The next couple of weeks passed quickly for Kali. They made a run to the museums in D.C. to scavenge some much needed equipment to get the bridge started and for the communities. They found a wagon that would be useful hauling the wood to the bridge and easier for a large group to travel at once. It was a miracle that Ezekiel wasn't eaten by the walkers when the glass broke, and he was hanging on for dear life. Also, the found an old plow that would make it easier to get the gardens ready planting, only to have it break when the horses got scared and it fell off the wagon. The Hilltop's blacksmith was charged with getting it fixed.
The bridge was starting to be built. They started the process by cutting down several trees and getting them ready to build. It was a total community effort. To Kali's surprise, Rick was right. The saviors that decided to stay around after they condemned the Sanctuary did pull most of the weight when it came to laying the timber for the bridge. The Hilltop, Kingdom, and Alexandria all helped too.
Rick was staying at the campsite close by to make sure that everything was going peacefully. Sometimes he'd be gone for five or six days before showing his face again in Alexandria, then there were times that he would come home every night to see Judith and Michonne. Rick and Kali haven't really talked since the day the found the bridge. Thoughts of the kiss still haunting them.
Kali was helping Michonne handle things around Alexandria. No, she wasn't a leader, just part of the community. Most the time she was watching Judith or in the garden. Michonne wanted her to start a school for the kids in Alexandria so they would learn the basics of education, but Kali did not really want to go back to teaching. She loved kids, she really did, but Kali wanted to spend more time helping the community thrive.
The one kid that she did not mind reading to or teaching was Judith. That's why she found herself in the Grimes' back yard on a blanket in the grass reading to the little girl. Judith had insisted on The Wizard of Oz, even though Rick and Michonne had read it to her hundreds of times.
They had the back glass door open so they could hear if Michonne called them from inside the house. Judith was stumbling over the words on the page when the gate opened. Kali thought it was Rick since it was about time for him to come home again.
While she was trying to pay attention to Judith's reading, the sound of commotion within the house caught her attention. "Maggie think about this," she barely heard Michonne say.
"He deserves to die. He shouldn't get to live," she heard the other woman say coldly.
"Maggie," Michonne tried again her voice losing hope with each passing second.
"Are you going to stand in my way or let me through? This ends today. One way or another."
Kali turned her heads towards the house. She could see Michonne standing by the table. "I'll be right back Judi. I need to talk to your momma for a minute." Kali peeled herself away from the small girl and stood on the grass. Quickly, she walked across the yard and went up the steps hastily.
Once she's in the house she saw Michonne standing there her katana in hand. The door to the basement was wide open. "Why's Maggie here," she asks the woman in front of her.
Michonne said nothing. Her hand wrapped tightly around the handle of her weapon. She stared at Kali in front of her. She knew that their secret was about to be found out.
She heard a somber laugh float up the stairs. "She just let ya waltz right on by huh? That's a shame. I thought my girl Michonne had my back. It's okay though. You have that fire. I knew it would be you. It was meant to be you. I used to say I didn't enjoy bashing people's heads in, but that night. Your husband, he was different."
"So, you remember me?"
She heard the man's laugh again. "I sure do. The way you were crying that night in the clearing. The way I hit your husband's head so damn hard that his eyeball popped out of his head. Oh, I enjoyed that. So, do what you came here to do. Don't wimp out like Rick did. Do it! Kill me!"
Kali felt her heart stop beating. She knew that voice. A tingle ran down her spine. Her eyes lock onto Michonne's. Her blood was boiling. Kali felt her teeth begin to grind together. She wanted to run down the stairs, but she couldn't make herself move. It was like her feet were cemented into the floor.
She heard the cell door be thrown open and the sound of a body hitting the wall. "Kill me. Please kill me."
"Why," she hears the woman yell.
"So, I can be with Lucille! So, I can be with my wife. I've tried and I couldn't do it. It has to be you! Please! Kill me!"
Kali starts towards the door and is almost on the stairs when she feels Michonne's arms wrap around her pulling her back. Kali can see Negan sitting against the wall. His short grey hair and a long untrimmed beard. She tried to break free from Michonne's grasps, but the woman was holding her tight.
Michonne covered her mouth with her hand preventing her from screaming. Michonne dragged her away from the door back towards the glass door leading to the backyard.
"I came here to kill Negan, but you're already worse than dead," they heard Maggie say followed by the sound of the cell door closing and Negan's cries carrying up the stairs. Michonne was still holding Kali back when Maggie finally came back up the stairs. The crowbar that she intended to end Negan's life with in her hand. She closed the door to the basement and Michonne finally let go of Kali.
Maggie never was a big fan of Kali. After they captured her that night at the outpost, Maggie thought it would be best if they just went ahead and killed her. She was one of Negan's so she "couldn't be trusted".
Rick barges in through the front door. Kali could tell by the look on his face that he was frantic. He must have left the bridge as soon as he heard that Maggie was on her way to Alexandria. He takes in the scene before him. Maggie is standing in front of the closed door her crowbar in hand. Michonne was standing behind Kali, who was still fuming. "Maggie," He starts but doesn't get to finish.
"He's still alive," she says shortly. Her eyes locked on Kali. Michonne grabbed back ahold of Kali's arm keeping her from charging the woman. Maggie turned and walked towards Rick. She handed him the crowbar.
"Thank you," he said lowly.
"It's not about you, Rick. He's worse than dead down there. Glenn...he would have wanted him to live, to me, he's already dead." She brushes past the man and leaves the house without another word.
Rick turns to watch her leave before turning back towards Kali and Michonne. "Kali-"
Kali already pulled her arm out of Michonne's hand and was charging across the kitchen towards Rick. He drops the crowbar letting it clammer to the floor. He grabs hold of Kali's fists as they fly towards him. Tears streaked down her face. She keeps trying to swing and hit Rick, but he still has a hold of her arms preventing her from connecting. Eventually, she tires herself out and becomes quiet against Rick's chest.
He wraps his arms around her and puts one hand on the back of her head. "You lied to me."
"I had to Kali. I need you to understand that. We didn't mean to hurt you, but I had to. We couldn't let you know he was alive." He looked at Michonne was studying the pair. "I'm sorry," he said looking back down at Kali.
"Can I see him," she mumbles against him.
Rick looks back to Michonne, who was shaking her head. "Not yet."
"When?"
Rick shakes his head and shrugs his shoulders. "I don't know. Soon, later. Right now, you need some air. Come on." He walks them back to the backyard. Judith is still trying to read on the blanket spread out in the grass. Michonne follows them outside and stands by the door. Rick and Kali sit down on the stairs. Kali pushes away from him and wipes her eyes.
They were quiet for a while listening to Judith try to read in the yard. The birds chirped enjoying the warm spring day. Rick thought about how Kali now knowing the secret would affect her within Alexandria.
A wave of nauseousness washed over Kali. She could feel her body shaking. Kali put her head down in her hands trying to compose herself. All those tears spilled for a person that she was told to be dead, is actually locked in the basement. In the same cell that she was once locked in. A prisoner in Alexandria.
Noticing the adult now outside, Judith runs across the yard to her father. "Daddy," she yells seeing him for the first time in days. Rick takes her in his arms and sits her on his knees. "Is Miss Kali okay daddy," she asks seeing the side of Kali's red face.
"Yeah. She's just sad right now Judi."
"Does she know about the monster?"
Rick takes a deep breath looking over at Kali, who still had her head in her hands, and to Michonne behind him before looking back to Judith. "Yeah," he says barely audible. "Yeah, Miss Kali knows about the monster."
* In honor of TWD coming back on tonight, here is chapter 20!! Thank you all for reading! I appreciate every vote/comment! More to come soon!!*