The Trade Off
The continuation/conclusion of the Grady hospital time. People are going to hate me for this one, and honestly, I sort of hated writing it but it did, in the end, need to be done. Truthfully, it's taken me this long to figure out which way I wanted to go.
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"I'm Rick Grimes, I was a deputy at the King County's Sheriff Department." Rick introduced himself with his hands in the air as he faced the two police officers aiming their guns at him. On a rooftop overlooking the exchange, Daryl aimed a rifle down at one of the officers, Carol covering the other. The air was thick with the tension for this exchange, no one wanted to have to storm the hospital, not with the numbers they had.
Daryl watches steadily as Rick slowly put his colt on the ground and straightened back up, turning in place to show the officers her didn't have any other weapons on his person. One officer kept his gun on the group leader while the other wavered his aim. His attention shifted just slightly as a walker started staggering up behind the officers. He heard the inhale from beside him and the slight noise as Carol pulled her trigger, shooting through the walker's head with a silenced shot that brought a look of apprehension to the officers on the ground.
Rick's posture was completely at ease at that point as his hand held his belt after making a gesture. The officers looked at each other before slowly lowering their guns, uncomfortably understanding their position in this matter.
"We're getting them." Carol whispered softly, shifting her eyes to her companion. Daryl only grunted in response, not taking his eye off the scope to watch the officers. Inside, a hopefully feeling bloomed open at the prospect that they were probably less than a hour away from having Willa and Beth back among them. He had to reign in his anger, knowing that both girls would likely look like hell and he'd want to murder every one of those officers because of it, even if it wasn't any of their faults.
He just needed to keep it together, keep his face up. He'd contemplate his own emotions and those of the two women he cared about when everyone was safe and as far away from this hellhole as possible.
He fucking hated Atlanta.
***WDWDWDWDWD***
"Well, looks like we have a situation on hand." Dawn's voice in the quiet hospital room made both girls jump in surprise. The Lieutenant didn't even look shocked by the fact the brunette was awake as she stood with her arms crossed in the doorway, a bundle of clothes held against her chest under her arms. "Your people have my people...and they want you back."
"You're going to do the exchange?" Beth asked, standing up from the bedside, suspicion in her eyes.
"I don't have a choice if I want my people back, now do I?" Dawn didn't look any too pleased by the position she was put in. "They're on their way here." She tossed the clothes onto the bed, Willa recognising her ripped shirt with fresh stitches in the pile. "Get changed."
The door closed behind the Lieutenant and the girls looked at each other, contemplating the situation.
"You're going to see Maggie again." WIlla pointed out, smiling at her new friend. She reached out and took the girl's hand, bringing attention onto herself. "And Glenn...Rick...Daryl."
"Yeah." Beth agreed, nodding. She gripped onto the brunette's hand as if it were a lifeline in that moment, trying to ground herself to the situation.
"We're going to leave, Beth." Willa stated firmly, wanting to convey it to the blonde. "We're getting out of here. This is all going to be over."
"Are you going to need help?" Beth asked, letting go of Willa's hand and reaching for her yellow shirt among the clothing. The brunette was stunned for a moment, trying to figure out why the blonde didn't have any enthusiasm before finally shaking her head and climbing out of the bed. Silently the two changed from the hospital clothing into the articles they had worn upon capture. The brunette was nearly surprised to find her stuff had been cleaned but she gratefully slipped into the jeans that seemed to have shrunk during washing. The denim hugging onto her hips just a little bit better than previously, even though she was certain she had lost weight in her pretended unconsciousness.
Willa turned in time to see Beth slip something up her cast but didn't question the action. Slowly the two walked out of the hospital room, neither looking back at it's stark whiteness. The doctor met them in the hallway with a wheelchair, insisting Willa sit. While the prospect irritated her, the brunette conceded, silently glad when Beth took over steering as they walked down the hallway.
Dawn and three officers stood stiff and waiting as the two patients and doctor arrived at the meet spot. The officers had their guns in hand, ready to raise them as the sound of footsteps drew nearer. Through the window in the door, Willa could see Rick's face and she honestly couldn't remember ever being happier to see him. He was taking stock of what they were up against, she had no doubt about it. Dawn and Rick seemed to hold a standoff with their eyes across the way before the Lieutenant's arms uncrossed and she pressed the side of the radio on her shoulder.
"Holster your weapons." Dawn instructed with an air of finality. Willa felt Beth's cast covered hand on her shoulder and unconsciously lifted her own to touch at her fingers, silently reassuring each other that this was almost over. The officers put their guns away reluctantly as the doors opened, more officers leading the way in. Dawn stepped to the side and looked at the two girls expectantly, a gleam in her eye showing how unhappy with the situation she was.
Beth pushed the wheelchair forward slowly, keeping her eyes forward as two of the four officers currently accompanying her group crossed the hallway to join with them.
"They haven't been harmed." Rick called across. Willa watched him before turning her eyes to Daryl, his expression unreadable from this distance but just having him there, knowing that he was safe and this was ending brought a calm over her.
"Where's Lamson?" Dawn asked, confusion over only facing two of her people clearly etched into her features.
"Rotters got him." The female officer across the hall stated.
"We saw it go down." The male agreed, his expression just as unreadable as any of the others.
Somehow, Willa didn't believe them, but she wasn't about to point that out.
"I'm sorry to hear that." Dawn remarked, looking skeptical for a few seconds before nodding her acceptance. Willa glanced up at her, unsure just how convinced the Lieutenant was and a sense of unease came to her once more. "He was one of the good guys. One of yours for one of mine."
"Move." Daryl's gruff demand, quiet as it was, still crossed the hallway as he shoved the male officer forward. Willa looked up as one of the officers took the wheelchair from Beth and pushed it to the middle, Willa's bag in his hand.
The closer she got to Daryl, the more her insides become conflicted. The unease increased as the moment became filled with tension, but a sense of relief was also present as Daryl reached forward, snatching the bag and taking the wheelchair, pushing it to their friends. His hand fell onto Willa's shoulder and he squeezed it lightly, feeling his own leather beneath his palm. Willa turned in the chair as Rick brought the female officer forward, Dawn bringing Beth to the middle in time with his steps. This was the make or break moment and a sudden sense of dread came upon the brunette as she caught the blonde's eye across the way.
The female officer passed to her people and Rick put his hand behind Beth's neck, laying a soft brush of his lips to her forehead in a familiar greeting to a long lost friend. Beth passed by him to the others and Willa stood up from the chair, sick of it already. She reached out and took Beth's open hand, squeezing it slightly even as the dread remained inside. Daryl put his arm over Beth's shoulders and directed her to the others, urging both girls to start leaving.
"Glad we could work this out." Dawn spoke behind them.
"Yeah." Was Rick's only response as he turned to go with his people. Everyone was walking, ready to get as far away from the hospital as possible.
"Now I just need Noah." Dawn's voice was like ice as it loudly crossed the hall, bringing a halt to everyone there as the aforementioned man turned to look incredulously at his former "employer". Willa looked at him then back across the hall, eyes landing on Rick as he stood completely still, his figure blocking Dawn from the brunette woman's sight. "And then you can leave."
"That wasn't part of the deal." Rick pointed out, turning and moving back towards the Lieutenant. Noah and Beth moved closer as well and Willa started to walk forward but was held back by Daryl, his hand heavy on her shoulder. He didn't look at her but he gently nudged her backwards until Carol's hand replaced his, holding the younger woman in place.
"Noah was my ward." Dawn remarked, an air of certainty on her that only made the dread triple within Willa. "Beth took his place and I'm losing her so I need him back." One of the officers behind Dawn tried to speak up but was cut off by a harsh word from the commanding officer who refused to remove her gaze from the tall imposing man before her. "My officers put their lives on the line to find him. One of them died."
"He's staying." Daryl pushed his hand onto Noah's chest to keep him back as he himself moved to stand beside Rick. The two alpha males would have scared nearly anyone else with their imposing figures but Dawn seemed far beyond any of that anymore.
"He's one of mine, you have no claim on him." She insisted, her logic spurning her mentally to believe her own win in this situation.
"The boy wants to go home." Rick told the woman. "So you have no claim on him."
Willa could see the leader's hand twitch, see him reign himself back from grabbing his gun. The group had all gone on edge, ready to spring the instant any signal came from Rick. Carol continued to hold Willa back but her grip had tightened in the younger woman's shoulder. Ready to pull back or push down, it was hard to tell which one, but the moment would come for either one, of that, they could almost be certain. Willa turned her head to look at Beth, trying to catch the blonde's eye but it was a fruitless attempt, Beth was watching Dawn with that determination that made Willa's insides twist.
"Well then we don't have a deal." Dawn's statement was accompanied by the slightest twist of her head, as if she was attempting to challenge Rick.
"The deal is done!" Rick's voice rose, echoing off the sterile hallway. Noah attempted to move forward, starting to speak up to assure Rick that it was fine, that it would be okay, but Rick slapped his hand onto the younger man's chest to hold him back, not even looking away from the Lieutenant in front of him. Noah bypassed the hand and moved beside Rick, finally directed the former deputy's attention away from the woman. Noah handed over his gun, a look of somber resolve on his face.
"That's not okay." Willa spoke up, trying to move out from under Carol's hand. "You can't just go back to the woman."
"It's fine." Noah insisted, even though his face didn't match his words.
"Wait!" Beth called out, moving forward.
"Beth!" Willa lunged forward, her fingers barely catching onto the blonde's hand, causing the other woman to turn. The brunette got out from Carol's hold, her eyes darting to Daryl who was watching both women with a slight uncertainty and fear in his expression. Looking back at the blonde, Willa lowered her voice to stay between them. "Whatever you're going to do, don't."
"I got this." Beth assured her, equally as quiet. Her hand squeezed into the brunette's and a small smile came to her face."Take care of Daryl."
And just like that, her hand was escaping WIlla's grasp and the blonde was across the hall, throwing her arms around Noah in a tight hug. All eyes were back on her. Noah whispered to Beth and Dawn whispered to Noah and, while Willa couldn't see her face, something about Beth changed as the other woman slowly let go of her friend to stand square on with the Lieutenant.
"I get it now." Beth stated simply. Dawn's hand went onto her gun and Willa caught the gleam of something in Beth's hand.
It all took one single second that seemed to go in slow motion. The brunette opened her mouth, ready to call out. The blonde raised her cast covered hand, fingers holding a pair of scissors. The lieutenant tilted her gun, arm beginning to move, perhaps to counter what she might have caught from the corner of her eye. The scissors rammed into Dawn's shoulder and the finger pulled on the gun trigger.
The shot was deafening in the otherwise silent hallway. The dread erupted into a full force grief and Willa found herself falling on her knees as Beth fell to the floor, blood and brain matter out the back of her head staining the tile beneath her. The brunette's ears rang under the pressure within her own head, panic gripping onto her heart as she tried to grasp onto what had just happened. A second shot fired and Dawn's collapsing body was barely registered as the younger woman kept her eyes only on her fallen friend, willing her to be alive still.
She didn't know who did it, who pulled her to her feet, or even how they all got out of the hospital. All she knew was Daryl was in front of her, carrying Beth's lifeless body.
And then there was Maggie who Willa hadn't even comprehended until that moment, collapsed on the ground outside as she stared in anguish at her dead sister. The sound of her cries being the first noise the young woman even registered as everything around her came back into focus. Tyreese was holding her up, Carol walking at her other side, everyone, even Abraham and Rosita who didn't even know Beth, had levels of heartbreak etched into their faces. Glenn was on the ground beside Maggie, providing whatever comfort he could for his distraught wife as she sobbed. Daryl barely looked as if he could continue holding Beth in his own anguish. His arms shook under the weight but his hands were gripping tightly onto her dead body as if he wasn't about to ever let her go.
From inside the fire truck parked further away, Carl's head gazed out the window as he held his baby sister, his own tears freely flowing at the tableau set before him.
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Honestly, I had this and an alternate scene written way back after the last chapter finished but I just couldn't decide on how I wanted things to go. I'm still not over what happened in the show and I'm sad that I put it in here. I can't wait until I get Willa to meet Negan, she'll be badass by then.