BLOODLINES [twd]

{20}

Bailey walked into the church, but there was only one other person there.

"I haven't changed my mind, Gabriel," the woman protested.

Bailey searched for someone else, but they were the only two in the building. "Sorry?"

Rosita turned around in alarm. She eyed Bailey carefully. Savior.

"Someone told me the priest was here," Bailey said. "But, I guess not."

"He stepped out for a moment.." Rosita said, careful and calm. She slid her gun under the pew's cushion before it gets taken away.

"Well.. Could I sit?"

Rosita slowly nodded once.

Bailey shuffled to the other row of seats and sat in the front row.

"Does the term 'Savior' have some kind of religious undertone?" Rosita wondered, if only to get more information out of these people.

"No.. No, it doesn't," Bailey denied, picking at her fingernails in her lap. "It's just a stupid thing he came up with.. Thinking he's holier than he is."

Considering the two women were in the middle of their own seats and there was still an aisle between them, they had to speak clear for the other to hear.

"He started it because that's how this started.. at least that's what he told me," Bailey continued. "I think it's something else now."

"You've been with him since the start?"

Bailey scoffed and slightly smiled with sarcasm. "Since the beginning of my life."

Rosita leaned forward in her seat. "You're.. Negan's.. daughter?"

Bailey is quiet for a moment.

Rosita considered pulling her gun out and shooting Bailey.

"Daughter.. Prisoner.. Same thing," Bailey decided.

Rosita's hand moved away from the gun. "Prisoner?"

Bailey looked over at Rosita and sighed.

Rosita was good at reading people. Always has been- though it got stronger the more she picked up from other people.

Rosita saw past the red lipstick and daring clothing.

Rosita saw past it because that used to be her. Sometimes, it still was.

Rosita remembered being on the road with only Abraham and Eugene. She wore sexy clothes and accessories to make herself feel confident. She recalled losing her hoop earrings because she needed a weapon when escaping Terminus with the others.

Rosita saw Bailey because they were exactly the same.

Alone. Afraid. Refusing to admit that they were afraid.

The look in Bailey's eyes made Rosita think about Denise.

Denise was killed by Dwight- mid an argument with Rosita and Daryl. Denise tried to be there for Rosita.. She forced a speaker in Rosita's ear and told her all the things she was avoiding.

Bailey was like someone held a mirror up to Rosita and forced her to look at herself properly.

"He killed the people I loved most," Bailey continued. "The old him.. And together, we killed my mother."

Bailey felt her bottom lip tremble. She wanted the priest to be here because she was on the verge of a breakdown.

She hadn't figured out if it was better that it was Rosita instead.