Unbreakable threads

Chapter one hundred and Ten: Alexandria changes.

The campfire crackled in the center of Alexandria as people gathered around it, the glow casting shadows on tense faces. The Alexandrians huddled close, whispering among themselves, their expressions ranging from curious to uneasy. Among them sat members of Rick's group— Michonne, Rosita, Abraham, Carol, Eugene, Maggie, Glenn, and Carl—all watching the proceedings with a mix of quiet support and guarded apprehension.

Off to the side, Rick and Alyssa stood together. Their presence was strong, though their bruised and swollen faces, as well as their bandaged hands, told the story of recent violence. Despite the physical evidence of the fight, both of them held themselves with a steely resolve. Rick's gaze was sharp, surveying the crowd, while Alyssa stood tall and defiant, her expression hard, unyielding.

Deanna stepped forward, her voice calm but carrying the authority of someone trying to hold onto control in a community that was rapidly changing. "We're going to start," she announced, her tone measured but tense. "We're going to talk about what happened. Not the fight. Not what caused it."

Her gaze swept across the group, lingering briefly on Rick and Alyssa before continuing. "We're going to talk about our Constable and our deputy here... Rick and Alyssa Grimes."

The murmurs among the Alexandrians grew louder, but Deanna raised her hand to silence them. "We're going to talk about how Alyssa had a pistol she hadn't checked out at the armory. How she pointed it at people. And what she said."

Alyssa stood off to the side, her arms crossed, her jaw clenched. Her black eye and swollen lip didn't detract from the fire in her gaze. If anything, they added to her defiance. She wasn't backing down. Not now. Not ever.

The tension around the campfire was thick, the weight of Deanna's words still hanging in the air. The Alexandrians murmured among themselves, unsure of how to respond.

But before the conversation could spiral, Michonne stepped forward, her calm presence commanding attention.

"Being out there... being outside these walls... it can make you crazy," Michonne began, her voice steady but filled with emotion.

She glanced at Alyssa, her expression softening slightly. "Alyssa just wants her family to live. She wants all of you to live. Who she is... it's who you're gonna be. If you're lucky."

The crowd fell silent, her words striking a chord. Michonne stepped back, her gaze lingering on Alyssa for a moment before Carol stepped forward, her voice clear and firm.

"Rick and Alyssa Grimes saved my life over and over," Carol said, her tone resolute. "There's terrifying people out there, and they rescued me from them. People like me, people like us, we need  people like them." She paused, her eyes scanning the crowd, her words measured. "I know what happened yesterday was scary. When they hurt Pete. But I'm sure they're sorry for it... but maybe we should listen to what Alyssa was saying."

There was a murmur of agreement from a few in the crowd, but the tension hadn't fully dissipated.

Then Abraham stepped forward, his imposing presence and booming voice cutting through the noise.

"Simply put," Abraham started, his tone blunt but commanding, "there's a vast ocean of shit out there  that you people don't know shit about. Rick and Alyssa Grimes? Alyssa especially?" He let the words hang in the air for a moment, his gaze hardening as he looked out at the Alexandrians. "She knows every fine grain of said shit, and then some."

The fire crackled as the tension grew thicker, the Alexandrians listening intently to the voices speaking up for Rick and Alyssa.

Maggie stepped forward, her voice steady but filled with conviction as she addressed the crowd.