing Daryl standing impatiently.
"What took you so long?" He demanded tapping his feet.
"Move," I said to him, realising how early it was in the morning. He shook his head with his crossbow slung over his back and I followed him until we got out of the courtyard.
"Rick better have a damn good reason for waking us up at the ass crack of dawn, otherwise I'll kill him." I said grumpily squinting when we came out into the low morning sun.
"Get in line." Daryl huffed in front of me.
The gate had been opened by T-Dog and Carol was driving the Cherokee into the inner courtyard next to my car. I spotted Rick next to an overturned truck with a white shirt that looked damn good on him. I tried not to show the sharp intake of breath I did when I saw him standing there leaning over the truck.
"Mornin'," He said to us both as Daryl nodded to him and I gave him the finger.
"What's with the hostility?" Rick raised an eyebrow amused.
"Sunrise just happened." I said pointing in the sky glaring at him.
"I forgot you're not a morning person." Rick said smirking. But seeing him teasing and joking put a smile to my face despite how tired I was.
"Hey T," I waved to him as he came over. Carol came out of her car and jogged over, greeting us good morning.
"Alright we got a lot to do," Rick sai do," Rick said.
"We got to clear out the dead corpses on the field here, pile 'em up and burn 'em." He said looking over the field.
"That's a lot of bodies," T-Dog whistled looking around.
"Hence why we're awake so early," Rick placed a pointed look towards me.
"Where's Glenn, we could use his help," Carol said.
"Weren't he and Maggie on watch?" I asked. We all turned around to the guard tower which had no sign of either Glenn or Maggie.
"Glenn!" Daryl shouted.
"Hey Glenn! Maggie!" He put his hands around his mouth and called out once more. There was some movement in the guard tower as a shirtless Glenn stumbled out of the door zipping his trousers up. Another figure was seen inside the tower fixing their shirt. That had to be Maggie.
"Hey, hey, what's up guys," He waved as I plastered a big grin on my face. I looked at T-Dog, Rick and Carol who were smiling.
"Are you coming?" Daryl shouted smirking at us. We erupted into fits of laughter as Daryl made his joke.
"You coming?" Daryl called out again making us laugh.
"What?" Glenn shouted with a confused look on his face.
"Get on down 'ere we could use a hand." Daryl turned around and had a smile on his face.
"Wow, who knew you could be so funny," I teased Daryl touching his arm as he shoved me away.
"Daryl, can be touchy-feely too," Carol joined in as he shot her a glare.
"Oh I know," I laughed emphasising on the last word. Rick was giving me a funny look then turned away to watch Glenn and Maggie as they climbed down the stairs. Both fully clothed.
"Eventful night?" I winked at Glenn before Maggie came into hearing range.
"Shut up," He muttered, his hair messy and ruffled.
"Good, you could join us." Rick had a hint of a smile.
"Yeah, glad you came." Daryl snorted. I covered up my laugh with a cough and could see T-Dog, Rick and Carol trying to suppress smiles.
"You guys done?" Glenn asked looking unamused.
"No but I bet you were," I shot as Daryl started coughing violently and laughing. It was just at that moment Maggie came up to us, her cheeks slightly flushed and looking embarrassed.
"Hey Maggie," I said sweetly not wanting to embarrass her since we had just got off to a new fresh start.
"Hey," She smiled still looking slightly embarrassed she had been caught up in the tower with Glenn.
"Sleep well?" I couldn't help it listening to Daryl snicker.
"Fine," She narrowed her eyes playfully. We started walking off to go outside into the field past the main courtyard.
"Hey Rick," T-Dog turned our attention to two inmates coming up to the gate.
"That's the guys you were talking about?" I looked up at Rick and got a funny feeling in my stomach when his eyes flickered over to mine. Okay. That hasn't happened before. I thought I was over this crush.
"Yeah," Rick nodded. He had a stern look in his eye and began walking towards the fence the two men were standing.
"Come with me," He said lowly to me, T-Dog and Daryl touching my arm. There it was again. My arm tingled from where his fingers off. It took me a minute to snap out of it before Daryl looked at me strangely and I followed them towards the gate.
The two men in prisoner jumpsuit uniforms came out from behind the fence and stood waiting for Rick.
"That's close enough. We had an agreement." Rick said firmly to them.
"Please mister, we know that. We made a deal. But we can't live in that place no longer." The long, blonde haired man with a southern accent pleaded. I looked at Rick who tilted his head to the side and his jaw clicked. He was angry.
"All the bodies, people we knew, blood and brains everywhere. There's ghosts." He said sadly. I felt slightly sympathetic to their plight but I could see Rick was not feeling the same at all. He's hardened. He's not the same as before. And I get it, he's been through too much and lost too many people to be the same compassionate Rick he was. But I'm not sure how I feel about that.
"Why don't you move the bodies?" Daryl said next to me.
"Burn 'em," T-Dog said indifferently.
"We tried. Dragged the bodies down by the fences of the other prison. But every time we do that, those things line up and we drop em and get back." The taller man said beside him.
"We had nothing to do with Tomas and Andrew. Nothing." The blonde haired man said walking up to us. Rick put his arm up across my body and had his other hand on the holster of his gun.
"Rick," I said lowly but he ignored me.
"You trying to prove a point, you proved it bro. Just please, we'll do whatever it takes to be part of your group." The blonde haired man continued pleading. I looked at him and saw he was trying to be genuine.
"Just please don't make us live in that place." he said one last time.
"Rick," I called his attention. This time he turned around to face me with his hands on his hips.
"Maybe, we should consider his offer." I suggested to Rick who looked at me like I had spoke another language.
"I get you don't trust them, and I understand that, but-"
"You don't understand that," Rick said slightly annoyed.
"Wha-"
"After what this group has been through in the past 9 months, I'm not gonna risk it on people I don't know. They could hurt my family and I'm not gonna risk that." Rick said as he was talking into my face. I took a step back from Rick, slightly shocked at his outburst.
"Okay," I said putting my hands up in surrender.
"It's your decision I know. But you didn't know me either, remember? And you took a chance, I turned out alright," I pointed out to him as he looked at me in the eyes. He looked at the ground for a moment then turned back around to the inmates.
"Our deal is non-negotiable. You either live in your cell block, or you leave." Rick said in a tone that meant there was no room for any argument. I closed my eyes then looked at the back of Rick's head.
"I told you this was a waste of time. They ain't no different than the pricks who shot up our boys." The taller ex-prisoner said to the blonde haired man looking at us spitefully.
Rick was conflicted as he turned around to look at me and Daryl. Daryl shook his head immediately then Rick looked at me.
"It's up to you Rick. But giving them a chance, even just a small one is worth doing." I said encouragingly as he thought about it.
Rick looked at Daryl and nodded getting the chain and padlock wrapping it back around the fence. I looked down at the ground feeling slightly disappointed as Daryl walked back to us.
Glenn, Maggie and Carol were hanging back against the truck as Rick was talking intently to T-Dog.
"Are you serious? You want them living in the cellblock next to us?" Rick asked incredulously to T-Dog.
"You wanna go back to sleeping with one eye open?" He asked.
"I never stopped. Bring them into the fold, we send 'em off packing we might as well execute them ourselves." T-Dog replied simply.
"I agree with him." I said crossing my arms making Rick look at me intently.
"I don't know, Axel seems a little unstable." Glenn said as I digested this piece of information.
"After all we've been through, we fought so hard for all this, what if they try to take it?" Carol asked.
"I also agree with that." I tilted my head towards Carol.
"What's your take on this?" Daryl asked me making the rest of the group turn to me.
"I just got here yesterday, I don't think I have any right to say-"
"You do, you're part of this group." Rick nodded encouragingly.
"Okay. Well, Carol's right, from what you've told me you've been on the road for a while and this prison seems like the first place of stability for all of us. These people are strangers, but if over time they prove trustworthy maybe it's worth giving them a chance. I'm not talking about right now, but in the future." I explained as Rick looked pensive.
"Those two might have less blood on their hands than we do." T-Dog scoffed. I thought back to the first time I left the farm, when those men had me tied up and beaten. When they tried to- and then Michonne came and we killed all of them. No hesitation.
"I know guys like them. I grow up with 'em, they're degenerates but they ain't psycho." Daryl said squinting in the sun.
"I could've been there with them just as easy as I'm out with you guys." He shrugged.
"You agree with T-Dog?" I asked incredulously at Daryl.
"Hell no, they should take their chances on the road like we did." Daryl scoffed making me chuckle.
"When I was a rookie I arrested this kid, 19 years old. Wanted for stabbing his girlfriend, the kid blubbered like a baby in trial and then got acquited for insufficient evidence. And then two weeks later, he shot another girl. We been through too much. Our deal with them stands." Rick finished his story, I was wrong for doubting his decision, he was right. The group had been through too much and they shouldn't risk it.
Daryl began walking away and Rick followed him before I pulled his arm back slightly.
"Can I talk to you?" I asked and he nodded reluctantly. I pulled him away from where Glenn, Maggie, Carol and T-Dog were standing making sure no one could hear us.
"Are we good?" I asked but he wasn't meeting my gaze.
"I'm sorry for what I did earlier, undermining your authority like that in front of the inmates? That was uncalled for, and I agree with what you said." I said calmly as he looked up to meet my gaze.
"What about what you said about giving them a chance?" He asked.
"I don't believe we can give chances like that anymore." I ran a hand through my hair.
"Why did you say it then?" He questioned.
"I guess, I thought you were the same Rick that I had met 9 months ago. But you're not, and that's not a bad thing." I defended in case he took it the wrong way.
"It's your circumstance that's changed you." I explained myself.
"I know that." He nodded.
"I just didn't want you to be like me." I said shuffling my feet.
"What do you mean?" Rick asked confused. I took a deep breath before speaking again.
"I never got a chance to tell you. When Hershel sent me off the farm the first time I was travelling by myself, trying to go to Washington when I met this guy." I said watching Rick's face tense.
"I didn't trust him but I let him stay as a travelling companion whilst I could figure out what to do, another set of eyes was better than just having one." I said as Rick listened intently.
"He saved me a few times from Walkers and he helped get food. I let my guard down slightly, then we got kidnapped." I said slowly. Rick came closer.
"What?" He said in a low angry voice.
"And the guys were persuasive in their techniques to find out where I travelled from because of the fresh clothes, supplies, weapons etc." I suddenly had flashbacks to where they began beating me and closed my eyes reliving the memories. Rick's hand on my forearm snapped me out of it.
"Did they hurt you?" Rick's jaw clicked into place and his icy blue eyes were trained on mine.
"Yes," I sighed. He looked like he was about to explode before I touched his wrist calming him down.
"They tried to, do things," I said feeling shaky on my legs all of a sudden.
"I never told them where the farm was, not once." I reassured him seeing his face contort.
"They never got very far, with what they were doing." I said as stray tear rolled down my cheek. They had us tied up in those chairs for two days with no food, little water and beating the shit out of my face. But the worst feeling was when Dwane had me backed up against the wall. I could still feel his grimy fingers trailing down my arms and above my chest.
"That's why my face was all beat up when you saw me." I explained.
"How did you get out?" He managed to breathe out.
"It was a woman who was scavenging for supplies, she saw me and rescued me." I smiled thinking of Michonne. Her deep mistrust of the governor is what was going to keep her and Andrea alive.
"This is the same woman you and Andrea travelled with?" Rick asked and I nodded.
"She let me go, tended to my injuries. And we killed them. We killed all 6 of them with their own weapons." I gulped looking down feeling ashamed.
"It seems like I have a lot to thank her for." Rick's voice brought me back from my thoughts. He put two fingers on my chin and gently lifted them up so my brown eyes were pulled into his intense blue ones.
"They deserved what they got. Don't feel guilty for killing them, you probably saved more lives and more girls from suffering the same or even worse fates." Rick explained.
"I guess," I mumbled.
"I need you to give me a smile." Rick stated.
"What?"
"You heard me," He had his eyebrows raised as he crossed his arms over his chest. I could detect the rippling muscles under the white shirt he was wearing and resisted the urge not to gulp or continue staring.
I gave him a small smile and he shook his head.
"That's not a smile. Come on." He nudged my arm gently. I gave him a wider smile but he was still not convinced.
"I guess that'll do." He smirked making me smile and laugh.
"That's what I was looking for," He winked seeing my reaction.
"And you didn't undermine my authority with what you said, I have changed since the farm." Rick confirmed my suspicions making me nod.
"Rick! Pol! come on!" Daryl shouted impatiently looking annoyed.
We started walking over to Daryl side by side in comfortable silence.
"Hey, what did you mean to Carol when you said you know Daryl could be touchy-feely?" Rick asked curiously.
"Oh," I grinned.
"If I told you he'd kill me." I snickered as Rick gave me a small smile but had an unreadable expression on his face. He looked troubled.
"You good?" I asked.
"Yep, good." He said looking ahead.
Once we had finished making piles of the Walkers in the main field we were all hot, sweaty and breathing heavily.
"Let's move the cars, face them outwards so we'd be ready to go if we need to." Rick tossed all the keys to Glenn and Daryl who began walking over to where the 3 cars were parked.
"You scratch my car Glenn and I will kill you," I said threateningly to him.
"It's not even technically your car, you stole it!" He defended.
"Finders keepers, be careful!" I shouted as he ignored me and walked off.
"You're very attached to that car." T-Dog smirked knowingly.
"Since when do we find fine ass cars like that in the apocalypse?" I asked and he put his hands up.
"That's what I thought." I nodded. I watched as the BMW I found on the highway roared into life as Glenn began backing it up to turn around.
"He's grinding the clutch," I whined.
"I thought us guys were supposed to worry about their cars." Rick stood beside me looking amused.
"Post-apocalypse the rules change Grimes." I smirked at him. I opened the gate as Daryl's motorbike came to life, driving it down to where the front gate was for an easy getaway. I closed the gate behind them letting them drive the cars down to the front.
I waved to the two inmates standing there and patted Rick on the shoulder before walking around back to cell block D.
Meanwhile in Woodbury..
"We could pack up soon, get a few hours on the road before dusk." Michonne pulled out the map over the bed as Andrea lay on the other side.
"Where we going?" She looked up and asked Michonne who was studying it intently.
"I'm thinking the coast, having water to one side would give us an advantage. An island would be even better." Michonne stated.
"By ourselves?" Andrea checked.
"I'd rather take our chances out there and stay here." Michonne said decidedly.
"And all this because you don't trust the Governor?" Andrea raised her eyebrow sceptically.
"That's what my gut tells me and it's kept us alive this long." Michonne justified.
"Pol was right, to leave this place. I don't agree with the way she did it, just leaving a note and not telling us, but she felt something was off about him too." Michonne stated.
"Pol didn't just leave this place. She left us Michonne." Andrea said annoyed.
"I miss her." She sighed.
"I do too." Michonne nodded.
"We have to move on though, it's unlikely we'll see her again." Michonne answered.
"Where would she go?" Andrea wondered.
"I think she's gone to look for our old group. If they're still alive even." Andrea scoffed.
"If they were, where would they be holed up?" Michonne asked her. Andrea looked at the map and tried to find the major places of fortification which were in the area.
"If they stayed in this area, they would be in this factory or this prison." Andrea pointed to the places on the map.
"I know Pol, and this is where she would've tried to go."
"Maybe we should." Andrea suggested to Michonne who looked thoughtful.
"No," She said firmly.
"She's chosen her own path, and whilst I wish the best for her, we gotta look after ourselves now. We stick to our plan." Michonne finalised.
Back at the prison
I rounded the corner into the cellblock and watched as Hershel was stood walking around the area with crutches.
"Look at you Hershel! Out of bed." I grinned and he smiled concentrating on walking in the room.
"Yeah I told him he should rest now." Lori said in a stern voice.
"On second thoughts, I think I'll take a stroll." Hershel said as Lori followed him leaving Carl, Beth and me inside the prison.
"What are you guys doing outside?" Carl asked.
"Clearing the yard of Walkers, moving the cars around. Real fun stuff." I said sarcastically.
"At least you get to do stuff." Carl looked down.
"Trust me kid, this isn't high brow, adrenaline pumping stuff." I joked hoping it would improve his mood.
"From what I've heard, you've done amazingly for this group defending everyone, including your mum and your baby sister/brother. You should be proud." I said to him as he looked up.
"Really?"
"Really," I emphasised.
"We could play a card game?" Beth suggested trying to lift his spirits.
"J-just me and you?" Carl asked as his cheeks turned slightly red. Aww so cute! Someone has a crush on Beth.
"Yeah," Beth beamed.
"Come on!" She disappeared inside her cell as Carl followed her looking back at me. I gave him a thumbs up as he too went inside.
I went back outside the cellblock seeing, Rick, Daryl and Glenn climb through a cut in the outer fence to scout the perimeter. Carol was backing up and rearranging the cars out of the way. I went outside to the basketball court where Lori was helping Hershel down the stairs. I came up behind him and kept my hands out just in case.
"Take your time daddy," I turned around seeing Beth and Carl had followed me as we made sure he safely made it down.
"Cleared all those bodies out?" Hershel looked at us as we walked across.
"It was hell to do, but yeah." I nodded feeling the heat of the sun.
"Looking like a place we could really live in." Hershel looked around with a gleam in his eyes.
"You watch your step, last thing we need is you falling." Lori said a hand hovering behind his back. We came up to the fence and saw Rick, Glenn and Daryl bringing in piles of wood for fires. They looked at Hershel and smiled at us across the field.
"Alright Hershel!" Glenn shouted encouragingly making us laugh.
"You're doing great daddy," Beth smiled.
"Ready to race Hershel?" Carl asked cheekily.
"Give me another day, I'll take you on." He smiled to Carl who giggled. The cars stopped moving and Carol, Maggie and T-Dog were also smiling and laughing looking happy.
Rick had his face up against the fence and was smiling intently in our direction. I glanced over to Lori who also had a shy smile on her face pushing her hair back. I was happy for my friends, that they were working things out, or that they had hope. But that still didn't make it hurt any less.
I could hear faint snarling. And I turned around, gasping suddenly seeing the horde of Walker emerge from one side of the prison.
"Walkers!" I shouted. Carl and Lori sprung into action pulling out their guns and firing at the decaying corpses. I pulled out my newly reloaded colt and also began firing at them.
"I thought you guys cleared the prison!" I shouted standing beside Lori.
"We did!" She exclaimed. Maggie came towards us machete in hand to back us up and stand by Hershel and Beth but there were too many of them converging around us. From over the fence I saw Rick and Daryl running back frantically.
"Get outta there! Lori!" Rick shouted. Carl was in front of the group shooting the Walkers.
"Carl get back!" I called out to him. He didn't seem to listen as I came up beside him. T-Dog, Carol and Maggie all had their guns and began shooting into the crowd of Walkers that had just gotten bigger and bigger.
Hershel and Beth had disappeared and I started panicking but then saw them climb up the stairs into another part of the prison.
"Lori! Here!" Maggie held one end of the gate she was about to close as Carl, Lori and me followed her she closed it shut. Carol and T-Dog had run off somewhere else. But I couldn't see Rick, Daryl and Glenn. Our group was fractured and we were being hunted.
We ran up the stairs we had previously come out of and I shut the door behind us until we were inside the cell block. We walked through the dismal cafeteria and back towards our cell block when growling followed by thudding steps belonging to many Walkers came through blocking our exit.
"This way," Maggie said leading Carl to another area of the prison as I stayed behind Lori.
"Lori, you okay?" I said eyes darting to the Walkers behind us, she had scrunched up her face in pain before opening again.
"I'm fine." She jogged through the door behind Carl and Maggie as I slammed the cell gate shut.
We ran through the corridor trying to get away from the Walkers who were becoming increasingly vicious for our flesh. I could hear more gunshots coming from outside and hoped that was Rick and the others fighting the Walkers back. Suddenly the alarms of the prison started going off making loud noises.
"Shit," I muttered.
"What?" Lori asked next to me.
"That alarm, it's gonna attract the Walkers for miles." Everyone looked at each other worriedly as we continued making our way through the maze of the prison. Carl and Maggie scouted the rooms and cells with their guns whilst I stayed behind Lori.
"Lori," I said lowly.
"Was that a contraction?" She looked at me wordlessly but kept walking forwards. She place her hand against the wall and started groaning again.
"Lori," Maggie hurried over as I held her back.
"Something's not right." Lori turned around, sweating and breathing heavily against the wall.
"Were you bit?" Maggie asked panicked.
"I think the baby's coming." Lori asked.
"You're shitting me." I said making Maggie shoot me a look.
"Mom?" Carl asked in a small voice as the snarling and growling got louder, a crowd of Walkers rounded the corner coming straight for us. Maggie held Lori in one arm as me and Carl walked down the corridors trying to find an escape route but we were surrounded from all fronts. We saw a room with a closed door as Carl opened it.
"In here!" He said as we went inside and closed it as best as we could. Lori held the railings and bent forward against the wall breathing heavily then groaning again. The room was full of pipes and machinery with cupboards that were empty and rusting.
"Lori let's lay you down." I said to her urgently as he continued panting heavily.
"No the baby's coming now," She struggled.
"We have to get back to our cell block, Hershel-" Carl started speaking.
"No this baby's coming now you have to give birth here. Come one let's take your pants off." Maggie started helping her as I turned Carl around to face me.
"Look at me buddy, me and Maggie will make sure nothing happens to your mother. But I'm gonna need you to be really brave, can you do that?" I asked him. He was so young, still a kid and he had to handle so much.
"Yeah,"
"Okay, stay close but keep an eye on that door, like a guard. Okay?" Carl nodded and stepped back slightly as I moved to Maggie to help with Lori.
"You're gonna need to help me, you up for this?" Maggie asked me discarding Lori's trousers and pants.
"Uh sure," I nodded.
"This is my first time too." Maggie said and I looked at her uneasily.
"I gotta push," Lori said between breaths. Lori used the railings to stand up and faced the wall as she began pushing and groaning.
"Somebody!" She said between her scream. I grabbed her hand and she breathed in and out.
"I'm okay, I'm okay," she said putting her head against the wall. Maggie was holding her lower back.
"You're doing great Lori. Your body knows what it's doing, just let it do all the work." Maggie reassured her. Lori let out more shouts and groans and she continued trying to push, I saw Carl standing in close proximity with his gun out breathing heavily.
"Your mother's okay Carl, it's alright." I reassured him.
"Lori stop don't push something's wrong!" Maggie shouted pulling her hand it from Lori which was covered in blood, she gave me a worried look as Lori let out a bloodcurdling scream. Lori was looking worryingly pale and seemed to be suffering a lot of blood loss. This time I didn't stop Carl as we helped lay her on the floor with her eyes opening and closing.
"Mom look at me, look at me. Keep your eyes open." Carl put his hands on her face then held one of her hands.
"I'm not gonna make it." Lori mumbled.
"Don't talk like that." I said looking at Lori sadly.
"Lori with this amount of blood loss, I don't think you're fully dilated yet, no amount of pushing is gonna help." Maggie looked between Lori's legs then back up panicked.
I put a hand on Maggie's arm to calm her down and she took a deep breath then nodded.
"I know what it means. And I am not losing my baby." Lori said determined.
"We're not losing you either." I said firmly.
"If its between me and the baby. Choose the baby. You gotta cut me open." She said as me and Maggie looked at her shocked.
"No," Maggie shook her head with tears in her eyes.
"I can't." She pleaded.
"Please Lori, I have no anaesthetic, no equip-" Maggie said in tears.
"Pol has a knife." Lori looked at me longingly as I touched the belt where my knife was hanging.
"You won't survive," Maggie said as Lori was becoming more pale by the minute.
"My baby will survive. Please. For all of us. Please Maggie, Pol. Please!" She called out crying. Me and Maggie had tears streaming down our face and I looked at Carl who's blue eyes were getting watery standing a distance away.
Maggie shook her head again and I placed a hand on her forearm making her look at me.
"It's what she wants." I said through tears.
In Woodbury
"I thought we had an agreement." Michonne said angrily arms folded over her chest
"We can always leave tomorrow, or another day. What if we run into trouble we can't get out of." Andrea said nonchalantly.
"Tell me about it." Michonne looked furious keeping her eyes trained on Andrea.
"Michonne it's just another day or two," Andrea said sighing deeply.
"I heard you. The first time." Michonne flicked the handle of their packed bags.
"Pol was right to go when she did." Michonne brushed past Andrea and out of their shared room leaving her alone with her thoughts. Woodbury was a safe place and stable.
Something she hadn't had in a while.
Prison
I lifted Lori's shirt and saw a scar running just under her navel.
"You see my old C-section scar?" Lori asked.
"I can't." Maggie said immediately with tears.
"I'll do it." I closed my eyes then opened them.
"I'll do it. Just tell me what to do." I reassured Maggie trying to remain calm. Carl was beside his mother close to breaking down.
"Carl, I don't want you to be scared baby. You take of yer daddy alright? You'll have 'nother baby brother or sister to take care of." Lori said holding his hand as Carl was crying.
"You don't have to do this," Carl cried his voice shaky.
"You're gonna be fine. You are going to beat this world." Lori said firmly, smiling with tears in her eyes.
"I know you will. You are smart and you are strong and you are so brave." Lori emphasised. I felt my face wet from crying, seeing the touching moment between mother and son.
"And I love you." Lori said.
"Love you too," Carl managed a small smile through his crying.
"You gotta do what's right baby, so if you see a wrong thing in this world. Don't do it." She told Carl.
"Don't let the world spoil you," Lori cried her voice going octaves higher. Carl was crying under his hat over his mother as Lori wiped the tears off his face.
"My sweet boy, best thing I ever did. I love you." Lori broke crying and pulling Carl into her arms she cried into his shoulders as they both embraced. I held Maggie's hand who was shaking and crying as we watched them say goodbye to each other. I was full on crying for Lori, the woman who first accepted me into this group, no questions asked. Who defended me, who cared for me and protected me like a sister. I cried for my friend, who was leaving this horrible world. But bringing in new life. New hope. Carl came out of his mother's embrace as I pulled him into a side hug.
"Pol when this is over you're going to have to do it. It can't be Rick." Lori said as I cried nodding furiously. I was beside Lori's head as she began talking to me.
"Take care of them. Take care of my husband, take care of Carl. I know you will, I know how much you love them." She said looking up at me.
"I know." This made me cry even more but I nodded in agreement.
"They will care for you and protect you. I know they will always have your back, as I know you will have theirs. Take care of my baby," She cried.
"I will," I said my voice filled with emotion.
"It's alright." Lori said taking deep breaths. Maggie's hands were bloody as I pulled out the knife from my belt my hands were shaking. I took a deep breath closing my eyes then opened them staying calm.
"Goodnight love," Lori whispered up to the ceiling.
"Maggie," I looked at the woman who indicated where I should cut.
I sliced her skin open horizontally from her previous caesarian mark as blood start spilling out of the wound, Lori let out a horrific scream.
"No!" Carl tried to stop me but Maggie held him.
"You're killing her!" He shouted over Lori's screams as I felt the tears blurring my vision wiping them away. Suddenly Lori stopped screaming and her eyes closed as she was convulsing on the ground.
"Pol, if you cut deep you'll keep the baby," Maggie said rushing over to my side. I cut gently into the flesh as it made another opening.
"I see it, I see the baby." Maggie said reaching her hands into Lori's stomach.
"I can't tell if this is the arm or the leg. Okay I'm going to pull the baby out." Maggie said decidedly as her arms moved around inside. She lifted them up as me and Carl both watched a small baby covered in blood come out of Lori. Maggie held the unmoving, unsounding baby as she tapped the chest and arms and legs.
"It's not crying," Carl whispered as I wrapped a bloody arm around him. Maggie lightly rubbed the baby's chest once more before it suddenly started crying making me smile through my tears.
Carl smiled before shrugging his jacket off as Maggie handed the baby to me I held it looking at the little wonder Lori had managed to give birth too. Wrapping the baby around it, Maggie cut the umbilical cord.
"It's a girl," I smiled at Carl through my tears as he returned it.
"We have to go," She said as we both stood up. I pressed the baby to my chest and remembered my promise to Lori to look after the baby who was lying dead on the floor.
"We can't just leave her here. She'll turn." Carl said standing up quickly. I gulped remembering what Lori asked me to do. I pulled out the gun from my holster.
"No," Carl cried.
"Carl," Maggie started.
"She's my mom." He cried. Maggie went towards the exit of the room as I watched Carl.
"I'll be brave," I nodded numbly taking the baby away from what was about to happen.
"No more kids stuff," Carl muttered leaning over his mother's body.
Maggie creaked the door open into the corridor and checked around for Walkers as I stood with the baby behind her, my bloody hand smearing Carl's jacket. Walkers were still roaming the hallways but were out of sight and paid no attention to us. She closed the door as I backed up down the stairs then jumped at the sound of the close gunshot. I took a deep breath and rounded the corner as Carl brushed straight past us without saying word.
We followed him down the hallways until we reached the door to the outside courtyard. I took a deep breath and pushed open the door handle, walking down the steps with the baby pressed against my chest. It was gurgling and cooing but my heart was broken and I couldn't bring myself to be happy. I saw Rick, Glenn, Hershel, Daryl and Beth standing in the courtyard and turned around when we opened the metal gate.
I felt tears building up in my eyes as I slowly shuffled over towards Rick with Maggie and Carl in tow. I gulped as Rick looked serious up and down at us. He dropped the axe and walked over very slowly with a dirty T-shirt and rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
I tried to speak but it was coming out in blubbered sounds as the tears were falling. Rick was shaking his head but the tears were building in his eyes. I started sobbing as Rick paced around me.
"W-where, where is she?" He asked his eyes looking lifeless.
"N-no, Rick no!" I pulled his arm as he pushed past me standing beside Carl and began sobbing. I passed the baby on to Maggie and turned around not stopping the crying sounds that were coming out.
"Noo, n-no, no!" Rick's face contorted in sadness as he looked at Carl who was continually staring at the ground.
"Noooo," Rick put his hand through his hair walking past to the prison. I tentatively walked after him trying to keep my sobs under control.
"Rick," I said softly through my tears.
Glenn put his hands around Maggie's face as she cried uncontrollably holding the baby safe in her arms. Rick's legs gave way as he lay on the floor, his hands on his face crying. I walked over to him and sat down on the ground putting his head on my lap.
I held him as he mourned for his dead wife. My friend.
Lori Grimes. Rest in peace.
A/N: It was so sad killing Lori off :( but as I said before the scene is instrumental for shaping certain characters. It was a gut-wrenching, emotional chapter to write and I hope I've done it justice. Your thoughts are appreciated x