𝐈'𝐋𝐋 𝐃𝐈𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐘𝐖𝐀𝐘| Beth Greene| Cyndie

xv. 𝐢 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮

Time.

It was a funny thing. You take it for granted, don't realize what it is and how fast it goes. You don't realize that there is always a time on what you do, who you have, and your life in general. The thing was, teenagers weren't suppose to have to worry about time. Their parents were suppose to live forever, to be there at their wedding, their kids birth, and every day forward until they're old. That's when you think about time, after having years together, that's when time only ever mattered.

Not when you're seventeen years old, and so suddenly and unexpectedly, your mother is gone.

Time hadn't just been about death, Austin didn't know that until he'd slipped away on the steps infront of prison. He blinked, and hours had passed. Where did he go? How did times pass that quick? He couldn't hear or remember everyone trying to get him to move, to try and get him to move, trying to help him. He didn't remember any of it. Maybe because he wasn't there, he'd just slipped away.

Mom. His mom.

The sunrise was what brought him back, all night he'd been out there. People came and went to check on him, to try their hardest to help him move. But, only Lori would have been the one to do so. The sunrise. It brought him back, because it had more meaning. He made it another day, he saw another sun rise. But, she didn't, she didn't get to. Austin blinked. his vision was still blurry. When he stood up, his legs wobbled. His back ached from how he'd leaned over the entire night, throat aching of pain.

Everyone looked over when the doors opened. It wouldn't be possible for Austin to ever look necessary bad, he took after his parents and inherited their good looks. But, that's didn't stop him from looking rough, damaged. For a second, they thought he could have been a walker. His eyes were bloody shot red, under eyes heavier then usual, his breathing was ragged, and he walked so slow. No one knew what to say as he walked in, mainly because he was looking around for just one person.

A little baby cry.

Beth had been holding her, the morning bottle coming to an end. Austin looked over, and he just gapped slightly. It took a second, multiple actually, but it sunk in. He walked closer. Beth stood up. Austin swallowed. "Can I.."

Beth was gentle as she passed him the baby, Austin holding her in his arms as he sat down. Maggie and Glenn shared a look. Austin gave her a little smile, his eyes started to water again as his voice broke. "Hey, little lady."

Carl was hesitant, but he walked closer. Beth moved out of the way, giving him the space to sit next to him. Austin looked over at him, giving his best sad smile. "Hey, little man."

Carl wrapped his arms around his waist, laying his head in Austin's shoulder as his older brother had been granted the emotions, the right to cry as he held them both. All three, without a mother. The gate creaked. "Everybody okay?"

Dad.

"Yeah, we are." Maggie looked over. Rick seeing Austin was a relief, last he'd seen he was frozen on the steps in the middle of the night, shaking in pain and from the cold.