The whispering stopped as the real walkers started to come back. "Go, now." Mama ordered. I pulled out my pocket knife and put it through the side of Saint's skull. We weren't going to leave his body, and we didn't need him turning on us. I watched as Yumiko picked up the mask from the ground, my dad and Jesus lifted Saint's body. Mama was using her katana to cover us.

One of the fake walkers started running at her with a knife. Before I could react to try and save her, an arrow went through the skull of the person. They fell dead on the ground. I looked to Yumiko who was lowering her bow, before mama came out of the open gate this all happened in front of. "Mama, come on!" I called to her.

She ran towards me and out of the gate, I pulled it shut before swiftly moving the lock to trap the walkers in. "What happened to you?" Mama asked me as we ran to catch up with the others.

"Got slashed by Pennywise the freaking clown." I responded. 

"Getting you to Hilltop is our new priority." Mama told me.

"Don't worry, it's fine. Dad wrapped it." I comforted her.

"Don't worry? Have you met me?" She laughed.

We were heading back to the horses. Dad and Jesus were dragging Saint's body, mama was helping Eugene walk, I was starting to trail behind due to blood loss. "Ellie, you gotta keep up!" Dad called.

"The fact that I'm bleeding out seems to be a minor inconvenience." I retorted.

"I'll help." Magna volunteered.

"Oh, you don't have too." I responded as she walked up to me. She went on my left and made me wrap my arm around her shoulder, she then moved her right hand to my side, above my wound. Leaning on her actually made walking a whole lot easier. "Thanks." I said quietly to her.

"Don't worry." She smiled. Me and her made it to the front, since I wasn't... Well, dead, and I didn't have a dislocated knee. 

Yumiko was walking on my right as she started to speak, holding the mask. "Who would do this? Who would even think about doing this?"

Eugene heard, and answered in a very Eugene manner. "I suspect some vessel filled with a chunky salsa of abnormal impulses and metastasized rage."

"It's full on bat shit." Magna stated.

"You think there's more?" Jesus asked.

"Yea." Dad responded.

"So, what do we do?" Yumiko questioned, just as we reached the horses.

"Right now? Keep moving." Mama replied.

Dad and Jesus draped Saint's body over one of the horses. I put my foot in one of the holders and was struggling to pull myself up, but Magna pushed me the rest of the way. "Thank you." I nodded to her. Mama went over to the third horse with Eugene... It was a struggle, but with dad's help, Magna's help, and mama's help, Eugene finally got on the horse. Mama, Yumiko and Magna had followed our trail. They lost the second horse they came out with though.

My father's bike was dead, so we had to abandon it. We were heading back. Me and Eugene were on horses, Saint was draped over a horse which Jesus was leading. Mama and dad were at the front, walking together, Magna and Yumiko were walking next to me on my right. The blood I'd lost was starting to get to me, that mixed with the dehydration and blaring heat from the sun... I felt like I would faint. Then, I did faint. I fell left, off of my horse. My weak body hit the concrete with a groan from me. "Ellie!" Yumiko yelled.

I heard my name leave mama's mouth and dad's mouth as their footsteps approached quickly, getting louder and louder. "I'm fine." I muttered. I tried to push myself up, but I couldn't do it.

"No, you're clearly not." Mama argued, helping me sit up and lean against her. "Do we have any water?"

"None." Magna answered.

"Come on, princess, open your eyes." Dad's words were gentle and soft as he brushed hair from my face.

"My eyes aren't open?" I whispered.

"She's delirious, we need to get her back to Hilltop pronto." Eugene pointed out.

"Okay, come on, babe." Dad's voice said before he picked me up bridal style. I heard mama getting onto the horse I was riding. Dad tried to get me onto the horse in front of her, once I realised what was happening I helped move as best I could. Mama's arms went around my waist to hold onto the reigns as I leaned my head back onto her shoulder. "You go ahead, we'll see you there." My dad's voice was the last thing I heard before I was plunged into darkness.

Beep. Beep. Beep. "When will she wake up?" Sophia's voice interrupted the steady and slow mechanical beeps.

"Soon. She'll be okay, I promise." Enid's voice responded. "With Michonne's blood transfusion and the fluids I've given her, Ellie'll be okay."

"I'm too awesome to not be okay." I managed to whisper out.

"Ellie, can you hear me?" Rosita's voice asked as she grabbed my hand.

I groaned slightly. "Where am I?" I questioned, blinking open my eyes.

"Hilltop." Sophia answered. "How do you feel?"

"Like I was slashed with a freaking knife." I answered.

"Yea, she's okay." Mama laughed. I saw her sitting at the end of the bed, her hand tightly gripping my ankle. 

"Is everyone else back yet?" I questioned.

"Yea, they're back." Mama responded.

"You don't need to worry about that, mi amor." Rosita told me, brushing hair outta my face. "You just have to focus on recovering."

"I've recovered." I tried to laugh it off, but that made my side hurt.

"Sure you have." Sophia said sarcastically.

"I'll give you guys some time." Enid said, leaving the room.

"Is my dad here?" I asked.

"He said you wouldn't wanna see him." Rosita replied.

"Do you want me to go get him?" Mama offered.

"No... I uhm... I'll talk to him. When I'm on my feet again." I smiled, pushing myself to sit up. I groaned slightly, but I was okay.

"When you're better, we're gonna head back to Alexandria." Sophia told me.

I nodded. "Where's mum? She said she'd still be here."

Sophia swallowed thickly. "She headed back to Kingdom already. She told me that Jessie felt like he couldn't really get started with her looming over his shoulder."

I bit my bottom lip. "Right, yea. Guess that makes sense."

"Speaking of Jessie, he's in lock up for drunk and disorderly." Rosita pointed out.

"Damn, what he do?" I laughed.

"Threw up on my shoes." Tara informed me, entering the room. "And on the floor. And in a bucket. Guards found him outside the gates yelling to be let back in... How you feeling, kid?"

"I'm alright. I'll probably be back on my feet within the hour-"

"Not if I have anything to say about it." Dr Ackles said, coming in from another room.

"Ah, damnit." I sighed.

"I may not be your doctor, but I'm a doctor. And, I've treated you enough times to know that you like to say you're fine, and then you end up fainting in the middle of fighting a dozen walkers." Ackles reminded me.

I scoffed. "One time. Something happens one time and you guys don't stop mentioning it, it's been like a year."

"It's been two weeks." Mama reminded me.

I pursed my lips together. "How's Eugene?" I tried changing the subject.

"I've relocated his knee. He'll be fine." Ackles nodded.

"Good, that's good." I agreed. I turned to Rosita. "How are you?"

"I'm fine." She smiled, putting her hand on her stomach. "We both are."

I let out a breath. "Thank god."

"They picked up one of theirs along the way." Mama told me. 

"One of the people dressed as walkers?" I asked.

"They locked her in a cell. Your dad's interrogating her right now." Mama continued.

"And Alden and Luke are missing. Could be something, could be nothing." Sophia added.

"Right... So, not everything's good." I complained, grabbing the bridge of my nose.

Rosita laughed. "When is it ever?"

A search party was going out in the morning to look for Alden and Luke. I, however, couldn't wait. Everyone was in bed, apart from me. I got dressed, grabbed my weapons, and headed out. I had found out earlier in the day which way they went, and started heading in that direction. I heard footsteps behind me, they were too heavy to be a walker. I subtly moved to stand behind a tree. I grabbed my gun, before quickly spinning around. I pointed my gun and my torch at... "Daryl?"

He pushed my gun down. "The hell are you doing out here? You're supposed to be resting."

"I'm looking for Luke and whoever the hell Alden is." I replied.

"You don't know Alden?" Dad furrowed his eyebrows. "He's been at the Hilltop for over four years."

"I... Yea, I got nothing." I denied.

"Whatever, we're going back." Dad grabbed my arm, but I pulled it back.

"No. I ain't leaving them out here overnight." I responded, turning around to follow the trail.

"Baby, you're hurt. You should be resting." Dad called after me.

"Alden and Luke could be dead. I'll get over a torn stitch if that happens." I answered.

Dad ran to stand in front of me. "I can't let you go."

"Why not?" I pushed.

"Because I'm your father, and I'm taking care of ya." Dad shrugged.

"Oh, now you're my father?" I scoffed.

"When have I not been your father? I may not have always been there, but I-" He started.

I interrupted. "How about when you murdered my boyfriend?"