Weak//c.g ✔️

Chapter Thirty-Four

MEADOW FLETCHER'S POV
November 7, 2017

THE gates opened, creaking loudly, "Sasha! Meadow!" I heard Maggie yell from outside of the trailer. I was very confused.

 I walked outside to see Rick and the group walk through them. My heart racing as I made eye contact with Carl. Maggie was hugging Rick. I walked faster than Sasha, sniffling a bit. Carl saw me, he was walking faster also. We embraced each other, "Are you dumber than a bag of rocks?" I whispered into his ear, I heard him let out a breathless laugh, "Stop laughing." I broke from the hug, glaring at him, "You could've died." He rested his forehead on mine, "But I didn't." I nodded, grinning, "Yeah, you didn't."

Carl looked behind me, I followed his stare, "Daryl got out?" Daryl was standing in the clearing. Everyone was hugging. Rick and Daryl were embraced into a brotherly hug. I let go of Carl, "Let's go." 

We walked together towards Daryl and Rick. Daryl reached into his pocket, handing Rick his python that Negan had stolen only a couple of weeks ago. Everyone was sniffling, hugging each other. We all looked at each other, smiles spread across each of our faces. We all knew.

The group walked towards the house. Carl and I straggled behind a bit, "Hi, Meadow." A few of the Hilltop people said. I grinned, waving back at them. Carl gave me an odd look, he raised his eyebrow. "I kinda saved them, I guess." I pursed my lips together, "No way, how?" Carl asked, he was astonished. "A tractor." His head turned a bit, "No way." "Ask anyone." I shrugged.

I leaned up against the wall in Gregory's office, my arms were crossed. I bit my tongue, trying not to have an outburst in the heat of the moment. "No! No way in hell. That was not the deal." Gregory paced his office, "You people swore you could take the Saviors out and you failed. So any arrangement we had is now done, null and void," He stopped in front of his desk, putting his hands on his hips, "We aren't trade partners, we aren't friends, and we never met," Gregory made a duh face, "We don't know each other," Sitting down in his chair, he looked at all of us, "I owe you nothing. In fact you owe me for taking in the refugees, at a great personal risk." "Actually," I started, walking towards the desk. Breathing air in through my teeth.

"You were really brave while Sasha, Maggie, and Meadow saved this place. Your courage was inspiring." Jesus read my mind perfectly. "You see, Gregory, without us," I pointed between the three of us, "This place wouldn't even be here right now. It would be infested with walkers."

Gregory glared at Jesus, "Hey, don't you work for me? Aren't we friends?" "Gregory, we already started this." Rick tried to reason with him. "No, you started it." "We did and we're gonna win." Rick continued. "These are killers!" Gregory shot back.

"Is this how you want to live?" I asked, "Under their thumb, killing your people?" I felt the rippling pain of a migraine rip through my head, it's like talking to a brick wall. "S-Sometimes we don't get to choose what our life looks like." Rick scoffed at the statement, "Sometimes, Ricky, you have to count the blessing we have." "I thought we talked about the name thing, Greg." I crossed my arms, glaring at him. Gregory shifted uncomfortably in his chair. 

"How many people can we spare? How many people here can fight?" Maggie asked, "We?" Gregory scoffed, "I don't even know how many people we have, Margaret." My lips pursed together, "Maggie." Gregory corrected himself. "And, anyway, does it even matter? I mean," Gregory let out a breathless laugh, "W-What are you gonna do? Start a platoon of sorghum farmers? 'Cause that's what we got. They grow things. They're not gonna want to fight."

"You're wrong." I said once again, "You're so wrong. When people have the chance to do the right thing, they usually step up. I mean, people just-" Gregory put a hand up, "Let me just stop you before you break into song."

"Excuse me?" I said, rather harshly. Gregory ignored me, "Also who would train all this cannon fodder?"

"I will." Sasha said, "Give me a week." Rosita said. "I'll do it." I said.

"Rhetorical, okay?" He said in a sing-song voice. "I don't wanna know." He went back to his normal voice. "I never wanna hear another word about any of it, ever."

Rick was getting fed up. "Would we be better off without the Saviors, yes or no?"

"Yeah. Sure. Okay." "So, what will you do to fix the problem?" Michonne butted in. "I didn't say we had a problem. You did and what happens outside of my purview is outside of my purview." He said. "That's it." I said slamming my fist onto the table. "That's it, enough of the childishness and the stupidity coming out of your mouth." "What the hell man?" Daryl spoke up, "It's either you're with us or you ain't. You're sittin' over there on your ass talking out of both sides of your mouth."

Gregory got up nervously, "I think I've made my position very clear and I want to thank all of you for not being here today and not having this meeting with me. In other words, go out the back." Everyone exited the room, "C'mon Meadow." I heard Daryl. "Y'all hold on a second, let me chat with our not dear old friend." Rick nodded his head, "Let her, we will be waiting." And with that the office door shut.

"Now I sa-" "I don't care what you said, sit." I said rather harshly. He sat with an instant. "You're just gonna sit here and watch more of your people get killed?" I asked. "I mean, no-"

"Then join us. We can train you and your people within a week maybe even less. I promise you that. Hell I've been out there longer than anyone here, guaranteed."

"I don't know, Maddie."

"My name is Meadow, not Maddie, not Madlynn, not fucking Madison, it's Meadow." I said. He sat silent, "Fine you old prick, have it your way." I whipped open the office door and walked out of the building to see Hilltop's people standing there. "They're in." Carl whispered. I smiled. We found ourselves walking towards Hilltop's gate.

"It's a start." Sasha said while we were walking down the dirt path, towards the gate, "It still won't be enough." "No it won't be." Rosita agreed.

"Once we find the right stuff, then maybe we don't need the numbers." Daryl said. I nodded my head, agreeing with him, "Blow 'em up, burn 'em to the ground." "We need another group. Negan has outposts." Rick added, "The geography, the distance works against us. We gotta get back. If they come looking for Daryl, we need to be there."

"You don't have to get back." Jesus spoke up, "Not yet." Jesus held up a walkie talkie, "It's long range and it's one of theirs. We can listen in, keep track of them." 

"If we're not going back then what are we doing?"

"I think it's time you all meet Ezekiel. King Ezekiel."

"King?"