⋆ ★ REQUIEM FOR THE ACCUSED ⋆ ★

YOU

"you, me, everything caught in the fire." - radiohead

as michonne taps on the glass, salem stirs, her eyes heavy from lack of sleep. she blinks slowly, wiping her tear-streaked cheeks with the sleeve of carl's jacket. carl gets out first, shutting the car door behind him. jack then shifts, carefully lifting salem from his lap. she clings to his sweaty shirt, barely able to stand on her own. "do you need anything?" jack asks softly, glancing down at her. salem shakes her head, still weak from her cries. "god, i'm so sorry, salem." he says, his jaw set tight with regret. as she stumbles, tripping over her own feet, jack's face softens.

"come here." he grumbles, picking her up and holding her close. he cradles her like the child he feels she is, his arms steady and strong. they walk a few steps apart from the group, their bodies intertwined. carl, walking beside michonne, occasionally glances back at them, his hands stuffed in his pockets. jack adjusts his grip, making sure salem is secure and comfortable. "it's all over now." he murmurs, trying to offer her some solace. she clings to him, leaning into his warmth. the two of them find a fragile balance, their need for care and comfort intermingling.

jack's stern exterior is softened by the protective role he takes on, and salem's vulnerability is met with his steady presence. after hours of walking, the group finally arrives at a large gate, the iron bars looming in the dim light of the late afternoon. the gate is part of a high fence surrounding what appears to be an old factory or warehouse, now repurposed into a stronghold. the trees hide the group as they stare down at the building. 

jack gently sets salem down, her legs barely holding her up as she sways slightly. she rubs her eyes, still groggy from the lack of sleep and the emotional exhaustion of the night before. her hair is a tangled mess, and she looks up at the fence with a mixture of curiosity and fatigue. jack keeps a protective hand on her shoulder, offering a steady presence as the group approaches the fence. "we all spread out, watch for a while, see what we see, and get ready. we all stay close." rick explains to the group. "you wanna stick with me?" jack asks and salem looks over at michonne who is watching her. 

"it's alright." salem mumbles, walking over to michonne. they walk for a bit, stepping over piles of leaves, more falling from the trees. "why didn't you go with jack?" she asks softly. salem doesn't respond she just watches her feet print footprints into the wet leaves. "when i told you guys about andre, carl never asked how he died." she adds. "i knew why." salem replies, almost not even speaking. salem sees michonne's face twist with shock out of the corner of her eye. "yeah, but the how is important." she stutters. "we went to a refugee camp. andre and my boyfriend mike, who was andre's father, and our friend terry. at the camp, it just got worse and worse. people were leaving. people giving up. but i didn't. i was coming back from a run." michonne explains, tearing up.

"i saw the fences were down. i heard the moans. it was over. and mike and terry, they were high when it happened. they were bit. could have stopped it. could have killed them. but i let them turn. i made it so they couldn't bite, couldn't scratch. i tied chains around their necks. i was insane. i was sick. it felt like what i deserved, dragging them around so i would always remember. i found out they kept me safe." michonne explains, tears running down her cheeks.

"they hid me. the walker's didn't see me anymore. i was just another monster. and i was. me. i was gone for a long time. but then andrea brought me back. rick and carl brought me back. you did." she says and salem looks down at her feet. "i see how you've been looking at jack. you don't have to be afraid of me or him." she says. "he used to tell me that he loved me. that i was a young kid who just needed someone." salem sniffles, her voice rough and deep from the lack of use. "i'm not a baby anymore, but i'm afraid if i tell him that he will lose it." she adds, wiping her nose.