VILLAINESS [TWD]

➴15

"What happened when you went in labor?" Ellie wonders.

"Oh, goodness," Maggie sighs, shaking her head at the past.

Ellie giggles and Glenn couldn't help but smile.

"My water broke at four in the morning. I thought I was just having those Braxton Hicks ones. You remember the ones Lori had?"

Ellie hums for a second before nodding in remembrance.

"So, I didn't tell anyone. I just tried to go back to sleep. Around eight or so, it kept getting more and more painful. I walked all the way to the barn to tell Daddy and- gosh, I remember it so clearly. He was gathering feed for the chickens. I told him what happened and he just dropped the big bag of food."

Ellie gasps and covers her mouth with her free hand not carrying her gun.

"Food went everywhere and he started yelling. Told me to sit down and he started running to the house. I just sat there all by myself, the contractions got more painful.. He drove the truck all the way through the fields and Annette was in the truck with him. They got me inside and we started to the hospital."

"And then I was born?"

"After a long, long day of pushing. You finally decided to come into this world at 2:13 A.M.."

"That was a long time in labor," Ellie giggles.

"Well, you're the one that didn't want to face the world."

"I still don't want to," Elle says, kicking a rock before giggling.

Maggie didn't like the pessimism of the comment. But, she loved hearing Ellie laugh. Maybe things were looking up after all. 

Hershel would be proud.

--

"Glenn tripped on a mop!" 

"Did you know that Glenn tripped on a mop?" 

"Guess what Glenn did?!"

Ellie was making sure everyone heard that Glenn had a slip up during their run.

"Come on, Ellie!" Glenn pleads, "It was supposed to be between us!"

"Hey, Tyreese!" she runs off, making Glenn sigh in defeat.

Ellie makes trips around the church, spilling all about how Glenn tripped on a mop and some boxes. She was talking to Sasha about it when Tara walked up.

"Tara saw it," Ellie points to the older woman, "Didn't Glenn trip on a mop?"

"Yeah, he did. Even uh, even ran into the door," Tara nervously chuckles.

"Y'all gotta let that man breathe," Sasha teases, "I'll make fun of him too."

Judith sputters in Sasha's arms and Sasha excuses herself, toting the infant over to Tyreese and Carl.

"Hey, um.. Ellie?" Tara asks.

"Hmm?" Ellie balances her plate in one hand to eat with the other.

"I.." Tara sighs, "I have something I need to tell you."

"What's that? Did Glenn-"

"I was at the prison."

Ellie pauses. Their prison? Home?

"With.. the Governor.."

Ellie grips her plate tighter at the mention of the man.

"Rick and Glenn already knew.. I just told Maggie.. I didn't want to hide it. I just.. I needed you to know because-"

Ellie cuts Tara off this time. She picks up the stack of carrots on her plate, throwing them in Tara's face.

Tara gasps in surprise, wiping the food off her face.

Ellie's face turns into a deep frown.

Tara was with the people that killed Hershel. Tara helped destroy their home. And two people knew and didn't say a word.

"Ellie," Glenn calls, jogging over to the mayhem.

A tear falls from Ellie's eyes.

She was hurt. Betrayed. Lied to. She felt manipulated. Lesser than. Unimportant.

She drops the plate onto the table beside her, placing hands on Glenn's chest to shove him backward.

Her ears were ringing.

All this time, someone that trusted the Governor was sleeping across from her. Tara laughed with her. They had inside jokes. They were friends. 

Glenn didn't tell her. Rick didn't tell her. 

Ellie storms into one of the back rooms, slamming the door shut behind her.

The actions gain the attention of everyone in the room who turn to look at Tara and Glenn.

"I'm so sorry," Glenn whispers, handing Tara the cloth on the table.

"No, it's.." Tara tries, face burning red from the embarrassment, "Not everyone can take information like that well."

"Tara?" Maggie asks, stepping closer, "What happened?"

"I told her," Tara reveals, "I.. I know you told me not to because she wouldn't understand but I-"

"I didn't want her to know," Maggie sighs.

"I couldn't have her not know. It would've been unfair to keep a secret like that."

Maggie frowns, taking the cloth from Tara to wipe the food off her skin.

"I'm sorry," Maggie apologizes, dusting a carrot out of Tara's hair.