Not The Same | Nick Clark | FTWD

Part 9

"Alicia! Hannah!" I heard Travis yell from outside as I grabbed my bottle of water from the counter, heading out the door, "Come on, we're going!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming." I repeated as I made my way to Madison's car.

"Is Alicia on her way?" Travis asked, looking between me and the front door.

"Uh yeah," I shrugged, getting in the back beside Nick, "I think she was right behind me."

"Alicia, come on." Travis repeated as she finally appeared from the front of the house.

"I heard you."

"Then lets go, huh?" Travis asked, beyond impatient.

"I had to pee." Alicia shrugged, getting into the passenger seat before Travis shut her door.

I looked out the window as Travis got into his truck, large military helicopters flying overhead, "This is crazy.." I breathed.

***

Suddenly the car stopped as we got to the end of the road, Madison's attention elsewhere as I watch Travis continue to drive off.

"Patrick!" Madison yelled out the window, trying to get a mans attention, "Patrick, wait!" She continued, but the man didn't notice, "No, no, no, no." She repeated to herself as she jerked the wheel, speeding towards where the man, Patrick, had parked.

"What the hell is happening?" I asked confused, leaning forward between the front seats.

"That's Susan's husband-- he doesn't know what happened to her." Madison explained as she threw the car into park, hopping out.

"Shit." I said under my breath before getting out of the car as well, following closely behind her, despite protest from Nick.

"Patrick! Patrick!" She yelled as we finally caught up to him, Susan in full view, "Don't touch her-- that's not your wife!"

"What happened, Susan?" Patrick asked softly as she inched closer, my heart racing a thousand miles a minute as I felt helpless-- not knowing what to do in a situation like this.

My body then tensed as a gust of air flew past it, Susan's body collapsing to the ground as the now eerie sound of wind chimes filled the space around us.

I desperately tried to catch my breath as I watched Patrick sob over his wife's body, only to feel a set of hands firmly grasp onto my arms, pulling me out of my daze as military began pulling us away from the scene.

"Han- Hannah!" Nick called out as he struggled in the grip of two military men before they realized his intentions, releasing him as he came beside me, wrapping his arms around me once again.

***

"I just don't get it," I shook my head, the main window of the house in front of me as I looked out at the street overflowing with uniforms and guns, "How can this be happening?"

"I don't know, but it's real." Chris said from beside me, the spectacle catching his attention as well.

"Do you think that this is like.. the end of the world?" I asked, looking over at him.

He shrugged, his eyes still focused on the controlled madness, "I don't see why it wouldn't be."

We both turned our heads as the heavy footsteps of combat boots filled the room, Liza following behind the two soldiers as they finished their inspection and headed out the front door.

We followed closely behind, Alicia soon joining us as we stood out on the front porch-- the view looking like something straight out of a movie.. or a nightmare.

***

"So what're we supposed to do now?" I asked Madison in a hushed tone.

She let out a breath, "We wait, I guess."

"We wait?" I asked confused, this whole situation making me more and more uncomfortable as I desperately waited for an answer to everything that I was watching happen.

"Yes Hannah, we wait-- I heard talk about a fence which means it'll be secure from any of the infected-"

"You can't tell me you're only worried about the infected.." I cut her off, "Did you not see how fast they took out Mrs. Tran? What if one of us catches a cold or- or," I stopped, quieting my voice again, "What if Nick has a bad come down-- what if you can't ween him off-"

"That's not going to happen." She said lowly, talking over me.

"He told me you gave most of his pills to Griselda." I said, catching more of her attention before she sighed, "I'm doing all I can to help him, so if this goes south.. I'm not taking the blame."

_____
Shorter chapter, but in this I wanted to show some of the dynamic that Hannah and Madison have.
They're both very tough, headstrong women who have not only relied on each other through Nicks addiction, but have also butted heads.