Inside These Prison Walls(TWD fanfic)

Chapter Eight

FLASBACK.....

I stare into  my mothers eyes, slowly losing their light.

"Honey, I need you to be strong."

"Mom, please-"

"No," she cuts me off. "No. You need to listen to me."

I nod and her hand clutches my cheek lovingly.

"Listen to me. I need you to be strong. I need you to be brave. You are my strong one, Christina is not. I love her, but she's not. You are. I need you to be brave. Fight whatever these things are. Fight them, protect the family. Protect your sister and anybody else you love. You protect them with your life. You fight for them, and never stop until that light leaves your eyes and it is all over. You are their hope now. You. I need you to be their fighter for the moments they can not.

"I had hoped you would get that gorgeous wedding. White dress, flowers, pretty hair, and everything. But unless things change, you won't. I know Danny's gone. I know that. You tried hiding it, but I'm your mother and I can tell when you're hurting. But be strong. One day, I hope, by some twist of fate, you will fall in love again. Some stranger, a man you never would have talked to before, run into each other by chance. I don't think this is going to change, not for a long time. People are going to get bad, evil and cruel. But I hope and pray that you will meet a man and fall crazy in love, sleep with him, kiss him, act crazy with him. Fight with him, maybe even marry him. But love him. Unconditionally.

"I want you to have kids one day. Have that little girl you've always dreamed of, name her Piper. And the boy. Have them one day, build a family. Don't be scared. No matter how bad it get's, don't be scared. Even if you end up living in a cabin in the mountains with random people, have those kids and love them. Make me proud. Be a good mother, I know you can. Everything you could have had when it was normal, try your hardest to have now when it's not.

"Taylor, my sweet, sweet, beautiful Taylor. God, I love you. I love you so much."

The tears that have been brimming in my eyes fall out. Her blue eyes, which have been pooling too, finally spill out.

"Whatever you do, don't let this ruin you. Don't stop loving, don't stop laughing, don't stop being yourself. Do not let it ruin your spirit. Don't let anything bring you down. You are too beautiful and strong for that. You can beat this, I know you can. You can survive this world. Everything I had hoped for you will come true, and you will survive. Not without your scars, but you will be fine. I know you can."

"Mom, please don't leave me. I need you." I beg her, tears streaming down my face.

"No honey, you don't. You have needed me since you were a little girl in diapers. You were born to be independent, just like your father."

"But I want you. I want you here with me."

Her one hand clutches my hand tightly, the other still on my cheek.

"You are going to want a lot of things you can't have, but still be happy. Please? For me. Be happy for me."

I can see that the fever she's had for two is taking over, and the bite will soon claim her life. We don't have much time together anymore.

"I'm going to get Christina, there's not much time left." I say, about to stand up.

"No, don't." She says, stopping me. "I don't want her to see me like this."

"Mom, she has to-"

"No, Taylor Ann, you will not bring your sister into this room."