Dead Man Walking

lxxxix.

Rosita tossed Hunter's vest onto the bed, and he glances up for just a moment before he looks back at Carl's letter, "Now that was something else. Never thought you'd lose your shit like that again."

"That bastard killed Siddiq. Almost got my child killed."

"Our child, she's okay by the way. You just stormed out of there with that prick."

Hunter sighs, "I have been living by what they wanted for so long. But I can't do that anymore. I let Negan out. Well, I didn't but I gave Carol the keys. I didn't want any of us to lose our humanity just so we could kill this bitch. But now I wish I didn't do it so I could kill her myself."

Rosita runs her fingers through her hair, "And you trust that Negan is gonna go out there and kill the Alpha for you? You actually trusted Negan to do this? Once he gets a taste of power he's gonna turn his back on you. I can't believe you would do something so stupid."

"He cared about Carl. He had the chance to kill him but he didn't. That night of the snow storm. He ran after Judith. He didn't have to do that. But he did. He has a soft spot for kids, I've realized that," Hunter scoffs with a chuckle, "He saved Lydia that night. He saved her. And Lydia trusts him and I trust her, so I trust him, for now. He'd do anything to be set free. And we gave him a choice and he took it. And if he doesn't deliver Alpha's head, I'll kill him myself. He knows I can. He knows I will."

"You're putting a lot of faith into someone who killed our friends. The person who tormented us. The one who tortured Daryl, he–"

"I don't need you to tell me what he's done. I know what he's done," Hunter says in a soft tone. He didn't want to argue with her, "I took a risk. And if it doesn't go right, I have to live with that. And you don't have to agree with me, but I need you to not tell anyone. It'll only cause problems."

Rosita trusted him more than she trusted anyone else. She didn't like that he did this. She didn't agree with it whatsoever, but she trusted him, "Okay."

_____

Hunter stood beside Rosita as she held Coco in her arms. They were having a funeral for Siddiq. Now Hunter knew the right thing to do was to give Dante a chance to say his peace. But he didn't want that. He wasn't gonna give Dante the chance. By the end of tonight he was going to be dead.

"I remember this passage from my studies. Written by a scholar centuries ago who was trying to understand the impossible," Gabriel says, "Let me live if life is better for me and take my life is death is better for me. He had surrendered himself to fate because his world defied logic. Defied justice. We created you from it...and return you into it...and from it we will raise you a second time."

Hunter took Coco from Rosita as she added dirt to the grave. He doesn't know her relationship with Siddiq. The only thing he did know was that she cared about him. They all cared for and loved Siddiq and he was taken from them. He placed his hand on her shoulder as she sat there.

He wouldn't leave until she did. He swallowed the lump in his throat. Siddiq was a good person. And he didn't deserve this. Rosita sat there for a few minutes before storming off. Hunter let her go, she would come to him if she wanted to talk.

So he went back to his home, he got a playpen out and placed Coco in it just as Gabriel walked into his house, "I have something you should watch. At the end of the day, I trust you to make the best decision. And I will support it no matter what. I know Michonne would too."

Hunter took the video camera from Gabriel, "Thank you. You know, you've come a long way from the screaming guy in the woods. I appreciate everything you've done for us."

"It's not more than what you and Rick have done," Gabriel responds, "You guys saved me in those woods. You showed me the way. I am who I am because of you guys."