The Rest of your Life

Chapter 43

Rory followed Carl into one of the side rooms, a crying Judith in the basket. Carl set his sister down and sighed in frustration. "Why does she just cry?" Rory motioned for her sister, Carl placing the baby in her arms.

They both paused at the sound of arguing. Carl nodded slightly to Rory as he walked to the door, intending to shut it, yet he stood at the doorway, listening to the argument.

Rory shook her head and smiled at her baby sister, rocking the child in her arms and humming a tune her dad used to hum. In no time, the baby was quiet, Rory looked up to Carl with a smile on her face, only to falter at Carls frown.

"Glenn and Maggie..." the boy trailed off. "They're leaving with Abraham tomorrow."

•••

Rory and Carl pointed their guns at the locked door infront of them. They were in a side room with Judith, Tyreese, Gabriel, Bob and Rosita. Rick had told the two their plan to get Gareth and the others from terminus. Rory only hoped that the risky plan would work. Rory tightened her hands around her gun as she heard footsteps, Carl copying her.

"Well, I guess you know we're here." Gareth called out. "And we know you're here. And we're armed. So there's really no point in hiding anymore." Rory sent Gabriel a death glare as the man whimpered.

"We've been watching you. We know who's here... there's Bob, unless you've put him out of his misery already. And Eugene. Rosita. Martin's good friend Tyreese. Carl. Rory. Judith." Both Carl and Rory spared a glance at their sister when her name was mentioned.

"Rick and the rest walked out. With a lot of your guns... listen, we don't know where you all are... but this isn't a big place. So let's just stop this now before things get more painful than they need to be."

Rory startled as the doorknob began moving, luckily Carl had locked the door earlier. Out of the corner of her eye, Rory saw Rosita aiming her rifle at the door slowly.

"Look, you're behind one of these two doors and we have more than enough firepower to take down both." Gareth announced. "Can't imagine that's what you all want... how about the priest? Father, you help us wrap this up, we'll let you walk away from this."

Gabriel shrunk under the weight of Rory's glare. "Just open the door and you can go. You can take the baby with you. What do you say?"

Rory and Carl both panicked as Judith let out a cry. They had to have heard that. Carl quickly shushed the baby, looking up to Rory in a fright. The girl only stood closer to Tyne door, gun held tighter. They would have to kill her to get to Judith.

"It's your last chance right now to tell us you're coming out." Everyone in the room stayed silent. Rory strained her ears and heard two thumps outside the door.

"Put your guns on the floor." Rory relaxed completely. Rick was back.

"Rick, we'll fire right into that office. So lower your gun..." there was another gunshot as Gareth threatened Rick.

"Put your guns on the floor and kneel." Rory walked slowly to the door and reached for the key.

"Hey, don't." Rosita warned the girl, standing up and approaching her slowly.

"You can't stop me. You're not my mom." With that, Rory slowly unlocked the door and pushed it open a crack, just enough so she could see what was happening. She looked out to see Rick standing above Gareth, two bodies near the door.

"No point in begging, right?" Gareth breathed out, clutching a bloody hand.

"No." Rick snarled.

"Still, you could have killed us when you came in. There had to be a reason for that."

"We didn't wanna waste thhe bullets." Rick shrugged.

"We used to help people." Gareth stressed. "We saved people. Things changed. They came in and... after that... I know that you've been out there, but I can see it. You don't know what it is to be hungry. You don't have to do this. We can walk alway. And we will never cross paths again. I promise you."

"But you'll cross someone's path." Rick spoke, tilting his head to the side. "You'd do this to anyone, right? Besides..." Rick trailed off, gripping his machete out of his belt. "I already made you a promise."

Rory had seen death before. More times than she could count. But it didn't exactly make it easier. She stumbled back a little, only to bump into Tyreeses chest, the man looking like he was going to cry. Rory took one last glance to Carl and Judith before slowly waking out of the room, catching Ricks eye. He looked shocked for a moment, staring at the girl before he let out a deep breath, motioning to the body that was now on the floor.

"It could have been us."

Rory nodded before swallowing harshly, gripping her knife and going round to the scattered bodies on the floor, making sure they would stay down.

"This is the Lords house." Gabriel whimpered.

"No." Maggie denied. "It's just four walls and a roof."

•••

After Bob had been buried, the group stood outside, saying goodbye to those heading to Washington.

"This is out route to DC." Abraham told Rick as he handed him a map. Rory watched from beside Carl. "We'll stick to it as long as were able. If not, well, you got our destination. Once Eugene gets to the big brains left up there, things are gonna bounce back. This group should be there for it. You should be there for it."

"They will be." Maggie reassured.

"We will." Rick nodded, looking to Glenn and Maggie.

"Let's go." Rory watched with a frown as Glenn and Maggie made their way over to her. Glenn doing their handshake before bringing her in for a hug, Maggie cuddling the girl after.

"We'll catch up with you." Rory stated. "We will." The couple smiled at the girl, Maggie ruffling her hair as they got on the bus. Not long after, they were gone.

•••

Rory was calving shapes on the wooden railings of the steps in the dark as she sat beside Michonne outside. The woman had followed her as she sat outside, waiting for Daryl and Carol to show back up. Michonne looked up as Gabriel stepped out.

"Can't sleep." Rory ignored as the man sat down by the two. "And now, sitting in there... quiet. It isn't just what happened last night. Saying what happened before... out loud... I see it all again. I hear them."

"Yeah." Michonne spoke softly.

"That won't stop." Ivory mumbled, Gabriel and Michonne turning to her. "You'll never stop hearing their screams... seeing the faces of those you killed... it dosent go away." Rory stopped her graffitiing as she heard something in the trees, her head shot up eyes squinting. She made a promise to herself there and then to eat more carrots. There was more rustling and Rory shot up, Michonne right behind her as Gabriel backed up to the doors, going inside.

Michonne got out her sword as Rory held her knives, both walking to the tree line. Rory tensing as the rustling grew louder, the bushes moved and Daryl walked out, both girls relaxing a little.

"You're back." Rory breathed out, darting to the man who wrapped an arm around the child.

"Where's Carol?" Michonne asked. Rory looked up to the man as he looked to the side before speaking up.

"Come on out."

•••
hello, hello, helloooooooo
I got my nose pierced the other day, I'm surprised it didn't really hurt...

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