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FIND YOU
CHAPTER SIXTEEN;
( solace. )
❛ elijah finds himself in a familiar position. ❜
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"RICK WON'T LET you stay." The silence of the sunrise was shattered. "Not after what you and Merle did."
"And where is it y'all good people are calling home?!"
As soon as Elijah saw Merle raise his pistol, he raised his own, eyeing the man at his side carefully. He couldn't have cared less about the couple who stood before them; he wanted to keep his vigilance glued to Merle. After just having witnessed Merle shoot Gargulio in the forehead at point-blank, Elijah made sure to be compliant. Elijah was not, in any way, afraid of Merle. He was just afraid of not making it home.
The couple advanced just a few steps, guns raised. It was dead silent for just a second, before the man's eyes widened and he questioned, "Merle?" His face almost looked familiar, but Elijah couldn't seem to place him. Not when standing beside a murderer, guns pointed at two people he didn't even wish to harm.
Laughing, Merle lowered his gun to the ground, tossing it aside. "Wow!" he exclaimed, his hands now raised in surrender. However, the man and woman kept their guns raised, and so did Elijah.
As Merle began to approach excitedly, the woman tightened her grip on her pistol as she ordered, "Hey, back the hell up!"
"Okay, okay, honey!" he replied, slowing to a stop. He looked over his shoulder at Elijah, still standing a few feet behind him, gun raised. "Jesus, son, would you drop the gun? This is an old friend of mine!"
Elijah knew two things. One: that Merle didn't have friends. Two: Jack was going to absolutely kill him for following Merle's order. She specifically asked Elijah to be careful, but here Elijah was, hanging onto Merle's every word. That was his version of staying safe. That, or putting a bullet into the back of Merle's head right then - but that would be harder to explain.
Elijah lowered his gun, but never dropped it. That was just too idiotic to justify. Regardless, they all thought that Merle dropped his gun. In reality, he still had another behind his back, tucked beneath his waistband. It was all for show.
"You made it," the familiar man spoke, gun pointed directly to Merle's chest.
"Can you tell me," Merle started, "is my brother alive?"
Merle's brother... Elijah knew that he (whatever his name was) was a part of Jack's old group - at the farm. So did that mean that these two, also, were part of the same group? It was almost convincing enough to conclude, but Elijah decided to withhold judgment. "Yeah," the man answered.
Letting out a relieved sigh, Merle nodded. "Hey," he smiled, "you, uh... you take me to him and I'll call it even on everything that happened up there in Atlanta. No hard feelings."
Now, Elijah was convinced. Jack had mentioned Atlanta several times; her dad coming back from the dead, a guy named Glenn actually getting kidnapped, so on and so forth. The biggest story of them all was the story of Merle and his right hand, how her father handcuffed him to a rooftop. (She had to explain that one. Elijah needed context when Merle kept rooting for her execution, exile, or "untimely disappearance" when they first arrived in Woodbury.)
Elijah watched as the man's eyes flickered to Merle's gauntlet, the blade still reddened by blood. "You like that?" Merle laughed. "Well, I found myself a, uh, medical supply warehouse. Fixed it up myself. Pretty cool, huh?"
"We'll tell Daryl you're here," the man said, ignoring Merle's enthusiasm, "and he'll come out to meet you."
"H-hold on," Merle pleaded, taking steps towards them, "just hold up. Hey, the fact that we found each other is a miracle. Come on, now. You can trust me."
"You trust us," the man ordered slowly, his pistol bobbing with each syllable. "You stay here."
Everything fell quiet after Merle let out just a small chuckle. But then, with no signal to Elijah, Merle swiftly pulled his pistol out and fired a shot into the rear windshield of their truck. Muttering a curse under his breath, Elijah let out a reluctant sigh and brought his gun back to attention. Of course, Merle would be the first to fire. It didn't shock Elijah, just disappointed him - he wanted to be done with fighting.
He had two options.
1: Side with Merle, obviously.
2: Look out for the people he was 98% sure knew Jack.
Morally, he wanted to go with the second option, but he knew that it'd likely result in his death one way or another. He knew Jack wanted to stay in Woodbury, so what kind of friend would he be if he got them kicked out (a.k.a. hunted down and slaughtered)? Staying compliant with Merle seemed to be his best option to survive; he just hated to do it.
As Elijah approached, he saw Merle on the ground with his gun pressed to the woman's head while the man stood a few feet before them, gun pointed to Merle. "Let go of her," the man ordered. "Let go of her!"
But the man's booming voice died out when he felt the cool of Elijah's pistol pressed to the back of his head. "Put your gun in the car," Elijah instructed calmly. Truthfully, his pistol wasn't even cocked. The safety was still on. They didn't need to know that, though. Letting out a sharp sigh, the man stepped to the side and tossed his pistol through the truck's shattered window, raising his hands in surrender.
"There we go," Merle sighed. "Now, we're gonna go for a little drive-"
"We're not going back to our camp," the man spoke up, shaking his head - but all of his movements halted once Elijah roughly shoved the barrel of the gun into the back of his head.
"No, we're going somewhere else. Get in the car, Glenn! You're driving!"
In that moment, Elijah was now certain. He had his gun pressed to the back of Glenn's head - the Glenn - the one that Jack mentioned countless times. However, he never once thought about lowering his weapon.
"I didn't do anything to you," Elijah sighed, voice rough from dehydration. Bringing his head up, he shielded his eyes from the glare of the rising sun as he focused his attention onto Glenn, sitting roadside. "The entire time Merle was beating you, Jack and I were trying to figure out how to help you."
Ignoring his defense, Michonne stepped forward with a sharp, "You and Merle tried hunting me down after I left."
"Not by my choice," Elijah countered, leaning off of the SUV as he stepped forward. His welcome party consisted solely of them attacking him verbally, as they had done all night, and he was trying his hardest not to snap. "I have no reason to want you dead, but The Governor does. He calls those shots." Tired eyes almost glaring at Michonne, he couldn't help but to provoke her with a simple, "He told us to bring back your head and your sword, but you still have both, don't you? Life isn't so bad."
Scoffing, Glenn pushed himself to his feet, wobbling just slightly as he stormed over to Elijah. His bruised, battered face just inches below Elijah's, it fell deafeningly quiet. Both of them were just waiting for the other to do something. However, Elijah had no intention of fighting Glenn; it would be unfair, one-sided, and - frankly - Elijah just didn't feel the need to. It was Merle he wanted to put in the ground.
"Glenn!"
Direction diverting to the roadside woods, Glenn let out a sigh of relief when he saw the rest of their group beginning to approach. "Rick," he relievedly sighed, as he and Michonne hurried to meet them halfway. Elijah stayed where he was, heels dug into the dirt, until the apparition of Rick and the others became more clear. Then, he decided to join, sneaking into the back of the group. "Thank God."
Before any other greetings were mumbled, before Elijah could question why Jack wasn't with them, Rick warned, "Now, we got a problem here. I need you to back up." And then Elijah could see exactly what he was warning of: Merle glued to Daryl's side.
As Glenn and Michonne readied their weapons, aiming them at the oldest of the group, Elijah stayed still, narrow eyes simply glaring at Merle. "What the hell is he doing here?" Glenn angrily questioned, being held back by Daryl as Rick stepped disrupted Michonne's path. "If it wasn't for him-"
"He helped us get out of there," Daryl clarified, one hand extending towards Glenn and the other towards Merle.
"Yeah," Rick scoffed, his gun now aimed at Michonne's forehead as she kept her sword raised, "right after he beat the shit out of you."
Merle smirked, back pressed to a nearby tree. "Hey, we both took our licks, man."
"Jackass," Daryl hissed, looking over his shoulder at his older brother.
"Hey," Merle defended, "shut up!"
"Enough!" Rick shouted, turning to face Merle for just a fleeting moment. In that short moment, however, Michonne resumed charging towards Merle - just to be stopped dead in her tracks once more. "Put that down now!"
Turning back to face Glenn, Daryl swiped at the younger man's pistol, shouting, "Get that thing out of my face!"
And Elijah simply watched - observing as every member of the group had their guns raised at another. He stood idle, eyebrows cocked in curiosity. It was no wonder why Jack left them, he thought. They were an angsty, trigger-happy mess. He didn't have a weapon (they took it away from him); otherwise, he'd have already put a bullet in Merle's chest and let that be the end of it. But he had to resort to just standing and watching as the group literally crumbled before his eyes.
"Man," Merle laughed, "looks like you've gone native, brother."
"No more than you," Daryl countered, storming towards his brother, "hanging out with that psycho back there."
"Oh, yeah, man," the older man enthused. "He is a charmer - I got to tell you that." His eyes met Michonne's. "Been putting the wood to your girlfriend Andrea. Big time, baby."
"What?" Glenn questioned. "Andrea's in Woodbury?"
Daryl nodded, sighing, "Right next to the Governor."
Another smirk found its way to Merle's thin lips as his eyes darted from Rick to Elijah. "Same for little Jack, too, actually," he spoke up again, grinning when he saw both men's expressions change instantly. "The Governor ain't got so much, but he's got his way with the ladies. You gotta give it to him-"
Rick turned, now standing closer to Merle than ever before - but still keeping his distance. "What'd you just say?"
"Hey," Merle raised his hand(s) in mock innocence, "don't kill the messenger. I'm just relaying that the sheriff's daughter's been having the time of her life. So much so, she told me she never wanted to see any of y'all ever again." Watching every face nearby sink, he smiled, continuing with a cocky, "Mhm. I guess blood don't run so deep these days. I'd be surprised if she ever shows her face again-"
Not being able to hold himself back, Elijah let out a sharp huff as he began storming towards Merle, fists already clenched at his side. Before he could get too close, though, Daryl was swift to block his path. As badly as Elijah wanted to just push past Daryl and get the job done, he let himself settle down, resisting the urge to steal Rick's gun and end Merle's sorry little life. "Oh, hey, man!" Merle greeted, laughing, as if he hadn't just made eye contact with Elijah just moments ago. "I got a bone to pick with that big mouth of yours. Told ya I'd kick your teeth in-"
As Daryl angrily scolded his older brother for poking the bear, Elijah tried using the opportune moment to go at Merle once more. There was no second thought, no rationalization. While he never imagined that this moment would take place before a group of strangers, he knew he'd confront Merle at some point. Had it not been for the strangers, he could have - but Daryl made sure to stop him before he could reach Merle.
Laughing not only at Elijah but at the entire group, Merle brought his attention back to Rick. "So, what you gonna do now, Sheriff, huh?" he pestered. "Surrounded by a bunch of liars, thugs, and cowards."
"Shut up," Rick commanded, sending Merle a quick glare.
"Oh, man, look at this," the older man kept laughing. "Pathetic. All these guns and no bullets in them."
Though everyone was on the verge of tearing Merle apart (Glenn especially), Daryl was the one to step forward and get into his brother's face, shouting, "Merle, shut up!"
"Shut up yourself!" Merle screamed, taking a small step towards his brother. "Bunch of pussies you roll wi-"
The moment Merle's back was turned, Rick took it upon himself to unsheath his pistol and smash it against the back of Merle's head. Once the older man's body dropped to the forest floor, the group collectively sighed in relief. "Asshole," Rick muttered, shoving his pistol back into the holster.
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HER EYES FLUTTERED open, blinded by the light of day streaming in through the windows.
"Welcome back," a smooth voice greeted. Before Jack even attempted to identify who was at her side, she slowly brought her hands up to rub all the grogginess from her face. Then, she decided to finally let her eyes adjust to the light. "You've been out all night," Dr. Stevens continued. "You were dehydrated, exhausted; don't you take care of yourself?"
Scoffing, Jack dragged her hands down her face once more as she mustered the strength to answer bitterly, "I get caught up."
"Well," Dr. Stevens sighed, "you're gonna have to take a step back from things." The doctor rolled her chair to the end of Jack's bed, pulling back the blankets to reveal Jack's swollen, bandaged foot. The younger of the two raised her head just enough to catch a glimpse, but found herself falling right back down to the pillows within moments. "You were lucky enough that no tendons or bones were hit, but you still have to stay off your feet for a few weeks - at least."
Eyebrows furrowed, Jack began to glare at the ceiling - her only alternative if she couldn't manage to glare at the doctor. "I can't do that," she began to protest, as if the doctor had the audacity to give her medical advice. "Sorry, but I just-"
"You don't have a choice," Dr. Stevens replied, leaning over Jack so that they could finally make eye contact. "You don't take care of yourself and you'll just end up hurting yourself more. If I have to keep you locked up in here, I will - you know that."
Though it seemed like all of her anger was directed at the doctor, Jack was truly just mad at herself. In the moment, it seemed like a good idea - it really did. How else could she have gotten away with betraying Woodbury? But now here she was, prisoner of the infirmary. She already knew just how badly she fucked up, but the extended repercussions (specifically, having to stay off her feet for weeks) just made it so much worse. What would Elijah do? What if Rick and the others came back for her? What could the Governor be planning for her family?
Jack just wanted to turn back the clock. More than anything else in the world. But that couldn't be done, so she resorted to just sighing and sitting up as much as she could. She had to remember not to be so hostile; it was her resolution for the new year. She wasn't angry at the doctor; truthfully, she'd known Alice Stevens for months and actually quite liked her. Jack just had to keep that in mind. "How'd last night go?" Jack inquired.
Tucking pillows beneath Jack's injured foot, Dr. Stevens sighed. "The Governor was attacked," she brooded. "He lost an eye."
Eyes widened, Jack let out a slow breath. Finding herself at a loss for words, she simply shook her head in disbelief. Which one of them could have taken the Governor's eye? It seemed like something Daryl could do, but she remembered seeing the Governor after helping everyone escape - and he very clearly had both eyes. "Were any of them caught?" Jack asked, trying to seem as inconspicuous as possible.
"No," the doctor shook her head. Jack felt the weight of a million worlds fall off her shoulders. Suddenly, she wasn't so pissed at the current circumstances. Something good came from it, at least. "Not yet, at least. I'll go get you something to eat."
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THE CLICK OF the lock echoed through Elijah's almost-empty cell. He was given a mattress, tossed in the middle of the blood-stained floor, and that was it. They said it was because this was the cleanest available cell, but Elijah doubted that. From the way they were so adamant on locking him in, imprisoning them once again, he knew it had to be personal.
"We're gonna keep you here till Jack shows up," Rick stated, shoving a ring of keys back into his pocket. "Just a precautionary measure; I'm sure you get it."
Blank eyes staring down at the only thing to his name, the thin mattress, Elijah huffed. He almost scoffed, but resisted the urge. He did understand, he just wasn't fond of the circumstances. It was bad enough that he was surrounded by all the people who once conspired to kill him; this time, Jack wouldn't be around to save him so promptly. He presumed the only reason he wasn't dead yet was that the entire group, or specifically Rick, was hanging onto Jack's every little word - especially when she referred to Elijah as "my friend."
Which was dumb. She called everyone her friend. Most were merely acquaintances or connections, but Elijah was one of the few that seemed to actually be important to her. Maybe the group would feel bad for locking him up, once the extent of their relationship was explained in depth.
But for now, it was just him and the mattress. "I get it," he finally replied, reluctantly dragging his tired eyes up to meet Rick's.
"When will she be here?"
Elijah's face almost contorted with pity, just seeing how desperate Rick seemed. It was sad, really. What Merle said about Jack possibly lying must have really resonated; otherwise, there wouldn't be any doubt. Elijah was positive that she was on her way, though. He just couldn't form a logical reason why she wouldn't be. "I couldn't say," Elijah answered hesitantly, taking a small step towards the bars that divided them. "She has to figure out where we're at and then she has to figure out how to get here. And there's no such thing as just leaving Woodbury, so it might take a day or two. If we're lucky, she'll be here by tonight."
Eyebrow cocked, Rick nodded silently. Though he let his stare wander, Elijah kept his analytical glare glued to Rick's face. It'd been 9 months since they were last face-to-face. That night, he almost executed Elijah - asking him if he had any last words, as if he was granting a favor before severing Elijah's string of life. Elijah could still hear Randall shakily blabbering like a child, as if he was just down the hall.
The silence between them was too tense. Elijah couldn't help but to shatter it. "I remember you," he spoke up. "From the farm, et cetera."
Suddenly glaring, Rick let out a sharp exhale, shaking his head as he muttered, "Yeah, I remember you, too." Within seconds, he was walking away from Elijah's cell - leaving the younger of the two feeling content. Elijah wished he could have said more, but he got what he needed to out of his system. And he did it boldly, without fear of consequence - Jack would've been proud.
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oof oof
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