The walking dead Fanfic: The Estate

TSH Part 6

Nathan sits alone in his room staring at the radio and hears a knock causing him to glance up. Tess stares back at him from the doorway and remains quiet for a few seconds as she thinks over her words. She softly shuts the door over not wanting to anger Nate and walks cautiously up to the man a few years older than her. He pushes his back to a wall and glances her over asking.

"what is it?"

Tess stands next to the bed and Nathan motions forward with his hand and she steps closer as he motions down. She sits slowly on the bed and Nathan pushes forward giving her a shoulder rub as Tess calculates her words carefully avoiding to anger the man.

"winter is over."

Nathan slowly runs his hands on her shoulders as he remains quiet ad she takes his silence as an answer and continues.

"we have to let her go."

She flinches feeling his hand tightly squeeze her shoulder and Nathan asks.

"you think so?"

Tess goes to speak but the radio crackles behind him and a voice mumbles through the static.

"TSH?"

He removes his hand from the girl's shoulder and reaches back to the radio. Nate presses the button answering firmly.

"ya."

The voice cracks and asks.

"an update?"

Tess stares down Nathan and Nathan thinks over his words carefully as he breaks eye contact with the girl and replies into the radio.

"your girl is fine there was a small incident but as your cousin, I'm sure we can get past it."

The radio crackles more and Tess stares it over as the voice on the other end replies back.

"I see... I want to see you. I'll be there by nightfall."

Nathan tenses at the idea of seeing his cousin and replies back.

"that's not necessary we can send her on her way and-"

the radio clicks and the voice cuts him off.

"I'll see you."

Nathan places the radio on his side and Tess stares him over but when she goes to speak he hits her hard making her fall off the bed hitting the floor. She flinches in pain and he kicks her hard twice yelling.

"fucking Mason!"

Tess coughs out feeling Nathan kick her in the ribs hard with his boot and she feels her body connect back to the wood floor once resting her head trying to catch her breath again. Nathan wipes his mouth and feels his hands shake in rage as he motions up.

"don't lay there get your ass up."

She shits in pain on the floor and Nathan drags her up by her hair and she flinches as he motions to her.

"you alright?"

Tess holds her ribs but turns her heels kicking him hard. he falls to his knees and laughs to himself as Tess smiles staring over the abusive man.

"hurts doesn't it?"

Nathan stays kneeling on the floor and grips onto Tess pulling himself up. He rests his arm on her shoulder and keeps laughing to himself. Tess stays there not moving knowing what she did. Before she can say sorry she feels his hands wrap around her waist and Nate pulls her close. He presses his lips to her ear and whispers.

"your gonna regret that so, so good."

Tess thinks quickly and kisses Nathan who returns the kiss and when she pulls back he laughs as he whispers.

"cut her free and if you kick me again Tess your sister gonna be punished real good by my boys"

He taps her nose taunting her.

"you can watch too"

Tess stands there still and walks out of the room. She takes a left and comes to an area with a few kids standing around a walker. she hears her sister voice firmly instruct.

"the knee!"

A kid kicks the walker in the knee and a few others surround it as they begin stabbing it in the skull. Tess stares on and she hears her sisters voice as she watches her come into view. Her sister stands there with a baseball cap, gun, and Tess stops, fixing her eyes on the darkened skull on her sister's forearm asking.

"when, when did you get that?"

Her sister smiles to herself running her hand over it as she happily says.

"last week. Nathan said if I keep it up ill be able to run on his scouting team."

Tess eyes the kids all bashing in the walkers head and shakes her head realizing what's going on.

"no, its best you stay here lex."

Lexa stares down her older sister and crosses her arms as she states.

"you don't think I'm strong enough."

The kids continue jabbing at the walker carving it with their knife and Tess continues to think to herself as she stares over the kids and comments.

"it's all lies."

Lexa asks.

"what?"

Tess shakes her head warding off the growing pain in her ribs and takes her sister's hand.

"Promise me you won't leave here?"

Lexa tares her hands from her sister and glares her down looking over her rustled up shirt and bloody lip as she comments.

"I'm strong, unlike you. nate believes in me, why can't you?"

she walks off leaving Tess alone and hears a voice behind her.

"kids."

Tess glances back at Carter and Carter motions to the barn.

"Nate wanted to make sure you could handle Presley"

Carter motions forward and they walk towards the barn. he stops at the front and opens the door wide and walks in but stops noticing the kids are missing and eyes a guard with his throat slit.

"fuck..."

Carter runs out glancing around and tries to figure out where the woman could be when he hears something turns and is smacked in the face hard. he lays there unconscious in the dirt and Tess stares him down for a second, drops the rock she picked up and walks away from the knocked out man. She walks slowly around looking for her sister but stops hearing a voice.

"you have to leave."

Tess stops eyeing Presley with some kids who stand in front of her looking confused. Presley repeats herself whispering.

"leave."

The kids all stand still and Tess goes to walk forward but flinches feeling a hand come over her mouth and carter curses.

"Why'd you do this?"

She rams her arm back intoCarter'ss ribs and turns around pulling out her gun. Carter steps back staring her down and asks unsure.

"Tess? you would walk away from Nate?"

Tess shakes her head correcting the man.

"I'd run from that prick."

Carter keeps his hands up in defense but Tess falls to the ground hearing the gunshot from behind her and looks down eyeing her bloodied leg. when she glances up she eyes her sister with a firm expression on her face and the gun held tightly in her hands.

"you're weak."

She remains on the ground crying to herself as she feels the burn in her leg and Carter leaves her there in pain as the men drag Presley and the kids back tot he barn. he watches the doors shut firmly and eyes the dark red barn doors. Carter nods to himself and repeats the words Nathan always says to him.

"we all have jobs to do."