(Temp hiatus) Observe (the walking dead)

New bonds

       Ava sits on the benches outside the prison, soaking up what sunlight she can, when a loud vehicle is heard from down the gravel road to the prison. She furrows her eyebrows in confusion before her eyes widen.

       "Maggie! Glenn!" She rushes inside the prison, thinking the governors returned for round two.

       The couple rush out to find the panicked teenager panting in the commons. She says nothing as she pulls them outside.

       "What is that?" Glenn squints, trying to get a view of what's to come down the road.

       A school bus comes into view, the couple raise their guns at it as Ava rushes to the gun Rick gave her that she had sat down beside the prison building. She rushes back over and raises it, aiming it carefully at the windshield.

       Before the bus gets too close, it stops, and Ava's breath is caught in her throat in anticipation. A figure steps out. She squints into the scope of her gun and relaxes, lowering it.

       "It's them. It's Rick and the others," Ava explains, making the couple relax as well. Rick jogs up and opens the gate to the prison that separates the building and the courtyard.

       "The governor gunned down all his people. The survivors of Woodbury are going to be staying here from now on. They had no part in it, so we'll treat them that way." Rick explains as the bus trails into the walls, parking to the side of the building against the fences.

       People start filing out, no one that Ava recognizes. She suddenly feels uncomfortable in her surroundings and walks awkwardly into the building, stepping into the common room. She's greeted by Beth and Carol with baby Judith.

       "Hey Ava. What's goin' on out there?" Beth questions the teen.

       "Um.. go look." She shrugs, not knowing how to answer that question.

       Beth hands the teen the baby before rushing out the door, Carol following.

       "Uh— guys?" She tries grabbing their attention to take the baby, but the other two girls are too far out the doors to realize. "Um... okay. Hi baby Judith." She looks down awkwardly at the baby girl.

      She bounces her softly and looks around the cell block, trying to find someone to take the baby off of her hands. Judith tugs softly at the teen's wavy brown hair as she frustratedly huffs about how she's now the only one in the prison.

       "Guess it's just you and me, little one. I'm not used to holding babies— I mean, I held my niece a few times but that was... a while ago. They moved, to Michigan. I lived in West Virginia, we were just visiting some family friends in Atlanta when it happened. Why am I talking to you? You're a baby. You don't know what I'm saying. I think it's a defense mechanism against awkwardness— still talking." Finally, someone breaks the tension between the girl and the baby, walking into the prison.

       It's Michonne, and Ava had realized the awkwardness between Michonne and small children a long time ago. "Hey Michonne," she greets.

       The woman smiles, "hey Ava. How are you?"

       "Uncomfortable. Very, very uncomfortable. I'm not good with regular people, much less babies." The girl laughs softly. She's always felt more connected to Michonne, seeing as they're both relatively new to the group. It's like some kind of newbie connection.

       Michonne laughs, "well, if it helps, you're doing great," she comforts.

       "It does help. Babies have some sort of death grip, ya know? I can't pry her little chubby fingers from my hair." Michonne laughs again, shaking her head.