Violent Delights¹︎ | D.Dixon

2.04 ➸

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CHAPTER FOUR
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          THEY HEADED TOWARD THE GREENE family farm early the next morning. Andrea had volunteered to take watch, and Leona was able to get a few hours of sleep before she was wide awake again, the worry for her nephew inhibiting her from getting any more. She knew with Rick and Lori there, Carl in the best hands imaginable, but there was still the doubt that plagued her mind. There was a part of her that regretted staying, that regretted going on that walk with Daryl, because all of it let her forget the state of her nephew; she should've been focused on him and only him. Yet there she was, miles away searching for someone else's child.

If it weren't for Daryl leading the caravan, Leona's led foot would've gotten them there ten minutes earlier. But she couldn't complain. The farm was close, and Daryl was almost as fast of a driver as she was. Almost.

When they found the farm, Leona's stomach dropped at what she saw. There was a group outside—some faces familiar, but most weren't—piling rocks up into a body-shaped mound. They were making a grave. A single tear fell down her cheek at the thought, and Andrea, who'd opted to ride with her, grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently.

"Carl's gonna be just fine, Leona." She tried to comfort her, and it worked for a little while. If anyone would've asked her only a few days prior if she would find Andrea comforting, she would've disagreed, but there was something in the certainty in her voice that made her nod in agreement, doing her best to convince herself of it.

But then she thought to T-Dog, his blood infection. Was that his grave? And then her mind wandered to Lori and the girl on the horse. Had they made it back safe? And then to Rick and Shane, who were there when Carl was shot. Had they been injured, too? Had one of them died? Leona knew with absolute certainty that both would lay down their lives for Carl, but that made it all the more likely that it was one of them in that grave.

As soon as the car was in park and turned off, Leona handed the key to Andrea before launching herself out of the car and running towards Rick and Lori who were making their way down the steps, both in seemingly perfect health.

She wrapped her brother in her arms, holding him tight, before switching to give Lori the same treatment a moment later. As she pulled back, she searched both of their faces, not seeing a trace of sorrow in them.

"He's okay?" She asked, hope swelling like a balloon in her chest.

Lori nodded. "Yeah. He'll pull through, thanks to Hershel and his people."

Leona looked over towards the front of the house. At the very base of the steps stood an older man, his hair white with age, and a young brunette girl behind him standing beside a middle-aged blonde woman. Leona thanked them all, tears starting to well up in her eyes.

"And Shane." Rick added, looking over her shoulder. Following his gaze, she was met by her brothers partner, his head shaved and with clothes that were much too big, hanging from his frame. "We'd have lost Carl if not for him."

"How'd it happen?" Leona asked after taking the time to hug T-Dog, his arm now properly stitched and bandaged.

"Hunting accident." Rick told her. "That's all—just a stupid accident."