The Rest of your Life

Chapter 45

Rory panted as she caught her breath and took a moment to clip in her seatbelt. They only left Lamson with Sasha for a moment, and he knocked her out and ran. Rory tailed after him almost instantly, followed by Rick. The duo were now in a car speeding after the runaway man.

"There." Rory pointed to a street in the distance. Rick looked to where the girl was pointing, speeding up slightly.

"Stop." Rick spoke on the amplifier in the car as they got close to Lamson. "Stop right now... stop. I won't ask again."

Rory gripped onto the door handle as Rick accelerated and she held her breath as the man slammed into Lamson, making the man fall harshly onto the ground. Rory unbuckled her belt at the same time as Rick. The two got out of the car and approached the man.

"Help me. Help me." Lamson panted on the ground. "You crazy... you crazy son of a bitch. I think you... I think you broke my back."

"It didn't have to be like this." Rick spoke.

"He told you to stop." Rory shrugged. Rick side eyed the girl.

"I couldn't. I don't know you. But I think... I think I'm getting the idea."

"You just had to stop." Rory repeated as if the man was stupid.

"Take me back." Lamson ordered. "Take me back to the hospital. I did it for your friend."

"Not after this, no." Rick vocalised. Rory turned her head as a few walkers began approaching, Rick looking too. She looked back to Lamson as Rick pulled his gun on him.

"You'll die." Lamson rambled. "You'll all-" Rory didn't even flinch as Rick shot the man in the head.

"Shut up."

•••

When the two got back to the others, Rory ignored the whole conversation, only peeking up as Tyreese tapped her on the shoulder. The girl smiled. It was time to get their friends back.

•••

Rory stood by Daryl and Sasha who both held snipers to some police officers by Rick at the bottom of the building. The plan was that Rick was going to try and bargain with the cops to try and get Beth and Carol back. Rory couldn't stop fidgeting, Daryl huffing slightly as the girl walked around.

•••

It was strange, being back in a functioning hospital. The last time she had been in one was when her dad had taken her to visit Rick before the outbreak. Rory followed in between Rick and Daryl, the girl eager to see Beth again after such a long time. They followed the cops down the hallways until they finally came to a set of double doors.

As the doors opened, Rory grinned wide, Beth and Carol were at the end of the hallway. They walked to the middle of the hallway before stopping. Rory fidgeted with the gun in her hands.

"They haven't been harmed." Rick called out, referencing the two cops they held onto.

"Where's Lamson?" Dawn asked. Rory payed her no attention, favouring for smiling at Beth, who smiled back at the girl.

"Rotters got him."

"We saw it go down."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Dawn spoke. "He was one of the good guys... one of yours for one of mine." Rick nodded.

"All-right."

Daryl pushed a cop forward, meeting at the middle to bring Carol back, who was in a wheelchair. Rory bounced on her feet as she looked back at Beth. Rick walked the other cop forward, Dawn bringing Beth, who clung to Rick before walking to the others.

"Glad we could work things out." Dawn called out. Rory gasped as Beth approached her, the two girls holding eachother tight. Her gun was light in her hands.

"You still got it." Beth laughed quietly, twirling Rory's braid behind her ear.

"Of course I do." Rory whispered back, giving the older girl another squeeze before they broke apart. "Maggie's gonna be so excited to see you." The girl whispered, slowly following the others to the door. Rory's heart was thudding, she couldn't remember the last time she was this relieved, this happy.

"Now I just need Noah... and then you can leave."

Everyone froze. Beth and Rory were by Daryl, almost at the door as they all turned back. "That wasn't part of the deal." Rick hissed.

"Noah was my ward." Dawn told. "Beth took his place and I'm losing her, so I need him back... my officers put their lives on the line to find him. One of them died."

"No." Daryl snarled, pushing Noah back. "He ain't staying."

"He's one of mine, you have no claim on him."

"He wants to go home." Rick called out to the woman, frowning. "You have no claim on him."

"We'll then we don't have a deal."

"The deal is done." Rick snarled.

"It's okay." Noah called out. Rory fiddled with her gun.

"No. No." Rick held his arm out so the boy couldn't go past.

"I got to do it." Noah said to Rick, handing him his gun. Beth walked forward, naturally, Rory did too.

"It's not okay." Beth spoke quietly, letting go of the hold she had on Rory's hand.

"It's settled." Dawn spoke smugly. Rory glared at the woman.

"Wait!" Beth called out as she ran forward, bringing Noh into a hug.

Rory watched as Beth released the boy before approaching Dawn slowly. The girl stood right infront of the woman and Rory furrowed her brows.

"I get it now."

Rory watched as her friend stabbed Dawn with a pair of surgical scissors. She watched as the woman pulled the trigger. Rory watched as her friend fell to the floor. It was a knee-jerk reaction. Rory pulled her gun up, levelled it at the woman, and pulled the trigger. Two dead in seconds. She barely felt Rick's fingers digging into her shoulder.

Everything was at a standstill as Rory's heart leapt into her throat, eyes stinging as she breathed out a soft sob, still holding her gun up.

"No! Hold your fire." One of the cops shouted. Rory wasn't sure, she didn't care. Beth was dead. Dead. "It's over. It was just about her. Stand down."

Rory heard Daryl sniffling from behind her as she slowly approached her friends body, crouching down with soft sobs bleeding from her mouth. She payed no attention to the conversation around her, just focusing on her friend.

•••

Rory thought the worst thing was her friend dying, but she was wrong. The heartbreak she felt when Daryl carried Beth outside, when she heard Maggies wails. She never wanted to hear those sounds ever, ever again.

•••
hallooo
I just tried reading through my other book and cringed so hard and didn't read the rest- how on earth can you guys read that??

AnEWAYS please don't forget to vote and comment! <3