𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐒.
chapter forty-five; Light The Page
"  Tell her to watch your 3 o'clock. You've been leavin' it open lately. "

  DEAN WILLIAMS WAS downright perplexed with the scene in front of them. He worked alongside his group, taking down the walkers that surrounded a priest cowering on a boulder, before standing back as Rick began speaking.

  "Come on down."

  The man obeyed shakily, looking the group over only for a moment before puking the contents of his stomach onto the ground beside him.

  "Sorry," He breathed, wiping his mouth, "Yes. Thank you. I'm Gabriel."

  "Do you have any weapons on you?"

  Gabriel let out a nervous laugh, looking around the group before becoming more somber.

  "Do I look like I would have any weapons?"

  "We don't give two short and curlies what it looks like."

  "I have no weapons of any kind," Gabriel said after a moment, "The word of God is the only protection I need."

  "Sure didn't look like it," Daryl mumbled, ignoring Vex's elbow meeting his side.

  "I called for help," Gabriel said, "Help came. . . Do you have-- have any food? Whatever I-- I had left, it just hit the ground."

  "We've got some pecans."

  "Some berries, too," Zeppelin spoke up, joining Carl's side and holding out a small handful of berries, "It's not much, but it's something."

  The girl smiled honestly up at Gabriel letting Carl tug her back toward the group.

  "That's a beautiful child," Gabriel noted, looking to Judith, ". . . Do you have a camp?"

  "No. Do you?"

  "I have a church."

  "Hold your hands above your head."

  Vex shifted Judith's weight, watching Rick pat the priest down as he asked those three important questions. Turns out, Gabriel had avoided any kind of violence; killing no walkers, or people. 

  So, after a moment, they decided to go back to this church.

  Vex waited outside while some of the group entered to ensure the church was clear. It was a silent couple of moments, other than Abraham sharing the news of a bus he'd found out back until they returned to announce the church was clear.

  It was obvious Abraham wanted to get up and go to D.C. as soon as possible, but each member of the group informed him they weren't planning on splitting up anytime soon.

  "Mom, is there really something left in D.C.?"

  Vex rested a hand on top of Zeppelin's head, pulling the girl into her side. She gave a cautionary glance to Abraham, whose mouth was already open to speak, before looking to Dean.

  "I don't know, baby," Vex said, "I know my team is gone. And I know I haven't heard anything after Uncle Jack sent me to get you. . . But, if there is anything, I think Abraham, Rosita, and Eugene are the ones that can get there and find it."

  Vex offered Abraham a soft smile, the kind he wasn't used to receiving, before leading her daughter into the building.

  "Who the hell is 'Uncle Jack'?" Dean whispered as he followed his sister quickly.

  "Guy on my team; I'll tell you 'bout him, later," Vex waved off, sending Zeppelin toward Carl and Judith as she and Dean approached Daryl and Rick.

  "Supply run," Rick said in greeting, glancing down at the woman's thigh, "You good for it?"

  "Yeah--"

  "No," Daryl and Dean spoke in synchrony.

  "Well then I guess you're holding down the fort," Rick breathed out an amused smile, "Keep an eye on Judith and Carl for me?"

  ". . . Of course," Vex nodded, "Stay safe."

  Rick nodded, patting the woman's shoulder and nodding to Dean. The man joined him, preparing to depart for their run, leaving Vex and Daryl alone.

  "You goin' out, too?"

  "Mhm," Daryl nodded, "Water, maybe a car or somethin'."

  "You're not going alone, are you?"

  "Nah, Carol's comin' with me."

  "Okay," Vex said quietly, wrapping her arms around herself, "Tell her to watch your 3 o'clock. You've been leavin' it open lately."

  Daryl breathed out a scoff, the corner of his lips tugged up in amusement.

  "Just be careful," She shrugged.

  Daryl nodded, looking at the woman for a long moment.

  "S'almost healed, you know. Probably another week or so."

  Vex gave him a tight-lipped smile, looking down at the bandana that concealed her wound.

  "Yeah."

  Daryl frowned. He knew no matter how hard she tried, or whatever anyone said, Vex would never find peace in being the person who stayed behind. As if she thought she only deserved the group when she was putting herself in danger for them. 

  Daryl couldn't understand it. Not for her. I mean, hell, Vex had done countless things for the people in the group, she'd never stopped doing things for them. And now, she was a part of them. A vital part. No matter what she did, that fact would always remain. They looked out for her because she was one of them. Not because of what she could or could not do. Just because of who she was.

  But Daryl didn't know how to put that into words, so he just pulled the woman into a hug, resting his chin on the top of her head as she sighed into the embrace.

  "Thank you."

  Daryl just hugged her tighter, before pulling back and offering a nod. He watched as she approached the kids, squeezing into a pew beside Zeppelin and propping her feet up on the seat in front of them. Vex smiled as Carl passed Judith to her, wrapping the girl in a comfortable swaddle in the crook of her arm.

  And then he forced himself to start walking because if he didn't, Daryl swore he would've stayed there all day. 

🗡

  Judith was asleep in just shy of an hour. Zeppelin had pulled a drawer out of Gabriel's desk, cushioning it with jackets and setting it up in the common area so Judith had a makeshift crib and chose to watch over the girl as Carl walked the perimeter of the church and Vex searched for anything that could be useful inside.

  Vex was elbow-deep in a bookshelf of bibles when Tyreese entered the room, leaning in the doorframe for a moment.

  "Hey."

  "Hey," Vex greeted without turning to face him, "You think I'm goin' to Hell if we use these pages as kindling?"

  Tyreese breathed out a smile as she held up a weathered bible, walking up to the woman and taking it out of her hand.

  "I think the big man would understand."

  "I hope so," Vex sighed, gathering more books in her arms before turning to face him, "With how rainy it's been, I'm not sure anything out there's gonna light easily."

  Tyreese nodded, watching the woman begin to search a filing cabinet.

  "Hey, uh, Vex?"

  "Yeah, what's up?"

  Tyreese blew out a long breath, tossing the bible between his palms.

  "Look, I never got the chance to apologize for. . . for hitting you when--"

  "You really don't have to--"

  "I do."

  Vex turned to face him, dropping her shoulders once she saw the guilt Tyreese wore on his face.

  "You were tryna help me."

  "I should've known de-escalating wasn't an option in that situation," She said gently, "I shouldn't have gotten in front of a guy who was actively throwing punches."

  Tyreese furrowed his brows.

  "It's not your fault I hit you."

  Vex blinked.

  "Listen, I'm just saying we're good," She waved, "No harm no foul-- no need to apologize."

  Vex turned back to the filing cabinet, rifling through it again.

  But Tyreese stayed there, staring at the back of a woman scavenging for something out of nothing, because how could she possibly blame herself for his mistake?

  "Alright," He said after a long moment, "Just let me know if you need anything, alright?"

  "Yeah, alright."

WORD COUNT: 1288