It was a blur.
A large blur that flooded Austin's head, yet he knew what to do. He felt out of control of his body when he got to the infirmary, Rick leaving him with Carl. He knew people were speaking, but it felt like he was underwater. The moments right now, as he worked on saving his baby brothers life, reminded him of when he blanked after Beth dying. Back then, he didn't know any better or have any control over what he did, yet now he knew exactly what to do.
Denise tried to help, but he couldn't hear her. Yet, Carl was okay, the bullet was removed, and he was breathing. Austin managed to come back when he was in the process of sewing his eye socket, Denise's hand on his as he met her eye. "Austin."
He froze, needle and thread in hand. "Thank you for your help, Denise."
"You did a great job here." she nodded, letting him get back to work. "Your Dad is safe, Michonne too. They'll be back here soon."
He cut the threat and looked to the window. It was sunrise, only a slight shade of red flooding Alexandria. "So much lose happened, yet the day still came."
"What do you mean?" Denise was confused by his words.
Austin placed his hand on Carls face. "The Andersons, Deanna. Loss doesn't stop tomorrow from happening."
She was still confused, but she had no clue what it meant for him to admit that. The anger and sadness be carried for Beth, the nights he felt like dying would be better then seeing the next day, they meant something now. He lost her, he lost Lori, but the day still came. The sky still turned blue again, the sun still came up, and he was still alive. "Carl made it, Judith made it."
He stared at her. "I made it."
A little smile formed on her face. "You saved your brothers life."
"Yeah." Austin had to smile slightly down at him. "Think it would be evil to give him a hair cut before he wakes up?"
Denise laughed. "Maybe we can say we had to in order to get the bullet out."
"Good idea." Austin smiled, a real smile, a smile he knew was gonna come but took a while. The world still hurt, he still hurt, he still missed Beth, he still missed his Mom. But, the worst of it was over. That wave of an imposter living were Austin Grimes once did was fading, he felt like he had to take the world seriously again. If not for himself, at least for the ones that didn't get as lucky as he did.
"Good morning, M-" Glenn rolled over, expecting to see his lover, met with Austin. "What the-"
Austin screamed when he opened his eyes, scaring Glenn into screaming as well and they both fell off either side of the bed. Austin huffed as he grabbed his head. "Ugh, good morning to you too."
"I thought you said you weren't gonna crash with us anymore?" Glenn sat up to look over the bed.
"Yeah, well, I changed my mind." he held his head as he stood up. "Want to drink?"
"Day drink?" Glenn rose his eyebrows. "The bar looking good?"
"Looking phenomenal." he nodded. "Where did Maggie go?"
"W-" Glenn started, clearing his throat. "Just to be clear...I was holding Maggie last night, right?"
Austin's eyebrows shot up, clearing his throat. "Yeah, yeah, psh, yeah."
"I could day drink." Glenn nodded with an exhale. "Have a full house yet?"
"Enid and I have something planned." Austin nodded as they went down stairs together. "Full house potential."
"Sounds g- Maggie?" Glenn spoke as he looked at the couch, passed out in an uncomfortable position. "I think we might have kicked her out."
Austin cleared his throat as him and Glenn shared a look. "I should find a new bed to sleep in."
Glenn nodded.
"You guys wanna come in?" Austin patted Carls head as him and Judith sat outside of the bar together.
"We're okay. Waiting for Michonne." Carl said as the lamp lit up his wrapped eye, Austin flicked his forehead just slightly. "Anyone in there?"
"Abraham." he nodded his head. "You see Enid today? I had to shut down early because she wasn't here to help."
"Yeah." Carl looked away.
Austin rose an eyebrow, exhaling as he sat next to him. "I know that look."
Carl rolled his eyes. "Don't give me that."
"Some young love business going on here, huh? You don't wanna tell your big bro?" he kicked his leg slightly. "Come on, lay it on me, i'll give you advice."
Carl gave a look of disbelief as he laughed. "Come on. Look, if I swear to you not to have a nervous break down because my girlfriend is dead and yours is alive, you think you'll tell me then?"
"She's not my girlfriend. We just got in an argument." Carl adjusted Judith in his lap at he sighed. "She's confusing. One minute she says something, the next it's completely different."
"Yeah, that's how it is." Austin chuckled. "You have to learn to be the middle man, to understand both sides and work them both out."
"That's insane." Carl stared in disbelief. "That's literally insane."
"Maybe, but that's how you keep a good girl. And Enid is a good one. She's a little mean, but she has her reasons." Austin stood up. "I like her. Just, don't be an idiot like me and say you don't know nothing about cows."
"Seemed like that went over pretty good for you." Carl looked up. "Before it happened, anyways. You and Beth were really good."
Austin gave a small, almost sad smile. "And if Beth were here, she'd tell you exactly what I just said but in a more southern accent. So, unless you want me to try and mimic that, I suggest you take my advice."
"Okay." Carl chuckled slightly as Austin rubbed his head before walking in. It felt good to honor Beth, felt good to be able to smile and laugh about their memories rather then cry and hurt things. There was still apart of him that pained each time he said her name or thought about their time together, but he was growing to love and cherish what they had more and more each day.
"Gonna empty the entire bar?" Austin asked Abraham as he walked in to see him tossing back another shot. "Rough day?"
"Confusing as a redhead with blonde pubs day." he corrected him as Austin circled the bar, cracking a grin. "You're a handsome little dude."
"You think so?" Austin's eyebrows shot up. "No offense, Abraham. But, if I were to date a man, it would not be with someone who talks about blonde pubs."
"You ever feel stuck?" he nodded at him. "Between two woman?"
Austin gave a nervous laugh. "Mmm, no, no. Can't say I have."
"Psh." Abraham rolled his eyes. "No help."
"I'm probably not any help, no." he poured himself a shot, making one for Abraham. "But, if this is a situation for you, i'd advice you to choose whoever you loved second. Because if you really loved the first one, you wouldn't have gained feelings for the second. So.."
Abraham exhaled. "Cheers to that."
The clinked shot glasses, downing them on sync.
"I was looking for you." Rick saw his oldest walking down the road his way. "Bar?"
"Crashed with Glenn and Maggie again." he rubbed his eyes, looking to the truck. "Run?"
"We met someone, says there's a community." Rick shook his head with an exhale. "We're gonna look it out."
"Is that safe? Are you sure?" the boy gave an alarming look, taking Judith from his arms.
"No." Rick shook his head. "But if he's telling the truth, this could be the start of everything. He says there's a doctor, one with a lot of medical equipment you can train on."
Austin nodded. "Taking enough people to help you out if it's a trap? Want me to come?"
"No, no, you stay with Judith and Carl." Rick nodded his head. "And if he says anything about me and Michonne-"
"You and Michonne?" Austin frowned his eyebrows. "What about yall?"
Rick exhaled and rubbed his neck. Austin's eyebrows shot up. "Oh."
"It just happened, like, literally just happened." Rick nodded his head as he adjusted his jacket. "I would have told y'all sooner."
"So does this mean...you're together?" he gave a questionable look.
"You think that'd be a problem?" he asked his son honesty. "I wanna know what you're thinking, son. Always."
Austin exhaled, shaking his head. "It's not a problem, but, she's not gonna feel, like, weird if I still talk about Mom around her, yeah?"
"No, no. Michonne...she doesn't want you to stop talking about your Mom." Rick rubbed Austin's shoulders. "I mean, how do you feel about me, I don't know, sounds weird to say dating in a time like this."
"Good old fashioned apocalypse romance." Austin hummed as Rick cracked a smile. "No, i'm happy for you. Just...don't screw it up and make things awkward. I like Michonne, last thing we need is a Nicholas Sparks novel."
"Stay out of the library." Rick pointed at him as he turned around. "I'll be back as soon as possible."
"Be carful!" Austin called, bouncing Judith slightly. He exhaled, watching his Dad get into the truck. "Please come back."
•
kylie speaks
didn't even realize he
was finally starting to
recover and get happy
again just for the end of
season six to be coming
real soon....