The Rest of your Life

Chapter 8

Rory was sitting outside with Maggie when a car pulled up the dirt path. Rory sat up a little straighter, squinting her eyes to make out the people getting out the car. She let out a laugh quietly as T-Dog and Glenn made their way up the steps, not noticing the two sat down.

"So do we ring the bell?" Glenn asked hesitantly. "I mean it looks like people live here."

"We're past this kind of stuff, aren't we?" T-Dog responded. "Having to be considerate." Maggie wriggled up before smirking at Rory.

"Did you close the gate up the road when you drove in?" Maggie asked, smiling lightly as the two men looked at them.

"Uh, hi. Yes, we closed it. Did the latch and everything." Glenn fumbled before his eyes drifted to Rory. "Rory! We were looking for you!" The said girl got up and gave Glenn a tight hug, one of which he returned. T-Dog patted her on the back with a smile.

"Look, we came to help." T-Dog grunted. "There anything we can do?" Maggie stood up and walked closer as Rory let go of Glenn, both girls eyes snapping to T-Dogs arm. "It's not a bite. I cut myself pretty bad though."

"Are you okay?" Rory asked the man.

"Yeah, I'll be okay kid." T-Dog responded.

"We'll have it looked at." Maggie said. "I'll tell them you're here."

"We have, uh, some painkillers and antibiotics." Glenn informed as he rummaged through his bag. "I already gave him some." He gestured to T-Dog as he gave a pill bottle to Maggie. "If Carl needs any?"

"Come on inside. I'll make you something to eat." Maggie told the men. "Rory, you too honey."

•••

After Maggie had given Rory a sandwich, and the girl had eaten it, she was now sat in Carls room, holding his hand on his bed as Hershel checked him over.

"He's still losing blood faster than we can replace it." Hershel stated grimly. "And with the swelling in his abdomen, we can't wait any longer or he's just going to slip away." Rory clutched her friends hand tighter as Rick stood up behind her. "Now I need to know right now." Hershel started. "If you want me to do this, because I think your boy is out of time... you have to make a choice."

"A choice?" Lori snarled.

"A choice." Rick repeated. "You have to tell me what it is." Rick said, turning to Lori. "You have to tell me what it is."

"We do it." Lori decided. Rory looked to her friend as her heart began doing flips in her chest. Patricia almost immediately wheeled in a big metal table and the adults began lifting Carl onto it, Rory moving to the corner of the room silently. Lamps were turned on and equipment was gathered.

"Rory, baby, go into the other room." Rick whispered. She didn't have to be told twice before she raced out of the room.

"You okay?" Glenn questioned the girl. She nodded before turning her head to the window as yet a car approached again. It must have been her dad. She followed behind everyone as they piled outside to meet Shane and Otis, yet he wasn't there. She watched as her dad got out of the car on his own, limping to Rick quickly before handing Hershel the bags.

"Carl?" He gasped.

"There's still a chance." Rick confirmed.

Hershel went to walk in, yet did a double look at the car. "Otis?"

"No." Shane whispered. Rory walked up to her dad, slowly wrapping her arms around him. For a moment he just stood there, before his arms twitched and he hugged his daughter back.

"We say nothing to Patricia." Hershel ordered. "Not till after. I need her." The man then raced inside as Rick walked closer to Shane and Rory.

"They kept blocking us at every turn." Shane trembled. "We had nothing left. We were down to ten rounds. Then he said... he said he'd cover me and that I should keep going. So that's what I did. I just... I kept going. But I... I looked back and he... just... I tried." Rory felt her own eyes well up at the state of her father. If he was sad, then Rory was too. It was that simple.

"He wanted to make it right." Rick comforted, laying his hand on Shane's shoulder.

•••

Around an hour later, Rory and Shane were sat against the truck as Rick and Lori sat on the steps, T-Dog on a chair, all outside. Hershel walked out of the door, wiping his hands on a cloth as everybody stood up.

"He seems to have stabilised." He smiled as Rick hugged him.

"I don't have words." Lori cried.

"I don't ether, I wish I did." He responded. "How do I tell Patricia about Otis?" Rory felt her dad tense slightly behind her, her brows furrowed slightly.

"You go to Carl." Rick offered, looking to his wife. "I'll go with Hershel."

•••

"Do you think these will fit him?" Rory asked Maggie quietly, holding up a pair of overalls.

"I don't think so, but it will have to do." Maggie replied sadly, taking the clothes off of the young girl and folding them up. "Let's go give these to your daddy."

Rory nodded and climbed off of Maggies bed, following behind her to find her father. They rounded the corner and he was standing in the hallway, looking lost.

"The bathroom's upstairs. We brought you some clothes." Maggie started while handing Shane the pile of clothes. He looked at Maggie and then to his daughter who was sleepily leaning against the older woman.

"Thank you." Shane whispered.

"They won't fit well." Maggie informed. "They we're Otis's." Shane nodded as he looked at the floor before Maggie took in a breath to steady herself. "Help yourself to the water in the bathroom. Im going to put Rory to bed if thats okay?"

"Yeah, thank you." Shane spoke quietly before giving his daughter a hug goodnight. Rory clumsily stumbled after Maggie towards the bed that had been set out for her.

"Come on, honey. Let's get you to bed."

•••
Lets pretend I said something funny.

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