crooked heart → the walking dead ⁵

[ 009 ] like mother, like daughter.

CROOKED HEART.

chapter nine, like mother, like daughter.
[ season nine, episode eight ]

"WHAT THE FUCK, MOM?" A voice bounces around in her mind.

Groggily, Odessa's blue eyes peel open. She squints against the light that blinds her. When her eyes adjust to the light, she can see clearly who stands around her.

Brielle, Flynn, Tara Alden, and Enid all stand around her bed, staring down at her. Koda sits at her bedside, her eye locked protectively on the Grimes woman. Carol and Henry both stand farther back, giving Odessa's family room to be near her.

"Don't cuss," Odessa mumbles to her daughter. She then looks to Tara. "What the fuck happened?"

Brielle scoffs.

"Um," Tara and Enid share a look. "Michonne and Theo are here."

Odessa sits up without hesitation. Her heart plummets. Her eyes are wide with what looks like panic and fear. They haven't seen such a look in her eyes since the day she, Brielle, and Koda showed up at the Hilltop's gates seeking asylum.

"What?"

"Yeah," Tara nods. "You kinda passed out when you saw them."

"Where are they? Why are they here?" Odessa's voice comes out frantically.

On instinct, Brielle reaches for her hand. The Alexandria situation had been hard for both of them. More so Odessa than Brielle but still, the two Grimes women need each other right now.

Odessa wraps her hand around Brielle's in response. She squeezes.

"They're here for Rosita," Tara explains. "They also brought in five strangers they thought we might take in."

"They seem decent?" Odessa looks around.

"I talked to Michonne," Tara says. "But I told them they'll have to talk to and to wait for Jesus to get back if they really wanna stay."

"I'm gonna go talk to them," Odessa starts to stand. As she does, her legs wobble.

"Woah!" Alden exclaims as everyone around her reaches out to grab her. Odessa looks at them with furrowed eyebrows.

"I'm fine, guys," she mumbles. "I'm fine."

"You sure?" Flynn speaks up. "I don't know if it's a good idea for you to be around Michone and Theo. I don't know if it's safe for you."

"It wouldn't be very wise of them to try anything," Odessa says.

"Wouldn't put it past 'em," Tara murmurs under her breath, though they can all hear her.

Beside her, Enid smirks slightly.

"Now," Odessa says. "I'm gone go talk to these strangers, try to figure out their story."

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Odessa puts on a brave face for the sake of her daughter and Flynn. And perhaps for her own sake but she wouldn't dare say it out loud.

She emerges from the infirmary trailer and makes her way towards the three faces she doesn't recognize. Her eyes scan around, searching for Michonne and Theo. Thankfully, She doesn't see them.

She approaches one of the stables where the strangers unload their belongings from the wagon.

"So, the guy who runs things here calls himself Jesus. Sound like a cult to me," the one with curly hair speaks up.