CHAPTER EIGHTEEN,
the newcomers.

"Aiden?"

The voice hit Aiden like a truck. Her eyes shot yo and her jaw dropped.

She didn't have a second thought as she pushed herself off of ground, her M16 dropping to the ground. Her arms wrapped around Payton's shoulders and his arms wrapped around her middle. He stumbled backwards at the impact but quickly regained his balance.

The pair stayed like that for a couple seconds before Aiden pulled back, "you're alive!" She exclaimed, tears rolling down her face.

Payton placed his hands on Aiden's face, "why're you alone?"

"It's a long story."

"Well, time is one of the only good things left in the world. We got enough of it." He said.

"I'll tell you everything that's happened. But, uh, I was following the tracks to a place called Terminus." Aiden spoke. "It's where my family is gonna be goin'. It's where I'm going."

"Your family?" Nathaniel asked.

"Who the hell are you?" Aiden asked quickly and placed her hand in her pistol.

"I'm Nathaniel Bivens and this is my sister Macy Bivens." The man introduced himself. Aiden looked between the two before turning her attention back to Payton.

"A lot has happened."

»

Payton and Aiden walked in front of the siblings, "when everything first started Shane got me, Lori, and Carl out. Shane had told us Rick was dead. And we believed him. We found and camp and turns out, Rick wasn't dead. But eventually the camp got over run and Rick took us to the CDC where we lost our friend Jacqui. The CDC was a dead end, it kinda blew up.

"The CDC blew up?" Payton asked in shock.

"Yeah. We lost a little girl named Sophia, which led to us finding a farm. I was shot and so was Carl. He was worse off than I was. I met a guy, his name is Daryl. We lost three people the night it was overran. Patricia, Jimmy, and my brother."

"Shane's dead?" Payton asked her, "what happened?"

"He was in love with Lori. He knocked her up and wanted her, the baby, and Carl all to himself. So Rick killed him." Aiden explained.

"What'd you do?" Payton asked her.

"I left. For six months I was by myself. My group eventually found me and we found a prison." Aiden said and looked down, "Lori's dead."

Payton sucked in a breath and closed his eyes hoping to stop the tears, "what happened?"

"She had her baby. I had to cut her open and deliver her. Her name is Judith, we lost a man named T-Dog. Me and two of my group were kidnapped. Glenn and I were beat for information. But we got rescued. We lost someone that night too, his name was Oscar." Aiden mumbled.

"Jesus, Aid. I'm sorry."

"We went to war with this guy who called himself the Governor. We lost a man named Axel, a man named Merle, a woman named Andrea. Eventually everything settled but it didn't last but about five months. We lost a teenager named Zack. And a sickness broke out. We lost more people than I'm comfortable with. Then our home was taken. The Governor came back with a tank and blew holes in our home. He killed a man named Hershel." Aiden let a tear fall as the memory was only days old. "He cut his head off. I watched a little kid die, her name was Ellie. Now I'm just looking for my group."

"Holy shit. I'm sorry about everything."

"I'm sorry about your girl and your camp." Aiden replied to him. "Dalton's dead."

Payton stopped in his tracks. "What?"

"Dalton's dead. He was at the prison. He tried to kill me and that didn't fly with Daryl at all, so Daryl put a bolt in his head." Aiden took a deep breath. "You know I'm married?" Aiden smiled and held up her left hand and showed off the rings on her hand.

"Holy shit. That Daryl guy proposed?" Payton asked, grabbing her hand and looking at the rings. Aiden nodded.

"Knocked me up too." Payton's jaw dropped and his eyes fell to her stomach.

"You're pregnant?" Payton asked. "I'm gonna be an uncle!" He cheered suddenly. He quickly shut his mouth and looked around for walkers.

He looked back at the brother and sister with wide eyes and a huge smile, "I'm gonna be an uncle!"

The two smiled but silently wondered why the hell someone would want to bring a child into this world.

»

The group sat around a fire in the woods, Nathaniel was on first watch. Aiden glanced at Macy. Aiden didn't know how she felt about the woman yet. She liked her brother but the vibe from Macy was off.

"What was your life like? Ya know, before all this?" Aiden suddenly asked. Macy looked up at her.

"Well, uh, I was going to law school. The whole thing broke out when I was twenty-four. So I'm probably around, what, twenty-six now? I had a husband and two kids. The walkers took them within the first week." Macy sighed. "That's why I don't really let people in."

"I'm sorry," Aiden said to her, "I lost my brother, three very close friends of mine, my brother-in-law, and my father figure. I know what it's like to lose someone that close." Aiden said with a reassuring smile.

Macy nodded, "what happened to them?"

Aiden sighed, "I already told Payton everything but I guess I can say it again."

"I'm listening."

"Shane, my brother, was killed by his best friend, Rick. Shane wanted Rick's wife and son all to himself. His wife, Lori, was knocked up and she knew it was Shane's but Rick believed it was his. Lori died giving birth to her baby, Judith. I had to deliver her. T-Dog died saving another close friend of mine. Andrea died trying. And Hershel-" Aiden got chocked up just by saying his name, "sorry, this only happened a couple days ago. We went to war with this guy who called himself the Governor. He was gone for five months before returning with Hershel and my friend Michonne hostage. He cut Hershel's head off and then destroyed our home."

Macy gaped at Aiden. The brunette had gone through hell, she had lost so many people but she was still here.

Still alive.

"How're you even still managing?" Macy asked her. Aiden furrowed her eyebrows.

"For my niece and nephew, my husband, my two best friends, Payton, my group." Aiden replied.

"If we find your group-"

"When. When we find my group." Aiden corrected her.

"When we find your group, do you think they'll take us in?" Macy questioned.

"It depends on how trustworthy you guys are. And the three questions." Aiden replied.

"Three questions?" Nathaniel asked from his spot by the tree.

"How many walkers have you killed?"

"All together or individually?" Payton asked.

"Individually."

"Well over three dozen." Macy spoke.

"Probably around the fifties." Nathaniel said.

"One hundred and seventy-four." Payton stated, "what? I've kept track."

"That's a smart thing to do. How many people have you killed?" Aiden asked.

"One." Nathaniel said.

"Why?"

"He asked me to." Nathaniel responded.

"Three." Payton said.

"Why?"

"I couldn't let her live to be a walker. The other two tried stealing from our camp." Payton said.

"Eight." Macy replied. Aiden's eyebrows knitted together at her reply.

"Why?" Aiden asked hesitantly. 

"They deserved it."

______________________________

word count: 1,248
episode: none

and here it is! another edited chapter! the next character is the final chapter of grief and i'm so excited to finish this book and start on philophobia.

the next chapter is the last chapter of grief! ugh! this book has got to be one of my favorite books i've ever wrote. and that's coming from my last six years of writing.

payton & aiden are reunited. i can't get over that. i swear payton's character growth is going to be amazing.

nathaniel is PRECIOUS!! and yes ladies. i'm sorry but he is very gay. he is never ever going to die. okay he may. you never know with me.

macy is a little off. aiden can tell that from a mile away. she is an odd ball.