This Night

Chapter 241

Author's Note: So I'm keeping Beth alive. All I can say is for now. It's up to her if she lives, so she better talk. Mika and Merle talked, Axel not so much. I didn't like Beth's death in the series, it was forced to make Daryl and Maggie moody. Daryl has family around and just lost Merle, and Jewel may or may not take Maggie's place in being moody, she did just have a baby. But Maggie still may be moody, considering Beth is going to call her out and ask her if she even asked about her. Please review.

The Exchange:

Riley helped Carol in the wheel chair. "I talked Dawn into giving you some medicine for Carol. She shouldn't really be up and about," she said.

"What did you have to promise her?" Beth asked.

"I just pointed out that it would look good to both the officers and the wards if she extended some goodwill," Riley stated. "I can still work on her guilt of killing dad," she said as she bent down. "You in to much pain Carol? I can get Dr. Edwards to give you something extra."

Carol gave a small smile. "No, I'm alright."

"For some reason I think you aren't telling me the truth. Before my mom died, she called me the human lie detector," Riley reminisces as she stood up and went to the door and opened it. "We're ready," Riley told Edwards as she held the door open so Beth could push Carol in the wheelchair.

Edwards nodded. "Riley, you should stay in your room."

Riley looked at Edwards. "Dawn said the wards had to stay in there rooms. I'm not a ward, I'm not staff, I'm just an extra. So, I'm going to be there." Riley walked with Beth and Carol and stopped as she saw a bearded man looking through the window. Riley saw Carol reach for Beth's hand and gave a small smile.

Dawn nodded to her officers to put down there weapons. She hit the button on her walkie talkie. "Holster your weapons."

Rick nodded to his group. "You too," he told the two other officers.

One of the officers opened the doors and let them walk through. "They haven't been harmed," Rick told Dawn as him and Daryl brought the two officers in front.

Dawn nodded to Beth to bring Carol forward. Riley gave Beth a smile as she pushed Carol's wheelchair. "Where's Lamson?" Dawn asked.

"Rotter's got him," Shepard answered.

"We saw it go down," the male officer answered.

Riley inched closer to Dawn by using the wall. She watched her and took a breath.

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. He was one of the good guys. One of yours for one of mine," Dawn told Rick.

Rick nodded at Daryl. "Alright, move," he told the officer.

Riley watched as Carol was exchanged for the male officer and took a breath as Dawn grabbed Beth's arm. She gave a small smile as Beth was kissed on the top of the head by bearded man and hugged by a blond girl and others. She was clearly loved.

"Glad we could work this out," Dawn said.

"Go, just go, quickly," Riley whispered to herself.

"Yeah," Rick said as he turned around to leave.

Riley took a breath as she saw Dawn's head tilt back. "Crap!" she thought to herself.

"Now I just need Noah. And then you can leave," Dawn said.

Rick turned around with the rest of the group. "That wasn't part of the deal."

Summer held onto Beth's arm as she watched them.

"Noah was my ward. Beth took his place and I'm losing her, so I need him back," Dawn said.

Riley pushed herself off the wall. "I'll take his place."

"Riley, no," Noah said.

"Riley stay out of this," Dawn told her. "My officers put their lives on the line to find him. One of them died," he said.

"No he ain't staying," Rick said. He looked at the young teen. "You're Riley right?"

Riley nodded. "Yes."

"Don't talk to her, she's not yours. Noah's one of mine, you have no claim on him," Dawn said.

Rick ignored her. "Noah said that you didn't want to be here, Riley. That your father was killed here, is that true."

Riley nodded. "Yes sir."

"I said shut up," Dawn hissed.

"Noah wants to go home, so you have no claim on him. Riley doesn't want to be here, so she can leave with us," Rick told her. "Come on Riley, you don't have to be afraid. She's not going to do anything. She's smart enough to know there's more of us then her."

Riley made a step forward as Dawn grabbed her arm. "She's not going with you. The deal is off."

Riley quickly pulled away from her. "Dawn, I said I'd take Noah's place. Let him go, let this be over. Do the right thing for once."

Dawn glared at Riley before she slapped her. "Shut up."

"Riley!" Beth screamed at her.

"Beth, no," Summer said as Joey and the others moved forward.

Riley looked at Dawn as she pulled a knife out. "They're going to walk out of here, with Noah. You're going to let them go, and I'm going to take his place."

"Riley, put it down. You aren't going to do anything, you're a coward just like your father," Dawn told her.

Riley looked at the knife then at Dawn before taking a quick step to her and stabbing her. Dawn looked stunned for a moment before discharging her weapon, making Riley fall on the floor.

"Riley!" Noah said as he stepped forward.

"Dawn!" Shepard said to get her attention.

"What is it Shepard?" Dawn asked as she turned around.

Shepard fired her weapon as she killed Dawn. "Stand down," she told the others. She looked at Rick and his group.

Beth and Noah had ran over to see if there was anything they could do for Riley. Ronnie bent down. "Shot straight through the head. I'm sorry Beth," Ronnie said.

Beth looked up at the cops. "See what you did? This is on all of you. She just wanted to leave, but she was willing to stay so Noah could be free. Rick we can't leave her here, they'll throw her down a trash shoot, to be eaten by walkers. She doesn't deserve that."

"We wouldn't do that, not to Riley," Shepard answered.

"We'll take her with us. We bury the ones we love," Summer said. "And if Beth and Noah loved her, then we all loved her."

"Riley wanted to clear out labor and delivery, and maternity. For diapers, for new born things. If you cared anything about her, then you'll do it for her," Beth said.

"And what do we get in return?" One of the male cops asked.

Shepard looked back at him. "It doesn't work that way anymore. I'll go with you, to bury her. She loved the roof top, taking care of the garden. I know we can't bury her there, but there's a place out in the old garden, we buried her father there. While we do that, two of my men will go down and get you things you need. We'll just need a list."

"I can go with them," Ronnie said.

"Not alone," Rick told her.

"I'll go," Joey said.

"Shepard, I'm not sure this is such a good idea," Franco said.

"You planning on knocking someone up Franco? We don't need anything down there, and we just let a fifteen year old girl die because none of us were brave enough to stand up to Dawn. The only thing Riley ever did was be nice to everyone she met. You're going to go down there, you're going to make sure these two get back safely with the things they need. This is on us, we were cowards, and Riley was braver then any of us," Shepard informed them. "Can one of you carry her out? I'll show you the garden and I'll stay with you until your people return. You don't need to tie me up," she said.

Daryl went over to pick her up. "Beth, we're gonna take care of her. But you're gonna have to move out of the way," he told her softly.

"Sasha, go with them. Call if you get into trouble. How many walkers are down there?" Rick asked Shepard.

"It was one of the places that was evacuated first. Riley and I would sneak down there just to get a feel for our options. One or two stray ones," Noah said. "I was just in that area a week ago, shouldn't be a problem."

Sasha nodded. "We'll meet you out there."

Daryl picked up Riley.

Summer kissed Joey as he went with Sasha and Ronnie.

Rick led the group out, Beth and Noah on either side of Daryl. Shepard was next to Rick.

Jewel handed Jes the baby as she got out of the fire truck then took her from her. "Rick!"

Rick nodded as he kissed her and touched the babies head. "They're alright."

"Bethy!" Maggie said as she started to run toward her.

"Maggie!" Beth said as she grabbed her. "Glenn," she said as she squeezed her hand. "Jewel…you had the baby. Boy or girl?" she asked as she went over and touched the babies face.

"A girl, Hope," Jewel answered. "Whose that in Daryl's arms? Joey? Ronnie, Sasha?"

"Hey they're OK," Rick said as he kissed her again. "Riley tried to help Beth and Carol, she tried to kill Dawn but Dawn killed her. Officer Shepard took Dawn out and sent two of her men to the labor and delivery and maternity wards. Sasha, Joey and Ronnie went with them."

Summer took Judith out of Lexi's arms and walked over to Beth. "Someone wants to say hello."

"Judebug!" Beth said as she took her. "My goodness look how big you got! You're a big sister now!" she said as she wiped her eyes.

"Rick, I think you and your group should stay here. I mean…you have a newborn and a toddler and children. I can promise you it'll be different," Shepard asked.

"No, we're going to take Noah home. We'll be alright," Rick said as he kissed the top of Jewel's head.

Shepard nodded as she pressed her radio button. "Franco, go to the cafeteria. Get at least five gallons of water, some canned food. Have Williams get the keys to one of the bigger vans, and two of the big gas cans. Bring some blankets and warmer clothes out of storage. Bring Riley clothes too," she said.

"Yes ma'am," Franco answered.

"You don't have to do all that," Rick told her.

"Yes I do. Riley would have wanted me too. She reminded me a lot of my little sister," Shepard answered as she went into the garden. "Dawn told us that we'd never make it out there, and Riley insisted that it had to be better then it was in there. You all have something we never had, something Riley deserved. I'm going to try to do that, and I'm going to start by doing what little I can to help you all."

"We appreciate it," Mar said as she helped Carol sit down.

"We'll need a place to stay for the night, we can't be traveling in the dark," Carl said.

"Carol and I know a place, we stay there the other night. It's cleared out. What are you guys doing back? Aren't you supposed to be headin' to Washington?" Daryl asked.

Glenn looked at Abraham then at them. "Eugene lied. There is no cure, there is no stopping this."

"So, we decided to join you all here and reunite another group of siblings. I'm David by the way, Beth, Joey's brother," he introduced.

"We have a lot of new faces, and we lost a lot of people," Mika told Beth. "I'm glad you're safe."

"I'm glad you are. You'll tell me all about your adventures tonight," Beth told Mika. "I'm going to say goodbye to Riley," she said as Ty and Daryl dug the hole.

Author's Note: Grady is done! I'll pick up the next chapter with them all reuniting and talking then off to find Alexandria!