CHAPTER TWENTY ONE,
See You Again.
RICK GRIMES HAD NEVER HATED HIMSELF MORE THAN HE DID STANDING ON THAT HIGHWAY. With all the commotion no one had remembered to grab Hope. Almost everyone was there, standing on the highway together, the only people they didn't know the whereabouts of were T-dog, Andrea, Beth, and Hope. But there was a difference, the others, they could fight. Hope was vulnerable, he had left her there and he hated himself. Out of all the people they had lost this one definitely hurt the most. He felt like his heart was ripped out of his chest and he wanted to scream and cry, let the world know how hurt he was. Let god know how much he hated him for taking her away. He didn't only want her but he needed her. They had kids, she couldn't just leave them. She couldn't leave him.
He could only stand there, a broken expression on his face as silent tears streamed down his face. No one talked, not wanting to set him off. After all they had forgotten her too. The only sounds were the sobs escaping Carl, Ryder, and Skylin. The three kids were sitting at Ricks feet holding each other close as they cried over the fate of their mother. Judith was sound asleep in Carols arms, unaware of the grief traveling through the group.
Everyone was in pain, crying as guilt ran through them. Daryl was even shedding tears as he stared off into the distance.
Just as Rick was about to let it all out, say fuck it and go back to try and save her, maybe it wasn't to late, maybe he could bring her home, home to him, a blue truck appeared in the distance.
A small amount of relief washed through him as he realized someone else had made it out, but then he was filled with more pain as he realized that it wouldn't be her. She was gone and it was all his fault. Maybe if he would have just used his brain, remembered her, she would be here right now. It hurt when she was in the coma, but at least she was there, alive and breathing. But now he really had lost her and he fucking hated himself.
Eventually the truck slowed to a stop, no one being able to see who was inside due to the tinted windows, though they could make out the silhouette of two figures.
Moments later the passenger side door opened and Beth hopped out, she slammed the door before turning around, tears in her eyes as she ran into her fathers arms.
The group was relieved, Beth was safe. But this didn't help with the overwhelming feeling of grief that layed on their shoulders.
Then the driver side door opened, T-dog jumped out and sent the group a large smile as he noticed them let out a sigh of relief.
But T-dog didn't do what Beth did, he didn't slam his door and run over to them, instead he turned back to the inside of the truck and started to talk quietly.
Rick furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, there was someone else? There wasn't three people in the truck, he'd only seen two people.
Suddenly T-dog pulled someone out of the truck, though the group still couldn't see who it was as due to them being behind the truck door.
Hope took a deep breath before slamming the truck door, turning to face the group who were now staring a her with shocked looks on their faces. As she stared at her family, it all of a sudden felt like she was the strongest she had ever been. She didn't feel weak, she didn't feel like she had been in a coma for god knows how long. She felt like a warrior, standing there with the people she loved more than life itself.
She let out a shakey breath, tears streaming down her face as a smile appeared.
"Hi." She said so silently the group almost didn't hear her.
It came as a shook to the group when Carl suddenly jumped to his feet, his arms spread wide open as he sprinted across the highway with loud sobs escaping his lips.
"Mom!" He yelled as he clashed into her, her arms instantly wrapping around his body as he sobbed into her chest.
"Hey buddy." She laughed lightly as she ran her fingers through his hair, that always comforted him.
"You're really here." He said as he pulled back, his teary blue eyes meeting hers as a large smile appeared on his face.
"I'm really here." She nodded in reassurance as she pressed a kiss onto the side of his head.
All of a sudden the sound of rushing feet were heard and two pairs of tiny arms were thrown over her body.
"Mommy you came back." Skylin sobbed loudly.
"You came back to us." Ryder added, his own sobs ringing throughout the highway.
Hope felt her heartbreak as sobs started to leave her own mouth, she held all three of her kids tightly to her body as they cried together. Finally after all this time apart they could be together. That's when Hope promised herself, she would never leave them again. No matter what happened she would have to fight. They needed her.
"My babies." Hope whispered, pressing kissed to the tops of their heads.
A few minutes later they pulled away and Hope stood up, she looked up just in time for her eyes to meet a pair of broken blue ones. The blue ones that brought her so much joy every time she looked into them.
When Hope had gotten out of the truck Rick felt all of the air escape his lungs, relief washed over his body and he wanted to run to her, pick her up in his arms and spin her around as he rambled on about how much he had missed her. But he was frozen, tears pouring out if his eyes as he took her in. She was there. She was alive. She was awake. And most importantly she came home to him. All he wanted was her to come home to him and she finally did. His heart, which felt broken a few minutes before, now felt like it was piecing itself back together.
He watched her reunite with their kids, his heart souring at the sight, but his feet was still glued to the ground. He couldn't move, only watch with broken eyes. It was only when she stood up, her eyes meeting his when he broke out of his trance.
And once he realized he could move again a loud, heartbreaking cry escaped his throat as he walked fast, her meeting him in the middle as they harshly crashed into one another.
Hope finally let her guard down, sobs escaping her lips as she held tightly onto Rick. She didn't realized how much she had missed him until she was in his arms again. But it was okay, she was here now. She was home. He was her home.
Rick had never felt so much happiness course through his body, holding her in his arms was something he never thought he would be able to do again. But here she was, clutching onto him tightly and they held each other as if their life's depended on it.
"You came back." Rick sobbed into her hair. "You came back to me."
Hope pulled back, but not far, only enough to where she could stare into his eyes which were probably just as red as hers.
"You can't get rid of me that easily. Nice try though." She smiled up at him causing him to let out a small laugh. She didn't change.
"I couldn't get rid of you even if I tried Smith." He said back, a smile lightly up his face but it faded quickly. "Hope I'm so sorry, I was with Carl and I thought someone else had you and I-"
Hope cut him off as she pulled him into another tight hug, she kissed his head and his cheek before pulling away.
"Hey, it's okay. Someone did get me. I'm here now, that's all that matters." She smiled reassuringly at him causing his guilt to wash away a bit, but it was still there.
Rick looked behind her and his eyes met T-dogs who was watching the two reunite with a smile on his face. He pulled away from Hope and walked over to T-dog, not hesitating before pulling the man into a hug and thanking him over and over again for saving Hope.
As Rick was talking to T-Dog Hope reunited with the rest of the group, everyone telling her how much they had missed her and how happy they are that she was okay.
Finally she reached Daryl and Glenn, other than Rick and the kids they were probably having the hardest time dealing with what they thought was the loss of Hope, they were her best friends after all.
"I missed you knuckleheads." Hope laughed as she pulled them into a hug.
Tears were steaming down all of their faces as they were finally reunited.
"Missed you too pervert." Glenn said causing her to laugh at the nickname, he had started calling her that in remembrance of the first time they had met when she had walked in on him and Maggie. The whole group didn't understand the nickname, it was more of an inside joke between him, Hope, and Maggie.
"I missed you too bitch." Daryl replied.
Hope pulled back and smiled up at him. "That's the Daryl I know and love." She slapped him lightly on the chest.
The three talked for a few more minutes before there was a tug on the bottom of Hopes shirt causing her to look down, meeting eyes with Ryder who smiled up at her.
"Hey baby." She smiled down at him.
Ryder silently grabbed her hand and pulled her over to his brother and sister.
Ryder let go of her hand and stood next to them as Hope bent down in front of Skylin, who was staring at her mother with loving yet sad eyes.
"What's up munchkins?" Hope asked the three, they clearly had something on their minds.
"We're worried." Carl said after a moment causing her to frown.
"Worried about what?" Hope asked him.
"That you will leave us again." Skylins small voice spoke up.
Hope whipped her head around and looked into Skylins eyes before looking up into Ryders and the Carls, and three of them wore matching expressions of fear and it broke her heart.
"I want you guys to listen closely alright? I'm not going anywhere. I promise, for now on no matter what happens, I'm gonna fight for you alright? Don't worry, I'm not leaving ever again. Not for a long time at least." She reassured them, the tears in her eyes disappearing as they broke into smiles.
"You promise?" Carl asked with furrowed eyebrows. He needed her to promise. He had lost Lori, he couldn't loose Hope to.
Before Hope could reply she felt a hand lay on her back and she stood up, Rick pulling her into his side as they looked down at their three children, Judith was in his other arm and Hope smiled brightly at the little baby she was yet to meet. Judith smiled back and Hopes heart warmed at the sight of the baby, she was already whipped by the tiny grin Judith had sent her.
"We promise."
And with that said, the family was finally reunited once more.
Rick and Hope were finally at ease, they were okay.
Hope was finally home and Rick promised himself he would never let anything happen to her again.
She was okay. They were okay.
A/N
Oi, look who's back bitches!
I'm going to start trying to update more often hehe, I have plans for the next chapter that I think you guys will very much like😏
That is if anyone actually reads this book anymore, I haven't updated in months💀
Ngl I cried writing this it was hard to write heartbroken Rick.
But hey Hopes officially back!!
Anyways what did you think of this chapter?
Vote and comment!!!!