Dead love in my hands (Troy Otto story/ Fear the walking dead/ ftwd)

People don't change

"Della," he took my hand, "I have no idea who Dylan is," Troy smiled good-naturedly.

"Don't play dumb! I know who he is! He's a survivor from that base, you tortured him!"

"Della, I don't know what you mean," he continued to smile, "maybe you're just tired from the road?"

He put his palm on my forehead, as if taking a temperature. I immediately slapped him and followed Michael's parents with more anger at Troy.

We sat down at the table. I didn't feel like eating. All I could think about was Clara. I didn't realize yet that she was gone. In the background I could hear the voices of Alejandro, Anna and Troy. They offered me tea. I nodded. Troy, noticing my immersion in my thoughts, put his palm on my knee under the table and squeezed it tightly. It made me feel better to have him around. Even though I was angry with him.

It had been about half an hour. We were about to move on when suddenly Alejandro started calling out for Dylan. Apparently to apologize to Troy. When he walked in, I saw his glassy eyes. There was so much hatred in them. He said:

"I won't take it back. That's him. You may not believe me, but he killed Gustav! He was my best friend! At that military facility! Don't you remember?! But I do! I can prove it! Take off your clothes!

Troy, who had been standing there with a look of contrived incomprehension in his eyes, suddenly laughed.

"What? You're confusing me with someone else!"

"No, take off your clothes! I know you have three small birthmarks on your back parallel to your spine. You were standing with your back to me when you killed him! You were so hot you took off your shirt, I got a good look at your back! Come on, take your clothes off!

"This is crazy!" intervened I. I knew the birthmarks were really there...

"Why, Della," Alejandro suddenly started, "let him refute what Dylan said!"

"No. We're leaving, thanks for the tea, but we have to go!" I headed for the door, but then some man grabbed my arm.

Troy was approached by men as well. He resisted, but they pulled his shirt off anyway, then his T-shirt. Three moles in a row on his back, just like Dylan said-- I immediately punched the one who grabbed my arm and pulled out my gun. It only had two rounds in it, but they didn't know that. Thank you, Walker. I wished I hadn't had to get it, but pointing the gun at Alejandro, I said:

"Let him go! We're leaving. If you stop us, I swear I'll kill you all."

"Hush, Della," Anna started making a calming gesture with her hands, "I realize you're close to him, but he's a killer, Dylan's words are true!"

"I don't care, after the apocalypse everyone was killing someone! So back off! Troy, get out! Start the car!"

"Della, you're making a mistake!"

Troy took my advice. He ran outside and got in the car. I slowly took steps backward. Suddenly, someone hit me on the head. My eyes went black. I lost consciousness.

I woke up in some basement, handcuffed to a pipe. The man guarding me came closer.

"You awake, rebel?!"

"Where is he? Where is Troy?"

"Your prince has escaped. If he doesn't return, we'll decide what to do with you. If he returns, we'll trade your life for his. Or maybe not. We'll kill him and see if we let you go or make you a walker too!" He grinned.

"What did he do?!"

"You don't know! He killed our comrade. Just like that. Just to see how fast he would revive!"

"Even so, that's in the past. Troy's changed. He's changed!"

"Honey, people don't change. My advice to you, if you survive, find yourself a decent man!"

"Are you referring to yourself?"

"Let's say. You want to experiment? You're handcuffed, there's no one else here," he smirked.

"Fuck you!"

"If you're with me, you're safe. I'm one of the leaders of our gang. You'll live if you choose me," he ran his ugly hand down my cheek.

"Get your hands off me!"

He laughed. Suddenly, gunshots rang out from above. He tensed at first, but then relaxed again and continued to paw me.

"Looks like your prince got shot after all. Face it, baby, I'm the only one who can save you right now. You think about it," he touched my chest.

I didn't want to believe it would end like this. But the gunshots scared me a lot. I was afraid to see Troy's corpse upstairs.

Suddenly Otto came running down the stairs.

"Hey, sweetheart", he said to me.

The man turned around on the his voice. Troy pointed the gun at him and shot him three times right in the head. Blood splattered my face. He took the key to the handcuffs off the corpse, walked over to me and removed them.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I knew you'd come."

We ran upstairs. As we entered the hallway where I was pointing the gun at everyone, a horrible picture opened up for me: a mountain of bodies. Everyone was dead. I froze. Otto yanked my arm. He took water, food and a couple of rifles and was ready to leave. 

"Stop looking, let's go!"

I didn't move. He grabbed me and dragged me to the car. I don't remember how we got in or how we drove. Troy was saying something and pushing on the gas. I sat silently to his left. He killed them all. It's understandable that he should have saved me, it's understandable that they started it, but it was his past that was to blame.... And as always... he didn't have a choice?