Sadie's POV

I pulled the van I'd been driving up to the next gas station I found….one that was all too familiar to me. God, I can't believe it's still here.

I slung my crossbow over my shoulder, resecured the machete to my belt and slammed the van door shut behind me as I made my way into the station

For the most part, it was just as I'd remembered it….significantly more worse for wear than…..well, before, but I digressed.

I was opening the front door to start my hunt for supplies when I noticed someone, whose voice I didn't recognize, rambling about something in the near distance.

I positioned my crossbow, ready to shoot if necessary, as I inched away from the door.

"...I'm sure you've seen things, been through things so that you don't trust people, I get it." The man's voice continued.

As I cautiously made my way closer toward his direction, it became apparent that he was rambling to someone else that was nearby.

"...I've been through things too, and my mom….she also said, May my mercy prevail over my wrath….it-it's not all my mom, that-that's- that one's from The Quran…..I probably shouldn't have said that. I don't even know you, I haven't eaten in a few days, you might not even be real."

I'd know that next voice that followed anywhere, by now.

I chuckled a little to myself at the thought. Of course that kid was here too.

He'd ordered the man to put his hands up, yet seemed to be humoring the guy's plight….at least to some degree.

I didn't give him much more than that, though, as I shot a couple arrows off in his direction.

Carl….you'd think I'd have that better committed to memory by now, abruptly turned the corner as he looked around for the source and finally met eyes with me.

"Hey!" He shouted after me, as I returned my crossbow to its spot over my shoulder. "Are you insane?!"

"Well, that's quite the loaded question." I scoffed. "What are you even doing out here anyway?"

"He said- "

I heard what he was saying." I scoffed again. "...well, most of it, anyway. And you didn't answer my question. What, are you following me now or something."

"...or something." He scoffed back, trying to squeeze out whatever gas was left into plastic gallon he'd apparently been toting. "...in fact, I was gonna ask you the same question."

I couldn't help but chuckle some more. "Don't flatter yourself so much, kid. I just stopped for supplies. Same as you."

He nodded, seeming to accept that….at least for now.

"How'd you know this was here then?" Likely not buying the encounter to be total coincidence.

"How did you?" I asked back.

"You first." He scoffed.

"Quite the gentleman." I teased. "...you get that from your dad? …..yeah, don't answer that."

He glared at me, regardless.

"...anyway.." I shrugged. "...old girlfriend of mine, her dad used to own the auto shop down the road. She and I used to come by here on her breaks, when she wasn't helping him out…...yes, that kind of girlfriend." I added with a snicker. "...that was a lifetime ago though, before I even met Gareth."

He chuckled a little. "Hey, I'm not judging."

"Good...the biphobia'd be an ugly look on ya. You're too good for that."

"..Thank you?" He chuckled again. "So, what happened?"

"To what?"

"With you and….." He trailed off.

"Geez, nosy much?" I teased. "...anyway, it wasn't that deep. We just wanted different things."

"What? Men?" He, seemed to be anyway, joked back.

"Hey, what'd I say about the biphobia, Kid?" I teased. "...anyway, not that it's any of your business, it wasn't like that. We were just…..young."

"Right." He laughed, not quite buying it.

He continued to watch me as I made my way over to retrieve the arrows I'd shot towards that guy and held them up in front of him.

"You see? I didn't even hit him." I scoffed asI tucked them safely away and glanced around. "...if he was telling the truth, I hope he makes it."

"Yeah, right.' He scoffed back, walking off in the opposite direction.

"Geez. Sensitive, much?" I teased.

"Well, not that it's any of your business…" He called back, leaning over as he started to reach for something. "...but I was gonna leave some food for him."

"Right, now who's the crazy one?" I scoffed, skimming some of the shelves inside.

"What, for thinking he deserves a chance?"

"Taking chances like that is what gets you killed." I reminded him. "...or worse."

"Taking chances like that on people is what got you a roof over your head….twice."

"It is…" I agreed. "...and how'd that work out for you?"

He didn't even humor that with a response, just returned to what he was doing.

"Fine.." I scoffed again, as I moved on to try and break open a door of a nearby car. "...suit yourself then, kid. I just thought you were smarter than that…...I was starting to like you, even."

"Why?" Apparently now I had his attention again.

I shrugged, as I started to skim the car for supplies and otherwise goodies.

"Well, like I told you that day in the woods, my beef was never with you…..and, you know…I guess I just thought that any kid that would sneak in the back of a truck to try and gun down someone like Negan might also deserve a chance."

"Why not just take Negan out, yourself then?" He asked, just as I'd started rifling through some cassette tapes in the glove compartment. "...I mean..from what I saw, you're not exactly afraid of him either….or his..goons." He chuckled at that last part.

"Shit, someone's got good taste." I muttered to myself as I tucked what was good of the collection in a bag I'd found in there along with 'em. "...cause he's not mine to take out."

That seemed to tick him off again. "If he's not your problem, then why are you- ?"

"I said he's not mine to take out." I corrected. "He may be everybody's problem, but he's only one person's to finish off."

"Well, if that person's not you, then…" He trailed off as I just looked back at him.

"...Yeah, I also meant what I said when I told you that finishing me off with the machete for killing your dad, if you were going to, was doing it right. Eye for an eye, you know?"

"Right." His tone was a little more sullen and monotone at that.

"Here, catch!" I tossed him a Nirvana tape I'd snagged amongst the stack.

His expression turned to one of slight confusion, but he caught it regardless.

"What's this?"

"So help me, Kid, if you're about to tell me you don't know what a cassette tape is- "

"No, no." He chuckled. "I mean...what's it for, why are you- "

"For your troubles." I snickered. "Now, come on. If you've got what you need, I'll give you a lift."

"Oh, well I drove myself here, so…"

"Stranger danger, right?" I chuckled.

"Taking chances gets you killed, right?" He teased, considerably amused with himself.

"Very funny…..fine then, I'll see you around."

"See ya."