𖦹
A STRANGER. A TRAITOR. A cun—
Koa Finch has a lot of choice words for Andrea Harrison.
The blonde woman has her arms wrapped around Carol as they embrace each other. Sadie, Nellie and Koa all stand together, each sharing a different amount of distaste for her. Sadie hates it but a bit of sympathy sits in her chest for Andrea. Just like she once thought, Andrea believes that Woodbury is safe. It's a place where kids can grow up with some normalcy. She thinks The Governor is just a man trying his best in this fallen world.
Koa is livid. Is it selfish to say she wishes Andrea was dead rather than a traitor? It would've made her life a whole lot easier.
Andrea's eyes shift to Hershel and his lack of two legs. "Hershel, oh my God," She breathes out, separating from Carol, "I can't believe this. Where's Shane?" Andrea asks the million dollar question. Both Finch sister's stomachs drop at the mention of him, one falls deeper than the other.
Andrea narrows her eyes on Sadie and then Koa, then back to Sadie and the cycle continues until her face pales with realization.
"Sadie...you're Shane's older niece he always mentioned?" Andrea asks, stepping closer to the teen. Sadie steps back, arms crossed, trying to act unphased. He mentioned her a lot? How much so even when he was losing himself?
With no response from Sadie, Andrea looks around how to see saddened looks across everyone's faces. With a simple distraught nod of Rick's head, Andrea knows Shane Walsh is dead.
"Why? Wanna hook up with him again? Might be difficult considering decomposition," Koa sasses, jaw clenched as she stares down Andrea. The older woman sucks in a sharp breath at the comment. She clears her throat, "And Lori?" Andrea asks. Koa's teeth grind against each other.
Lori's screams echo her head. Her eyes fall on Carl who's already looking at his sister figure, blue eyes that tell Koa he's thinking about that day all over again as well.
"She had a girl. Lori didn't survive," Hershel explains, "Neither did T-Dog."
"I'm so sorry," Andrea apologizes, "Carl," She says with pity but the boy stays emotionless. She then looks at Koa. Hazel orbs that look like she's trying to explode Andrea with just a look.
"I—"
"Save it," Koa cuts her off, "Your type in men is obviously a horrible one and your sympathies will only get you so far." Andrea closes her once parted lips. Everywhere she looks, trying to express her feelings for all their losses, the people she once called family don't spare her a glance. She's betrayed them. Slept with the enemy—again.
"You all live here?" Andrea asks.
"Here and the cell block," Glenn answers. "There?" Andrea points at the block, "Well, can I go in?"
Rick quickly blocks her way, "I won't allow that." Andrea huffs, "I'm not an enemy, Rick."
"I beg to differ," Nellie mumbles under her breath, only the two teen girls and her mom hear it.
"We had that field and courtyard until your boyfriend tore down the fence with a truck and shot us up," Rick says. An expression of confusion flashes across Andrea's face, "He said you fired first."
"I can assure you that's bullshit," Sadie hisses, "He sneak attacked us. Aimed a gun on me. He'll kill you too when you become a nuisance to him."
Tears brim Andrea's eyes as she starts to understand all the lies The Governor has been telling her along with everyone within the walls of Woodbury. "He killed an inmate that survived in here," Hershel tells her. "We liked him. He was one of us," Daryl adds.
"I didn't know anything about that. As soon as I found out, I came. I didn't even know you were in Woodbury until after the shoot out," Andrea exclaims, nervously glancing at everyone. "That was days ago," Glenn retorts.
"I told you, I came as soon as I could," Andrea whines. The faces around her say they don't believe her, calling bullshit. Michonne leans against a cage as Andrea turns around. "What have you told them?" Andrea asks her.
"Nothing," Michonne simply says.
Andrea glances at Nellie for a moment. The teenager shrugs, acting like they didn't spend the harsh winter together surviving.
"I don't get it. I left Atlanta with you people and now I'm the odd man out?" Andrea scoffs. "He almost killed Michonne, he aimed a gun on Sadie and he would have killed us," Glenn growls.
"With his finger on the trigger!" Andrea points at Merle, "Isn't he the one that kidnapped you? Who beat you?" Sadie's breath hitches. It's a small second that she and Merle make eye contact but it's enough to make her want to scream into the void. With no void to scream into though, Sadie clenches her fists at her sides so hard they shake, white knuckled. Andrea has a good point but she also doesn't know that Phillip also tried to borderline kidnap Sadie. He locked her in that room and then aimed a gun at her head when she was no longer useful to him.
Andrea sighs loudly, "Look, I cannot excuse or explain what Phillip has done. But I am here trying to bring us together. We have to work this out."
"There's nothing to work out!" Rick corrects, "We're gonna kill him. I don't know how or when, but we will."
Maybe a week ago Sadie would've felt sick at that statement but now all she can see is those icy blue eyes on the other side of the fence determined to kill her, her little sister and the people she's found again and found peace in. "W—We can settle this," Andrea stutters, "There is room at Woodbury for all of you," She lands on Sadie, "And Phillip—he misses you—"
"He tried to kill me," Sadie cuts her off with a shaky rattle of her lungs, "He did to you what he did to me. He showed you how safe he could make you feel, how quickly he makes you feel comfortable. He tells you just enough to make you believe he's a sad soul. He's demented. He had a room of walker heads. He locked me in a room and did nothing about him," Sadie points at Merle, pure venom in her voice, "You don't know him—"
"I know enough to know we can settle this, Sadie," Andrea says determinedly. Like some hero. Sadie just sucks on her teeth. She'll just have to learn the hard way. Koa watches her sister's shoulders drop, the way her lip quivered as she merely pointed at Merle.
"And if he wants Sadie, he'll have to kill me to get her," Koa states.
Sadie and Koa lock eyes. It's the first time since they've found each other that it feels like they're sisters again. Protecting each other, reading the other's mind.
A sinister sounding chuckle rips that second of happiness away from Sadie. "You know better than that," Merle says.
"What makes you think this man wants to negotiate? Did he say that?" Hershel questions. Andrea looks up from her drooped down head, "No."
Koa's hands smack against her legs, "How fuckin' amazing!"
"Then why did you come here?" Rick asks, clearly tired of this useless conversation.
"Because he's gearing up for war. The people are terrified. They see you as killers. They're training to attack," Andrea explains. "I'll tell you what. The next time you see Phillip, you tell him I'mma take his other eye," Daryl gruffly remarks from his spot on the table.
Nellie slams her boot against the pavement as she walks in front of Andrea, "You better hope you're on the right side then." Andrea blinks at the teen. Nellie had never been all too keen on her but now—now she's ready to rid her at any chance she gets. It's her fault all this has happened. She insisted on staying there. Insisted on risking Michonne's life and for what? To get laid?
"He wants a war? He's got one," Glenn adds on.
"Rick," Andrea walks closer to him, "If you don't sit down and work this out, I don't know what's gonna happen. He has a whole town. Look at you. You've lost so much already. You can't stand alone anymore."
"You wanna make this right? Get us inside—"
"No—"
"—Then we got nothing to talk about," Rick walks past her. "There are innocent people," Andrea shouts. It's of no use. Their group is determined to end this war.
"SHE MAD AT YOU?" Nellie asks her mother, referring to Andrea. "She told me to go to hell, so," Michonne shrugs. Despite her casual demeanor, Nellie can tell it's affecting her mother. Andrea is someone they survived with, someone Michonne got to call her best friend for the first time in forever. Yet, here she is. Siding with the one eyed psychopath.
An old corrections vehicle is driven by Glenn over to Andrea. They're all crowded in a small area, the safest area outside from the walkers.
"Think we're already there, mom," Nellie comments, patting her back. Michonne sighs, closing her eyes for a moment.
Koa and Sadie stand side by side, same glare digging into Andrea. Beth hands Andrea a bag of supplies they've decided they can spare. In Koa's opinion, she shouldn't get shit. This is the same woman that basically let Beth try and off herself. Just an all around shitty person.
"Can you spare it?" She asks about the car. "Yeah," Rick softly replies.
Andrea looks at Koa and Sadie again, "Girls, I'm sorry about Shane and—and I just can't believe this has all been connected like some invisible string. Whatever Phillip did to you, Sadie, I'm sure he regrets it. But I'm happy one of us got our little sister back," Andrea gives a small smile. Sadie returns it. Koa does not.
Koa was there when Amy died. The way grief had struck Andrea so deeply. She held her lifeless baby sister's body as it paled, even as her teeth tried to chomp into her skin. Whatever opinion Andrea has on their group or Rick is invalid. They're all grieving. They were there for her, she's left them.
Sadie didn't know Andrea had a sister. Maybe she would've been kinder to her that night had she had known they both lost their sister at the time. A lot of things could've been different if Andrea had just listened to Michonne and Nellie.
Andrea gives everyone one last look. The next time she sees their face they might be lifeless thanks to the war they've found themselves in. She might be mourning them more than she had been. If she ever was or if she just moved onto the next distraction.
"Well, take care," She says and pulls herself into the car. "Andrea," Rick calls out and hands her a pocket knife along with a pistol.
Koa turns to the side to see Beth with saddened eyes. Sometimes she envies the way Beth can still feel bad for certain people. Sometimes she envies how some people feel nothing at all. Koa is right in the middle. She's livid at Andrea but a small part feels bad, something she doesn't want to feel towards the traitor. The poor woman is too blind to see where this'll lead her.
She watches till the car is a small, black dot, watching as walkers follow the sound of it.
Now, just like Woodbury—their group must prepare for the war ahead.
A SMALL FIRE RADIATES hues of orange and flickers of gold across Koa's skin. Her knees are tucked into her chest, thankful the cold months have passed them while all they have sits in front of them. It's been eerily quiet all night. Everyone is either getting their will ready or refusing to make one.
Koa knows there's a high possibility she will die in this war or the apocalypse in general. There's no will to be made. Not out of refusal like Rick or Daryl but because she doesn't have anything to even fathom people wanting when she's dead. Her pig gutter? Maybe. Sadie got Rose's half of their matching necklaces, Koa would have nothing to give her sister or Carl.
Sadie sits at the top of the metal stairs. The small chill that flows through the prison somehow comforts her. It reminds her she's alive because she feels cold nipping at her skin.
Nellie has a seat beside her mom, glancing up at Sadie worriedly every few seconds and then back down at her mother. The betrayal of Andrea only affects Nellie because it affects her mother. Other than that, the oldest teen there is just concerned about the events that lie ahead. Thanks to her vast knowledge in history, Nellie knows they're the underdogs in this war. Unprepared and less armed. Of course, there's times where the underdog comes out on top, killing the big bad. Nellie has trust in her mom, possibly Sadie if they can get her to use anything but a pistol.
The group has survived this long. She saw them handle an ambush with only one fatality. Woodbury is armed to the teeth according to Andrea. In Nellie's head, as long as the nuisances that are Merle Dixon and The Governor die, they've won. That's all it'll take for her even if they lose the war itself.
A head rests against Koa's shoulder, jolting in with surprise. Blonde locks of Beth Greene tickle her. Koa holds her breath, cheeks puffing with air as nervousness bubbles in her chest. A hum vibrates against her body and then Beth starts to sing a song she doesn't recognize.
"They hung a sign up in our town. If you live it up, you won't live it down. So she left Monte Rio, son. Just like a bullet leaves a gun."
Rick holds Judith close to his chest as he passes Sadie. Small, chubby hands reach out for her. Sadie freezes, not able to grab the much smaller hand back. Rick walks away, closer to the singing teen.
"With charcoal eyes and Monroe hips. She went and took the California trip. Well, the moon was gold and her hair like wind. Said don't look back now. Just come on, Jim."
Koa's finger nails are digging into the skin of her forearms. Her stomach is flipping the more Beth sings, warmth filling it so much so that she wants to throw up into the pile of lit candles.
Merle struts into the cell block. Sadie's already sad eyes lock onto him. She feels like running but her body is tired. She takes a deep inhale, gripping the railing of the stairs and looks away from him, down at her sister and the sly grin across her face as she watches Beth.
"You got to hold on. Hold on. You got to hold on. Take my hand. I'm standing right here. You got to hold on. Well, he gave her a dimestore watch. And a ring made from a spoon. Everyone's looking for someone to blame. If you share my bed, you share my name......"
This campfire sing along has become too much for Nellie. The sight of Merle makes her sick. Without excusing herself, Nellie leaves the block and heads for the cell she shares with her mom, hoping to find some peace in the small four walls instead of a homicidal rage that leaves crescent shaped cuts in the palms of her hands.
Beth continues to sing and Koa's body continues to fill with warmth. In any other circumstances, this probably would've put a proper smile on her face. Not one that feels forced.
Especially as she catches eyes with her alive older sister. Koa feels worried, even as the crush on Beth Greene unknowingly blossoms in her ribs, growing like vines to later pump her heart.
What they have right now is good. It's what Lori would want. Not the war but the safety in the prison, even if they've lost some. It's still more than they had before on the road.
She hopes this is what Shane would've wanted. Only focused on the safety of his family. Of his kid—kids rather. But Koa knows if Shane was here, he'd already have tried to burn Woodbury to the ground, resulting in all their deaths, including his own.
Koa subconsciously looks away from Sadie, guilt filling her. She knows Sadie still believes Shane would've saved them. It's the last version of him she knew, even if she knows what all what down. Yet, neither have talked about Shane shooting at his youngest niece, leaving her with a scar that pains her at the thought of him. It's only a matter of time.
Sadie stands from her spot, reminding herself to talk to Koa tomorrow. No matter what the conversation will lead to. Sadie needs to be a sister again, an older one that carries all the burdens of the family.
Which means knowing how it ended all while she hid in the forest with her best friend, hoping she'd find her family one day.
———
probably the last chapter i'll post b4 christmas so merry christmas to those who celebrate !!!