Spider Monkey

Chapter Fifty - Silence

Night turned to day.

Mayhem turned to silence.

The walkers were dead and everyone was exhausted, dirty and bloody.

Daryl hugged his brother when he saw him. Rick informed everyone about Carl and once everyone's minds cleared somewhat, Daryl turned to Rick.

"Where's Hedley?"

Rick shook his head, unable to speak.

Merle informed his brother, "He took lil' asskicker away from the herd. Took her up a tree outside the gate. I went to look after the last lot of walkers were being dealt with. He weren't there no more. I scouted the area. Couldn't find him or lil' asskicker anywhere."

"B-But he's alright though. Right? No blood or-"

"We'll send a search party." Rick told him, "Once everyone has been seen too."

"We should start now! Come on, I'll go and see-"

"Daryl." Carol stopped him, a huge smile on her face. She pointed to the open gates of Alexandria, "Look."

Everyone turned to look at what she was pointing too.

Hedley.

He had Judith on his hip, a knife in hand. Blood stained his clothing and sweat flattered the curls on his head. He was looking around at the bodies on the ground while Judith babbled and drooled on his shirt sleeve.

Daryl ran to him and when seeing his father, Hedley ran too.

"Dad!" They met in the middle and collided in a giant hug.

"Fuck, Spider Monkey. I was so worried. Look at you. Savin' lil' asskicker once again." Daryl pulled back and saw the tear stains on his son's face. "What's wrong? Are you hurt? Bit?"

Hedley shook his head. "C-Carl."

"He's alive." Daryl told him, "He's alive, Hedley."

Hedley broke down into sobs of relief and exhaustion. Rick took Judith and handed her to Michonne as he went inside the clinic to check on Carl. Daryl held onto Hedley, rocking him and saying words of comfort.

He curled up in his father's arms, feeling safe for the first time in so long. His heart was full again, his fingers no longer trembled. He grabbed onto Daryl's vest, knuckles white, as he cried all his emotions out from his body.

"My boy. My sweet brave boy."

Daryl needed stitches so after a while, he went in to get stitched by Denise. Hedley was watching from the corner, Michonne hugging Judith next to him. She reached for Hedley, bending down to kiss on top of his head.

"You did good, Bug." She told him.

Hedley smiled up at her, lips thin, "S-So did you."

That made her giggle, "Charmer."

Hedley's throat was sore due to all the talking. He wasn't used to it. He took his little book out from the back of his jeans and flipped it to the page that said 'Carl' on it. He showed her.

"Rick's with him. You can go in but be aware that Carl's not awake yet."

Hedley nodded, stood up, hugged Michonne then went to the back of the clinic where a private room was.

He heard Rick speaking so he stayed in the doorway, listening.

"I was wrong. I thought after living behind these walls for so long that maybe they couldn't learn. But today I saw what they could do, what we could do, if we work together. We'll rebuild the walls. We'll expand the walls. There will be more. There's gotta be more. Everything Deanna was talking about is possible. It's all possible. I see that now. When I was out there with them when it was over when I knew we had this place again I had this feeling. It took me a while to remember what it was because I haven't felt it since before I woke up in that hospital bed." Rick cried, taking Carl's hand into his own. "I want to show you the new world, Carl. I want to make it a reality for you. Please, Carl let me show you."

Rick spotted Hedley and waved him in. Hedley stepped slowly inside and went to Carl's free side and held onto his hand.

"You two have always had this special bond." Rick said, sniffling. "When you two first met, Dale told Lori how it was the start of a very special friendship. I guess he was right, huh?"

Hedley's tears returned to his eyes as he stared down at his best friend's face. A bandage over his right eye. Pale and frail. Chest rising and falling painfully slowly.

"I'm glad he has you, Hedley."

Hedley looked at Rick, somewhat shocked at the statement.

It made Rick chuckle. "Don't give me that look. You two have been inseparable since the farm. You're his best friend. You're loyal, kind, brave. I couldn't think of anyone better to be a huge part in my son's life."

Not knowing how to respond, Hedley just looked down at Carl's hand, stroking his knuckles with his thumb.

And then, Carl's own fingers began to curl and he held onto Rick and Hedley's fingers tightly. A sign of consciousness. A sign of life.

Hedley and Rick smiled tearfully at each other, their chests a little less heavy.

****

When Carl woke up, it was just Hedley in the room.

It was late, or early, depending how it's seen. The only source of light was a candle lamp that flickered on the nightstand.

Michonne had taken/ dragged Rick upstairs for some sleep - the leader hadn't slept since Carl got shot two days ago. Hedley had snuck out of the house, Merle and Carol asleep while Daryl was on watch, just to visit his best friend.

He took the flannel that was beside Carl and began to gently dab at the sweat that gathered on Carl's forehead.

He made sure that the bandages were clean and secure and rearranged the flowers that people had given him. They were in vases on the bookcase, all with homemade cards of 'Get Well Soon'. Hedley's own card had a photograph of him, Carl and Judith on the front - they stole Aaron's camera to take it. The developed picture was a little blurry around the edges and no colour but it was enough.

He spotted a card that wasn't there that morning and picked it up. It was small. Made out of white card. It had a pressed flower taped to the front. He took it off the shelf and opened it up.

'Carl, Get better soon. All my love, Enid'.

Hedley had the urge to rip the card into tiny pieces. But he didn't. He couldn't do that to Carl. Instead, he placed it back onto the shelf and turned back to his sleeping friend. He stayed there, holding his hand and just listening to the quiet breaths. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.

Hedley rested his head on his arms as he hunched over the boy in the bed. His eyes blinked heavily and he debated whether or not to go back home to get some sleep or just sleep there.

That was when Carl began to stir.

Hedley snapped his head up. "Carl?"

Carl's hand squeezed Hedley's. The pressure familiar and beautiful.

Carl groaned, face scrunched up in ache and his remaining eye opened, blinking a few times to focus his vision.

When Carl noticed his best friend, he smiled weakly. "Hey, Spider Monkey."

Hedley's eyes filled with tears of relief, "Hi, Carl."

"Miss me?"

The tears fell as Hedley chuckled at the attempted joke, nodding his head.

Carl was missing an eye, bruised to hell and ached all over... but...

He had his best friend.

That was all that mattered.