Maya wakes up out of her vision and snaps forward as her head hurts like someone pounded a sledgehammer on it, and her nose once again started to bleed. Aniya looks back at her sister and sees she is awake and alert.
"Maya! You're okay," Aniya runs to her sister and hugs her.
Bonnie turns her focus from the walkers outside and sees Maya out from who knows what. Bonnie guards the exit in case the walkers comes close, as she looks at Maya, "Aniya keep your voice down we are not exactly out of the woods just yet with the walkers. Glad to you back to the world of the living, Maya."
Maya nods to Bonnie and holds her forehead of the sharp pain still surging through her brain. Aniya then lowers her voice so she doesn't attract the walkers here, "What exactly happened?" Aniya asks.
Maya leans forward and puts her head between her legs to stop the pounding headache, "Had a vision." Maya spoke in a low muffle voice.
"Yeah I know, but what caused you to go down like that? You had visions before and never go down and pass out like what you just did." Aniya puts her arms around her sister's shoulders.
Maya closes her eyes and brings her head up to rest on her knees, as she smears the blood from her nose onto the sleeve of her father's jacket. "I saw a deer."
Bonnie was listening in and turned her head when Maya mentions the word deer. "Deer? We didn't see any deer out there."
Maya eyes her leader, "Because it wasn't a physical one, Bonnie. It was a spirit. A spirit warning me of danger coming." Maya confesses.
Bonnie looks to Maya and doesn't believe, "Maya I think you need to rest, and must have hit your head or something when you collapse."
"I am not crazy and don't need rest and my head is fine. I see things that you can't see." Maya leans back as her head pounded again.
Aniya looks to Bonnie as she shakes her head still not believing Maya. Aniya ignores her and strokes her sister's forearm, "What did you see?"
Maya looks down at her sister and then tells her everything, "Violet, this young woman named Minerva, Louis, a boy I am not familiar with, another boy I've seen once but don't know his name, two other kids, AJ and Clementine on a beach after the boat we seen in the river, and what I am guessing Delta members." Bonnie now suddenly is intrigued and stood at the entrance to the cave as Maya retells her vision. "After when this woman named Minerva throws something I don't know a grenade at Clementine separating Clementine from her group, I look back at the same deer I saw in the forest, and a storm came over the river, flashes of light where I couldn't see, and blood all around in the sand I was standing on, and the sky red. I tried to ask the deer spirit who is going to die, and ask them what they want and who they are when the pain in my forehead started to burn." Maya spoke and hugs her sides.
"Red sky are you sure?" Aniya asks.
Maya nods and closes her eyes and puts her head in her lap again and hugs her knees, and she fits clutches her pant leg. Aniya looks at her sister and squeezes her forearm. "You know when?"
Maya shook her head, not saying anything with her head in her lap holding back tears. Bonnie then comes a little closer to the Lakota sisters, "You saw Clementine in your vision-like thing?"
Maya slowly raises her eyes to look at her leader, "Yes."
"Why was she on the beach, was she responsible for blowing up that boat that Alberto told me about?" Bonnie looks at Maya.
"I don't know I didn't see that far back. My gift is not a wind-up time machine it only gives me visions of what is important for me to know." Maya starting to get angry with Bonnie miss using her gift to serve her interest. "And it is warning me of someone's death on the horizon."
"Whose?" Bonnie asks.
"I don't know whose, but Red sky means death, or many, in my ancestors' teachings. And blood on the sand, from many, is another sign." Maya looks to her leader.
Gargling moans of walkers started to echo through the cave as Bonnie whips around at the entrance and sees at least five entering, "Shit,"
Aniya springs to action and grabs her knife and started to attack a walker. Maya pushes her pain away and takes hold of her father's knife and attacks the walkers to fight for her life. Maya defeats one walker and glances outside as more were filling in from the west. Maya remembers Violet telling her Clementine used walker guts to get past herds. Maya takes her knife and splits open the walker she just killed and covers herself up in walker guts. Aniya looks at her sister after she has slain a walker and asks, "Maya what are you doing?"
"Covering myself in walker guts, you should too if you want to get out of here," Maya said.
"I am not—" Aniya started to protest.
"Aniya, more walkers are filling in from the west and will be here in a matter of minutes. Get your fucking ass over here and put the guts on you!" Maya orders her sister in an urgent tone.
Bonnie slain the last walker and looks outside in the direction where Maya just said and her eyes widen as she is right. Bonnie hisses and grits her teeth, "Fuck," Bonnie takes her knife as well and started to open up the walker she just killed and did the same as Maya is doing. "She's right Aniya."
Maya fully covered in the guts looks at her sister, "Please Aniya, do you trust me?"
Aniya closes her eyes and throws down her knife, "Fine. Make it quick!"
Bonnie looks at the two girls, "I'll cover you two and make sure the walkers don't get too close, hurry Maya."
Maya digs in the dead walker and started to put the guts on her sister. Aniya moans at the smell as she tries to hold back her nausea. Maya manages to cover her sister in the guts and was about to put the dead walker's intestines around her sister when her sister moves away from her sister and vomits behind a rock.
Maya waited until her sister stops puking and returns to back to her. Maya softly looks at her sister, "Here," she drapes the intestine around her shoulders, and Aniya gasped. "Relax, sis you are fine. Just don't think and you will be fine. Once we get out of these caves and to safety you can take it off you." Maya squeezes her little sister's hand.
"y—yo—you su—re this will work?" Aniya stutters in fear.
"Yes. Covering up in their blood will disguise your scent." Maya assures her.
Bonnie eyes the two teenagers, "Come on we got to go." Maya takes hold of her sister's hands and follows Bonnie out of the caves to someplace safe from the small herd.
…..
Louis follows Violet to her room and he softly knocks on the door. Violet had just plopped on her bed when she heard a knock. She lets go of the necklace Maya made her and goes and opens the door. To her dismay, Louis is at the door, "Louis? What, why are you here?"
Louis looks at her and eyes her suspiciously, "Can I talk to you?"
Violet looks at him and leans up against the door, "Sure, talk away Lou?'
"I mean in your room, privately?" Louis looks down the hallway and then back at Violet.
Violet follows his gaze and then back at him, "No one is around Louis," Violet spoke.
"I know but I feel comfortable talking with you behind closed doors if you don't mind." Louis looks at his best friend.
Violet rolls her eyes and shrugs, "Suit yourself, Lou," Violet moves away from the door and goes to her bed, and sits on it, leaning up against the wall. As Louis closes Violet's door and moves into the interior space. He hasn't set foot in this room since he comforted Violet after learning that Minerva and Sophie were killed by walkers. He still envisions that day of holding Violet in her bed where Violet is sitting now, and hearing her mournful cries until she cried herself to sleep. Louis shook his head to clear it, and leans up against Violet's dresser and nightstand.
Violet looks at him with her hazel eyes, "Spill Lou? What is so important you need to talk to me behind a closed door?"
Louis took a breath, "Are you secretly sneaking out of Ericson to go meet Maya?"
Violet was caught off guard by that question, and she looks down not meeting Louis's eyes as she bit her inner cheek. Violet closes her eyes for a moment then looks back at him, "What do you think I am meeting her?"
"Because you have a happy face when coming out of the graveyard, and I know visiting Minerva and Sophie's graves does not make you that happy. Especially after what Minerva did you on that beach." Louis reminded her. "I won't tell Clementine I swear, I just want to know, so are you?"
Violet sighs and pushes herself off the bed and stands by the bedpost with sunlight shining down on her face. Violet looks up at Louis, "Yes. I've been sneaking out the past several weeks to meet her away from Ericson. And," Violet looks down with a slight glow on her face remembering Maya's sweet face staring back at her, that gets Violet weak in the knees and her heart racing. Violet heaves a sigh and looks at her best friend, "You're not the only Ericson kid around here who is in love. I, I fell in love with Maya."
Violet came out with the truth. She moves to the other side of Louis staring out the window. "I thought I would never find love again after, Minnie. Then fate or destiny happened, collided me with her a few months back. One thing led to another and I let my walls down. Or she came in with a sledgehammer and shattered my walls, as I fell for her. And tell you the truth Louis, I don't think I've ever fallen this hard for someone as I fell for Maya. Not even Minerva hit this deep and you know how crazy I was for her." Violet looks at her friend and brother figure.
Louis gave a little nod, "That I do yes. And I can tell by your face you glow especially when I see you coming in from the graveyard. Also, whatever happened between you and her that day I spot you by Clementine's tree house."
Violet smiles and a slight blush forms on her face remembering her first kiss with Maya, as that kiss felt so magical. She has never been kissed like that in her life. Not even her first kiss with Minerva was that magical and spectacular. When Maya kissed her, she really kissed her. More than just a peck on the lips, it was full-on lip action with some exchanges of tongue contact. Violet shakes her head, and her gaze falls on the hard surface of the dresser, "Please don't tell Clementine, she still has trust issues with her, and I don't blame her. I know she is trying to keep another Raiders situation from happening and I respect that." Violet then raises her gaze to look at Louis's soft brown eyes, "But I know Maya will never ever put me in danger or anyone here. She cares, really cares. And if it wasn't for her sister she has to take care of, I bet she would come and asks Clementine to stay. And we really could use her expertise here in this group. She will be a great asset to Ericson."
Louis looks at his friend and away, "Violet, how can you know? I know you want your girlfriend with you but how do you know she will be a good asset?"
"Well for one she can help Ruby with her medical skills. And you well know, she is an excellent huntress. And…" Violet closes her eyes and breaths out a sigh, as her eyes open to look across the room, "She is good at night watching. She stayed up all night when she and I were stuck up in the tree when the huge horde of walkers came. And she held me all throughout the night as I slept in her lap. She never let me fall." Violet looks at her friend.
Louis was hesitant, "Look Vi, I won't tell Clem of this, but you should tell her yourself what you just told me."
Violet looks away, "She won't listen to me, Louis. I tried that and she won't listen because she has a prejudice against Maya because she happens to be in the same group of people who did her wrong in the past."
Louis looks at his friend, "Can you blame her, Vi? I mean for a while when you first came here, you barely let people get close to you after the fucked up situation yourself what you had to deal with and the same age Clementine was shot at by a shifty person, and then have a group member leave you to die... A lot easier to ask forgiveness than to forget."
Louis looks and sees a new item around Violet's neck as she leans forward on the desk with her head bowed. He knows he is starting to get through, "I know you care for this girl, Vi, hell I wish there was something I could do to get Clementine to see your side and for both you and her to be happy. But I can't change her mind about extending that trust outward. She tried that with Minerva, and look where that went. Clem is still feeling that burn of trust from shifty people, and can't really blame her."
Violet then snaps her head up, "But Maya is not shifty!"
"I know, Violet, I know. From what I have seen when I met her, how she was quick to defend us against Arvo. I can see she has a good heart and knows when one is faulty and has a good sense of judgment. She could have shot me with her arrow if she wanted to, but she didn't." Louis said.
Violet was starting to get angry, "If you know this of her, then why are you standing on the sidelines on this one?"
"I don't like confrontation. You know this." Louis looks at her. "I don't want to fight you on this. That is something you and Clem, need to work on resolving this conflict on your own." Louis steps backward. "But I will be a friend for you if you need it."
Louis sees Violet not meeting his gaze and crossing her arms. Louis then looks at her, "For what it is worth Vi, I think you and Maya are good for one another. You may not see it, but she changed you in some way. In a good way. I haven't seen you light up this way ever. I mean, ever."
Violet looks up at him with a little surprised expression. Then shyly responded, "Thanks." And moves her own hair back behind her ear, like what Maya always does to her when she wants to seriously kiss her. Violet heaves a sigh as she looks up at him, and as he stands in the sunlight. Violet notices something new on his neck. "Lou, ah..what is on your neck?"
Louis looks at her with confusion, "What?"
Violet moves away from the dresser and pulls on Louis's shirt to get a closer look. A teasing smile falls on her face as she bites her lip to keep from laughing, "Oh…hmm…what did you and Clem do last night to let her give you a hickey?"
Louis's eyes were wide, "She did what to me?"
"You have a hickey on your neck Lou, oh…several in fact." Violet peers down Louis's shirt.
"Okay, that's enough. Let me see," Louis batted Violet's arms away and moves towards Violet's desk. Louis stands before a small dusty mirror to see what Violet is looking at. And his face went red as Violet moves to the spare bunk bed by the desk laughing. Violet giggles a bit more, "What did you do to earn your badges of honor with her Lou?"
Louis tugs his jacket collar closer up on his neck, "nothing." He doesn't want to share his first sexual experience to give Violet any more ammunition for teasing rights.
Violet smirks and raises her eyebrows at him, "Never thought I see the day you out of all people will get to receive a hickey from someone. Especially from Clementine. Marlon sure, and Justin, but you?" Violet points her finger at him.
Louis covers his face now with his jacket, "Well since you are through being pissed…I am going to go fix the traps and walls." Louis hugs his coat closer.
Violet then giggles and teases Louis back from all the crap he pulled with her and Minerva, "Okay, just don't land on Clementine's lips again to create any more of those 'bruises,'" Violet laughs again.
Louis gave her a sneer back, "You are enjoying torturing my soul?"
"Yes after all the shit you done with me in the past on my first romance, yeah. It's payback time, Louis." Violet spoke.
Louis gives her the finger as he exits her room. He has to admit he likes it when Violet teases him back, even though he is embarrassed about it.
…..
Over the next couple of days, Louis's pain in his lower right abdomen started to burn and hurt like hell. He thought it was hungry pains and found himself not hungry. Or it was weird after-sex pain that lasts several days after having sex the first time. Louis ignored the pain and eased up for quite some time when he, Aasim, and Willy were out hunting.
Louis fought through the pain of taking the rabbit out of the snare and held his side. Louis has a cold sweat now forming on his brow. Am I getting sick or something? Better not be. I am needed for hunting. Louis must be kneeling for quite some time as Aasim comes back hauling two rabbits.
"Dude you're okay?" Aasim looks at his friend.
Louis slowly rises and holds his right side. "Yeah…just…heartburn."
Aasim's eyebrows raise in concern, "Lou, you're not fine. You're sweating and it is freezing out."
"Let's just get the rest of the traps set for Thumper to run into them if they ever come out." Louis waves off Aasim's concern.
"Still think you should see Ruby." Aasim looks at him.
"Will you stop worrying about me? I'm fine, I don't need—" Louis pauses as he feels his stomach turn. Louis starts to gag and runs to a side of the tree and pukes.
Aasim drops the kills and tends to his friend. Aasim approaches Louis and sees him turning a different shade of color, "Come on, let's get you back home. Willy and I will set the traps later. You need to see Ruby now. Vomiting is not an indicator of fine Louis," Aasim spoke.
Louis nods and holds his right abdomen, as the pain steadily worsens. Willy finishes catching a rabbit and looks as Aasim walks close to Louis and sees Louis's pale brown now, "What is wrong with him?"
"Louis is sick. Taking him back to see Ruby. Take what we caught to Omar, and you and I will reset the traps later this evening." Aasim said.
"It is just the stomach bug, Aasim," Louis spoke, trying not to make it a big deal.
"Maybe, but let's have Ruby verify it first, okay." Aasim walks with him.
"Okay… I think you are wasting your girl's talents on something silly as the stomach bu—" Louis then felt a sharp pain now in his lower right side as it causes him to fall to his knees with a thud.
"Louis!" Aasim rushes to his side and sees his friend holding his side. "Shit.."
Willy looks to Aasim, "What is happening to him? Stomach bugs usually don't make people faint, do they?"
"No, they don't. Come on, I need your help." Aasim instructs Willy on what to do, and the rest of the way back Aasim carries Louis on his shoulder.
Violet is on watch duty when she sees Aasim carrying Louis, and she rushes down from the watch tower to open the gate. Once Aasim and Willy are through the gate, Violet asks, "What happened?"
"I don't know. We need to see Ruby ASAP. Something majorly is wrong with Louis." Aasim told Violet.
"She's in the greenhouse with Clementine." Violet pointed in the direction of the greenhouse.
Aasim nodded, "Willy, go fetch her and meet me in the nurse's station. Violet go to the library and find a medical book, any medical book."
"Why a medical—" Violet started to say.
"Because I think we are going to need it to find out exactly what is wrong with Louis," Aasim spoke. He heaves Louis up the stairs to the admin building. It was a long tiring climb but he laid Louis down on a soft bed in the nurse's station.
Violet comes in first with the book Aasim requested and didn't take long before Clementine and Ruby are at the door. Clementine rushes to be at her lover's side. She felt Louis's head as he breaks out in a cold sweat, and he looked pale. Clementine looks at Aasim, "What happened? What is wrong with him?"
Aasim rubs the back of his neck, "I don't know. He was acting strange when we were hunting and trying to reset the snares when Louis started to vomit, and then as we were walking back, he fainted and hasn't woken up since. He was favoring his right side."
Ruby stands by Louis and touches his forehead, "He's got a fever, that is for sure."
Clementine looks into Ruby's blue eyes, "Stomach bug?"
Aasim shook his head, "Stomach bugs don't make people faint. Or have severe lower abdominal pains"
Violet reaches for the book Aasim requested and asks Aasim to list off Louis's symptoms, "Aasim give me Louis's symptoms again."
Aasim looked at Violet and started to list off his symptoms, "He has a fever, vomited out in the woods, and been holding his lower right side. And fainted."
Violet looks to Clementine who is near Louis's right side, "Clem lift up Louis's shirt and lightly feel around where his hip is."
Clementine looks at Violet and does precisely what she instructed. When she touches the tender spot on Louis's stomach Louis groans, and his fist slams the bed, and he hugs his body. Violet looks and finds what is wrong with him, "Fuck…his appendix ruptured."
Clementine looks at her, "How do you know that?"
"A girl who used to live here, Maddy. Her appendix ruptured, and Ms. Martin had to take her to the hospital." Violet spoke.
Violet handed the medical book to Ruby and pointed the medical term out to her. Clementine looks at Louis and then back at the two girls, "Okay…what do we do? Pain meds."
Violet eyes Aasim and Ruby, and Ruby is first to speak, "Clem, Louis needs more than just medicine. He needs surgery."
Clementine eyes widen, "Surgery?! But we don't have that option around here." Clementine took her gaze off the two girls and looked at Louis, who looked to be in pain. She closes her eyes and is afraid to ask this question to get an answer she is afraid to hear. Clementine reopens her eyes and looks at Ruby, "What happens if Louis can't get surgery?"
Ruby reads what would happen if the appendix is not removed in time, and she is afraid to answer Clementine. Clementine looks to her as the only medical person in this school who know this stuff, "Well?"
Ruby swallows hard, "Louis could die Clem."
Clementine face falls and she holds his hand, and her eyes squeeze shut. She reopens them and looks at Ruby with tears in her eyes, "Can you do it? Or look it up somewhere on how to do it?"
"Clem…I…I know little about this kind of stuff. I didn't go to med school, I could make it worse." Ruby's voice broke.
"You're the best bet I have, Ruby!" Clementine raises to her feet.
"I'm not a surgeon, Clem. I only know basic medical knowledge of what Ms. Martin told me." Ruby looks at Clementine with empathy and wishes she knew more, but she doesn't.
The whole time when Clementine and Ruby are talking, Violet eyes Louis. Maya! Maya knows how to heal people. Maybe she can help Louis. Violet fixes her eyes on Clementine, "Maya might know how to help Louis."
Clementine and Ruby both turn to look at Violet. Clementine crosses her arms and eyes, Violet, "And how will your girlfriend know how to fix him? He needs a surgeon Vi, not an herbalist."
"Clem, Ruby needs help, and Maya knows some medical knowledge here that can help save Louis. It is not like we got a choice here in picking doctors here. I know you have trust issues with Maya, but she can help Clementine." Violet ignores the comment on her girlfriend, which Violet had every right to tell Clementine off but chooses not to as Louis needs her help more than her feud with Clementine.
Ruby looks to Clementine, "I can use another set of hands from a healer. And she is right. We don't have many options to choose from if we want to save Louis. If Violet can bring Maya here, the better."
Clementine looks to Ruby and then to Violet, and then her gaze rests on Louis, whose life is hanging in the balance. Clementine closes her eyes to think as she doesn't have much of an option but to take up Violet's offer and bring Maya here to inspect Louis and work with Ruby to save him. Clementine sighs, "Fine. But take Aasim with you. I don't want anyone from her group to come and know about this place, got it? Especially Arvo and Bonnie." Violet turns to her friend, and the two of them leave the nurses' station.
…
Violet and Aasim walk in the woods as Violet leads him down the pathway she takes to meet Maya. Aasim told her, "I am surprised Clem is being civil on this matter."
"Louis's life is on the line. So, she doesn't have much choice to hold onto her pride." Violet murmurs. "She loves him, and people will do anything to keep the person they love alive. I would have done the same thing if Maya was like this." Violet admitted.
Aasim looks at her, "Speaking of which, how do you know where she will be? Or know her whereabouts in her camp?"
Violet looks to him and then her eyes forward, "We worked out a coding system of leaving messages close by an opening in the wall by her tent in her group's camp. How she treated my shoulder a few days ago. Ruby is good, but the stuff Maya uses is better." Violet admitted. "Don't tell Ruby I said that. I'm grateful for her skill of taking care of me and everyone, but something about the stuff Maya uses…it is better, and feels like there are some magical healing properties."
Aasim holds out his hands, "I won't, and pretend I didn't hear you prefer your girlfriend's stuff over Ruby's."
Violet smiles a little, then focus on getting to Maya to help Louis. They are nearing Maya's group encampment, and she signals to Aasim to be quiet and follow her lead. They didn't get far into the caravan's territory when Violet pulled Aasim behind a bush for cover as they saw a red hair woman, Maya, and Aniya. Aasim whispers to Violet, "How are we going to get her away from those two."
Violet watches her girlfriend and notices they just come back from hunting. She looked and thought of a way to get her attention, "Stay here,"
Aasim looks at her, "Violet. No, this is suicide. We will wait for her to be alone."
"Louis may not have that kind of time, Aasim. Every minute counts, and Louis needs that surgery, now!" Violet hisses. "I will go and get her attention. Wait here, please!" Violet inches closer and closer behind the three females as the redhead is carrying a small bore and two rabbits. Maya had a bow and a quiver of arrows.
Maya looked back and halted in her tracks as she heard footsteps behind them or nearby. Bonnie notices her slight absence, "Something wrong, Maya?"
Maya peers through the trees as she holds up a finger to her leader to stay quiet momentarily. Maya zeros in on the sound and looks to see Violet. Her eyes widened, and she had to think of something, "I thought I heard something back there. But I guess it was a bird or a walker. There are those still around." Maya turns back, and with her foot, she writes a one and an m in the dirt for Violet to see. It was a subtle motion that Bonnie or her sister never saw what Maya did with her foot. Maya turns back and follows Bonnie and her sister up the trial that led to their encampment.
Violet waited until the three of them were out of sight, and she went to the spot where Maya paused, and in the dirt, she wrote one m. Violet took that to mean one moment or one minute. Violet nods and goes to where Aasim is hiding. "Okay, she saw me and wrote a message in the dirt. She will be with us momentarily. She needs to find a way to sneak away from her group. Give her a few minutes." Violet spoke.
"But you said." Aasim started to say.
"I know, but I also don't want us or her to get in trouble here," Violet answers him. "I'm going about this in a smart way where we don't have spilled blood. Just trust in her, okay." Violet grips the tree with her hand.
They waited five minutes or so when Violet heard Maya's sweet voice calling her, "Vi? Violet?"
Violet peers out from the bush and motions for Aasim to get up with her, "Maya over here."
Maya comes to Violet and hugs her. Violet melted in her embrace and loved the soft touch Maya brought in her warm hugs. Violet holds onto Maya longer than she planned, but her heart got in the way. Aasim saw the love Maya and Violet shared with each other and kindly made his presence known to them. Violet snaps out of her love moment and pulls back from Maya. Maya sees Aasim, and she looks at Violet, "Okay..this is new. You brought a friend with you."
"Clementine's idea, not mine. I will cut to the chase. Louis needs your help, Maya." Violet spoke gently to her.
Aasim looks to this Indian girl, "Violet says you are good with medicine and are knowledgeable with medical procedures. is that right?"
"Yes on some, what is this about?" Maya looks at the two of them.
"We need your help in helping Louis. His appendix ruptured, and he needs surgery. Clementine said you won't be a help because you are an herbalist, but I know you can help him." Violet urges her girlfriend.
Maya looks into Violet's eyes with sympathy, "Vi, I love you, and great you have faith in my skill as a healer. I hate to agree with your leader Clementine here, but she is right. I, too, don't have any knowledge of surgical procedures. I never was trained to be one, not even out in Jackson when studying to be a healer in my Tribe."
Violet looks into her lover's eyes, "So you can't help us?"
"I didn't say that entirely. I am not a surgeon, but I know someone who is or used to be one. Someone in my group was one before the zombie outbreak happened. I can go get him." Maya looks at Aasim and Violet. Maya eyes Aasim, "If that is okay?"
Violet looks at Maya and nods, "Go."
Maya nods and heads back down the pathway she came from. Aasim watches her go and leans to Violet, "Vi, we came to get Maya not bring others to the school."
"Maya knows her group members, and one of them just happens to be the miracle Louis needs. We are going to bring them back to the school rather Clem likes the idea or not. Not like we can go ask anybody else here if they know surgery." Violet spoke.
Aasim heaves a sigh, "I just don't know how I feel about this, Vi."
Violet looks at him, "I'm doing this to save Louis. And this person in Maya's camp is our only option." Violet sighs, "I won't lose another friend when we can have a shot at saving him. I won't lose someone else I care for. Not you, Louis, Clementine, Tenn, or Maya., not today not ever."
….
Maya enters through the hole and she secretly sneaks out. Maya sees Bonnie by the campfire and Alberto chopping away at some fresh kill. Aniya was playing with Alicia keeping her occupied as Maya zeros in on Robert's tent. Maya sneaks in and finds him snoozing on his cot. With a deep breath, Maya approaches him, "Robert. Robert, I need you to wake up." Robert was still in a deep slumber and groaned a little.
Maya then goes by his arm and pinches him hard to get him awake. Robert sprung up, "Son of a bitch! Who the Fu—" Robert looks at Maya, "What are you doing?"
"I need you," Maya spoke.
"With what? You don't look to be injured or need medical treatment." Robert eyes her.
Maya took a deep breath, "I need your skills as a surgeon, Robert. And I need you to come with me to my girlfriend's camp. Louis needs your help."
When Maya mentions Louis's name Robert sits up, "What happened to my son?"
"His appendix ruptured. He needs a surgeon, and he needs an operation, like now, he needs you." Maya looks at him.
Robert closes his eyes. "Maya, I can't." Robert looks away, "I…"
Maya goes and kneels down to him and places her hands on Robert's knees. "I know this pain you caused runs deep."
"It is not that Maya, I can…I can possibly kill him. I haven't been in the OR since the outbreak happened. And I don't have the equipment if things go south. What if I.." Robert shakes his head, "There is a reason surgeons are not allowed to do surgery on our own families or be near the operating room. We get too involved."
"Robert, Louis needs you now more than ever. I have seen how you tried to care for Mike after he got bit. But the difference between Mike and your son Mike was already too far gone to be fixed, where there is still time to save your son. You can do this, Rob." Maya squeezes her pressure on his knee. "Rob, Louis doesn't have much time. If you want that reunion with your son, you need to step up here. Otherwise, you might not get another opportunity. Please."
Robert lets out a sigh and then raises his gaze to look at Maya, "Okay. Take me to him."
Maya raises to her feet and heads out of his tent. Robert comes after her shortly, and when Maya starts to head to the opening where she sneaks out, Robert pulls her back, "We need a better plan to get out of camp. Because of this outing we are doing Maya, is going to raise questions. Especially Arvo and Alberto."
"Okay, doc, you have any ideas?" Maya eyes him.
Robert looks at the gate and then at his medical tent, "Actually, I do. Wait here." Robert goes to his med tent and grabs the supplies he needs for surgery. Maya paces in the sandy dirt while she waits. It took several moments as she watched Robert approached Bonnie and started talking to her. Maya couldn't make out their conversation, but she was surprised when Bonnie gave the okay. Robert then nodded and walked back to Maya. "Okay, all set, let's go."
Maya had a confused look as she followed Robert to the main gate. Arvo peers over the ledge and yells out, "Where are you two going?"
Robert looked at Arvo and calmly said without a nervous tone back at him, "Maya and I will be going into that small town little ways down the river looking for more medical supplies. I am running low on bandages and drugs. We will be back sometime this evening or late in the night. I cleared it with Bonnie."
Arvo eyes Maya suspiciously, "And why do you need her?"
"To watch my back in case I run into trouble with walkers," Robert said. "And to help me carry supplies back for the group."
Arvo sneers, "Think it is a waste but fine. Go."
Robert nods and motions to Maya to get a move on. Once they were away from the main gate, Maya looked up at him, "You really need supplies Rob, or was that a lie to cover up what you will help me with."
"Well, I still have bandages left, and some drugs, but will not have enough for our group after when I perform this surgery on my son. So in a way, it wasn't a total lie. Just won't be going to that town but to Ericson." Robert told her with his eyes forward.
Maya looks at him and can't believe he went against his own instincts and kind of lied to Bonnie. Just comes to show her how much Robert cares for his son. Maya then leads Robert to where Aasim and Violet are hiding. Maya looks at Robert, "Before you meet them, they are not too keen to have adults in their camp, and don't argue with them to pose you are a threat. Listen to everything they say, as we are on their turf, got it?"
Robert looks at her, "Why so hostile? Do they not have any adults?"
"Violet told me all the adults left when the world turned to shit and left the children at the school you sent your son to, to fend for themselves. So yeah they have trust issues with adults and do not take kindly to them. Promise me you will remain calm and not threatening." Maya advises Robert.
Robert nods, "Okay I promise." Maya nods and takes Robert down the path to the brush where Violet and Aasim are at.
Once Maya comes to the spot Aasim and Violet are shocked when a man in his early 40s comes with Maya. Aasim looks to Violet and Violet looks back at him. Maya looks back at them, "Okay I brought the only person I know who can help Louis. Led us to your camp." Aasim eyes Robert and Maya and before he can say anything, Violet urges them to head toward Ericson.
…
The walk to Ericson was tense as Maya felt the tension of Aasim's stare. The only thing keeping her somewhat calm was looking and gazing at Violet. She can sense she is worried for her friend as she keeps her distance a little bit from her. Maya half wanted to walk side by side with her lover to have Maya be her rock, and for Violet to help ease Maya's stormy seas.
The sun was just a little past noon when they walked into unfamiliar land that Maya had never seen before. They walk across a bridge and strange markings in the trees with ropes hanging down. Maya steals a glance at Robert as he looks back at her. The last time he saw this place was when it was still functional. So seeing the condition of the school now was a foreign concept to Robert. Up ahead Maya sees the iron gates she saw in her vision of Violet's past. And the walls and the towering building structures that lie beyond that gate.
As they got closer to the entrance to the gate of the school, Maya saw a sign that read 'Don't Fuck with Us!' next to a dead man tied around a tree whose body was half decomposed. Maya looked to the right on the edge of the school wall was a cart of some kind. She was distracted as the little boy named AJ shot a warning shot at them. Aasim comes up from behind Robert and Maya and yells, "No, AJ, don't shoot! We need them."
AJ comes down as Willy and Ruby usher in the new guests and Violet and Aasim. Ruby looks to her boyfriend, "I thought we were just getting Maya, not a fucking adult."
Aasim looks at her, "She says he is a surgeon Ruby."
"And you think bringing an adult man to school is a good idea, Aasim?" Ruby asks.
"What choice do we have. Louis needs a surgeon, and this guy is the best we got," Aasim admitted.
Ruby heaves a sigh, "Alright, Clem will not be pleased about this."
Violet talked with AJ to stand down and not threaten Maya and Robert, as Aasim talks with Ruby. Violet glances a worried glance at her girlfriend for bringing her inside her group's walls. She longed for this moment to happen, but not in this way.
Ruby and Aasim come back to Robert and Maya, "Take it one of you is the surgeon?"
Maya nudges Robert, as Robert comes forward, "Yes...I was told someone in your group needs medical treatment."
Ruby then orders, "Follow me."
Maya nods for Robert to follow the redhead with a southern accent as Maya awkwardly awaits by the walls of Ericson. Maya sees the weird looks of a boy Maya has never seen before with short brown hair. Another little boy with a burn scar across the right side of his face. And another teenage boy with puffy afro hair by a campfire staring at her. So this is where Violet lives. Huh, not what I envisioned. Maya looks around the structure. Sees good strong walls, and almost feels like home a little. And another strange feeling, Maya almost sees this is an excellent place to bring her sister, and they no longer have to feel threatened by walkers or any adult figure threatening them. It is the home Maya longs to give her little sister and to have a future with Violet.
Maya stood there and was about to sit by the stone wall of the gate when Violet came and stood next to her, "Come on, you don't have to be so standoffish, and look suspicious."
Maya eyes her girlfriend, "I get looks from your group members that they don't trust me, and I want to earn their trust some and not pose a threat."
"Standing by the gates, Maya is kind of sending a weird message. And we've been through a lot, so bringing anyone new into our walls, my group is hesitant about. Besides, Aasim told me to have you sit at a picnic table while your friend—is talking with Clementine." Violet said in a soft voice to ease Maya's anxieties. She then takes hold of Maya's hand and leads her to a picnic table close to the admin building, as they wait on the news of Louis.
….
Clementine holds Louis's hand as she waits for Violet and Aasim to return with Maya for help. She heard a knock on the door as Ruby came in with a person she least expected to see. Clementine got worried, and before she had a chance to speak, Ruby explained the situation, "Clem, before you start, this is Robert. He has come to help Louis. That is it."
Ruby nods for Robert. Robert nervously came forth as Maya was not kidding these kids had been through hell. Robert had seen this girl before, the prosthetic foot girl several weeks back who let Alberto, Aniya, and him go. Clementine was just as shocked to see him again too. Clementine slowly spoke, "You're a surgeon?"
Robert nods, "Been one for the past 24 years. Maya told me you have someone that has a dire need for surgery."
Clementine was still shocked and speechless this man was kind and not threatening to her, which was the first she saw in an adult figure that was not trying to fuck her over. And in some odd way, he has the same gentleness as Louis. Clementine looks to Ruby and then to this humbled man. "Louis is over here."
Clementine led this man of about 40 years of age by the bedside of the small nurses' station. Robert's blood runs cold as he sees his son looking so sick. And he felt like he was going to vomit. He doesn't want to give away to his son's girlfriend that that is his son, but Clementine is already starting to make some connection that this man is related to her boyfriend.
Robert examines his son's abdomen, and Maya's diagnosis is right on the money. Robert turns to the two girls standing at the end of the bed, "Okay, I am going to need assistance here. Out of the two of you, who has more medical care skills and is not afraid of blood and guts? If both of you aren't, I am going to need Maya's help."
Clementine looked to Ruby, and Ruby came forth, "I am the healer here."
"That counts for something." Robert looks at the young redhead. "What's your name, kid."
"Ruby." Ruby offered out her name.
When Clementine heard Robert speak the word kid, had the same wavelength as Louis's voice. Clementine looks at her boyfriend and then at the man standing over him. Same eyes as Louis, even down to the same kind of freckles around his nose, cheeks, a little bit of his chest, and hands. Clementine looks at Robert and ponders. No, he can't be. Louis had a falling out with his father. Why would his father come to him now? What broke Clementine's thoughts was a soft touch of Ruby's hand on her arm, "Clem, we need you to vacate the room."
"No, I am not leaving him, Ruby. I love him. What if something happens, and I am not there in his last moments." Clementine protests. "He is the love of my life Ruby!"
Ruby held onto her leader's cheeks, "I promise to come to get you, but Clementine, we need this space to work and save Louis's life here. Please wait outside. I will fetch you when he is through. Please."
Clementine closes her eyes and reopens them to look back at Robert and then at Louis, and slowly exits the room with a thorn in her heart. She knows Robert heard her calling Louis the love of her life.