Too Far Gone // D. Dixon

chapter twenty-one

The next day had rolled around, and things seemed okay.

Maren had forced herself to be okay after Deanna's party, and in some weird way, she was. After telling Daryl the truth, she felt like she could finally start to let go of it all. She knew could never forget about it or them...but that didn't mean she couldn't try. And try she certainly would.

- TOO FAR GONE -

When Glenn, Eugene, Tara and Nicholas returned from the run, it was clear that something was wrong. Very wrong. Noah wasn't with them and neither was Aidan. 

It was clear to everyone that something had gone awry, as it usually does in this world. 

Deanna had made each person submit to another interview, trying to figure out what happened and what to do about it. Maren had a sneaking suspicion that Nicholas was one to blame, and with what Glenn had told them...she was right.

"I saw the grenades. I tried to stop him..." Glenn paused, staring off into somewhere behind Rick, Maren and Daryl, "He was gonna run, but we made him stay. Couldn't get Aiden out of there without help. All he had to do was hold the door...but he panicked."

Maren, Rick and Daryl listened as they watched Glenn. His expression was glum, it was clear he was upset, frustrated and exhausted. Losing Noah had been a shock, but learning how he had died had made them all infuriated with Nicholas.

Glenn sighed before speaking again, his voice cracking, "Noah...I had him. I had his hand. I tried...I watched him die-"

"None of that is your fault, Glenn." Maren spoke softly to Glenn, as she looked at his sullem face. Glenn's gaze look up at her, and he tried to smile back but he couldn't bring himself to. Not now, not after losing Noah.

"I almost left him out there...could have told a story," Glenn spat, making Rick look at Glenn, "What, you think I should have?"

Rick paused for a moment, contemplating his next words, "They don't know what they're doing. Any of them."

Glenn was quick to retort, "We'll show them-"

"I don't know if they can see it, how things really are. I don't know if they can yet. They haven't caught up." Rick spoke, and Maren nodded her head. It was true, the people of Alexandria did not know how the world really was out there, without the safety of these walls. It had been made abundantly clear to Rick's group that day that Aidan had brought some of them out for a 'dry' run and revealed they'd tied up walkers. This had just escalated everything to whole new level.

"We have to be here..." Glenn said, "We have to."

Rick nodded, looking Glenn in the eyes as he spoke, "Yeah, we do. But their rules, we don't answer to them."

Glenn looked at Rick, "We are them, Rick."

Rick sighed, looking down before responding again, "We are now."

There was a momentary pause before Glenn spoke again, "Noah, he believed in this place. I'm telling you, we gotta make this work."

"We will." Maren spoke, sending a quick glance to Rick and Daryl.

It was best for everyone if they could just make this work. Make Alexandria more than just another 'safe' place for a little while, it couldn't be just another pitstop along the way. This had to be home.

- TOO FAR GONE -

"I sent a casserole to Deanna's family. We want her to see that," Carol spoke to the small group on the porch, "Thought about Pete? About what I said?"