The Walking Dead: You're Beautiful - A Tara and Rosita Fanfiction

Chapter 3: In the Open

Rosita stands in the doorway, looking me straight in the eye.

"Yeah, come on in. Make yourself comfortable. Help yourself to a cookie, if you want – Eugene brought them over from Carol."

"Thanks," she remarks, tucking a loose strand of dark hair behind her ears.

Rosita sits down on the edge of the infirmary bed and beckons me over to sit with her.

"What's up?" I ask her.

"I know it's only been a couple days since you came back, and that you're upset...but I want to tell you something about Denise, if you're up to it."

"Sure, go ahead...I want to know."

"While you were gone, Daryl and I went on a supply run with her – felt like we really got to know her. She was such a nice woman, Tara. You made her so happy and you meant everything to her. The thing is, she said she loved you – she regretted not telling you, but she loved you. She was just afraid. I...I just thought you should know."

I smile softly as tears well up in my eyes. I knew Denise wanted to tell me that night, but she wasn't ready to take that step. She didn't have to say those three words to tell me, either. If actions speak louder than words, that special first night showed me I was the most loved girl in the world. Still, it felt wrong she'd never actually get to tell me; she was so determined to say it when I got back, but now it would never happen.

"That sounds like her...but what the hell was she doing on a supply run? She didn't want to leave the house, let alone the community..."

"She was on some sort of special mission, apparently. We didn't know until she came across a cooler with a can of Orange Crush in it – Daryl told me she wanted to give it to you as a going away present, but by the time she found it, you had already left..."

"Why a can of soda?"

"Daryl explained Denise said you were talking about it in your sleep..."

I laugh for a moment, but it quickly turns into crying.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." Rosita says empathetically, drawing me in to a close hug. "I'm really sorry."

She pulls me in towards her, resting her hand on my head as she held it against her shoulder. "It's okay, Tara...you can let it all out."

"I miss her so much, Rosita...she was special. She really felt like she was the right one for me after all these years."

I continue crying into her as she holds me, stroking my head gently. "We'll get through this together."

"Can you do me favor?"

"Anything."

"Can you tell me what happened? No one thinks I should hear it."

"Are you sure you want to know?"

"I'm sure. I'm tired of my head filling in the details."

"Alright," she takes a deep breath. "We were out on a supply run to Edison's Apothecary...the run I mentioned earlier. We had just left, and Daryl and I were headed down the train tracks, and Denise stepped aside to look inside some abandoned cars for supplies. We wanted to keep going, but she continued on anyway. A walker fell on top of her and we ran to help her, but she managed to take care of it by herself. Daryl was pissed...she had risked her life to get that damn soda...but she stood up for herself. She told us how much she loved you, how she wished she could've gone with you, but couldn't find the courage...then, out of nowhere, some asshole with a half-burned face and a crossbow took a shot from the woods. By the time we saw him, we were surrounded by the Saviors – they brought Eugene as a hostage. The man's name was Dwight...apparently he was aiming for Daryl but hit Denise instead. We fought our way out of there, and Eugene and Abraham ultimately came to the rescue. Turned out Daryl had had a run in with Dwight before – he could've killed him then, but didn't. Dwight stole his crossbow and motorcycle. There's nothing you could've done, Tara..."

I sit in shock with a stunned silence for several moments.

"Goddammit..." I whisper. She died trying to get me something I talked about in my sleep...it was my fault she was out there in the first place. My subconscious got her killed.