It Comes With The Name

Chapter 19: Bridge That Gap

Returning to her previous mission, Lauren set out toward the Greene house, intent on finding Maggie. Tank, once again stayed by her side as she made her way across the field. Her heart was still racing slightly with adrenaline, although she was calming down.

"Jesus," She muttered to herself as she walked, running a hand through her hair in exhaustion. "Since when did everyone else's issues become my fucking problem?"

She pulled herself together as she approached the house. Luckily enough, she found Maggie sitting on the small rocking chair on the porch. The same place she had been when they had first arrived at the farm.

She was looking at the ground below her with her knees pulled up to her chest, seemingly deep in thought. She was pulled back to reality when Tank ran up, nudging at her hand and practically begging for attention.

Maggie laughed lightly and gave him an affectionate pat. "Hey, there."

Her gaze drifted up to Lauren who made her way up the porch steps. "Hey, mind if we talk?"

Maggie looked at her for a moment, debating her answer. Eventually, she nodded. Lauren walked up, taking a seat on the porch railing across from her. It was quiet for a moment as Lauren tried to piece together how exactly she wanted to start the conversation. Damn, she probably should've thought about that before heading over there.

"So..." Lauren started. "You obviously know that I know."

She sighed. "Yeah."

"Look, I'm not here to tell you how to feel or say you need to forgive Glenn," Lauren told the young woman. "Honestly, if I were in your position I would probably be pissed that he told too. I just- I need you to know why he did it."

Maggie leaned back in the chair, crossing her arms. She looked a bit weary but seemed to be open to hearing what Lauren had to say. Taking her silence as an invitation, Lauren continued.

"You're a smart girl, you've been into town, you've seen the aftermath of the outbreak. This place," She gestured to the land around them. "This place is special, cut off from the rest of the world. You're dad thinks they're people... but he hasn't seen what we have. The things we have had to do to survive out there. People or not, those things are dangerous. I don't expect you to get it, but-"

"I get it," Maggie told her, adverting her gaze like she was admitting something she wasn't proud of. Lauren's eyebrows raised in surprise. That wasn't exactly what she had been expecting her to say.

"I get it..." She said again, softer this time. "I hadn't seen one before. I mean, I saw the news reports but never saw one up close till yesterday."

Lauren's eyebrows furrowed now. What happened yesterday? She vaguely remembered seeing Glenn and Maggie returning from their run into town. Glenn looked exhausted and Maggie looked incredibly upset. Lauren made a mental note to ask Glenn about it later but she had been so caught up trying to deal with the barn situation, she must have forgotten.

"Yesterday at the pharmacy I went to the back looking for some pills. One of those... things was back there. I didn't even see it till it came at me." Maggie explained, sensing Lauren's confusion. She had just assumed Glenn had told her already. "It would've killed me if Glenn hadn't been there."

Lauren nodded, understandingly. She couldn't even count how many times Glenn had saved her ass while they were out together, so she had no doubt he did it there too.

Maggie sucked in a breath, blinking back tears from her watery eyes. "I didn't see it before, or maybe I just didn't want to... but I do now."

Lauren stayed quiet for a moment, biting her bottom lip anxiously. "So, you know why we can't go back out there."