Casually Cruel - TWD

26. I love you.

Eliza lay in the back of the RV. Maggie had insisted on it, she said that Eliza was a sick child and needed to be prioritised. But, on that same note, Eliza had insisted that if Maggie were to get too sick, she would take the bed. She made her promise before they got in. So, Maggie sat up front leaning against Sasha.

Rick was driving, and either Abraham or Enid were with Eliza the whole time.

Eliza just didn't feel right. Her temperature was out of control, if she had a blanket on, she was too warm, no blanket, too cold. The way that the bed was wobbling because of the bumpy roads made her feel sick. Her entire body was just sore, she could barely stand up without her legs giving weigh on her.

"It's okay," Enid nodded reassuringly. If she was honest, this whole thing had a hole carving itself in her stomach. But what could she do? Eliza needed help, and she'd be damned if she didn't do anything. "We'll be there soon."

"This isn't worth it," Eliza croaked, turning her head slightly. Her bottom lip was jutting slightly. She didn't know why she wanted to cry, maybe the pain, maybe the stress, maybe the inevitable doom.

"It is," Enid said simply. Then, Abraham walked into the room. Enid gave the pair a polite smile and then left.

"How're you feeling?" Abraham asked softly, sitting down on the edge of the bed. It was moments like these when that made all of their arguments worth it.

With love, there's bad things too. That's something that just has to be accepted. Sometimes, you just want the best for someone and it comes across the wrong way. That's okay. Because Abraham knew that the moment he'd sit on the couch with Eliza after dinner, putting on a movie and scoffing the moment that she said she wasn't gonna fall asleep, knowing full well she was, was the one where Abraham felt so much joy in his heart. He'd get to stroke her hair, wrap his arm around her, cover her with a blanket. He got to be a dad again. And that's what mad everything they went through worth it. That's what mattered to him.

"I've had better days," Eliza tried to joke with a weak, sickly smile.

Abraham looked down as he let out a quiet chuckle. "Yeah. Yeah, you have."

Eliza felt tears just breaking through the corners of her eyes. She pressed them shut and then opened them once she was able to compose herself. "If- if we don't make it to the Hilltop, I just...I want you to know that I love you, and I love Rosita. And I don't know where I'd- I'd be without you. It just...it feels like something is gonna go wrong out here."

"Stop," Abraham shook his head. "You ain't dying today, Eliza. We're gonna make it, and you're gonna come out of this fit as a damn fiddle."

Eliza shook her head. "It doesn't feel like it, Abe."

"I know, angel, I know," Abraham put his palm on Eliza's forehead, stroking a curl away from her eyes. "And for the record," he leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss onto Eliza's forehead, "I love you too."

"Shit," Rick muttered from the front of the RV.

"What?" Abraham turned his head around.

"Enemy close."

"What's happening? Abe, this isn't worth it," Eliza watched as the man disappeared down the hallway, but he didn't reply to that statement.

There was an eery silence as everyone but Eliza and Maggie left the RV. Neither of them dared to speak a word. They wanted to hear what was going on outside. Honestly, Eliza just wanted to turn back around and go home. The thought of Abraham, Enid or anyone else getting hurt made her physically sick to her stomach. But they weren't just doing this for her. It was for Maggie, too, and Eliza wasn't selfish.