MAKNAE [twd] *editing*

【120】

Once the Saviors finally left, it was a tense walk as we made it through the sewers and back to surface. Then, the journey to Hilltop. Walking through the Hilltop gates felt as though the burdens were taken off my shoulders the moment we were inside.

"You're okay," Cyndie breathes in relief, "Zoe said that the rest of you went to Alexandria after getting pinned down."

"Zoe?" I question- we'd left her with Kingdom so she could get treated.

"Kingdom is here, too," Bea explains, "Seems like Alexandria and Kingdom both got the shit end of the deal. They were attacked, too. Seems like most of them made it out, though."

"Oceanside is okay? Everyone here?" I make sure.

"We're all good. Where did you bury Heather?" 

"We put her in Alexandria before things went south there," Daniel answers.

The girls nod in acceptance, the only loss of Oceanside weighing heavy.

"They're getting camps set up so everyone can have a place to stay. Most are gonna be inside," Cyndie redirects the conversation.

"Hey, where's Maggie?" I question.

"Inside more than likely. I think she's figuring out rations," Bea points, "Or other there.. With the prisoners."

"Prisoners?" I repeat.

"Some Saviors that surrendered. Jesus brought them back and Maggie's been holding them there. Them and uh.. And Gregory."

I pull my gun off from around me, cringing in pain as I hand it to Cyndie, "Get Oceanside gathered up. We'll talk about everything."

"Where are you going?" Bea asks.

I look to Taeyang and he nods as he already understood, patting my back, "I'll tell Maggie."

I nod back, looking to the girls, "I'll be back in a few."

"Got it," Bea nods, "We'll gather ours."

Walking through Hilltop felt different than before as everyone- quite literally, was scattered around in work or conversations and plans. But, I walk straight through them all before making it to the familiar clearing. It had changed a bit as there were new graves dug for the ones lost so far, my stomach in knots at the reminder that we still had casualties.

I take Glenn's hat off before sitting down beside his spot, sighing in exhaustion after fighting all night and morning to get here. Not including more fighting that took place all day yesterday at the compound and on the road.

"Oppa, I made it back."

--

"Feels like I have the biggest weight on my shoulders," Maggie sighs, "Caring for a whole colony, being in a war, losses piling up one after another."

"Oceanside trusts me to lead them through this and we've only lost one. Feels like I'm failing already," I admit, pulling my knees to my chest.

"In a war and you've only lost one person when you were blindsided?" Maggie recalls, "I think you're selling yourself short. I wish I could say Hilltop has only lost one."

"We were doing fine and I let my guard down thinking the fight was over. If not for Carl and the Kingdom people.. Who knows how many more we would've lost there."

"Hana," Maggie sternly calls, grabbing my hand where I had it on my knee, "You can only protect so many. We are in war after all. You're doing just fine."

"I can't do 'just fine' when people are counting on me like this," I deny.

"Nobody's perfect," Maggie reminds.