"One of yours for one of mine." Dawn's voice echoed down the hallway. Rick stared at Dawn for a long time before giving her a sharp nod. It was over. It was almost too easy. Beth fought to contain herself as she crossed the few feet between the people who had tried to make her believe that she wasn't strong - and her family. Tears brimmed her eyes as Rick pulled her in to give her a kiss on her head. She was here. They were all together again. Daryl's outstretched arm awaited like a 'welcome home' mat. It was too good to be true.
"Now all I need is Noah." Beth surged forward at Dawn's statement but was stopped by a tanned arm around her waist.
"NO, the deal is done." Rick exclaimed with a hand on Noah's shoulder. Dawn was starting to refuse- and then she was crumpling onto her knees. It all happened so fast. Dawn Lerner now lay on the floor with a hole in the middle of her forehead, and her killer 5 feet behind her. Shepherd lowered her gun and ordered Grady's residents to lower their arms.
"It was only about her." Shepherd said, looking away from Dawn's lifeless body. Rick gave a final nod and the group high tailed it out of the hospital.
"What in the hell were you thinking you could've-" Daryl was silenced by Beth's arms around his waist. Slowly, he returned the hug and buried his face in her blonde hair. They stayed like that until Beth heard Maggie's cry from across the parking lot. She wiped her soaking cheeks and met her sister- who wasted no time in crushing the younger Greene to her chest- halfway. The rest of the original group gathered around the sisters with the exception of Daryl who was standing off to the side cautiously looking around.
" 'Should get outta here. It still ain't safe." Everyone immediately agreed and started heading back to the firetruck where Carl, Father Gabriel, and baby Judith were waiting. Beth slowed down to even her pace with Daryl. As she recalled the last year she understood that no words were needed as she intertwined their fingers and looked up into his icy blue eyes. Beth was home.
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and there it is folks, my much happier less painful ending to Coda. All characters belong to those idiots who write the Walking Dead and produce it and all that other crap (still very angry) FEED BACK PLEASE MY LOVELIES (and I apologize for the changes in POV (if any (very likely) I was rushing to get this out and yeah whatever fuck you English)
