𝙴𝙿𝙸𝚂𝙾𝙳𝙴 𝚃𝙷𝙸𝚁𝚃𝚈-𝙾𝙽𝙴 - 𝚄𝙿 𝚃𝙾 𝙾𝚄𝚁 𝙽𝙴𝙲𝙺𝚂 𝙸𝙽 𝚂𝙷𝙸𝚃
The journey back to the prison seemed to last years for Madelyn. Daryl was gone. He just left her like she meant nothing to him. Madelyn still had a hard time believing it. She thought Daryl cared about her, that maybe, he loved her but maybe he didn't. Merle was obviously more important to him. During the journey back, Rick had to stop the car. There was a truck and a fallen tree blocking the road. Glenn and Rick went to move the truck. Maggie stayed in the car with Madelyn. She had stopped crying at this point but her face was just blank.
"Are you okay?" Maggie asked.
"He...he just left." Madelyn muttered.
"Hey, it's okay." Maggie said.
"I never thought that after my husband dying...that I would ever find someone again....then he came along and now he's gone." Madelyn muttered.
"I'm so sorry. We're all here for you. Just remember that." Maggie said, hugging her before they pulled away when they saw Glenn smashing the head of a walker. He was clearly angry. Maggie and Madelyn looked at each other before getting out of the car. Maggie went over to Rick and Glenn and Madelyn stayed by the car, leaning on the door.
"You didn't kill him." Glenn said to Rick.
"That's not why we went back." Rick said.
"No, you went back for Daryl." Glenn said. "Now, he's gone again, and the Governor is still alive."
"Daryl was the priority." Rick said.
"I should have been there with you." Glenn said.
"You were in no condition." Rick said.
"But my girlfriend was?! But my best friend was?!" Glenn asked, now very upset.
"Glenn, this isn't about us or Mads." Maggie said.
"I should've been there." Glenn said.
"Glenn, you didn't come back because you could barely walk." Madelyn said.
"Says the girl with a bullet in her arm. And what about Maggie?" Glenn asked.
"What about me?" Maggie asked.
"Do you know what he did to her?!" Glenn yelled.
"Leave him alone!" Maggie yelled at Glenn.
"Do you know?" Glenn exclaimed.
"Maggie, what happened?" Madelyn asked. Maggie just looked away. Something terrible obviously happened.
"After all that effort, after all the risks we took, Daryl just takes off with Merle." Glenn said to Rick, making Madelyn's chest grow heavy again.
"He had his reasons." Rick said.
"Yeah, because leaving his girlfriend was a valid excuse to go off with him. It doesn't change the fact that we're up to our necks in shit." Glenn said.
"You want me to turn the car around, beg him to come back?" Rick asked. "Throw down a welcome met for Merle. This is the hand we've been dealt. Now, instead of complaining about it, why don't you help Madelyn who's suffered because of him? Why don't you put this anger to use when we destroy the Governor?"
"Let's just get this out of here and get back." Maggie said. "Mads is still not looking too good."
"Yeah, please. I feel like my arm is going to fall off." Madelyn said.
"I am so done with this." Glenn said.
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When the group made it to the prison, Carl and Carol opened the gate to let the car inside. Rick got out of the car and hugged Carl as Maggie drove the car inside. Everyone got out and met with the group.
"God, what happened?" Beth asked, looking at Madelyn.
"She got shot. Daddy, can you patch her up?" Maggie asked.
"Come on." Hershel said.
"Wait, where's Daryl and Oscar?" Carl asked.
"Oscar's dead. Daryl ran into his brother and left with him." Rick said.
"But what about M-"
"He broke up with me. He left me for his brother." Madelyn said.
"I'm so sorry." Carol said.
"Hershel...please." Madelyn asked.
"Of course. Come on, sweetie." Hershel said.
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Whilst Hershel helped Madelyn, Rick approached them. "Are you okay, Madelyn?" Rick asked.
"Yeah, I guess. Feels a lot better without a bullet inside." Madelyn said as Hershel stitched her arm.
"I'm sorry about Daryl." Rick said. He decided not to tell Madelyn that Daryl said he loved her. They clearly hadn't said those words to each other and Rick couldn't be the one telling her. Madelyn had to hear those words from Daryl, not Rick. "I couldn't do anything to stop him and-"
"Hey, you have nothing to be sorry about. Daryl made his choice. I'm a grown woman. I can take care of myself." Madelyn said. Of course she was still hurt. It would take a while for Madelyn to get over Daryl and it would hurt but there was nothing else she could do.
"Based on what Madelyn's told me, it sounds like we have a new problem on our hands." Hershel said to Rick.
"Yeah." Rick sighed.
"Did you get a good look at him?" Hershel asked.
Rick shook his head. "He had Daryl and Merle pitted against each other." He said. "Crowd cheering for them to fight to the death. What kind of sick mind does that?"
"The kind this world creates." Hershel said before going quiet.
"Hershel, what's wrong?" Madelyn asked.
"We have some visitors." Hershel said as he wrapped a bandage around Madelyn's arm.
"Walkers?" Rick asked.
"People." Hershel said.