No Rest For the Wicked ~ A Walking Dead Fan Fiction

Chapter 51 The Song Remains the Same

Chapter 51

The Song Remains the Same

First Person~ Kate

I was pacing the bridge I'd barricaded with Axel when Andrea stepped out. I slowly stopped and turned to face her, waiting for her to say whatever she'd come to say.

"You can't want a war."

I'd been expecting something along those lines.

"You can't expect us to not to fight back. And don't say there doesn't have to be a fight because he'll come. No matter what he's telling you, he'll come." Neither of us closed the distance of half the bridge that was between us just as neither of us broke eye contact. Her face was soft and pleading, mine hard and unwavering.

"This isn't you. I know you're not one to back out of a fight, none of you could be and have made it this far. But you can't want this. You know you'll never win, right?"

"We make our own odds."

"See, you haven't changed. And one of the last things you did before I got separated was defend Randal, because you wanted to give him a chance." My face clouded over and her expression wavered, wondering why this was the wrong thing to say.

"I'm not giving him another chance." 'He' blurred in my mind and served to encompass both the Governor and Justin.

"Kate please-"

"No!" I shouted, now closing the distance between us to stand face to face with her. "He got his chance! When he could have chosen to let me go! To not hit me again! To not take my shirt off!" I was practically spitting and she shrunk back in horror.

"I- I didn't..."

"That's when he found this." I leaned back out of her personal space, my tone eerily calm after the shouting. I pulled the bottom of my shirt up to reveal the fresh scar on my torso.

"Oh my God, what happened?" She gasped.

"That's where I got stabbed, giving someone else a second chance they didn't deserve." I said coolly, pulling my shirt back down and raising my chin to stare defiantly. She stared back for a minute without saying anything before speaking.

"But you survived."

"Clearly. Unless we're in hell now." I said dryly.

"It means something- that you survived."

"Andrea, I don't believe in signs." I said bluntly, never really having taken her for the greater forces type either.

"You could have died." She reiterated. "You didn't. But you will die if you don't talk Rick out of this. So will he and Elsie and Daryl. There are no wars without causalities. Talk to Rick. He's changed. He's become cold. But he'll listen to you. I know you put on this icy exterior but I can see you're still there. Still warm on the inside."

"Quit being so figurative."

"Just... I know he listens to you. I can see it. Just do it okay?" She begged, ignoring the cool front I was putting up now. It melted slightly as I took in the desperation in her eyes. She really, really wanted this. Something occurred to me and it slipped further as the potential of it fully dawned on me.

"Will you help us?"

"I am."

"No, I mean- the Governor. You're with him right?" I asked.

"Um well..."

"Stay with him. Make him trust you. Then you can end this. Kill him while he's asleep, this whole thing will be over before it can start." I wasn't speaking aggressively and I think it was the hope in my voice, that maybe we didn't need to fight after all, that made her actually consider this. It wasn't a blood thirsty request, it was a lifesaving one. "Save our people. Save your people. You can do it Andrea." I grasped her hand, caught up in the idea of finding peace. Did I want revenge? Despite what I'd told Rick, yes. Absolutely. But if I overlooked my inner demons screaming hungrily for it I knew what I wanted more was the survival of my group.