Hey everyone! Here's chapter 9 of Second Chances! I'm really working on getting updates out regularly, but I'm still trying to get my life together! Anyways, I hope you guys like the chapter! Please review! Disclaimer~ I only own my OC's, I do not own TWD!
After the standoff between these men and her group, Piper found herself back in the room from before, but this time she wasn't tied up or blindfolded. She and Glenn were waiting for the boss to come talk to them.
When she heard the creak of the door, Piper couldn't help but cringe and huddle close to Glenn, who put an arm around her protectively despite his own fears. The man who entered was a shorter Mexican man who wore a white wife beater and a dark jacket with his hair slicked back and a thick chain around his neck.
Piper trembled with fear as the strange man approached them. Glenn pulled her closer and she could feel him shaking as well as he led them further away from the man.
"Easy, I'm not gonna hurt you. I just want to talk." He said with a noticeable accent as he raised his hands up to show he was unarmed. Piper felt herself relax slightly, but was still tense as Glenn swallowed loudly.
"W-what do you want?" He asked nervously. The man shook his head and sat in an empty chair, gesturing for them to do the same. When they just stared, he shrugged his shoulders and leaned back in the chair.
"I just want to make sure you aren't going to hurt any of my people." He said simply. Piper and Glenn sent him a confused look.
"But you're the ones keeping us hostage…" Piper started. The man shook his head and cut her off.
"That was a misunderstanding. We don't want to hurt nobody. We just want to protect our own. Come on, I'll show you what I mean." He led the pair out of the room and down the hall into a large lobby like area where a dozen elderly people were sitting. Some were reading books while others talked to each other. A few were lying in reclining chairs, fast asleep.
"We're in a nursing home?" Piper asked. The man nodded his head and gestured to the people in front of him.
"These people were left to die. We couldn't just leave them so we boarded up the place, made it safe. We needed those guns to keep them safe. Your buddies are gonna be back. Hopefully it won't turn violent."
"Just let us go. We can go talk to them and then no one will have to get hurt. Hell, Rick will probably give you some guns if you tell him what you're doing here!" Glenn tried to persuade the man, but he just shook his head.
"Sorry man, but for right now you two are our bargaining chips." The two sighed in defeat and decided to make the most of their freedom. Glenn went over to an old man playing chess while Piper sat near a window, hoping that the others would get there soon and that they'd all be able to go back to the quarry in one piece.
Several hours passed before the man that led them to the lobby was called out. A few tense minutes passed along with many nervous glances between herself and Glenn before the door opened again and the man entered, with Rick, Daryl and T-Dog following behind him as well as the man who tied them up and the kid from the alley.
Rick quickly pulled the leader away while Piper quickly rose from her seat and ran over to Daryl and T-Dog.
"You alright girl?" T-Dog asked as he looked her over for injuries. Piper nodded her head and placed herself between the two men. Glenn walked over to Rick and the leader, listening in on whatever discussion they were having.
"Told ya not ta bite off more'n you can chew." Daryl said quietly and with a small smirk as he glanced down at the girl beside him.
She sent him a glare and bumped his shoulder with hers, turning her attention to the two leaders as they approached. Rick pulled out a couple guns and a box of ammo, handing them off to the man. Daryl shook his head in frustration and led the group out.
When they were clear of the building, Daryl took the opportunity to speak up.
"We need those guns. Don't make no sense to be handin' em out to every sob story we hear." Rick sighed and turned to face him.
"They needed them more than we do. We have more than enough to bolster our supply at camp. I only gave them a few. Just enough to get by for now."
They approached the spot where they had left the van, only to find the space vacant. "Umm, guys? Please tell me you moved the van while Glenn and I were gone…" Piper asked nervously. When no one answered, she groaned in frustration.
"Who would steal the van?" T-Dog asked as he paced in front of them.
"Merle." Daryl answered immediately. "And if it is, he'll be headed back to camp with a vengeance." Piper tensed as she thought about her mom. But surely he wouldn't hurt them would he?
Daryl, as if reading her mind turned to her. "Don't worry 'bout your mom or Bailey. He won't hurt 'em. Never was one for hurtin' women and children." Piper nodded, reassured by Daryl's word, but still worried for the other members of camp.
Without another word, the small group began jogging back; desperately hoping that everything and everyone would be in one piece when they got there.
Night came with still no sign of the missing members of the group. Everyone had been tense and nervous throughout the day, but relaxed as everyone gathered around the fire for the fish dinner.
The fire crackled as the fish was passed around, people laughing and joking as they felt somewhat peaceful for the first time in a long time.
Baily sat in Shane's lap with Claudia seated next to them. She was pleased that Shane was so patient with her granddaughter. The little girl was currently making him de-bone her fish for her so she could eat it. When she had asked him, he huffed in mock annoyance and mumbled about the 'little princess' which caused the little girl to giggle.
After a few comments about Dale's watch, Amy rose from her seat and started to walk away.
"Where are you going?" Andrea asked worriedly. Amy rolled her eyes and turned to face her sister.
"Going to pee geez, try to be discreet around here." The group laughed and Bailey bounced on Shane's lap to get his attention.
"I gotsa go potty too!" She cried out desperately. Amy heard the little girl and walked back to the fire. "Well, I guess you'll be my potty buddy then huh?" She asked the little girl with a smile as she lifted her and balanced her on her hip, walking them into the RV.
The babble continued around the fire for a few minutes before they heard the RV door open again. They turned to see Bailey hopping down the steps and Amy leaning against the open door.
"We're out of toilet paper?" She asked incredulously. Out of nowhere, Bailey let out a blood curdling scream and Amy felt an arm grab her shoulder and turned to see a walker ripping into the flesh of her arm. Bailey ran up to her and pulled her free hand, trying to help her, but Amy just screamed in pain and shoved the little girl away. "Run Bailey!" She screamed as she fought the walker, which was now taking a bite out of her neck.
The camp erupted in chaos in a matter of seconds. Everyone jumped from their chairs around the fire, pulling loved ones close and desperately fighting the horde of walkers that were now attacking them.
Lori and Carol gathered Carl and Sophia, following closely behind Shane. Claudia was trying to reach Bailey and saw, as the little girl whimpered in fear, four walkers crowded around her. Claudia picked up a stray baseball bat and ran up behind the flocking walkers. She took a deep breath in and swung, cracking the bat soundly against the first walker's head. The decaying woman fell to the ground dead while the other three turned their attention to the woman.
She backed up slowly, drawing them away from Bailey. When the little girl whimpered and tried to follow, Claudia gave her a stern look. "Don't you follow me baby, you go to Shane right now okay? Grandma loves you sweetheart. Tell mommy I love her too okay? You'll be okay." Tears flooded down both their cheeks as the little girl reluctantly turned to race to Shane and Claudia turned her attention back to the walkers, which now numbered seven.
She refused to go down without a fight, and fight she did. She continued swinging the bat as she heard the screams of the dying people from the camp as well as the shuffling and groaning from the invaders.
Claudia felt arms grasp her shoulders, and turned to see the rotting face of a woman growled as she sunk her teeth deeply into her shoulder. She cried out in pain as she desperately tried to pry the walker off of her. The others began closing in, clawing and biting at her arms. She never stopped fighting the grasping hands and she heard gunshots from nearby. She felt the arms and teeth drop away from her and she collapsed to the ground in pain as more gunshots rang out.
She looked around and saw Rick and T-Dog next to her as they kept the approaching walkers away from her. She looked further and saw Daryl and Piper standing back to back shooting walkers while Glenn ran up from behind them and sliced into a walker's head with his machete.
After all the walkers were taken care of, silence rang through camp except for the desperate cries of the mourning families. Piper desperately searched for her mother and Bailey. She found Bailey balanced on Shane's hip, crying loudly as she buried her face in his chest. She ran up to the two and pulled the little girl into her arms, hugging her tightly and thanking God that she was okay.
"Oh sweetie, I'm so glad you're okay. They didn't bite or scratch you did they honey?" Piper ran her hands all over the little girl, searching for any injuries, but found nothing but dried blood that must have come from somebody else. The little girl was still bawling, clinging desperately to Piper's shirt.
"Honey, it's okay. You're safe." Piper cooed to the little girl. Bailey shook her head and hiccupped as she tried to form words. Piper rubbed her back soothingly as she patiently waited to hear what the little girl had to say.
"Gamma… she said she wuvs us…" She said quietly. Piper felt her blood run cold. Shane came up behind her and gripped her shoulder gently. She stood up and picked up Bailey, handing her to Shane as her eyes combed the camp for her mother.
"Mom?" She called, tears building up in her eyes. "MOM!" She screamed as she still failed to find her.
"Piper." She heard a soft voice call out. She whipped her head around and found her. Lying on the ground, covered in gaping wounds and blood was her sweet, loving mother. She covered her mouth with her free hand, dropping her pistol from her other. She sprinted up to her mother's side, crouching and taking her right hand in both of hers as tears poured down her cheeks.
"Mom! Oh my god mom… I'm so sorry. We should have gotten back sooner… Oh god…" Piper choked back a sob as she stroked the side of her mother's face.
"Baby, this is not your fault. Do you understand? You had nothing to do with this." Piper shook her head as she shook with her sadness.
Claudia patted her daughter's cheek weakly, causing the woman to look up at her. "You need to be strong, Piper. That little girl needs you. She needs a mother in all this. Now I know you can do this. You love her like she was your own child. I love you so much and I am so proud." Piper couldn't control her sobs as she listened to her mother's words. "You know there is nothing to be done for me. I don't want to suffer through this." Piper couldn't believe what she was hearing and started to protest.
"Don't you dare argue with me on this, Piper." Her mother coughed as she scolded her. She turned to Rick and T-Dog, who had returned after checking with the rest of the group. "Rick," He turned when he heard his name. "I need you to help me okay?" He tentatively nodded his head as he waited to hear what the woman wanted.
"I need you to help me out into the woods. I'll do it myself but I won't be able to walk through the woods like this." At this Piper lost it.
"You are not going anywhere Mom, do you hear me? We're going to go to the CDC and get you help. Maybe they can cure this. I can't lose you Mom, not now." She sniffed as she tried to wipe the tears from her cheeks, only for more to replace them.
Claudia stroked her daughter's cheek. She knew this wasn't going to be easy. Piper didn't know if her brother and sister-in-law were still alive. But she knew that Piper would make it. She was strong and she would take care of Bailey if it was the last thing she did. She looked up and made eye contact with Rick and nodded, signaling that she was ready. When he tried to lift her, Piper panicked and slapped his hands away.
Rick pulled back and watched her sadly as she cradled her mother's head in her lap as she cried.
"Piper, you have to stop. It hurts, so much. I just want it to end." Tears streaked down Claudia's cheeks as she clenched her teeth in pain.
"I know Mom. I-I'm so sorry." Claudia grasped her daughter's hands and gave them a reassuring squeeze.
Rick, deciding this might be his only chance, slowly walked forward and lifted the woman into his arms, his heart breaking as she whimpered in pain. Behind them, Shane handed Bailey to Lori and walked up to them.
"What's goin' on man?" He asked as he finally saw the injured woman for the first time. "Aw shit…" His heart clenched as he took in her injuries, knowing there was nothing he could do for her. He watched as Piper walked over to where her pistol lay in the dust and picked it up, dusting it off and putting it in the waistband of her pants. She then followed Rick as he took her mother into the woods.
"Are you sure you don't want to say goodbye to everyone?" Rick asked solemnly as he gently laid Claudia down on a soft bed of moss.
She shook her head sadly as she adjusted herself to a more comfortable position. "I've said goodbye to Bailey and Piper is here. I don't want anyone else to see me like this." Rick nodded in understanding. Piper approached from behind.
"You can go Rick. I'll take care of it." She said sternly, but the sternness was lost when he saw the tears still pouring down her cheeks.
"Piper-" He tried to argue but she cut him off with a look.
"She's my mother. You go back and comfort your family, I'm sure they're upset." Rick hesitated, but saw Claudia smile sadly and nod. He crouched down next to her and held her hand gently.
"I'm sorry this had to happen to you. You don't deserve it." He patted her hand and returned her smile before standing up and walking up to Piper. He rested his hand on her shoulder and he felt her shaking. He squeezed firmly and gave her a sad smile before making his way back to camp to comfort his distraught family.
After he left, Piper slowly approached her mother. "Mommy, I'm so sorry. I don't think I can do this without you." Her voice broke as she held her mother's hand.
When she saw how vulnerable her daughter was in that moment it broke Claudia's heart, but she knew it was for the best. "Piper, just leave me the gun and go. I'll do it myself. Go comfort Bailey." Piper shook her head furiously.
"No. I'm not letting you do that. You know suicide is a sin. There's no way you aren't going to Heaven." Piper was always iffy about religion, but she knew if there was even a chance that heaven was real, she would do everything in her power for her mother to go there.
Claudia shook her head and patted Piper's knee. "Please sweetie. Just let me do it." When Piper again refused, she sighed in resignation. "I love you baby. Don't ever forget that. Take care of yourself and of Bailey." Fresh tears escaped from both women as they said their final goodbyes.
"I love you Mommy… So much. I'll take care of Bailey. We'll be okay…for you, we'll be okay." She continued to cry as she cocked the pistol and pressed it against her mother's head. Sobs tore through her as her mother closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. Piper closed her eyes tightly and squeezed her mother's hand in her free one as her hand with the gun shook violently.
When the camp heard a loud gunshot from the woods, not a single person missed the powerful wave of sadness and grief that threatened to overwhelm them.