Spider Monkey

Chapter One Hundred + Six - Familiar Places

Hedley woke up to somewhere familiar.

Alexandria.

More specific, the hospital of Alexandria.

The normal bright lights were turned off, letting the dozen candles that were on his bedside tables do most of the work. It created a soft glow. One Hedley loved.

He looked around, only having the strength to move his head. He saw Carl first. He was in the chair beside him. His hat was off as he curled into the seat, fast asleep. But the thing that made Hedley smile was the ring. 

The deer antler ring. 

It was sitting nicely on his left ring finger.

He then saw Daryl. He was in his own seat at the foot of the bed. His arms made a pillow for his head as he slept with his back hunched. His face was filled with worry even when sleeping, eyebrows frowning, lips down, the lines on his face a little deeper.

Hedley then turned his head to see Connie. She was sitting to his left, book in her lap, her head resting on her palm as she dug her elbow into the seat's armrest. She was awake but hadn't noticed Hedley's eyes were now open. She had stitches on her forehead, an injury from the cave collapse. But she was otherwise, unhurt. She turned the page of her book before glancing up and smiling so brightly when seeing Hedley now awake. She exclaimed with a silent joy, waving her hands in rushed signing.

'You're awake!'

Hedley reached up his hand to wave, only to see that it was wrapped in a cast. That was when he remembered Beta crushing his hand with his boot. He winced at the feeling as he moved his hand.

Connie stood up, forgetting to bookmark her pages, instead putting a hand to his forehead. It made Hedley's heart ache. He had seen mothers do that to their children more times than he could count. Michonne did it to both Judith and Carl whenever they complained of a headache or coughed - checking their temperature. Connie nodded to herself, satisfied with what she'd found before rubbing a gentle finger down the side of his face.

She signed, 'We were so worried about you. What you did was so brave.'

Slowly, Hedley signed with his good hand, 'I did what I had to.'

She smiled at him.

Stirring at the foot of the bed caught their attention and suddenly Daryl was up and on his feet, charging to collect Hedley in a hug. Hedley was sore and the movement made pain shoot through his head but he welcomed it, clinging to his father.

"You selfless boy." Daryl growled, tears in his eyes, "You saved us, Spider Monkey. You did it. You won this war. I'm so proud of you." Daryl pulled back just a little to look at his kid. His eye bruised up, nose cut at the bridge, a split lip but otherwise was smiling. "Merle would've been so fuckin' proud of you, kid."

Tears filled Hedley's eyes and he lifted up to hug his father once more. A few tears fell from both men as they shared the embrace, overwhelmed with emotion.

Connie smiled at the pair, reaching out to squeeze Daryl's shoulder.

The two pulled away and wiped their faces.

Daryl reached up to grasp Connie's hand, intertwining their fingers.

Hedley raised an eyebrow, a small smirk forming quickly.

Daryl rolled his eyes at his son, "Quit it."

Hedley raised his hands in surrender, wincing due to his broken hand moving.

Connie was suddenly there, gently putting the hand back on the bed. She signed, 'Stop moving it so much.'

Daryl stood up, "I'll get you some pain meds. I'll be right back."

"Hedley?" Carl was suddenly awake and all but pounced on Hedley, burying his head into his neck and beginning to cry. "I thought you were- I thought-"

"Hey. I'm here. I'm here." Hedley soothed, holding his boy-- fiancé! tightly using his good arm.

"I love you." Carl said quietly, lifting his head to kiss the side of Hedley's lips, "I love you. You sacrifice yourself! You saved us! Won the war! I thought you were going to tell me before you do stupidly brave things!"

"I couldn't tell you." Hedley said, "I was trapped in a cave."

Carl laughed at that, shaking his head.

Hedley kissed him. Carl kissed back, cradling Hedley's head.

That was when pain shot through his stomach and flinched back. Carl was up and started apologising but Hedley reached out to grasp Carl's hand, squeezing it. It was the hand that had the ring on and Hedley couldn't help smiling at it.

Connie reached to pull back the covers, asking permission before doing so. She then pulled the sleep shirt he was wearing up to examine the stitches that lied there.

Alpha's knife.

His memory of the fight was coming back.

Beside his belly button was a line of stitching. And luckily, none were pulled or reopened. Connie covered him back up, signing, 'Be more careful.' Before sitting back down in her seat.

Carl gently sat on his own, hand still in Hedley's as the taller boy lied back down in the bed.

Daryl came back into the room with the meds and a bottle of water but with him was Maggie. Her hair was long and on her back was a bow and arrow set. She smiled at Hedley.

"Hey there, Spider Monkey."

Hedley's toes wiggled with happiness, seeing her again.

"I knew it would be one of the Dixons that would win us this war." She said.

"Yeah." Daryl gruffed, going over to help Hedley sit back up to take his meds, "Kid's lucky he didn't get himself killed."

"But Dad, remember, nothing can kill a Dixon but a Dixon." Hedley said, smiling up at his father.

The people in the room chuckled.

Daryl rolled his eyes, "Yeah. That's true. You'll be the death of me one day, kid. Givin' me a damn heart attack."

Maggie shook her head at the two, picking up the Sheriff's hat that was dropped on the floor, putting it back on Carl's head.

Hedley swallowed the meds, taking a gulp of water before asking Maggie, "Is the war really over?"

"Yep." She answered, "The horde has been dealt with and no Whisperers alive to tell the tale."

"Lydia?"

It was Carl who answered, "She with Judith and Mom at the house."

"Is she okay?"

"She's struggled for a couple days but she's got family watching her back."

"Days?" Hedley frowned, "How long have I been asleep?"

"Four days." Daryl said, sitting down beside Connie. She reached to place a hand on his knee which made red return to his cheeks.

"Four days?!"

"Your body needed to rest." Maggie explained, "And in that time, everything has settled down and rebuilt itself."

Hedley sighed, suddenly tired even though he'd been asleep for four whole days. He lied back down and Carl covered him up with the bed sheet. He looked at Maggie, "You back for good now?"

She smiled, "Yeah. I'm back home."