FORTY FIVE. welcome to the tombs

IT was all a lie. A diversion tactic to make the Governor and his army of children and incompetent men to believe they had left the prison. They had packed up almost everything in order to play the part right. At first, Adeline wanted to be one of the ones that fired the first shots at them, but her brought thought it better if she were out in the forest with the weaker side of their group.

Surprisingly enough, she didn't argue with the decision. She figured she had done enough damage to Woodbury and their people, so she agreed on sitting on the bench for the rest of the game. Which ultimately led to where she stood now, outside of the person and in the middle of the forest with Hershel, Carl, Beth, and the baby. Judith. The widow had yet to hold the infant or even look at it.

The autumn leaves crunched underneath the boots she wore, gloved fingers picking up a thicket of branches and dead grass to lay against the Hyundai; camouflaging it just incase a curious person with a death sentence tried to investigate it. Adeline felt the cold wind brush against her face, cheeks becoming rosy from the low temperature.

It had only been a day since the Merle incident. Daryl being Daryl, brushed away his grief and pretended it never existed. But, Adeline knew it did. She better than anyone would notice the signs of denialism that was being thrown in her face by the hunter. Ever since she held him that day in the field, he slowly started to distance himself. She even started to convince her mind that she had been the only one to ever see the man cry.

Vulnerability seemed to be a huge thing for the Dixon. Something that he didn't feel comfortable sharing with anyone, especially the woman closest to him. Adeline just didn't know how to explain to him that not being okay was okay. That it was okay to show a little bit of emotion here and there. Luckily enough, she didn't expect him to understand right away.

After all, it took Shane years to realize he could cry in front of his wife without being seen as a wuss. Fragile masculinity should be the least of their worries during the end of the world. Daryl was thankful for Adeline and for what she did for him. It just seemed like he struggled to accept that fact that someone besides his brother cares for him. Someone that genuinely gave a shit.

"That should do it." Adeline announced, dusting the dirt and crushed leaves off of her gloves. Loose strands of hair that had fallen from her beanie framed her face, a crimson red blooming underneath the pale skin of her cheeks. "We should hear back from them in no time." She reminded, looking down at the radio on her side. "They'll be okay."

"You have no need to worry." Hershel spoke up, leaning against his crutches as he approached the woman. "It's written all over your face, dear." He informed, answering her question before she could even ask it. "You have to remember that they're in our territory. We have the upper hand." The elder continued, looking through the thicket of trees and towards the prison.

The loud ricocheting sound of gunfire coming from their home caused Adeline to cross her arms over her chest uncomfortably before pacing the forest floor. "We have the upper hand. We have the upper hand. We have the upper hand." She repeated to herself, Hershel watching the widow with amused eyes and a small smile.

"I should be there." Carl spoke, a frustrated look held on his face as his aunt stopped in her pacing and turned to him. "No, you shouldn't." Adeline retorted, "You're a kid not a soldier." She reminded her nephew, moving past Hershel to stand next to the boy. "You understand me? You shouldn't have to fight this war." Her words slipped out of her mouth, eyebrows knitted in concern.

Meeting his aunts eyes, it was then when she noticed the fire of anger that resided in his features. "I want to." Carl informed, causing his aunt to bend down to his level with a sympathetic stare. "I know." Adeline informed, curling her hand around his upper arm before squeezing it softly.

The soft babbles of Judith was heard from Beths arms, the widows eyes trailing over to the infant. Furrowing her brows, she moved away from her nephew before making her way towards the teenager. "How is she?" Adeline questioned, brushing the strands of hair out of her face.

Beth looked up to the widow with a soft smile. "Good." She answered, scooting over slightly to give Adeline room to sit. And with a reluctant step forward, the woman lowered herself down onto the forest floor and took the spot next to the teenager.

The moment her attentive eyes landed upon the infant in Beths' arms, her features softened. Familiarity struck the widow harshly, observantly taking notice of the similar features that the baby shared with Shane Walsh. And the second her body wanted to pull away and avoid the pain, Adeline fought with her instincts to keep still.

"You know..." Beth trailed off, tucking her blonde hair behind her shoulder as she looked over at the widow. "You could hold her, if you want." She informed, a small smile on her lips as she readjusted her hold on the baby.

Adeline stammered over her words, feeling her stomach drop as if she rode a rollercoaster. "I, um..." She spoke, "I think that would... I think that would be good." The words slipped out, scrunching her face slightly as she nodded her head. "Yeah, I'll hold her." She confirmed wearily.

Shifting, Beth carefully placed her hand under Judiths head before uncurling her arms from around her. The teen watched as Adeline readjusted herself on the ground before cupping her arms together. With a soft smile, Beth lowered the infant into the widows arm - a soft babble coming from its mouth as it reached its hand up into the bright blue sky above them.

"Hey..." Adeline breathed, her voice cracking slightly as she looked down at the baby. Sliding one arm from under the infant, she placed her gloved hand on the blanket around Judiths before readjusting it. The baby met the widows eyes, causing a sudden realization to hit her.

Shanes eyes. It almost looked like a replica, the same color and downcast of the eyelid. It was the exact same. A warm pool of honey, flickers of a lighter brown dancing around the pupils like stars in the obsidian sky. Adeline felt her features soften, tears welling in the corners of her eyes. "You're beautiful, Judith." The widow whispered.

The sound of rushed footsteps running through the forest caused Adelines heart to pound harshly in her chest, her body becoming alert to her surroundings. "Take her. Stay behind the car." She quickly ushered, carefully placing the baby in Beths arms as the teen nodded hurriedly.

Standing up from the forest floor, the widow brushed the leaves off of her jeans before unholstering her pistol. "Someone's coming." Adeline informed, switching the safety off of her gun as she made her way towards Carl and Hershel. "I want you guys behind the car." She spoke.

"I can help." Carl whispered, his pleading eyes sitting heavily upon his aunts shoulders as she sighed deeply in frustration. "Please. I need to help." He added, a look of helplessness covering his features. Adeline looked back at the thicket of trees around them, the rushed sound of footsteps nearing close as she nodded reluctantly.

Ushering her nephew behind a bush, the doctor glanced back at the Hyundai just in time to spot Hershel unholster his gun and aim it towards the trees. "Okay... as soon as they come, I want you to keep your gun trained on them, okay? Let me do the talking. We have the upper hand." Adeline reminded, pulling the hammer back of her pistol.

Watching as Carl nodded hastily, the two of them watched the thicket of trees just as a body stumbled out of them and into the small clearing. "Hey!" Adeline snapped, rushing out from behind the bush with her pistol raised. "You take one more step and you're dead." She informed, her attentive eyes noticing that he was just a teenager.

Swallowing her reluctance, she took a step forward and looked to the shotgun he held in his trembling hands. "Put it down." Adeline ordered, her finger hovering over the trigger. Watching the boy, she noticed as he hastily shook his head before moving to put the gun down.

"I don't wanna die, ma'am." He whispered, his voice cracking, taking a small step forward while outstretching the shotgun towards the widow. "You can take the gun."

Before anymore words could be shared, the small break of a twig was heard behind him in the forest just as the silenced sound of a gunshot soared through the air. In an instant, the teenager in front of her fell to the ground with a bullet embedded into his forehead. A shocked breath left Adelines lips, her eyes falling over to her nephew.

Carl stood with his gun raised behind the bush, a look of accomplishment wavering in his features as he lowered his pistol. "You told him not to take another step." He reminded, causing his aunts gun to lower as she slid it into her holster - "Carl, he was surrendering."

The muffled sound of a broken sob came from the thicket of trees surrounding the small clearing. It sounded like a another kid. Adeline tearing her away from her nephew as she glanced at the limp body of the teen before stepping over it, nearing the forest. "Stay here." She informed, not sparing a second glance in the direction of Carl.

Curling her hand around the hilt of her machete, her attentive eyes scanned the dense forest in search of the crying. "Just come on out," Adeline spoke, twigs and leaves crunching underneath her boots. "I'm not gonna hurt you, okay? I just wanna make sure you're safe." She informed - hearing the cries grow closer as she walked.

The sound of an branch snapping caused Adelines head to turn, her eyes landing upon a small figure that peeked out from behind a large tree. It was just a kid. She looked no more than eleven years old, and in her hands held a pistol that she could barely keep up. Her blonde hair framed her face, a trail of tears decorating her cheeks and claiming the pale skin to be their home as she stepped out.

"You're okay. It's okay." Adeline breathed, raising her gloves hands to show she didn't hold a weapon. "I'm not here to hurt you, I promise." She informed, kneeling down onto the forest floor. The pistol trembled in the kids loose grip, clattering to the ground as a sob left her lips.

In the blink of an eye, thin arms were wrapped around Adelines frame while broken cries were muffled into the widows shoulder. "You're okay." The woman promised, resting her hand against the back of the girls head, her fingers tangled within the locks of hair.

Adeline sighed softly and allowed her hand to fall to the girls arm, slowly pulling away as she intertwined their hands, leading her back to the clearing where her family stood. Breaking through, twigs snapped underneath her weight as her eyes landed upon worried faces. "She's just a kid." Adeline informed, attention falling to the dead body on the forest floor - "He was just a kid."

White noise broke through the radio on the widows side, "We're good here." The voice of her brother informed, causing her hand to fall down to the item. Keeping a careful and worried eye on the girl, Adeline unclipped the radio from her belt and pressed down on the button after clearing her throat - "Alright. We'll be there."

Arriving back to the prison was easier said than done, seeing as the moment Adeline stepped out of the Hyundai with a kid attached to her hip; Rick pulled her to the side and began questioning her like she was a suspect. "The hell were you thinking?" He questioned, causing the woman to roll her eyes.

"She's just a kid, Rick." Adeline argued, "What the hell was I supposed to do? Leave her to die in those woods? It's not like she's going to kill us in our sleep." She remarked, glancing over at the kid who stood alongside Carol and Maggie. "He recruited children, Rick."

Her brother sighed in frustration, running a hand over his face before shifting on his feet. Adeline kept her eyes on him while crossing her arms over her chest - "I'll take care of her. But you should know..." She started, her mind going back to the boy in the forest. "Carl, he... he killed a boy out in the forest. A boy that told me that he didn't want to die." She informed with a shaky voice.

"SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE, RICK."

━━━ AUTHORS NOTE.

here we go, y'all! this is the last chapter
i'm writing for season three :) which means
season four is up next! i'm so so so excited.

also, introducing a new character....

✧･ﾟ: *✧ ( mckenna grace )
THEO GRACE.
' THE CHANGE '

IDJDIDKF i've never been so excited to
write for a series !!! adeline and theo will
be the cutest thing every bye