All Nightmare Long

Chapter 537

Author's Note: I will finish this episode with this chapter. I want all my babies fighting Negan! Please review.

Lyndie Greenwood as Abby

Oceanside:

Natania sat inside her house with Kathy, Beatrice, Billie, and her granddaughters Cyndie and Abby. "This is a decision not to be taking lightly," Natania said.

"We agreed to kill strangers on site, why are we even discussing this?" Abby questioned her grandmother.

"Because mom would have," Cyndie told her older sister.

"Mom's dead, so is our brother, so are your husband's Beatrice and Billy. So is mine, and because of that horror that day, I lost my baby. So, I'm sorry, if I am against bringing new people in," Abby said.

"Tara and Quinn didn't kill them," Billie told her.

"We could offer them to stay here," Beatrice offered.

"You're agreeing to this?" Abby questioned.

"Quinn said she had kids, she could be lying about it," Kathy said.

"She isn't. The way she spoke, that's not something you can fake," Billie said.

"Kathy, you and Billie go get them, bring them back here, we'll discuss it over dinner," Natania ordered.

"I'm going to eat in my room," Abby stated as she turned to go.

"What you are going to do is sit down here and eat with the rest of us," Natania told her. "Your sister risked her life to save Tara."

"She shouldn't have, and Billie shouldn't have either. After everything that we lost, we shouldn't take chances," Abby told her grandmother.

"Sit down and put on a smile, get to know them, they may surprise you," Natania ordered.

"I doubt that," Abby grumbled as she sat down and looked at the door as Billie and Kathy brought the two women in and undid there handcuffs.

Quinn and Tara glanced at each other as the handcuffs were taken off.

"I hope you like fish," Natania said from the kitchen.

"Uh the dried kind?" Tara asked.

"She brought you salted Perk. Did you like it?" Natania asked.

"It was food," Quinn answered as she sat down beside Tara.

"Sure," Tara answered with a small fake smile.

"No you didn't," Natania said with a laugh. "Quinn at least stated the truth, it was food."

"Not so much," Tara admitted.

"We're having stew," Cyndie said as she came to the table.

"That's right, you haven't properly met. Quinn, Tara this is Cyndie," Natania said. "Abby come help me in the kitchen."

"Hey, thank you for the beach and everything out there, I mean you saved my life, both of our lives. You and Billie," Tara rambled. "You did, I mean I don't know if your grandmother totally approves."

Cyndie laughed. "My mom would have. She showed me the way, a way, I was trying to show Rachel," she said.

"The little girl?" Tara asked.

"Yeah, she hasn't had to do it yet, neither has Ruthie," Cyndie said as Billie came back into the room.

"We're hoping it stays that way for a very long time," Billie said.

"Have you had to do it?" Tara asked.

"Either one of you?" Quinn added.

"I'm a very good shot," Cyndie answered.

"Yes you are," Natania said as she kissed the top of Cyndie's head. "Let's eat."

"I don't think anyone can survive this long without doing it," Billie answered.

"I don't think we met," Quinn said to Abby who was glaring at her and Tara.

"This is my oldest granddaughter, Abby, Cyndie's sister. Let's talk," Natania told them.

They all watched as Quinn and Tara shoveled down there food.

"When was the last time you two ate?" Beatrice asked.

"Do soy sauce package count as food?" Tara asked.

"Or dried mustard," Quinn added.

"Well we have an endless supply of fish here, one of the perks of living so close to the ocean. You think, Tara and Quinn, it's something you could get used too?" Natania asked. "I'm hoping to convince you both to stay."

"Wait what?" Tara asked raising her head.

"You were just about ready to kill us, and now you want us to stay?" Quinn asked.

"That can still be arranged, killing you," Abby said as she crossed her arms.

"Abby," Natania scolded. "Why not? It would be the perfect solution to our problem. We keep our village a secret and you'd get to put down roots. You're a skilled fighter Tara and a good person, I can tell that. You wouldn't be leaving anything behind. Quinn, I know you said you have daughters, you could bring them here. You're smart, poised like a politician, but you listen, you'd be a good addition. And if you want, we could help you find your friend and if he wants to stay we can will offer him a home too," she told them.

Quinn looked at Tara, taking a breath. "He could stay here?" Tara asked, trying to ignore Quinn's glare.

"Is there a reason why not?" Natania asked.

"Well, yeah, Tara and I have noticed the lack of men," Quinn responded cutting off Tara.

"Yeah, I'd never thought I'd be asking this, but where are all the men?" Tara asked as the women around the table all looked down not meeting glances. "All of them?"

"We got into a skirmish with another group, none of them made it. And we lost others too. Cyndie and Abby had an 11 year old brother, my grandson, and their mother too, my daughter. Abby lost her husband, miscarried due to the stress. After that, we decided to protect ourselves no matter what, no matter who we crossed we would kill on site. We left our old home with just the clothes on our backs and then we found this place. We would stay hidden, and we would stay alive. You both could have hurt us, but you didn't. I know we must sound like monsters to you, but I had to be honest so maybe you could understand why we do it. Maybe you could consider staying, and maybe you could be honest with us about where you're from," Natania told them.

"I was telling you the truth," Tara told her as she glanced at Quinn.

"Really? You said you worked on a fishing boat, a larder," Natania told them.

"Yeah that's right," Tara said.

"Tara a larder is a room used for storing meat," Natania told her.

"Yeah, I was totally lying," Tara admitted as Natania gave a small laugh.

"We did the same thing you are trying to do, protect our people. You're right, I act like a politician, my mother was one, grew up watching her, admiring her and lost her and my dad and one of my brothers in just a few days of each other, and when they died, I became 1/3rd leader of our community," Quinn explained. "I understand what it means to protect people, believe me."

"We live in a community, and that's really what it is," Tara said.

"Tara didn't lie about coming from Georgia, her and her group was found by our scouts, about two months or so. And she's right, it is a community, a home," Quinn informed them.

"We live with each other, we help each other. We have walls, houses, I have a girlfriend that I want to get back too. Quinn has a boyfriend and her kids, she wants to get back too. And we've done things, just like you," Tara said as she sighed and looked at Quinn. "There were these people, they were threatening us. We found out they were using an old satellite station to operate out of, we went out there in the middle of the night and we took them out. Every one of them. These people got what they deserved. They chose to kill and terrorize people but that's not why we killed them. We didn't do it to make the world a better place, we did it because we wanted to stay alive, just like you."

"We did what we had to do to protect the ones we love, to make sure that they live another day. Before Tara and her group came, we wouldn't have fought. My mother wouldn't have, we wouldn't have been prepared. And what happened to you, it could have happened to us, maybe even worse," Quinn responded.

"I know you think that the two of us staying is the only solution, but how's this for brainstorming? Maybe our groups can start working together," Tara said.

"We just told you that we don't want anyone to know about this place," Kathy reminded them.

"It doesn't work like that, keeping yourself in a tight little bubble, not letting people help you," Quinn responded.

"She's right, you can't live like that forever," Tara told her.

"I think we can," Natania said.

"Look I get why you're doing it, but if you keep seeing everyone as the enemy, then enemies are all you're going to find," Tara stated. "Sooner or later, you're going to need a friend," Tara said.

"And you can start right here, with the two of us," Quinn offered.

"We can protect each other," Cyndie told the group.

"Until they decide that they want something we aren't going to want to give," Abby said.

"Then we don't take it," Quinn told her.

"We'd be safer than we are," Cyndie said as Natania held up her hand.

"Alright, we could send a guide out with them, help them look for her friend, and then continue on to their community. Just…just to see what it's like," Natania offered.

"Yeah, I'll do it," Beatrice said.

"I want to go with her," Cyndie added.

"Absolutely not. You left without leaving a routing plan, without signing with the gate. Cyndie, I thought we were through with all this," Natania said.

"We are," Cyndie said.

"You will be staying behind the fence until you learn some responsibility. If this works out, they'll be plenty of other chances, and if it doesn't, I don't want you there," Natania told her.

"They're will be other chances," Tara told her. "Are you sure there isn't a fishing boat called a larter because I'm pretty sure," she offered.

"There isn't," Natania answered.

"Once you get to know her, you'll love her sense of humor," Quinn assured them.

Author's Note: Well I planned on finishing this, but it got way wordy. So I'm going to work in the ending with another chapter, while finishing up the other episode.