❛ You take a mortal man and put him in control. Watch him become a god, watch people's heads roll. ❜
SEASON 3, EPISODE 10
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━━━━━━ day 312.
BIANCA'S EYES FLEW wide open, panic swarming in her chest as her arms were pinned to her side. She kept still, worried if she moved, whoever had a hold of her would notice she was awake. Her hand cautiously moved down her back and to the side of her bed, where a knife was hidden. She cinched it in her grip and waited to feel her attacker notice. They didn't move, so she jabbed the blade under their chin with deft agility.
⠀⠀⠀"Get off me, or I swear—"
⠀⠀⠀"Bianca, it's me!"
⠀⠀⠀"Oh, shit!" Bianca exclaimed.
⠀⠀⠀Cal's arms unlaced from where he had cradled her. His eyes were wide with the same panic she had felt, and he raised his hands so she could see both of them. She hated seeing him like this, fearing for his life after she had one bad reaction.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca hadn't slept well even before everything changed and now wasn't so different. During their stay at the prison, Bianca was definitely doing worse than when they were traveling around. She'd gone from one traumatizing experience to the next where she had only herself to blame. Sleeping with Cal had been the only time she'd gotten a moment away from the grief of Lori or the guilt from Tomas. And even then, she'd nearly killed him.
⠀⠀⠀"I'm sorry, it's just—" Bianca continued, fretting over him. She threw the knife around the cell to assure him she wouldn't lunge into another attack. "I haven't slept next to anyone in a while..." she explained meekly, dissolving into embarrassment as her shoulders hunched and an awkward, apologetic smile broke way.
⠀⠀⠀"I'd be upset, but honestly, I'm just happy to hear you haven't slept next to anyone else," Cal commented, smiling from ear to ear.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca stared at Cal. She wanted to laugh at him, but the words were too painful. How could he even think she would sleep with someone else? All those days, she was looking for ways to find him, knowing he was out there waiting for her. It seemed impossible to think she'd ever take a second look at another guy.
⠀⠀⠀"Hey," Cal said softly, the humor wiped from his face, and he lifted his hand to gently caress the side of her face. "I didn't mean it like that."
⠀⠀⠀Bianca smiled. His warm hand on her face. She was just so happy he was there with her. Her hand pressed his against her cheek, reminding her he was there and real and alive.
⠀⠀⠀"I know," Bianca whispered, her voice cracking slightly.
⠀⠀⠀"I apologize for interrupting," Hershel's kindly voice rung through their room.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca looked up to find the old man standing at the door with a knowing look as he stared at them. It was the same look he gave Maggie and Glenn.
⠀⠀⠀"But I would like to go over your injuries, Bianca," Hershel proceeded to explain, his warm expression turning toward concern.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca followed Hershel out of the cell and to the tables set up outside. Hershel sat down slowly, and Bianca was vehemently reminded that the old man had been through so much. They all had, but his was the most obvious. Bianca wasn't sure if that was good or bad to have the reminder that the mistakes he made were permanent. Bianca wondered if the death of Tomas or Lori was physically noticeable, like an arm missing, would the pain clawing through her chest be as easy to push back and try to forget.
⠀⠀⠀Hershel gave Bianca a kind smile once he settled and noticed she stood staring. He held his hand out for her to sit down across from him, and she followed.
⠀⠀⠀"Alright, I'm just gonna check and see if you've got any broken bones or anything," Hershel explained, touching her face where the bruises lay, then down toward her ribs.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca sat like a plank was strapped to her back. The feeling of Hershel's wrinkled fingers feathering across her skin made her grow anxious. Then, he finished and held another kind smile for her.
⠀⠀⠀"Nothing appears to be broken," Hershel stated, rubbing his hand against his pant leg. "How are you feeling? That is important, too."
⠀⠀⠀"I'm doing alright," Bianca said to him, but it wasn't convincing. She could tell by the disapproving look he gave her. She let out a small laugh. The look reminded her of when they had first spoken on the farm, and she was fighting to carry around a weapon on his farm.
⠀⠀⠀"Before, I might have allowed something so simple to slide," Hershel mused, crossing his arms and raising a brow at her. "However, Rick has gone off the deep end, and I fear for what happened to Maggie."
⠀⠀⠀Bianca kept quiet, bowing her head as she stared at her hands resting in her lap. She could understand what Hershel meant, at least with Rick, but Bianca was managing. As well as she could, she supposed. The nightmares kept her sleeping fitfully, her anxiety had been at its peak, and now she was worried that soon all these people who she loved and called family would be dead like Lori or leave her like Daryl.
⠀⠀⠀However, Bianca didn't know what Hershel could do about that. They didn't have medicine or therapists, and there was no getting away from the trauma. She just had to move on and remind herself of what she did have.
⠀⠀⠀"I'm not like Rick," Bianca assured Hershel, wrapping her hands together and looking up to stare at him. "Maybe a long time ago, I might have gone around beating in walker skulls... I have been there, but—"
⠀⠀⠀"You're not like that anymore," Hershel finished for her with a nod in understanding.
⠀⠀⠀Hershel knew Bianca, he knew all of them. He was old and wise, and he had been paying attention to the changes in everyone while they just tried to stay alive. Bianca considered his claim, but Bianca couldn't be sure he was correct. The rage was still there that grappled her into a chokehold and turned her vision red. She just had a higher tolerance now. Once, she nearly drowned fighting Ed over off-handed comments. Now, she killed Tomas because he had tried to kill one of her own.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca didn't correct Hershel like she wanted to. She just gave him a thin smile and pat his hands in response. She stood, turning her back to Hershel about to return to her cell and Cal but paused.
⠀⠀⠀"I wouldn't worry about Maggie," Bianca stated, looking over her shoulder. "She might be hurt right now, but this is something she needs to do alone. If she needs you, she'll come to you."
⠀⠀⠀She could see Hershel nod his head solemnly.
⠀⠀⠀"I understand that. However, Glenn has been having some trouble realizing that boundary," Hershel sighed.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca nodded. That had once been an issue for Bianca and Cal after her miscarriage. They were still new to their relationship and hardly knew how to respect one another. Glenn would hopefully come to understand Maggie before she pushed him even further away.
ONCE EVERYONE HAD woken up, and things had settled, the group was called to discuss the onslaught of swarming issues. Rick had been stable long enough to save Bianca and Maggie, then immediately fell back into his manic state over Lori's death. He was outside in the yard, chopping walkers on his own like he had inside the prison.
⠀⠀⠀Cal had asked if they should help him, but Bianca quickly dismissed the idea from him. Like Maggie, this one was something Rick needed to deal with on his own. Especially since the last time Glenn tried to help him, Rick nearly choked him out.
⠀⠀⠀Then, there was the matter of the group that had asked to join them the day before. They were gone since Rick had first lost it in front of them, but now they knew there were breeches still in the prison that would allow anyone to get inside.
⠀⠀⠀Which led to the biggest problem of all: Woodbury. If their defenses were already deteriorating, the retaliation that the Governor would bring was much more likely to hand them the win.
⠀⠀⠀Glenn took charge of Rick in his state, and Daryl was long gone. Bianca watched as he drew a map of the prison on the floor in chalk. He was much more severe than Bianca had seen him. Glenn had kept up a mostly positive outlook on their situation even out on the road. Now, his lips were screwed into a tight frown, his muscles were taut with tension, and the anger in his eyes radiated through the room.
⠀⠀⠀"Now, you said you found Tyreese's group here?" Glenn asked Carl. He pointed to a wall diagonal from them and then looked up at the kid.
⠀⠀⠀"Yeah."
⠀⠀⠀"We secured this," Glenn told him.
⠀⠀⠀"He thought he came through here," Carl added, pointing to another area opposite Glenn.
⠀⠀⠀"Means there's another breach," Glenn sighed, leaning back on his heels and letting the piece of chalk roll out of his hand. "Okay, the whole front of the prison is unsecure. If walkers just strolled in, then it's gonna be cake for a group of armed men."
⠀⠀⠀"Why are we even so sure he's going to attack? Maybe you scared him off." Beth asked lightly, her sweet eyelashes fluttering as she cradled the baby.
⠀⠀⠀As they spoke, Bianca's eyes got caught on the baby, Lori's baby. Her attention was still on the conversation, but her eyes staring at that chubby-cheeked, soft thing they had saved in place of Lori. It was so precious and innocent, and now the baby... Judith... was already wrapped in the middle of a war her mother didn't know was coming.
⠀⠀⠀"Definitely not," Cal answered Beth with a frown, folding his arms. "He's prideful and vindictive. All we did was put a chip in his armor. He's coming to rip us apart until we're just limbs stacked on top of one another."
⠀⠀⠀A chill flooded through the room as all eyes went to Cal's. Even Bianca moved her attention, noticing the tightness that pulled into Cal's jaw. His eyes had turned icy, and he looked distraught by what was to come next, like it was his fault. Bianca reached her hand out, holding his in hers to assure him that it wasn't. Cal turned to her, a smile lifting at the corners of his lips, but the look of guilt didn't go away.
⠀⠀⠀"He had fish tanks full of heads," Michonne added, ensuring they understood what this man was capable of. "Walkers and humans. Trophies. He's coming."
⠀⠀⠀"We should hit him now," Glenn decided, standing to his feet.
⠀⠀⠀"What?"
⠀⠀⠀"He won't be expecting it. We'll sneak back in and put a bullet in his head," Glenn continued.
⠀⠀⠀Glenn paced the room, and Bianca knew this wasn't how Glenn had changed; this was a reaction. He felt useless when Maggie had been taken, and now he was trying to make it so he could do something.
⠀⠀⠀"We're not assassins," Carol scoffed.
⠀⠀⠀"You know where his apartment is," Glenn said to Michonne, standing before her. Bianca raised a brow, not surprised he didn't look to Cal to help him. "You and I could end this tonight. I'll do this myself."
⠀⠀⠀"Glenn, this isn't the priority right now," Bianca snapped at him.
⠀⠀⠀Glenn turned to her, glaring in response at her claim. His jaw tightened, and angry sparks seemed to shoot between them.
⠀⠀⠀"This is the priority, Bianca," Glenn stated harshly.
⠀⠀⠀"Glenn, it's not—"
⠀⠀⠀Hershel raised his hand, interrupting her, and proceeded to speak calmly to Glenn in hopes he would do as he hoped and understand.
⠀⠀⠀"He didn't know you were coming last time, and look what happened," Hershel told Glenn with a fatherly frown, looking under his eyebrows. "You were almost killed. Daryl and Cal were captured. Bianca and Maggie were almost executed."
⠀⠀⠀"You can't stop me," Glenn said, his glare now directed at Hershel, then he turned it to Maggie.
⠀⠀⠀"Rick would never allow this," Hershel claimed.
⠀⠀⠀"You really think he's in any position to make that choice?" Glenn asked, turning back to Hershel as he narrowed his eyes. They all knew Rick wasn't able to do anything.
⠀⠀⠀"Think this through clearly," Hershel demanded sharply, growing frustrated with Glenn's inability to listen and consider what would happen next. "T-Dog lost his life here. Lori, too. The men that were here. It isn't worth any more killing. What are we waiting for? If he's really on his way, we should be out of here by now."
⠀⠀⠀"And go where?" Glenn retorted.
⠀⠀⠀"We lived on the road all winter," Hershel explained.
⠀⠀⠀"Back when you had two legs, and we didn't have a baby crying for walkers every four hours," Glenn snapped back quickly.
⠀⠀⠀Hershel collected himself, his voice solemn once again, saying, "We can't stay here."
⠀⠀⠀"We can't run," Glenn returned.
⠀⠀⠀Maggie slipped quietly out of the room; however, it was hard not to spot her leaving. No one protested or said a word, they just allowed her to leave. Glenn looked like he wanted to follow but stopped himself.
⠀⠀⠀"Alright, we'll stay put. We're gonna defend this place. We're making a stand," Glenn decided for them and kneeled beside the map. "Carl, you and I will go down to the tombs. We need to figure out where the breach is."
⠀⠀⠀"You got it," Carl nodded.
⠀⠀⠀"You'll need some help," Michonne stated, volunteering herself.
⠀⠀⠀"No, in case anything happens, I need you out here," Glenn stated, looking up. He paused his train of thought, halting his direction for where they would each go, and looked over their faces. "Who's on watch?"
⠀⠀⠀No one answered.
⠀⠀⠀"Damn it," Glenn muttered and stormed out.
AXEL WAS THE first to die.
⠀⠀⠀They hardly had the morning before the sound of a hundred bullets flying through the air sounded. Wooden boards were covering the walkways, guns set out for easy access to find, and enough dumped over trash to use as a hiding place. Still, they were surprised by the attack.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca hardly had time to think when Cal took her hand and moved across the front yard for coverage. Instead, he pulled her in the direction of Carl and the buildings that would allow them cover. Cal's hand, not holding hers, swooped out and dragged Carl along with them.
⠀⠀⠀"Fuck, they're in the guard tower," Bianca cursed, sitting against the wall with her legs holding her up. She pulled her gun out from the hem of her pants and cocked it.
⠀⠀⠀Carl unholstered his gun as well, but Bianca snatched it from him before he could start shooting.
⠀⠀⠀"Hey!"
⠀⠀⠀Bianca stood, so she towered over Carl, her teeth baring as she glared down at him, and her chest pumped up and down from the adrenaline.
⠀⠀⠀"Listen to me, Carl. You've gotten your way the past two times, but you're not risking your life until there's no other choice," Bianca hissed at him. She could see he wanted to retort in the way his lips twitched, but he screwed them tight and kept quiet.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca knelt on the side of the wall and attempted to hit the man up in the guard tower. If they could get him out, they'd have a better view of those hiding in the woods. She didn't pay attention to the two nervous boys behind her or when Beth made their way over to them.
⠀⠀⠀Maggie was what drew Bianca's attention as she arrived from inside the prison. Her arms were lined with guns to distribute out to them. She slid three guns towards them for Beth, Carl, and Cal to take. Bianca didn't like it that Carl was given unintended permission, but he kept to the back of the building and aimed for the woods instead.
⠀⠀⠀Maggie then left them and ran for Carol to give her a gun. Maggie stayed behind the old filing cabinets while Carol rendezvoused back to their firing shot. Over the past few months, Carol had become a better shot than anyone. Bianca left her to take care of the guard tower while redirecting her aim to the woods.
⠀⠀⠀Then, everything became quiet except for the whistle of the wind. It didn't bring any kind of comfort. Only a ball of anxiety quickly unraveled in her gut as she nervously awaited what was coming.
⠀⠀⠀An engine rattled Bianca's bones, and then the front gate boomed at the impact of a food truck slamming into it. The chains rattled relentlessly, and the truck squealed to a park in the middle of the yard. It was another agonizing moment as they waited until the back door fell open and walkers stumbled out.
⠀⠀⠀"Car," Bianca whispered suddenly, turning to the kid as a sudden idea popped into her head. "Do you still have that lighter?"
⠀⠀⠀Carl gave her a slight frown as he dug into his pockets and produced a lighter for her. Bianca grinned ear to ear at the sight and took it from him. She rested her hand on his shoulder, squeezing it. Then, she turned to Cal, who had a similar yet more suspicious look.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca smiled, yet she could feel the trepidation of it as she did. She took a moment to remember his warm skin, ocean blue eyes, and golden hair. She rested her hand on the side of his face and kissed him deeply but no longer than a second before he could catch on.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca's lips left him, and she was gone. She sprinted to Maggie and the filing cabinet, her feet kicking up dirt and sweat pushing her hair out of her eyes. She could hear Cal yelling at her to go back, but she ignored him and skidded roughly next to Maggie.
⠀⠀⠀"What are you doin'?" Maggie asked, her tone scolding as she glared at Bianca, now sitting beside her.
⠀⠀⠀"I have a stupid plan, but it means I have to get to the truck," Bianca explained with a nervous smile.
⠀⠀⠀"That is stupid," Maggie agreed, raising her brows.
⠀⠀⠀"Cover me?" Bianca asked hopefully.
⠀⠀⠀"Of course," Maggie sighed, but she didn't sound too sure of the plan.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca adjusted herself to stand like a track star about to run the world record. Then, she paused, turning to Maggie to wait for her call. Maggie nodded, and Bianca bolted. She still had her gun, shooting walkers as they stumbled her way. She could hear Maggie shoot a few rounds into walkers around her, right in her blind spot, and Bianca mentally thanked her friend.
⠀⠀⠀Maggie was a blessing, but she could hardly do anything for the Woodbury soldiers hiding in the woods.
⠀⠀⠀A bullet whizzed through the gate, searing pain flooding up through Bianca's leg from where it struck her thigh. Bianca fell almost as soon as it made contact, lying with her stomach flush against the ground. The tall grass kept her out of sight, but the walkers were her number one problem.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca forced herself onto her back, groaning with pain. She could see the walkers dragging themselves closer and had no time to bandage her wound. Instead, she rested her gun on her stomach, her finger on the trigger, ready to shoot. She was hounded immediately, and her dazing vision did her no good. She was able to hit the four as they came, but not every shot made it into the head, and each toppled on top of her.
⠀⠀⠀Gagging, Bianca tried to push them off of her, but they were too heavy. The walker sandwiched between the second and fourth was clawing the air trying to get at her face. Bianca squirmed back, moving her hand so she could raise her gun to shoot again. The trigger clicked, and she yelled out in frustration. She reared her hand back to knock its skull in, but its hand managed to smack the gun from her hand.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca was close to screaming and raging but was given a break for once.
⠀⠀⠀Michonne appeared above her, then her katana split the walker's head before removing her knife and resheathed it. She and Cal helped to unbury Bianca from the pile of walkers.
⠀⠀⠀"I've got her," Cal said to Michonne, nodding his head to another side of the yard.
⠀⠀⠀Michonne nodded and followed his direction, where Bianca noticed Hershel lying in the grass near the gate.
⠀⠀⠀Cal tried to lead Bianca back to the prison, but she wasn't about to throw her whole plan away because she had been shot. She forced her shoulders to turn, pulling them back toward the walkers and the truck.
⠀⠀⠀"What are you doing?!" Cal exclaimed, growing frustrated with her.
⠀⠀⠀"My plan still works!" Bianca exclaimed, now forcing him to follow her. "But you have to do it."
⠀⠀⠀"Do what?" Cal asked, furrowing his brows in confusion.
⠀⠀⠀"Set me down," Bianca told him.
⠀⠀⠀"We're in the middle of a field of walkers," Cal retorted.
⠀⠀⠀"I have my gun. Now, listen to me," Bianca snapped at him. "Put me down, go to the truck, and open the gas tank. Then, light these papers and throw them in the tank and run! I'll cover you."
⠀⠀⠀"You're insane," Cal claimed, his hand clenching tighter around her waist as he frowned deeply.
⠀⠀⠀"An insane genius! I know. Now do it, and don't fucking die!" Bianca yelled at him.
⠀⠀⠀Cal accepted the lighter she forced into his hand, understanding that even if the Governor had backed down for the moment, the walkers were still their biggest threat. He leaned down, pressing his lips against her head to seal the promise he would be back.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca watched Cal leave her and could only worry that her plan would blow up in her face. She would send Cal to his death just to kill a few walkers, but there was no turning back now. Her analytical mind running seven-hundred feet ahead of her made the decision, and now she had to live with the consequences that might come.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca cleared the walkers from Cal's path, not even letting him get a second to worry about them. All he needed to do was throw the paper in, and he'd be golden.
⠀⠀⠀Cal got to the truck, opened the exhaust tank, and lit the papers away from them. Even from a distance, Bianca could see his hands shake in anticipation before he shoved the sheets of paper inside. Cal sprinted from the truck as soon as he'd done it, and hardly a second later, the truck exploded into bright red and orange flames. Cal flew forward with the impact, tumbling through the tall grass, and stopped a foot away from her. The back of his shirt was singed, and his hair was flying everywhere, but a bright grin spread across his face.
⠀⠀⠀Just like at the farm, the walkers ignored the rest of the people inside the prison and turned to the blazing fire. As they walked toward the fire they started to burn themselves alive.
⠀⠀⠀"This is why I love you," Cal chuckled up at Bianca dragging her attention back down to him.
⠀⠀⠀Bianca smiled, leaning down and kissing him sweetly with the smell of blood and burning metal filling her senses.
⠀⠀⠀"And it's why I love you," Bianca replied, then her face fell. "However, I'm bleeding out and you should probably take me back."
AUTHOR'S NOTE —
Me and season 4 are gonna fight. I'm having the worst trouble trying to write it. Hopefully, I'll get my momentum soon but it's really that first half that is dragging me behind.
Also, I haven't really been feeling like advertising it but hee hee my birthday is on Monday!! I've decided since I will be an Old and thus have been writing fics for ten fucking years as well I will be adopting all of you. Please submit your birth certificates so I can sign off on being your mom, thanks :)
SONG: Symphony of Destruction by Megadeth
Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment if you'd like. However, this is an all kind of reader safe space. So even if you ghost read or comment every chapter, I hope you know it means the world to me that you've come into this fic ♡ I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and until the next one.