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"𝐈 𝐦𝐞𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝."

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.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Sunny didn't waste a second. She bolted into the house, her heart pounding in her chest, with Lincoln right on her heels. She never imagined that Rick and Daryl's words about "keeping everyone safe" would actually come into play—nothing ever happened when she stayed behind. But this time was different. This time, it was real. And she wasn't going to let anyone down.

Her hands trembled as she yanked open the kitchen drawer where they kept a few spare guns. She grabbed one, tossed it to Lincoln, and quickly took another for herself. "We gotta be ready," she muttered, more to herself than him.

Lincoln caught the gun, wide-eyed. "What the hell is going on? Is this like—what, an attack? Inside the walls?"

Sunny loaded her gun, glancing out the window for a second to see if the man with the machete had come any closer. "I don't know... but that guy's killin' people. We gotta stop him or warn the others."

Lincoln looked at her, the confusion and fear clear on his face. "Warn them how? Everyone's split up. Rick's not here. Neither is Daryl or Abe."

Sunny's heart skipped at the mention of Daryl. He was out there, far from Alexandria, with a horde of walkers to deal with. She shook her head, focusing. "We can't just sit here. Maybe Carol, Maggie, or Rosita are close by. We need to find them and figure out what's happenin'."

Lincoln nodded, though his hands were still shaking. "Okay, yeah. But what if more of those freaks show up? I mean, that guy... he looked like he was enjoying it."

Sunny gripped her gun tighter. "Then we take care of it, just like we've been taught. We don't let 'em get to anyone else."

Lincoln gave a nervous laugh. "No pressure, right?"

Sunny gave him a shaky smile. "None at all."

She moved toward the front door, peeking outside again, adrenaline coursing through her veins. This wasn't a drill. This wasn't practice. If she and Lincoln didn't act fast, more people could die. And she'd be damned if she let that happen. She needed to be strong like Daryl.

The two exchanged a silent nod, their resolve firm despite their youth. They both knew what had to be done. Fear wasn't an option, not when lives were on the line. They'd die a thousand times over if it meant saving someone else.

As soon as they stepped onto the street, they were met with pure chaos. Bodies lay scattered across the ground, the air thick with the sound of distant screams and the echo of violence. This wasn't just one killer. It had to be a group—at least a dozen, maybe more.

Sunny's stomach churned at the sight. Killing still felt wrong, even after everything. She'd taken five lives before, but it never got easier. Morgan had tried to show her another way, teaching her to defend without killing, to strike without ending a life. But right now, she knew mercy wasn't an option. These people weren't like walkers—they were worse. They killed without hesitation, and she had no choice but to do the same.

Lincoln scanned the area, gripping his gun tightly. "This is nuts... They're just... slaughtering everyone," he muttered, eyes wide as he took in the destruction.

Sunny's jaw clenched. "We don't let them. Not as long as we're breathin'."

The pair moved cautiously, staying low as they navigated through the madness. Every noise, every shadow, set them on edge. But they had each other's backs, just like always. They spotted one of the attackers near a house, swinging a bloody axe like it was some kind of sick game.

Sunny didn't hesitate. She aimed, her finger steady on the trigger, and fired. The man dropped instantly. Lincoln shot a quick glance at her, a mix of shock and admiration in his eyes, but said nothing. They couldn't afford to waste time.

Six.

They pressed on, moving from house to house, clearing the streets of any more attackers they found. Each one was just as vicious, just as bloodthirsty as the last. But with every shot fired, Sunny's heart hardened a little more. She wasn't killing because she wanted to. She was killing because she had to. These weren't people anymore—they were monsters.

Eight.

The pair kept running, their eyes scanning every direction, hearts pounding with a mix of fear and adrenaline. The worst part was, neither of them had seen any sign of their family. Were they okay? Had they been attacked? The uncertainty gnawed at Sunny, making her feel queasy with dread.

Suddenly, a loud, piercing alarm echoed through the air, cutting through the chaos like a knife. Both Sunny and Lincoln froze, tense, instinctively looking at each other with wide eyes.

"What the hell is that?!" Sunny shouted over the blaring noise, her voice tinged with panic. The alarm was relentless, a beacon for any walkers nearby. If the herd hadn't already been moved from the quarry, this would definitely draw them straight toward Alexandria.

Lincoln shook his head, his brow furrowed. "No idea, but it's bad. Real bad. We need to find the others before this place gets overrun."

They pushed forward, urgency in every step, but something caught Sunny's eye—a glimpse of an open door. The Anderson's front door, wide open. Her stomach dropped.

"Lincoln!" she called, her voice sharper now, pointing toward the house. "Jessie's house—it's open. They're in trouble."

Lincoln's eyes followed her gesture, and without missing a beat, they sprinted toward the house. Sunny's mind raced. Jessie, Sam, even Ron—they were vulnerable, and if anyone had gotten inside... she didn't want to think about what could happen. No matter how complicated things had been with Ron, no matter how distant Jessie had seemed since Pete's death, they were still people she cared about. She couldn't just leave them.

They reached the front porch, the door creaking as it swayed on its hinges, and Sunny's heart hammered in her chest. She glanced at Lincoln, who nodded in silent understanding. Guns at the ready, they slipped inside, the chaos outside momentarily drowned out by the eerie silence within.

Sunny's breath caught in her throat as they crept through the hallway. The house was eerily quiet, the kind of quiet that only came before something terrible. She could feel the tension in the air, every creak of the floorboards making her skin prickle with unease.

"Jessie?" Sunny whispered, her voice barely audible. There was no response.

They continued forward, inching closer to the living room. Sunny's mind was racing, but she forced herself to stay focused. They couldn't afford to hesitate.

Then they heard it—a faint, muffled sob. Sunny's eyes widened, and she motioned for Lincoln to follow as they moved toward the source of the sound. It was coming from behind the kitchen door.

Sunny gripped the handle, glancing at Lincoln one last time. He gave her a reassuring nod. Together, they pushed the door open slowly, guns raised, ready for anything.

The door creaked open, and Sunny's breath caught as her eyes landed on Jessie, slumped on the floor with her eyes barely open. Without thinking, Sunny rushed forward, her heart hammering in her chest as she knelt beside the woman. A quick glance revealed a gash on the side of Jessie's head, but she was alive—conscious, even if dazed.

"Jessie?" Sunny whispered urgently, gently shaking her, trying to keep her awake.

Jessie's eyes fluttered, focusing for a moment on Sunny before widening in alarm as they looked past her.

"Sunny!" Lincoln's voice rang out in warning.

A sudden thud made Sunny whirl around just in time to see Lincoln hit the ground, tackled by a man. Before she could react, her hair was yanked back with brutal force, the sharp pain making her gasp as she was thrown to the floor. Her head hit the ground with a sickening crack, and a wave of dizziness blurred her vision.

Through the haze of pain, she saw the looming figure of a deranged woman, a wild gleam in her eyes, and a bloody "W" carved into her forehead. The woman clutched a machete, raising it menacingly as she stepped toward Sunny, her boots crunching on the floor.

Sunny's gun had slipped from her grip in the fall, now lying just a few feet away. Desperation surged through her as she tried to scramble toward it, but the woman lunged, slamming Sunny back down with surprising strength, pinning her in place.

The machete hovered dangerously close to her face as Sunny struggled, fear and adrenaline coursing through her. "Stay still, little rabbit," the woman hissed, a sadistic grin spreading across her face.

Sunny thrashed against her attacker, kicking and twisting with every ounce of strength she had. Panic surged through her as she realized she was no match for the woman pinning her down. She was just a kid, and this woman was stronger, relentless. The memory of the claimers flashed through her mind, that same helpless feeling of being trapped, powerless, unable to break free. Her stomach churned with fear and nausea.

She didn't want to die. Not like this. Not without Daryl. He was supposed to be there—he had to be there. His face was the last one she wanted to see, the only one who could make sure she didn't come back. She stretched her arm toward the gun, fingers grazing the handle but never quite reaching. Desperation clawed at her insides.

And then, out of nowhere, the weight was lifted off her. The woman was gone.

Sunny gasped, quickly sitting up. Jessie, eyes wild and filled with fury, had tackled the woman, screaming as she plunged a pair of scissors into her chest over and over. Each stab was accompanied by a shrill, primal cry, the sound of someone pushed to the edge of survival.

Sunny barely had a moment to process it before her gaze snapped to Lincoln. He was still on the ground, locked in a struggle with the man who had tackled him. The man was slamming Lincoln's head into the floor repeatedly, the dull thuds making Sunny's blood run cold.

Without thinking, she leapt to her feet, pulling out her knife as she rushed toward them. She didn't hesitate—she buried the blade deep into the man's back.

For a moment, there was silence. It felt like something straight out of a movie. But then, in a chillingly slow motion, the man stood up like a crazed villain, his body almost unfazed by the knife lodged between his shoulder blades. A low, menacing chuckle rumbled from him, his head tilting as his gaze locked onto Sunny, dark and full of malice. He grinned as if amused by her efforts. 

Oh shit.

Sunny's heart pounded in her chest, her legs frozen in place as the man stalked toward her. Every instinct screamed at her to run, but her body wouldn't listen. Her mind raced. How was he still moving? How was he still standing?

Behind her, she heard Jessie's labored breathing and Lincoln's weak cough, the chaos of the moment closing in on her. She needed to think—fast.

As the man took another step toward her, she glanced quickly at Lincoln, whose eyes were wide with fear but still sharp, looking for a way out. Sunny felt a surge of determination. She couldn't let this psycho kill them all.

The man lunged at her, his grin widening as if the chaos was some kind of game to him. Sunny ducked under his swing just in time, feeling the air slice above her head. She stumbled back, trying to put space between them, but he was relentless, coming at her again and again with quick, powerful movements.

Sunny's breath hitched, but she held her ground, eyes darting around for anything that might help her. The weight of Daryl's extra knife in her hand was reassuring—he'd always made sure she had a backup, knowing things could go wrong fast. Keep everyone safe. His words echoed in her mind, and she gripped the handle tighter.

But then the man struck, his blade catching the side of her arm. The searing pain shot through her, and she yelped, stumbling back, clutching her arm as blood began to seep through her fingers. The world seemed to slow for a moment, her vision narrowing to the sight of crimson on her skin.

Her heart pounded in her ears, fear trying to claw its way in, but she shoved it down, forcing herself to breathe. She wasn't going to die here. Not like this.

"C'mon," the man taunted, his voice dripping with cruel amusement. "That the best you got, kid?"

Sunny's eyes narrowed, adrenaline pumping through her veins, drowning out the pain. She wouldn't let him win. If these are my last moments, she thought, her jaw clenching, he's not going to know I was scared.

With a sharp inhale, she flipped the knife in her hand, steadying herself. She could hear Lincoln groaning behind her, trying to recover, but for now, it was just her and this psycho. He charged at her again, his machete raised, but this time, Sunny was ready.

She sidestepped, slashing out with her knife and catching him across the ribs. He grunted in surprise, momentarily thrown off by the hit. She didn't stop there—she spun around, slashing at him again. She needed to stay quick, stay sharp. If she could tire him out, maybe she could get the upper hand.

But he wasn't slowing down. The man laughed through the pain, his movements still as fast as ever. He grabbed a fistful of her shirt, yanking her forward with such force that she almost lost her footing. Sunny gasped, her free hand instinctively going to his wrist, trying to pull away, but his grip was like iron.

Before she could react, he shoved her hard, sending her crashing into the wall behind her. The impact knocked the breath out of her lungs, and for a second, everything went blurry. She blinked rapidly, trying to shake off the dizziness, but she could see him coming for her again, machete gleaming in the dim light.

She wasn't fast enough this time.

The blade slashed across her side, and she let out a cry, collapsing to the ground. Pain shot through her like fire, but she clutched her second knife tightly. She wouldn't let go. Not now.

Gritting her teeth through the pain, she scrambled backward on her hands, trying to create some distance. The man loomed over her, smug and confident. He raised his machete again, ready to finish her off.

But just before he could strike, Lincoln, finally back on his feet, tackled him from the side, knocking the man off balance. Sunny didn't waste the opportunity. She lunged, driving her knife into the back of the man's knee, feeling it sink deep into the flesh.

The man howled in pain, his leg giving out as he collapsed to the ground, his grip on the machete faltering.

"Hope you got your shittin' pants on, asshole." Sunny growled, pulling the knife out as the man writhed, struggling to get back up.

Lincoln panted heavily, pulling himself up beside her, a bloody gash on his forehead. "You good?" he asked, voice shaky but determined.

Sunny nodded, wincing as the pain in her side flared up again. "Yeah... but we need to finish this."

Together, they stood over the man, the rage in Sunny's chest burning brighter than the fear. She wouldn't let him hurt anyone else.

"Do it," Lincoln said, his eyes flicking to her knife. "End this."

Sunny stared down at the man, her grip tightening on the blade. This was what needed to be done. She wouldn't hesitate.

With one swift motion, she drove the knife into his chest, and the fight was over.

Nine.

Sunny stood there for a moment, breathing heavily, the adrenaline slowly leaving her system. The world around them was still chaos, but for now, they'd made it. For now, they were alive.

"We need to find the others," she said quietly, glancing at Lincoln.

"Yeah," he agreed, nodding. "But first, we need to patch you up. You're bleeding bad."

Sunny winced, her hand pressing against the cut on her side as she tried to steady herself. The pain was sharp now, no longer masked by the rush of adrenaline. She glanced toward Jessie, who was struggling to her feet, covered in blood and breathing heavily, but alive.

Jessie limped toward them, her face pale and eyes wide with shock. "Are you two okay?" she asked, her voice shaky but filled with concern. She looked between Sunny and Lincoln, her gaze lingering on Sunny's wounds.

Sunny nodded, though she knew she probably didn't look okay. "We're fine," she muttered, wincing as she adjusted her grip on her side. "What about you?"

"I'll live," Jessie replied, though her hand was still trembling as she wiped at the blood on her face. "Thank you... for helping me. Both of you."

Before Sunny could respond, the front door creaked open behind them. They all froze, heads snapping toward the sound. Standing in the doorway was Ron, his eyes wide with shock as he took in the scene. His gaze quickly shifted from Jessie to Sunny and Lincoln, then down to the dead man lying at their feet.

"What the hell happened?" Ron demanded, his voice cracking, eyes darting to his mother, clearly panicked. He looked like he'd seen a ghost.

Sunny swallowed, the pain and exhaustion starting to weigh on her. "We... took care of it," she said simply, her voice hoarse. "They tried to kill us."

Ron's face twisted in a mix of fear and anger. "Why didn't you come get me?!" His voice raised, and for a moment, it felt like he was ready to snap. "I could've helped!"

Lincoln stepped forward, his face still smeared with blood, but calm. "There wasn't time, man. We did what we had to."

Ron's eyes flashed with anger, his fists clenching at his sides. It was clear he didn't like the idea of being left out of the fight, or maybe it was just seeing Sunny and Lincoln—kids his age—handling things while he hadn't even been there.

Jessie limped over to her son, placing a hand on his arm. "Ron, they saved me," she said softly, her voice trembling. "They saved all of us."

Ron's jaw tightened, but he didn't say anything, just stared at the dead man with a mix of fear and frustration. He clearly wanted to say something more, but whatever it was, he held it in, shaking his head.

Sunny staggered slightly, Lincoln quickly came to her side, helping the girl stand. "We need to get to the infirmary."

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Sunny and Lincoln hobbled through the blood-soaked streets of Alexandria, both limping but determined to reach the infirmary. They had left Jessie and Ron back at the house, deciding it was best not to stick around for whatever awkward heart-to-heart was about to go down. It felt wrong to stay there while more chaos could be lurking just around the corner.

As they moved, their eyes constantly scanned for any signs of danger. The aftermath of the attack was hard to process—bodies strewn across lawns, sidewalks drenched in blood, and the air still thick with the metallic stench of death. Sunny's mind buzzed with disbelief, unable to wrap her head around why it had happened. What kind of people would kill so mercilessly, for no reason at all?

Morgan's words kept echoing in her mind: "All life is precious." But after seeing what these people had done, that idea felt almost like a joke. Precious? These maniacs had killed innocent people for the fun of it, as if human life meant nothing.

"Hey," Lincoln grunted through the pain, trying to break the heavy silence. "At least we look like total badasses, huh?" He winced, pressing a hand to his head but still managing a grin. "Covered in blood, limping down the street like we just survived a horror movie? Bet we'll scare the hell outta anyone who sees us."

Sunny smirked, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Yeah, badass." She rolled her eyes at him but couldn't help appreciating his attempt to lighten the mood. She glanced around again, her anxiety gnawing at her. "I just don't get it, Linc. How did this happen? What kind of people just... attack like that? We were safe here. We were supposed to be safe."

Lincoln's smile faded, and he gave a small shrug. "I dunno. Some people are just messed up." He glanced over at her, eyes softening a bit.

Sunny nodded, trying to force down the ache of fear still gnawing at her stomach. She missed Daryl. He'd always know what to say, how to make her feel like things were going to be okay. But he wasn't there. He kept leaving, and each time felt worse than the last.

She just prayed he'd already made it back in time, that maybe she'd see him at the infirmary, waiting for her like he always did.

Sunny's thoughts were quickly interrupted when she noticed a figure approaching in the distance. The person wore a long black jacket, their hood pulled up, and a blood-soaked bandana covering their face. Everything about them screamed danger.

"Lincoln," Sunny growled, instinctively reaching for her knife.

Lincoln tensed beside her, pulling out his gun, his finger hovering over the trigger. Both of their eyes locked onto the figure, their muscles coiled in readiness for whatever might happen next.

Just as the tension seemed ready to snap, the figure pulled down their hood and ripped the bandana from their face. Sunny let out a shaky breath of relief—it was Carol.

Without hesitation, Carol rushed toward them, her eyes wide with worry. She didn't say a word before pulling both of them into a tight, motherly hug, her voice breaking as she whispered, "Thank god you're both okay."

Despite the pain shooting through her side, Sunny couldn't help but smile faintly. She noticed the bloody "W" smeared across Carol's forehead but wasn't alarmed—Carol had clearly used her wits, disguised herself as one of the attackers to gain the upper hand. Typical Carol.

"You're bleeding," Carol said, her voice sharper now as she took a step back, her eyes narrowing in on the blood soaking through Sunny's shirt. "Oh god, we need to get you to the infirmary. Now."

Both Sunny and Lincoln nodded, not needing to be told twice. Carol kept a firm grip on them as she led the way, her pace brisk but steady. They moved quickly, heads on a swivel for any remaining threats, but it was clear Carol's presence made them feel safer.

When they finally reached the infirmary doors, Carol paused. She looked at both of them, her expression a mix of determination and something more tender—almost like a mother checking on her kids before a storm.

"I'm going to end this," she said, her voice firm but soft. There was no hesitation in her tone, only certainty.

Sunny swallowed hard as Carol gave them one last nod before turning away, disappearing back into the chaos to do what needed to be done.

They both walked into the infirmary, it was over now. They were both going to be okay.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞

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The wolves suck ass.

Idk if it's noticeable, but I'm that excited for the end of s6 I just had to make a cheeky Negan reference. HEHE.

ALSO! TYSM for 15k!! I love you all! All your comments have been making me so happy! <3