This Night

Chapter 226

Author's Note: I'm really excited to get closer to Alexandria. I know I have a bit of a ways to go in writing ways, but we're closer! I'm trying to think of a new name (as it went from Sweet Dreams to This Night after the prison attack) when they get to Alexandria. Though I was hoping season 6 was going to give me a bit of action reprieve, but man no such luck. But Jewel and Rick will get some Jick's loving! Guaranteed! Though Jewel may just punch Gabriel if she overhears what he says to Deanna. Jewel just got overly excited about that….oh boy now I have to let her do it! Review please.

Day 4 Grady Memorial

Riley kept quiet behind a pole on the roof listening to Edwards talk with Beth. She knew he wouldn't tell Dawn that she was up here but she liked to listen to people talk.

"We lost people. That was the problem. Hanson cracked. He made some calls that got people killed. Dawn took care of things. She took care of him. She saw us past it," Edwards told Beth.

Riley came out of the shadows. "She killed him. No one knew how to survive this at the beginning, no one had a handbook. Dad made mistakes, people died. But the one thing dad didn't do, that he wouldn't do, was to turn a blind eye like Dawn does to what's going on here."

"Riley, he was your dad, I understand that you want to believe he did no wrong. But he did. Dawn kept us together, kept us alive," Edwards told her.

Beth looked at him. "You call this living?" she asked.

Edwards chuckled. "We're still breathing. Patients we brought here, they're still breathing. Outside these walls, alone, unprotected, they'd be dead. We'd be dead. We're not the ones who make it. As bad as it gets, it's still better than down there," he told her. "Do you think Riley would make it out there?"

Beth looked at Riley. "I think she's stronger then you give her credit for. I think your stronger then you give yourself credit for. I should get back," Beth said.

"How about you look in on Mr. Trevett and call it a day? He's stable, due for another 75mg of Clozapine. And tomorrow we'll start fresh," Edwards told her.

"Ok," Beth said.

"I'll see you later, my beans need watering," Riley said as she watched Beth leave. "My dad was a good cop, you know? Before this? He was a good dad. You all can say that he made mistakes, but we are still making them. Every time Dawn decides NOT to save someone, she's playing God. And, you're helping her. At the end of the day, I'm still a girl whose living with the woman who killed my dad. I'm still a girl who needs her dad, and he isn't here. Can you go back to your office and leave me with my beans? I need to water them and it would be a waste of tears if I cried in my room," she said as she watched Edwards leave.

Day 4, at night:

Riley walked the hall way and saw Dawn come out of Beth's room. "Riley? What are you doing down here?"

"I was bringing Beth some books. I heard what happened, with Mr. Trevett, and thought she could use something to take her mind off it. It's kind of nice to have someone near my age to talk to," Riley told her.

"I guess it is hard for you, being around all us adults for so long," Dawn told her. "Alright, I'll see you in the morning," she said as she walked away.

Riley watched Dawn walk down the hallway and stuck out her tongue at her before knocking on Beth's door. "Beth," she said as she came in. "Can I come in?"

"Yes. You know what happened?" Beth asked.

"I heard. Edwards told you the wrong medicine, huh? Noah took the blame for you? Dawn figured it out didn't she? Noah's a horrible liar," Riley said as she sat down her bag. "Here I brought these, don't worry, Dawn won't know. It's from the garden," she told her as she handed her a couple tomatoes. "What happened to your dad? You said he died?"

"He was killed, by a bad man. We had a home, a prison," Beth said.

"Like this?" Riley asked.

"No, it was a real prison, but it was home. We took people in, everyone had jobs, but it wasn't like this. Judy was born there, and we were all looking forward to Jewel having the baby. Summer, Carol, Maggie, Mar, and me, we were planning a make shift baby shower. Jewel didn't know anything about it. Every time Maggie, that's my sister, and Glenn would go out on a run, or anyone, they'd pick up little things. We were a family. Out of the bad, we made it good. But there was this man who called himself the Governor and he attacked the prison, he killed my father and we all got separated. I was with Daryl, Jewel's brother, and Axel. Daryl acts like a big old grump but he's a teddy bear. He takes losses real hard," Beth told her.

"Do you think they all made it?" Riley asked.

Beth nodded. "I do. They're strong, just like I am. Just like you are," she told her.

"I envy you and Noah, you have people out there, family," Riley said. "People who miss you, people who think about you."

"You said you had grandparents, that you're dad wanted to take you there," Beth reminded her.

"I haven't seen them since I was two, but you guys, that's real," Riley said as she took something out of her bag. "This is a map…of the hospital. I was thinking, cause you said you had a baby and soon to be baby in your group, that you'd need things from the maternity ward. It was one of the first places evacuated, but it should have baby things. No one ever went down there, if I could get down there, get some things for you. Should only be a few walkers' down there, I can handle them," she told her.

"You're not going to go down there by yourself," Beth told her.

"You should go check on Noah, I need to get back. If you and Noah get a chance to run, run. Just don't forget about me alright?" Riley asked.

"Never," Beth assured her.

Day 5:

Riley stepped out in the hall way. "Amanda? Did you bring Beth back?" she asked the one officer that she actually liked.

Shepard glanced at her and took her into a room. "Noah escaped."

"You could have let Beth escape. You could have. You know Dawn is wrong, about all this," Riley told her.

"I wasn't alone," Shepard told her. "You knew about the plan didn't you? My God, Riley if Dawn finds out. Did you know that Joan turned and killed Gorman?" she asked.

"No, I didn't. You aren't sad about it, anymore then I am," Riley told her. "You aren't going to tell Dawn. You and I both know that Dawn doesn't see either one of us as threats," Riley said. "Where is Beth now?"

"In Dawn's office," Shepard told her. "Don't. You go in there now, and you're going to raise suspicions. Just wait, you can check on Beth later."

"If Dawn doesn't kill her," Riley said as she left the room.

Day 5 at night:

Riley gave a faint smile as Beth woke up. "Dawn got you pretty good huh? Dr. Edwards wanted me to sit with you, not let you fall back asleep when you woke up. Dawn's locked herself in her office. Here, Edwards told me to give you these. I looked it up in one of his medical books, made sure it was the right medicine," she told her as she poured her some water.

"I'm sorry we didn't come to get you," Beth said as she swallowed them.

"Noah got out, I told you to take the chance if you had it. If you hadn't both of you would have still been in here, and we'll try again. You and me, we will try again. I'm not going to give up. You aren't either are you? You aren't that type of person," she told her.

"You're right, we're not going to give up," Beth told her.

Author's Note: I'm going to go out of order in the next chapter only because I want Daryl to find out about Merle dang it! Then I'll get to Eugene's lie. Review please.