Beyond Terminus (Book Two)

Chapter 59: Grimes' Plan

I kneel next to Rick, checking the bandages and surgical tape all over his face. I sigh heavily, looking back at Michonne.

"Just when we thought it was getting better too," I mumble.

She nods. "We can't lose this place. He's gonna get us kicked out."

"Well, it's a good thing you were there to stop him." I look over at her. "What did Carl say to you?"

She sighs. "He's just worried. He'll be alright." She tilts her head, watching me. "You should get some more sleep."

"I'm fine."

"You hardly rested all night. You don't need to exhaust yourself."

I get up off the floor, moving to the vacant chair adjacent to Michonne's. I sit down, resting my head in my hands.

"Even if I went back to that house, I wouldn't be able to fall asleep knowing that he's still out there," I whisper. "I would just lie there praying."

She places a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Daryl's alright, Hope. He'll come back to you."

"I hope so."

"He's the most stubborn man I've ever met. No matter what's keeping him out there, he'll come back."

I smile lightly. "Thanks Mich."

Rick groans, his eyes fluttering open slowly. He doesn't notice us as he sits up and holds his head. He lets out a breathy laugh, groaning and falling back onto the mattress.

"What's so funny?" Michonne asks, her face hard again.

"You were here the whole time?" Rick asks, sitting up against the wall again.

"All night," she replies. "What's so funny?"

"It's...it's like the train car. After the whole thing, I'm still there."

"Deanna wanted you in here, calm things down," she continues. She jerks her head towards me. "Hope patched you up. Carl came by for a while. We sent him home."

There's a pause. I lean forwards again, resting my elbows on my knees.

"Rick. What are you doing?" I ask.

He doesn't respond. He only sighs and touches his forehead with his bandaged hand again.

"We put Pete in another house," Michonne mentions, moving her chair closer to him. "You could have told me what was happening."

"It moved fast. And then Noah..." He shuts his eyes briefly. "I couldn't tell you about the gun."

"No, you couldn't," she mumbles, her voice deadpan.

I tense, thinking of the fight Daryl and I had. Him keeping that secret caused us to blow up at each other, something we rarely do.

"Oh, you wanted this place," Rick retorts.

"We had to stop being out there," she says. "Hope was getting weaker every day."

"We needed a place where we could all get our strength back," I add, not wanting to make it sound like I'm the only reason we chose to stay here.

"Well, we're here," he mumbles.

Michonne scoffs. "Well, you just said you weren't."

The door opens, letting in some light as Glenn, Carol, and Abraham walk in. We watch them, the air wrought with tension.

"Where'd you get the gun?" Michonne asks.

"You took it, right? From the armory?" Carol asks. I narrow my eyes slightly. She was in on it, and she's going to pin it on Rick? Maybe that's her plan... "That was stupid. Why did you do it?"