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A loud conversation from outside snapped Grace's eyes open and she groaned, blinking her eyes to adjust the sleepiness from them.
She was in and out of it for sometime, only waking up for brief moments, still confused as to where she was and what the hell was going on. It's all been a blur of pain and discomfort.
She pushed herself up to sit against the back of the bed and examined the room around her. Barred windows. Concrete walls. Grey. A popular color here. There was a bright pink love-seat covered in daisy prints snug tight at the corner of the room.
Her forearm was now wrapped neatly in linen gauze. Then she remembered that doctor. Her brain started to puzzle things together.
Grace's mouth was so dry, it felt like she had forgotten what water tasted like. She leaned over to grab the glass of what appeared to be orange juice on the nightstand. She took a few gulps before placing it back down. With a sigh, she ran her hands through her hair.
She swung herself out of the bed and made her way over to the small mirror hanging on the wall. Empty eyes looked back at her. Her hands gripped the wooden dresser that was under the mirror, and she whispered to herself, "you're getting out of here." She began rummaging through the drawers for anything she could find to use as a weapon.
A knock on the door made her breath hitch. Grace shut the drawer and spun around.
A man peered through the door, "hey." He slowly entered the room. One hand was in his pocket and the other pointing his thumb towards the door, "Dr. Carson sent me. I've uh, got your meds."
She nodded, confused.
He seemed... oddly harmless. Maybe it was his body language or his slightly Bostonian way of speaking. She could tell he wasn't like him. Not even close.
"I'm Alden, by the way."
"Grace."
"You new here? Negan find you?" Alden asked as he took out a few bottles of pills from his pocket and put them down on the bedside table. He gazed up at her, waiting for a response.
She felt the tears well up in her eyes...once again being reminded of that night.
"You don't know what happened?"
There was a sincerity in his face which Grace hasn't seen in a long time. She quickly understood that he truly did not know who she was and why she was there. "No, I don't."
She didn't say anything and neither did he. Alden rubbed his jaw, then gestured for her to give him his arm.
"Let me see your stitches."
"Were you a doctor? Before all this?" She asked.
"Me? No," he laughed softly, "construction." Then began to unwrap the bandage. "Dr. Carson lets me help out sometimes. Teaches me a few things." His eyes met hers briefly. "You?"
