When The World Ends

Return Of The Dead

I hadn't left her side since she went under. Jade would wake up for a brief second or two, and every now and then, her breathing would pause and then start back up. This week, I've spent endless nights just sitting beside her holding her hand and breathing tube. As she stirred with the sun, her eyes began to flutter. Mumbles and cries erupted from her throat. Jade's hands shot up to her throat, beginning to scratch and pry at the tub beneath her skin. She had done this so much her neck was becoming raw and scarred.

"Baby, no." I shush her. Tears well in her eyes, threatening to pour. Easing her back to sleep, I make up my mind to get off my ass and help the others with chores.

I hadn't felt the sun in days, so it took a while for my eyes to adjust. Blood splattered along the wall with all of the kid's chalk pastel drawings. Michonne was hauling bodies onto a cart to later move them outside the borders. I went off on my own to hunt; getting out of the block helped me clear my mind with the breeze running through my rough, grown-out hair and scratchy beard. I'd only gotten a few squirrels throughout my hunting trip, but I started heading back when the night began to fall. Later that night, Jade woke up and returned to our cell block. We started getting her back to her feet. She took small breaks cursing under her breath about how she was a burden.

Gripping on to Hershal and Rick's arms for dear life. After thirty minutes, Rick pips up, saying he needs to tell her something. I knew what it was. He had told me two days ago. He found out that Carol was the one who burnt up the bodies in the courtyard. He sent her away because he couldn't trust her anymore. The room dulled from the laughs and cheers from how well Jade was doing. Everyone knew by now, and we had all been patiently waiting for this talk. Carol and Jade had always had a special kind of relationship. I knew it from the day Merle and I had walked into that camp. Two options were going to occur: Jade was going to go out looking for her, or Rick's ass was getting beat by a cripple.

"I know you won't be too happy with the following words that will come out of my mouth, but something had to be done," Rick states with his tail between his legs. Jade stays resting on the third step of the stairs, her brow arched. "The other day, while you guys were getting the medication to help the people here, I took Carol out looking for some too. While out, she confessed to killing Karen and David." Her expression changed; it hardened like concrete, eyes burning straight into Rick's soul. Tensing, he nervously continued, "I couldn't bring her back here. If she did it once, who knows if she'd do it again. I can't have her putting you all in danger."

"That wasn't your choice, Rick," she said sternly.

"You have a better idea?" He questioned, meeting her tone.

"Yeah, bring up with the counsel. That's why we made it in the fucking first place!" She coughed, her cheeks reddening. She stood up too fast, gripping the railing. "Not much you can do about it now, though, is there? You just left her out there alone? To die!" She scoffed, turning and hobbling back up the stairs to her cell, Rick marching afterward, not done with the conversation. They all went to their respective cells; it was my turn to watch.

*Jade's POV*

"You can't just throw her away like that, Rick! She's been with us for the last year and a half Rick. What if that was Daryl? What if that was me? Huh, what if I had killed them, Rick?" I throw out options at him. You can't just throw someone away like that, not after going through so much with them.

"That's different.." He trails off. Looking down, then back up to my eyes.

"No, it's no different! You've known both of them the same amount of time-"

"I mean, it'd be different if it was you!" Rick shouts, turning over his shoulder. "I would have put more thinking in if it was you! I can't lose you. If I lose you, I lose myself, Jade." He speaks above just a whisper.

"What are you getting at here, Rick?" I question him. He isn't gonna sweet talk his way out of this.

"Jade, I've known you for the last 8 years, since I worked on your case. If you had killed those people, it would have taken more thought than with Carol. I've connected with you more than I ever did with her. So it is different!"

"You're just saying shit, Rick." I spit at him and roll my eyes. What he does next takes me by surprise. My back presses against the cold cell wall and my hands are pinned at my shoulders. His nose brushes mine, my body betraying me by a feeling of butterflies in my gut. His hot breath spreads over my face.

"Don't tell me what is and isn't bullshit. You know as much as I do, you can read into my facial expressions and tell me a lie from the god damn truth." He wasn't wrong. He had taught me for years about it, but that doesn't justify that he was in the wrong for not having a council meeting about it.

"You still should have had a meeting." I pushed against him, showing him I wasn't afraid. His lips hovered just over mine, pausing, conflicted with whether he should make a move or not. What if he did take it? What would I do? Would I kiss him back? Or would I freeze? Daryl, I can't do that to him. I just got on to good terms with him. Steps from down the hall make Rick pull away, letting my hands fall where they may.

"I'm sorry you don't like my decision, but it's the best I could do with the select amount of time I had. I am sorry." Finally, turning and drawing back my sheets from my cell door. Shaking my head, I change out of my pants and into shorts and a tank top. If today was this hot, tomorrow would be ten times worse. I need out of here for a few hours. After my morning check-up, I'll see if I can go with Hershel and Michonne to burn the bodies.

Laying down, my body relaxed against the cool fabric of my sheets. It was a no blanket type of night; hanging one leg off the side, I turned over, ready to fall asleep. Instead, a slight rustle and shadow appearing on the wall woke me.

I knew he had come to check up on me, his shift was probably over, and it was someone else's turn. Climbing in over the top of me gently, he lays down, bringing my head into his chest, his warmth only making mine worse.

"Hmm?" I groan out.

"Nothing just missed having you close, is all." His southern voice says. I hum again in response but quickly drift off into a well-deserved slumber.

When I wake in the morning, I am by myself. I don't know precisely when Daryl left throughout the night, but I remember him unsuccessfully trying not to wake me. I haul my ass up out of bed, throwing my hair into a messy bun with my worn-out hair tie. I quickly but carefully made my way down to the Doc himself.

After a routine check-up of profoundly breathing in and out as I did as a kid, Hershal said I was fine but shouldn't push myself.

"So, does this mean I can go with you to burn bodies in a bit?" I jumped like a little kid. He gave me a death stare. "Oh, come on, I'm aching to stretch my legs. Plus, you guys loaded them a few days ago. All I have to do is help take them out." I fact-checked him. Groaning, knowing he won't win, he gives in. Then after eating lunch and doing a quick round of chores and "I'll see you in a bit," we head out, down our rock drive, and head away from our camp to the first trail.

We park in a clearing, keeping our eyes out for any new walkers we might have to kill. We drag the bodies into a pile while cracking jokes about how we all had "something better to do," we drag the bodies into a bank. After about two bodies, I had to take a break for my lungs. I could tell this would be a bitch getting back into shape.

"Better hurry up. Tigger over here is out doing you." Michonne says as Hershal adds another body to the pile.

"Yeah, losing a leg compared to a lung isn't the same." I laugh, grabbing one of the last ones, geeks. Sitting down on the hitch, I catch my breath. Hershal and Michonne make another joke about me while pouring gasoline over the bodies.

"What are you doing once we get back?" She asks me.

"Taking a shower!" We all snort, knowing damn well we all needed one. After lighting the torch, Hershal drops it on our pile of work and begins hobbly towards me. A crack sounds out, and a cold barrel is put against my head before I have time to stand.

"Well, I haven't seen your pretty face in a while." A sinister voice speaks out.