TWD- Little Heart Of Iron

56. Holding Hands.

For the first time, Blake would be the one starting the conversation. Not Elliot.

Blake knew that Elliot was close with Glenn and Maggie. So, of course, he'd be sad to see them leave. Maybe even more sad than Blake.

Blake had contemplated going to talk to him. She didn't have much else to do, anyway. The church pews, which had previously been used as beds by the group, were now being taken apart and used to board up the windows in the church. Yet another safety precaution since the group was practically split in half.

They'd even taken apart the Organ, which Gabriel wasn't very joyous about. What was once used to make beautiful music was now being used to keep walkers away, its pipes stuck into the ground outside in front of the steps.

But Blake wasn't happy for a different reason. She didn't want Daryl to go back to Atlanta. She knew he and the others had to find Beth. She wanted them too. But she didn't want to have to spend all her time worrying about Daryl all over again. It sucked.

So, Blake was stuck at the church with Michonne, Gabriel, Carl, Elliot, and Judith while the rest went to Atlanta to find or rescue Beth and Carol.

Blake had learned from Daryl that Beth was trapped in a hospital. The same hospital Noah, the new guy, came from. When Noah and Beth tried escaping together, Beth was caught. Then later, Daryl and Carol found Noah. And right after, Carol was taken to the same hospital Beth was still at. So now, Daryl, Rick, Noah, Sasha, and Tyreese were all going back to the city to find Beth and Carol. It was a complicated situation.

But they'd left hours ago. And they probably wouldn't be back for a while. Until then, all Blake could do was keep her brain occupied.

She stood up from the dusty wooden floor, dusting off her pants before scanning the room in search for Elliot. She found him sitting alone on the opposite side of the small church. It was easier to spot him now that all the pews were gone. Elliot had a solemn look on his face, one that Blake recognized all too well.

She walked a short distance to the boy and sat down on the floor next to him. "Hi," she said quietly as to not disturb the sleeping Judith.

Elliot sat up a bit, as if he was surprised to see her talking to him willingly. "Oh. Hi, Blake," he said, looking at Blake for no more than a second before looking down at his hands.

Blake hesitated for a moment, not sure how to continued. "Are...you mad at me? B'cause I feel like you are. I mean- ya got every right to be...'cause I'm always bein' rude to you. But I don't always mean to be," Blake said nervously. "M'sorry," she mumbled, looking away.

"I'm not mad," Elliot said after a few seconds. Elliot was much different now than he was all those years ago when he was in school with Blake. He wasn't so much of a bully anymore. He had his moments, but he was much more sensitive now. The end of the world can do that to you. "I only stormed off 'cause...I didn't know what else to do or say." He looked up at the girl. "You kept askin' me why I'm not mean to you anymore. It's b'cause...I dunno, there's no reason to be. You never really did anything to me that I didn't deserve."

Blake looked up at him, her eyes guilty. She still remembers the day she pushed him. The moment he fell flat on his face and almost broke his nose because of her. Did he deserve that? Hell, Blake still felt guilty for punching Carl back at the quarry.

She looked away for another moment, wanting to change the subject. "Are you okay Glenn and Maggie leavin'?" She asked.

Elliot signed, pulling one knee to his chest and resting his elbow on it. "I wasn't at first. But then Maggie talked to me. She said if they made it to DC then everything would be better again. They have to do this. Besides, we'll catch up to them soon, so it'll all be fine."