(Temp hiatus) Observe (the walking dead)

The claimers, again

This chapter depicts more than usual gore, and sexual assault. It will describe what happened in episode 16 of season 4, but what happened to Carl will happen to Ava instead. Please read with caution.

Ava didn't come back that night. Everyone was worried but decided none of them were in good enough shape to look for her at night, so they'd start in the morning.

Everyone was getting ready to head out, except for Roman. "I don't understand why we're going after her. She wanted to be alone, if that means she's dead then so be it."

Rick shoots a glare Roman's way as he puts his belt on, "because she's family and we love her."

"Well, you shouldn't," Roman shrugs, "if she gave a fuck about any of you, she wouldn't have left."

Rick scoffs and Michonne looks at him with her hands on her hips, mouth hanging open. "You guys had one fight and now you don't care if she lives or dies?"

Roman shrugs, finally standing up from his spot on the floor. "She made her choice."

~~

Ava hadn't slept that night, she was just sitting on a branch of the tree she had climbed, thinking. She knew she fucked up with Roman. She wasn't sure he would ever forgive her.

Ava had never snapped like that before, ever. Not after the world ended and definitely not before. But she was so stressed all the time. Ava knew she had people she could depend on but she didn't want to have to depend on them, how would they ever understand her situation?

Ava was a murderer and an orphan. Not to mention the idea of her brother still being alive floating around, the thought of him being out there somewhere stressed Ava out the most because she wasn't sure how she would ever find him.

She knew this would cause more issues than anything. Ava also knew she had to apologize, which she was dreading. She didn't know how to approach Roman about this, because she never had to do it. She had never needed to apologize to anyone for being as mean as she was to him.

The sun was rising now, which meant it was time to get back to the tracks soon. Ava wondered if they were looking for her, and her question was shortly answered when she heard Carl yelling for her.

She watched from the trees as Carl, Rick, and Michonne yelled for her while Roman followed loosely behind them with his arms crossed and jaw locked, it made her frown. But she made her bed, and she would soon have to lie in it.

They walked under her branch, not looking up at where she was, because how the hell would they know she climbed a tree. Ava hopped down, landing on her feet with a bend at her knees before brushing any debris off her behind from the tree branch.

The four whipped around, aiming at her. She put her hands up in surrender before they lowered their weapons, realizing it was her. "Where were you?" Michonne asked.

Ava looked up at the branch, "up there."

"So you saw us looking for you, and you just watched?" Roman scoffed, his arms still crossed.

Ava rubbed her arm guiltily and muttered a sorry. He scoffed again and began heading out of the woods, the rest following with Ava in the back of the line.

She couldn't tell if all of them were mad at her, but Roman's anger was definitely prominent.

Ava jogged to match up with Roman, who didn't even spare her a glance when she got beside him as they all walked. "Roman," she tried grabbing his attention, but he didn't answer.