The Time To Regroup
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A/N:Sorry its late but I'm trying to salvage my Chemistry grade, it's not working
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( Your POV )
Once everyone was buried and I'd decorated their graves with flowers and rocks I entered the deserted Greene house. It felt strange being in here alone but there was nothing I could do about that. Why couldn't they just listen to me and run from the start, no one had to die this time...
Shaking my head I happened to pass by a mirror and realized my clothing was destroyed, the back of my shirt had burned off cause of the fire and the sleeves had tears from the walkers through them,same with my pants, which left burn marks scattered across my skin while the claw marks had healed by now. My leather vest, lower face cover and waist holster was still usable, kinda, but the holster on my back had partially melted with the heat, my shirt and pants were ruined and my boots had small holes now. "God dammit."
I can't go looking for them without something covering me up.
I looked away from the mirror and to the floor.
This house has clothes,and with the women it must have sewing stuff right?
It felt wrong to go through their things but I highly doubt they'd ever think of coming back. With that in mind I headed upstairs to their bedrooms and easily found different clothing pieces and even some rolled up fabric that I ended up ripping apart into different pieces for a long coat. I found a thick long sleeve shirt, but it wasn't similar in color to my last one," Oh well, guess I'll have to make do with this f/c shirt." I shook my head at the color but continued my search for pants, that was easy and somehow I got them to fit me. I had a wide selection for boots but I went for mid calf boots in black leather that had straps pulled across them. With everything picked out I piled it up and carried it in my arms before heading into the bathroom, I decided to shower to remove the blood,grime, and soot that had buried itself into my flesh. Once there I dropped everything on the floor and began to peel off my ruined clothes, everything that was ruined I trashed while I kept my belt,vest and face mask. Before I could step foot into the bath where I had already turned the water on I caught my eyes on the mirror again as I stared at myself, I slowly turned around to look at my back and I instinctively moved my hair up and away.
"Wait..what's that?"
I squinted as I stared at my reflection, at the back of my neck, right where my head of hair began there were two punctures surrounded by black and purple. If it wasn't for me someone seeing it I would have never even noticed, it almost looks like..bruising? I kept my hair away from covering it up and I got closer to the mirror, my hip slamming against the sink without me even noticing.Swallowing the lump in my throat I faced my back towards the mirror again to get a good view on my neck.
My eyes widened as the two punctures became perfectly clear to my eyes,"No."
One of my hands reached back and touched the two holes, it was bruised, the skin around the two circles inflamed and vividly infected to the point that around the two holes it was pitch black,"These...these are injection holes."
"~The infection has already spread to everyone's systems,the second someone in your group dies,it wont matter if they've been bit or scratched.This sickness is already inside waiting for the moment of death and no matter what they will come back.~"
I shook my head as Jenners voice rang through my head.
I pulled my hand away in disbelief and grabbed a random towel in the bathroom, doused it in the running water of the shower and began to rub at the back of my neck, a strange black liquid slowly began to trickle out before stopping and the black ring around the punctures got slightly bigger. Where did they come from? Why can't I remember!
"I wouldn't have done this to myself..right?"
I tossed the towel in anger and instead began to prod at the injection with my hands, the black liquid appearing once more but this time the black ring didn't increase in size. What happened instead were small vein like lines appeared from the punctures.
"I'm leaving with my troops in four minutes, I came to say goodbye to you."
I froze as the words echoed in my mind, I'm forgetting something again, but I must remember no matter what. I squeezed my eyes shut as I tried to focus on the my memories of the military. A part of me hoping that SM's voice would ring through my mind again, and it did, but I didn't like what I was recalling.
♤
I had rushed out of my room in confusion as people were running about at 2am getting into their troops and heading off the base, most were yelled at to go back to their rooms but before I was yelled at as well SM came and pulled me into our room with his words shaking me to my core,"Woah woah, what do you mean your leaving when we just got back? Why is everyone running about and why are other soldiers including me being yelled at to shut up and sleep?"
He sighed as he sat down on the bed and pulled me to sit on his legs sideways, his arms rested around my waist and his chin rested on my shoulder," I-I've been called out for an emergency."
Before I could turn to looked at him in surprise he lifted me up and turned me around to face him, my legs now wrapped around his waist and my hands against his chest," SM... what-what's going on? They rarely call in emergencies like this, especially with half the camp racing to head out. Please tell me."
He could only stare straight into my eyes, I tried to read his expression but his years in the military had made him so capable of hiding his thoughts when he really wanted to," I'm sorry but... I can't tell you my love." I balled my hands up against his chest and I slowly began to hit him, he didn't even try to stop me as I refused to listen. " I need you to listen to me and follow orders."
I was gonna hit him again but he caught my hands before I could, knowing I couldn't pull away he then pulled me against his chest, holding against him with one hand while the other stroked my hair,"W-what is it SM?"
"Everyone else will be pulled out at sunrise, you'll have to change and pack up and everyone will be sent out into different areas. You will be in charge of three different troops in three different areas."
I wanted to look up at his face but his hold on me told me not to, instead I closed my eyes and laid my rested my head willingly against his chest," You can't be serious, three different troops.How the fuck will that even work? It's just- What is going on, just tell me-"
"If you see a person covered in blood, or on the floor, or injured don't you dare help them or get close. No matter what you're thinking shoot their heads. Even if this person if asking for help but they've been attacked, shoot them."
The thought of possibly killing innocent people wasn't even what bothered me, I had been hurting people for years without remorse. That's the reason I got dragged into the military even though I wasn't of age yet. I'm a monster but SM isn't. No ,what worried me was that this was coming from SM's mouth, he hated the thought of not being able to help. But him saying this now, I licked my lips as I tried to imagine his facial expression. "Y-you don't really mean that, right?"
"That's an order Captain Y/N."
He finally let go of me and I refused to look up and meet his eyes, all I could do was stare at my hands as he waited for any sort of response from me. Sergeant Majors aren't even supposed to be in the front lines and yet he goes out of his job to help and protect with his own hands, and now he's-he's-
Both of our heads perked up to face the door as an alarm suddenly went off, I knew the sound well and I felt my body freeze up. SM picked me up and stood up himself before heading towards the door and peeking out," My time is up, I need to go."
He lowered me down and I unwrapped my legs from his waist, he finally let go when my feet had settled onto the floor,"Please don't go." I finally looked up at him to see him starring at me with sad eyes, he then pulled me into a tight hug and I quickly hugged him back," I have a bad feeling SM."
He pulled away and placed one hand on the side of my face that I instinctively laid my head against, "I'm sorry but you know I have to." I wrapped my arms around his shoulder and pulled myself up, I know and I hate it. I pressed my lips against his and he quickly returned it with one hand around my waist to press us closer. The alarm continued to blare in the background but I imagined it to not even be there. I imagined and unconsciously hoped that none of this was really but suddenly I felt something prick the back on my neck and I flinched.
I pulled away from the kiss and slammed against SM's chest,"Ahh,what was that?"
He turned me around and swatted at something,"A bug." He turned me back around and slammed his lips against mine, I heard a clank in the trashcan but disregarded it and focused on SM as he roughly kissed me. He's hiding something. He pulled away from the kiss and place his forehead against mine," Promise me you'll follow my orders."
"I will."
He kissed my forehead before walking to the door and opening it, the second someone spotted him they yelled that they had been searching for him and that he needed to head out now,"Goodbye Y/N, I love you."
My hand had tried to catch his shirt and pull him back but I was too late and I just left it handing there. Tears sprung in my eyes as he rushed off with tons of people following behind as he barked out orders in a natural fluid motion, I couldn't hold my tears back as I backed into my room and closed the door,he never says goodbye, he always says see you soon....
He knows he isn't coming back.
♤
I came back to reality to find myself having smashed the mirror into tons of tiny pieces, maybe I chose to forget when I got myself bit and infected. My hand was covered in blood and broken pieces from the mirror,"I wanna cry...I wanna cry SM!" He did it, he knew...maybe just maybe then you're still alive.
( Rick POV )
What do I do? The group had traveled for a bit now but unfortunately the car I'd be in ran out of gas and due to this we all stopped in the middle of a road in between woods, it was getting later in the day and seeing how our gas was going and it would be dark soon- I sighed. I don't know where to go from here..
"We can't stay here."
"We all can't fit into the car though."
I looked back at the group as everyone had left the car,"We'll make a run for gas in the morning-"
"Wait,"Carol crossed her arms and blew out visible air, it was freezing after the random rain from yesterday at night, "W-we spend the night here?"
"I'm freezing."
A part of me had noticed the cold but the non stop panic and thoughts going in and out of my head had distracted me to the point of not noticing that each time I spoke I could see my breath right in front of me. Now knowing how cold it could be I looked over to see Lori huddling around Carl, I removed my jacket and handed it over for him to put on, he was currently using Y/N's covering as a blanket.
"You go out looking for firewood, but stay close."
Daryl looked over and agreed to searching for firewood but he motioned to his weapon,"Only got so many arrows, how you doing on ammo?"
"Not enough."
Maggie shook her head and crossed her arms at everyone,"We can't just sit out here with our asses hanging out."
"Watch your mouth," Maggie quickly snapped her mouth shut at her fathers command. Once that was clear Hershel looked over at me,"Everyone stop panicking, calm down and just listen to Rick."
I sighed again, this time paying close attention to the amount of visibility of the warm air coming from me, we don't have a choice. I turned around to look at them,"Ok , We'll set up a perimeter and when morning comes we'll set out to look for gas and some supplies. We'll keep pushing on."
They all seemed to agree, though a bit reluctant but if I were them, I would be to. "Rick," I looked over at Maggie who motioned to herself and Glenn," Me and Glenn could make a quick run right now. Try and scrounge up some gas-"
I stuck my hand out ,"No ,we stick together. No splitting up." I sighed,"God forbid something happens and one of us gets stranded without a car."
"Rick, we're stranded now." but we're together this time, that makes a bigger difference.
I knew it was Glenn who spoke but I didn't look at him, " I know it looks bad, we've all been through hell and worse, but at least we found each other." I stopped talking and everyone stayed silent,"I wasn't sure- I really wasn't but we did it. We're together and we keep it that way." I took a few steps away from the group as they continued to shiver in silence,"We'll find shelter somewhere, there's gotta be a place."
Glenn walked closer to me and I glanced at him,"Rick, look around. There are walkers everywhere, they are migrating or something-"
There's gotta be a place! Not where we just hole up but that we fortify, hunker down. Pull ourselves together, build a life for each other!" I'd been using my hands to express myself but I kept my eyes on the floor, I don't even believe myself. But I need to try, for Carl..for my unborn baby. " I know it's out there, we just have to find it." I looked up for a second only to see Lori starring at me with worried eyes, she doesn't believe in me either.
"Even if we do find a place that we find is safe and all,"I slowly moved my eyes towards Maggie who seemed the least bothered by what I had said,"We can never be sure...for how long? I-look what happened with the farm. We fooled ourselves into thinking that THAT was safe, but now? "
Hershel who had grime on his face looked over at all the groups facing before finding mine,"We won't make that mistake again."
We all stayed silent starring at the floor, with a sigh I just changed the subject back to us camping here for the night, I looked around and noticed a random structure in the forest make with bricks. It wasn't closed up completely on all sides but it was a nice area for the time being. I pointed over there with my gun," Over there, get on the road by the end of daybreak."
I thought that was the end of the conversation but Carol suddenly brought up if this was safe, followed by the questioning of Randall being found dead and turned into a walker without the need of a bite. I looked away from there eyes not knowing how to answer, I wish Jenner had never told me the only piece of information he had learned from his experiments. Maybe then I could continue to be strong and hopeful. "Rick, what did happen?"
It was Lori asking this, I sighed and thankfully I didn't have to answer as Daryl did,"It was Shane who killed him, just like he always wanted to. "
Lori looked horrified as she thought about how he could have been turned into a walker to,"And then what? The heard got Shane?"
What do I do?
I looked at the entire group, not all of them were paying attention to the conversation, some like TDogg where surveying the area for any sign of danger. While Hershel's daughters, Daryl, Lori and Glenn watched me very carefully.
I have to say it.
I looked down at the floor, my hands on my hips as they waited for any sort of answer from me but the only thing that slipped out was,"We're all infected."
Daryl was the first to understand what I'd said, everyone else just starred at me openly not understanding even when my words were so simple,"What?"
I slowly looked at him ,"At the C.D.C. ......Jenner told me. Whatever it is, we-we all carry it already."
"And you never said anything?"
I couldn't even sigh anymore as I answered,"Would it have made a difference?"
"You knew this whole time?"
I became slightly angry at the question, no I knew what some crazy suicidal doctor had whispered to me, I never knew if it was true. I clenched the hand that held my gun and looked at who had asked the question," How could I have known for sure? You all saw how crazy that mo-"
"It wasn't your call!" Maggie placed her hand on Glenn's chest to stop him from walking closer but he continued to yell,"When I figured out that the walkers were in that barn I told everyone in the group , because it was for the goof of us all!"
"Well I thought it best that people didn't know!"
I couldn't handle any more questions, and it seemed they were done with the situation as well so I turned and walked off.
Fuck.
( Andrea POV )
I'm so tired..
With awkward steps I pushed one of the walkers that had been chasing me onto the ground and quickly slammed its head in before sluggishly standing up and reaching to my pocket for a knife. I'd be running all night and now day time as well to try and get away.
Just a bit more.
I rushed up to another one, shoving my knife up through its chin and pushing it, my body was beyond tired and when I pushed it away from me I ended up falling over and onto the ground exhausted. No no, don't quit now, there's another one! I grunted loudly as I tried to push myself up, or ever just crawl as fast as I could. I turned myself onto my back and struggled to crawl away as I eyed the walker that just wouldn't give up on me. It got down on its knees and I began to thrash around to get it off when suddenly its head was sliced cleanly off.
Could it be Y/N?
That thought quickly left when I realized a sword had been used, she's a master with guns only as far as I know. My heavy breathing went silent as the walkers body fell and my view of my savior become clear. A girl stood there, her silhouette enough was different from Y/N's but how she stood with her weapon in hand, her face hidden behind a hood and a long chain holding two walkers with their jaws and arms cut off herself made her almost an exact copy of Y/N's animalistic military personality that I'd been glad to not see much. Those walkers...it's like their her pets on a leash.
She walked closer to me and I just leaned back on my arms, breathing heavily and starring at her with wide eyes. Even this close I couldn't see her face, the forest didn't allow much light through its branches and with her hood on all I saw was a hood surrounding darkness.
( Carl POV )
I miss Y/N.. It was pitch black outside now and we all sat around a fire because it being night time only made it even colder for us. I could feel goosebumps all over my arms making me wrap myself tighter with my dads jacket. My hands could barely move but I continued to fiddle with a random opening I had found in Y/N's coat earlier. I know I shouldn't do this but the thought of her being gone forever pushed me to find out what it was.
"Carl what are you doing?"
I looked straight up to see my mom standing over me," I found something in here, I'm trying to get it out."
Daryl got his interest peeked and stepped away from Carol who was upset as she had been talking to him, and made his way towards me,"Something inside Y/N's cover?"
I nodded at him and I raised up the small pocket that was intentionally sewed into the thing," See, it's hiding in the big hood." He crouched in front of me and grabbed the thing, him doing this got others attention too. "Think you can get it out?"
He nodded and pulled out a knife and found the tiny stitches,"Hope she ain't to mad about me doing this," he mumbled making me smile a little. He doesn't think she's dead and I shouldn't either. He carefully removed the extra layer added for the random pocket and a folded paper suddenly fell out and onto the leaves on the floor.
"Hey you did it!"
Everyone watched as I grabbed the paper and unfolded it, Glenn and Maggie were the first to ask me anything, "What is it?"
After getting a good look at it, that only confused me about Y/N's background, I turned it around to face everyone,"It's a photo of Y/N with a army person and a kid."
"Army person?"
"Kid?"
"She had a kid!?"
Having turned it over I had a clear view of the back and noticed something was written in another language, "It says something but I can't read it. Also it has three names."
Daryl starred at the photo with wide eyes, seeing his face the others slowly trickled over to take a look at the photo, Y/N looked exactly the same but she never really said much about her past. Other than her being in the military, that was all. She was a mystery to us all.
"Carl , can you read the names?"
"Oh sure," I focused on the name with the little light we had," Umm Y/N L/N , Noel L/N , and SM ut-something? anything after UT has faded away , but is SM even a name?"
Daryl grabbed the photo out of my hands and turned it over,"SM," he looked at the picture again but this time he pointed his finger at the man in the army outfit. "So it's you huh."
Soon the picture was pulled out of his hands and was passed all around until it got to Hershel, at this point everyone thought Y/N had a child, I didn't pay any attention to it. I didn't care at all. I wanna know why Y/N had this hidden in there. "It's not her kid."
Everyone looked over at Hershel in disbelief," How so."
"It looks a bit like her."
"That guy could of been her husband."
Hershel shook his head at us and turned the photo to face all of us, he was reading the back,"Maybe it is her partner but her and the boy have the same last name but the man doesn't. They must be siblings, also I recognize some military rank badges, the one on him means Sergeant Major. That is the highest position in the military."
Daryl put his hand on his chest,"So she doesn't have a kid."
"Guess not."
Daryl just nodded in understanding and I looked back at Hershel," So the Ut- is the start of his last name then?" I got a nod and slowly the picture made its way back to me," So Y/N and Sergeant Major Ut-something. This picture looks old though, how old is Y/N?"
Everyone had their attention again on the topic of Y/N and they all shrugged at the same time, she doesn't look old, but don't you have to be a certain age for the military? I stuck my tongue out as I stared at the boy in the picture, because the photo was shiny I was able to see my reflection cause of the fire. He kinda looks like me..
I jumped at a sudden sound ,it seems it wasn't just me as all the adults stood up and Daryl raised his crossbow,"What was that?"
Dad came from behind one of the walls and looked at us.
"Could be a racoon, could be a possum-"
"Or a walker."
TDogg kept looking around with his weapon but while Carol turned to look at my dad,"We need to leave, what are we waiting for?"
She went ignored as Maggie and Glenn got up to pinpoint where the random noise had come from, the rest of the group joined in and pointed in the same direction that we had come from. Before they could all run and look my dad held his arm out and stopped them,"The last thing we need is for everyone to be running off into the dark. We don't have the vehicles...no ones traveling on foot."
I wanted to stand up hoping that maybe it was Y/N but my mom held me on the floor in fear as another sound came from the woods.
"Don't panic."
"I-I'm not sitting here and waiting for another heard to blow through."
"We need to move now-"
My dad turned and pointed at us all with a glare on his face, my mothers hold on me tightened,"No one is going anywhere!"
"Do something-"
"I am doing something! I'm keeping this group together, alive!" No one said anything to my dad,"I've been doing that all along, no matter what. I never asked for this! I killed my best friend for you people ,for christs sake!" I starred at my angry dad with wide eyes, my mom had tucked her face into my back as she stroked my hair,"You saw what he was like, how he pushed me, how he compromised us, how he threatened us. Thinking I didn't notice when he came out of those woods twice bleeding and injured because he tried to kill Y/N himself." S-Shane tried to kill Y/N twice?? "He staged the whole Randal thing, led me out to put a bullet in my back too. He gave me no choice! He was my best friend..but he came after me."
My vision got blurry and my face scruncthed up as tears began to fall out of my eyes. My eyes felt like they were burning as I shut them trying to hide my crying from the others but my mom noticed my body shaking and pulled me into her chest. No, no. Daddy...Shane.. I want Y/N back!
"Maybe you people are better off without me. Go ahead, I say there's a place for all of us, but maybe it's just another pipe dream. Maybe-maybe I'm just fooling myself again. Why don't you go found out yourself, send me a postcard. Come on, go. You can do better? Lets see how far you get." I continued to hide in my moms chest as my tears fell without my control. No on answered my dad so he continued,"No takers? Fine. But let's get one thing straight- you're staying. This isn't a democracy anymore.."
I was going to make this chapter 20 to 30 pages long cause I'm 2 weeks late but I know nothing passed season two. I need to figure out timelines and watch season three fast.
I do need to ask if you guys know what the time span between season 2 end and season 3 beginning is? Lol Help.
Sorry it's short and late, but I can't help my stupidity when it comes to school.
~CKS