𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐒 | 𝐭𝐰𝐝 ²

21.

Rick agreed with Nicole, which surprised her. He wasn’t entirely sure about bringing thirty new people home when they barely had enough food for the people already there, but he wanted to do right by Andrea. She cared for these people, and this was the right thing to do. They both knew that it was.

✦✧✦✧

   Nicole clung gently to Daryl’s torso as they weaved through the roads that lead them home. Eventually, the comforting walls of the prison came into her view. Her family was here, and she was grateful. Nicole could hear the loud rumble of a school bus sound from behind the truck where the remaining residents of Woodbury were as they rode to their new home. The Governor never made a reappearance last night, allowing Rick and Nicole’s plan to settle into the correct cracks of fate.

   Nicole was sure that they made the right choice. These people didn’t truly know how to survive - plus many of them were children and elderly. Not many of them were going to be able to survive on their own. Andrea gave her life trying to protect them - that made them worthy of life in Nicole’s eyes.

   The group waited at the front gates of the prison and swung them open to allow the vehicles to ride into the courtyard. Nicole knew that the group was going to be skeptical about these extra mouths to feed, but she didn’t care. She was doing this as one final plea of forgiveness to Andrea; she was doing this in her honor.

   Daryl slowed to a stop, and Nicole wasted no time swinging her leg over. Cheyanne made her way over with Maggie by her side. The little girl hugged her mother tightly as Maggie stopped to watch the strangers get out of the bus. “Did everything go okay?” Maggie questioned as she reverted eyes back to the blonde.

   Nicole glanced back to the people, who stared nervously at their new home, before turning back to her friend. “Everything’s going to be,” Nicole offered the brunette a toothless smile before motioning her into a hug. Maggie accepted happily before pulling away to help her father, Carol, and Beth welcome the newcomers into the cellblock.

   “Mama, where’s Andrea?” Cheyanne’s soft voice questioned. Nicole hadn’t realized that the little girl pulled away from their embrace. With a sigh, Nicole glanced around the courtyard. It didn’t seem right without Andrea here anymore - she should have been here. Everything would’ve been almost like it was before. All of the remaining Atlanta members would have finally been together again.

   Nicole sighed, crouching down and then leaning onto her knees. “She -” Nicole paused, brushing her hair back again. “She didn’t make it, Chey.”

   Cheyanne’s brown eyes watered as she nodded at her mother’s confession. Without saying another word, Cheyanne turned around and began making her way into the cellblock. Nicole let out a watery sigh again as she leaned back against her heels.

   “Everythin’ alright?” Daryl rasped out as he walked over to the regretful woman. She shrugged. Daryl offered her a hand which she hesitated to take, but she did. Nicole allowed Daryl to pull her to her feet, using him to steady herself as her ankle wobbled in the weird way she applied pressure.

   “I told her about Andrea,” Nicole informed him. They met eyes as Nicole kept Daryl’s hand loosely in her own. “I better go talk to her.”

   Daryl nodded curtly. “Want me to come?”

   Nicole glanced back to the cellblock doors where her daughter charged into before turning around to the man she loved. “I think I better do this one myself, D,” she said with a half-hearted smile. “I’ll talk to you later, okay?” He nodded as he bit his nail. Nicole turned around and allowed his hand to drop as she walked into C-Block.

Nicole pushed past the people that crowded the halls, making her way up to her daughter’s room. She could see Cheyanne staring blankly at the grey wall from her bed. The blonde sat down beside her daughter, wrapping her arm around her. Cheyanne accepted her mother’s embrace.

“She didn’t deserve to die, Mama,” Cheyanne muttered into her mother’s chest.

   “I know, baby,” Nicole whispered, stroking her daughter’s hair. “Chey, there is going to come a time when everyone dies. I’m going to die; Daryl’s going to die. We don’t deserve to, but sometimes people’s clock runs out. Some sooner than others. There is no way that you’re never going to be ready for it,” Nicole paused, taking in a small breath. “The only thing you can do is keep fighting for yourself - for your family - as long as you can.”

   “I’m just so sick of losing people,” Cheyanne whispered, pulling away from her mother to stare up at her. “I love you, Mama.”

   “I love you, too, baby girl,” Nicole responded to her daughter as she bent down to kiss her forehead. “I’m not going anywhere anytime soon.”

   “Promise?”

   “Promise.”

━━━━

and that's a wrap on season 3. it's slightly shorter than usual but it's meant to kind of act as an epilouge for act three. did you like nicole's development throughout it? cheyanne's? what do you think nolan and nadia will bring to the table? find out in act 4! hopefully you guys enjoyed this portion of free radicals and will enjoy the second half as well! you're a bout to see sides you haven't seen yet :) i love you guys! stay safe and take care of each other!