Spider Monkey

Chapter Sixty - One - Familiar Surroundings

When he made it to Hilltop, Hedley felt like crying with exhaustion and relief.

He saw Sasha at watch and waved her down. She called down to the residence and the gates opened for him. He drove in and when he saw someone he thought he'd never see again, he got off his bike, letting it drop to its side, and ran to them.

"Maggie!" He collided with her, arms around her shoulders as he started to cry.

"Spider Monkey? Oh my - Shhh. I've got you. It's okay." She soothed as they dropped to the ground in embraced.

"They- They said you were dead! They s-said you d-didn't make it!"

"Shh." She stroked his hair, "It's okay. It was a lie to throw off Negan. I'm okay."

Hedley kept crying, sinking into the first hug he got since Merle's death. He felt so disconnected by everything - including his own body. As if he was floating around with fog covering his eyes, never truly there. But now, in the arms of someone he considered family, inside familiar walls in familiar surroundings, he felt a little more like himself. He now has the time and energy to grieve. He sobbed into Maggie's neck and she held onto him tightly.

"Did Negan let you go?"

Hedley shook his head.

"Did you escape?"

Hedley nodded his head.

"Of course you did." She let out a little huff, kissing the top of his head, "Our little trouble maker. Well, not so little anymore, huh? When did you get so tall?"

Hedley giggled before gasping, pulling back as if he was burned from her touch, "T-The baby-"

"The baby is fine." She reassured, "Happy and Healthy."

He breathed a sigh of relief before the tears returned, lip wobbling as he spoke, "G-Glenn... I'm so sorry, Maggie. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry."

She pulled him back into her, letting her own tears fall as he wailed. She knew he needed to let it out so she just rocked him back and forth, voicing soothing phrases. "Shhh. It's okay. It's not your fault. It's not your fault, Hedley. Shh."

Maggie then spotted a smear of blood on her own shirt. She saw where it came from and gasped, "You're bleeding!" She took Hedley's collar and tugged it down to see the wound and gaped in horror. She covered her mouth with her fingers as she stared at the newly opened 'N' carved into the boy's chest. "Oh, Hedley. What did he do to you?"

Hedley opened his mouth to speak but all that came out was a horrific sob of emotional pain. Maggie hugged him again, this time cradling his head like a small child.

"I've got you now, Spider Monkey." She said, "And he's not going to touch you ever again. I won't let him."

After a moment, Hedley's crying calmed slightly and he sniffled, wiping the snot and tears off of his face using his sleeve. Meggie stood up, brining the teen with her. "Come on. Let's get you cleaned up. Doctor Carson will patch you up. He's the doctor here. He's nice. And will have you all better in no time."

Hedley just nodded, suddenly not able to speak. He was pulled to a building and Maggie carefully sat him down on the clinic bed.

Dr Harlan Carson came in, said his introductions and instructed Hedley to take his shirt off. Once the boy did, he inspected the wound, turning to Maggie. "A branding?"

She nodded.

"I'll stitch it up and clean it. Okay, Hedley?"

Hedley nodded, appearing calm. But when the first stitch sank in, the overwhelming emotions of what had happened hit him all at once. He started to shake, flapping his hands as he whined from the back of his throat. He squirmed, making it hard for the doctor. Maggie came forward, squeezing Hedley's hand. "You're okay. Just breath, Hedley. In. Out. In. Out. That's it. Good boy."

He concentrated on breathing, forcing his eyes shut as he stimmed by rhythmically thumping his head on the pillow.

Harlan glanced at Maggie, "Autism?"

She nodded.

"I may have something that could help. Hold this." Harlan gave her the needle before disappearing into the back room. He came back out a minute later with a pair of noise cancelling headphones. "I found these within some medical supplies a few months back. Kept them just in case. Here, Hedley. Look." Hedley opened his eyes, seeing the headphones and allowed the doctor to slide them on. Immediately, he stopped shaking, his stimming calming. He still hummed a tune and wiggled his feet, still needing to stim.

Harlan went back to stitching the wound.

Maggie smiled at him, stroking his hair, "Good. You're doing so good." She glanced up at the doctor, "He used to have a pair... back when we were in Alexandria. Negan must've taken them."

"Why would he take a boy's noise cancelling headphones?"

"Why would he do anything that he's done?"

The doc didn't have an answer. Instead, he focused on the wound in front of him. After stitching it, he cleaned it and placed a sticky bandage over top.

Maggie let go of Hedley's hand, "I'm going to get him some clean clothes-"

"No!" Hedley interrupted, reaching out to grab onto Maggie, terrified, "Stay. Stay with me. Please! No!"

"Okay. Okay, shhhh, Hedley. It's okay." She soothed, reaching for him, hugging him close. She held his hands in hers, running her thumbs over his knuckles.

"I'll go and get him some clothes." The doc said, smiling at them both before leaving.

Maggie's attention was back on the boy. He was silently crying, humming in distress.

Then she did something she hasn't done in a long time - ever since Beth died - , she began to sing.

"Come a little bit closer. Hear what I have to say,"

She took one of her hands and wiped the tears off from his scarred cheeks.

"Just like children sleepin', We could dream this night away,"

She rocked him and let him sink sleepily into her collar.

"But there's a full moon risin', Let's go dancin' in the light."

He blinked heavily before yawning, letting himself relax.

"We know where the music's playin', Let's go out and feel the night."

She laid him down onto the bed, draping a blanket over him. But she kept stroking his hair lovingly.

"Because I'm still in love with you. I wanna see you dance again. Because I'm still in love with you. On this harvest moon."

And just like that, he was asleep and she kissed his forehead and stayed by his side as he slept.

(( Notes: The song is Harvest Moon by Neil Young :3 ))