[Finished] Living Among the Dead

31. Last Day on Earth

"I'm going to go with them to bring Maggie to hilltop, I need you to stay here."
Mason's eyes furrow, "No, no I'm not- I can't stay behind."
I rest a hand on his shoulder, "I need you to stay and take care of Hope; I'd ask Sev, but their coming too. I need you to he here for your sister."
His eyes harden, and then he glances to the baby sleeping in the playpen Judith originally slept in when we first got here; before they got her a crib. "Okay," he agrees, nodding.
"Thank you," I kiss his cheek before rushing down the stairs as Rick is leaving the house, I quickly follow after him.
"I'm coming, too."
He looks at me, "Are you sure? You just had your baby."
"Maggie was here for me while I had my baby; I'll be damned if I'm not helping protect her as she saves hers."
Rick nods, and then hands me the red duffle in his hand, "Alright." He agrees.
As we approach the RV; we meet up with Sasha, Abraham, Sev and Eugene.
Sasha asks, "Any change?"
"She's getting worse," Rick replies.
Abraham says, "Good call on the transport."
"Well, I figured she'd be more comfortable." Rick responds.
"It also means you got room for more. They're out there, so I'm gonna be there with you. We are."
"Package deal," Sasha agrees.
"Uh, what she said." Eugene mumbles.
Sev gives me a look and I shrug. Rick approaches Eugene saying, "Look, it's a long trip, and you're just getting over-"
Eugene interrupts him, "It's a superficial graze, proteins are binding, plus we need to discuss ammunition production and manufacture, so let's roll."
"I already tried," Abraham says, causually. "Give him an inch, he's taking a mile."
"I'm only asking for 23, give or take, depending on the route." Eugene responds. "I know I can be of some help. Now's the time and here's the place. Don't shine me. I'll be your anchorman. Yes, I damn will." He hops in the RV.
Sev pulls my arm before I can go in after him, "Are you serious?"
"What?" I ask, playing dumb.
"You know damn well what. Why do you look like your coming with."
"Because I am."
"The hell you are."
I roll my eyes, "Glenn is out helping protect Daryl, the least I can do is help protect Maggie. I'm not arguing this, I'm coming."
"We're ready to protect this place and the Saviors know it," Aaron tells Rick who is loading up the luggage space under the RV. "That's why they grabbed Eugene."
"Look, it's not up for discussion." Rick responds, standing up.
"Then you're just gonna have to punch me in the face and tie me up again. 'Cause that's what it's gonna take to stop me."
I see Rick's head move and Aaron makes his way into the RV and Sev and I follow him. And it's not long after that Rick gets on and we leave.

I'm sitting with Maggie in the back of the RV as Aaron leaves and then Rick comes in, "Hey."
"Hey," Maggie's voice sounds weak and shaky, and my heart breaks for her.
"We're gonna get there," Rick reassures her. "The doctor at the Hilltop, he's gonna make things better." Maggie looks away so Rick says, "Hey," softly.
"How do you know?"
"Everything we've done, we've done together. We got here together and we're still here. Things have happened, but it's always worked out for us 'cause it's always been all of us. That's how I know. 'Cause as long as it's all of us, we can do anything."
I nod, "He's right, Mags. We're all behind you, ready to help you and your baby. We'll get you to Hilltop."
The three of us hear Abraham say, "What the bitch?" From the front and Rick and I both exchange worried looks before he gets up and rushes to the front, me right on his heels.
"What?" Rick asks, but as soon as we make it to the front we can see exactly what. A group of cars and people in front of them are gathered in the middle of the road.
"Enemy close," Abraham warns. A bunch of the men are stood around another man who is on the pavement face down and tied up.
"Are we going to fight our way through?" I ask.
"No," Rick says. Abraham parks, and we all get out of the RV and approach the group of men, Rick keeps his hands up.
The stranger yells, "He's someone who was with a whole lot of someones who didn't listen."
I feel as though the wind was knocked out of me, I know that voice. Daryl and I heard it in the woods when we were trying to save Dwight's ass. But I can't for the life of me remember this guys name, though I know I've heard it.
"We can make a deal right here, right now," Rick offers.
"That's right, we can." The man says cheerfully. "Give us all your stuff. We'll probably have to kill one of you. That's just the way it is, but then we can start moving forward on business. All you have to do is listen."
"Yeah..." Rick says, putting his hands of surrender down. "That deal's not gonna work for us. Fact is, I was about to ask for all of your stuff, only I'm thinking I don't have to kill any of you. Any more of you."
Some red haired man starts shaking a spray paint can and then starts spray painting an X on the man on the ground.
"Sorry, my deal is the only deal.
We don't negotiate," the man apologizes.
"Me and my people are leaving."
"Okay, friend. Plenty of ways to get to where you're going."
We start loading back into the RV, Rick pauses to say, "You want to make today your last day on Earth?"
"No, but that is a good thing to bring up. Think about it. What if it's the last day on Earth for you? For someone you love? What if that's true? Maybe you should be extra nice to those people in that RV, 'cause you never know," the man snaps his fingers, "Just like that. Be kind to each other. Like you said; like it was your last day on Earth."
"You do the same," Rick threatens before motioning for me to get in the RV, and then he follows me. We start backing up.