Out of the Woods (The Walking Dead)

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Suzy wasn't sure how much time had passed since Eugene was knocked on his ass. Maggie had been trying to wake him for at least the past hour, but lying there unconscious in the blazing sun and hundred-degree weather wasn't helping. Suzy didn't care. If anything, she hoped he wouldn't wake up for his own sake. Abraham was still kneeling in the same spot in the street. What would happen if Eugene did wake up? Would it trigger Abraham to finish the job? She wouldn't blame him if he did. Eugene deserved it. That's what she thought as she sat on the bumper of the firetruck as she sharpened her second knife with the rock she had found. Rosita sat next to her. She attempted to distract herself by reading some book, but Suzy knew it was so she could discreetly keep her eye on Abraham.

Meanwhile, Tara was attempting to get whatever water she could that was left in the tank into their plastic water bottles. It wasn't much, barely enough to fill each bottle about halfway. Glenn watched to ensure the horde up ahead still didn't see or hear them. They were still a good distance away, which gave him some solace that they wouldn't have to worry about it.

"They got no clue we're here," Glenn said.

"That's great news for GREATMS," Tara replied. She tightened the cap on the last bottle and lined them up on the ledge of the truck, "In less great news for GREATMS, we just scraped the bottom of the water barrel."

Glenn looked at Tara puzzled, "What is-what's GREATMS?"

"Us," Tara replied. She didn't sound happy at all, more like depressed. That didn't stop her from trying to make some stupid joke, that was for sure. Glenn, Rosita, Eugene, Abraham, Tara, Maggie, Suzy. Was that the best name she could come up with? "Group name. Solidarity. Band of brothers. GREATMS. I'm thinking about getting a tattoo on my knuckles."

Tara tossed him the water bottle with the cap labeled "G" for Glenn, who wasn't up for humor and didn't want to say so. She could sense it. She could sense everyone's mood and none of them were good considering the circumstances.

"Sorry," Tara said, "I'm just trying to think of something else, you know?"

Suzy didn't say or do anything when Rosita got up to ask Maggie if Eugene was okay. Rosita was tough, but damn. Why did she have to have such a bleeding heart? Eugene didn't deserve it, but god forbid she say that out loud. At this rate, Glenn might be the only one who would even debate taking her side on this one and that was saying something.

"Anything?" Rosita asked.

"No," Maggie replied.

"Should we get him to the church?" Glenn asked. Fuck. Curse his bleeding heart too, she thought.

"Movin' him could make him worse," Maggie said.

"What'll make him better?" Rosita asked.

"Wakin' up," said Maggie, "If he doesn't..."

Suzy paused for a minute to fight a sarcastic chuckle. She shook her head and went back to sharpening her second knife.

"I heard that," Rosita called out. Suzy said nothing in response. When Rosita turned around to say that, she took notice of Abraham again who still hadn't moved or said a word. She decided to grab the water bottle with the cap labeled "A" for Abraham. Rosita stood in front of him and gestured for him to take the bottle.

"Come on," She said, "You haven't had anything to drink all day."

Abraham did not attempt to respond or even look at her. It was like she wasn't even standing in front of him from the way he stared through her as if he were completely dissociated.

"Take the bottle," Rosita said sternly. She still got no response, making her angrier, "Seriously? My six-year-old nephew didn't pull this shit-"

The next thing she knew, Abraham swung his arm to slap the bottle out of her hand. Rosita had unscrewed the cap already, which meant all that water was now wasted since he allowed it to pour out into the street. The sound of the bottle landing on the ground finally made Suzy look away from what she was distracting herself with. Rosita softened her voice and kneeled to his eye level in an attempt to connect with him, begging him to come back.

"Look at me," She said. Abraham replied with a very very subtle "don't" she could barely hear. When Rosita raised her voice and yelled the same thing again, Suzy put her little rock down and gripped the knife in her hand. At the same time, Abraham got to his feet to look Rosita in the eye, only it wasn't the kind she was expecting. The intense look he gave was one of a warning like he was only one more word from her away from attacking her. It made Rosita take a step back and lean away, her eyes looking up at him in fear. She didn't even think to grab her gun to defend herself due to how unexpected it was.

"Sit down or I'll put you down," Maggie said.

She pulled the hammer back on her gun and pointed it at him. He turned towards her and waited. For what, he wasn't sure. The angry look he had just a second ago was gone, but it wasn't replaced with fear. It almost looked like he was debating on telling Maggie to go through with shooting him. He glanced over at Suzy who was now on her feet with her knife at the ready. If Maggie didn't give him that warning, she was sure she was going to let her knife fly at that same moment with no warning to Abraham at all. Once she noticed he was calm and sitting back down, she lowered her knife and carefully moved to pull Rosita away gently by her arm. She was on his side with the whole Eugene situation for sure, but when it came to Rosita, she realized it didn't matter. She prioritized her best friend's safety over her own bias.

"Well," Tara said, "What's next on the agenda?"

Suzy knew she was only trying to diffuse the tension in the air, but that didn't make it any less annoying.

"We need more water," Glenn replied.

"There's a creek up the road," said Rosita. She didn't sound like herself now. Her voice became so timid and sad, Suzy never heard her sound like that. Rosita tossed a rifle over her shoulder by the strap, "It's a few miles southwest of here."

"Y'all go, I'll stay here," Maggie said.

"You sure?" Glenn asked and Maggie replied she was. Glenn looked towards Suzy who hadn't joined the little conversation circle they had made, "What about you? Are you coming with us or stay-"

Suzy didn't even wait for him to finish his question. She rolled her eyes at him and returned to sitting on the back of the truck to sharpen her third knife.

"I guess she's staying here," Glenn sighed. Rosita wasn't even going to attempt to confront someone again. Still, she turned to look at Suzy sitting there, debating whether or not she should. Suzy wouldn't admit it, but she was just as devastated as the rest of them.

"Okay," Rosita muttered and went to take the lead to the creek. Glenn and Tara followed, leaving Maggie and Suzy alone to babysit Abraham and Eugene. Well, mostly Maggie since Suzy wouldn't even look up to glance at her or Abraham.

For the next half hour, the only sound the three of them could hear was the sound of Suzy's third and then fourth knife scraping against the rock. Maggie kept taking glances at Abraham, debating whether or not she should confront him about what he did. She buried her pride for a moment to check on Eugene again. What could help him wake up? They didn't have enough water to try splashing some on him. At this rate, she wasn't sure what was worse for him; the head injury or him lying there in the heat? That's when it occurred to her; this was a firetruck, therefore there had to be at least one ladder somewhere on it. Maggie circled to the back of the truck to get Suzy's attention.

"That ladder up there," Maggie pointed up to it, "Help me get it?"

"For what?" Suzy asked, not looking up from her knife.

"It's the only thing that will help Eugene wake up," Maggie replied. Suzy gave a snarky chuckle.

"No," She responded, "Helping Eugene is the last thing on my list of things to do today."

"Then move over and I'll get it myself," said Maggie. She was getting annoyed now, Suzy could hear it. She scooted over on the bumper just enough to give Maggie space to climb up and pull out the ladder herself. It was so bulky, heavy, and twice Maggie's size.

"Don't worry, you're doing great," Suzy commented.

She watched Maggie lug the ladder off the truck and over to Eugene. Maggie paused for a moment to give Suzy a warning look but didn't say anything. Suzy could tell she was fighting herself so hard to not say something to her. It amused her more than anything, to say the least. Maggie brought the ladder over to Eugene and placed the bottom right above his head then rested the top up against the truck. She then reached into the truck to pull out one of their blankets to drape it over the ladder so Eugene could have a proper shade from the sun. Once she finished, she found herself marching over to Abraham who still wasn't moving.

"Get over yourself," said Maggie, "You're not the only one who lost something today. It's never gonna get any better than this."

Maggie sounded so heartbroken when she said that last part. She grabbed a second blanket out of the truck to give Eugene another layer of shade.

"So he wakes up," Suzy called out, "Then what? He just gets to come with us after all this?"

"What?" Maggie marched over to her, "Why wouldn't he be? What's your problem?"

"Oh, I don't have a problem," Suzy replied, "I'm just trying to figure out why all of you are being so damn forgiving after what he did."

"He'll die if we leave him out here to fend for himself," Maggie said sternly.

"Then maybe he should!" Suzy replied, finally glancing up at her.

"How could you say that?" Maggie gasped.

"Let's see ummmm," Suzy said. She stood up and used her knife to point over where Eugene was lying, "He lied, which cost several people their lives, one of which he let me think was my fault for months. Did he think to tell the truth then? Noooooo, he decided to keep on like he wasn't the one responsible, and what else? What else, huh? Purposely sabotaged Abraham's truck, took out the bus which almost killed me, and then what? Let's add on some more. He decides to come clean because Abraham lost his mind and he couldn't take the guilt anymore? Oh Sureeee, let's give this useless lying pathetic coward piece of shit another chance. Yeah, that'll do us a whole lot of good, right? Sure as hell never failed us so far!"

Maggie nearly flinched when Suzy swung her arm as hard as she could to toss the knife directly into the bumper of the truck. It stuck out on an angle with only an inch embedded into the metal. Suzy walked away to go stand in the grass over by the trees to cool off. She placed her hands on her hips and ducked her head down while Maggie followed right behind her. There was so much she wanted to say to Suzy at that moment. What happened to you? You're not the person I remember. Maybe you've been out here too long. However, she didn't say any of it. She heard what Suzy said and she had every right to be angry.

"Whether he lied to us about a cure or not," Maggie said, "He's still our friend and he needs our help. It's what we do."

Maggie left Suzy to be by herself for a while. The others still weren't back yet. It had already been over an hour and no sign of them. Maggie attempted to pull Suzy's knife out of the bumper, but it wouldn't budge. She decided to leave it there for the time being and try drinking some of her water, marked "M" for Maggie. Suzy paced around in the grass for a while, the beads of sweat running down from all over. It was so hot today and her pain was kicking in again. How could Abraham sit there like that for hours without begging for water? Was he trying to pass out from dehydration? Suzy turned and looked at him sitting on his knees in the street. As she did so, she realized something. Standing here being an angry mess wasn't going to help anyone. She hated admitting Maggie was right about Eugene. None of them in good conscience could leave him here to fend for himself. He wouldn't last a day on his own. If she could do that, what did that make her? That familiar wave of guilt rushed over her again. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her bottle of ibuprofen. She didn't have much left. Only a couple of doses if she stretched it out over the next few days unless she found more. She dry swallowed some before hiding the bottle back in her pocket.

She didn't know what she was doing when she walked over to Abraham. Along the way, she swiftly yanked her knife out of the bumper and put it back on her belt. Instead of being another person to stand over him, she decided to sit the exact same way he did right next to him. He didn't say anything or even glance her way, it was like she wasn't even there.

"What are we doing?" She asked calmly. What kind of question even was that? It wasn't like she was expecting him to answer. As she sat there with him, she thought about the church again and what they did. She remembered how she felt during it. Perhaps that's what she needed to talk about.

"Back in the church, when we killed those people from Terminus, you asked me if I was all right," Suzy said quietly, "I'm not."

She still didn't know why she was suddenly talking about this. It wasn't like she wanted to. All she wanted to do was forget about it. It had to be done, there was no use dwelling on it. However, the more she tried to bury it, the more she thought about it. When she looked at Abraham and saw how angry and heartbroken he was over this whole thing with Eugene, she understood why. He had every right to be angry. But did that mean he also had the right to kill Eugene for it?

"I know you're not okay either," She said, "Being out here with our backs against the wall at every turn. It does things to you. That's who we are now. Nothing but shadows of our former selves."

She paused again for a while so she could muster the courage to say what she was about to say.

"That night, killing that kid," She whispered, "I felt like it wasn't even me who was there doing it. I wasn't part of it. I closed my eyes in fear while someone stronger than me finished the job. That someone is realizing what kind of power exists when you become capable of taking someone's life. That feeling...It was like I got drunk on it, even if it was only for a second. I didn't want to remember it...But I do. I remember more every time I think about it. How I felt..."

She stared ahead like he was doing as she continued. She didn't know what brought her to say all of this so suddenly, but it was too late to stop herself.

"I stabbed that kid thirty times. Maybe more," She frowned, "The thing is, it's not like I regret it because I don't. I would do it again if I had to. If we didn't, it would've been us. It makes me afraid."

"Of what?" Abraham's voice whispered. Suzy ducked her head in shame.

"That the longer I'm out here, the more I'm afraid I'm no better than the enemy I swore to destroy. The one who took everything from me," Suzy frowned, "I don't want us to lose who we are. Who you are. It might already be too late for me, but not you, not Rosita. But the longer we stay out here the more we change into these...Monsters. Monsters who turn on each other. It's not us. It can't be."

Abraham didn't respond, not like she expected him to. His silence allowed her to finish what she wanted to say.

"Despite what happened with Eugene," She said, gritting her teeth, "Maggie's right. He needs to live. I don't want him to, not after everything he's done...But he has to. Because if he doesn't, I know you'll never forgive yourself for it, because that's who you are. It has to be. Because if we're willing to turn against our own, then maybe we shouldn't have ever made it out of that place."

Suzy could've sworn she saw a slight flicker of emotion cross Abraham's eyes. She remembered when she was in this state back in the prison, after Merle. She remembered what Daryl said to her, about how sitting there and waiting for death wasn't the answer.

"I understand what you're going through, but you need to come to terms with it, just like I do. For all of our sake," She said, "You saved my life once. Think of this as me trying to return the favor."

Suzy got up to go back to sitting on the bumper so she could start sharpening her fifth knife. She didn't Maggie could hear anything she said, but that didn't end up being the case. Maggie heard every word. She had glanced over a few times while Suzy sat next to Abraham, listening. When she did, her feelings softened. Had she been too harsh on Abraham before? She took a sip of her water before getting up to give the rest to Abraham since he had thrown his into the grass. Along the way, she also gave Suzy her bottle by placing it beside her on the bumper.

"You're thirsty," Maggie said softly. She held out the bottle to Abraham, "Don't say you're not."

Abraham made no move to take the bottle. Instead of forcing him to take it, she left the bottle with Suzy and tilted her head in Abraham's direction to silently ask her to try giving him the bottle instead. Maggie then went back to Abraham and remembered what Suzy had done. She got down to Abraham's level instead of standing over him like before.

"Did you want me to shoot you?" Maggie asked. Suzy desperately waited to see if Abraham would answer that question.

"I thought I did," Abraham replied, still staring at the road ahead, "But I didn't."

Maggie didn't say anything else. She downed and ducked her head. She finally understood what this mission had meant to him. She couldn't help feeling sorry for him now. Out of the blue, the three of them heard what sounded like an undead growl. Abraham instinctively put his hand on his knife and turned around to look for the source of the noise, Maggie doing the same.

"Hel-Hello?" Eugene's voice groaned, barely conscious. Maggie's face lit up at the sound of it. He was going to be okay.

"I'm comin'!" Maggie rushed over to Eugene's side to help him.

While she did that, Suzy took the bottle of water in her hands and approached Abraham again. She remembered how she acted when Abraham first took her in, how she wanted nothing to do with them and refused any help they offered whether it was food, water, friendship, or whatever. She realized what it meant now.

She didn't offer any words, just the bottle, and placed it at his side so she could go help Maggie with Eugene. Once her back was turned, Abraham finally took the bottle, just as she knew he would.

"Can you stand?" Maggie asked as she helped Eugene sit up. He was still barely conscious and sitting up made him dizzy. Eugene didn't answer, only grumbled in pain. He looked up at Suzy standing above him. At first, she thought he was questioning whether or not she was going to kill him. She couldn't tell he was actually looking at the stitches still at the end of her brow trailing down to the corner of her eye. He opened his mouth to say something but could only let out more grumbles.

"Just take it slow," Maggie said.

"I'm-" Eugene said, "I'm sorry."

Before either of them knew it, Eugene passed back out cold. Luckily Maggie had an arm around him to support him from falling back onto the street.

"Need help?" Suzy asked. The look on Maggie's face, it lighting up in joy at the sound of Suzy coming around made Suzy want to retract the offer. After an eye roll, she knelt and helped Maggie sit Eugene back up. They draped his arms over their shoulders and hoisted him up so they could get him in the truck.

"You should let me," Abraham said from behind them. Maggie and Suzy turned their heads to see Abraham had gotten up from his little spot in the street and made his way over to them.

"Are you sure?" Maggie asked. Abraham gave a nod to Suzy in respect. She knew he was good now.

They watched as Abraham easily lifted Eugene's body to his feet and dragged him over to put him inside the firetruck. Maggie sounded so happy when she commented Eugene was going to be okay. Abraham and Suzy didn't give any happy words back, just a nod of understanding. Suzy was surprised to feel Abraham's hand on her shoulder, the same one he had busted open again when he punched Eugene out cold. She looked up and squinted her sensitive eyes due to the sunlight still blaring on top of them.

"You'll be all right," Abraham said. She wasn't sure what to expect, whether it was a "thank you" or something similar, but certainly not what he just said. She wanted to agree and say she would be, yet she couldn't get herself to say it. The truth was, she wasn't sure. As long as they remained out here without a place to call home, she had a feeling she was a long way from being "all right". The other thing was, she realized, maybe it wasn't only positive words for her. It was about him too.

"I know," She replied.

"They're back," said Maggie. Suzy and Abraham turned around to see Glenn, Tara, and Rosita strolling up with the water they had left for. Abraham didn't acknowledge them and instead went back to clearing out the intake of the truck so they could leave. Suzy immediately went up to Rosita to throw her arms around her in a tight hug which Rosita returned.

"Are you okay?" Rosita asked. Suzy recalled what Abraham said to her just a moment ago. She knew the truth now; She wasn't okay. He will be, but she hadn't been okay for a long time. Sure, she wasn't alone anymore and didn't see her dead loved ones anymore either, but that didn't make her okay here and now.

"I will be," Suzy replied. She had to trust Abraham was right for both of their sake. Suzy released their hug and took Rosita's free hand to go into the firetruck together. Suzy noticed Maggie as she walked by, being sure to give a look of thanks before getting into the truck. Maggie knew what the thanks was for. It was for standing up to protect Rosita from Abraham earlier. Suzy felt bad she was too busy being wrapped up in her own pissy feelings she didn't stop to thank Maggie for that.

Glenn, Maggie, and Tara didn't get into the truck until Abraham gave the all clear the truck was good to go. He got into the driver's seat and immediately turned the truck around in a wide K-Turn to head back the way they came, back towards the church. Suzy thought about asking what happens now. They go back to the church, reunite with Rick once again, and then what? She thought about Daryl. Where had he gone? Why did he go? Was Rick right that he would be coming back? She decided if he did, she was ready to talk to him about everything. They would have to make the time to try being alone so she could finally tell him she was sorry and that she never should have left.

She could only hope he would be there when she came back...

In the end, they didn't make it more than twenty miles away from the church. No one spoke a word the entire way. Eugene was passed out, Glenn and Maggie didn't do more than exchange looks every so often, and Rosita stuck with gazing out the window. Abraham floored it so they could make it back to the church as soon as possible. Suzy looked out the window once they got on the street of the church. She could see the sign up ahead for it; St. Sarah's Church Episcopal. They had modified the front with long metal pipes surrounding the steps. She could see Michonne, Father Gabriel, and Carl holding Judith outside. Why were they outside? They got their answer pretty quickly. Abraham saw the front doors to the church threatening to burst open due to the entire building now filled to the brim with walkers. Their arms reached outside through the crack of the doors. Abraham honked the horn to alert what remained of the group that they were coming in. He plowed through the steps and the pipes, using the truck to completely block the door. Suzy peeked through the driver's window and gave a sly smile to them.

"Mind if we park here?" She said, earning a smirk from Carl who was trying his hardest not to laugh. Everyone got out of the truck to greet them. Suzy patted Carl's shoulder and tapped her finger on Judith's tiny hand. Michonne quickly embraced Maggie happily, surprised they came back so suddenly.

"Eugene lied," Glenn said plainly, "He can't stop it. Washington isn't the end."

"Good to see you back," Carl smiled, "For good this time I hope."

"Looks like it," Suzy replied.

"Good," said Carl.

"Where is everybody?" Glenn asked before Suzy could. That question made Michonne look at Maggie with an excited grin.

"Beth's alive," said Michonne, "She's in a hospital in Atlanta."

Suzy tried to recall who Beth was. She never really got the chance to talk to her much. She remembered when she came to the prison and Beth was the one to hand her blankets. She recalled her singing and her being one of the only ones to come to Merle's defense so everyone would stop arguing. She remembered Daryl mentioning her while they were all trapped in the train car back in Terminus. That's who he was out there surviving with since they left the prison? Suzy wasn't sure what to make of that.

"Some people have her," Michonne continued, "But the others went to get her back."

The look of relief and joy on Maggie's face was one Suzy had never seen before. It was like she was in shock and didn't know whether to smile or cry her eyes out.

"Do we know which one?" Maggie said, her voice sounding like an innocent child's.

"Grady Memorial," Michonne replied. Maggie held her head in her hands as she processed what she had just heard. Her sister, her only family left in this world, was alive after all.

"Oh my god," Maggie cried. Glenn quickly embraced her in a tight hug as she began crying tears of joy. It made Suzy think about her own sister back in New York. She never got to know what happened to her either. Everything happened so quickly and she kept getting driven further and further out until she ended up here. She had written her off so quickly because it's what was easier. She wrote everyone from her old life off. Her old bosses, family, her old boyfriend, and other friends. She didn't know how she would feel if she were in Maggie's shoes, finding out your sister was alive and you were getting the chance to see her again. In this world, a chance like that was one in a million, maybe even one in a billion. Rosita nudged Suzy's shoulder so she could see the look on her face. Rosita's head nodded towards Maggie.

"What?" Suzy asked. What was she getting at?

"You know what," Rosita replied, nudging her side again.

"Let's blow this joint," Tara grinned, "Go save your sister."

Everyone piled back into the firetruck to head on over to Grady Memorial. Looking at the map, Suzy estimated they were only about an hour away by drive if the roads stayed clear. Abraham bet he could get them there in at least forty minutes if he floored it like he did on their way here. Glenn and Maggie got back into the front seat with Abraham while everyone else sat together in the back. It was decided that when they got there, Carl was to stay in the truck to watch over Judith and Eugene who was most likely going to be passed out the rest of the day. Suzy felt a sense of relief for a moment. They needed some good news after what they had gone through earlier that day. Finally, there was some light of hope at the end of the shitty tunnel. Suzy tried to figure out what Rosita meant before they got in the truck. What was it about Maggie being happy her sister was alive and well that made Rosita nudge her like that? "You know what" she had said. What did that mean? Suzy didn't feel like she knew at all. She decided to brush it off. It had to be the heat getting to her. That or Rosita liked getting a chuckle out of confusing her every once in a while. It didn't mean anything.

Suzy felt surreal being back in Atlanta. She hadn't been here since she fell on that rooftop and cracked her skull open. She needed staples in her head for that, not just stitches. She touched the back of her head at the memory. Being here again made her feel the phantom pain of that injury again. All the blood she lost. She almost didn't make it. This was definitely a place she never thought she would see again.

Abraham pulled up to the hospital and parked right in the front. Carl followed orders to stay in the truck with Judith and Eugene while everyone else got out with their weapons at the ready (except Gabriel because he was still too scared to even touch one). Suzy and Michonne were the only ones not carrying a gun. They instead had their other weapons ready, Michonne with her sword and Suzy with one of her knives in her hand. They killed a few walkers straggling out in the open, but there weren't many. The city was far quieter than Suzy remembered it being.

Suzy caught sight of people coming out the front doors of the hospital. The first person she noticed was Rick. Maggie got her hopes up, ready to see her sister again. If they were coming out, that meant everything had gone smoothly and there was nothing to worry about anymore. Suzy noticed Rick's face. He wasn't expecting them to show up here. He didn't look happy. He shook his head and ducked it away in shame as the others came out the doors. Tyreese with Carol, then Sasha, and there was some kid Suzy didn't know. Then there was Daryl. Seeing him was when all hope and joy left Maggie's face for good. She dropped her gun like it was nothing but a piece of garbage at the sight. Daryl walked towards them holding Beth's lifeless body. She had been shot in the head. Whatever plan they had to get her back, it didn't go well at all.

Suzy heard Maggie's agonizing scream, reminding her of how she screamed when Merle died. Maggie fell to her knees while Glenn tried to catch her. Rosita covered her mouth in shock. Suzy couldn't look away from Daryl's face. His eyes looked all cried out like he cried every drop of tears he had left. He lost something else important to him. She understood that because how many times had she gone through the same thing? Her heart went out to him and Maggie. Just like her, Maggie had lost every single person in her family. It was a fate she would never wish on anyone.

Daryl walked past them so he could immediately find a place to bury her. Rick gathered everyone and explained what had happened and why Beth was dead. Maggie didn't want to hear any of it. She couldn't get herself to stop screaming and crying and Suzy couldn't blame her for it. Glenn stayed to comfort her while Rick tried his best to vocalize a new plan. His first plan was to stay in the area for the next day or so to find some cars and fuel. Next, he introduced the new kid to whoever didn't get to meet him yet. His name was Noah, someone who was from this hospital group and had become Beth's friend. He was why they were able to find Beth in the first place. Rick vocalized Beth wanted Noah to get home to Richmond. That had to be their next move, but for now, they weren't going anywhere. For now, they were going to bury Beth and gather whatever supplies they could before their journey for it was going to be a long one.

Everyone left Daryl alone while he dug Beth's grave. Amidst the city, he was able to find a flower garden behind some of the buildings. He dug and dug in the Atlanta heat, wanting to be the only one to dig the grave. Suzy was the only one to stay. She waited some distance behind him so he could have his space, but also so she could keep her eye on him. What was she supposed to say now? She had a hand in hurting him. She abandoned him when they needed each other most, causing him to go out looking for her. He gave up, accepting he was never going to get closure for that. Then he lost everyone at the prison, or at least he thought he did. All he had was Beth to give him hope again just for him to lose her too.

"Daryl?" Suzy said softly. He kept on digging like he didn't hear her. She expected as much. She continued, "I'm so sorry."

What did sorry even mean anymore? What was she sorry for? For leaving? For what happened to Beth? There was so much she had to be sorry for. Daryl paused his digging and climbed out of the hole. He wiped his brow of the sweat pooling down his face as he thought. All this taught him was he had a habit of taking those around him for granted, always expecting them to be there. Before he could even blink, they were gone. When he came all the way out here looking for Beth, he realized what an ass he had been. He wasn't mad at Suzy anymore and didn't want her saying sorry. He dropped the shovel in the hole and turned around. She didn't know what to do when he approached her. He didn't want to take the people he cared for for granted anymore. He wanted to say he was sorry too. He tried, but he couldn't speak. He felt himself growing more and more numb as the seconds ticked by. He had nothing left in him now.

Suzy touched his dirty hand and looked up at him trying to hide his face away from her sight. She didn't know what else to say. She was never good at comforting people.

"I'm sorry," She said, "That's all I got. I'm sorry."

When she said it a third time, she gasped he dropped his head to her shoulder. He cried in the nook of her shoulder and her neck like a helpless child and she had no idea what to do. She supposed there were no words she could say to make this situation any better. He was never a man of many words anyway. Her eyes watered when she put her arms around him, feeling the print of his angel wings on the back of his vest. She rubbed his back to soothe him as best she could, letting him get out whatever tears he had left. She couldn't figure out why, but being with him here and now made her feel something she hadn't felt in a long time. It was that sense of everything feeling right. Despite the darkness they kept going through, they knew as long as they had each other, they were going to make it out of this. This wasn't the end. She knew and he did too.

There had to still be a light of hope at the end of this dark tunnel. As long as they were together, they were going to find it.

For all of their sake.