The Last Flame

Chapter 10

"We tried to help him... but there was just too many, and they were on us faster than we could anticipate..."

Bell looked up to Deanna, the woman took a deep breath and looked down to her hands. Deanna had asked to talk to the woman so could get the other side of the story of how this run went so horribly. 

Rick was initially against it, wanting to talk to his people about it on his own, but Bell let him know it was fine. She wanted to show that they had nothing to hide and that she was more than willing to cooperate. Besides, she figured Nicholas' version of the story would be twisted, and she wasn't gonna let that happen.

"Nicholas told me that y'all were gonna leave Aiden, and that you refused to listen." Deanna looked back up to the woman.

Bell clenched her fist a bit, but remained calm. "Look, I'm not gonna tell you who you should or shouldn't believe, you haven't known us long so it's only natural you would be more inclined to believe him. But I swear to you, we aren't those kinds of people. I hope you'll trust me on that."

Deanna nodded. "I'll keep that in mind. That should be good enough, you can leave."

Bell nodded and got up to walk out, she stopped and hesitated for a moment before turning around and giving one more look to Deanna. "I don't know if this brings you any kind of comfort, but I put him down, so he wouldn't suffer. Mother to mother, I would want to know."

Deanna was a bit staggered at this comment, in a way it did hurt to hear, but she was right, it did help a little. She looked down to her hands, a tear sliding down her face. "Does it ever get easier? Losing them?"

Bell sighed. "No parent should outlive their child, it's not natural. But they always live on with us in memories. So that helps, it helped me, at least."

Deanna nodded. Bell took this as her cue to leave, as she was walking out the front door, she heard a faint 'thank you'.

Bell made her way home where Daryl was pacing on the front porch waiting for her. "Well? How'd it go?"

The man had already been filled in on what happened. He was both mad and relieved at what he heard, it took everything in him not to go take out Nicholas right there, but he knew that would just make matters worse. His people were alive and that's all that mattered right now.

"Fine, I think. Nicholas tried to make us look bad but that's no surprise really." She sat down on the porch, Daryl taking a seat next to her. "Any news on Noah?"

"That Pete guy stopped the bleeding, says he's stable for now, he's still out for the time being. I think he's gonna make it."

Bell let out a heavy sigh she didn't realize she was keeping in, putting her head in her hands. "I can't believe we almost lost two of our people today, over one mans cowardice."

Daryl pulled her into his side, letting her rest her head on his chest. "But we didn't, I know it still sucks, but we're all here." 

The next morning, Bell was up and on her way to check in on Noah and Tara, running into Abraham on the way there. Before she could even say anything, the man grabbed her and pulled her into a hug.

"Stop scaring me like that damnit, I know I'm older but I'm tryna keep these beautiful locks grey free for as long as I can."

Bell returned the hug with a smile. "Sorry, you know me, trouble just loves to follow." She pulled back and looked up at him. "Come on, let's go check on those two."