Spider Monkey

Chapter Eighty - Two - The Year

(( Notes : I'm so sorry for abandoning you again! Life is hectic! Anyways - Just a reminder - A year has passed since Rick, No RJ, Judith is 5, Hedley is 18, Carl is 19. And Yeah... Enjoy :3 )) 

Hey. I know you're here. I'm still here, too. Maybe you already knew that. But it hasn't gotten any easier.

Sun keeps rising.

Days keep passing.

World keeps spinning.

Time... it just keeps moving forward.

Weeks, months, even years go by while you try to make sense of it all.

Try to find where you belong.

Try to look ahead to a better future.

But the truth is the path ahead has only grown darker. It's harder to see.

You can feel so lost, so alone, so desperate for something, anything that might show you the way. But even now, after all this time, surrounded by darkness there are still flashes of light, tiny beacons that shine out, calling to us.

It's not enough to light the way ahead, but it's enough to keep going.

Keep trying.

Keep fighting.

Keep dreaming.

So that's what I do every second of every day for you, for us.

I haven't given up, and I never will.

***

It's been a year since Rick... And the world kept going.

Alexandria, Hilltop and the Kingdom grew and adapted. Hilltop merging into the Kingdom.

More people, more food, less drama.

Negan was stuck in his cell and the war was seemingly over.

During the year, Carl and Hedley grew too. Carl took charge of some of Rick's old duties. He kept order of all the weapons being used. He also helped create the council that was in charge whether or not someone was allowed to stay in the community. Hedley also had his own station of authority. He was in charge of the gardens. Telling all about the different plants and fruits and veg to grow. He also made sure to educate his gardeners on the insects that lurk. Insects are good pollinators which mean the more insects, the more plants. So he taught how to attract the right bugs that help the gardens while also helping mother earth get back her charm. Carl and Hedley would take care of Judith. She was now five and a beautiful joy for the group. Hand in hand, the three would go around. Carl would teach her the basics of self defence - which would end with the siblings play fighting and giggling. While Hedley would teach Judith about insects and plants. She loved to walk through the gardens and pick up snails and bugs with her Uncle Hedley.

Hedley and Carl were eighteen and nineteen years old now. How time seemed to have flown by. Carl grew stubble but kept his cheeks clean shaven while Hedley would sprout dark hairs that quickly grew - stubble forming into a beard in a couple of days. Because of his scars, some of the hairs were patchy and the scar tissue would shine through no matter what. He had to be careful shaving as the scar tissue was sensitive, so he didn't really shave often.

Their relationship was still strong and the two would always be seen close to one another - usually with Judith as well.

Since Rick, Carl had struggled at first with the absence of his father but quickly did everything he could to make his dad proud. He stayed in Alexandria and helped run the place, sheriff hat on his head as he took charge.

Michonne and Daryl were very different. Michonne would be gone weeks at a time sometimes. Hedley and Carl weren't sure exactly where she'd go but she always came back with a car full of supplies and an emotionless face. She only returned to Alexandria to check on Judith, Carl and Hedley. Only spending a night or two before heading right back out.

Daryl stayed out in the woods. He made up a camp and searched for Rick's body. Searching, searching, searching.

Hedley would go out to see his dad and check in but not a lot changed in that matter. As the days went by, Hedley grew more worried about his father.

***

Hedley had Judith on his hip as he went down in search for Carl, knowing his boyfriend would be in the armoury.

Carl was writing in his book that kept all the documents on where each weapon was. He looked up when hearing Judith call his name and he smiled, rushing over to the pair, kissing each - Judith on the cheek, Hedley on the lips.

"Hey! All done in the gardens?"

"Yeah!" Judith yelled, clapping her hands, "Hedley let me eat a strawberry right from the plant! It was yummy!"

"Woah! Lucky you! I never get to eat his strawberries!" Carl pouted.

Hedley rolled his eyes, "That's because you always take more than one."

Carl gasped overdramatically, "I do not!"

Judith and Hedley laughed at that.

Hedley then gave Judith to Carl before readjusting his crossbow that was slung over his back, "I'm heading out to see Dad, tell him the news."

Carl nodded, "Will you be back tonight?"

Hedley nodded, "Might be late though."

"Okay. Stay safe."

Hedley leaned down to kiss Carl tenderly, "Wait up for me?"

Carl smirked, a faint blush appearing on his cheeks, "Okay. I love you."

"I love you too." Hedley kissed him one more time. He then kissed Judith's cheek, "See you later Alligator!"

"See you in a while Crocodile!"

With a wave from both Grimes', Hedley went out and headed to the front gate.