Quinn, on the road

None of us really talked during our journey back, we were all exhausted. It was a relief when I saw the gates of Hilltop. Tara rushed to us as we arrived.

"What happened?" she asked. "Who is that?" she pointed at the girl we brought along.

"A group attacked us and she was with them," said Aaron. Tara glanced at each of us worryingly.

"Are you alright? Everyone?" she asked.

"Eugene's knee is dislocated, but other than that, we're fine," said Jesus.

"You are not one to talk," Aaron scolded him. "You barely made it out alive."

"What?!" Tara freaked out. She stepped to Jesus and started to push him around. "What happened out there? What is Aaron talking about?!"

"Let's go inside and I'll tell you everything," said Jesus holding up his hands defensively. He and Aaron followed Tara back to the main hall.

"Take the girl to jail, I'll come in a minute," said Daryl to Michonne. She nodded and took the girl downstairs. Daryl turned to me.

"You're not alright. I felt you tremblin' the whole time," he said in his low voice. I looked away then I looked him in the eye again.

"I was… scared. I felt weak," I said quietly. He nodded understandingly. Suddenly, he stepped to me and hugged me tightly. My stomach hurt again, but I didn't pay attention to it, I was too emotional and tired.

"We made it," he said. I never expected him to hug anyone, maybe Daryl is changing too? It felt good to be in a hug, though. He let me go and looked me in the eye again.

"We made it," he repeated to reassure me. I let out a huge sigh.

"Uhm... sorry to interrupt, but can someone help me down, please?" asked Eugene, struggling to get off the horse with his dislocated knee. Daryl stepped to him and got him off.

"Take him to the infirmary," he told me and put Eugene's arm on my shoulder, to help him walk. I nodded. Daryl went down to the jail to join Michonne interrogating the girl.

I slowly headed to the infirmary with Eugene. He was heavy, sure as hell and I was out of shape, so I struggled a little, but I managed. My stomach hurt again.

"Sorry," he said.

"It's nothing, we're almost there."

"I'm sorry for interrupting as well."

"You didn't interrupt anything. I don't have feelings for him anymore. But you know that."

Eugene looked at me surprised.

"Are you saying you are…? Still in love with… "him"?" he asked, referring to Negan.

"Yes," I said in a whisper. Eugene's eyes widened.

"But you haven't seen him for two years," he said whispering, he knew it shouldn't be exposed to everyone.

"I know… don't even remind me," I told him. We arrived at the building.

We stepped into the infirmary, Siddiq rushed to us and put Eugene's other arm over his shoulder.

"Hey! Are you here too?" I asked Siddiq surprised.

"Yes, I came with Michonne and the newcomers."

"Who are they by the way?" I asked.

"There's five of them, I think their names were Yumiko, Magna, Connie, Kelly, and Luke. Michonne didn't want to take them, so we brought them here, maybe Jesus and Tara will give them home.

"I see," I nodded. We helped Eugene inside and he sat on a bed.

"Eugene!" it was Rosita, she hugged Eugene. "Hey!" she greeted me too.

"Hi!" I said awkwardly.

"So, Jesus said Eugene's knee is dislocated?" asked Siddiq. "The window was open, so…" he added.

"Yes, it is," I sighed.

"Then, let's check it," he said and turned to Eugene who was already having verbal diarrhea, he was so glad to see Rosita alive.

Siddiq put back Eugene's knee, while he was trying to cover his pain and Rosita couldn't stop laughing at his words. Then Siddiq went out of the room and I felt like I wasn't needed there anymore, so I left the two of them alone. I headed out of the infirmary.

It was a nice, warm day, I was blinded by the sunlight. I realized the window was still open, so I could hear every word coming from inside. Eugene confessed his love to Rosita… like she didn't know for years. But then what I didn't expect was that she rushed out suddenly and threw up.

"Whoa! Are you alright?" I asked her. She nodded, wiping her mouth. Siddiq came out, asked the same question. I headed away from the infirmary, I didn't want to get involved in their personal lives. As I was heading away, I heard Rosita's words. She was pregnant with Siddiq's baby. I stopped dead. What the hell? Oh my god, poor Eugene… and he heard everything because the window was open. I covered my mouth as I gasped. Should I go back to Eugene? I listened and waited a little for Rosita and Siddiq to go away and then I hurried back to Eugene. He was crying but quickly wiped away his tears as I entered.

"Eugene… I'm so sorry," I told him and I sat next to his bed. He nodded, sniffling. I continued. "I heard everything, I guess you too. I kind of expected something like that… Rosita is really pretty. She must be popular among guys."

"Yes, she is," said Eugene, devastated.

"Wish I could help you."

Eugene looked me in the eye and took my hand.

"Thank you for being here. Your presence calms me."

"Wow, I never knew I had an effect like that. But I'm glad if you feel that way."

He squeezed my hand a little and stopped crying.

"Why am I so unfortunate?" he asked.

"You're not. You can see her and talk to her at least…" my thoughts dwelled on. I was too tired, I couldn't keep Negan out of my mind.

"I'm sorry. I know you shouldn't be the one to whom I whine about love."

"Shh," I shushed him. "You can whine to me about anything you like."

"You're right, you can't even see him… I guess I'm somewhat fortunate after all," he said.

I giggled.

"I'm glad that my misery helps you," I smiled at him, finally he smiled back at me. I took my hand away from him. "You should sleep. You must be tired."

"You too."

"I will. I'll come back later. See ya."

"Farewell," said Eugene.

I headed out of the infirmary. I was glad that I could make Eugene feel slightly better, but I was really tired, I just wanted a bed to crush into. I just realized I didn't even know where I was going. I stumbled upon Daryl and Henry, they were sitting together, talking about… alcohol? Henry was hungover?

"What did you just say?" I approached them.

"Err… nothing," said Henry innocently.

"Boy got drunk last night. I see why Carol wanted a babysitter," said Daryl, mocking him.

"Hey!" Henry didn't like that at all.

"I didn't expect that from you, Henry. I'm disappointed," I said as I put my hands on my hips.

"You sound like mom," said Henry.

"I do not," I said offended.

"Yeah, you do," said Daryl too, smiling at me. He was mocking me? When did Daryl Dixon become someone who hugs other people and makes them laugh? I folded my arms in front of me. Henry glanced at me.

"I'm sorry. It won't happen again," when he finished, he kept staring at the ground.

"Alright, alright," I said. "But speaking of mom, where is she?" I asked.

"She left. Urgent matter at the Kingdom," said Henry.

"WHAT?!" I asked shocked. Carol left me here?! I was speechless for a couple of minutes. Then I spoke again. "I don't understand how Carol could leave me here. She was so determined to keep an eye on me."

"You don't need a babysitter anymore," said Daryl.

"I don't need a babysitter either..." said Henry sulkily, he wasn't paying attention to me.

"Yes, you do. You couldn't go one night without doing something stupid," I told him. I sighed and turned around to leave them.

I wanted to search for Tara or Jesus so I could get a room to sleep in. I didn't expect Carol to leave me behind like that.

I was immediately ready to sneak out to see Negan, but then I remembered our attackers. They wanted to kill us and they are disguised as walkers. I shouldn't go out alone. Not even to see Negan. What's the point if I die on the road? I let out a huge sigh. I can't leave alone, I can't visit Negan. I headed to the main building to search for Tara and Jesus.

"Hey, stop!" Daryl called after me. I stopped dead and turned back to them. His voice sounded strange.

"What?" I asked. Daryl was jogging to me, Henry was on his feet, frowning his eyebrows.

"Is that blood?" asked Daryl, pointing at my left side. I was wearing a black shirt and a dark brown jacket above it, so it wasn't visible. I looked down and I saw that something was dripping from my shirt to my trousers. I pulled up my shirt quickly. It was a long cut on my left side and bruises around it. I didn't even notice, because I was in shock and then I was so exhausted, I just wanted to sleep. This cut explains why I was trembling so much and why I was so light-headed.

"We have to get to Siddiq, now," Daryl told me and grabbed my arm to help me walk steadily.

"When did this happen?" he asked.

"I think, probably, when I jumped on Jesus's attacker. He might have cut me and because we fell over, I hit myself on the ground.

"Henry, get Jesus to the infirmary!" Daryl shouted back at Henry, he nodded and jogged away, Daryl looked at me. "Siddiq's gonna fix you."

I felt pain in my whole body because of exhaustion and because I was trembling all night, but now that I saw the cut, my brain started to focus on that area and I started to feel the pain there.

We arrived at the infirmary.

"Siddiq?!" Daryl shouted. Siddiq rushed to us immediately.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Quinn's got a huge cut on her stomach," Daryl told him.

"Why didn't you say earlier?" he asked, taken aback. They helped me to a bed.

"I didn't notice, I felt pain everywhere. Daryl spotted the blood on my clothes."

They put me on the bed next to Eugene.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"I knew you wouldn't sleep after I left," I told him, smiling.

"As I observe this situation, seems like you are not sleeping either," he told me, pushing himself to a sitting position on the bed.

"Quinn, lay back and don't move," Siddiq told me, then he lifted my shirt to take a look at the wound. He examined it. Daryl was staring too, he leaned closer.

"Daryl, you don't have to guard me," I told him, I felt kind of uncomfortable that he was staring at my stomach, I was glad Siddiq didn't pull my entire shirt up.

"Are ya jokin'? You're bleeding, I won't leave you," he grumbled.

"I know you promised Carol, but I will be okay."

"Did you see that cut? It's nasty," he growled.

"You have to go to check on the girl," I told him. He nodded. Meanwhile, Henry arrived with Jesus.

"What happened?" asked Jesus immediately.

"Quinn's got a cut on her stomach," Siddiq told him, while he didn't take his eyes off of the wound.

"Quinn… I'm so sorry. This happened, because of me. When you jumped on that guy," said Jesus, he stepped to me and looked at my cut, then he looked me in the eye and took my hand. "I'm so sorry, I feel terrible."

"No, Jesus, it's nothing really."

"Come with me please, both of you. Eugene, don't get up," said Siddiq. Eugene seemed disappointed, but he shouldn't get up with his knee just yet. Siddiq, Jesus, and Daryl stepped away from us and started to whisper.

"Do not whisper like that, please!" I yelled at them. "Tell me what's wrong!"

They turned to look at me. Siddiq answered.

"I'm afraid I have to operate."

…

Author's notes: Listen to "Rescue me" by Kerrie Roberts. Thank You for reading! ❤