Brady's eyes widened as she sat up, her heart beating faster as she looked around the empty church. For a moment, she panicked, wondering where everyone had gone. But then she saw Tyrese sitting in the corner of the room with Judith on his lap, and she felt a wave of relief wash over her.
She rubbed her eyes, feeling well-rested for the first time in what felt like weeks. Her mind felt clearer than it had in a long time, and she couldn't help but wonder if it was because she had finally been able to sleep uninterrupted. She let out a small chuckle as she realized she had been drooling in her sleep and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
"Hey," Tyrese said, looking up from Judith as Brady stood up. "How'd you sleep?"
"Pretty good, actually," Brady replied, stretching her arms above her head. "Where is everyone?"
Tyrese nodded towards the door. "They went to scavenge for supplies. They should be back soon, though." He looked down at Judith and brushed a strand of hair away from her forehead. "She's been keeping me company."
"You're good with her."
Tyrese chuckled. "I have some experience with kids. My little sister used to be a handful." He looked up at Brady. She had forgotten how infectious his smile was and couldn't help but smile back.
"Do you mind if I hold her for a bit? I haven't gotten to say hello properly since before the prison."
"Sure thing," Tyrese said, carefully handing Judith over to Brady. "She's been missing you, I think."
Brady cradled Judith in her arms, feeling a wave of emotions wash over her. She had missed the feeling of holding a baby in her arms, the sense of warmth and innocence that came with it. She looked down at Judith's bright blue eyes and smiled, feeling a sense of hope. Oh, how she missed this little rugrat. She kissed the top of her head bouncing her on her hip. "Hello, rugrat."
"Is it just us around?" She asked, she would have been annoyed about being left behind if the little bundle of joy wasn't with her.
"Carl is too. But I think Carl wanted to give you some space." He explained. He noticed how she smiled and it made him genuinely happy to see. She'd been sulking around too much the past week, he wasn't sure what had happened, most of them weren't.
Brady crinkled her nose at the thought of Carl, feeling guilty for how she had treated him. "Do you happen to know where he is?" she asked Tyrese, even as she made silly faces at Judith, eliciting a sweet, innocent giggle from the little girl.
"Sure, he's just outside," Tyrese said, gently taking Judith back from Brady's arms. He cradled her close and smiled at her, eliciting another happy gurgle from the baby. "I think he's been keeping watch."
Brady nodded, feeling grateful for Carl's presence even if she had been avoiding him lately. She made a mental note to talk to him and make things right between them. "Thanks, Tyrese. I should go find him."
Tyrese gave her a small smile. "Take your time, we're not going anywhere." He turned and walked towards the pews, settling down with Judith in his arms. Brady watched him for a moment before making her way outside, steeling herself for the conversation she knew she needed to have with Carl.
She spotted Carl outside, examining the side of the church. "Hey, Carl," she greeted him as she approached.
"Oh, you're finally up, sleepyhead," he teased. Brady was a little surprised by his playful tone; wasn't he supposed to be upset with her?
"Um, yeah," she said, feeling a bit uneasy. "I just wanted to apologize for earlier. I shouldn't have gotten so upset."
"It's all good," Carl replied with a shrug. "We can just agree to disagree, right?"
Brady was relieved at his response. She had been dreading this conversation all day, but it seemed like Carl was willing to let it go. "Thanks," she said, offering him a small smile.
"So... What's so interesting about the wall? I don't think staring at it's going to make it talk to you," she chuckled lightly, hoping to lighten the serious look on his face.
Carl turned to her and pointed to some scratches on the wall. "Do you see these scratches here? Like someone was trying to get in?" Brady squinted and saw the scratches around a windowsill. Her brows furrowed at what this could mean.
"And this," Carl continued around the corner, pointing to a message etched into the wall: 'You'll burn for this'. It made her skin crawl. They gave each other a look, knowing that this had to do with Gabriel. What was he hiding?
"Good detective work," Brady tried to force a smile, but her mood dropped. It seemed like they couldn't catch a break. "Show your dad when he gets back. I-I'm going to go see Judith some more." She knew that spending time with the little girl would be a good distraction.
Later that evening:
The scavenging group had struck gold, discovering a stash of food that would sustain them for quite some time. That night, they indulged in a feast, well a feast of canned goods, with Gabriel even bringing out the communion wine. The deep red liquid flowed smoothly down Brady's throat, warming her from the inside out. It had been so long since she had tasted alcohol, and the familiar buzz that followed made her feel alive again. She took her time sipping on the wine, enjoying the sweet taste and the warmth it brought to her body.
Despite the merriment, there were still moments of sorrow as she looked around the room, wishing her dad had made it with them. But for the night, she pushed those feelings aside, determined to enjoy the company of her friends and the comfort of the wine. She spent the evening catching up with everyone, making an effort to be present and engaged.
As the night went on, Brady found herself fully immersed in the company of her friends and fellow survivors. Carl shared a personal story about his dislike for wine which he tried in front of his mother. She chatted up Bob, Sasha, and Tyrese, the later two mainly listened attentively, as she and Bob engaged in a lively debate over who was the true hero of Lord of the Rings. Bob said it was Sam but Brady wasn't convinced saying it will always be Frodo. He was after all the one who bore most of the hardship. Despite the seriousness of their situation, everyone seemed to be enjoying the light-hearted moments, laughing and joking together.
Brady also took the opportunity to apologize to Michonne, whom she felt she had been neglecting lately. She made an effort to properly introduce herself to the new arrivals, Tara, Eugene, and Abraham, although she couldn't quite remember the name of the last person. She even playfully put Glenn and Maggie in headlocks, calling them her amigos. She really was feeling like her old self tonight.
As the night wore on, Brady was almost finished her glass of wine and made her way over to Rick and Judith. She wanted to explain why she had been avoiding him lately. Looking up at him, she couldn't help but notice the striking resemblance between Rick's piercing blue eyes and her father's.
"Hey," she addressed Rick while looking at Judith.
"Enjoying your night?" He asked back.
Brady blushed a little, "I am." She got the courage to look up at him and he was looking back at her. Oh, his blue eyes looked so much like her father's it hurt a little.
"Sorry, I've been avoiding you," there was a small pause.
"Are you upset with me because of what happened?" He wasn't going to bring it up until she did, but he felt extremely guilty not getting her dad out alive.
"What?!" Mad? No, she wasn't mad. "It's just... it's hard seeing you sometimes, Rick," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "You look so much like him, and it's like a punch in the gut every time I see you."
Rick's expression softened, and he shifted Judith in his lap, making room for Brady to sit next to him. She hesitated for a moment before sitting down, feeling both grateful and nervous.
"I understand," Rick said, his voice gentle. "And I'm sorry. I wish I could have done more to save your dad."
Brady's eyes filled with tears, and she looked away, not wanting to cry tonight. She sniffled and took her last sip of her wine, hoping it would calm her nerves.
"It's not your fault," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I know that. I just... I miss him so much."
"I know," Rick said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
Judith started to fuss, and Brady couldn't resist offering to take her in her arms. "May I?" she asked, reaching out to the little girl. Rick nodded, and Brady lifted Judith onto her hip. Despite feeling the effects of the wine, Brady was steady on her feet and confident in her ability to soothe the baby.
"What's bugging you, Judy?" she cooed, bouncing the little girl gently. But Judith continued to fuss, and Brady knew she had to step up her game. "Oh, I know what you need," she said, determined to make the baby smile.
Standing up with Judith on her hip, Brady began to sway in a slow, exaggerated dance. She pretended they were at a ball and twirled with the baby in her arms. Judith's cries started to subside, and Brady felt a sense of pride wash over her. She even started singing a silly tune, "ba-da-da-da-dum-dum," and gave Judith a little dip that made her squeal with delight.
Brady felt a sense of relief as she handed Judith back to Rick, feeling grateful for the distraction the little girl had provided. The applause from Maggie and Daryl made her feel a little embarrassed but also pleased that she had managed to calm Judith down.
As she made her way back to her seat, she noticed that Daryl had been talking to Carol for most of the night. She took a seat next to him and leaned over to take a sip from his glass of wine.
"Think you've had enough of this," she said, taking yet another sip from his glass.
Daryl grinned and shook his head. "I ain't the one putting on a show," he retorted, gesturing towards Brady.
She rolled her eyes and laughed. "Yeah, but that's just me being my charming self," she joked, playfully nudging him with her elbow.
After taking another sip of Daryl's wine, he noticed Brady's cheeks were flushed and she seemed to be on the verge of getting tipsy. He smiled and took back his glass, gently teasing, "I think that's enough for you."
"That's my line," Brady pouted playfully but wasn't really bothered. Deep down, she knew Daryl was probably right, and it was for the best anyway. She surveyed the area, feeling a sense of contentment. Everyone was happy and smiling, and the atmosphere was relaxed and pleasant. She noticed Judith feeding Rick, which was an adorable sight that brought a smile to her face.
Brady rested her head against Daryl's shoulder. She knew she was being a bit clingy, especially at her age, but she didn't care. It was just so comfortable and safe with him. And he didn't seem to mind either, he let her.
Abraham's voice filled the room, commanding attention as he raised his glass to make a toast. The clink of the glass echoed through the silent room, as everyone sat down, waiting to hear what he had to say.
"I look around this room," he started the only one standing, " and I see survivors. Each and every one of you has earned that title."
Brady felt herself bite her lip, trying to stifle the wave of emotions threatening to overtake her. She took a breath, she wasn't going to ponder on it tonight. She could tell that everyone else was lost in thought as well, no doubt reflecting on the journey that had brought them all to this point.
"To the survivors," Abraham lifted up his glass, and everyone followed suit, the sound of "cheers" echoing throughout the room.
But then Abraham's tone shifted, his words more serious as he challenged them all. "Is that all you want to be? Wake up in the morning, fight the undead pricks, forage for food, go to sleep at night with two eyes open, rinse and repeat?"
His piercing gaze met everyone's eyes, and Brady could feel the weight of his words sink in. They were survivors, but was that all they wanted to be? The question lingered in the air, a haunting reminder of the harsh reality they lived in. No, it wasn't but what other options were there?
"You can do that," he continued, "I mean, you got the strength. You got the skill. Thing is, for you people, for what you can do, that just surrender."
Abraham's words sent a chill down Brady's spine. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Surrender? That wasn't in her vocabulary, especially not after everything they had been through.
Brady stiffened, wondering where Abraham was going with this. What happened to they were survivors, survivors don't surrender. But Abraham seemed to have a plan, a plan that could potentially save them all. He continued with conviction, "Now, we get Eugene to Washington and he will make the dead die and the living will have this world again. And that is not a bad takeaway for a little road trip."
Brady wasn't sure she believed in this plan or Eugene, but others around the room seemed hopeful, she was skeptical.
Even Rick chuckled, good she wasn't the only one. Judith cooed on his lap.
"What's that?" He asked his daughter, " I think she knows what I am about to say. She's in. If she's in. I'm in."
Brady hadn't expected that from him but chose to trust him, trusted to go where her family went no matter where that was.