❝I did something. Something stupid. And I've been paying the price for it ever since.❞
❝This is all my fault. I started this. I need to end it.❞
In which Hana Rhee steals a packet of jellybeans that unknowingly starts a war.
[THE WALKI...
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CHAPTER TWENTY Hiding
DAE SAT IN a chair twirling a strand of hair around her finger – a nervous habit she had developed when she was a kid. Her right knee was tucked under her chin and she was beginning to feel sleepy. And hungry.
She was currently watching over Hana who was lying in her bunk, still unconscious. Dae and Beth had cleaned the dried blood off her face and throat yesterday after Hershel looked over her. And luckily she had no broken bones. He'd have to wait for her to wake up to see if she had a concussion. But having a concussion and passing out was never good.
She watched Hana's chest rise and fall steadily and though all Dae wanted was for her to wake up, Hana being alive and breathing was gift enough in this world.
A rap on the doorframe caught her attention and Dae turned her head to see Cory with a water bottle and bowl of food in his hands. He flashed a lopsided smile, his blue eyes lighting up. "Hey."
Dae smiled back brightly. "Hi."
"Thought you might be hungry." Cory said gently as he handed her the food.
"Thank you."
"You still thinking about Tyreese and his group?" Cory asked.
Dae nodded, cracking a small smile. "Yeah. They were nice. I... don't know why Rick sent them away."
"There are still good people, right?" Cory said, saying her words back to her.
"Yep." Dae clarified. "But I guess Rick has his reasons."
"Yeah," Cory concurred. "He does."
Dae then noticed Cory biting his lip as he looked down at the floor. Dae knew that face. It was his conflicted face. She leaned forward. "What's wrong?"
Cory ran a hand over his face, his blue eyes darkening. "I just hate seeing her like this. But I'm glad she's alive."
"That's not just it." Dae said softly. She knew him like the back of her hand. She knew there was something else bothering him. "What's wrong?"
"We were just gonna leave her behind. I was gonna leave her behind. We thought... we thought she was dead. If we hadn't gone back to get Daryl, she'd be–" Cory stopped immediately.
Dae tensed. She didn't want to go down that road. She couldn't fathom what would have happened if Hana had stayed behind. Dae bit her lip. "It's okay, Cor. The important thing is that she's here and alive. You thought she was dead. I would have done the same thing. You went back and got her. Don't be so fixated on what could have been. You're not to blame."
