Curative
By Kaimaler
Review replies are at the bottom!
Sorry I have not updated in like a week. I unfortunately got the flu and exhaustion working while sick and working compromised the integrity of the chapter I was writing. I ended up having to scrap 2 chapters as they were just... terrible. Just terrible. No other words to describe it other than baaaaaaaaaaad.
I am feeling better now and have returned to writing. I do not think this one is as good as the others, but I'm hoping to begin moving in the story again.
Partial "Transitions" chapter, partial
Let's recount that shit cause holy damn.
Atlanta survivors do not need guns and ammunition after arrival of Red Atlanta's supplies. However, they still need formula.
Micheal goes with Glenn and Maggie on their run, mentioning a convenience store that carries formula runs in the area.
Red Atlanta help Atlanta clear out more of the prison and prepare more areas for use.
Laura is sent with Merle's team to hunt Michonne.
Michonne nearly kills Laura, but Laura is save just barely when her rifle is caught in a tree branch. Merle helps her out and they continue the hunt.
Laura nearly killed Michonne when face to face with her, the gauntlets she wears proving too much for Michonne to handle with Merle ready to join the fight.
Laura chases Michonne and experiences another panic attack realizing a group was between her and Michonne.
Michonne uses the group to distract Laura, who is then spotted and recognized by Glenn, Maggie, and Micheal.
Merle is not yet to be seen, Laura's arrival has begun to disrupt the progression of Season 3 so buckle the fuck uppppppp!
Micheal could barely think. He had his pistol raised to the woman who came out from behind the car, Glenn and Maggie did too just as stunned as he was. For a few moments there was nothing but complete silence.
She stood there in front of them with her hands above her head and a machete in her right hand. Micheal lowered his pistol, awed by her presence. He thought she was dead and again she defied the odds. There was no question this woman is Laura, the blue skin and strange eyes gave it away immediately. He felt his chest constrict and he smiled, his friend survived.
He had no idea how she managed it, how she came to be standing in front of them now, but he did not care. All he knew is she was back and he could not wait to tell the others. Glenn and Maggie were just behind him, their guard now lowered. Micheal lowered his pistol, taking a step towards his friend. He tried frantically to rationalize how she was alive and a dozen different scenarios played in his head.
Glenn lowered his pistol the moment he realized who this person was. She stood still, careful not to alarm the group. None of them had any intentions to shoot their friend, but she was not going to risk it. Maggie still had her pistol halfway up as she was quicker to grow suspicious of this situation and why Laura had not yet acknowledge them or who they were.
Scrutinizing her appearance, Glenn became just as concerned. Laura was a wreck to put it lightly. She looked physically stronger, he could see the muscles on her arms and shoulders, the shirt she wore was torn down the center also revealing abdominal muscles. Glenn remembered Laura being small and soft, like she was thin from starvation but never exercised a day in her life.
Laura was wearing a dirty tan tank top, the split in the middle left a lot of her blue skin exposed when the wind blew the shirt open, but it was still covering her decently at least. Her dark green camouflage utility pants were obviously baggy, far too large for her and tightened around her hips with a belt. Her hair was pulled back but had escaped during her hunt, partially covering her face.
What Glenn, Maggie, and Micheal all started to see once over the initial shock of seeing her was the marks on her skin and the other bits she was wearing. There was a black muzzle on her face, with the excess belt straps hanging loosely behind her head. She was an array on scars etching her skin, some long and deep noticeable. There was a mark on her skin just in front of her clavicle; it was a scar but designed. It was lighter than the others so it stood out more.
Her hands were strapped into some kind of metal gloves that were slightly longer than her fingers and ended in sharp points. From both the muzzle and the gloves was black streaks which they could only assume was dried blood. The gloves also had a faint red shine on them, telling them there was more blood on the claws; not enough to coat the gloves but enough to concern the group.
She was staring directly through them, looking beyond the group to her prey just ahead. The woman was watching with interest, when she saw them lower their guard she figured it was time to run. Quietly she started to make her way from out behind the vehicles, hoping to slip back into the woods and escape.
Laura eyed the people in front of her before looking back to the woman escaping. She was just below the car windows, it was hard to spot her but Laura knew she was getting away.
"It's there, the prey is leaving! They are not attacking us we must go, go now!" Laura was anxious about these people shooting her, but she needed her mark. If they would not kill her she was still free to chase her prey.
Laura took a step forward which shocked the group. Maggie twitched, her pistol raising slightly. Glenn and Micheal's remained lowered with confused expressions. "Laura, what... happened to you?" Micheal asked, his pistol hanging at his side. "The farmhouse, back with that group. You look... terrible. We have a place to stay, it's a prison just up the road from here. They won't believe you're back- that you're alive." He laughed sadly, seeing her condition now.
She did not respond, only focused on the woman escaping behind them. They had lowered their guard enough to where she slowly let her hands down, machete still held tightly in her grip. "Glenn... you remember what Carol said right?" Maggie tried to warn him, urging him to be careful.
Glenn looked at her, his worry over their safety with Laura now coming into question. He reluctantly raised his pistol half way. "Micheal, Maggie's right." Glenn warned him with his pistol ready, "Don't try anything."
Micheal ignored them, shrugging their concerns off. "It's Laura, she's been out here all this time. Clearly hurt and alone. We made the mistake of not giving her benefit of the doubt the first time, I'm not going to do it again." He was determined, both Glenn and Maggie knew they could not stop him, but they would try. "She deserves better than what we gave her and she still forgave us. So I'm not going to hurt her, I won't do it a second time- Laura, please. Come back with us. Everyone will be relieved to have you back."
The group was tense and Glenn looked at Laura's strangely sullen eyes. Micheal was speaking to her but she was not looking at him. Following her line of sight he figured out she was not looking at him or Maggie either. Laura was pointed beyond them, she did not pay any attention to them. At the same time she did not make any moves against them either.
So she was not hostile and she was not friendly. Glenn swallowed hard, what had happened to her? She did not look like the Laura he remembered, she did not act like her, and she was ignoring her friends completely. Something was very very wrong and they were stuck in the middle of it. "Psst!" He caught Maggie's attention. When she looked to Glenn he gestured his head to Laura signifying her to watch the undead woman.
Maggie did so and kept her pistol raised as Glenn turned to look around the area. Laura was zeroed in on something, he figured if he could find it maybe he could make sense of what she was doing. Also potentially find out how to get her to respond to them.
Micheal stayed at a short distance, but he was closer to Laura than the other two. He reached out gingerly, trying to be as least threatening as he could be. "If you just come with us we can go back to the prison, back to the others. You know we met your group, we got Carol back to Sophia just like you said. We met Rick and Daryl, there's also Rick's son Carl. We did it and having you here, having you back- it would mean the world to everyone." His hand was just within two feet of Laura but she made no movements to accept it.
Glenn was turned all the way around searching through the cars behind them when he noticed a figure moving under the window of a sedan. "Hey guys...?" He meant only to inform them there was something or someone behind them, that they needed to be careful as they might be flanked by another.
The second he spoke up Maggie turned her head and all the weapons were off of Laura. "Now!" The Voice barked and Laura jumped into action.
Within a few seconds Laura dug her heel into the ground to take off into a sprint, her hand coming forward to push Micheal's surprised attempt to grab her before she got too far. Her gauntlet caught on the exposed skin of his forearm and left long cuts down the outside of his wrist. Her feet kicking up dirt and gravel caught the attention of Maggie and Glenn whose heads were turned away from her.
Maggie had been the only one with a gun trained on her but Glenn distracted her just long enough for Laura to take her change. She charged between the couple behind their vehicle. Laura could not go around without running the risk of being hit by one of them panicking and shooting her. To put something between herself and their pistols while still catching up to her prey, Laura went to climb the back of their truck.
She jumped onto the bumper, the force of her weight and strength gripping the old vehicle caused the gloves to pierce the metal and scrape along it. Laura pulled herself up, cracking the rear windshield and launching herself over the back edge. She used her claws to pull her up, standing on top of the vehicle. Taking a moment to spot her prey in the maze of cars ahead Laura rushed forward and dropped herself down the front of the car, sliding down the long hood using her gauntlet claws to keep herself balanced.
The metal claws screeched as she dragged them along the front windshield and hood before gripping the end of the hood, the claws tearing into the metal. Her boots hit the asphalt hard and she bolted away. "Wait- Laura!" Micheal called from behind the car, holding the lacerations on his arm. He was bleeding, but thankfully she had not applied enough force to his wrist to do serious damage.
Glenn and Maggie went around the car, trying to follow Laura as she pulled herself over the minivan using her claws to secure her. Laura's prey spun around to see she had gotten away from the group.
Laura dove into the collection of old ruined cars and caught up to her prey, the woman was ready. She pulled her sword out to defend herself, turning the blade and bringing it down on Laura. It was not hard to block the blade with her gauntlets, knowing that the sword could not cut through the metal. The force this woman swung her sword was impressive, it certainly could dent the metal if only a bit.
One swing from the left, Laura used the back of her left hand and forearm to protect herself. She came back around with a jab and Laura tried to grab the blade to stop it. The well sharpened sword managed to cut into the palm of her hands that were not protected by the metal of her gauntlets. Hissing, Laura swiped her clawed gauntlets feeling the new cut inside her left hand sting.
Metal clanged against metal and Laura growled angrily, this woman fighting far better than she anticipated. Most people used a gun to fight, making sneaking up on them relatively easy as usually they were self taught. Whoever this woman was she did not teach herself to fight with this sword, she was well trained professionally. Laura did not consider any of this of course and swung her gauntlets at the woman.
She popped a car door open, using it to block Laura from getting too close. The sword needed at least some range to use effectively while Laura's gauntlets were best when she was close enough to grab that person. The door swung open and slammed into Laura's stomach and chest, sending her reeling. She fell onto her back, hand hovering over her left side.
The burn stung brightly, momentarily distracting her from her prey. The woman above her raised her sword and pointed it to Laura who tried to scramble backwards to get away. In a single swift motion she sunk the blade into Laura's right kidney. Laura howled as the sword entered and dug into the ground below. The sword sank deeper than the woman wanted it to and Laura reached up and grabbed the hilt of the sword.
Surprised her prey attempted to pull the sword back out, grunting. Laura held it tightly, her clawed hand digging into the skin of her hand and wrist. She pointed the claws inward to directly pierce the thin skin of her hand and she was forced to release her beloved sword.
Laura used the sword stuck in the ground and her grip on the hilt to pull herself up the sword, bracing one foot underneath her until the sword hilt hit her stomach. She growled and grunted in pain, but it was a better option than failure. "She is defenseless, we take her now!"
Standing up, her hand on the hilt of the sword now stuck inside her body, she saw the reaction of her prey. She curled her lip in disgust and realization that Laura was a bit more than she was prepared to deal with. Though this woman was a far better fighter, Laura had the benefits of her undead condition. She could best her prey if only through her incredible resilience and undead strengths.
Pulling the sword from her stomach Laura pointed it at the now disarmed woman with her back against a pick up truck with flat tires. Laura won through this woman's discovery that Laura was a lot more than she seemed.
Laura swung the sword down on the woman, but she managed to get under Laura and drive her shoulder into her stomach. With a hiss, Laura brought the handle of the sword to hit the woman repeatedly, unable to turn the sword enough to actually run her through.
She rushed her into a car behind them, Laura's back hitting the old passenger window hard enough to crack it. The woman reached up and held Laura's right arm up by her forearm, the metal of which dug into the gloves she wore. She gritted her teeth and struggled against Laura right when she reached her other hand to grab onto Laura's side to give herself better leverage.
Her hand dug into the burned skin on Laura's side and she cried out, letting go of the sword and doubling over the woman. The woman connected the dots, realizing there was a spot of weakness to this person she fought. Stabbing her did not work, but this side of her body was in pain so she dug her nails in and twisted.
Laura went down with the twist, the woman shoving her aside while she went for her sword. Holding her side, her other hand keeping her up as she leaned on the car. "Get up, she's coming for us." Laura growled, straining herself through the searing pain in her side. It threatened to numb her mind while her body worked through the pain, but she knew now her prey had her weakness.
The metal of the sword slid across the dirt and grass. Laura heard it move and that woman would be coming back for her. Straining herself, Laura pushed off the car and turned around, still leaning over slightly from her burning pain. The woman had her sword back in hand, ready to come down on her.
"Hold it!" Micheal called, his pistol aimed at the woman. "Just- just drop the sword." He came from the sedan behind the two women. A combination of fear and confusion made it difficult to hold a gun into this fight between his friend and a stranger.
Glenn and Maggie worked their way around the back of the sedan, their own pistols up and aiming at the woman and Laura. "Let's just put the sword down and talk about this, okay? We don't know what's going on here, but we want to help." Glenn had never seen Laura openly attack someone viciously, he knew it was wrong the moment he saw her leap their car.
She was not a killer. Laura was a good, sweet person with only the best intentions. Seeing her charge this stranger was alarming and disconcerting. None of them knew what was going on and none of them wanted to watch Laura kill her. Carol said Laura was losing herself to the infection in her brain, that evidence was prominent through their travels. If Laura attacking this woman was her hunting they did not want their friend to murder an innocent survivor.
If this woman was innocent of anything. They did not trust her, they did not even trust Laura. This situation was scaring the group and they felt concerned about Laura. Stopping her from murdering another person may not help Laura or themselves, but they were not the kind of people to turn their heads. Glenn approached first, his pistol up and one hand reaching out for the sword.
He inched closer and closer, Laura still froze in spot knowing there were now three pistols aimed at her. They might just shoot her in the arm or leg to stop her from killing this woman, or one bullet may just hit her in the head and she would be dead. A twang of fear struck her and she wondered if she did not fight back, what would this group do to her? Were they just as bad as Woodbury? Would the Governor find her having failed him and punish her again? How would she get away?
Glenn got just close enough to barely touch the handle of the sword, the woman knowing she was stuck. She glared at him and it made him feel incredibly uncomfortable, but he could not just let this go on. Reluctantly she released her grip on the sword and Glenn took it from her, pistol still raised. "Nice and easy, no one has to get hurt."
The woman did not speak and neither did Laura. They remained in the same position they were in, staring at each other ready to kill one another. Laura had been at this woman's throat and pulled no punches. She swung to kill and the sentiment was returned in full. They did not want to hurt their friend, one they had already lost before.
Laura looked to the people surrounding them, seeing two men and a woman. She read their expressions a mixture of concern and determination. They would not let her get away, they were well put together.
She took a long look to the woman with short brown hair, squinting in the sunlight. She had a black tank on, carrying a pistol aimed at Laura, and an unsure expression on her face. There was no malice in her or the others. A man a bit taller than her with medium length hair and kind eyes, he was the one trying to speak to Laura at first.
Then there was the last man with short dark hair and a steady hand on his pistol. She looked over his features, stature, and replayed his voice in her head. Laura focused on him directly, curious. "We fight or we die." The Voice urged her, the hunger tried to pull her attention away.
Laura ignored the Voice and stared at the man. But... I know him. Tension in her body began to fade, her adrenaline quickly draining from her body. This man was familiar and she was trying desperately to figure out why. She had never seen him in Woodbury, he was never at the Governor's side. So who was he and where did he come from?
"You? Us! We are all there is. No 'me' or 'I', only us!" The Voice grew louder, it's anger grew but in Laura's mind it began to subside. She had not looked close enough to identify these people behind the car, but with this man standing so close to her she could not deny there was familiarity there. Both from him and herself.
It is us. Laura tried to resist a memory creeping into her head. She was scared of what memories brought to her life in Woodbury. The more she remembered of herself, the more she resisted and failed the Governor. Nothing could stop that memory that came to her, though she did attempt to force it down.
Outside, in the rain, Merle watching over her from the cabin doorway. Laura was scared and hurt, her life was over and the people she cared about were gone. Dead or alive, she would not see them again. Woodbury took everything that made her as she is and used it against her. There was no mercy in them, no one had displayed any sense of decency. She felt like she had been kicked into the dirt and she could not get back up anymore. All the strength in her died out months ago and all that was left is the monster they wanted her to be.
Laura was a creature of the dead, walking among the living. At that night in the cabin, sitting in the rain, she remembered for a short time what it was like to be seen as a person again. She had fallen into a creek bed, they came to check on her when they found her lying in the water. It enraptured Laura, she did not have the strength to leave the water until they arrived.
The faces were almost all blank, their bodies nothing but placeholders for the people who had been there. Looking at this man she realized one of the people there was in the back, behind the group that came to her. He appeared a bit younger, less stress lines. But it was him standing at the edge of the bank, looking on in concern for her and the others.
In the memory she focused on his face and knew it was him. Laura's aggressive demeanor changed almost immediately, it was not softened but she did not show signs she was going to attack anymore. She straightened up and kept staring at him, which he would admit to feeling a bit uncomfortable. He gave her a nervous smile for an instant.
He knows me and I know him.
"Take a step back, Laura. Just back up and we can talk about this." Micheal gestured her along and she did as he said. Laura took a few slow steps backwards, guns aimed at her head.
"We fight or we die." There was an angry growling in her head, but Laura furrowed her brow and did what she could to squash it. This was something the Voice did not understand, Laura could rely on the survival skills but not human knowledge. This man meant something to her in her memories, she only wished she knew what. He was not bad to her in the memory she had, but he did not show much outside of general worry for her without saying a word.
Something was happening in the memory and she did not know what, but it did not change how she felt about him. He made her more passive, she wanted to listen to him. The others were strangers with familiar eyes, yet his face, his voice, and his behavior was something Laura knew.
He wants me to listen to him. We will not do what he wants, but I want to know who he is and why I know him. Laura separated herself from the Voice, the first act of defiance she had shown in months. The Voice kept her alive and though she did not trust these people, there is a definite connection to her life before Woodbury that this man could bridge. She wanted that, yet knew it did not help her survive. The memory in her head, the sound of birds and rustling leaves. Seeing him on the ledge above worried over her; it meant the world to her. She could not turn it down.
Glenn turned to the woman, "Drop the sword and turn around." There was no hesitation, but she did so slowly. Laura stepped back further, remaining calm and still very much on edge. Though much of her desperation had turned from trying to kill this woman to wondering who this man was and why she still retained a memory of him.
"Laura?" They have been saying my name, they know me. Woodbury? We haven't seen them before. She mused on but for a second. "Laura, what happened to you?" Micheal asked her, nearing her side. Her head turned the instant she heard him step closer to her and she glared. Her hands tense, open, and ready to swipe. The damage they could do to a person when she swung at them or grabbed them could be deadly. Especially when she attacked a walker with them before using them to attack another human; the result was the same as a bite.
Maggie had her pistol aimed gingerly towards Laura when Micheal turned to her, "Is that really necessary?" He asked her, but a nervous look to Micheal told him she was unsure. Laura appeared different, Maggie was concerned too different.
Micheal was unnerved by how not Laura she acted. She was not shy and nervous, there was no concern for herself or others around her. There was a coldness he could not shake off. Whatever went on while she was out here was not good, if the scars they could see on skin any indication. Not to mention the thing on her face and hands, he considered what went into them.
"We thought you died back at the farmhouse. Carol wouldn't talk to Red for days." Micheal continued, Glenn and Maggie listening to him. They were unsure if Red's group had told the truth about what had happened with Carol and Laura, but seeing Micheal try to reach to Laura now did a lot to convince them they were being honest. "You know Red, he doesn't show emotion. The man is a living statue I swear, but after you... stayed behind, he felt that even if he didn't show anyone. We all knew it; Daisy took care of him."
Laura stared at him, the names were recognizable, but she did not care why. She was not docile for them because she wanted to be. Curiosity surrounding Glenn caught her interest, but not as an ally. Micheal did not come too close, he saw how she tensed up.
"He was there for us though, after you were gone. Carol came around eventually and she just gave him a hug and that was that, they never spoke about you again... I think out there on the road we were struggling, trying to handle losing you after Elizabeth? They needed time." He looked to Glenn and Maggie, "Then we found the prison, with the group you told us about. They let us in and things are... uneasy, but we're really trying to make it work. Red's talked more, he's doing his best to be more open with them. And he's really bad at it, but that's okay." Micheal chuckled, his voice wavering. "Laura...? Please talk to us." He pleaded but there was no answer.
Maggie looked to Laura, she remembered the blue skinned girl with leg braces and a messed up voice. Laura had stuttered errantly before her voice began to level out, even then speaking was obviously not easy. There was always a scratch in the back of her throat or a clear inability to pronounce words properly. They never mentioned it, finding her speech disability was not something she could change and they mostly tried to ignore it so Laura did not feel singled out by it in conversations.
The Greene girl frowned, Laura was not like the others in her group. She remembered her arriving in a hooded jacket and avoiding her family. There was a reason of course, fear of being discovered, but they accepted her when Rick insisted she was safe and telling them the truth. He did not know much more than they did, in reality he could not actually confirm any of Laura's long winded story. Rick trusted her though and the group vouched for her. All except Shane naturally.
"Laura." Maggie got her attention, the black haired muzzled woman whipping her head around to look at Maggie standing on her right side, opposite to Micheal. "Can you still speak? You have a lotta issue doing so back on the farm, if you can't talk just nod your head and we'll understand."
Laura ground her teeth into the leather bit in her mouth. I can't talk, I wouldn't even if I could... What farm? So she tilted her head and nodded once, confirming Maggie's suspicions even though the truth of why she could not speak was different, it was enough to make them understand.
"Oh," Micheal sighed, "I'm an idiot. I should've remembered... I just thought back in the farmhouse you could talk. I'm sorry I didn't realize." He ran a hand through his hair, the sound of his movement caught Laura's attention and she eyed him suspiciously.
"We should head back to the prison. We have enough formula to last quite a while." Maggie suggested, turning her focus back on the stranger Laura had been fighting. "What do we do with her?"
The woman's expression screamed distrust. She wanted nothing to do with them and they wanted nothing to do with her. Unfortunately, she was caught in between a reunion. "We can't leave her here..." Micheal gave her an apologetic look, "She knows we stay in a prison now. She overheard everything from before and now- we have to take her back. Make sure she doesn't have a group."
"And find out why Laura and her are trying to kill each other." Glenn added, the other agreeing with him. Laura would not be hurt with them and so long as she did not lose her target, she did not care where they went. Eventually she would have her prey.
Micheal made sure Glenn and Maggie's pistols were raised before he approached the strange woman. He reached out to pull her along with them back to the car when she yanked her arm back, glaring daggers at him. "Don't touch me." Glenn and Maggie had their fingers on the trigger, just in case.
"I'm sorry we have to do this, but we have to protect our own. You'll be coming with us." Micheal tried to speak to her delicately, knowing a survivor out here alone or not could still be a decent person. Laura fighting her meant they were at odds, but it did not change they were both still humans. "I don't want to drag you somewhere unfamiliar with strange people, but I promise; if you're just a normal person out here surviving like us no one will hurt you. I know Red would beat our asses if we did someone out here wrong without reason. Rick seems to be the same way."
She did not trust his words, they meant nothing to her. Knowing she was not in a position to resist however, she would do as they said. Just without being so hands on. Still glaring at him she slowly made her way passed him before turning her glare on Laura, just barely brushing between the two. Her steps were careful and calculated while Laura's was more heavy footed, she did not have to hide from the dead and did not need to sneak constantly like the others.
There was a well defined difference between the two women. The stranger was always looking for a way out, for a way to defend herself. Laura was sure footed, no reason to hide from the undead. Out in the open, already caught by the living group behind her she did not even try to keep quiet. Confidently crossing the parking lot without hesitation; Laura knew how to keep herself protected if anything should happen.
She was also very confident that these people did not want to kill her or they would have by now. They had guns, she did not. This was a simple situation for any other random group, yet these people talked to her like they knew her. She was curious and her prey was coming with them, so it did not much matter where they went. At the end of this, when she had to return to Woodbury, she could still bring this woman's head and sword with her.
Micheal popped the side door, tipping his gun to gesture this woman inside. Laura watched her climb in, lazily looking to Micheal as he did the same to her. She stood there knowing she was going to have to sit beside the woman she just tried to kill. An awkward car ride to say the least.
Glenn took the driver seat, Maggie in the passenger. Micheal between the two volatile women in the back seat. Maggie and Micheal kept their pistols up and ready, the woman's sword up front with Maggie. Resistance was pointless, there was nothing either of them could do. Laura did not particularly care to fight back, though an itch in the back of her head caused a level of fear to rise up slowly in her gut.
These people knew her name, knew her face. The man driving was recognizable to Laura and she had a want in her body. An urge to understand and know more about who these people were, how they knew her, and this compelling need to know how she knows his face.
The car started with a loud rumble, shaking it's old tired frame to life. Laura wondered where they would be going, how she could protect herself if they turned on her. Though it was a dangerous situation, she did not feel stress to escape. If she fought back they could kill her here, with pistols aimed at both the women. If she stayed obedient then she could remain unharmed for some time.
Glenn looked into the rear view to see Micheal between the women, both of them with long scowls on their faces. At least he think Laura was scowling, she was certainly not smiling. The muzzle made it hard to see her face underneath, but the blue skin, strange eyes, and the stab wound told him this was Laura.
He flinched at the sight. That woman drove her sword straight through Laura, the stranger's face a mix of shock and confusion. Laura had taken the sword without much of a fight to stop it then used the sword against her attacker, which was far different than the Laura he remembered. It clearly caused pain, but not much else. She did not slow down, she did not struggle to keep the blade from piercing her skin.
Maggie shared the same concerns silently as her significant other did. Though she was never particularly close to Laura, knowing she had been trying to remain hidden from her family at first, even after revealing herself they never spoke much. They were friends through friends, but did not associate directly. There was always a sheepish behavior from the undead woman.
Here she was not shy, no signs of nervousness, fear, or even aggression anymore now that she was held at gunpoint. She was calm and reserved, it worried Maggie.
On the edge of the treeline, just behind the store, Merle watched the scene unfold. He knew she was outnumbered, recognized Glenn almost immediately, but had no idea the other two. They all had guns and after catching Laura they were on high alert, especially after Laura attacked the other woman. He knew her as Michonne, Laura only knew her as their target.
He knew Michonne could not resist three armed people and Laura at the same time. If he had joined in it would still just be himself and Laura against four. One with a sword and three with guns; the group Glenn was in could easily kill or capture them since they had the upper hand. Merle had a better idea, to report this group to the Governor.
Glenn was in the group back in Atlanta, still part of the group if Andrea was telling the truth. Glenn was Merle's best chance at finding his brother now; so he set his sights on hunting the group down. The Governor had promised him if he got more solid information about his brother's whereabouts he would send a squad to help him. With Michonne and Laura in their hands, his brother possibly with this group - the Governor and Merle's motives were aligned.
Of course, he was not ignoring the danger to Laura- he knew she must be scared but she was tough. His connection to the tortured undead woman would not just disappear with her in their captivity. There were many reasons to go after this group, all of them in his favor.
The car ride was tense, but with two pistols aimed at them the woman and Laura sat without complaint on opposite sides of the backseat with Micheal between them. The woman eyed her sword resting between Maggie's knees then returned her glare to Maggie who had her pistol trained on Laura, Micheal with his on the stranger. Every second was awkward.
"So, what's your name?" Glenn asked, trying to extend the olive branch to the strange woman in the car. Technically the only person in the vehicle that no one knew. He glanced at her in the rear view, met only with the returning sour look on her face. He flinched, she was not social.
Maggie and Glenn exchanged a quick look, "Hey, we don't want to hurt anyone. We were just out for a run and all this happened; it's not ideal for us either. I'm Maggie, this is Glenn and Micheal. You and Laura seem to know each other." She referred to their attempts to kill one another. "I'm sorry about all this, but Laura's one of us and with you two... we had to stop whatever was going on."
She looked to Maggie's pistol aimed at Laura then back to Maggie's concerned expression. "You treat all your friends like that?"
Laura tilted her head to the strange women, her prey. She kept her thoughts and reactions to herself, but found her quip amusing. She also turned to Maggie and stared at her, no glaring or questioning look- just a focused, unblinking empty eyed stare that off put Maggie fiercely.
"We don't want you two fighting. I know Laura and she wouldn't hurt a fly." Micheal answered assuredly, feeling confident in his friend's loyalty and good morals. Maggie gave Laura a once over and decided she was not so sure about that statement.
Before the woman could express her disbelief, Maggie shook her head. "It doesn't matter who was fighting who or why. All that matters is we get back and tell everyone we found Laura... then figure out what Rick will want to do with her. I know just like with Randall we can't let her go, but we won't kill innocent people just out there surviving." She recalled the events surrounding Randall, about how she tried to stay out of it. She knew the group was closer than ever and killing someone for no reason was not in their plans unless it risked the group.
Rick changed, they all did surviving off the farm. They all learned how to make it without shelter, without warmth. Now with the prison protecting them, solid concrete walls and triple fences; there was an opportunity for life there. As ridiculous as it sounded to break into a prison for personal freedoms and a good life. Everything changed and they survived.
Laura was not immune to this change. Carol detailed as much as she could about her time on the road with Laura, yet none of it prepared them for what she looked like now. Maggie had not seen much of Laura without her hood or even up close for that matter. Perhaps once or twice she got a decent look at her, but that memory was faded behind months of hunger and running from the herd that took their farm.
Micheal had a bit more experience with Laura's appearance, but the two times he had seen her face there was no real comparison to make. In Atlanta she was small, even when placed beside Daisy. Though Daisy was tougher than she looked, which was practically harmless, Laura was a wall flower. She did not speak out, no capacity in her heart for violence, and though she struggled at the end of the world she kept it largely to herself. Even though everyone could tell there was something bothering her.
Reading her like an open book, Micheal and the others always knew what she needed. A friendly gesture, a wide smile. Now looking at her he wondered if she had changed that much... if she was capable of becoming the hardened survivor they all turned into. He cared for her, he truly did even back in Atlanta. She was unique, gentle, and sweet. Her frame was small and delicate, as if holding her too tightly would break her in half. Micheal winced at the thought; it was likely due to her starvation that gave her such fragility.
Sitting next to her, Laura's arm, hip, and thigh pressed against his; he realized she was not the same person. She had been attacking this stranger violently, lashing out with those odd metal things on her hands. They were sharp, but the metal relatively dull. Likely reclaimed metal from scrap slapped together to make some kind of crude weapon. The light traces of blood on them told him they had been used recently.
Then there is the matter of that thing on her face. Micheal was stunned at the sight of it, he was not sure how to react. Carol said Laura was losing herself to the infection that hunted them all and he wondered if she put that strange thing on herself to stop that from happening. Tattered clothing, splatters of blood, old wounds scarred over.
Was this even Laura? Micheal adored the shy young woman he met in Atlanta. The one who helped them when they were trapped by that rush of dead at the doors. She was not very brave or particularly strong, but she reminded him of life before the outbreak. It was calming to be with her and he never told her that.
Looking at this thick skinned woman beside him he knew that gentle women from Atlanta was still in there. He wanted to bring her out of her shell.
Maggie was less enthused about having Laura back. Not meaning any distaste to the woman, but in the absence of Laura's usual shyness was now viciousness. Maggie knew they all did what had to do for their survival. Laura's aggression was different, there was an underlying disturbing feeling she could not place about her. Micheal was so insistent that Laura is the same as ever, just the sweet woman they met before. She was not sure if it was denial or he saw something she did not.
Glenn, out of this group of three, had seen more of Laura. He knew they were exactly close, but he considered Laura a friend and a good person. They shared some good times together just talking, bonding. The run out to town while living on the Greene family farm came to mind.
She was affectionate and nervous, though staying with the group made her stand up more than she did back in Atlanta it was never enough to make her stand alone. Their time talking or just around each other was limited. Laura's impression on Glenn was a good one, he liked her, especially after their escape in Atlanta. The physical changes he saw in Laura were enough to make him wonder.
At the end of all their personal deliberations they silently came to the same conclusion. Laura is different. If that was good or bad would be decided later. Micheal was the only optimist of the group and found his conclusion was the same as Maggie and Glenn's, though he believed Laura's change was absolutely good. He had affections for a gentler Laura, but the world changed people. It changed himself, Braddock, and everyone he knew. Laura might be immune to the dead, but she was not immune to the brutality.
"At least the others won't doubt you guys anymore." Glenn tried to add to the conversation, but it came almost as a shock to Micheal. He trusted Red, but he was worried still. No one actually saw Laura willingly drop back inside the fence and rush towards the farmhouse. They took Red at his word since he always had a strong moral code about doing what is right. "I know Daryl gave you a hard time over it. Now everything can be put to rest, so we can work together on clearing the prison and making a decent place to live."
Micheal gave him a half hearted smile, "Yeah, but-" He did not look to Laura, but gestured to her with his eyes and Maggie caught it. "She can't speak. How is she going to confirm anything but not being able to speak?"
Laura leaned forward, the movement startling Maggie and her grip on the pistol tightened. I know that name. She frowned, her lips pulling against the leather bit in her mouth. That's... he's Merle's brother. He told me about him- I can't remember. Internally there was a struggle inside Laura's mind to recall this name and face, she knew this person was there somewhere. All she could see in her head was looking at Merle and him telling her "That's my little brother."
Somewhere along the line of her disorganized life she wondered if she knew his brother. There was an inkling of information that told her she did, a moment when Merle held her up by her jacket and asked her about him. He thought she knew something and at the time she could not answer, not knowing if she did or did not. Laura scoffed inwardly, That's not much help. We did not know then and I do not know now.
"We are alone, they do not know us. Remember survival above all else. We live, we eat. We die and there is nothing, an end to the hunt." The Voice interrupted her thoughts, but Laura nearly rolled her eyes. I'm busy trying to find out what these people know. They know me, I did not say they know you or us.
"Well we could start by not talking like she isn't here." Maggie replied a bit sarcastically. "Laura, if they talk about the farmhouse and what happened you got separated, can you just like... nod your head if it's right or not?" Believing Laura was mute now Maggie was trying to offer another option.
Though Glenn did mostly believe Red's explanation about Laura at the farmhouse, there was some doubt just under the surface. It was not a malicious disbelief of the new group, but experience that made him question everything. They survived for a reason and it was not by blindly trusting others. While allowed in the prison, they were under constant watch.
After last night Daryl took over for Rick, helping lead the group while Rick... worked on some things. Red's group agreed to a one hostage technically per group while they locked them in the other cell block. Carol and Sophia with Red and Micheal stayed with Rick's, or Daryl's now as it appeared to them.
Everyone was tense, but after the initial rushed meeting things were quiet between the groups. Red's group was more trusting than Rick's. Carol had told them a lot about her people, about what kind of people they were, and she had long since proven to be a loyal member of their small group. Laura arriving with Carol convinced them Carol was good company; especially since all Carol did was try to usher peace between Laura and the others.
Maggie and Glenn were already on the same page about the trust issues between both groups. They would be hopeful that these people were as good as Carol tells them, but prepared if they were not. Doubt was there though it was less prevalent after talking to them, after Glenn had gone with Red's group on an emergency run for formula.
It may not have been the best time to risk his life with strangers. The situation called for additional help and they did have it, with Carol vouching for them. He took the chance and returned with enough to last them another few days of formula. Thankful, he considered that a step in the right direction.
Looking at Laura and how unresponsive she was to them Glenn and Maggie began to think. Laura was not happy to see them, she did not greet them in any way. She attacked this woman and surely that could be more important to her as a survivor. If of course this woman was threatening her than Glenn would understand being more focused on self preservation.
Still, Laura's apparent poker face upon seeing them was unnerving. He looked at her though most of her face obscured by loose hair and that thing over her mouth. There was no shock seeing them, no recognition at all. A person would show elation at finding a long lost friend or anything at all.
Glenn looked at the long scratches and cracks in the windshield from Laura launching herself over their car. She tore through them, even cutting Micheal with those metal gloves on her hands. There was no hesitation, she was desperate and this woman... she was trying to sneak away. Glenn swallowed hard, the woman was not fighting she was trying to escape.
Laura stopped her before she could by darting through them, catching her as she made her way through the dead cars. If this woman wanted Laura dead she did not show it.
In the rearview he saw this strange woman glaring ahead, not paying attention to anyone really but still cautiously aware of their weapons and her sword. Laura spared her a few looks, her eyes narrowed when she could see her enemy. Glenn knew he was no genius at reading people, no one really was anymore with people being so ready to betray others.
Laura was intent on this woman who never spared Laura a glance. She did not care if Laura was alive or dead, if she was looking at her or not. All this strange sword wielding woman cared about was survival and he saw it plain as day. The only person in this car who wanted someone dead was Laura. There was no emotion on her face, yet when her eyes focused on the woman she was still and observant.
Laura wanted this woman, he assumed from the fight earlier she wanted her dead. The woman fought only when Laura pursued her.
In this moment he was worried. They all assumed Laura was the person defending herself, but with how she initiated the short fight at the parking lot - he knew they were wrong. Glenn looked to Maggie who still had her pistol on Laura, she caught his eye, and she knew enough.
The car ride was long. The hot humid Georgia weather did nothing to cool their nerves. Glenn's specifically now worried his friend was as Carol put it; more predator than human.
adelphe24:
Yeah I was a jerk and left you guys on a cliffhanger like that. A lot will go down very soon. :)
If this chapter is... not as good I do intend on revising it at some point. I was very sick when I tried to write this chapter the first two times, so I'm not entirely confident it isn't repetitive or boring.
It was taking too long though so I decided it was better to release it now than wait another 3-4 days to completely rewrite it.
Gemini's Revenge:
Yup, I was mean. I left a cliffhanger like a jerk hahahaha and then I got sick unexpectedly which pushed the chapter back over a week. Ugh, bad timing. :P
Thank you! You're so sweet. Trying to write while very ill made me feel terrible. I was writing dumb stuff left and right so I had to rewrite it and I still feel like it's a rough sketch.
I'll probably redo this chapter a bit later.
MoonLunacy:
Hahaha hey hey hey!
I'm glad you like the story so much and I appreciate you reviewing. :)
I'm making it... bad for Laura. I want to develop her as a survivor and I mean not one who survives on her strange condition, but rather her ferocity. I want her to be fierce!
Oh yeah, the group will not react well to what happened. A lot of chapters will involve heavy dialogue without pulling any punches. It'll be discussions on violence, the torture, rapes, everything. It will take time, but we will see more of Laura's interaction with the group and the group talking among themselves. More chapters will be dedicated entirely to the group rather than focusing on Laura.
And her father now in the picture will complicate matters further. The group already knowing she escaped the experiments would not go over well when they find he did manage to survive.
You're right of course, he doesn't see Laura anymore. He knows what he made better than anyone and what he knows could change how the group perceives Laura in the future. A lot will happen on that. ;)
Haha she's on her way with Glenn, Maggie, and Micheal... of course Michonne too but I don't think she's happy about that. She so focused on her target and the repercussions in her head that she isn't trying as hard as she could to remember the people around her. The memories are still there and isolated by lack of use, long term memory in the core of her brain partially under the Infection's control. All of that will be explained a bit more later hahhahaha
And yeah, they will have new views on her appearance. She's been fed, well fed. Her work, constant testing and exercises have built defined muscles but she also put on healthy weight. No longer skin and bones - Laura filled out. ;)
Micheal and Daryl will have more conversations in the next few days / months for sure. Daisy gets along with Daryl, just because she's able to integrate with others so well. Micheal... he's a bit more crass hahaha