[ when the prison fell, there was a time when beth was
afraid it would take her with it as well — her hopes, her
optimism, the love she had to give. she’d seen the worst
of humanity that day; worse than watching her mother
be shot only to be attacked by her five minutes later.
so many good, i n n o c e n t lives lost. ———
when would it end? ]
[ however, beth found that she could go on living. she wouldn’t
be just another dead girl, or worse — a shell of a living girl.
even during the darkest of days, she found that there were
still miracles; her eyes had just landed on one as the
sheriff materialized before her very eyes. relief washed over
her instantly. if he was here, if he was safe, then maybe
the others were, too. wouldn’t kill her to have faith in that. ]
❝——Rick? You’re alright! An’ Carl, Judith? Are they——?❞
[ don’t be silly, beth. where was that faith you were just goin’ on about? ]
Rick should have done more, he should have fought harder. Instead, he offered peace, he offered the enemy their home and for what? So he could call him a liar and decapitate the only man that stood by him, guided him when he was lost? Not a day went by where he didn’t regret his decision, where he didn’t want to go back and decide to shoot down the Governor before he could take Hershel from them. Even so, would the war have continued? Would his manipulated soldiers have gone forward and finished the job?
He continued down the road, his mind wandering towards that day, to the mistakes he had made, to the people he had lost. It’s all he ever seemed to think about these days. He followed the tracks, followed them to where the Sanctuary was said to be, in hopes that he would be able to find some kind of peace and safety again. It was unlikely, everything was taken from them in the end.
Then he heard it, the sound of someone he had known before. Soon, she was in his arms, holding on just as tightly as he held onto life.
“Beth?” It was all he managed to say, he couldn’t seem to utter anymore words. Then guilt swallowed him whole, guilt because he was the reason her father was dead.
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