CONSTELLATION || GLENN RHEE [TWD]

[22]: HOLD ONTO ME

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CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO;
[ HOLD ONTO ME ]
[CONSTELLATION || GLENN RHEE]

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Athena was done crying.

She didn't have enough tears left in her to do so anymore. Her face was stained and red with evidence from everything that had just happened, and in all honesty, Athena felt completely out of it.

She handed Carl the child as she stood next to Daryl, his hand on her lower back as she shook violently. Athena was never the one who cried and showed weakness easily, but after Lori, it was like every single wall she had put up came crashing down.

She just let it all out.

Her stomach churned and heart thumped as flashes of Lori appeared; the way the woman would laugh at her corny jokes and help her emotionally with what Athena was struggling with. How the woman was always positive and always thought high of her no matter what disorders Athena shared with the woman.

And then memories of Atlas and Artemis cleared before her own eyes, and she remembered how they were torn apart to pieces. One unconscious and the other screaming for her life. How she watched blood spill from the mouths that would sing terrible karaoke, watched as the arms they decorated with bracelets and stickers were torn apart by monsters that walked the earth.

Flashes of witnessing her mother die appeared, of Atlas dying before her eyes. How every single part of her life that brought misery combined into one wave of emotion and completely crashed into her.

Athena had no tears left in her to cry anymore for herself or the people she cared for.

Instead, Athena wanted badly to take her rage out on the walkers in the tomb, but she knew better than to do so because this child, this baby girl she just delivered, was not going to die as a result of her recklessness.

Athena needed to help get her formula. She had to help keep that baby alive. For Lori.

"Let me see the baby," Herhsel called out just as Carl began to rock her back and forth in his arms.

"What we gonna feed it?" Daryl asked, walking back to her side, "Anything a baby can eat?"

Hershel didn't respond as he examined the new born child, "Good news is, she looks healthy," he looked over at them, "but she needs formula. And soon or she won't survive."

Daryl shook his head, "No, no way. Not her. Not losing anybody else. I'm going for a run."

Athena grabbed his arm, causing him to shift his gaze, "I will too."

Maggie stepped forward just as she did, "I'll back you up."

"I'll go too," Glenn added, and Athena tried her best not to look at him, still feeling the aftermath of their argument an hour ago.