Chapter 027

      Rick Grimes seemed to have lost his mind.

      The introduction between our leader and the newcomers Tyreese, Sasha, Allen and Ben seemed to have gone well at first. Tyreese gave honest answers to the questions that Ricked asked, while Rick had been honest about his whereabouts and the possibly retaliation of Woodbury. It was going great — calm, collected and full of small talk. It seemed as if Rick was considering the thought of adding them to our family, but one look up at the catwalk above the common area had him yelling and questioning why she was there.

      T-Dog and Axel had been quick to rush Tyreese and his people out, apologizing for Rick's sudden outburst. As they were sent on their way, Rick had gone back into the tombs unhinged. Nobody spoke as we tried to figure out what Rick saw, our minds racking with unanswered questions. Glenn and Maggie had come back and it was a happy reunion, despite my anxiety running wild with the thought of Daryl and Merle.

      Glenn had been beaten to a pulp, black and blue bruises covering his face, arms, chest, all of him. Hershel claimed he had a few broken ribs, Vanessa confirming the injury as she puts her studies to use. Glenn is angry, angry at Merle, angry at the situation and pissed off at the Governor. Maggie had hid away after reuniting with her sister and father, sheltering herself from knowing eyes.

      She had came back wearing Glenn's shirt, while he wore an oversized sweatshirt. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know the possibility of what had happened to the young woman — Vanessa having confirmed my thoughts when she herself stated she saw this Governor guy do some unhinged shit. Lifting my gaze from the concrete floor of the prison, I look up as Michonne walks toward me as she places her katana back in its sheath.

      "I want to say thank you," Michonne says softly as she stares at me with kind eyes. She doesn't seem like the hard-ass we had met outside the gates, the lone wolf that was ready to strike at one wrong move. "You were kind to me when I got here. Beth too. So I just wanted to say that I appreciate your kindness."

      "It's nothing, really," I reply, forcing the words to emerge from my throat. I don't know if Michonne understands American-Sign language and frankly, I'm just not in the mood to fully use my hands to talk to someone else. "I'm sorry about how Rick was and is. He's been through a lot, lost his wife about a week ago during childbirth."

      "Did she have twins?" Michonne asks as she moves to stand next to me, leaning against the wall with ease. I watch as she folds her arms, her eyes drifting from Thalia and Judith, who were being held by Beth and Hershel. "I noticed there are two babies here and you don't look like you've given birth. None of you guys do."

      "No, the little one in Hershel's arms is hers. Her name is Judith," I inform, pointing toward the newborn that is being cradled by the much older man. He seems to be talking to the baby as Judith looks up at him with curiosity. "The one Beth is holding is mine. Her name is Thalia. We lost two people that day; Lori and Carol, Sophia's biological mother."

      "I thought you were Sophia's mother?"

      "I am," I state as I turn to look away from Michonne, scanning the room until I find my eldest daughter. She is sitting at a table with Carl, the two in the middle of a card game to try and keep themselves busy. "It's a long story. But Carol basically gave her to me because she had been weak and didn't like how I taught Sophia to survive during our time missing."

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     "Now you said you found Tyreese's group here?

      Glenn's voice had broke through the silence after drawing a makeshift map of the prison in dirt and dust. He points at a spot with a stick, his eyes locking with Carl who simply nods with a muttered yeah. The sun had set and rose once more, leaving us to figure out what we're suppose to be doing next — fixing the prison or waiting for the Governor to bring his men here. "We secured this." Glenn states as he looks down at the map he created.

      "He thought he came through here," T-Dog informs as he points to another spot of the drawn map. His fingers tapping against the floor as he had crouched down, his eyes locked with Glenn's. I watch as Glenn huffs a bit, crossing his arms as he stands up to his full height. "That means there's another breach, that the entire front of the prison is unsecured."

      "If walkers just strolled in, it's going to be cake for a group of armed men." Glenn states as he rubs his face to try and rid himself of the stress. He seems to have stepped up to be the leader while Rick is off chasing ghost. Cradling Thalia in my arms, I couldn't help but to hold her closer if it is even possible. I don't even want to think about the prison's front end being unsecured, leaving it open for anything or anyone to venture in.

      "Why are we even so sure he's going to attack? Maybe you scared him off." Beth questions as she lightly bounces Judith in her arms. Almost feeling sorry for how naive Beth can be, I mentally scold her as I look back toward the others.  "He had a fish tank full of heads." Glenn claps back, disgust filling his face at the mere thought of heads being in a fish tank. I scrunch my face up at the thought, noticing that Michonne has nodded in agreement.

      "Walkers and humans. Trophies. He's coming." Michonne cuts in as she backs up the Korean man. Fighting back a gag at how much that could smell, I look toward Glenn, his eyes locking with mine before he looks toward Maggie. I could tell the two had reached a tough spot in their relationship, Maggie unsure of how to continue with what she has been through and Glenn being angry at himself and the world that he couldn't stop it from happening. "We should hit him now." Glenn urges as he looks at all of us, determined to end it all.

      "What?"      "Have you lost your damn mind, Glenn?"

      Beth's and my words had clashed together as we stood there, our eyes wide at the words that had left Glenn Rhee's mouth. The man who struggled to kill walkers and voice his own thoughts and opinions at the Quarry, was offering to end a human's life today. The man who struggled to tell Maggie Greene that he loved her, who struggled to tell the group about the walkers in the barn — is now collapsing in his own thoughts and guilt, offering to end someone's life. His humanity is struggling to stay intact as he struggles to find peace with what Merle and the Governor did to him and Maggie.

      "He won't be expecting it. We'll sneak back in and out a bullet in his head." Glenn states which causes all of us to share uneased looks with one another. This is not the Glenn Rhee we all knew and loved, this is someone completely different. "We're not assassins." Maggie says, her words soft compared to the venom that settled within Glenn's.

      "You know where his apartment is. You and I could end this tonight," Glenn urges as he points toward Michonne. Feeling unease by the anger radiating off of the normally kind man, I share a look with Maggie who looks equally as baffled. "I'll do it myself."

"He didn't know you were coming the last time and look what happened," Hershel informs as he looks toward the man he considers a son. We were all family here, we all want to look out for each other but do we really need to stoop so low that our humanity is at risk? "Daryl was captured, you and Maggie were almost executed."

"You can't stop me." "Rick would never allow this."

"Do you really think he's an any position to make that choice?" Glenn snaps as he flings his arm in the direction of the tombs. Flinching at that action, I take a step back as I eye the man. Glenn looks at me his eyes softening at my reaction, mumbling a quick sorry before he looks back toward Hershel. "Think this through clearly," The Christian man begs as he stares at Glenn. "Carol lost her life here. Lori, too. The men that were here. It isn't worth anymore killing."

"What are we waiting for?" Beth questions as she balances Judith in her arms, having took her from Carl for a feeding. She rocks the baby gently, her eyes glancing between Hershel and Glenn. "If he's really on his way. We should have been out of here by now."

"And go where?" I ask, tilting my head to look toward the eighteen year old. She looks up at me, questioning the very question she asked. I look back toward Glenn as he nods at my own question. "We've lived on the road all winter." Hershel chimes in, causing me to shift uncomfortably.

"Back when you had two legs," Glenn states as he motions toward the missing leg, his eyes glancing toward the crutches. I couldn't help but agree with the Korean man. "And we didn't have two babies crying for walkers every four hours."

"We can't stay here." "We can't run."

"So let's defend this place, make a stand, show this 'Governor' that his dick isn't the size he thinks it is," I suggest as I look at each and every person within my group, my family — Michomne and Vanessa included. Looking toward Carl, I nod in his direction before looking toward Glenn. "Carl, take Glenn down to the tombs where you found Tyreese and his people. We need to figure out where the breach is so we can fix it. Sophia, you and Maggie take watch. Run in here if you see or hear anything. T-Dog, walk the courtyard and take out the walkers along the fence. Michonne, go with him, your sword will do wonders. Nessa, stay here with Beth to help with the Judith and Thalia."

"What are you going to do?" Beth asks as she continues to cradle Judith, her blue eyes glancing at everyone before landing on me. I take a deep breath, the anxiety eating away at me as I think of our pending situation. Looking around the cell block, I notice that Rick was still missing — still within the tombs chasing ghost of his past. "I'm going to find Rick," I reply as I look away from Beth and toward the others. "Someone needs to get his head back on straight and right now I'm pissed off, so that should do the trick."

"Maybe let someone else do it so you don't hurt him?" "No. He left my husband with his homicidal brother. He needs to hear what I have to say."

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"Do you miss your brother ever?"

My voice carried through the thickness of the courtyard, Axel and I standing close to the cell block while the others did what was needed of them. Thalia rested in my arms, sleeping peacefully after her most recently feeding. Tilting my head to look at the prisoner, he raises a brow at me as he seems to be thinking of a logical answer. I notice a chuckle leaving Axel as he looks down at the ground.

"Hell no," Axel admits truthfully as he looks back toward me, titling his head a bit as I am shorter than him. Smiling at his response, a chuckle leaving my own lips, I continue to listen to him. "He had a real money problem. Drug problem too, which resulted in the money problem. One time, this stupid son of a bitch —"

Time seems to slow down as Axel's words come to a stop, a bullet embedding itself into the base of his skull. A scream pulls from my throat as I watch the man fall, clutching Thalia closer to me if possible. Bullets begin to bounce off the ground around me, causing me to duck behind Axel's body. Using him as a human shields, I keep my back toward him while curling around Thalia's body.

I can feel her wails as she squirms in my arms from my own scream and the loudness of what the bullets bring. Holding her close, I begin to look around in an attempt to find some way out of this mess. I notice that Maggie and Beth are by a cinder road block, rifles in their hands as they shoot in the direction the bullets are coming from. Holding Thalia close, I peer over Axel's bullet hole covered body to see where the shooter or shooters were.

Not seeing where they were, I suck in a deep breath as I push myself to my feet, shielding Thalia with ease. I run, not knowing what else to do but to protect my daughter. Rushing toward the door of the cell block, I flinch at each bullet that hit the ground around me. Suddenly, as if time stood still once more, I felt a blinding pain in my right side.

A scream pulls from the back of my throat, as I force my body to twist as I fell to the ground. Cradling Thalia, protecting her from the fall itself, I feel my body thudding and skidding across the concrete — no doubt causing scrapes and cuts to form along my left arm. Hissing in pain, I lift my head to look down at my right side, seeing that a bullet had torn through my shirt, embedding itself on my side with ease. There is no exit wound, letting me know that this pain will be nothing compared to what I will feel if we make it out of this.

Allowing my right hand to apply pressure to the wound, I could feel the tears brimming my eyes. Hot pain shoots through my body with each movement I force myself to do. Ignoring my own issues, I look down at Thalia, scanning each inch of her body for any injuries. She is only caked in my blood and possibly even Axel's, which allows me to feel a little comforted.

I can feel myself growing tired, my body feeling as if it's close to giving out, causing me to roll toward Thalia a bit. Forcing myself to shield her body even more, I allow my hand to fall from my wound as I cradle my daughter. "Mommy's okay, sweet girl," I coo, my voice breaking as I fight back the sobs. Patting her bottom to calm her down, while also trying to keep me awake, I press a kiss to her forehead. "Mommy's okay, you're okay."

Suddenly I'm pulled back, causing a scream to escape my throat as I quickly push the person away from me. Tilting my head to look to see who it was, my body instantly relaxes at the sight of Maggie. "Beth, take Thalia," Maggie orders as she comes back toward me, pushing me to sit up as I watch Thalia being lifted off the ground by Beth. "Nessa, help me!"

Maggie grabs under my armpits as she lifts my upper body, Vanessa quickly grabbing my ankles. Groaning as pain shoots through my body ounce more, my head falls back as my body begins to grow limp. Knowing that I couldn't force myself to stay awake any longer, I allow myself to fall into a world of darkness — my head rolling to the side.

Thalia is safe. I can let go now.

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Pain.

Pain is something that I have grown use to from the moment I was born. My father, a man who was suppose to protect me from all the dangers and hurt this world had to offer, was the sole root of the trauma I had endured as a child. The abuse, the molestation, the rape — all of it has caused some sort of pain and it was all created by him. But the worst pain of all was when I had witnessed him killing my mother, the very woman who showed me that I could be loved.

And it had been because of me.

She had found out what my father had done to me and what he had forced me to do. I was pregnant and he had been the reason that I was and he forced me to get rid of it. And of course, the insurance company had billed a percentage of the cost to the house and my mother had gotten the bill. "Do you want to explain this, Katherine?" Miranda Johnson, my mother had questioned rather harshly as she stomped into my bedroom.

The bill had been in her hand, crinkled and held with such anger. At first, she didn't believe me, not realizing that my father could be that fucked up. But ultimately she knew he could be and had stormed out to confront him. "Tell me," Mom had snapped, throwing the bill at my father's chest with so much force. He had looked at her with shock before looking down at the bill. "Tell me that she isn't telling the truth! That her own father didn't rape and impregnate his daughter!"

      "Quit your yelling, you dumb bitch," He had ordered with so much rage that I should have gone back to my room. I watched as he slapped my mother across the face, causing her to fall to the floor rather quickly. "She brought that on herself. Look how tempting it is, she's got the body for it! She asked for it!"

       "She is a child! Your child!"

       That had been the last thing she said before she was beaten to death by the hands of her own husband. I had been frozen at that time, my body in shock as I witnessed each hit, each cut before her head was slammed against the counter, busting open. The blood poured from the wound, soaking the counter and cabinets, before eventually creating a pool on the floor where her body laid. She had laid there for days, the blood drying and her body going cold.

      That was the greatest pain of all.

      It wasn't the fact I had an abortion or the abuse that came and went each day, it was the fact I am to blame for my mother's death.

      Tightness.

       Cutting.

      Digging.

      A gentle touch.

      My body felt as if it was lit on fire, burning to a crisps as I felt paralyzed — unable to move. I could feel tugging, cutting, urgency in the way that could send someone into a panic. Yet, the gentle touch that seems to hold on to me, calloused and rough reminded me of him — a man who saved me from myself so long ago. But that can't be right, I must be imagining, I have to be.

      I can feel myself being pulled back into a world of pain and suffering with the sinister smile of my father flashing in front of me. His smile sickening as he stares at me with so much hatred, just pure hatred. Here I am, stuck in my own mind with a man I hated more than life itself — Samuel Johnson.

      A man I killed so long ago.

____Word Count: 3,285Completed: October 10, 2025

Okay, so this chapter is a bit jumpy and a tad bit heavy. And for that I am sorry.

Now we have a play-by-play of the one memory that haunts her more than others; her mother's death.

Any sane person would agree that Katherine is not to blame for the actions of her father (the molestation, the rape — her mother's death). None of it was her fault, no matter how much she tells herself that it is.

We also have a little snippet of her coming to during the surgery process. Who do you think is holding her hand, if she isn't actually imagining it?

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.

Lots of love,crimson rose