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CHAPTER SEVENTEEN;
[ AN OLD FRIEND ]
[CONSTELLATION || GLENN RHEE]
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Athena felt her jaw drop, the constant thump of her beating heart seeming to come to a sharp stop when her eyes laid upon the person in front of her, but no matter how much her brain screamed, she still couldn't believe that was she was seeing was actually true.
"Lea?" she breathed out in response, feeling a shock come over her again when the brunette in front of her nodded and dropped the gun she held in her hand. Instinctively, Athena ran into her arms, throwing them around the girls neck and embracing her tightly with a dizzy mind state. "Holy shit." she muttered when she realized that, yes, this girl was alive and here. Athena felt laughter spill from the younger girls mouth when they pulled away and got a good look at each other, Athena's small body shaking in cold night.
"You look different." Lea mused, pushing dark brown hair out of Athena's face while she herself examined the other girls face.
"Must be the apocalypse." Athena replied shakily before Lea laughed and pulled her into yet another hug. The girl still smelt like a hint of soap oddly, reminding Athena of the old days when everything was okay. "I can't believe it."
"Sorry to interrupt, but who is she?" Glenn's voice rang out, speaking for the entire group as they watched the exchange oddly. Athena suddenly felt her cheeks turn red when Lea's soft face turned a bit pink. The girl slowly appeared beside Athena before she said with confidence and a small smirk,
"I'm Lea Mason, Athena's ex-girlfriend."
Athena watched as the group reacted in completely different ways than she would ever guess. Rick and Daryl immediately looked at each other with quirked brows, seeming suspicious about the new arrival. Carol, Maggie, and Lori on the other hand, sent Lea smiles from the news with slightly worried glances shed at Athena from the fact that they were exes. Glenn and Beth, simultaneously, made eye contact and folded their arms, unfamiliar looks on both of their faces as Athena sheepishly glanced at them. Hershel, on the other hand, walked over and shook the girls hand politely.
"Well, it's nice to meet you Lea. Though I have to ask, how did you find her?" he asked curiously, Rick slowly coming up behind as he did so.
Athena too wanted to know, glancing over at Lea to see that the girl held a strong stance while she answered the man. "Didn't know any of you when I saw you guys come here earlier, guess Athena didn't come into view. Anyways, I've been trying to figure out a way to clear out the walkers for a few weeks now, camping out by the river and all, but then you all came in and did it for me." she told them, slightly fiddling with her fingers. "Wanted to see if there was a way to join the group. It's just me and it has been for months now." she explained before her eyes locked with Athena's. "And she just so happened to be here."
Rick raised his hand to his beard, seeming to contemplate whether or not to actually believe the girl or to even think about letting her join the group. Athena knew though that Rick wasn't going to give a yes or no answer at the moment, she'd have to work for it. Just like Athena had.
"Athena, do you trust her?" Rick suddenly asked, and the brunette found herself being stared at by the group because of the question.
Feeling nerves bundle up in her stomach from the sharp stares, Athena immediately answered, "Yes." with a strong voice.
Lea was someone who could be trusted to say the least. Someone you could always go to. Yes, they were no longer dating, but that didn't mean that something horrible happened that caused the relationship to end dramatically. It was quite the opposite really.
The two had met oddly when Athena had taken Ares to the hospital from "falling into a lake" one summer, the brunette having to look after her older brother so that they could go home the moment he woke up. Thing is that, Ares had been transferred into a coma in order to stabilize his body and inner organs, meaning that Athena had to stay in that same hospital for two weeks straight, as instructed by her mother. Lea had been an intern at the time, studying to become a nurse and having to be at the hospital for a few months in order to complete the amount of hands on experience she needed to certify herself a future job. They accidentally ran into each other on Athena's second day there, like literally ran into each other. They hit it off pretty well though, and Lea promised "a nice date in the hospital cafeteria with some applesauce" after apologizing countless times for accidentally punching Athena in the face. Being someone who used to fall for people easily, Athena agreed and they talked everyday from there on out, then explaining her situation of not being allowed to go home until Ares woke up.
Lea took her in on the fourth day, letting her spend the night at the hotel she was staying at for the time being. Let's just say that they fell for each other even faster when they had to share one bed, one shower, and were practically side by side every day and night. Lea even gave her clothes and took her outside of the usual country side she was forced to live in. The girl then asking Athena to be her girlfriend after an accidental make out session in the break room of the hospital. It had been a glorious time period for Athena, at least until Lea had to go back to Florida.
They broke up on good terms, both knowing that they'd probably never see each other again due to their own problems and circumstances. It had been hard for her, especially since Athena had truly never gotten over her. Even though it took place around two years ago.
"I trust her without a doubt." she added on finally, shaking off the old memories with a wince.
Rick looked over at Daryl, then Lori, and when his wife nodded, Rick looked over at Lea harshly before he said, "If you do anything, anything, out of line or so much as harm anyone here, you're gone." he said roughly, Lea keeping her gaze strong, though, as he continued, "Better keep on Athena's good side."
Athena's tight chest slowly fell as Rick extended out his hand to the girl. Looking at the gesture first, Lea then returned the offering before their leader nodded and retreated back to his wife.
"Well, we gonna start the fire or not?"
•
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After grabbing a can of beans, Athena looked around for a spot to sit down at, seeing that both Lea and Glenn had an open spot next to them for her to take. She briefly made eye contact with the Korean before shifting her gaze to the girl she used to love, debating in her head which way to go.
Finally, with a small smile, Athena shifted her body and began walking towards Lea.
"I still can't believe you're here." Athena commented as she sat down next to her ex-girlfriend, feeling warmth radiate from her body. "I never thought I'd see you again."
"Same back to you." Lea chuckled, wiping her hands on her jeans to rid of the dirt before she swung her arm around Athena. "Honestly a one in a million chance that we'd ever see each other again, especially in this life."
Scooting closer to the brunette, Athena smiled, feeling her chest clench as she did so. "How'd it work out?"
"What?"
"After you left to Florida and before the world turned to shit." she said bluntly, "How'd it go with the whole nurse thing?"
Lea raised her brows, "Oh, that." she mumbled, "My mom continued training me after, already had a spot for me at one of the most popular hospitals in the state. That's actually where we were when this all started, the outbreak and all. We were signing papers to officially have my position reserved when the radio came on and we looked outside the window and saw what was going on. No warning, no sort of notice before the plague officially spread in Florida, it just happened." she sighed, her eyes flickering to Athena's crystal ones before she shoved more grapes in her mouth. "You? I didn't see Ares or..."
"They're gone." Athena said softly, her eyes set on the fire in front of her. "They're not here anymore."
Lea's gaze softened as she hugged the brunette closer to her. "I'm very sorry, Athena. I lost my brother Miles too, a couple of months ago." Lea sighed, leaning her head on Athena as they watched the others talk.
"A lots changed." Athena said, "You know. The world, the way we are. You've changed, I can already tell."
Lea didn't reply, so she kept going. "We've all changed. I never thought years ago that before I even reached the age twenty five, I would've already killed seven people. Or that my family would be strangers I met on the road." Athena explained, her eyes looking over all these different people that had somehow come together as one. "But I mean, in some sort of twisted way, I'm okay with the world going to shit. My world was already shit in the first place, even before we actually had to fear being killed by man eating monsters."
Lea nodded, knowing well herself that Athena's life had been horrible, and it had been truly. She still wondered how she did it, but then she remembered her siblings, the people she had to stay alive for back when they were actually breathing. Now though, she had a completely different reason to keep wanting to survive.
"I miss having a room." Athena sighed, hands bundled up in her sweater. "A home."
"I miss ice cream." Lea contributed, chuckling softly when Athena fist bumped her. Then, looking away, she added, "I miss you too."
Athena suddenly felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her, her chest hollowing and face filling with a rosy color.
Yes, Athena admitted to herself that she still yearned for Lea. She had truly never gotten over the girl, but when the apocalypse hit, Athena didn't have time to think about her feelings, but now that Lea was alive and was there with her, it was like every single wave of emotion she felt had hit her all at once with those four words. But it wasn't the same anymore.
For some reason, Athena found herself looking away, the red tinting her cheeks increasing when Lea placed her hands on Athena's, the girl radiating coldness instead of the heat that—
Instead of the heat that Glenn radiated.
She shook her head, shaking the thoughts of the Korean a few feet away. Why would she even be thinking of him right now? While Lea was practically trying to get her back? Brushing off the thoughts, Athena turned back to a patient Lea.
"I missed you too." she mumbled back, truly meaning the words she was saying. "But—You're here now, right?"
Lea, obviously not liking the answer she was given and that Athena had dodged the intended question, nodded strictly before removing her hands and giving her a pained smile. "Yeah, right."
Athena flashed her a small one back before she turned her attention away, trying her best to clam down her beating heart that was obviously nerved from Lea herself. The girl still made her heart race, but not like it used to. Things were different now, and Athena didn't really know why.
"So, can you tell me about everyone here?" Lea asked, nudging Athena after she retreated her arm from around her shoulders. "You know, name and what they're like so I don't have to address them by, 'Hey, you!'" she mused, and Athena rolled her eyes before nodding.
"That's Beth over here." Athena started off, slightly directing Lea's vision to the blonde who was chatting happily with Hershel. "She's my best friend, well, one of the two. She's really sweet, innocent, doesn't do the whole killing walkers and killing people thing. She's still basically who she was before all of this. You can go to her with problems if you need to vent, she'll listen and rub your back and then make you food." she chuckled.
"Sounds really sweet." Lea mumbled. "And the man next to her? The one that kinda looks like Santa Claus."
Athena laughed, "That's Hershel, he's the Doctor of our group. He's Beth's and Maggie's father."
"Maggie?"
"She's the one next to him, short brown hair. She's kinda like Beth, but she's more fierce. Selfless and takes other people into consideration before herself, but knows how to make decisions when they're needed." Athena explained, remembering the time when she saved her life because Athena almost fell into a pit where around three walkers were waiting at the bottom. "Then there's Rick. He's the leader. Don't cross him. And his son Carl, the one with the hat, and his Mom, Lori. She's expecting soon."
Surprisingly, Lea didn't make any comment on the fact that she was having a child, and instead nodded, waiting for her to continue. "Then there's T-Dog, makes a lot of jokes and has a short temper. Carol, is well Carol, she's like Beth too."
Athena then fixated her gaze over on the redneck who was carving something into the ground. "That is Daryl." she said with a grin, "I'm currently trying to get the man to become my best friend, but you'll learn that he's not a people person. Strong, sarcastic, snarky. All the qualities that make you even more intrigued to get to know him. Or at least for me." she said before looking over at Lea.
"Seems interesting." she agreed. "Is that everyone?"
"Actually no. There's one more." Athena said before looking in front of her.
Glenn was now sitting with Maggie again, the fire in front of them all tinting his pale skin a slight red and orange, the brown eyes that Athena had grown to always look for turning into circles of gold. His lips were perked upwards in a smile, eyes squinted as he laughed at something Maggie said.
"Athena? Hello, earth to Athena?" someone intruded, making her snap out of her strained gaze and look over to see Lea waving hands in front of her face. "You just gonna stare or actually tell me who that is?"
Athena felt red flow back to her cheeks, this time much brighter as she wiped her palms on her jeans. "Sorry." she apologized before clearing her throat, "That's Glenn, my other best friend. You'll find soon enough why." Athena said, licking her lips before clasping her hands together. "That's all of them." she said, "Now shh, Beth and Maggie are gonna start singing."
Lea looked at her oddly, but when she heard two voices suddenly sound, she raised her brows. "How'd you know?"
"I just do."
Athena smiled before looking over at the pair, letting her smile grow as they continued singing until the song ended, leaving Rick to speak to them.
"Best we all turn in." he spoke, eyes flickering over the group, "I'll take watch over there, got a big day tomorrow."
"What do you mean?" Glenn asked, brows knitted together.
"Look, I know we're all exhausted, this was a great win, but we gotta push just a little bit more. Most of the walkers are dressed as guards and prisoners, looks like this place fell pretty early, could mean the supplies might be intact. They have an infirmary, a commissary."
"An army?" Daryl questioned.
"Might be outside the prison itself, but not too far away." Rick answered, "Wardens office, we'll have info on the location. Weapons and food and medicine. This place could be a gold mine."
"We're dangerously low on amo." Hershel interrupted, shaking his head slightly. "We'll run out before we make a dent."
"That's why we have to go in there, hand to hand. After all we've been through, we can handle it, I know it. These assholes don't stand a chance." he joked to lighten the mood, tapping Carl's hat before he lifted himself up and walked away, Lori following.
Lea frowned at Athena, but she simply told her not to worry about it before grabbing two sleeping bags and throwing one on the girl. "We need sleep. Rick's gonna be testing you over the next few days, it was like that for me." Athena told her before laying out her sleeping bag on the ground.
"Tomorrow's gonna be one hell of a day."
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word count: 2911
yikes yikes I was actually going to make Lea Athena's cousin but I thought of a better reason to actually make her Athena's past girlfriend
so, do y'all like her or??? any thoughts or opinions on Lea???
vote / comment / leave some feedback!
hopefully I'll have a new chapter up in a few days. the stockshow is actually going on at the moment and I'm being forced to attend sadly
until the next chapter then, goodbye!
~ Celeste xx