Brady POV:
Though Brady and Raine had originally been safe inside the safety of Raine's home, restlessness got the better of her. She couldn't bear the thought of sitting idly while her family and friends were out there, fighting to survive. With determination in her eyes, she convinced Raine to join her in the search. Who didn't object whatsoever.
As they stepped outside, the grim reality of the situation hit them hard. Walkers were flooding in through a large hole in the community's defensive fence, a consequence of the collapsed watchtower. Brady couldn't help but feel a pang of anger toward Spence, Deanna's son, who had foolishly attempted to play the hero and failed, leading to this catastrophe.
Fuck man, she cursed under her breath, Brady focused on the task at hand. She and Raine had to navigate through the chaos, shooting and hacking away at the relentless walkers that stood between them and their loved ones. It felt like thousands of them, an endless sea of undead, pressing in from all sides.
Brady's heart pounded in her chest as adrenaline coursed through her veins. Every swing of her weapon and every precise shot mattered in this life-and-death struggle. She tried to stay composed, reminding herself to breathe and stay focused on the fight.
With Raine by her side, they formed an efficient team. Brady's signature side braid swung with each swift movement as they cleared a path through the undead. Her glasses fogged up from the intensity, but she couldn't let that slow her down.
Brady was focused on getting to where she saw Rick fighting off the walkers with, who looked to be a terrified Deanna. She had a conflicting moment when she saw out of the corner of her eye, Maggie, was in trouble and running from too many walkers to handle alone and climbing upwards on one of the watch posts to get away from the walkers. As Brady's gaze darted between Maggie's dire situation and the path to Rick her heart sank with a moment of indecision. Maggie was in peril, and her instincts screamed to rush to her aid. But Raine's determined call to help Maggie reassured her that her friend could handle the situation.
Swallowing her worry, Brady forced herself to break away from Maggie's plight and continue her dash toward Rick and Deanna. The sight of them fending off the walkers fueled her determination. With each stride, she swung her knife with precision, taking down any undead obstacle in her way.
As she approached Rick's location, he caught sight of her and nodded in acknowledgment. Brady knew he had things under control for the moment, so she focused on supporting him and Carl in their defense against the relentless walkers.
Time seemed to blur as she fought alongside them, and the adrenaline surged through her veins. The sounds of groans and growls surrounded her, and the stench of decaying flesh filled her nostrils, but she remained steadfast.
Meanwhile, she couldn't help but worry about Raine and Maggie. The gnawing fear for her friend's safety nagged at her, but she had to trust that Raine would do her best to protect Maggie.
Rick's commanding voice broke through the rumbling noise of walkers, ordering a strategic retreat. Brady followed his lead, falling back to regroup in a safer area, Jessie's home.
Inside the house, chaos reigned as Brady, Rick, Carl, Michonne, Jessie, and her two boys worked together to secure their refuge. Frantic energy filled the air as they hurriedly moved furniture to barricade windows and doors, fortifying their defenses against the relentless onslaught of walkers outside.
Once the immediate threat had passed, Brady's heart rate began to quicken with a mix of relief and concern. Her mind raced with worry for her friends – Raine, Maggie, Carol, Glenn, and especially Daryl and Malcolm. Where were they? Did something happen to them out there? Her thoughts spun with uncertainty as she tried to push aside her fears.
Taking a deep breath, Brady tried to steady herself. She knew she had to stay focused and not let her anxiety overwhelm her. She reminded herself that worrying wouldn't change anything, and she needed to trust in her friends' abilities to handle themselves.
As she made her way to the living room, her eyes fell upon Michonne, who was tending to Deanna's wounds. The gravity of the situation became evident as Brady saw the severity of Deanna's injuries. The older woman was in bad shape, and the bite mark on her side was a grim reminder of the constant danger they faced.
Michonne's calm and collected demeanor gave Brady a sense of reassurance.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Brady asked, approaching Michonne cautiously. She felt guilty for having avoided the original leader of this community her entire stay here simply because she was mad and embarrassed about her outburst. She should have handled that better and more maturely but her emotions were high at the time.
Michonne looked up, her expression a mix of determination and concern. "I could use some extra hands," she replied. "We need to clean the wound and stop the bleeding as best as we can."
Brady nodded, glad to have a purpose in aiding Deanna, a redemption or a non-verbal apology of sorts. She immediately sprang into action, assisting Michonne in attending to Deanna's injuries. The task required focus and precision, and Brady did her best to suppress her own worries as she worked.
As they tended to Deanna, Brady's thoughts couldn't help but wander back to the others. She wondered if Raine and Maggie were safe and if Carol or Glenn had managed to find a secure spot. The absence of Daryl and Malcolm weighed heavily on her mind, but she knew she had to trust that they were resourceful enough to handle whatever was holding them up.
With each passing moment, the urgency to find their missing friends grew stronger. But for now, they needed to focus on the immediate crisis at hand – helping Deanna and ensuring the safety of those within the walls of Alexandria.
As she continued to assist Michonne, Brady's resolve strengthened.
With no more tasks at hand, Brady sought out Carl, finding him in a spare room where Judith had been put in a cradle.
She immediately enveloped him in a hug, "I'm so glad you're safe."
"You too," he mumbled back, returning the hug.
"Also, when did you get like 2 inches taller than me?" She playfully held him back by the shoulder, and he chuckled.
"Growing teenager, Braids."
There was a pause as the pair sat on the bed.
"How do you think we're going to get our way out of this one this time?" Carl asked.
"Not sure, my brains zapped," Brady answered closing her eyes and resting it on Carl's shoulder, "but you know what, your dads always great at figuring this shit out."
Carl leaned his head against Brady's, finding comfort in her presence. "Yeah, he's got a way of handling things, that's for sure."
In this moment neither of them felt worried.
AN: Sorry another short chapter but I just thought it was sweet to end it right there.