"People die, Rick. It's what happens. Doesn't mean the rest doesn't happen."
~Negan
Judith did not even stir when a gentle hand stroked her hair. Glenn looked down sadly at the toddler, watching her sleep peacefully. He had not seen her in months, but now as the day of reckoning drew closer he felt as if he needed to visit her. He didn't need to do any deep soul searching to know that the reason he was so apprehensive of visiting her was that it would be salt to the wound in his heart.
This was not his child. His child was dead. This was the reality. This was his reality.
He sighed, reflecting on what had happened in the two weeks since he had arrived from Negan's base.
He had found out from Abraham what happened to the Oceanside group. It panged him to know he had been the cause of their misery, but he surprisingly didn't regret his actions. He knew their numbers would be necessary and maybe even what would help them win the war.
The women were highly skilled in defense and weaponry. They had managed to salvage several guns from their home and even crafted spears to aid them. One of the women, Michelle, had been nice enough and came to teach the Alexandrians how to use spears.
Abraham had also told them how The Saviors did not even question Gregory's death and Jesus's "leadership position" like Glenn predicted. Although Simon wondered why there were was suddenly an influx of women at Hilltop. Jesus had stated they were a nomadic group who had stumbled upon them. He was such a convincing liar with his charisma and ease that Simon fell for this. All the while this happened, Sasha made sure to stay out of sight.
Michonne came back with the news of how The Kingdom's citizens were heavily training under King Ezekiel's watch. Morgan had taken up the role of teaching them how to fight with staffs or spears. Shiva had taken an instant liking to Michonne and vice versa; after she had gotten over her shock of seeing the tiger. Ezekiel had asked for Michonne's help in training the citizens in swordsmanship since The Kingdom had an abundance of swords. It was named The Kingdom for a reason.
Aaron had worked tirelessly to collect guns on top of scavenging for other supplies that would sustain Alexandria and The Saviors. Granted, Rick would sometimes go to help, but he was really the one who took it upon himself to do this.
Another person working themselves into exhaustion was Eugene. He practically lived in the warehouse that he had found in order to produce the bullets. He would only stop to take breaks and then go back to manufacturing the bullets. In total, he had created over one hundred bullets.
Finally, Gabriel and Tara had pushed themselves to their limits in training. Gabriel wanted to be as strong as he was at the outpost times ten. Tara wanted to be on the level of Rosita's skill, she had to if she was going to fight. She also wanted to right the wrong she felt she caused to Oceanside. When the thoughts of how she had betrayed their community invaded her mind, it would only direct her rage into training and fuel her strength.
Glenn recalled how at training he encouraged people to put their 110% into this. He motivated them by praising what they had been doing right and correcting them on what they could do better. Tara had asked why he wasn't being like a drill sergeant a.k.a. Abraham with them. It was because of Maggie, he responded, she was one of the first people besides Rick who had not treated him like a tool. She never insulted him and brought out the best traits within him. This inspired everyone's desire to fight even more.
He rapidly left the nursery, his thoughts overwhelming him. He walked over to his house; his bedroom a mess with papers and pens. Many nights he would stay up until dawn, planning, and note taking for the upcoming battle. He wrote like his life depended on it and in a way it did. He felt as he was running out of time; the battle had arrived and his people's survival depended on it. He continued to write and think of every variable that could prevent their victory.
He collapsed on his bed, ignoring the permanent absence on the other side. He could almost feel her presence while he stared up at the ceiling all alone. He thought about the memories he shared with her and the ones he would never be able to share. He truly did not care if he died, there was a strong chance he would not survive the battle, but he needed to kill Negan before he did.
He would make sure to tell Rick that this was non-negotiable: He would be the one to drain Negan's life before him.
He wanted his image to be burned into Negan's brain as he smashed it to bits.
Glenn reached for a paper beside the nightstand, gripping it tightly in his hand. It detailed the spot each community would meet up in. Glenn had found a small waterfall on his way back to Alexandria from Negan's base and thought this would be the perfect meetup point. Rick had agreed.
He stood up and looked at the room he and Maggie had shared for perhaps the last time before heading out.
~
Several people were gathered in the graveyard when Glenn arrived. As expected, Rick was wearing Daryl's vest as he stood in front of his tombstone. Carl stood beside him, looking down quietly at the dirt. Rick knelt beside the grave, touching the dirt as he said, "I may soon be joining you here, brother. But for now...I will fight on. Like you would want us to."
Glenn decided to not interrupt this and went to his wife's grave.
"I will never stop searching for you..." He said softly. "One day... I will find you again."
Rick approached Glenn, but seemingly took no notice of the man since he said, "I'll look after him...like you did for me and my son. I will keep the rest of your family alive. I won't fail this time." Without a glance towards Glenn, he went to Carol's grave.
"Your story will be told. As long as we're here, you will live on."
A figure moved towards Maggie's grave and laid some flowers on it. Enid whispered something as Glenn watched her.
"You should stay here with Olivia and watch the kids," He stated.
"No way. This is not just your fight. It's all of ours," She replied.
"Enid, you could die," Glenn tried reasoning with her.
She paused at this. "Well, if I die, I'll die fighting with you. And that's good enough for me."
"I won't be able to protect yo-"
"I know how to take care of myself! Plus, you'll be the one who'll need my protection if you want to get to Negan," She interrupted. Before Glenn could ask how she knew he would be the one to kill Negan, Rick spoke to the citizens.
"This is the moment we've all been waiting for. We're going to head out after I finish preparing a few things. Michonne and The Kingdom will meet up with us at the waterfall. So will Abraham, Sasha, and Hilltop. I'll discuss the remaining plans once we get there. Now is the time for you all to say your goodbyes..." He lowered his head before walking off as did others.
The remaining people stocked their weapons into the vehicles loaned to them by The Kingdom and Hilltop. They did all of this in silence, knowing this might be the last moment they would spend together in Alexandria.
~
The road ahead was as somber and foreboding as the swirling, grey clouds above. For everyone en route to the waterfall, the feelings of sorrow and agitation were overwhelming.
The worn faces of the main group displayed uncertainty, nostalgia, and grief that had plagued them the past months.
They tightly held onto the memories of the ones they lost; the only remnants of a time gone by that comforted them.
They gave into their emotions for the time being, knowing they had to be set in their goal once they reached the base.
But for now, they remembered in vivid detail of the life they once had in Alexandria, not ready to let go of their last piece of humanity.
~
With the barrel pointed up towards the sky, Rick gritted his teeth as two loud gunshots rang through the chilly air. From behind him, people stepped out and surrounded him with similar bloodthirsty expressions. At the signal of the battle call, a large truck rammed into the chain link fence and easily knocked it down onto the ground.
As several surprised Saviors ran to the flattened fence, the back of the truck opened up quickly, glowing eyes and low growling clearly audible. Before the Saviors could react, their worst nightmare lunged at them, its claws and teeth sinking into soft flesh. Rick's lips curled into a smirk at the sweet sound of the chaos.
Off in the distance, a Savior who had been traveling between outpost and base watched this army surround the factory.
Panicking, the Savior made a U-turn back towards the outpost, but a bullet to his throat prevented that. He clutched his bleeding neck, scrambling to get out of the car.
He could only look in horror and pain as a man wearing a delighted grin stood before him with a metal bat and whispered in Korean,
"There's no mercy."