Secrets Untold. (Maggie x fem!reader)

Chapter 29: Pocket Watch

I hardly got any sleep last night, my mind was too occupied with the events of yesterday. All the chaos. The deaths. Our argument. It all swirled through my head as I sat alone in my cell.

I began to regret what I had said. I was wrong. I shouldn't have said those things to her. I knew what she said was right. I was scared. I was scared of my feelings. I was scared of them getting me killed. I was scared of her getting killed. My fear and denial lead me to say horrible things...and push away the person I cared about most...

I was pulled out of my thoughts from a baby crying. I slowly stood from my bed and went downstairs. I saw Beth cradling Rick's daughter, everyone who slept on the first floor around her. I walked down the stairs and into the group, Maggie keeping her distance from me.

I tapped Glenn on the shoulder.
"What's wrong?"
He turned to me and sighed.
"The babies hungry. Hershel said she won't last long if we don't get her formula."
I looked over to the baby in Beth's hands.
"Does Rick know?"
Glenn sighed.
"I'm sure he does. But after Lori...I haven't seen him around"
I nodded.
"And Carl?"
Glenn shook his head.
"He's asleep. Cried most of the night"

I felt my heart break. In one single day everything seemed to shatter into pieces. I cared about this group and I had tried to leave them..

I sighed and ran my hands through my hair.
"I'll go get some."
"What?" Glenn asked confused.
"Formula."
I began to tap my foot, nervous.
He turned to me and placed his hands on my shoulders.
"Now? Are you kidding?"
"Someone has to. The kid will die otherwise."
Glenn dropped his hands from my shoulder and sighed.
"You're not wrong but..."
"Glenn" I called.

I stared him right in the eyes and placed my hands either side of his arms.
"I wasn't here to help yesterday. I came back late. Let me make up for that by getting the formula. Everyone needs rest. They need to grieve. Rick and Carl especially." I said sternly.

He gave me an unsure look, but he knew he wouldn't win against me. I was too stubborn. We walked over to Hershel.
"Y/n said she'd go get the formula."
I heard Maggie scoff and join our conversation.
"Do you even know what kind to get?" She asked.
Glenn and I looked at each other and shook our heads.
"We were gonna ask, Hershel.." Glenn said awkwardly.
"Red cap. Powdered stuff. It only needs hot water." Hershel explained.

Glenn and I nodded and walked off to the nearby table the group used to map runs.
"You're staying Glenn, you need to take care of the group."
He sighed but nodded.
"Fine, but let me give you a rundown of where to go, you don't know the area."
I nodded and he straightened out the county map.

He took a red pen from the table and circled three nearby towns and crossed two others.
"The crossed ones are ones we've cleared. Been there, there's nothing left, avoid them, they're not worth the time and are full of walkers."
I nodded my head and leaned on the table. He was about to talk again, when a weight shifted the table. I looked up from the map and saw Maggie leaning against it.

"Maggie?" Glenn asked.
"I told dad I'd go with y/n. Make sure she gets the right stuff. You know how she can be..." She said rolling her eyes.
I stayed silent and just stared at her, my heart breaking slightly.
"Uh, okay, so.."
Glenn pointed back to the map.

"Circled area's are where you're going. I've marked three since we've found them, but, not actually explored them, so, as for whether they actually have anything useful, we don't know."
Maggie and I nodded.
"Start here. Its a small town, closest to the prison. Around fifteen/twenty minute ride from here" He said pointing to the first circle.

"Next place is a slightly bigger town, but it has a bigger supermarket. If the first town doesn't have formula, chances are, this place will."

He then pointed to the last circle and sighed.
"This place is a huge supermart. Last we checked, it had a crowd of walkers outside it, but, it's practically untouched, lot's of stuff inside. But it should be your last resort, like I said, lots of walkers there."

I nodded and studied the map.
"Worst case scenario, we have to go all three places, how long will it take?" I asked.
Glenn thought for a moment.
"Just the ride there? About and hour or two. But adding searching and killing walkers...I'd say it'd take maybe three or four."
Maggie turned to me.
"We need to be fast. The baby won't last another day without formula."
I nodded.
"I'll get a duffle from my cell."
"I'll meet you outside, we'll take my truck." Maggie said, leaving.
"I'll open the gate for the both of you." Glenn said following after Maggie.

I rushed upstairs and grabbed my empty duffle. I looked at my rifle, but decided not to take it, and ran back downstairs. I was about to run out of the door when Hershel stopped me.

"Y/n" He called.
I stopped and turned to him.
"You had a fight with Maggie yesterday, didn't you?"
My jaw dropped and I stammered for words.
"I...no...we...How can you tell?"
Hershel chuckled and pat my shoulder.
"Now, now. I'm old, I know when people have fallen out, I've seen and had my fair share of arguments."
He paused for a moment.
"Not to mention, she's had a scowl on her face since yesterday. The only person who she gets that upset about is you." He chuckled.
I looked down and averted his gaze.
"Use this time to sort things out. I know you two girls are close."
I shook my head.
"I said some...hurtful things. I don't think she'll talk to me again."

Hershel rubbed my arms and pulled me in for a hug.
"That's how life is, my dear. It hurts when I see you two fight. Y/n, you're like a daughter to me. You're part of my family. I know Maggie feels the same."
He pulled away and gave me a soft smile.
"I was scared...I didn't...I'm scared to lose everyone..."
"I know, sweet."

He stroked a stray strand of hair out of my face, then pulled a pocket watch out of his pocket. He sighed as he held it up, looking at it.
"My father gave this to me, and his father before him." He began.

"This watch has been through many generations of my family. It witnessed every moment, whether it was happy, sad, or even angry. I had many fights with my father. In fact, the very last thing I had said to him before he died was, 'I hate you'."

He held the watch gently in his hand. He then took mine and opened my palm, placing the watch into it. He clasped my hand gently.

"When he died, I regretted what I had said. There wasn't a day that went by that I didn't. I wished I could take it back and say how sorry I was. To tell him how much I loved him, despite all our fights."

He tapped the watch in my hand, then closed my palm.
"The moral of this story, y/n, is that you two will fight, you will say things you don't mean. But at the end of it all, it's because you care. So please, use this time to talk to her. I don't want you to end up regretting things like I did." He said softly.

I nodded my head and clutched the watch, looking at it. I went to give it back, but he pushed it back into my hands.
"Keep it. It's yours now. I trust you to keep both the watch and Maggie safe."
I clutched the watch and placed it into my pocket. I gave Hershel a quick hug.
"Thank you Hershel" I whispered then left.

I got into Maggie's truck and Glenn opened the main gate, letting us out of the prison.
"Stay safe! Don't die!" I heard him call.
I waved to him out the window and Maggie sped off.

Whilst we were on the road it was uncomfortably silent for a few minutes, but, unexpectedly, Maggie spoke to me.

"You took too long." She said.
"What?"
"Getting the bag"
"Oh"
I reached to the watch in my pocket and gently caressed it.
"Hershel spoke to me."
"What about?"
"Old stories. You know how old people are, with their stories.."
I saw a small smile on her face.
"He does go on doesn't he?"
I smiled softly.
"Yeah..he does."

Maggie wiped the smile off her face and went back to scowling.
"Don't go running off solo whilst we're out...I'm not losing you too..." She mumbled the last part and I couldn't hear it clearly.
"What?"
"Just focus."
I nodded.

It was silent for another few minutes, then I tried to talk to her again.
"Maggie.."
"No unnecessary chats neither. Quick and quiet, got it?" She said sternly.
I bit my lip.
"I'm sorry about.."
"We're here. Out." She interrupted, then got out the truck, slamming the door.

Making up was going to be hard, especially with her fiery and stubborn nature. But I kept what Hershel said in mind. If something happened to me...if something happened to her...I didn't want last night to be the thing we remembered each other by.

I was done being scared. I wouldn't run from my feelings anymore. I wasn't going to lose someone I cared for because I was too stupid to admit it. I was going to make it right, however long it'd take me...
I'd make sure she knew I was sorry and that I cared.