A/N: Hello there! I think I'm just gonna change my update day to Sunday, to be honest. With my messed-up week schedule, I think it'd work better for me. And, for those who know how terrible my writing of, "The World We Live In," was, you should be happy because I'm going to rewrite it. I'm not changing anything too major (probably,) except for the first chapter. I had a lot of complaints about how the first walker of the story came to be. And I totally understand, so I'm going to switch up the situation a bit to make everyone happy. I'm goign to do that once I finish up season four, so y'all have something to look forward to once this is done!
And, yay, here is the mid-season finale of season four!
"Okay, son. I'm gonna need you to hold still." Hershel instructed Glenn, who had started fighting against the intubation. Hershel, Glenn, Maggie and I were on the floor of the cell that Glenn had stayed the night in. The remnants of his... Emergency last night was still all over the floor, the blood dried and a dark red. It was just about morning, the sun shining very dully through the distorted glass of the windows of the block. That's what this cell block does to everything.
"Alyssa. Legs." Hershel told me. I went to Glenn and attempted to stop his legs from kicking. "Maggie. Arms." She went to the thrashing extremities and held them down. Hershel then took out the tube from Glenn's throat, quickly yet delicately.
Glenn gasped, taking in a great breath of air. His hands immediately went to his throat, rubbing it. His lips were curving, as if he were about to say something, but Hershel held a hand up.
"Don't try to speak just yet. It'll hurt." He smiled at his son in law. "Just focus on breathing for a bit. Try to talk in an hour, okay?"
Glenn nodded to the farmer, and mouthed out the words, "thank you." Hershel just smiled.
He turned to me. "How are you feeling, dear? Your color seems to be returning."
I gave a full toothed grin. "I'm feeling better. Not a hundred percent better, but I've been worse."
"Good. The medicine is working wonders. I think we could get you out of the cell block as early as today."
"That'd be amazing."
He stood up from the floor, brushing dust off of his pants. "I'm going. I'll be back before sundown to check on you two. Maggie, are you gonna stay in here?"
She nodded to her father, holding one of Glenn's hands in between her own.
"Okay. I'll be back soon." He walked out of the cell, his footsteps echoing around the block. I looked at Glenn's face. It was much better than last night. The circles around his eyes were almost nonexistent. The pale complexion to his skin was better than before. And he wasn't as sweaty, though his hair was still a matted mess. All in all, he was better. And I was glad my friend was better.
"Alyssa." Hershel's voice echoed through the block. I furrowed my brows, but walked out the door and down the stairs. He was at the front of the block, near the conference room. "You have a visitor."
"I do...?" I responded. He gestured to the conference room, so I walked into it. In the other one was Carl, a relieved grin on his face.
"Holy crap!" I beamed at him, jogging to the glass. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to see you." He replied, his hand on the glass.
"I'm leaving, Alyssa." Hershel said from the door. I turned to him, nodding. "He can't come in here. You may be better, but others aren't. You'll see him outside later. Got it?"
"Yeah." I agreed with him, giving a playful grin. "I won't sneak him in."
"I'm sure you won't." He gave us a cheeky grin, his voice teasing. "I'll see you later." He then left us, closing the door behind him and leaving me and Carl.
"Why are you down here?" I asked Carl again, shaking my head.
"To see you." He answered me. "I'm making sure you're getting better."
"You idiot." I grinned, placing my hand on the glass, reflecting where his was.
"Yup. But a cute one." He winked at me. I rolled my eyes in return.
"How is everything out there?" I asked, the playful tone leaving my voice. His grin wavered.
He took his hand off of the glass, dropping it to his side. "We lost the fence to the west last night. Dad and I tried to reinforce it, but the buildup was just too much. It broke under the pressure."
I dropped my hand to my side. "Any casualties?"
He shook his head. "No. Dad and I got rid of the walkers. No one got hurt."
"That's great. And my mom?"
Carl gulped. "She may or may not have started getting ready for a hunt."
For once, I was happy that she was leaving. "Good."
"Good?" He repeated my word.
"Yeah." I replied. "She's needs to get her mind off of me being in here. Hunting the Governor would get me out of her head."
He shrugged his shoulders in response. "I think she should be able to find better ways to relax, you know?"
"She should." I agreed. "But we both know my mom's a wild card. She does what she wants. She'll be safe about it."
"I hope so." He murmured. I only nodded in response. We stood there together, in a peaceful quietness. I rested my forehead against the cool surface, comfortably lying there. Carl did the same on the other side. I gave a small smile. We didn't even have to talk. Just being near him calmed me down.
"How's Glenn?" He broke the silence, but didn't move from his spot. I was glad; I didn't want him to.
"Better." I replied quietly. "Maggie's with him now. He was much worse last night. He's been breathing on his own since this morning."
"And the others in there?"
"We lost a few. Five or six, if I counted correctly. Lizzie and Luke are okay. Sasha is better."
"At least you guys are getting better."
"Yeah. I can finally breathe without my lungs feeling like crap." And it's true. My lungs are better, my skin is brighter, and my bones and joints don't ache as much.
"Mini victory."
"Yeah. Finally." I chuckle. We stood there a moment, until Carl (albeit reluctantly,) moved from the glass.
"I should go." He said. "Dad's probably wondering where I am."
"You didn't tell him?" I raised an eyebrow at my sneaky boyfriend.
He then "nonchalantly" whistled. I laughed. "Again, you're an idiot."
He slyly smirked. "And I repeat, a cute one."
I laughed at his remark, and bid him goodbye. I made my way back up the stairs to my empty cell, the one I slept in last night. I sat down on the bed, sighing loudly. I can't wait to finally get out of here.
A knock on the concrete wall brought me out of my thoughts. I looked out the door, seeing Maggie.
Her southern accent was heavy as she asked me, "Want to help me grab some water?"
"The water bins are in the courtyard. Near block C." I stated.
"I know."
I raised an eyebrow at her. "I can't leave the block."
"Daddy said he'd be able to let you out today, remember?"
"That's supposed to be later, though."
She gave me a small smile. "You're fever is nonexistent. You can breathe without problem. The color is returning to your cheeks. I'm sure daddy wouldn't mind if you went out with me to grab some water."
I grinned wickedly. "Okay." I hopped off the bed, readjusting the belt that I keep my knife in. The knife itself had been uncomfortably hanging from it. The holster that hung on my right leg was empty. Normally, my Glock was would be resting in it, but Hershel took it from me. When I was put into that office for quarantine all those days ago, he took it. I protested, but of course he wouldn't let me keep it. He said that my knife was all the protection I needed.
Together, Maggie and I had walked down the stairs. She went to the door, grasping the handle and opening it up. I glanced at it, almost admiring it. It was like a gateway to freedom.
"C'mon." She grinned to me, nodding her head to the squeaky hinges.
I walked through the door, and Maggie trailed behind me.
"I'm finally out." I grinned again. I was so happy, even if I was free for just a moment. It certainly lifted my spirits up, rather than being in the dark and dreary cell.
"And soon Glenn will be, too." Maggie added.
"Yeah, he will." I agreed with her. We both walked to the main door, the one that lead to the courtyard. I opened this one, letting Maggie out first. When I did walk out, the glare of the sun burned my eyes. Instead of hissing at it, like I normally did, I welcomed the annoying burn. I haven't felt the sun on my skin in days, or feel it burn my eyes. It was an annoying luxury that one couldn't have while in cell block A. So, instead of being angry at the sun, I closed my eyes and opened my arms, letting the rays beat down on my skin. A cheery laugh escaped my throat.
I quietly moaned. "I missed this."
"I bet." Maggie spoke from my left. I still hadn't opened my eyes.
"It's so dark in that cell block, y'know? And I almost forgot what fresh air smelled like." I took in a deep breath of air, filling up my lungs with the delicious breeze. I opened my eyes, looking at Maggie. "It's so peaceful out here."
"Yeah." She quietly agreed. "It is." She started walking to the water bins, where Beth was filling up a baby bottle.
"Maggie!" Beth exclaimed, quickly setting the bottle down on the wooden table and grabbing her older sister in a hug. "You're back."
"Of course I am." Maggie smiled into her sisters hair. I smiled at the mini reunion.
"Alyssa, you're out too!" Beth happily spoke, releasing her sister and grabbing me instead. I laughed lightly as she did so. "Oh, I'm glad you're feeling better."
"Me, too, Beth." I replied as she released me from her grip.
"Oh, here." She yanked something from her belt. It was my Glock.
I took it from her hands, gingerly holding it. "Why'd you have this?"
"I grabbed it. After you were put into the office, in the administrative block, daddy put it with the other weapons. I took it when I went to grab Judith's food, 'bout five or six days ago. Just so I had protection. I hope you don't mind."
I shook my head at her, checking the clip and securing it into its spot on my holster. "O' course not. It was smart. You had protection."
She gave me a smile, and she grabbed the baby bottle again. She began to fill it up while Maggie and I grabbed two thermos containers that were hanging above the bins. And when I say, "Maggie and I," I mean just Maggie. I'm too short to grab them, so she grabbed two and handed one to me. Then we both began to fill up the thermos with warm water.
That's when we heard an explosion.
The blast nearly shook the three of us off our feet, but we managed to stay standing. The three of us looked at each other, as if we could send telepathic messages. The message was, "run."
Maggie, Beth, and I bolted from the side of the courtyard into the middle, where we met Rick, Carl, Daryl, and Tyreese. Bob and Sasha jogged to where we were too. The group of us stood at the fence, near a wall of concrete. We were close to the gate.
At the road in front of the main fence surrounding the prison was a group of cars. There was also a tank in the middle of the pile. People with weapons stood around them, as if trying to look intimidating. Most faces were upset, though. I suspected they didn't want to be here. The final detail I noticed was the Governor, standing proudly on top the tank, grinning charmingly.
"Rick!" The Governor shouted proudly from his tank. "Come down here. We need to talk."
"It's not up to me!" Rick shouted back, standing in front of our group. "There's a council now. They run this place."
The Governor replied without skipping a beat. "Is Hershel on the council?" He turned to his left, making a "come here" motion with his hand. A person opened the door to a car, grabbing a tied up Hershel from the front. I tried to block out the gasps of despair coming from the Greene girls behind me as the lady pushed their father to his knees.
"What about Michonne?" The Governor asked, once again silently asking a friend to grab his other prisoner from the car. Out came my mother, hands tied behind her back. "She on the council, too?"
I gasped loudly, tears welling up in my eyes. I ran to the fence, grasping it tightly with my hands. I almost shouted.
A large, calloused hand lightly grabbed my shoulder. I turned, looking at the person. It was Daryl, shaking his head at me. He whispered. "Don't. He wants you to freak out." I gulped loudly, but gave a shaky nod. My heart thumped loudly in my chest as my mom was pushed down on her knees.
"I don't make decisions anymore!" Rick shouted back.
The Governor shook his head, as if he were disappointed at Rick's words. "You're making the decisions today, Rick. Come down here. Let's- let's have that talk."
Rick looked to Daryl, his hand still on my shoulder. Rick and Daryl silently nodded to each other, agreeing that Rick needed to go down there. The sheriff turned to his son, moving his hand up to his son's face.
"We can do this. Alright?" Rick asked his son quietly. Carl nodded to him.
The group silently moved, Daryl and Rick going to the left. The archer opened the gate for Rick, who walked through it and began his journey down the rocky trail. I stayed close to the Greene's, watching the two captives intently. The sisters beside me were holding hands, both sets of knuckles going white with the force. Daryl closed the gate, watching the leader, before moving back to us.
"We can't take 'em all on." He told us, looking at the enemy group and doing a head count. "We'll go through the admin building, through the woods like we planned. We ain't got the numbers no more. When's the last time someone checked the stash on the bus?"
Sasha answered. "Day before we hit the Big Spot. We were running low on rations then. We're lower now."
"We'll manage." Daryl gave a subtle shrug of his shoulders. "Things go south, everyone heads on that bus. Let everybody know."
"What if everybody doesn't know when things go bad?" Tyreese asked. "How long do we wait?"
"As long as we can." Daryl replied, walking to our right. I kept my eyes on the two rivals at the front of the prison. I couldn't hear much of what they were saying, but I could tell it wasn't anything good. Rick was pacing at the front, and the Governor just happily looked down at him. He was enjoying Rick being scared.
I heard something to my right; a slight screeching sound. It was only slight, though. I didn't pay attention to it. I kept my eyes pinned to my mother on the ground. It was the murmurs that got my attention.
I finally looked over to my right, looking at the others. Daryl had rolled the bin of large rifles over, handing them out to the people behind the concrete wall. Bob held one, Maggie and Beth as well. Sasha, Tyreese, and Carl too.
Daryl held one out to me. "You know how to use these?"
I shakily nodded. "Yeah."
He gestured to it, and I grabbed it from his hands. He tossed me two extra clips of ammo, which I stuffed into my pockets. Daryl grabbed one for himself, sticking the barrel in a hole through the chain-link fence. I followed suit on his left, resting the tip of mine a few spots over. Carl did the same on Daryl's right.
We all watched Rick and the Governor communicate in an agitated silence. My heart continued to thump loudly, the blood rushing in my ears and my hand itching to pull the trigger on my gun. something has to happen. My mom HAS to be safe. She can't die!
"We got to do something." Carl said to my right. I nodded, silently agreeing with him.
"You're dad's got it." Daryl gruffly answered, adjusting his hand to grasp the gun.
"They're talking." Carl spat. "We could kill the Governor right now."
"From fifty yards?" Daryl countered.
"I'm a good shot." Carl argued back. "I could end this right now."
"Yeah. Or you could start something else."
"Daryl's right." I whispered with a sigh. I wanted to do something, but I knew I couldn't. It was a bad idea. "It's best to just let Rick do what he's doing, Carl. Nothing we can do without all hell breaking loose. Just trust him."
Carl just grunted in response. The three of us watched Rick and the Governor talk in silence. I couldn't make out the words they were saying. I wish I could've.
The Governors smile fell off. Instead of his "Gotcha!" demeanor, he became agitated. Seems like Rick was wearing him down. He jumped of off the top of the tank, moving to his left as one of his goons handed him something. It was my mothers' katana. He held it against Hershel's neck, a warning gesture.
"No!" Maggie yelled. Beth was at her side, weeping openly.
Rick tried to take control of the situation. I still couldn't hear what he was saying, but it seemed to be working. Hershel, though he was under a strong blade, smiled at the sheriff. The Governor, his face covered by a frown, listened to what Rick spoke. His hands, still grasping the hilt of the katana, was lightly moving the blade centimeters away from Hershel's neck.
And then he brought it back down with force. Slicing it against Hershel's neck.
Maggie and Beth screamed. I screamed. Daryl and Carl's eyes widened. Hershel's body fell to the side, bleeding profusely from his neck.
"NOO!" Rick yelled, yanking his Python from his side and shooting the Governor's shoulder.
It was like the gates of Hell were opened.
Everyone started shooting their weapons, on both sides. I shot my weapon at the tank, attempting to hit the man that shot down our watch tower. Thinking quickly, he was the one to be worried about. He had a tank, for fucks sake! The man hopped into the tank bed instead, firing at intervals where he thought he was safe.
My eyes looked at the ground, where mom and Hershel were. Hershel was slowly inching his way to the back of the cars, leaving a large trail of blood behind him. My heart broke for the man. He must be in so much pain.
I couldn't find my mom, and my heart rate sped up ten times. I continued using my rifle, shooting at anyone on the other side. I managed to hit two people, and I watched as their bodies hit the ground, blood leaking through holes I made in their body. One I hit in the head. The other, the heart. Adrenaline pulsed through my veins as I did.
I wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not.
The guy in the tank hopped back in the body, rolling it forward. Straight through the fences. Destroying anything and everything in its path.
Breaking the home that this group has worked so hard to achieve.
It was hard to keep up with the chaos ensuing. Everybody on the Governors side shot at us; the prison group shot back. I already had to change my clip once. Maggie and Beth, who were at my right side, both crying tears of despair, took off to get to the bus.
"Liz, go with 'em!" Daryl instructed me in his thick southern twang.
"I'm not leaving you guys!" I shook my head defiantly, shooting at the men and women that were barging through the broken fence. I hit another three in just a few seconds.
"Yes you are!" He commanded, shooting his rifle. "Go!"
"But mom-!"
"She's fine." He told me in an urgent tone. "She's behind the cars over there. I saw her run."
What he told me slightly eased my pounding heart. She was okay. For now.
I growled. "Fine."
I yanked my gun to my side, running with it. I met up with Beth and Maggie behind Sasha, Tyreese, and Bob, the three of us running from one side of the courtyard to another. We made it to the side of the bus, each of us panting as we took cover from the oncoming bullets. The tank took another shot at us, rattling each of us like we were bowling pins. The concrete wall to cell block A shook and broke, a new large hole in its side.
Maggie ran over to the door of the block, but Beth cried out. "Maggie, don't!"
"Glenn's in there!" Maggie shouted. "I have to get him!"
"I'm going with you!" Beth cried.
"Get these people on the bus." Maggie quickly told her sister. "Be ready to drive. I'll be right back."
"What if you're not?" Beth asked, her whole body shaking.
"You have to go without us."
"I won't go without you!"
"Beth! Beth. Get these people on the bus." Maggie gave Beth her own rifle. "It's your job. We've all got jobs to do." Maggie then took off, unarmed, to the door.
"I'm going with her." I ran after Maggie's jogging form.
"No! We have to get-" Beth began, but I interrupted her.
"She is unarmed! I have to cover her." I spoke quickly. I didn't wait for a reply. I just ran to Maggie, and together she and I pounced through the door, running past people and taking cover whenever the block shook from a tank blast.
We found the Korean running slightly down the stairs of the block.
"Glenn!" Maggie shouted, running faster. I followed suit.
"What the HELL is going on?" He demanded. He made it to the bottom of the stairs, breathing heavily.
Maggie grabbed his shoulder, holding him close to her side. "We have to get everybody out of here."
"What's happening?!"
"Glenn, we gotta go!" I shouted, ducking as the tank took another hit at the block.
Maggie and I both threw Glenn's arms around our shoulders, helping him move quickly to the open door. We ran together outside, hobbling around the war zone. The tank took another shot at the block, and the three of us all ran for cover. We finally made it to bus, where I was shooed in first. Glenn hopped in after me, and Maggie stood at the steps.
"Beth!" Maggie yelled into the bus, looking for the younger blonde. She was nowhere to be found. Maggie looked at the driver, Alice. "Where's Beth?!"
"She went to find Judith." She answered. Glenn and I turned back to Maggie, who was already making her way out the door.
"We'll find her." Glenn hurriedly spoke, going to the steps to where Maggie was. "She'll be okay."
"No." She pushed Glenn back into the bus.
"What? You're not going by yourself." Glenn said, his voice raspy. He fell lightly on the floor, his whole body shaking.
"I'll be right back." Maggie ran out the door, leaving Glenn on the floor as she went to look for her sister in what used to be our home.
"Maggie..." He called after, but she didn't turn back. He hit the bus door with a closed fist.
"C'mon, get up." I said to him. He stood up with some difficulty. "We're going after her."
He nodded to me, determination pure in his eyes. "Let's go."
"We're leaving." Alice said to me. "You get off this bus now, we're not waiting for you."
Glenn and I looked at each other, silently agreeing. He spoke. "Good. Don't wait up. Just go."
He and I walked out of the bus, and Alice closed the door behind us, driving away with the others. He and I began our semi fast trek to cell block C, yanking the door to its side and coughing as the dust from the broken walls entered our lungs. He took the first steps in, calling for Beth and Maggie. I took a look outside, my heart dropping as I saw our home crumbling, right before our very eyes. I looked at the fields, the large weeds and grass billowing in the breeze. I saw a figure jumping through them, ducking every so often as they heard gunshots. The person took out a katana, slicing off a walkers head as it got close to them.
Mom.
"Glenn, I gotta go." I spoke the words quickly, letting go of the door.
He grabbed the door to keep it from slamming. "What?! Why?"
"Mom." I said her name, relieved that I was able to keep my eyes on her figure through the pasty yellow woods.
"We need to stick together!"
"Glenn, you've got this. Find Maggie, stay together." I held up my rifle. "I can take care of myself."
He gave me a pained expression. I could tell I was losing.
"Glenn." My voice dropped down an octave. "She's my mom. I have to."
He seemed to be having a mental battle with himself, but nodded. "Go. Stay safe."
"Thank you." I rushed the words out, and ran as fast as I could through the courtyard to the fields. People were dying left and right. Hell, I was helping them. I took quick shots with the rifle in my hands, ducking when the spray of bullets from the other group got close to me. When I ran out of bullets, I dropped the gun to the grass. I traded it for my Glock, which I was a far better shot with. I hit three more people in my run to the fields.
"Mom!" I shouted as her back was turned to me. "Mom!"
She turned around to look at the person who was yelling at her (me.) There was a fire in her eyes, a light burning so bright with determination and passion. The light flickered and dimmed when she saw me. Instead, it was replaced with relief.
"Alyssa!" She smiled through unborn tears. She took two large steps toward me. "You're okay!"
She held her arms out so I could hug her. I smiled at her, about to take a step forward. That's when a searing hot pain hit me.
I felt my shoulder being thrown against the dirt and weeds on the ground, the red seeping through my shirt. I first felt a heat in my right shoulder, an unbearable heat. It then changed from an unbearable heat to an unbearable pain. The pain coursed from my shoulder to my head, all the way to my toes. So much pain. The sounds of the fighting around me dulled. The screams, the screeches, the sounds of guns being shot. Nothing. I could hardly see. Instead of moving figures, there was tunnel vision. Everything morphed together. Just blobs of color instead of moving figures and inanimate objects. No sound, no vision; just pain.
What just happened to me?
A/N: Hope you liked it! Just so y'all know, this was NOT supposed to be the ending. From the start of, "Times Have Changed," I wanted to write Alyssa ending up with Glenn after the downfall of the prison. I had the scene of her Glenn on the bridge, waking up and looking around, and her saying, "Glenn, we gotta go. We just gotta go," envisioned for so long. I was looking forward to writing her and Tara meet, along with Abraham, Eugene, and Rosita, but my plans changed (obviously.) I think the change was for the better, though (I hope.) And, I hope you people like my mini cliffhanger. Because I'm evil. Hehe