Glenn P.O.V

The rush of the fight with the walker attacking Maggie had my heart pounding and face burning hot, palms soaked and throbbing from the grip I had on the shelf I used to kill the walker. The combined noises of our hyperventilating filled the space of the pharmacy as we both tried to come down from the event that just happened.

I stared into her panic, terrified eyes, trying to put some kind of reassuring look on my face to calm her down. We stared at each other for a second before Maggie jumped at me, throwing her arms around my shoulders and engulfing me in a hug. Shocked was not even the word as I froze under her touch for a second, not sure what to do. Eventually, I decided to wrap my arms around her as well, pulling her into my chest as a larger attempt at comfort. We sat there embraced for a few moments before she pulled back halfway, looking into my eyes again.

Before I could move, speak, or think, Maggie's lips were on mine, giving me a hard kiss. At that moment, I had no idea what to do, I literally felt stuck in place as I just waited for her to stop kissing me. It felt like eternity before she did, and once we were not touching anymore, I took a giant step back, trying to put a room's worth of distance between us.

"I'm sorry," Maggie said awkwardly, turning away and giving me her back to respond to. I had no words or at least not a real thought I would've been able to put into words right then and there. "I just- thank you for saving me."

There was a crack in her voice as she spoke that time, and again I started getting flooded with this indescribable nauseating feeling of guilt and shame. The walkers in the barn, Lori and her baby, Majesty, Amy, and Maggie. It felt like I had more than the world on my shoulders right about now. I still had no words for Maggie, though, and in my silence, she continued, "I care about you Glenn, I see something in you. I can't help how I feel. I know I'm wrong. For everything I've done."

"I care about you too, of course," I blurted those words out without much of a second thought but I guess that meant it had to be true. "But-"

"No, I already know. I should've controlled myself. Again." We shared a moment of silence, much more comforting than before. "Glenn, you can't tell anyone about the walkers. Please. My dad will kick ya'll out of here. I don't want you to go."

I don't know what I felt about what she said. So many things were on my mind. One of my main concerns is the barn. There was no way I could handle another secret like that. It felt like a betrayal to both Maggie and the group not telling or telling. I was not cut out for these kinds of things and as much as one of the situations concerned Maggie's feelings for me, the person I yearned for the most to speak to was Majesty. I shouldn't care about betraying Maggie- but I did care about hurting her. I wasn't cold-hearted.

"Maggie, I don't know…" She said nothing at my words, and I finally looked up from the ground and focused on her body. She was sniffling but seemed like she had regained some kind of composure. She turned to me one last time, not looking as sad or panicked as before. I expected her to say something but she didn't, so we again were standing there just looking at each other.

"Glenn, is the other horse gone?"

It was in fact scary to think of the horse getting stolen right from under us. What was scarier was the way Maggie blew up on Lori when we were back on the farm. Between the attack, kiss, and the horse, I couldn't even blame her for the anger she was feeling. It was all for abortion pills at the end of the day. It was still well uncalled for. Only halfway through the day, and things were not looking up.

After trying to assure Lori that it wasn't her fault for Maggie spazzing on her, I took a walk off by myself, attempting to edge closer to the barn unnoticed. Maggie was already so pissed, I had enough brains to understand it probably wouldn't be the smartest to get even more on her bad side by letting the secret slip today, but there was no way in hell I wasn't going to say anything.

With a quick look over my shoulder, making sure the coast was clear, I sprinted to the barn unnoticed, stepping into a light jog as I approached. The smell was enough to confirm I was not going crazy. I wanted to get closer and tug on the door and chain but I was scared of the idea of it breaking or just anything at all going wrong. Facing my fears, I did decide to get a little closer, attempting to peek through the cracks of the door.

Almost immediately a walker jumped at me, groaning loudly as it noticed me, making my heart drop as I jumped back. I clutched my chest to calm the mini heart attack I had at the jumpscare, the pounding reminding me exactly how dangerous these things were.

Majesty's face flashed in my mind, her smile, her determination, her love. I wished she were here, that I could talk to her, confide in her. I felt so lost without her, and Maggie's kiss only complicated things further. I couldn't help but wonder if Majesty was out there somewhere, still alive, still looking for Sophia.

As I stood there, trying to gather my thoughts, I knew I had to make a decision. The group needed to know about the walkers in the barn, but I also didn't want to betray Maggie. The weight of the secret was crushing me, and I didn't know how much longer I could bear it.

As I walked away from the barn, the secrets I had on my mind still weighing heavily, I began retreating to the RV where I could only hope to be alone on the inside and gather some sort of peace of mind. The familiar sight of the RV should have been a comfort, but all I felt was the mounting pressure of the secrets I carried.

I was lost in my thoughts when I heard footsteps approaching before I could pass through the large plot of grass and fully get to the solitude I was looking for in the semi empty camp. I looked up to see Maggie, her expression a mix of anger and concern.

"Glenn, what were you doing at the barn?" she demanded, her eyes narrowing.

I hesitated, the words caught in my throat. "I... I needed to see for myself. Again," I admitted.

"You can't keep doing this," she said, her voice trembling with frustration. "You can't act like this. My dad will notice, someone will notice."

I took a deep breath, trying to keep my composure. "Maggie, you wanna talk about how people are acting? The pharmacy… the stuff with Lori," I said, changing the subject. "Yelling at her like that... it was out of line."

Maggie's face fell, and she looked away, guilt evident in her eyes. "I know," she whispered. "I just... I couldn't control it. Everything's falling apart, and I don't know how to keep it together. I have a lot on my mind, Glenn. The last thing I need to be dealing with is the idea of you or I getting hurt over that bitch and her abortion pills."

"I should've gone alone," I sighed gently.

Maggie lost the softness that was in her tone completely at that, taking a few hard steps forward and spinning on her heel, saying sarcastically, "Right, take the blame for what happened. You know, for a smart guy- you're really stupid."

There I was again, confused at her anger and the way she chose to speak in metaphors or examples instead of being upfront with me. The most I had ever gotten out of her was at the pharmacy today and it still weighed heavy on my mind that I felt like I was cheating. I tried to confront her anger with positivity the best I knew how, "I don't really know what you mean, but we're all going through a lot and we can't afford to turn on each other. We need to stick together, now more than ever-"

Maggie nodded, cutting me off by storming up to me and pulling me into another hug. "I'm sorry Glenn. For everything. But you have to promise me you won't tell anyone about the walkers. Please, Glenn. My dad will kick you all out.I already lost three people I care about,"

"Maggie," I tried, my voice softening, but she didn't let me get another word out as she continued speaking over me.

"Shut up- I can see how smart you are, you're brave- you're a leader. She looked at me then, a hint of determination in her gaze. "But you dont't know it. You're friends don't wanna know it. If no ones going to tell you I will- They'd rather have you fetching peaches. There's a dead guy in the well- send Glenn down. You're walker bait. Off this farm, only God knows what they'll have you doing. Risking your life. I can't take seeing you become one of them. You have to promise me, Glenn. No one can know about the barn."

I felt the weight of her words, the burden of the secret pressing down on me. "I promise," I said finally, even though the guilt gnawed at me knowing I was probably telling a lie. I couldn't ignore Maggie's words lingering in my mind, resonating in a way no one else's ever had, not even Majesty's. She saw something in me that I hadn't realized myself—an untapped potential, a strength and bravery that I didn't know I possessed. Her belief in me was empowering, giving me a sense of purpose and worth that I had been struggling to find amidst the chaos. It was a stark contrast to the roles I had been confined to, and it made me feel seen in a way that was profoundly uplifting.

But as the weight of the promise settled in, I felt a deep sense of dread. I knew I would have to break the promise I made to Maggie, despite her faith in me. The group's safety depended on knowing the truth about the walkers in the barn. The bravery Maggie saw in me would have to be enough to carry me through the consequences of my decision. I needed to act with the courage she believed I had, even if it meant betraying her trust.

As I processed all of this, the last thing I needed was another confrontation, but that's exactly what I got. Amy, who had been driving me absolutely crazy with the increased suspicion of the dynamic between Maggie and me, approached just as Maggie puhad walked away. Her eyes were wide and filled with frustration as she took in the scene, and I could see the confusion and mistrust flicker across her face. This was going to complicate things even further. I could just forget about finding peace today.

"What the hell, Glenn?" she spat, her eyes blazing. "What are you doing with Maggie? Majesty's out there, and you're just moving on? I saw you hugging her. I knew it!."

My heart sank. This was the last thing I needed right now. "Amy, it's not like that," I started, but she cut me off.

"Not like that? I saw you! Majesty's been risking her life for this group since the beginning, and now you're cheating on her? She'd never do that to you!" Her voice cracked with emotion.

"Amy, please, listen—" I tried to explain, but she was having none of it.

"No, Glenn, you listen!" she snapped. "Majesty's out there, probably alive, with Sophia. And when she comes back, she's going to find out everything. I'm going to tell her everything. How could you do this to her?"

The guilt I had been trying to suppress came crashing down on me. "Amy, you don't understand. I never meant for any of this to happen. Majesty means everything to me."

Amy's eyes softened for a moment, but her resolve remained. "Then why, Glenn? Why Maggie?"

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of my confession. I was losing it having this conversation over and over again with Amy. She was like an eagle, watching me every move as if I don't have enough on my shoulders already. "I told Majesty to stop risking her life for the group. I begged her to stay safe. And now she's gone. I'm scared, Amy. Maggie said the same thing to me today—that I'm brave, that I'm more than just walker bait. But what if I end up like Majesty, missing and maybe even dead because I took another risk?"

Amy's anger seemed to waver, but she shook her head. "You're scared, I get it. We all are. But that doesn't excuse what you did. Majesty trusted you, and you betrayed her."

Tears welled up in my eyes, and I could feel myself breaking down. "I never wanted to betray her. I love her, Amy. But it's been so long, and every day that passes, it gets harder to believe she's coming back. What if she's gone forever? What if she was just... walker bait?"

Amy's expression shifted from anger to pity, and she took a step closer. "Glenn, you can't think like that. Majesty is strong. If anyone can survive out there, it's her. But you need to figure out who you are and what you want. And you need to be honest with yourself and with her, when she comes back."

I nodded, the reality of my situation sinking in. There was a chance Majesty was gone forever, and I had to come to terms with that. But I also had to face the consequences of my actions and the promises I made.

Amy sighed, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Just... don't give up hope, okay? For Majesty, for all of us."