The C.D.C. is gone and along with it, a piece of the hope that they all clung to. Now, all they have left is each other. The group must stick together even as new challenges threaten to tear them apart. But sometimes surviving isn't worth it when th...
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Rick's the first one into the bar, followed by Glenn, and then MJ. They're ready for anything or anyone to be in there, but it's only the man that they came for. Luckily.
"Hershel." Rick calls out to him.
"Who's with you?" He asks, not bothering to turn around and face them.
"Glenn and MJ."
"Maggie and Matt send them?"
"They volunteered." Rick tells him. "They're good like that."
Rick walks over to the bar, and MJ motions for Glenn to hang back a little with her. Rick has had more time around Hershel than either of the other two.
"How many have you had?"
"Not enough." Hershel tells him.
"Let's finish this up back at home." He says as he leans forward. "Beth collapsed, is in some sort of state. Must be in shock. I think you are too."
"Matt's with her?"
"Yeah, but Beth needs you." Rick tells him.
"What could I do?" He asks. "She needs her mother. Or rather to mourn...like she should've done weeks ago. I robbed her of that. I see that now."
"You thought there was a cure. You can't blame yourself for holding out hope."
"Hope?" He looks up at Rick. "When I first saw you running across my field with your boy in your arms, I had little hope he would survive."
"But he did."
"He did." Hershel nods. "Even though we lost Otis. Your man Shane made it back and we saved your boy." MJ looks down at the mention of those two. "That was the miracle that proved to me miracles do exist. Only it was a sham, a bait and switch. I was a fool, Rick, and you people saw that. My daughters deserve better than that." He says and then pours himself another drink.
MJ tells Glenn to keep watch at the door, and he nods. She then leans against the bar near him, and Rick walks back over to them.
"So what do we do?" Glenn asks. "Just wait for him to pass out?"
"Just go." Hershel calls over his shoulder, and they all look at him. "Just go!"
"We promised Maggie and Matt we'd bring you home safe." Rick says as he starts over toward him again.
"So, what's your plan?" MJ asks as she walks forward. "Finish that bottle? Drink yourself to death and leave your girls alone?"
Hershel stands up and turns to face the two of them. "Stop telling me how to care for my family, my farm. You people are like a plague! I do the Christian thing, give you shelter, and you destroyed it all!"
