LOYAL [TWD] (third book to TROUBLE)

wild animals

Maggie opens the door as soon as it's unlocked, dropping to the floor beside Sakiko. Glenn was there, too as he'd heard Maggie pleading with Sakiko and thought the worst was happening.

"He's gone," Sakiko cries, "Everything. Everything we had. Everything he was.. It's all.. all gone."

Maggie already understood what was happening and bows her head to not let Sakiko see the tears.

"He's gone," Sakiko repeats through her broken sobs.

Glenn kneels down on the floor, catching sight of the test. His own heart shattered. Sakiko wasn't pregnant. She wanted to be and she wasn't.

"I should've.. Before. The first time. Why did I say 'no'?" Sakiko incoherently cries, though Maggie understood.

When she had the pregnancy scare.. If she would've accepted it instead of gotten angry and demanded to not be pregnant. Would things have been better?

"Don't do that, Kiko. Don't blame yourself!" Maggie pleads.

Sakiko's hair stuck to the tears that covered her face.

"Maggie," Glenn whispers.

Maggie sniffles, scooting back.

Carefully, Glenn wraps Sakiko in a hug, nearly pulling her into his lap like he did when she was young and having panic attacks.

He doesn't tell her it's all right. He knew that she'd call him out on the lie.

He doesn't tell her to not cry. He knew she needed to let out her grief.

--

"What's the plan here?" Rosita questions.

"We'll have tonight to sit on it. He will," Rick sighs.

"He said these people don't even know about the Saviors?" Nanami recalls.

"The deal isn't made public and they have no clue."

"If people knew, then they would be willing to fight," Carl offers, "All we have to do is tell them."

"No, we let him think about it."

"But-"

"If we go and tell his people a secret like this, it'll cause mayhem and he wouldn't trust us to do anything. Let alone go to war together."

"So, we wait," Michonne sits down at the table, "And wait.. And wait.."

"We don't have time to wait," Nanami argues.

"We have plenty of time. The Saviors don't even know that we all know each other."

"No, but Sakiko and Daryl have bounties over their heads and Eugene is being held hostage as we speak," Rosita comments.

"We'll sit on it. We go with the flow and let this King guy make up his mind."

--

"Hey, maybe you should let me.." Glenn begins.

"No, it's okay," Sakiko pulls her backpack strap tighter against her shoulder.

"You shouldn't be out there alone. Not at night, especially."

"If they cross by for some reason, they won't see me in the dark. I know woods better than some pricks holed up in a 'Sanctuary'. Plus, these people need food. I'll hunt and bring some stuff back to keep 'em going."

"I.. Are you sure?"

"I need to clear my head," she forces a smile, "Really. I'm okay. Just for a little. I'll be back before the sun is up."